travel writing As a student, I spent summer vacations hitch-hiking 7,000 miles round North America and, after working in the Middle East, travelling back through Turkey and Eastern Europe .  After university, and before qualifying as a solicitor, I travelled overland through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan .  I caught a travel bug from which I will never be cured.    I have continued to travel to out of the way places, whenever the opportunity has arisen.  By travelling, I have learnt not only about the people, the geography, the culture, the religions and the history of the countries that I have visited, but also about my own country and myself.  I have kept a diary on all these journeys and, from time to time, have written up descriptions of the people I have met and the places I have visited.  Some of these have been published.  I would like to share these experiences.