Travel changes people completely. It is never too early to begin travelling because with travel you get to etch experiences in your memory; of course, if you retell or record them in any form, the memory lasts longer. A travelogue is something that makes us experience what we went through the same way we encountered the journey (that is if we know how to use sensory images well). It’s sad though that there are not many travelogues that are written from a child’s perspective. The question we need to ponder on is, ‘why not?’
Carl Burns (a famous musician) said that there was once a child on a farm who saw a plane in the sky and dreamt of a faraway destination. While at the same time, another child from the same plane saw the farmhouse below and fantasised about home.Two different perspectives and two different observations, but even then this whole picture could be painted on a single frame. For some, travelling might mean going abroad and to places, while for others it means coming back home. This is what makes the world different: different people with different perspectives. For some, an actual movement between different geographic locations would constitute ‘travel.’ But, it does not have to be so always. If you are mindful of every movement that you make, then even everyday activities will be a worthy topic for a travelogue. It’s all in the perspective.
So, let’s get this straight. Travel doesn’t have to be to a destination to a different country or continent. It could be a simple journey from your room to the fridge at night. Imagine you craved a midnight snack and dared to venture alone to the refrigerator to satisfy your craving. This is a simple trip, which could be blandly told to a friend as “I couldn’t control my urge to snack at night, so I did it. Then, as usual, I felt guilty.” What is the fun of sharing something this way?
Can we try to retell this trip to the fridge in a manner that would make the listener a part of your home and a partner in your journey to the fridge (even though it’s in the past)? How do you make listeners interested with wide-open eyes and all ears to every small detail you have to say, you ask? Well, the magic lies in using sensory images to your advantage. They enable you to show rather than tell the listener what is happening. Shall we see how to recap what you went through?
I was having this gnawing feeling inside me after dinner. Usually, I have a good enough dinner to keep me satiated, but unfortunately, it is never enough to satisfy my cravings. They would creep up from behind my mind the moment lights were switched off and everyone retired for the day. I would try my best to bury those feelings and divert my thoughts to a movie or a song; however, they would spring up with the same force that I had used to suppress them. I had to satisfy the craving or else the feeling would have gnawed my insides.
I unwillingly got off the bed and felt my way to the door in the dark. With my breath held back, I cautiously scanned my surroundings and tiptoed to the hall where the fridge was positioned: the storage box of my weakness and insecurities. In that dark hall, there were shapes in monochrome—like a crime scene from a black and white movie. A few cautious steps later, the silhouettes were already more discernible than they were only a short while before. I discerned the dimensions of the grey cuboid—my haven. As I locked my eyes on the fridge, my pace quickened. With outstretched arms, I headed straight for the handle, opened it and left out my long-held breath. I basked in the glowing light from the refrigerator and felt my heart pound against my chest.
Snitched goodies are always sweeter, they say (it’s true). The aroma of butter and chocolate escaped as I lifted the glass bell jar that covered Mom’s chocolate cake. I lost control. I gobbled down one big piece without thinking about the calories, the time, or if I needed it. It was so soft and moist that it melted down my throat. Just as soon as I gave in to the temptation, I was aware of my surroundings. Crumbs of cake that escaped my mouth soiled the spotless kitchen floor. The light from the fridge was now more like a spotlight on a runaway thief; I felt guilty. When would I ever overcome this nighttime craving? Ashamed by my lack of self-control, I shut the door to the fridge and left all traces of my crime the way they were. Slowly, I returned to my room.
So, aside from actually boarding a plane, did you notice how a simple habitual action could be described as a travel episode chock-full of language techniques, dynamic sentence starters, and, most importantly, immersive sensory imagery? A good place to start from, don’t you think? What more daily trips can you describe with elevated language rather than a mundane way of seeing and telling things? Remember to absorb each situation using all your senses and who could do that better than us children? Let your imagination and vocabulary run free to help you through the process.