Fantastic news! The twenty-first entry in our 2016 Travel Highlights competition is from Bob Manning, who was our 2016 Travel Stories competition winner. If you haven't read his evocative winning story yet then please check it out  here before you read his stunning travel highlight entry.

The First Tapa Is All It Takes!
 
Hesitating at the door; Stopped in my tracks by the bedlam within.
I peered through the smog.
The congested bar stretched into inconspicuousness.
Sinister and sublime.
Pinpointing a space amongst the revelers, I cut through the sultry atmosphere, kickin-up the debris of discarded delights.
I clung to the glutinous counter.
The barman’s raised eyebrows questioned me.
“Caña” I smiled.  
With brutal efficiency he slopped a small beer in front of me, whilst summoning “the first”.
Indeed it was.
An old crone delivered a small plate of orange gunge. Temptingly dangerous.
“Foreigner” she spat.
The air thickened.
 
 

It is a great honour to be able to publish the twentieth entry in our 2016 Travel Highlights Competition - it is from Sandra Staas. Enjoy her wonderful highlight.

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Lost in Washington D.C.
 
Driving around Washington D.C. for the first time in 8 years, going 70 miles an hour in the slow lane. Lost.
 
“We need to take the George Washington Parkway.” I search hopefully for signs.
 
“Are you sure? Do you really know where you’re going?!”
 
“I think I do.”
 
“Make a left. Make a left HERE! Now!”
 
I swerve abruptly zooming across lanes, almost getting hit by a tour bus and make a sharp left. Hands clenched on the steering wheel, I mutter, “Now where are we?”
 
“How should I know? I thought you knew where you were going!”

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Sandra Staas grew up in Scotland before moving to Spain. She resides in Pennsylvania and ​​taught Spanish as adjunct faculty for many years in the Pittsburgh area. She has written and photographed numerous photo tours, and her articles have been published in several journals/newspapers. She recently has self-published three memoirs and one short story collection on Kindle. 

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A big welcome back to Philippa Hawley. She entered our Travel Story competition earlier this year with: ​ ‘God! Help me stay alive, among this deadly love’ . If you haven't read it yet, follow the link before reading her Travel Highlight entry, 

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Nets

Hot off the Lake Iseo ferry, the sun peeps with me, through a small window where hangs a hammock. This is the place I’m seeking.

            In the cool interior sits a lone worker, an artist of threads, at a sewing machine as wide as my desk. He doesn’t raise his head, but reaches for coloured reels of string.

            If he can make fisherman’s nets, or nets for a tennis court; Wimbledon they say – then he is the man for me. I buy a bunch of string shopping bags, one in every colour. Mission accomplished.

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After a slight lull in entries for the 2016 Travel Story Competition, it is great to welcome back Lin Middleton with her second entry.

Lin, and her husband Ken, have recently been travelling in the USA and her highlight is therefore Texas themed. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

“How much meat?!”
 
“A 72oz steak , baked potato, salad,  shrimp cocktail, bread roll” Ken replied.
 
We were at the Big Texan Restaurant, Amarillo – home of the 72oz steak challenge. 
 
People sat at the table.  An hour to eat their meal.  One man remained with just one more forkful.  He gave in.  His green pallor told his story.
 
Others tried, only to be defeated.  We weren’t going to see anyone win the battle tonight.
 
“A woman holds the record, eating three steaks in 20 minutes” said Ken.
 
“No way!”
 
“That's more than 13lbs of meat!”, Ken replied, reading my thoughts.


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It is a real pleasure to be able to feature this guest blog from Susan Joyce. Her newly released memoir Good Morning Diego Garcia! is currently on offer for only 99p/99c. 

There are just over three weeks left to enter your travel highlight of 50-100 words.

Are you up for the challenge?

All you need to do is to e-mail your 50-100 word travel highlight, with a short bio and optional photo to fd81@assl.co.uk.

We’ve had some fantastic entries so far that you can read on my blog here.

If you’ve already taken part, don’t worry, you can submit up to three highlights.

Thanks for your support.
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It is a great privilege to welcome back Syd Blackwell with his second poetic travel highlight. I think we may see a third before this contest is out! Anyway, in the meantime enjoy Syd's latest entry in the 2016 Travel Highlights Competition.

SKOPELOS KAT
 
Skopelos cat
is not fat
is lean and mean
in fights
at night
for fish head
or chicken bone
or territorial home
is quick
or slow with broken hip
or dead
with wounds
too obscene to lick
is sore of eye
or missing fur
or short of tail
Skopelos postcard cat
is caught
in orange door
on woven mat
in blue window
with potted flowers
eats whole fish
from fishing boat
is fat
is not Skopelos cat
 

Trikala, Greece
July 17, 1989
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A warm welcome to the latest entrant in our 2016 Travel Highlight Competition - Susan Brown.

Susan modestly claims that "I have never done anything like this before".

I would never have guessed and am sure you will agree once you have read her wonderful highlight,

Grouse Mountain

We stepped off the gondola into a different world. From the hustle and bustle of the town we had arrived at an area with stunning views and crisp, fresh air. Exploring the area we came across some beautiful wood carvings of animals and birds. In the hills we could see brown bears wandering around and eagles gliding across the sky. The cafe was a welcome sight after a few hours walking. We had coffee as we watched the sun set over Vancouver and the Pacific ocean. Amazing experience!
 

Short Bio:

My name is Susan Brown. I live in Hanchurch, Staffordshire with my husband Jeff and our west highland terrier, Basil. I worked as a nursery manager for many years and then as a lecturer in childcare at Newcastle Under Lyme College. I am now retired.

I am really pleased to be able to feature a second travel highlight entry from Mike Cavanagh. Did you know that each author/writer/poet can enter up to three highlights in this year's competition?

Mike sent me this short message with his entry:
"​This one was easier - maybe I'm getting the hang of it! Thanks actually for stirring up a very pleasant memory. The old shepherd kept us chatting away for 15 minutes, telling us where to go, who to contact, who not to deal with, about his cousins, other Cavanaghs he knew of, etc etc. It was a wonderful lesson in making an attempt. We eventually parted, both laughing and waving like long lost family."

Wrong Way - Right Words
 
Lost. Some sheep track in south-west Ireland. We’d past an elderly, local shepherd with his collie on the way in. I’d waved hello; he’d largely ignored us; just more tourists.
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U-turning at a locked gate in the dry-stone wall, we headed back down the track. The shepherd stood aside as we neared. I stopped and asked directions. He answered briskly, pointed vaguely.

“Go raibh maith agat!” – ‘Thanks’, I said.

 He grabbed my arm:

“Begorrah! You have the Irish!”

Well, a few words – but his smile beamed. Not tourists now, but a long lost relative, to be sure, to be sure.

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Brief bio:
  
Mike Cavanagh is now in his sixties and has no idea how that happened. He lives with his wife, Julie, and two black cats in Bateman’s Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Three adult children, mostly left home, complete the extended menagerie. The house Mike and Julie live in is quirky and in need of regular maintenance, as are its owners. Mike writes poetry, plays guitar and composes music, is doing a PhD in Zoology, and spends far too much time playing computer role playing games. None of these very well, necessarily, but he does them.

Robert Fear is the guest author today on Sarah Jane Butfield's blog at Rukia Publishing. He shares some personal family photographs and gives us a look behind the scenes of Exclusive Pedigree.

Follow this link: http://sarahjanebutfield-glass-half-full.blogspot.co.uk/
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