Beneath the polished chrome and brilliant brass of the Traveling Writer pens there are shared threads and huge diversities among the members of the Order of Traveling Writers.  The boys of the band (still waiting on our first female Traveling Writer) are scattered over Africa, England, and the US of A.  They are a highly motivated bunch of blokes making dents on the playing fields of economics, humanities, politics, and religion!  Their private personal journals are not available but the Traveling Writers also wield their pens for enduring public results.  

The Honorable TW from South Carolina (Phil Owens - TW005) takes the cake when it comes to writing checks.  Serving in the South Carolina House of Representatives TW005 was involved in trying to decide how to spend $5billion on the SC state budget.  Them sums would make any ordinary pen wobble in the steadiest of hands but not so with a Traveling Writer.  Check out the photo of our fellow traveler Mr. Owens taken in the stately SC House of Representatives and see if you detect any "wobble" in that hand.  I don't think so!  

From the unpolished Xhosa villages of Africa through the damp clime of the British Isles into the legislative halls of the South Carolina capitol in Columbia, Traveling Writers keep the dreams alive and maintain the pilgrim spirit that binds the Order as friends.  Keep writing them fat checks, TW005, and when there's any "round off" change keep the pursuits of all Traveling Writers in mind.  You make us proud, Mr. Owens!  

If you've been goose hunting on the Eastern Shore of Maryland you've probably seen the bumper sticker that sums up the mindset there: "There Is No Life West Of The Eastern Shore!"   My Ford pickups in SC used to wear those bumpers stickers.  After a few visits to Zambia flying for tigerfish on the Mighty Zambezi I might trade that old favorite for a different version:  "There Is No Life South Of The Zambezi!"   When the 2011 tiger safari to the Barotse Flood Plain was canceled due to a couple of locals bailing out on me it felt as though there was no life!  But 2012 offers the prospects of 7 days in the Barotse Tiger Camp in August so TW001 is beginning to feel the pulse of passion once again.  Let's go north and stalk some striped river dogs.  

Just pack a proper fly rod like a Sage Xi3 9 wt and a fast sinking Teeny line on a large arbor Bauer reel.  Do not leave home without some 30 pound woven stainless Tyger Leader or you are wasting your time (and gear).  Then live and let fly!!!   Lord willing and the Zambezi don't rise TW001 will live to fly another day.  August 11 to 18!