Time to Celebrate: New Bradt Guides Anthology Includes Stories By Anne Sigmon and MJ Pramik

 

I and my great writing friend MJ Pramik are delighted to join distinguished British and international travel writers between the covers of the new travel anthology To Oldly Go, just published in the US by Bradt Guides.

While we don’t really think of ourselves as “oldlys,” we’re proud to be part of this collection of 41 true travel tales from the over-60 crowd: Dervla Murphy traveling in Cuba at the age of 74, Matthew Parris swimming the Thames at 60, and Colin Thubron climbing the last stronghold of the Assassins.

From the publisher: To Oldly Go is a collection of challenging and unusual travel escapades by the over-60s. Some stories are thrilling, some thought-provoking, and some just plain fun, but all celebrate an irrepressible appetite among people who refuse to retire quietly… These writers who defying expectations—and the odds—venturing outside their comfort zones onto a less-travelled path.

From Alaska to Zimbabwe, the writers walked, cycled, canoed, and climbed their way into adventure on the road.

My story in the book is “The Hat,” about some of the challenges—and unexpected rewards—of trying to keep up with my husband’s insatiable curiosity, and seemingly endless energy, while touring ancient Hindu temple in South India’s searing heat. That kind of debilitating heat was, my doctor had warned, strictly taboo for me—a stroke and autoimmune patient with water-thin blood.

MJ’s story is “Parahawking in Nepal,” her tale of setting aside her great fear of heights to take a running jump off a cliff in Nepal to glide in view of the Annapurna mountains in tandem with Kevin, a white-feathered Egyptian vulture with a five-foot wingspan. Kevin flew in to nibble water buffalo treats from MJ’s gloved hand while they soared hundreds of feet above the ground.

MJ and I will participate in two upcoming event to celebrate publication of To Oldly Go.

• On Sunday, February 21, 2016 , from 12  to 2 pm, we’ll appear on the radio program Lilycat on Stuff  on FCC Radio. We’ll talk with host Lilycat about travel, writing, and the new anthology. Lilycat is broadcasting from Studio 1-A. You can use this link to listen live. If you can’t tune in on Sunday, you can catch up with the podcast here.

 

• On Thursday evening, March 3, Left Coast Writers will celebrate publication of the new anthology with a  book launch party at Book Passage’s San Francisco Store, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94111. Phone: (415) 835-1020. Start time is 6 pm.

There’ll be wine, international-themed snacks (including chocolate, of course!), prize drawings (could a Cuban cigar be involved?), music, and other surprises. MJ and Anne will read selections from their own stories and those of esteemed writers like Hilary Bradt, Colin Thubron, and Devla Murphy.

The party is free and open to the public, so come and bring your friends. It’s an easy walk from Embarcadero BART or the parking lot directly across the street (Ace Parking Washington at Embarcadero).

Hope to see you there.