I’m leaving the trail. The time has come. I need to escape Backpackistan for a few weeks, to feel the wind in my hair and get the hell away from my laptop. Everywhere I turn I see the same thing: travelers glued to iPods, Kindles, laptops, phones … all so far from home and yet determined to remain a part of it. Not that I judge them for it, because downtime is crucial if you are to remain on the road without going insane. I just feel that many backpackers are lazy when it comes to their downtime; rather than reading a book, or chatting with fellow adventurers, they feel the need to post wild status updates on Facebook, to like their friend’s recent activity, or check out Tinder to peruse the local talent.In the beginning, when I first hit the road nearly seven years ago, I would rarely check Facebook. I would send an email once every couple of weeks to my folks, and that was about it. Over time, my writing has evolved into something I am proud of. I have developed the skills, I hope, to share my adventures with those who would listen and to hopefully inspire some to travel themselves. I love to write and I hope to continue recording my little adventures with the hope that I don’t die on one of them.One thing I have learned on my travels is that I am almost always inspired. The hustle and bustle of big cities, the laid-back backpacker ghettos, the extreme sports, the extreme people, the new crowds every day. There is so much color, so much life on the road that I am almost always reaching for my tattered notepad to capture a key moment, record a new friendship, express my feelings about a new place. When it comes to turning on my laptop and writing my notes to work on a new article, I have started to notice a pattern; I am distracted by Facebook, Twitter, and emails from potential partners.The support I have received online has been extraordinary. Since I first re-launched my blog in August I have landed freelance work with two amazing companies, been hired as an ambassador for South America Backpacker Magazine, received sponsorship from clothing and gear companies and, most important of all, developed a loyal following online. My readers are some of the most amazing, diverse, inspiring people I have ever gotten to know. I have received messages from people asking for help with everything from choosing a good backpack to traveling around India solo as a female nomad. Hearing about people’s travel plans, their aspirations, their hopes, never fails to excite me.Lately, I have noticed more people at hostels with a slightly drunk, almost zombified look upon their faces as they stare at brightly lit screens. I fear I may be edging closer to joining their ranks. I have decided to head into the hills, and I have a treasure trove of articles ready – 30 titles and counting, all stories that need to be told. Some are funny, some dark, others useful and one or two, I hope, inspiring. Travel blogging is what I want to do with my life; I love to travel and I love to write. What nobody told me is that, doing both at the same time while managing a successful blog is actually a huge time commitment. I have decided to step back, work on my articles, and spend less time glued to a screen replying to potential gear sponsors. The time for global domination is near but it is not now. At some point, I intend to settle somewhere for six months and to give full-time travel blogging a real shot. To see if I can actually make some kind of living as a writer, my dream (other than joining the army) since I was a kid.The point of this article I hear you ask? There are two points, I suppose. The first: if you are an aspiring travel writer; for the love of God, write. Write at every possible opportunity, record everything you can, even if it is on a tattered napkin. Record the details as they come and then weave the story together later. Be realistic with what you hope to achieve, if you want to run a successful travel blog (something I feel I am on the verge of), you have to treat it like a full-time job. Unless you are exceedingly lucky and someone actually pays you to travel you will need to consider planning some down time (with reliable internet access) to work on your site, your social media presence, your brand. Over the last few months, I have worked hard on my online image. Now, I feel it is more important to actually travel – to get out there, get among it – and to record what I find so that I can write about it later.The second point: if you are a traveler, as many of you are, think carefully about how you spend your downtime. I understand there is a certain comfort in keeping in the loop with events back home, staying in touch with friends, but do you really need to check Facebook every day? Ultimately, Facebook will be waiting for you when you get home, albeit with a totally new layout.And so, I shall be dropping off the radar for the next couple of weeks, I will be hiking deep into the jungle, machete in hand, in search of the legendary Lost City in Sierra Nevada, Colombia. I shall be journeying into the hills, above Minca, to laze around in one of the biggest hammocks in the world. Over Christmas, I plan to stay in a decadently opulent ex-cartel mansion, a brand new hostel, helping them with their marketing. I feel I need to step back, to stop being blinded by this bright screen, in order to give full justice to the events I am witnessing, the people I am meeting and the places I am exploring.
As a wise man once said, “Too often…I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen.”
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Uluru, or as its often known, Ayers Rock, is a large, sacred, sandstone structure in Central Australia.
At 1142ft (348m) high, and 5.8mi (9.4km) in circumference, it is undoubtedly one of Australia’s most recognisable
landmarks. Throughout the day, Uluru appears to change colour, ranging in hue from brown and pink, to delicate
mauve, and sometimes even fiery red. Impressively, the visible part of Uluru is just the tip of an enormous
underground slab.
The History of Uluru
Steeped in history, archaeological evidence suggests that Uluru has been home to aboriginal people for at least
20,000 years. It’s long been an area of great cultural significance to its indigenous owners, the Anangu.
The Anangu believe that they are the direct descendants of those who created all the distinct features and
living things in the desert landscape you see today. As such, they firmly regard themselves as responsible for
the protection and maintenance of these ancestral lands.
In 1873, William Gosse named Uluru, Ayers Rock, after the Chief Secretary of South Australia at the time,
Sir Henry Ayers. Many years later, in 1950, the Ayers Rock – Mount Olga National Park was formed. Then in 1985,
the Australian government handed the title back to its rightful owners, the Anangu, on the provision that it
would be leased back for a period of 99 years and jointly managed. This led to the adoption of a dual naming policy
in 1993, resulting in the now official name of ‘Uluru / Ayers Rock’.
At 1142ft (348m) high, and 5.8mi (9.4km) in circumference, it is undoubtedly one of Australia’s most recognisable
landmarks. Throughout the day, Uluru appears to change colour, ranging in hue from brown and pink, to delicate
mauve, and sometimes even fiery red. Impressively, the visible part of Uluru is just the tip of an enormous
underground slab.
The History of Uluru
Steeped in history, archaeological evidence suggests that Uluru has been home to aboriginal people for at least
20,000 years. It’s long been an area of great cultural significance to its indigenous owners, the Anangu.
The Anangu believe that they are the direct descendants of those who created all the distinct features and
living things in the desert landscape you see today. As such, they firmly regard themselves as responsible for
the protection and maintenance of these ancestral lands.
In 1873, William Gosse named Uluru, Ayers Rock, after the Chief Secretary of South Australia at the time,
Sir Henry Ayers. Many years later, in 1950, the Ayers Rock – Mount Olga National Park was formed. Then in 1985,
the Australian government handed the title back to its rightful owners, the Anangu, on the provision that it
would be leased back for a period of 99 years and jointly managed. This led to the adoption of a dual naming policy
in 1993, resulting in the now official name of ‘Uluru / Ayers Rock’.
Jeita Grotto
Jeita Grotto, the longest cave in the Middle East, is situated approximately 11 miles (18km) north of Beirut.
It consists of two separate, but interconnected, limestone caves, and boasts a length of 5.6 miles (9km).
One of the worlds most amazing agglomerations of stalactites and stalagmites, Jeita Grotto is widely
considered to be the pride of Lebanon, and featured as a finalist in the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition.
History of the Jeita Grotto
The caves were inhabited by prehistoric man, with evidence suggesting that they were previously used to produce
swords. Reverend William Thompson, an American missionary, is credited with the modern discovery of the caves in
1836. Thompson is said to have advanced 50 metres into the caves before firing his gun. The resultant echoes
assured him that the caves were to be of significant importance.
Jeita Grotto was not explored further until the 1870’s, when Maxwell and Huxley of the Beirut Water Company carried
out extensive expeditions of the caves, reaching 1060 metres inside the grotto.
Lebanese explorers have ventured deeper into the cave since the 1940’s, and have so far exposed 5.6mi (9km) of
the Jeita Grotto.
The caves were initially known as the Grottoes of Nahr al-Kalb, after the underground river that runs through
the grottoes. Several names were subsequently used, including Djaita, Jehita, and finally, Jeita. Jeita is
derived from the town in which the caves entrance is situated, and is loosely translated in Aramaic as the ‘roar’
or ‘noise’ of water.
It consists of two separate, but interconnected, limestone caves, and boasts a length of 5.6 miles (9km).
One of the worlds most amazing agglomerations of stalactites and stalagmites, Jeita Grotto is widely
considered to be the pride of Lebanon, and featured as a finalist in the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition.
History of the Jeita Grotto
The caves were inhabited by prehistoric man, with evidence suggesting that they were previously used to produce
swords. Reverend William Thompson, an American missionary, is credited with the modern discovery of the caves in
1836. Thompson is said to have advanced 50 metres into the caves before firing his gun. The resultant echoes
assured him that the caves were to be of significant importance.
Jeita Grotto was not explored further until the 1870’s, when Maxwell and Huxley of the Beirut Water Company carried
out extensive expeditions of the caves, reaching 1060 metres inside the grotto.
Lebanese explorers have ventured deeper into the cave since the 1940’s, and have so far exposed 5.6mi (9km) of
the Jeita Grotto.
The caves were initially known as the Grottoes of Nahr al-Kalb, after the underground river that runs through
the grottoes. Several names were subsequently used, including Djaita, Jehita, and finally, Jeita. Jeita is
derived from the town in which the caves entrance is situated, and is loosely translated in Aramaic as the ‘roar’
or ‘noise’ of water.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)