How to Travel the Globe for FREE Using FLICKR
March 15th, 2008
Have you been reading sites like AnyWired, Gadling, or Brave New Traveler and have decided that you would like to travel the globe?
Even though I love where I live, the travel bug in me lurks its ugly head on an almost daily basis. Whether I have recently spoken to someone and heard about their trip to a terrific destination, or read about someone else’s adventure online, I really like to travel.
However, for some reason this past week I have been feeling like I REALLY need a trip! Preferably, I would like to take an around the world journey where I can hit the many places that I would like to go.
Seeing as how a three to six month circle the globe expedition is not in the cards for me right now I thought this morning…. “Hey, FLICKR has lots of great photos from all over the world I bet I could take a virtual journey to some of the countries that I have been thinking about lately.”
Next thing you know, I pulled out my Portable World Pocket Atlas and began my trip. So, I present to you my free around the world, global expedition using FLICKR.
First things first, I would head off to Nicaragua for a quick little surf trip.
image credit: jordanfischer
Then I would head off down to Peru because I have always wanted to hike to Machu Picchu.
image credit: pedrosz
From Peru my next destination would be Fiji.
image source: ilumb
One of my goals has been to get back to my [Peace Corps] village in Papua New Guinea, so that is my next destination.
From New Guinea I would head to Bhutan for some trekking.
image source: babasteve
My next destination might seem an odd choice (at least to Americans) but I woud like to go to Iran to check out the culture, people, and mosques.
image source: anitzsche
The next stop would be Rwanda to see the mountain gorillas before they are gone.
image source: bscorrea82’s
From Rwanda I would make my way to Cape Town, South Africa.
image source: bartpogoda
After Cape Town I would travel to Portugal.
image source: mm
My second to last stop before I headed home would be Finland.
image source: dblackadder
From Finland, Cuba would be my last destination because I would like to see what Raul has in store for the country.
That’s it, I am HOME from my [virtual] journey and I must say, I feel much better!
If you could travel the globe, even if it is only virtually for right now, where would you go?
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March 15th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
This is an awesome list - it felt great to travel the globe and relax before getting to bed.
When you come to Finland, you should come visit us too :)
Where would I go, then… Japan, USA (lots of people to visit over there), Antarctis, Australia, New Zealand, Senegal, Mongolia (or some other country around that region). That’s just the beginning, though.
March 15th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Hi Jarkko - It’s funny, there are *so* many places that I want to go to! Right after I hit “publish” I thought, “that’s not right, because I also want to go to Chile, China, Indonesia, Sudan, Ireland, Russia, etc…”
So, I think I just need to win the lottery and travel ;-)
March 15th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Mark:
It’s a great idea! Very inspirational.
I met a friend a long time ago. He was one of the top engineer in the Taiwan. He quited his job and spent three years traveling around the world with backpack. Three years later, he came back with 61 countries stamp on his passport.
Can you imagine not be able to sleep on your own bed for three years? I felt it was too long when I spent 7 months on the road in 2006.
March 16th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Great idea for a post Mark, I’ve been stuck traveling in Flickr on many late nights. There is just so much fantastic stuff, I read 1 million new photos each day are posted there.. 250 million total photos. Imagine if they were all tagged and browsable!
March 16th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Hi Terence - I think for me six months of travel would be optimum. What I would really like to do is to run our business in the Caribbean for six months out of the year and then travel the other six.
March 16th, 2008 at 6:19 am
Hey Ross - for some reason I just really had the travel bug last week…and I don’t know why I never really used FLICKR for a virtual journey before.
Also, I think you might be on to something, a photo sharing/storage site that is taggable and browsable. Maybe that can be your next venture??
March 16th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Mark I think Flickr does the job pretty well, it’s just that most people don’t need to tag their stuff. I don’t tag most of my photos for example. If I was a pro photographer and was trying to get more exposure every one of my Flickr photos would be tagged and grouped though.
Flickr is great for virtual holidays, but I’m still going to Thailand in person in June :) I started off using Flickr to see if I could get any suggestions on where to go and what to see, and I kinda did. Then I got lost in other countries.
March 16th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Thailand in June sounds great!
In June I am hoping to sneak off to my first place listed above (Nicaragua) for some surf…
March 17th, 2008 at 12:04 am
I love Nicaragua, it is so fine and the people are awesome. Would love to get back there one day.
This post has my itchy feet tingling. It’s time to hit the road again, I think.
:) Kelly
March 17th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Hi Kelly - how long were you in Nicaragua? Were you anyplace else in Central America?
March 17th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Hi Mark
Yeah, I have spent a lot of time in Central America and Mexico. About a year all up, over two trips. I love that part of the world, and Mexico in particular is one of my absolute favourite countries.
In the region, I have travelled overland from Mexico through to Panama, but I did not go to El Salvador. Each country in CA has something unique to offer, but I really loved Nicaragua because the country has real soul and the people were so amazing, especially considering what they’ve suffered. We spent 3 weeks there in 1999 and had some fascinating conversations with people about the Contra War and the effects on the country of such long term turmoil. Leon is a must see if you have any interest in politics and culture, and Isla De Ometepe is sublime. My only downside was I got amoebic dysentry in Nicaragua (though I think the bugs came from Honduras) and was out of action for 5 days.
Have you been to the region before? The Bay Islands are also great for diving and snorkelling and really interesting for the white locals who are descended from pirates. They speak english, but buggered if I can understand them half the time.
You’re based in Puerto Rico, aren’t you? I’d love to got here too.
:) Kelly
March 18th, 2008 at 1:46 am
I just realized that in my earlier comment, I didn’t mention that this Friday we’re going to Spain (Fuengirola) for a week :)
I hear it’s already pretty warm over there…
March 18th, 2008 at 5:47 am
Hi Kelly - WOW! That is a lot of time in Central America. So far, I have been to Mexico and Costa Rica (and Ecuador in SA) but I am hoping to get back to the region [Nicaragua] this summer…
The island we live on, Culebra, is located off the east coast of Puerto Rico but really it is more akin to the US (St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix) and British Virgin Islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke).
Hi Jarkko - have a nice time in Spain. :)
I was in Madrid and Valencia a little over a year ago. It is always shocking to my system when I leave our tiny island (pop 3,000) and head into a massive city.
March 28th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Morning my…
i follow you in the site of jarkko laine
i m a senegales
and a pastor to be.
nice for me to met you