Background
There is a long tradition of travel writing in English. It dates back to the 14th century with Sir John Mandevill’s travels. This was an extraordinary mixture of fact and fantasy that even described strange creatures and two-headed men. Richard Hakluyt is well-known for his descriptions of the voyages made by English merchants and explorers in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
In the 18th century, travel literature started to become popular as great novelists described their trips around Europe. In the following century, classic travel literature included descriptions of travels in West Africa, South America and the Amazon.
Among great travel writers of the 20th century were: Robert Byron who journeyed across Central Asia, Freya Stark who traveled widely in Arab countries; Bruce Chatwin whose travel books are a mixture of anthropology, philosophy and fiction. Famous contemporary travel writers include V. S Naipaul, Paul Theroux and Bill Bryson.
Travel writing now is not only more popular than ever but is no longer regarded as an unimportant genre of literature. Good travel literature combines observations with imagination and can explore the depths of the human condition. As the Spanish proverb says, “ He, who would bring home the wealth of the Indies, must carry the wealth of the Indies with him.”