The first sentence of a travel story can take me hours. Sometimes days. But once I find it, the rest flows.

If you're getting stuck on beginnings, you're definitely not alone. This week I'm sharing five of my favourite ways to open a travel piece, with real examples from published stories (including a couple of my own) that show exactly how each one works.

We cover dialogue, foreshadowing, immersive scene-setting, the informational opening, and the action drop - and why the best openings across all five types share one thing in common that most writers don't think about.

Articles mentioned in this episode (where there are online versions):

Ecuador: the hothouse heart of the jungle

Vegan food adventure across India

Why this hidden oasis is the coolest luxury destination right now

Au Train de Vie: That voice you hear when travelling

Me, myself and Kii

This plane wreck in a remote part of WA is like a scene from Lost

Explore magical, mysterious Mungo National Park

Transylvania's last mushroom hat artisans fight to save their art

The moment a grizzly stopped hunting fish... and noticed me

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Happy writing + travelling! - Lindy