I created the “Travellers’ Tales” section to give my readers and other travellers an opportunity to talk about their travels. Today I would like to introduce you to Fray, a travel blogger. Fray is the first male blogger I am featuring (after 27 females / female-male duos) and he’s had some amazing experiences. Visit his blog at “ Packing The Write Way ”.
I would love to hear about your travels too. Go to “Travellers’ Tales” , fill in the quick questionnaire and email it to me with your blog links.
I'm Fray, and I've been travelling on and off for the last 16 years. I started out writing letters home to my family, and then upgraded to blogging. I'm hoping that I can ditch the full-time job and go on a full-time wander at the end of 2017.
Sitting in a Frankfurt railway station with a cold kebab, writing a letter to my parents but using the lyrics/structure to Simon & Garfunkel's Homeward Bound. I was homesick, cold (and a little tipsy), so it wasn't my finest piece of wordsmithery ever.
The day before our summit attempt on Gran Paradiso (Italy's highest peak at 4061m). Guiding a group of school kids, so there was no room for errors (hence the serious face)
We were all set to fly to India this summer, for a 6 week Rickshaw ride around the country. At the last minute we had to change our plans, and so flew to Israel. 4 weeks of wildcamping, hitchhiking and soaking in the centuries of history and culture. It was an amazing Plan B. It was never at the top of my to-do list beforehand, but I'm so glad we did. I'd 100% recommend it to any and all.
Getting stuck in the Judean Desert with no water or food, and little or no shelter for 15 hours on the hottest day of their calendar… AWESOME experience!
I'd have to say it was my 14 months touring around South America… and out of that, if I had to choose a country from that trip, I'd probably have to say Argentina, or specifically Patagonia. Just the sheer breathtaking scale of the mountains and lakes, hitchhiking and camping with strangers, sharing different meals and stories every night… unforgettable.
Venezuela has insane natural beauty, but also insane leadership. So for a safe option, I'd choose Samoa. I was there over 10 years ago, so I just hope it has retained some of its idyllic charm.
Brazil/Venezuela calls for a classic Springsteen quote - Halfway to heaven, just a mile out of hell... but I feel like I'm coming home!
Play rugby with the locals, jump off Sliding Rock, and wander through the street markets… but bring sunglasses, because the shirts there are COLOURFUL!
Normally I like to fly solo, but I have awesome friends should I need company.
My Jetech Wireless Keyboard. Saves space on packing, it's almost indestructible, cheap, and I've had the same batteries in it for over 6 months and it's still going strong.
Get a Revolut Card. No exchange fees, and the mobile app makes it super easy to keep track of your finances (plus other people with the app can instantly transfer cash to you should you find yourself in an emergency)
It has to be walking into the wild, Chris McCandless style… Alaska all the way!
The pretty view from the Bavarian mountains, looking down onto Bad Reichenhall and across into Austria. Such peace and tranquility
I've not been… yet!
Hundreds! In Costa Rica I turned down a ride back to the farm I was working on, opting instead to take the 10km walk along a dirt road. The weather was perfect when I set off… but then came the tropical thunder storm. Mother Nature wasn't satisfied with throwing down lightning bolts, hitting the ground 20 metres from where I was stood, so she decided at that moment to give me the runs. Clenching my cheeks so I didn't soil myself, I had to run the 10k, lightning slamming down around me and getting drenched. I eventually made it back to the farm, and zero sympathy from the locals… good times.
Climbing out of the ocean... Clearly my sea legs deserted me in the Adriatic Sea. Dropping your anchor in rocks and falling out of the boat is a sure-fire way to destroy mobile phone number 7
I've been mugged, beaten up, and even had a few guns pointed at me… but as scary as they were, they were still kinda cool.
You can find me on:
Instagram - sharing my multitude of travel pics @allaboardthefraytrain,
Thank you, Fray, for sharing your fascinating travels with us!
I would love to hear about your travels too. Go to “Travellers’ Tales”, fill in the quick questionnaire and email it to me with your blog links.
Who will I feature next? I’ve got an exciting line-up ahead. Make sure you subscribe to the newsletter so you don’t miss out on some exciting travel tales
Sara Essop is a travel blogger and writer based in South Africa. She writes about family travel and experiences around the world. Although she has been to 50 countries thus far, she especially loves showcasing her beautiful country and is a certified South Africa Specialist.
That is a great tip especially to those fresh to the blogosphere.
Thanks for sharing this. A must read article!
Thanks Alma. Yes, Fray does have some great advice along with his fascinating travel experiences.
Thanks Alma. Fray has some great tips along with his amazing experiences.
I started out writing letters to family and friends as well 🙂 And I'd love to go to Venezuela but maybe not just at the moment 🙁 Great to meet Fray!
I used to write letters to penpals Natasha. And I also want to go to Venezuela 🙂 . Fray does have some interesting stories, hey. I'd love to interview you sometime too.