Why did Melissa say her journey has only just begun?

M: Melissa, you’ve travelled to and written about over sixty countries, and seen some amazing things. But in a recent interview you said that your journey has only just begun.
W: I feel that way, yes. I think, as you see more, you realize there’s more to see. You visit one country, then you want to go and see its neighbours. So I do feel I’m just starting.
M: How many years have you been a travel writer?
W: A long time, more than thirty years.
M: What changes have you seen in travel and tourism?
W: Well, many. I think these new airlines that offer cheap flights all over the world have made a big difference. People—not necessarily rich people—can now see more of the world, and I think that’s a good thing.
M: And there’s a bad side too?
W: Of course. I think, just as an example: Mount Qomolangma. It used to be probably the greatest challenge for any traveller. Well, now it’s full of tourists. Tour guides can take you up the mountain and you don’t need any training because the guides do everything for you. There was the case of Sandy Hill Pitman in 1996. Her guides carried her laptop computer, coffee machine and luxury food up there. Now, for me, that’s the bad side of modern tourism. You lose some of the mystery.
M: Melissa, is there any advice you would give to young people who want to be travel writers?
W: Yes, I think the first thing is that you have to make time to write. Wherever you are—in a desert, on a boat, at the top of a mountain, you have to find the time. And if you do it every day, it becomes a habit. The second thing is details. You must look for details. It’s no good writing “The sunset was beautiful”. You have to say exactly what colours you saw, how the sun felt on your face. You have to be very detailed and look more deeply than most people.