Written by Hugh Collins
Hilary Bradt ‘roaming alone’ in Ireland
Bradt is looking for inspirational stories about travelling alone to include in a new collection of true-life tales publishing in 2017.
Solo travellers now make up one third of all those embarking on fixed-departure holidays. Many (although not all) are older people who are widowed or divorced and facing the prospect of travelling alone for the first time. Some are planning a seriously adventurous trip lasting several months which, by necessity, they will have to do alone. What they all have in common is anxiety: it takes courage to travel alone, especially if you are used to the companionship of a partner or friend.
Have you been a reluctant solo traveller? Did it take courage to overcome your fears? And were you pleased that you took the plunge? If so, please tell us about that first solo trip.
The book will probably be divided into five sections, but stories need not fit into these categories:
1) Hard adventure
2) Small group travel
3) The silver solo traveller
4) Expedition cruising
5) Volunteering
Each chapter will end with a page or two of tips for successful solo travel. If you’ve any particular tips relating to your own experience, please do include them at the end of your piece.
Remember that the aim of this book is to inspire and encourage people to travel alone, but that doesn’t mean that you should leave out the down-sides. We are looking for a variety of exciting, amusing and even nerve-wracking experiences, although preferably they will be experiences culminating in a happy ending.
Those travellers whose tales are selected for publication will receive a small fee and two complimentary copies of the book.
Entry details
Length: Stories should be between 1,000 and 2,000 words long, and written in the first person by someone who has reluctantly travelled alone – but has loved it.
Deadline: The deadline for submission of your tale is midnight on 31st October 2016 (although entries will be reviewed and selected as they come in, so try not to leave it to the last minute).
Selection: We aim to compile a shortlist by December, and complete the final selection by the end of the year (by which time we should have notified all entrants, whether successful or not).
Terms & Conditions: Full Terms & Conditions of entry are available here.
We are currently encountering problems with our online entry form.
To enter the competition please send your travel tale (as an attached document) to [email protected] with ‘Roam Alone competition’ in the subject field.
Please include your name, email address and a daytime telephone number at the top of your entry.