Travel at 60 was lucky enough to speak to Michael Palin recently, so we asked him if he had any advice for our brilliant bloggers – or anyone who’s keen to write about their travel exploits, but might not have had the courage to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) yet.
The Monty Python legend has a stellar travel pedigree and serious writing chops. He made eight extraordinary travel documentary series between 1989 and 2012, taking him to locations as varied as the Sahara Desert, the Himalayas and the North and South Poles – and wrote companion books for all of them. And earlier this year Michael celebrated his 75th birthday while filming his ninth travel documentary, after being granted unprecedented access to explore North Korea. So if you’re a budding travel writer, this is advice from the very best!
What tips would you give to aspiring travel bloggers and Travel at 60 bloggers?
“The main thing is just to be yourself, and not try and write in someone else’s style because you feel that’s right – it’s got to be your way of telling the story.
“You’ve always got to remember your own experience is what makes it different. If you’re just describing a view or describing a building, that’s fair enough, but other people have done that and it’s probably already in the guidebook. What you’ve got to describe is your own feeling when you see that building – what you’re feeling at the time when you’re in this valley or on that journey.
“And it can be a good or a bad feeling – it doesn’t always have to be ‘hey, I’m travelling, isn’t that wonderful?’ Travelling can be very lonely at times, it can be quite difficult and it can be quite depressing. I think if you’re a real traveller you’ve got to be able to pick all those things up in your writing. Be yourself.”
Is there a particular item that you always take with you on your travels that might surprise people?
“I always take my notebook, which is really important to me. In this digital age I still value notebooks and longhand writing. And I always take a map with me. I still prefer to have an old-fashioned map rather than just a map on an iPhone, and not just because in a lot of the world you can’t use them because there’s no service. I take functional stuff that everybody needs, there’s nothing particular extraordinary – Swiss Army Knife, toilet roll… the usual!”
What’s the most embarrassing thing to happen to you while you’ve been on the road?
“Going on a dhow for five, six, seven days, and the only toilet was just a barrel over the back of the ship – the first time you climb overboard into a barrel like that and then realise of course you have to face out to the sea, not into the boat… [laughs].
“There have been many moments when I’ve kind of felt an idiot, but you just have to go with it – if you’re going to travel in any kind of interesting or difficult places, you’re going to have problems with language, with food, whatever, and you just have to be able to have a sense of humour, and be able to laugh at yourself!”
You’ve had the most extraordinary career – a perfect blend of the profound and the ridiculous – is there anything you haven’t done yet that you’d like to have a crack at?
“Mainly the ridiculous! Well, where do I start? I’d like to speak a foreign language really well, I’d like to play a musical instrument, I’d like to be able to cook. You know, there are many things I just rely on others to do well. I feel very fortunate to have been able to have the opportunity to pick and choose lots of different things that interest me. I’ve made films about artists, I’ve made films about the First World War, I’ve been acting in all sorts of different plays, on radio and television, and I’ve done my travelling and I’ve done my comedy. I’ve done more than anyone should, probably, so I can’t think of anything else – just try and survive with the things I’m doing!”
Thank you so much for your time! Australia looks forward to welcoming you in December to hear about your amazing adventures in travel, TV and film at Michael Palin Live on Stage.
“Love to all your readers.”