Mirage Travel Writing Podcast
Welcome to Mirage Travel Writing Podcast, I’m your host William Barlow.
After two decades of indigent wanderings, I’m coming to you with stories, curiosities, and questions. In this first season, there will be narratives of sleeping on the streets in European capitals. There will be tales of crocodile men in remote Central African Republic and armed groups in eastern DR Congo all told through the experience of an aid worker. We will try to understand what it means to be a foreigner in clanic Palestinian society, and why not chronicle the ins and outs of a Parisian sexclub during a gangbang. Stories, all told with the tact of an anthropologist. Somewhat.
The storytelling is pulled from ten years of published and unpublished writing about the West, the Middle East, and Africa and raises questions relating to cross-cultural understanding or better yet, misunderstanding. I welcome your feedback and interpretations of stories, namely on the many oddities that come from travel across cultures.
The podcast will also feature writing from listeners. Writing that can be published anonymously. Writing of confusion or awe at the puzzle of cultures. Stories that serve no other purpose but to be told.
Mirage Travel Writing Podcast
Chosen (Nepal)
Today we have guest writer Lawrence Wrinkler, who takes us on a breathtaking journey through the Annapurna Circuit — a trek where gods and mortals meet. From lush jungles to frozen passes, 'Chosen' follows a ragtag band of travelers weaving through Himalayan villages, mysterious festivals, and brushes with danger and destiny. With a cast of Sherpas, sadhus, and Israelis chasing their own dreams, this is a tale of raw adventure, deep friendship, and encounters that seem carved out of myth. Amid avalanches, altitude sickness, and mysterious strangers, one thing becomes clear: sometimes, the mountain chooses you. Get ready to step into the heart of Nepal and beyond.
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If you enjoy what you're listening to but would rather hold these stories in your hand, say while riding on public transport to mom's house or to the mirage of self-actualization through travel, you can buy a book or two at miragetravelpodcast.com
