Travel tales share between friends

The travel stories I enjoy most are the anecdotes of friends, told over dinner or a drink.

These personal tales of encounters with strange cultures and characters, heroic misadventure, hotels from hell, and love lost and found, stick in my memory more than the travel stories I read.

That’s saying something, as I also enjoy the travel journalism in Australian papers and magazines. But there is an avalanche of travel writing out there, and it’s getting harder to spot the gold.

That’s one reason NRMA is about to launch Way2go, a bi-monthly magazine specialising in the type of travel stories you hear from friends.

Apart from the entertainment factor inherent in such yarns, there is always an insight, revelation or lesson to be learned – something for you to consider or avoid when travelling yourself.

Editor Sandy McPhie has made a career specialty of finding the extraordinary tales of ordinary people and turning them into compelling magazine stories.

She already has an amazing collection for the launch issue, which goes on sale in newsagents all over Australia in early January. You can take advantage of a special subscription offer on pages 52-53.

Sandy is keen to hear the travel tales of Open Road readers, and you can win up to $400 cash if your story is selected for publication. Way2go journalists will contact winners to help them transform their stories into engaging magazine pieces. Details are on pages 52-53.

trains, boats, planes and motorhomes

NRMA Members can make big travel savings in this special holiday issue of Open Road. Our expanded Go Travel section, starting on page 43, features a range of NRMA Travel packages incorporating Member discounts and deals.

The Open Road editorial team has been busy checking out some of these journeys and destinations.

Deputy editor Kris Ashton enjoyed Platinum Class on The Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide.

A few weeks later he drove around the north island of New Zealand in a Maui motorhome as part of a fly-drive package.

Writer Paul Rodger tested his nerve with some ultra-light flying and other thrill seeking adventures in Port Macquarie, then interviewed TV and radio celebrity Steve Liebmann about his time on an Avalon river cruise through Europe.

I visited Norfolk Island earlier in the year for the annual country music festival, but experienced much more than that. The strange history, warm people, physical beauty, and the inexplicable joy of driving at 40km/h on bad roads are all reasons to include Norfolk Island in your travel plans. The story starts on page 48.

There are so many great travel offers in this issue we couldn’t fit them all in the Go Travel section. Look out for special Member deals right through the magazine. On page 15, Trailfinders reveals details of its exclusive NRMA Member offers, with big savings on cruises or getaways in Australia, Europe, Thailand, Canada and South America.

Try the other open road

It’s impossible to miss the online editions of Open Road – simply because they don’t go away. Unlike print copies, they can’t disappear down the back of the couch.

For the October online edition, go to openroad.com.au and click on the ‘cover’ icon shown above.

If you enjoy the great motoring, travel and membership stories in your Open Road paper version, you really should indulge in the extra offerings available online.

David Naylor Editor-in-chief

Open Road November/December 2008