what got you interested in travel?

On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:58:58 +0100, mikeos wrote:

Belgian beer largely!

Finally, someone with a laudable cause!

I suppose I could have cited Scotch whisky distilleries, too.

-- Larry

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" a écrit dans le
message de ...


hackamore wrote:

Hi,

so how did you get the bug?

In November, 1997, I had the phenomenal good fortune to receive free
tickets to a concert on the Los Angeles Philharmonic's "Celebrity Series".
The artist for the evening was José van Dam, a Belgian bass-baritone of
whom I had never heard. When a greying, balding, middle-aged man walked
on stage (wearing, instead of formal attire, a charcoal grey blazer with
trousers which did not quite match and needed pressing) my initial
reaction was "He can't be very good if he's been around that long and I
never heard of him". Then he opened his mouth for the first song, and I
instantly became an ardent fan. I had heard a fair number of fine opera
singers, "live", but never before one who combined to such a degree superb
vocal technique, keen musical intelligence, and a voice of exceptional
beauty! How I had missed becoming aware of him (he made his Paris Opera
debut in 1970, and sang Leporello in the Losey film of "Don Giovanni") I
cannot explain, but that L.A. Phil recital was certainly an epiphany for
me!

My first trip away from home was only to Boston for his appearance with
the Boston Symphony the following year, but that was just the beginning of
my adventures. Although he still makes more-or-less annual concert
appearances on the East Coast (combined with teaching a few master-classes
at Juilliard or other venues), he seldom sings opera in the U.S. anymore.
Despite our chauvinistic assumptions, the Met is NOT the foremost opera
house in the world, and a European career offers the advantage of being
able to have a brilliant career without sacrificing a home-life (which he
apparently opted to do, once established as an international artist).

Having already obtained all available videos of him singing opera (most of
them "pirates" of European TV broadcasts), I realized the only way to hear
him "live" was to travel to Europe. Although my operatic travels (once
begun) were not limited to performances by M. van Dam, (I've spent a few
Christmases in Vienna - my favorite city in all the world) I have been
several times to Brussels and Paris and once to Zurich, just to hear him
in opera (although there have been a few concerts, as well.)

Sadly, retirement on a fixed income, along with the ongoing annoyances of
travel "security" restrictions and increasing age-related limitations on
mobility have pretty much put an end to my travels. (I even missed his
performances in the U.S. this year.) Nevertheless, I DID manage to see
some of the rest of the world, and can appreciate the fact that ours is
NOT the greatest country in the world. (Although the skid of the
U.S.Dollar against the Euro has made me glad my impulse to retire to
Vienna died without being realized, since my limited income is all in U.S.
funds.)

"hackamore" wrote in message
news

Hi,

how did you get "The Travel Bug"?

I don't recall not having it

According to Friends Reunited, I've visited 14% of the countries in the
world so far.

Colin Bignell

According to Friends Reunited, I've visited 14% of the countries in the
world so far.

But have you _seen_ and _experienced_ anything?

According to many (and I used to be among them), traveling is all about
_traveling_. Make many miles, get to many places, and you're a
traveler. You can impress people and yourself by claiming to have been
to many countries, to all continents, and into Space for that matter.

Don't get me wrong: perhaps you have indeed seen and experienced a lot,
you have learned from other cultures and mabe even taught them a thing
or two in the progress. That's great!
However, others have been to an equal number of countries, and must
admit that all they have seen are airplanes, hotels and conference
rooms.

Nowadays, I distinguish between 'travelers' and 'explorers'.
The travelers are the ones that cover thousands and thousands of miles
around the world. The explorers constantly see and experience new
things, that our Earth offers, and meet people with different
backgrounds. Explorers can be travelers, but need not be.

In the past two years, I decided to explore (not necessarily to
travel), starting from my home location. And my wife and I are
thrilled. With just a few exeptions (Holidays on Malta and recently the
Harz Region), we haven't traveled any further than a 100 miles
roundtrip on Saturdays and/or Sundays. And each weekend, while
geocaching, we discover new highlights in Holland and Germany (we live
near the border). Highlights, often little things, that even most
locals don't know. A hidden waterfall, a historic lost place, or a
single spot with a fantastic view.

We consider ourselves 'explorers', certainly not travelers. We're not
keen on traveling.

--
Erick

On 10 June, 14:48, Erick T. Barkhuis -o-m
wrote:
Tim C.:

On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:08:06 +0100, Mike wrote in post :
:

On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:45:38 +0200, Erick T. Barkhuis
-o-m wrote:

geocaching

I hadn't heard of that, bit like Dartmoor letterboxing

Yes, very much so. It's fun. You can do it with any GPS equipment where you
can input a gps co-ordinate.

A Garmin Etrex H for about 75 euros will already do perfectly.
More expensive ones, with topographic maps, are available, sometimes
handy, but certainly not necessary.

You have to work out the clues a start point
which gives you the next co-ordinate, where you can find the next clue...
and so on. Sometimes only one step, sometimes more.

Exactly right. Of course, geocaching.com introduces the lot nicely, but
also, Wikipedia has a proper explanation.

Come to Holland or North-Western Germany, and I'll be happy to take you
along to do a few caches.
My wife and I have seen at least 100 interesting spots within a 30
miles radius from home, that we would probably never have seen or
noticed without geocaching. Things that you will visit are
- hidden monument in a small town, right behind the mayor's office
- that white, tiny beach in the middle of a forest
- the most beautiful jogging track at the side of a city park
- a 1,500 year old tomb stone under a covered bridge
- etc, etc.

(Unfortunately, there are also caches hidden at almost random places
that aren't interesting at all, like a phone booth or a deserted former
bus stop).

--
Erick

Similarly from Surrey, UK.
My son letterboxed on Dartmoor, graduated to this and introduced me.
We're only up to 50 caches found but have barely moved more than a few
miles from our home as yet. The xxxxxxxxs are all over!
We particularly like the cache trails - maybe 20 caches that take you
on a circular - around Windsor Great Park for instance.
These tend to be very direct clues - maybe simply the co-ordinates.
Other puzzle clues can take weeks to solved for just one find!
Adds impetus and interest to get one out on great country walks that
might otherwise just not happen.
There's also a social side if wanted - local cachers meet up at pubs
or whatever, maybe arranged around a specially laid cache hunt for the
day.
And, of course, one is free to start laying one's own caches!
Great new hobby for us, certainly.

Surreyman

On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:43:54 +0200, "Tim C."
wrote:

You can do it with any GPS equipment where you
can input a gps co-ordinate.

I only have a speed camera GPS, hang on SWMBOs phone has sat nav. Do
you do this locally, or whizz about?
--
Mike

On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:48:59 +0200, Erick T. Barkhuis
-o-m wrote:

Come to Holland or North-Western Germany, and I'll be happy to take you
along to do a few caches.
My wife and I have seen at least 100 interesting spots within a 30
miles radius from home, that we would probably never have seen or
noticed without geocaching. Things that you will visit are
- hidden monument in a small town, right behind the mayor's office
- that white, tiny beach in the middle of a forest
- the most beautiful jogging track at the side of a city park
- a 1,500 year old tomb stone under a covered bridge
- etc, etc.

right, people try and place them in nice places.
--
Mike

On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:48:26 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman
wrote:

And, of course, one is free to start laying one's own caches!

one going round in circles in the park outside my back door :-)
--
Mike

On 11 June, 08:12, "nightjar" cpb@insert my surname here.me.uk
wrote:
"hackamore" wrote in message

news


Hi,

how did you get "The Travel Bug"?

I don't recall not having it

According to Friends Reunited, I've visited 14% of the countries in the
world so far.

Colin Bignell

He he, I had 18% at the last count! :-))

Surreyman

On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:41:49 +0200, Erick T. Barkhuis
-o-m wrote:

However, others have been to an equal number of countries, and must
admit that all they have seen are airplanes, hotels and conference
rooms.

I know somebody like that.

Nowadays, I distinguish between 'travelers' and 'explorers'.
The travelers are the ones that cover thousands and thousands of miles
around the world. The explorers constantly see and experience new
things, that our Earth offers, and meet people with different
backgrounds. Explorers can be travelers, but need not be.

I have said this before, but I call myself an intensive traveler, in
other words go to the same area a lot till you get to grips with it.
To state the obvious, going to Spain isn't getting a tan or seeing
pictures in the prado, its getting into eating at midnight and getting
the faintest inkling what bullfighting is about.

In the past two years, I decided to explore (not necessarily to
travel), starting from my home location. And my wife and I are
thrilled. With just a few exeptions (Holidays on Malta and recently the
Harz Region), we haven't traveled any further than a 100 miles
roundtrip on Saturdays and/or Sundays. And each weekend, while
geocaching, we discover new highlights in Holland and Germany (we live
near the border). Highlights, often little things, that even most
locals don't know. A hidden waterfall, a historic lost place, or a
single spot with a fantastic view.

I intend to explore Dungeness next, I've done the Thames in some
detail

We consider ourselves 'explorers', certainly not travelers. We're not
keen on traveling.

I agree, I hate sitting on planes BUT I love driving or being on a
boat, (not a cruise). Then there's the wildlife, I like to learn the
local wildlife and then maybe photograph it, which would take a
lifetime for one country.
--
Mike