Super-Short Travel Stories
Can you tell such a tale in just one tweet? That’s the Super-Short Travel Story challenge we recently posed to the Travel + Leisure community. Already, more than 500 participants have tweeted funny, wistful, and even poetic tales, using the dedicated hashtag #TLStory. Each is a sort of traveler’s haiku—and the best are too much fun to keep to ourselves.
Many of our favorite #TLStory tweets vividly capture a particular moment: a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon 25 years after first studying Shakespeare; the thunderous approach of a buffalo migration in the dust-filled plains of South Africa; a sunrise hot-air balloon ride over Turkey's otherworldly Cappadocia region.
Misadventures always make for juicy stories, and perhaps that’s why “lost” was included in 37 tweets. T+L followers have accidentally taken the road less traveled in destinations ranging from the Utah desert to Uluwatu, Bali. Other tweets of travel gone wrong—a missed train in Marrakesh, a night spent at the Dublin airport Starbucks—sound amusing now, even though the experiences must have been frustrating at the time.
Read on to discover what this Twitterature is all about, and then tweet your own #TLStory. The best ones will be retweeted by @TravlandLeisure—and a new #TLStory will be published in each month’s issue of Travel + Leisure magazine through 2013.
Consider tweeting a trip photo too. We’ve featured some user-generated images in this slideshow, notably, one of Pope John Paul II giving T+L follower @Tippi_Ocampo a spontaneous blessing after her wedding in St. Peter’s Basilica. Now that’s a moment to remember—and to share.
Paris
Midnight stroll with friends in Paris. Metro closes so we keep walking: Louvre, Moulin Rouge, Sacre Coure. It was a l o n g night. #TLStory —@queenbeemrsbell
Pictured: Paris’s Louvre, at night.
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Wyoming
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Hawaii
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England
Inspired by my HS Shakespeare teacher Clara Sanchez, I traveled to Stratford-upon-Avon UK to see all things Bard...25 years later. #TLStory —@AntKristi
Pictured: The Shakespeare Hotel, in Stratford-upon-Avon’s Norfolk Square.
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Machu Picchu
3:30am. Hiking up to Machu Picchu under the stars. Day breaks. Find a quiet spot without any tourists. Why hello, llama! #TLStory —@brookeporter1
Pictured: A llama atop Machu Picchu, Peru.
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Egypt
We finished touring the glorious Egyptian pyramids, with our friendly tour guide. 2 secs later, my feet met Egyptian camel poop #TLStory —@currentlysavvy
Pictured: The Great Pyramid of Giza.
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Croatia
Lost driving in Croatia, no phone, came across dirt bikers who laughed when we told them our destination—we were THAT far off #TLStory —@CoupleofTravels
Pictured: A rural road in the Croatian town of Murter.
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Cape Town
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Istanbul
Club bouncer says: No entry. Us: We came from far, let us in. Him: No speak English. Us: Go to hell. Him: What did u say? #Istanbul #TLStory —@spilling_beans
Pictured: The bar-lined Istiklal Caddesi, Istanbul.
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Georgia
I grip. The driver insists on passing in 5-mile stretches, playing chicken with traffic. Grip. The speedometer says "0." #Tbilisi #TLStory —@foodieintl
Pictured: A busy intersection in Tbilisi, Georgia.
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Las Vegas
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Switzerland
#TLStory Hiked a Mtn outside of Zurich sweating all the way to find summit packed for wedding reception #Wie/sait/me/underdressed —@hcegner
Pictured: Mount Rigi, Switzerland.
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South Africa
Lots of thudding. 50 buffalo headed towards the lake (and our jeep). Then 50 more. 200 more. Happy hour in the dusty African sun. #TLStory —@girlgonewell
Pictured: A herd of approaching buffalo in South Africa.
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Reykjavik
Watched the sun set in Reykjavik, then bounce right back up. Daylight street party all night long. Delirious 48 hours, no sleep. #TLStory —@KarenEull
Pictured: Partying in Reykjavik.
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Dublin
Gettin stuck @ the Dublin airprt ovrnight bc of RyanAir, eating cereal 2 save $ & sleepin @ the Starbucks while they vacuumed 4 hrs #TLStory —@JillianKHunter
Pictured: Terminal 2, Dublin Airport.
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Budapest
Faust sold his soul to the Devil, but his Wine Cellar in Budapest is a slice of Paradise. Bull’s Blood & Aszu—heaven in a glass! #TLStory —@DFreeTraveler
Pictured: Inside the Faust Wine Cellar, in Budapest’s Buda Castle District.
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Queenstown
"Liking Queenstown?" Obvi. "First bungee jump?" Yep. "Nervous?" Um... "Oh good, no worries then," he said, and let go of the rope. #TLStory —@lindseytravels
Pictured: Lindsey Olander, on her first bungee jump.
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Bali
Renting a car and getting lost in Uluwatu Bali only to discover numerous secluded beaches with the best views #TLStory —@kheyansory
Pictured: A stretch of secluded beaches in Uluwatu, Bali.
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Illinois
GATE 1: Miami! GATE 2: Nassau! GATE 3: St. Thomas! Us? GATE 4: St. Louis, MO. Then Quincy, IL. Feet so cold. #TLStory —@Msmargarita1
Pictured: Quincy, IL, in a snowstorm.
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Kyoto
Kyoto, best damn sushi for dinner then geisha hunting at night in the rain, found one and got a picture! #TLStory —@omandaway
Pictured: A geisha, found.
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Iceland
Went to Iceland and had a gloomy rainy day but headed to countryside it was still beautiful ;-) #TLStory —@chowandchatter
Pictured: The happy traveler in Iceland.
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Alaska
For my 50th bday took a helicopter to a glacier in Alaska. Drank the purest water ever. Felt alive & very small at the same time. #TLStory —@rcravatta
Pictured: The Colony Glacier in Girdwood, Alaska.
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Spain
Driving through La Rioja, #Spain and seeing a man with dogs and a donkey herding a flock of sheep #TLStory #travel —@jacinthsohi
Pictured: A rural scene in La Rioja, Spain.
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Rome
Marrying @ito_ocampo in St. Peter’s Basilica, meeting Pope John Paul II & receiving his newlywed blessing #TLStory —@Tippi_Ocampo
Pictured: The newly married couple outside St. Peter’s Basilica.
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Marrakesh
Overslept, mad dash to catch overnight train to Marrakesh. Missed it by 5 mins, slept in station. Punctual traveler ever since. #TLStory —@BySarahKhan
Pictured: The Gare de Marrakesh train station.
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Venice
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Istanbul
#TLStory Discovering Monastery of Satyros amidst residential neighborhood, Kucukyali on the Asian Side of #Istanbul —@SedefsCorner
Pictured: The Monastery of Satyros, Istanbul.
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Charleston
Dear drive-thru window lady @BessingersBBQ. Why no napkins? Hands now smell of mustard sauce. Blessed mess. #TLStory —@shanegoesforth
Pictured: A barbecue plate from Bessinger’s Barbecue.
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Turkey
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Switzerland
Swiss lounge being fed chocolates and hugs, wish I had a guitar so I could play Kumbaya. #zurichterminalE #TLStory —@Shteyngart
Pictured: Zurich Airport’s Swiss Lounge, Terminal E.
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Morocco
Took a cab in Casablanca & the driver blasted Shania Twain’s "Man, I Feel Like a Woman". Unexpected culture shock. #TLStory —@DawnCorleone
Pictured: Stuck in Casablanca traffic.
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Zambia
Paddling Zambezi in 2-man canoe. Sunlight glints; hippos grunt. 18-ft croc slinks under boat. Paul (guide) not talking. Um…Paul? #TLStory —@peterjlindberg
Pictured: A hippo in Zambia’s Zambezi River.
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New York City
A tiny café, a glass of Barolo. The air redolent with clove cigarettes, a swirl of language. I close my eyes. Paris? No. Nolita. #TLStory —@danijshapiro
Pictured: New York’s Nolita neighborhood.