ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Our first round of gratitude goes to the hundreds of amazing women who filled our mailboxes and inboxes with stories this year. Each submission was a joy to read: we regret that we could print only twenty-seven. Thanks also to Michael Yessis of World Hum, Tim Leffel of Perceptive Travel, and Robin Hemley and David Torrey Peters of the University of Iowa’s Nonfiction Writing Program for sending winning essays our way. Laurie King of Travel Writers News and Anna Brones of Written Road, meanwhile, were instrumental in helping spread the word. Gracias.

Stephanie would like to extend her gratitude to James and Sean O’Reilly and Larry Habegger, for inviting her to join this project; Lucy McCauley, for her friendly counsel; Kevin Hopkins, for his witty teasers; and Christy Quinto, for serving as the series’ wise midwife.

Final thanks go to Mother Road, who makes all journeys possible.

 

“The Suffer Fest” by Mary Caperton Morton published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Mary Caperton Morton.

“Not-Surfing New Zealand” by Colette O’Connor published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Colette O’Connor.

“The Heat Seeker” by Alison Stein Wellner was first published in a longer form on the Travel Channel’s World Hum in May 2009. Published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2009 by Alison Stein Wellner.

“In the Half-Light” by Jennifer Percy published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Jennifer Percy.

“Design a Vagina” by Johanna Gohmann was first published on YourTango.com in September 2009. Published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2009 by Johanna Gohmann.

“Bosnian Blues” by Landon Spencer published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Landon Spencer.

“Grinding Saffron” by Beebe Bahrami published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Beebe Bahrami.

“Woman in the Wild” by Laura Katers published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Laura Katers.

“The First Day” by Jennifer De Leon published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Jennifer De Leon.

“Winter with Dogs” by Erika Connor published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Erika Connor.

“The Angel of Repose” by Marcy Gordon published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Marcy Gordon.

“Siliguri” by Megan Lyles published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Megan Lyles.

“To Italy, for Family” by Valerie Conners was first published on the Travel Channel’s World Hum in May 2009. Published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2009 by Valerie Conners.

“The Moustache Brothers of Mandalay” by Shauna Sweeney published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Shauna Sweeney.

“Breaking Frontiers” by Maliha Masood was first published on www.PerceptiveTravel.com in April 2009. Published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2009 by Maliha Masood.

“Language Lessons” by Christine Buckley published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Christine Buckley.

“Holy in the Land” by Deborah Milstein published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Deborah Milstein.

“White Lady Scrubbing” by Sara Bathum published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Sara Bathum.

“An Ode to B-Cups” by Heather Poole published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Heather Poole.

“Bali Birth” by Liz Sinclair published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Liz Sinclair.

“Tea in Kabul” by Diane LeBow published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Diane LeBow.

“I Regret Eating the Caterpillars” by A. Kendra Greene published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by A. Kendra Greene.

“Desert Queen” by Diane Caldwell published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Diane Caldwell.

“Madonna and Mr. Hu” by Kellen Zale published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Kellen Zale.

“Riding the Rails with Mother Theresa” by Laurie Weed published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Laurie Weed.

“Wanderlust” by Elisabeth Eaves was first published on the Travel Channel’s World Hum in February 2009. Published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2009 by Elisabeth Eaves.

“Viajera Loca” by Marisa Handler published with permission from the author. Copyright © 2010 by Marisa Handler.