My 2008/2009 trip took me to Namibia where I spotted this modern chair in a very rural setting
Though it sounds like I’m always traveling, it’s not really the case. It’s just that I think about traveling all the time as it is my absolute passion. My annual large trip is during December and January as my office is slow at that time and most of my clients are traveling as well. I usually take seven weeks off to travel and this year part of my trip includes two weeks in Mali. For one of the two weeks there I’ll be traveling up a canoe on the Niger river, sleeping under the stars amongst the snakes, crocodiles and who knows what else and the other week I’ll be traveling in a 4×4, visiting among other places, Timbuktu (yes, there is a place called Timbuktu!) as well as the salt flats where a lot of the salt in Africa is gathered. Perhaps you’ve seen these flats on National Geographic?
I always buy my round-the-world tickets in Thailand so I end my trip there and then the next ticket starts in Thailand on the way back. What this means is that by the time I get to Thailand in January, I need to know where I’m going the following year as once the itinerary is set, it cannot really be altered.
I also visited Easter Island on my 2008/2009 trip
So now I have started my thinking process in trying to decide where to go on my next trip (leaving in December 2010, returning February 2011) and after much investigation, I’ve narrowed it down to two places…one is to travel the North-West and Central regions of Afghanistan – the only country in that part of the world that I haven’t been to, and one whose natural beauty is supposed to be quite extraordinary. The other place is Libya, where I’ve considered going before, but Mr Gadafi is known for giving tourists visas and then not allowing them in once they get to the airport. I know that these are not your usual tourist destinations, but for me I want to go to places that most people do not go to with a certain edge of danger and challenge. I’ll let you know what my final destination will be as the investigation process continues…
#1 by qerat on August 26, 2009 - 4:10 am
Hi Vicente,
In this case the “certain edge of danger and challenge” is not an edge anymore it is certain danger especially in the case of Afghanistan
Why not come to Jordan, where you have all the beauty you need and the safety to make your trip fun !!
#2 by Marisa Volz on August 26, 2009 - 8:50 am
Please scratch Afghanistan off your list. Your talents are still needed on this earth.
#3 by Vicente on August 26, 2009 - 9:42 am
@ Qerat – I’ve been to Jordan already and I loved the country. I’ve been to Petra and the desert beyond and Aman is a beautiful limestone-colored city. But I want to be able to experience different places and different cultures. Life is a gamble anyway…you don’t know when your number comes up! It could happen anywhere – but at least, what a way to go…experiencing something new!
#4 by katiedid on August 26, 2009 - 5:53 pm
Oh my! Will they allow American civilians into Afghanistan right now? I loved the book Three Cups of Tea, and became quite fascinated by the work that Greg Mortenson is doing there. Also, Maryam from the My Marrakesh Blog does quite a bit of Human Rights work in those areas. She would be a great contact for you….but then you must already have many.
You are a very brave soul!
P.S. I so loved your interview on The Skirted Round Table. Thank you for sharing your experience in the design biz. It is very nice to be able to share insights….”raise the curtain” as you say.
#5 by qerat on August 27, 2009 - 4:01 am
Oh thought you only got as far as Syria. Glad you have been here and liked it. I am sure you toook lots of beautiful pictures that would be great to see. Why dont you share them some time with us.
You are right, we never know when our number comes up, hopefully it will be in a great place
#6 by Rita S Eckert on August 28, 2009 - 10:04 am
Although photography is my passion as well, one true blessing I have learned is not all “kodak” moments come from a camera lens. Through travel, I have captured sights and people on film, but what remains the most heightened in my life and heart are those cerebral moments of the sights, sounds and smell of a place.
In quiet moments, simply by closing my eyes and visualizing a memory, my heart and head are filled with with the three “s” moments. Such as the old man bobbing with arched back on a donkey in rural Mexico followed by his loyal dog clipping alongside him – mesmerized by the rhythm of their movements. I still conjure seeing his colorful serape and the yellow dog like a video in my head with the smell of the wood smoke drifting from the mountain range. How the brain is a beautiful camera within itself.
Let your heart lead the way for your next adventure remembering to let your eyes feast upon the land and it’s people equal to the amount of time your hands and eyes are snapping images. The heights of travel should be experienced in one’s soul. Wishing all the best in your ‘investigation process’.
On the Border, By the Sea in Texas