I am a strange traveller. You need to know this from the start.
My colleagues at work ask me where I’m going on holiday not because they are interested and not because they are going to hang on any word of mine for advice. No. I am a strange traveller and they ask me where I’m going so they can have a good laugh at my silly choices.
Paris? Hate it.
Prague? Not keen.
Barcelona? What is the fuss about?
Pyongyang? Yes please.
Tripoli? Now you’re talking…
Palestinian West Bank? Where’s the nearest checkpoint in the wall?
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not perverse for the sake of it. Happiness is to be found in any branch of the Four Seasons. A chilled glass of something sparkling and a Tuscan sunset certainly are near the top of my all time favourite things.
But I also have a taste for the unusual, the different, the eyebrow raising or even the giggle inducing destination. I like being able to name drop unusual places into conversations. I like being somewhere odd and being surrounded by people who can name drop even more unusual trips into those conversations. I like colouring in my map of the world.
I like the act of arriving. I love the act of getting my passport stamped. I like being on the move. I like rediscovering that all over the World people are generally kind. I like being waved at by brave strangers for whom I am a novelty. I like being shouted “hello” at by school trips. I like that even in North Korea there are school trips.
And so I want to go everywhere eventually, because even where there is bad news there are people in that place living real lives. There are smiles and laughter and trust and concern and there are funny stories to hear and great anecdotes to bring back. There is jaw dropping scenery and staggering monuments to the achievements and follies of humanity.
There is everywhere in the World a sense of hospitality; rarely a feeling that your government’s actions are your personal fault. There is always the opportunity for a fresh perspective and I love to take those opportunities to challenge my pre-conceptions.
So while Baghdad is not on the agenda for now (I’m interested in the unusual, not the downright bloody dangerous!), the year ahead should be an interesting one… I’ll keep you posted.
My colleagues at work ask me where I’m going on holiday not because they are interested and not because they are going to hang on any word of mine for advice. No. I am a strange traveller and they ask me where I’m going so they can have a good laugh at my silly choices.
Paris? Hate it.
Prague? Not keen.
Barcelona? What is the fuss about?
Pyongyang? Yes please.
Tripoli? Now you’re talking…
Palestinian West Bank? Where’s the nearest checkpoint in the wall?
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not perverse for the sake of it. Happiness is to be found in any branch of the Four Seasons. A chilled glass of something sparkling and a Tuscan sunset certainly are near the top of my all time favourite things.
But I also have a taste for the unusual, the different, the eyebrow raising or even the giggle inducing destination. I like being able to name drop unusual places into conversations. I like being somewhere odd and being surrounded by people who can name drop even more unusual trips into those conversations. I like colouring in my map of the world.
I like the act of arriving. I love the act of getting my passport stamped. I like being on the move. I like rediscovering that all over the World people are generally kind. I like being waved at by brave strangers for whom I am a novelty. I like being shouted “hello” at by school trips. I like that even in North Korea there are school trips.
And so I want to go everywhere eventually, because even where there is bad news there are people in that place living real lives. There are smiles and laughter and trust and concern and there are funny stories to hear and great anecdotes to bring back. There is jaw dropping scenery and staggering monuments to the achievements and follies of humanity.
There is everywhere in the World a sense of hospitality; rarely a feeling that your government’s actions are your personal fault. There is always the opportunity for a fresh perspective and I love to take those opportunities to challenge my pre-conceptions.
So while Baghdad is not on the agenda for now (I’m interested in the unusual, not the downright bloody dangerous!), the year ahead should be an interesting one… I’ll keep you posted.
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