Writing — Travel
Globetrotters Featured Stories from July and August
I respectfully invite you on a journey through great travel reading!
Hello Globetrotters!
So excited you could join us!
Hope you are all faring well, wherever you are currently parked across this beautiful place called Earth.
Today, we bring you stories of shepherding in Macedonia, living the expat life in France, the charms of Santorini, Greece and floating down the Mekong River in Vietnam, amongst many other snapshots of travel offered from our amazing writers.
I can’t even truly convey how much choosing the stories for this month’s feature was a true conundrum. For the last two digests, I’ve chosen stories that got high reads and/or that were boosted/curated. However, in looking at July and August, we had so many stories that were boosted that it would have been near to impossible to list them all!
Wow!
While this is a fabulous thing for our publication and our writers, to be sure, it does make for a difficult problem in choosing stories to highlight. So, since Medium is focusing on engagement plus quality more and more, I thought I would list those stories that received high engagement through claps and comments as well as high reads.
Thus, you could say that these stories are 100% reader chosen and not chosen by any one person, really. After all, even if a story gets boosted it’s still ultimately up to the reader to choose whether or not to read that story. Right? Don’t know about you, but I love that!
Can’t underscore enough though, we love all of our writers, both those who got high reads and boosts and those who didn’t. That’s why we editors decided to also each pick a story that we enjoyed reading and thought you would enjoy as well. You will find this section further below.
Still, it’s always fascinating to see which stories did do particularly well, and a huge congrats to these writers!
Featured Stories from July and August
Overall, when looking at the following stories, I would say the one thing that gels them all together is not only great writing but a healthy dose of heartfelt humanity as well. See if you don’t agree.
1. Lessons from a Macedonian philosopher-shepherd
This story by Matthew David is a snapshot of the life of a humble but wise shepherd and the valuable lessons everyday people can often teach us. From pop culture to farm-fresh milk we must always stay well-grounded and connected to our surroundings.
This story has over 13k views and climbing.
“Before saying goodbye, we reflected on how meaningful it was to have spent a day together in such a fashion. That it is so rare anymore for two strangers to devote the time or attention to really get to know each other on a deeper level.”
2. I Moved To The World’s Most Livable City — And It’s Incredible
Marie Kester’s lively descriptions of living in Vienna, Austria won over many readers. Her writing about the food, the parks, the architecture and other such things made us all want to visit.
This story has nearly 13k views and counting.
“The quality of life is amazing here. The housing and transportation are affordable. Infrastructure and safety are well-maintained. And the food is delicious. There’s also plenty of culture and entertainment to soak up.”
Marie also had this well-performing related story of the town of Graz, Austria: I Visited A Beautiful City In Europe (You’ve Probably Never Heard Of)
3. After Years In A Foreign Country, Some Ex-Pats Say They Just Want To Go Home Again
As an expat myself, I related very much to this story from Janice Macdonald, and it seems many others could relate as well. The language she uses and the imagery she creates is enticing!
“If home is a feeling of contentment, perhaps that’s enough. Enough, on a hot summer day, to walk past a tray of just-baked bread set out to cool on the windowsill of the boulangerie, to hear the chatter of women at the weekly market, shopping baskets on their arms and to wonder if happiness might also signify belonging.”
4. This Is What Happens When You Don’t Say No
Ryan Frawley’s story of sailing to Marseille is full of eye-cutting imagery and real-life travel ups and downs.
The photos are crazy awesome as well.
“The sea had spent its fury the night before. Now, our patch of the Mediterranean was a flat blue bowl, waveless and placid under a sky patched with thin and innocent clouds.”
5. How many photos does it take to portray a city?
Good question. Kenny Minker presents an intriguing 5-photo theory when visiting a city. Don’t know what that is? Simply read this interesting story to find out.
(Plus, there is an extremely cute cat pic. Yeah, I’m always a sucker for those. Guilty as charged.)
“Have you ever visited a city, snapped some photos, and had the feeling that they don’t quite capture the essence of the place?”
6. Graffiti is Cool and Creative so Let it Be
Always happy when stories from my fellow Globetrotter editors do well, like this story from Michele Maize. Submitted to our August street art challenge, this story features personable writing that just can’t help but draw us in:
“I love looking through old photos from time to time. It takes me back to that moment and the feeling that I had. My husband often tells me to live more in the moment and just experience the “thing” instead of photographing it. Do I listen? No, I do what I want.”
7. Exploring the Picture-Perfect Charms of Oia in Santorini, Greece
B.R. Shenoy provides us with a story of visiting Greece that marries together an enticing mix of personal experience, cultural highlights and dazzling photos.
“As we strolled along the hillside, the view transformed from overlooking Fira to the other side of Oia Bay. The classic Santorini shot was complete with the breathtaking sunset, windmills, and perhaps even a picturesque blue-domed church.”
8. Heather, Blueberries and a Fresh Breeze
In this story by Kristine Harper, she shares her picturesque experiences of visiting three Danish islands. Puppies, fresh air and delicious produce sound amazing.
“We took a long walk along the north coast of the island and ate lots of wild raspberries and blueberries along the way. The weather was kind to us, and the many different kinds of flowers created a beautiful patchwork of colors and textures.”
9. Exploring The Mekong — Vietnam’s Heartland
Darren Weir offers one of his many travel treats. His stories are always full of dazzling details told exceptionally well. This story features a boat ride down the Mekong River in Vietnam and offers stunning photography.
“I grabbed a baguette for breakfast before hopping back on the boat again, gliding across the glass-like surface of the Mekong tributary, just as the sun was coming up. It was a magical experience.”
More boosted and most read stories
Wanted to attach these two previous articles, which contain a list of boosted and most read stories from previous months. Check them out!
- Globetrotters Boosted and Most Read Stories from May and June
- Globetrotters Most Read and Boosted Stories from March and April
More Awesome Stories
Editor’s picks
As promised, here’s a list of personal picks we editors put together. It’s true that not all of the best stories always get boosted or end up getting the reads they deserve. So, each of us editors decided to pick a story to self-curate/boost:
Adrienne: Great Alaska Road Trip
I’ve loved reading Edith Bar’s Great Alaska Road Trip series. Her photos and description of the landscape, the sharing of her artwork, and writing about the fun parts and not so fun parts of the road trip hooked me.
Anne: Climbing Kili Taught Me the Cultural Misconceptions of Athleticism
Since I saw this mountain with my own eyes, I've always dreamt of climbing it. Not having the time or done any preparation for it, this remained a dream. But thanks to many others who attempted and achieved climbing Africa’s highest peak, I can at least experience parts of it. Alyssa Williams-Sinn shares her own very unique experience on the mountain.
"I learned that there is so much more intricacy between humans and nature beyond just what we perceive to be physical strength."
Michele: Hiking Amid Austria’s Zillertal Alps
One of my favorite things about being an editor here at Globetrotters is that I am exposed to more places in the world. My list is growing long, as I keep adding places that I see from other fellow writers. Since publishing this story from Mystical Aries, I have been thinking about Austria. How could I not after seeing her photos that make my heart skip a beat? Her story about the iconic suspension bridge in Austria is full of gorgeous photos.
Jillian: Reverse Culture Shock — The Dip When Coming Home After A Long Time Abroad
I really appreciated this story by Yvette Brand. She accurately describes reverse culture shock and I resonated deeply with much of what she wrote. While there were so many great travel stories in July and August that I loved to read, I also like looking at the other sides of travel that we often don’t consider. The darker sides, if you will. Great job Yvette!
JoAnn: One Weird Quirk of the Kiwis: Orange Traffic Cones
I love quirky. Also loved the play on words in this fun story by Tim Ward, Mature Flâneur. This story stayed with me for a long time after reading it.
Did I go to sleep dreaming of orange traffic cones? Well, now. I wouldn’t go that far!
“Like every nationality, Kiwis have their share of quirks. At first these quirks may irk a visitor. But after awhile, the quirks become perks for appreciating the ways in which a country works.”
What do you think of our picks? What story would you pick to highlight from July and August?
Monthly challenges
Every month we host popular story challenges. In August we presented the street art challenge. This month our challenge is on wildlife animals. Catch up on these stories and read the finale from August here:
Story recaps
Every week, we publish a recap of the previous week’s stories so that we can all catch up. You can see a list of these recaps here:
Writer spotlight stories
Also, check out our writer spotlight story submissions, where our authors introduce themselves to everyone:
Thank you to everyone for being here and congrats to all the viral story writers!
Happy travels to you!
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