Blog

Classical Architecture, Angels Unawares, And A Surprise Gutenberg Bible. A Long Weekend In Washington DC, USA

I’ve always wanted to visit Washington, D.C. as it features in so many films and TV shows. I even set a scene in my thriller, Ark of Blood, at the George Washington monument (they have a replica Ark), but I had never visited — until now.

On this long weekend, I enjoyed the classical architecture of the government buildings, the ecclesiastical grandeur of the Basilica and the cathedral, and discovered the beautiful Library of Congress.

JFPenn at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, Feb 2023 — it was very, very cold!

In February 2023, I managed a long weekend before speaking at a conference in Colorado Springs. It was an unseasonal cold snap, so I was freezing but the sky was blue, and I spent days walking the city, which was really empty as it was off-season. Here are some of the places I visited and would recommend to others.

The Call To Pilgrimage, Resilience, And Embracing Challenge With J.F. Penn

Podcast, Religious

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Why is resilience such an important part of pilgrimage? How can embracing the challenge of the way help in daily life? Why do we need to heed the call to pilgrimage before it’s too late?

I’m Jo Frances Penn and in this episode, I share some clips from podcast interviews I’ve done around my new book, Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways. Thanks to Travel Writing World with Jeremy Bassetti, Into the Woods with Holly Worton, and Sacred Steps with Kevin Donahue, podcasts you will enjoy as listeners to this show.

As this goes out, Pilgrimage is available now in a special limited edition signed hardback, as well as a paperback, ebook, audiobook narrated by me, large print edition, and a workbook.

In this episode, I talk about:

Which were the three ancient ways I walked and why they’re interesting even if you’re not religious
What I learned along the way
The three types of energy you need at the different stages
How pilgrimage reminds us we are animals, and how it gives a much-needed perspective on life.

Pilgrimage: The Perspective Of History And Glimpses Of The Divine

Podcast, Religious

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

How can walking in the path of history put life in perspective? How can you find a glimpse of the divine in unexpected places?

In this episode, I share two chapters from my book, Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways. You can buy the audiobook, as well as the special edition hardback, paperback and ebook, at www.JFPenn.com/pilgrimage

The Meaning of Travel With Emily Thomas

Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this wide-ranging interview, Emily Thomas talks about the importance of perspective and time in travel writing, how sublime moments of pleasurable terror make travel so interesting, how to overcome fears both real and imaginary, as well as the ethics of doom tourism, and how VR (virtual reality) might change how we travel in future.

Dr. Emily Thomas is an associate professor in philosophy at Durham University in England. She’s also the author of several books, including The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad.

Traveling is about experiencing otherness, going to places that are new and unfamiliar and trying to figure out how to make sense of them
Sublime moments in travel as a kind of pleasurable terror
Tackling fears, both real and imagined
Research before a trip, and arriving in Malawi, Africa
How do travel books blur the line between fiction and nonfiction, and why is this so important to address stereotypes
“There is no view from nowhere.” Perspective in travel writing
Maps as processes, and how they change over time. The importance of knowing ‘when’ a book was written and the perspective of the writer.
Doom tourism
How VR (virtual reality) might improve aspects of travel, and what we want to keep as in-person experiences
Recommended travel books

You can find Emily at www.EmilyThomasWrites.co.uk and on Twitter @emilytwrites

Shareable and header image generated by Jo Frances Penn on Midjourney.

Untethered. A Woman’s Search For Self On The Edge Of India With C.L. Stambush

Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

How can we adopt an untethered attitude to life, especially when it comes to expectations of travel? C.L. Stambush talks about how her experience of motor-cycling around India taught her more about herself, and how she brings that to her daily life. We also talk about connecting with people across cultural and language barriers, when taking risks is worth it, and how we need to keep pushing the boundaries of our comfort zone to live a more expansive life.

C.L. Stambush is an award-winning writer, journalist, editor and author of Untethered: A Woman’s Search for Self on the Edge of India.

Show notes

Taking risks and discovering that life improves because of it
Riding alone on a motorcycle around India
Breaking down barriers when we travel to different cultures
Getting over our fears around traveling
If we are not pushing forward, are we sliding backward?
Cultivating an untethered state of mind
Recommended travel books

You can find C.L. Stambush at clstambush.com

Header and shareable image generated by Jo Frances Penn on Midjourney and edited on DALL-E.

A Pilgrim In The Path Of History. Solo Walking The Camino De Santiago Portuguese Coastal Route With J.F. Penn

Podcast, Travel Memoir

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In September 2022, I walked the Camino de Santiago along the Portuguese Coastal route. It was around 300 kilometers from Porto in Portugal north along the coast and then inland to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, which took 14 days of back-to-back walking.

I walked alone and carried my pack with everything in it, and I organized my accommodation through Macs Adventure so I knew where I was sleeping every night. I’ve posted a day by day breakdown of the route and my gear list separately, and in this episode, I go through some of my lessons and thoughts from the Way.

JFPenn at Farolim de Felgueiras lighthouse, Porto

Show notes

How walking in the path of history puts life in perspective
If you’ve lost direction in life, pilgrimage can help
Pilgrimage proves you can do hard things, and that knowledge helps back in your daily life
A fusion of sacred and secular
The Camino is an industry — and it always has been
Your Camino, your way. Practical considerations and tips.
Why I needed these last years of walking alone across a seasonal change in my life

You’ll find additional reflections and tips in Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways, out now at jfpenn.com/pilgrimage.

How can walking in the path of history put life in perspective? How can you find a glimpse of the divine in unexpected places?

Follow Jo Frances Penn