Do you have a passion for writing, story telling, travelling & helping those less fortunate than ourselves?
How would you like to be the co-author (along with dozens of other travellers) of a book called Backpackers Beating Poverty. It has potential to raise $1 million to help in a small but powerfully significant way to reduce world starvation and poverty.
Here's the plan: you send me one, or preferably lots more, of your favourite backpacking anecdotes (preferably 500-1,000 words but longer is OK). Then I am going to compile over a hundred travellers tales from all over the globe.
All profit (every single cent) from book sales will go directly towards eradication of global poverty through a (still to be determined) global aid organisation any suggestions would be most welcomed! I have also approached Lonely Planet to sponsor the book & am eagerly waiting a reply any other suggestions on other publishing houses would be great
To give you an idea of structure, "Backpackers Beating Poverty" will have a series of chapters with simple headings with but a variety of related travellers tales from a diversity of countries under each heading......
eg (just ideas; it does depend what sort of articles I end up with - again your suggestions would be most welcomed!):
1. Isolation
2. Encounters of the Wild Kind
3. Personal hygiene is highly overrated
4. Colourful characters
5. Life & Death
6. On the Road - in transit
7. Tribal
8. Energy
9. The Shoe String
10.Spiritualism
Any others????????
Conditions of co-authorship:
The story must be true, written in first person and preferably with no typos etc
The story must have taken place while backpacking in a (named) country other than your own (yesterday or 40 yrs ago!)
You must passionately support the cause of improving the lives of the worlds poor (& as such not demand payment for your excellent stories)
If you, or anyone you know, have experienced any form of global adventure - you must document it and send it to me (email or Microsoft Word) by end of August 2000
You qualify as a backpacker if you have voluntarily undertaken and survived an extended period of time not showering, eating the same meal every meal, carry your whole wardrobe on your back and living on a shoe string while in foreign lands.
Please send this email all over the backpacking fraternity and send me (mike_pola@hotmail.com) the laughs, tears, philosophies and theories, cultural observations & wild adventures from old emails, diary excerpts or recounted memories by the end of August 2000.
I stress that this entire venture is voluntary. All co-authors will be fully acknowledged & intellectual property completely respected. Your stories will definitely remain your stories.
Your time, humour & enthusiasm is much appreciated, particularly by those who will be given life by your generous stories and support!!
Yours in Adventure
Mike Pola
Editor "Backpackers Beating Poverty"
Copyright 2000
Mike_pola@hotmail.com
