Our Prize-Winning Storytellers Have Finally Returned, And You Can Read All About It
We teamed up with Singapore Airlines to find four of the best young storytellers in Australia and fly them around the world. Here are their stories.
The Storytellers is brought to you by Singapore Airlines
READ THE FINAL STORIES HERE, AND VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE TO WIN A TRIP FOR TWO.
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Back in September, Junkee teamed up with Singapore Airlines to find four of the best young storytellers around the country, and fly them to some of the most awe-inspiring destinations on the planet, via the world-class Singapore hub.
Their mission was simple: report back with the most interesting, inspiring and original stories they could find.
We had 750 applicants, painstakingly whittled down to 25, and whittled down once more to the final four: Anne Moffat, Jacob Evans, Ally Portlock and Will Dawson. Armed with a camera, a notebook and an open, inquisitive mind, these four storytellers spent five nights in their respective cities and had no set itinerary, with one week back home to craft their stories.
Finally, their pieces have been published. Get set for a whole lot of travel envy.
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GETTING THERE: FLYING VIA THE SINGAPORE HUB
The first stop along the way: Singapore’s Changi Airport. With so much to do and explore in the Hub alone (save for Anne, whose transfer was so smooth she had no time to hang around Changi), the stopover brought its own transit tales. From eating all the food they could find, to spending a wild 24 hours in Singapore, the Storytellers had stretched and warmed up their minds already — and their adventures had only just begun.
Read Ally’s piece, ‘An Amateur Critic’s Guide To Eating Your Way Through Singapore Airport’.
Here is Jacob’s ‘Seven Things That Will Make You Love An Airport’.
Read about Will’s wild 24 hours in Singapore, with ‘Hip Hop Yoga and Warehouse Parties: 24 Hours In Singapore’
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THE FINAL DESTINATION: THE STORYTELLERS FIND THEIR STORIES
After a week reporting back from their far-flung destinations, and another week crafting their full stories with Junkee’s editorial staff, the four major pieces are finally complete.
All four fell in love with the countries they visited, and it really comes through. Descriptive prose, evocative photos, and detailed, passionate observations about the people, places and stories they found.
They’ve each had the adventure of a lifetime, and brought back the stories to prove it.
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Kochi, India: ‘The Push And Pull Of Progress‘, by Will Dawson
Melbourne’s Will Dawson found the coastal town of Kochi in the deep south of India, adjusting to modernity. From the old Chinese fishing nets to the burgeoning art scene, the local stories he found tell a tale of complexity, beauty and a world of contradictions. And then he landed a bit part in a Bollywood film.
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Shanghai, China: ‘120 Hours Of Solitude In Shanghai‘, by Ally Portlock
Sydney’s Ally Portlock is a self-described extravert, tentative about spending a week on her own in a new country. She arrived in Shanghai a blank canvas, ready to let the place leave its mark, and found a new city to love and a new way to travel. With photos by Philippe Hauvette, her story is funny, personal and poignant, and includes our favourite piece of video: she almost got eaten by a fish.
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Yangon, Myanmar: ‘Tracks Around Yangon‘, by Anne Moffat
Scroll through the beautiful photo essay from Melbourne’s Anne Moffat, who found the diversity of people and scenery riding the Yangon Circle Line one of the best ways to gain an insight into everyday life in Myanmar. She took the three-hour circuit five times during her trip, and came back with stunning, evocative and deeply human photographs that make you feel like you were there.
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Istanbul, Turkey: ‘The Hidden Underground of Istanbul‘, by Jacob Evans
Dig deep enough and you might just find a hidden world thriving underneath the city of Istanbul – both physical, and metaphorical. Sydney’s Jacob Evans followed a group of young artists around for a week, from new gallery openings to tourist spots to the old, traditional wonders of the city, weaving between the old and the new that thrives below street level.
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YOU COULD WIN, TOO:
Once you’ve read all four stories, make sure to head over to the Singapore Airlines Facebook page and vote for your favourite.
One lucky voter will win two return flights to the Storytellers destination of their choice, and the Storyteller with the most votes will received $4,000 in cash — but as far as we’re concerned, they’re all winners.