A young man's first international adventure - Please Help!

PHinSD said:

If you're in Belgium on Tuesday and Germany on Wednesday you won't see or learn anything.

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???

Something to consider, but rather than be a tourist for your entire time why not find a volunteer project in a place you're heading to to donate a couple of months of your time? The photographic possibilities from these really are a step above what you'll experience as a tourist, especially one that caters towards helping disadvantaged children. From simply playing football with children in the streets of Argentina to just spending time with kids in Nepal whose parents are in jail. The best programs are the ones you don't have to pay to do too, so remember that. Volunteer tourism is unfortunately pretty big business these days but there's still a lot of places out there just looking for a donation of time.

Throwing my two cents into the jar though, if I had 6 months free reign I'd be heading straight to India with no plans of leaving it's borders (plans are good, but I would probably end up heading back to Nepal too). The culture is simply so, so vast, as in the landscape (Himalayas are something else). My second choice would have to be somewhere in Africa. With that much time probably a north to south journey. But I still think you'd really benefit from digging your feet in somewhere for a couple of months of your trip to really experience a culture and way of life on a more day to day level.

PHinSD,
You'll be happy to know I do have a bit of experience hitch-hiking through beautiful Northern Ontario and I couldn't agree more that it's a fine way to meet people. I've definitely been considering picking up a Leica M3. I'm super comfortable with my current light meter and know I would put that camera to plenty of use. I also must admit to all of you that I was considering tying in a decent digital camera (I had my eye on a used M8 to be specific) as I want to keep an online photo journal regularly updated while shooting medium format film only when I've thoroughly scouted an area in different light and figured out some promising compositions (first shot d*g*tally...as reference work and quick digital publication.) And yes, my maple leaf will wave everywhere I go...but I'll try not to be too cliched about it

faustotesta,
Thanks for the info - when I first started thinking about this Southern Italy and Southern Spain were my some of my early leanings, but this was before I decided to consider places outside of Europe (which, to be honest with you, took a couple of days to get to.) I definitely have romantic visions of these locations and certainly will keep them in mind as I'm certain I would thoroughly enjoy such a trip.

jhenry, Andrew K, and other China promoters,
Definitely near the top of my list - the plane ticket out may run me some more but the prospect of taking on work as an English tutor is interesting and promising to think about - I wasn't sure if I could afford to stay in a Chinese metropolis but pursuing work of this sort would certainly help keep me around there for a bit. I'm also interested in China since I would like to 'plant my feet' to an extent within a landscape of varying but simultaneously linked cultures across a wide area - I don't know if I could handle a repeated culture shock at the beginning (touring swiftly through the Mediterranean/Middle East, for example.) I'm certainly not making a decision yet but I will keep China in my sights.

shimoda,
Thanks for the open invite! Well I have to say the flights to Finland run around the same as to Heathrow so you definitely have that going for you and it would be a lovely place to start a journey in my opinion. I do feel that I would have to move swiftly from there, however, as I feel I would lean toward landscape photography and, though I realize the beauty of your land up there, I feel my experience in the open spaces of northern Canada to be a bit too familiar for this trip. I'll still pass word should I happen your way!

naugastyle, johnnywalker & keithwms,
Thanks so much for all of your info! I feel a bit of a late bloomer with this traveling life I'm about to start but I'm literally just realizing what I want to do with my life (and just happened to have some opportunity land in my lap) and it looks like travel is going to be a big part of it from now on into the foreseeable future. I actually have been to Mexico a couple of times when I was a youth (11 years old the first time, 14 the second time) and found Spanish to suddenly 'make sense' on my second trip - I feel very comfortable with the grammar shift and would hope that in not too much time I could pick up what I need to get along. Thanks once again for all of the shared experience, I appreciate the suggestions immensely and you've given me ideas that I probably wouldn't have considered otherwise.

DanielStone,
Definitely a sound approach. About the driving: yeah, I probably shouldn't. I've never been great with vehicles and an early driving instructor of mine suggested I avoid it Seriously though I probably wouldn't have the time at this point to get a license here at home so unless I drive illegally abroad it's probably not going to happen....my pedestrian-ism is strong though...hitch-hiking experience saw me walking 35km/day rather regularly and were I to say I'm athletic in ANY way it would be walking long distances without much fatigue (provided I don't smoke too much.)

Allen Friday,
Great, concise advise. Yes, galleries are of huge interest should Europe play a major role in this venture - paintings and sculpture are still hugely inspiring to me and I have visited many of the galleries here in North America...mostly focused on the works from the other side of the pond.

Thanks to all of you for your responses!! I'm overwhelmed and am certainly printing off everything you write and keeping it in my 'travel files' that are building up as I continue to prepare. I'm going to see if I can add a poll to this with some of the most often mentioned destinations to pick from - I can't say for certain that I'll choose based strictly on the results of such a poll, but as I still have no real decision on this yet one way or another the results will certainly be seriously considered.

Please keep the experiences coming - I'm finding I'm learning a tonne from these stories and am beginning to narrow down in my mind where I'd like to spend some time.

I'll continue with updates as decisions are made.

Thanks once again to a stupendously-generous community!

For documentary photography, I would go where not many people go and bring some insight back from there. I'd say Mongolia for the shear beauty of the land, the chinese and russian influence. Going to big cities or tourist places put me off in general. There's another place that would also be very relevant for today is the Aral Sea, but then you will need to deal with russian administration for permission. Still, worth a shot.

I wouldn't say that the Aral Sea is too hard to reach. There are great travel agencies in Tashkent that can handle all necessary beuracracy, no problem. You'll find the same in Alma Ata if you travel through Kazakhstan.

I have spent two years in Central Asia, and the region will never leave my mind. The views are breathtaking, and so is the hospitality.

If you follow the link you will find a short photoreportage from the magazine Ogonek that catches some of the beauty and sheer remoteness of a Central Asian valley. (Just click the photo.)
http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1327527

jamesgignac said:

PHinSD,
shimoda,
Thanks for the open invite! Well I have to say the flights to Finland run around the same as to Heathrow so you definitely have that going for you and it would be a lovely place to start a journey in my opinion. I do feel that I would have to move swiftly from there, however, as I feel I would lean toward landscape photography and, though I realize the beauty of your land up there, I feel my experience in the open spaces of northern Canada to be a bit too familiar for this trip. I'll still pass word should I happen your way!

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Finnair flies to Beijing from Helsinki so you could continue there if that is your plan. But I agree with you that the nature in Canada and Finland are quite similar and would not be exotic for someone like yourself.
But the offer stands, should you need it.

r

Mats

So I posted a poll - I can't say I'll exclusively use your input in the end but will definitely try to make it to wherever you guys send me (I'm still awaiting my final budget allowance but it's looking very promising so far).

I'll certainly post photos when I get there. Thanks again to all for the input.

calceman & Erik Petersson, again an interesting proposal...I think there's a part of me who may not be looking to extend his winter any further...if for any reason just so I can pack lighter clothing.

Cheers and thanks,

India.
From north to south and back north again, perhaps even as far north as Nepal.

Q.G. I've definitely considered it and have it in the heaping pile of idea plans. Basically I'm building arguments for each option and weighing it out as much as possible. I'm deciding for certain by this coming Monday.

jamesgignac said:

So I posted a poll - I can't say I'll exclusively use your input in the end but will definitely try to make it to wherever you guys send me (I'm still awaiting my final budget allowance but it's looking very promising so far).

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I'm afraid the poll will simply reflect where people have been!

There are number of places around the globe that are changing radically right now due to politics or climate or development or encroachment on animals. If you have ethnographic and social interests to supplement your photography skills, you might think about that. I am talking about places that will not be recognizable within only a decade or two. E.g. mainland China, Antarctica, Greenland, India, central Africa, some parts of the middle east...

A lifelong ambition of mine has been to go up Mt. Kilimanjaro. I lived in southern Africa for ~half my life but because I had S. African stamps in my passport (during apartheid) couldn't travel to the one most interesting site. The mountain stands off spectacularly from the surrounding land, I have seen it many times from a great distance. The mountain has a glacier on top that is said to be melting very quickly and could be gone in 10-20 years. If I could get a ticket to one place in the world right now, that'd be it, it'd be wonderful to get my feet back on African soil again. Sometimes I've had enough of the northern hemisphere...

keith, I know - the poll is simply a lark, to be honest I am leaning toward starting off in Beijing at this point - I think I could get myself grounded nicely for a couple of weeks before figuring out a larger route to move through.

That being said I'm still interested in input - perhaps I'll go about starting smaller more focussed questions in their proper forum areas regarding travel, equipment, etc.

Thanks once again to all who contributed - I feel like a beam of light has been cast in my direction from this grand world of travelers and photography enthusiasts and I look forward to clambering on.

2F/2F said:

Wow! Congratulations!

I cannot tell you where to go...but I can say that if I were given this opportunity, I would go to Iran or Afghanistan.

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what he said

and i would add india and chile ....

I've recommended places that I've already been, but the uppermost in my own travel dreams are Pakistan and Yemen.

I'll definitely keep in touch and post photos here as I go along. nauga, that really would be great. I'm thinking at this point of summering around China for a while taking in as much as I can before moving around...most likely south.

...lots of research to do yet - I'll let you know when I've booked my ticket (until then I have thinking and planning ahead of me.)

Thanks again everyone! Keep depositing your input - nothing is set in stone

China would also be a good option. I've spent quite a bit of time there, but mainly in the north (Heilongjiang and Jilin Provinces). The climate there might be too similar to Canada for you. It's the same size as Canada (roughly). You would never see it all in six months, so plan carefully if you decide to go there. I enjoyed my entire time there, which was about 3 years over the space of 10 years. I haven't been there in 10 years, but I'm sure the people are as friendly and helpful as before. One thing, I doubt if there is a word in Chinese for "Line-up".

johnnywalker said:

China would also be a good option. I've spent quite a bit of time there, but mainly in the north (Heilongjiang and Jilin Provinces). The climate there might be too similar to Canada for you. It's the same size as Canada (roughly). You would never see it all in six months, so plan carefully if you decide to go there...

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johnny, thanks for the tip - I think it would be a fine destination for me at the moment - I've always been interested in China and would like to see as much of it as I can. I'll still be 'going with the wind' so I very well may end up elsewhere but Beijing should be an interesting start.

Also, regarding my interest in world affairs, activism & documentary work regarding situations of civil injustice, etc. : I have been interested in activism before in my life being at one time a regularly-active member of a community-based branch of Amnesty International and frequently sourcing out my news from democracynow.org and other such places for the better part of a decade. For the last year and a half, however, it has all been about photography for me and getting back into a comfort zone when it comes to photographing others in street-work as well as bringing my technical skills back up to snuff after being away from film photography for about 6+ years. I no longer consider myself very politically active or feel the need to take up one global cause or another but I will certainly allow myself to be moved by situations I come across and will help tell other people's stories if I can. At this point I am not going out with any agenda but I do realize there are lots of points of conflict in this world that still need to be documented and are in want of voices to take up their cause. It's just not in my purview for now.

Thanks again!