Most people mark their 70th birthday with cake and loads of candles.
But my incredible friend Beverly Hart boarded a plane with a backpack and spent two months chasing chocolate across Europe—fueled by her brand-new travel-writing aspirations.
She’d retired and got bored fast, which isn’t that uncommon. What is uncommon is what she did about it and how writing played a massive role in opening free doors (and sweet doors!) across an entire continent.
I certainly hope to use Beverly’s story as a springboard of inspiration when I hit my seventies! Also, it’s proof that writing can take you wherever you’d like to go.💼
To your writing freedom,
Mindy McHorse
Executive Editor, Barefoot Writer Magazine
On the Chocolate Trail in Europe
By Beverly Hart
After retiring from a 33-year career in Education, I quickly became bored and realized I had to find something to do. It was about that time that I received a letter in the mail about becoming a travel writer.
Something compelled me to sit down and read it. I was intrigued, so I followed up with it and went through The Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program by the company then known as AWAI Travel. (Editor’s Note: That company has since been bought by International Living).
That led to a photography program called Turn Your Pictures Into Cash: A Comprehensive Program in Taking and Selling Amazing Photographs.
It was those two programs that lit the fire in my belly and made me decide to travel Europe and write about it.
Around the middle of July 2013, I boarded the first of two flights that would take me on the adventure of a lifetime: Two months in Europe on a backpacking trip. It was a present to myself for my 70th birthday. And, I saw it as my breakout opportunity to gain fodder for my new travel blog. I wanted to see and do as much as possible and hone my writing and photography skills in the process.
Being the chocolate-lover that I am, I decided to focus my travels around chocolate in Europe – and write about it, of course.
My first stop was a chocolate museum in Barcelona, Spain called Museu de la Xocolata. And because I had trained to be a travel writer, I knew how to get free access to many of the museums and tourist attractions I planned to visit.
From Spain, I followed the chocolate trail through Switzerland, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Scotland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Luxemburg, Belgium, London, and Paris.
My identity as a travel writer proved to be worth its weight in gold, many times over. Not only did it allow me free entrance to museums, but it also afforded me free rides on the Hop On-Hop Off city tour buses in 30 of the 35 cities I visited; plus free access to tours, exhibits, and concerts throughout Europe.
Best of all, I got free entry into every chocolate factory throughout Europe!
Without my persuasive writing training in travel, I would not have been able to experience a quarter of the things I did during my trip.
My trip also allowed me to explore new and different methods of travel, meet new people (who have become new friends), and embrace a whole new world of excitement and adventure. And I know even more good things will come of it as I gradually chronicle all my adventures.
I owe it all to Barefoot Writer and the copywriting training I have received. Thank you!
Editor’s Note: Interested in learning more about travel writing? It starts with foundational persuasive writing skills. The best source I know is The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter — I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to make a living writing.