GLOBETROTTERS WRITING PROMPT
Terrains of the World - The Finale
A trip around the world indulging in fascinating landscape features.
Wow, you’ve left us speechless. While we were certainly excited about this month’s challenge and were looking forward to the submissions about terrains, you’ve outdone yourself.
We read about beaches, mountains, rocks, dunes and snow. We saw the Sahara dust in the air and felt the cold temperatures above the Arctic Circle.
You took us on hikes through deserts and over ice fields and we came along on tours over lush green meadows and barren moon-like landscapes.
And yes, you’ve broadened our horizons. While we enjoyed every single submission this month, we still have to pick our favorites. Read below.
Michele Maize
We are so lucky to live on such a beautiful planet with many different terrains and amazing places to see. This month’s challenge has opened my eyes to many new locations that I want to visit. The stories I’ve read and the photos that I’ve seen have made it hard to choose a few favorites.
I am so envious of Erika Burkhalter’s photography skills. Her photos almost don’t look real, they are that good. I actually just busted out my old DSLR in hopes that it still works. It’s about 5 years old but I am going to be testing it out now, thanks to Erika. She shares her incredible story and photos of the Haleakalā Crater in Maui. Feast your eyes on her beautiful photos while reading about this spectacular place.
Scott-Ryan Abt is another writer who takes amazing photographs that accompany his brilliant writing. I have a soft spot in my heart for Jamaica because I spent my honeymoon there, although he explores the coast that is less traveled by tourists. It’s a good reminder to go off the beaten path, away from tourism, to find the most beautiful untouched terrains. You can read about the real Jamaica in his story here:
I think anyone would want to visit Norway after reading Keith Kelley’s story about visiting the fjords. In another incredible story with stunning photographs, Keith goes into detail about his once-in-a-lifetime trip to Norway where he travels by bus, train, and boat. Norway has been on my list for a while and now I moved it to a top spot after reading Keith's story.
JoAnn Ryan
Have to give much credit to Anne Bonfert for leading us through this month of majestic terrain stories. It made for some highly enjoyable reads!
In a perfect world, we could take a tour of all the places you’ve written about all at once. Wouldn’t that be something?!
I already mentioned a few of my favorites at the end of my last post: “An Extreme Change in Terrain Can Cause Wicked Mental Health Issues… so, don’t want to be a broken record.
Even though it’s always difficult to pick, my overall favorite for this month is this amazing post by Erika Burkhalter:
“Rain began to play its hand at sculpting deep canyons, and coral reefs began to ring the island. Birds began to carry in seeds, and life sprang from the rich soil.”
What simply amazing writing and photography. Truly stunning! Thanks Erika!
A huge thank you to everyone who submitted stories to our February challenge. Loved them all. See you again in March!
Adrienne Beaumont
I loved both CosmicDancer’s stories. “This Is Exactly the Place You’ll Want to Visit Next” and “Five Places With Some of the Most Amazing Terrains I’ve Seen”.
Also loved Michael Rhodes’ “Coastal Terrain — Where Land Meets The Sea”. I never thought of a coastline as being a particular sort of terrain.
I loved both Keith Kelley’s“Norway in a Nutshell” and “Croatia, Montenegro, and Corfu Seascapes”. His description of Norway was spot on and his story of the Croatian coastline has excited me so much I want to see it for myself.
But wait for it, I’ve actually made a decision and chosen an outright winner.
It’s Krasi Shapkarova’s “I Belong Where the Rocks Are”. She writes about rocks she has seen herself and some of which she’s climbed! She writes about her experiences with a touch of humour which never goes astray in a serious exposé on ROCKS. Here’s just a sample…
“In fact, I have so many photos of rocks, my mother keeps asking me why I keep sending her pictures of rocks and such when I visit a new place, instead of, you know, pictures of me.”
Congratulations, Krasi Shapkarova and every single writer who submitted a story to the Terrains of the World writing challenge.
Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages
As usual, choosing favorites for our monthly challenges is always, well, a challenge! While you are all writing about your wonderful experiences and the places you are visiting, we are sitting back and taking it all in, wondering how on earth we will decide which is better than the others.
In all honesty, there are none that are better, or worse, than any others, but some just speak to us on different levels. This month three specific stories spoke to me the most.
Keith Kelley shares stunning photos along with a beautiful description of just one day spent in Norway. I was gobsmacked by his incredible photos and impressed with his stamina to do it all in 12 hours! What an incredible day he had!
Kim Baker shares a variety of terrains with us and explains what they can be used for. She also goes on to explain how terrains affect weather patterns and how animals also use the terrain to their benefit. I really appreciated your different approach to the prompt response Kim. Plus, your photos are stunning!
But I have to say that Mary B’s story really inspired me the most. In her story, she tells us about how she grew up in the city and how terrains and nature have always scared her, to an extent. Despite her fears, though, she has gotten out into the wild wilderness to challenge herself and push back her limitations. I especially loved her story of climbing Ayers Rock back in 1992! What a great experience to have had considering that nobody is allowed to do that anymore.
I was also moved by her one big regret of not walking out into the lava field. It reminds me that we really need to take advantage of each moment, to do the things we want to do so that we also don’t have regrets in the future.
I think the regret from that experience in Hawaii has motivated me to be more fearless in my travels. I now think about whether or how much I would regret missing out on an experience before deciding whether or not I’m up to it.
Thank you to all of the writers who took part in the challenge this month. There were incredible stories and so many amazing photographs! These challenges are truly a highlight of my job editing for the publication:)
Anne Bonfert
It was such a joy reading about so many different landscapes and terrains from all over the world. I do look at certain destinations with a different eye now and might have pushed up one or two countries on my travel wish list.
The terrains I have been fascinated by have changed over the years. While I used to long for endless beaches on a flat coastline such as the Mediterranean coast of Italy, I am now more drawn to the mountains and coastlines shaped by steep cliffs and rocky shores.
This is why I could feel Kim Baker‘s words about different times in life and the various terrains she explored. I truly enjoyed her approach to looking at topics and presenting even the insides of landscapes such as soils and food.
She’s even going a bit further, saying terrains are the reason for all travel as we seek new sights around the world and I guess she’s right!
“Without the terrain, nothing else exists, it is necessary, it is what makes all of that foliage possible and it is why we travel.” — Kim Baker
I’ve been to Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands, before but I haven’t seen any of the landscapes or hidden terrains Dan Carlson talks about. As it was a time in my life I didn’t do anything else but tan on the beach and sip cocktails in the evening, I have yet to return and see the island with different eyes.
Dan’s stories are always a little different with some discrete clothing-optional photographs and narrative in between but certainly always fascinating to read.
While every single participant in the challenge submitted stunning pictures of breathtaking terrains around the world, the next writer opted for a more personal approach to the topic.
Growing up in the city Mary B didn’t have a tight connection to nature and was afraid of most weather and landscape features. After experiencing regret by not doing a hike across flowing lava at night (who could blame her?), she decided to make a point of it and step out of her comfort zone step by step.
Exploring different terrains in the world now with her children as well, I found this read very compelling, authentic and heart-warming.
And while I usually try to limit my choice of articles to three, I couldn't resist but mention one of my favorite writers on Medium, one I have been following for a while already and who recently joined the community of Globetrotters as well about what I'm overly excited about.
She isn't just a great photographer always trying to up her skills with new equipment or photography courses, she's also a passionate traveler and great writer. Her narrative captures me with the first few words and her excitement travels across the world to wherever I'm currently at.
She is also talking about a place where lava flows or what is left of it. I could hear the rocks bangling together on the beach and smell the salt in the air. The waves crashing in front of the incredibly blue sky will stay in my memory until I make it to Hawaii one day.
Thank you Erika Burkhalter for this delightful piece. It was a joy coming along on your hike.
Once again, we thank each and every writer who has contributed to this writing prompt. The stories were all interesting and inspiring. My view of the world’s terrains has certainly expanded reading through these articles.
If you missed the deadline and still want to share a travel story showcasing landscapes or terrains to be seen on this planet, you can do so. The article will just not be part of the challenge. We are always open to travel posts.
I also encourage you to stay tuned for our next writing prompt for the month of March. We will announce it here on Globetrotters on the 1st.
The team of editors also has contributed to the challenge with the following articles. These posts never join the contest.
Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages with “I Will Never Tire Of the Diversity Of Our Planet”
Michele Maize with “Living in California, I Am No Stranger To The Desert”
Adrienne Beaumont with “How Can I Not Write About Iceland?”
Anne Bonfert with “From The Dust in the Desert to the Mist Rising in the Wetlands” and "Where Tropical Winds and Huge Waves are Crashing Onto Shore"
JoAnn Ryan with “An Extreme Change in Terrain Can Cause Rather Wicked Mental Health Issues"
And now, please give credits to all participating writers and do give a read to these awesome submissions if you haven’t checked them out yet:
CosmicDancer with “This Is Exactly the Place You’ll Want to Visit Next” and “Five Places With Some of the Most Amazing Terrains I’ve Seen”
Michael Rhodes with “Coastal Terrain — Where Land Meets The Sea”
Dan Carlson | Meandering Naturist with “A Naturists Guide to the Canary Islands”
Scott-Ryan Abt with “Every Last Version of Green and Blue: Lost and Found on The North Coast of Jamaica”
Ronald Smit with “Terran Terrains”
Julia A. Keirns with “The Many Terrains of Big Bend National Park”
Krasi Shapkarova with “I Belong Where the Rocks Are”
Keith Kelley with “Norway in a Nutshell” and “Croatia, Montenegro, and Corfu Seascapes”
Barb Dalton with “New Zealand is Drop-Dead Gorgeous”
Sh*t Happens - Lost Girl Travel with “The Most Magical Place in Mexico is Underground”
Kim Baker with “The One Factor that Affects Every Part of your Vacation”
Gail Sawchuk with “Ever Shifting Terrain of the Great Sand Dunes”
Mary B with “Meeting the World’s Terrain on My Terms”
Erika Burkhalter with "Where the Lava Meets the Sea" and "Beyond the Cinder Cones and Above the Clouds in Haleakalā Crater"
Your Globetrotters editing team (JoAnn, Adrienne, Jillian, Michele & Anne)
