Laura, this was such an inspiring deep dive — thank you for this. I love how you framed "voice" as the heart of travel writing, not just the place. It reminded me why I started writing about slow travel in the first place — to capture how being there changes who we are, not just where we go.
And I have to say, I love Anthony Bourdain too. I know he’s polarizing — we actually saw him speak live once, and honestly, he wasn’t the greatest. But that’s partly why I loved it. He did things that made him uncomfortable, and there’s something deeply human about that.
Great post. I've always loved Bourdain's shows but hadn't really delved into his literature. I will definitely be adding it to the list. I resonate a lot with the part about being humble and accepting that you don't know everything about a place.
I find that in some of my writing/videos/etc. of the past, I have a bad habit of trying to compare the place I'm in to other places. While I tend to do it as an attempt to associate a place with feelings which might be familiar to the audience, I feel like it more often than not takes me away from the present moment that I'm experiencing in that place. I think approaching it in a more "open to whatever" way may help me break this habit.
Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed reading this! Happy Travels!
Love this post. So helpful. In Dhaka I’m surrounded by the most stimulating sights and sounds and reading this makes me want to journal immediately but I’m putting my kid to sleep so I’ll do it tomorrow :)
Such a great piece, took notes as I begin my Istanbul story...Fun fact, my daughter was at college in Rhode Island at Johnson & Wales. Anthony Bourdain gave a talk in the auditorium. The kids were riveted. When he started to tell the kids the best education is to close the books and travel the world, they pulled him off of the stage and closed the talk. Can you imagine that!?
Hi Debbie, that’s crazy. What a story, and I bet none of the kids will ever forget what he said after that! Istanbul is one of my all-time favourite places. Enjoy! There’s a fantastic Bourdain episode of No Reservations in Istanbul. Recommend (it’s available on podcast too) if you’ve not yet heard it. Glad you enjoyed the piece.
What I love here is how Laura reframes travel writing not as description but reckoning. She reminds us that the world doesn’t need more itineraries—it needs interpreters willing to confront their own seeing. The traveler’s duty, then, isn’t to showcase wonder but to earn it: through voice, vulnerability, and awareness of power.
Bourdain’s “tiny stool” becomes a spiritual position—low enough to listen. Didion’s detachment, Iyer’s drift, and Bourdain’s appetite all converge on one truth: the road is only as revelatory as the honesty you bring to it.
That’s the craft lesson and the ethical one: to write about a place is to risk misunderstanding it—and to write anyway, humbly.
I've never read or seen anything by Bourdain, however, Substack’s obsession with him makes me think I need to start watching some of his segments. Very great article, I will be trying to incorporate these ideas as I move along :)
This is such a good piece, Laura! I got to travel quite a bit in my 20s and tried my best to immerse myself in the local culture and to dine where the locals did! I wish I had kept diaries of my earlier adventures but reading this just reminded me of why I went on those travel adventures in the first place!!
Thank you so much for the great reading recommendations and writing prompts. Once upon a time I used to write almost every day. That has fallen by the wayside for the past decade + and I am challenging myself this coming summer to bring it back. I travel full time with my husband and I know there is tons of material within me and all around me but the use it or lose it reality of life will make this an uphill battle. I’m suiting up for it though!! Thank you!
This is a very good, thoughtful article – thank you. But sometimes (and more and more often) it seems to me that many guides and sets of advice share two main problems:
They worked before. This is especially common with instructions like “How to start and grow your newsletter.” Your article clearly doesn’t fall into that category.)))
They do work – but only for the person who wrote them. Many things fall into this category. Once I asked a friend of mine, a psychotherapist with enormous experience: “What do you think about Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People? Does it work?” And he answered: “Yes. But only for him.”
I’ve only recently started my own newsletter. So now I have to learn both how to write and how to promote it. I’ve read a lot about both, but I still don’t know what actually works for me.
The way out? To try, try, and try again. At least, that’s how it seems to me.
This was really useful! I had to smile at the mention of 'hidden gem' and 'bustling market'. I made the same observation about these empty phrases being everywhere a while back.
Appreciate the exploration of Bourdain’s work it resonated so deeply, I’ve been reading about him and his work to understand the man behind the travel. I’d seen his shows and wanted to learn more about his literature.
Loved this piece as a a whole and will be using this lens in my work as I truly believe it’ll make my work emotionally authentic and compelling when I anchor myself in my voice.
Thanks for Global Soul recommendation this sounds so me.
I loved this, thank you for the thought-provoking piece and the reading recommendations! I recently started a travel Substack after shying away from travel writing for years. It's a constant challenge to capture exactly how a place feels and not get caught up in the clichés and moment-to-moment narration that so often weighs a piece down. I especially loved what you wrote about showing the scene – Bourdain was so good at putting you right on that street-side plastic stool.
Apologies if someone already commented about this, as I've not gone through every comment...Bourdain fans should check out Roads & Kingdoms, which recently released their first print mag. Bourdain was part of the R&K story early on, and it was a goal of mine to get a piece published in their e-zine, if I may call it that, because I loved what they were doing then. Fortunately, I did (4). R&K here: https://roadsandkingdoms.com/
Laura, this was such an inspiring deep dive — thank you for this. I love how you framed "voice" as the heart of travel writing, not just the place. It reminded me why I started writing about slow travel in the first place — to capture how being there changes who we are, not just where we go.
And I have to say, I love Anthony Bourdain too. I know he’s polarizing — we actually saw him speak live once, and honestly, he wasn’t the greatest. But that’s partly why I loved it. He did things that made him uncomfortable, and there’s something deeply human about that.
Thanks Kelly, appreciated and love your point re how travel ‘changes who we are’. Agree. Soul-expanding.
Great post. I've always loved Bourdain's shows but hadn't really delved into his literature. I will definitely be adding it to the list. I resonate a lot with the part about being humble and accepting that you don't know everything about a place.
I find that in some of my writing/videos/etc. of the past, I have a bad habit of trying to compare the place I'm in to other places. While I tend to do it as an attempt to associate a place with feelings which might be familiar to the audience, I feel like it more often than not takes me away from the present moment that I'm experiencing in that place. I think approaching it in a more "open to whatever" way may help me break this habit.
Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed reading this! Happy Travels!
So glad it’s helpful to you for how you navigate your own writing!
Love this post. So helpful. In Dhaka I’m surrounded by the most stimulating sights and sounds and reading this makes me want to journal immediately but I’m putting my kid to sleep so I’ll do it tomorrow :)
Such a great piece, took notes as I begin my Istanbul story...Fun fact, my daughter was at college in Rhode Island at Johnson & Wales. Anthony Bourdain gave a talk in the auditorium. The kids were riveted. When he started to tell the kids the best education is to close the books and travel the world, they pulled him off of the stage and closed the talk. Can you imagine that!?
Hi Debbie, that’s crazy. What a story, and I bet none of the kids will ever forget what he said after that! Istanbul is one of my all-time favourite places. Enjoy! There’s a fantastic Bourdain episode of No Reservations in Istanbul. Recommend (it’s available on podcast too) if you’ve not yet heard it. Glad you enjoyed the piece.
What I love here is how Laura reframes travel writing not as description but reckoning. She reminds us that the world doesn’t need more itineraries—it needs interpreters willing to confront their own seeing. The traveler’s duty, then, isn’t to showcase wonder but to earn it: through voice, vulnerability, and awareness of power.
Bourdain’s “tiny stool” becomes a spiritual position—low enough to listen. Didion’s detachment, Iyer’s drift, and Bourdain’s appetite all converge on one truth: the road is only as revelatory as the honesty you bring to it.
That’s the craft lesson and the ethical one: to write about a place is to risk misunderstanding it—and to write anyway, humbly.
Thanks Dave for such a nuanced, engaged response - beautifully written as ever.
I've never read or seen anything by Bourdain, however, Substack’s obsession with him makes me think I need to start watching some of his segments. Very great article, I will be trying to incorporate these ideas as I move along :)
Thanks Josh, glad it’s useful to you.
I love this thoughtful post as I’m fumbling into writing for myself, partly about travels, and sharing here in Substack because why not 🤷♀️
Thanks, wishing you all best with your writing!
This is such a good piece, Laura! I got to travel quite a bit in my 20s and tried my best to immerse myself in the local culture and to dine where the locals did! I wish I had kept diaries of my earlier adventures but reading this just reminded me of why I went on those travel adventures in the first place!!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed!
currently reading Kitchen Confidential and I can connect your points to the way Bourdain wrote and expressed himself
Thank you so much for the great reading recommendations and writing prompts. Once upon a time I used to write almost every day. That has fallen by the wayside for the past decade + and I am challenging myself this coming summer to bring it back. I travel full time with my husband and I know there is tons of material within me and all around me but the use it or lose it reality of life will make this an uphill battle. I’m suiting up for it though!! Thank you!
So pleased to hear you’ve found it encouraging for your own writing, and getting back into regular writing. Look forward to reading!
A ton of my travel story telling inspiration comes from him. Big part of why I started writing during my travels starting with this:
https://nomadsdispatch.substack.com/p/things-i-learned-after-eight-months?r=7n76tf
Hi Mike, will check it out. Yes, a fantastic inspiration for any storytelling, especially travel.
This is a very good, thoughtful article – thank you. But sometimes (and more and more often) it seems to me that many guides and sets of advice share two main problems:
They worked before. This is especially common with instructions like “How to start and grow your newsletter.” Your article clearly doesn’t fall into that category.)))
They do work – but only for the person who wrote them. Many things fall into this category. Once I asked a friend of mine, a psychotherapist with enormous experience: “What do you think about Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People? Does it work?” And he answered: “Yes. But only for him.”
I’ve only recently started my own newsletter. So now I have to learn both how to write and how to promote it. I’ve read a lot about both, but I still don’t know what actually works for me.
The way out? To try, try, and try again. At least, that’s how it seems to me.
Thanks Alexander, yes, it’s the only way to write. Wishing you all best with it.
This was really useful! I had to smile at the mention of 'hidden gem' and 'bustling market'. I made the same observation about these empty phrases being everywhere a while back.
Hi Tom, yes, used so overused now. Glad it was a useful read for you!
Appreciate the exploration of Bourdain’s work it resonated so deeply, I’ve been reading about him and his work to understand the man behind the travel. I’d seen his shows and wanted to learn more about his literature.
Loved this piece as a a whole and will be using this lens in my work as I truly believe it’ll make my work emotionally authentic and compelling when I anchor myself in my voice.
Thanks for Global Soul recommendation this sounds so me.
Glad to hear it resonated deeply for you and your writing, and appreciate your kind words.
I loved this, thank you for the thought-provoking piece and the reading recommendations! I recently started a travel Substack after shying away from travel writing for years. It's a constant challenge to capture exactly how a place feels and not get caught up in the clichés and moment-to-moment narration that so often weighs a piece down. I especially loved what you wrote about showing the scene – Bourdain was so good at putting you right on that street-side plastic stool.
Thanks Evelyn, appreciate that. All best with the writing!
Apologies if someone already commented about this, as I've not gone through every comment...Bourdain fans should check out Roads & Kingdoms, which recently released their first print mag. Bourdain was part of the R&K story early on, and it was a goal of mine to get a piece published in their e-zine, if I may call it that, because I loved what they were doing then. Fortunately, I did (4). R&K here: https://roadsandkingdoms.com/
Excellent suggestion re Roads & Kingdoms, agree. Thanks for sharing.