Adrian
Growing up as a latchkey kid in the 1980’s required me to learn self-sufficiency and confidence. As a child of divorce, I also had to learn to travel alone early in life; some of my earliest memories involve boarding a plane and traveling by myself, which often meant a visit to the cockpit in the (very) pre-9/11 world of my childhood. After I got my first pair of kiddie aviation wings from the captain, I was hooked! Nowadays, I’ve graduated to seeking out and making friends with the smiling (and often frazzled) flight attendant who is generous with booze during beverage service. And needless to say, I have a love for the early, golden age of travel, when passengers dressed for the occasion, and stewardesses (a term long out of fashion) served proper martinis in-flight.
My favorite travel experiences usually involve me sitting in a bar someplace and talking to people. I’ve debated political independence movements in Barcelona over gintònics; discussed xenophobia in a Tokyo bar so tiny, it was barely a suggestion; debated the Royals and Labour vs. Torries at numerous pubs in London and Manchester; been nearly drunk under the table at a soju tent in Seoul; explored the lasting impacts of the Holocaust and WWII over beers in a seedy Berlin bar; celebrated Mexico’s by-the-skin-of-its-teeth qualification for the 2014 World Cup at a cantina in Mexico City; enjoyed many raucous evenings in New Orleans bars off the beaten path; and I met Aaron in the dive-iest of dive bars in Houston, over a heated discussion about the (pathetic) US healthcare system. Basically, I am the guy who will gladly sit in a bar and talk politics, religion, esoterica, local events and customs. Thankfully, I don’t get offended easily, usually know when to shut up and/or happily admit when I’m wrong, which is generally helpful in conversations where alcohol is involved.
When traveling, I am an avid photo taker. I hesitate to call myself a “photographer,” as there are far more talented people deserving the title. However, my favorite travel souvenirs have almost always been the photos I’ve taken. The images you’ll see on this website are all mine (unless otherwise noted), and I hope they will give you a little taste of the places where I’ve taken them.
I firmly believe that being a good traveler requires a sense of adventure, the confidence to step outside your comfort zone, and a strong desire to experience a destination, instead of merely sight-seeing. In my opinion, if you are traveling somewhere and are surrounded by people who look and sound like you, you’re doing it wrong. If you’re someplace and the only conversations you have with locals are if they’re serving you, you’re doing it wrong. Instead, seek to break down the barriers standing between you and your destination, especially its people. Don’t be a sight-seer. Don’t be just another tourist. Seek to make a connection with the people and places you’re visiting, and I guarantee you’ll make memories to last a lifetime.
Travel is a priority for Aaron and me; it’s a major line item in our budget after bills and savings, so we do not rack up debt by our travel. We are also boozehounds and voracious lovers of food (I despise the term “foodie”), so if we splurge on anything during a trip, that’s where our money will go. Otherwise, our travel is simple and efficient. We prefer renting a flat tucked away in a neighborhood over a fancy hotel in the tourist district, and we prefer striking out on our own over arranged tours.
It is my hope that reading our blog inspires you to travel and gives you a unique understanding of the places we visit, as well as provides you a few tips and recommendations to seek out in your own travels.
Aaron
I’ve never not been a traveler; I’ve always been a wanderer. For as long as I can remember, time in cars and planes (and to a lesser extent, trains) has been a regular part of the rhythm of my life. We moved often when I was young, and between split custody visits and family vacations, I was on the road more than most my age. Consequently, it’s hard for me to nail down a moment as defining in terms of my love of travel, but I think during my undergraduate study it became clear that I would always be traveling in some capacity, and that it made sense to embrace it as the adventure it was.
That sense of adventure, of not knowing exactly what’s going to happen, of possibility–that’s what I love about travel. You’re yourself when you travel, but you’re also someone else, if you decide to be. If you have the imagination, travel opens you to the world, literally and figuratively. If I could offer one piece of travel advice, in general, I think it would be that; be open and use your imagination–to the unexpected development in your itinerary, to new foods and beverages, to the possibility of being uncomfortable and all the lessons you can learn being outside your comfort zone.
I find cities especially fascinating places, and great for that kind of imaginative play. Cities are also where you can see just how different people are, but also how similar. I’ve especially loved my time in New Orleans and Chicago, having visited both with regularity. I also thoroughly enjoyed my time in northeast France, and look forward to a return trip as soon as possible.
On this blog, you’ll get a glimpse into the possibilities that exist if you decide to travel. We spend a considerable amount of our attention and income on travel and the related pleasures of eating and drinking, and that’s what we’ll recount and document here–our experiences and our adventures. We hope the information will be useful, and that it inspires you to get out and explore to world yourself.
The Galavanteers 