It is rumoured that Sir Henry Boltereturning from an overseas<br > triponce remarked that he would have rather spent the time<br > driving around the DandenongsThis sentiment has been and<br > still is expressed by many Australians returning from abroad<br > Fortunately thoughnot all Australians feel this way about the<br > world beyond our shoresand many of them write about lt<br > The advent of packaged tourism hasthoughcreated an<br > argument about its effect on travel writingThe eminent<br > American writer and criticPaul Fussellclaims that it has<br > brought about the demise of the whole genreHe makes a<br > distinction between the traveller and the touristthe former as<br > onewho seeks the mind working in historythe latter as he<br > who seeks that which has been discovered by<br > entrepreneurship and prepared for him by the arts of mass<br > publicityAs Australian writer Kate Jennings has said in an<br > article on travel writingthat distinction is not the point<br > Surely it is all a state of mindthe spirit with which a journey<br > is undertakenAndshe maintainstravel can be edifying<br > arduousa celebration of life or a running away from itThe<br > reason for a journey can be spiritualintellectualor of-this<br > world<br > Certainly much of the great literature of travel has been<br > written out of a spirit of pioneering and adventureand<br > perhaps the opportunities for this kind of travel writing have<br > diminished as the world grows smaller through jet flight<br >