Exploring The World

Preamble

I recently came across an anonymous internet quote: "We are the middle children of human history — born too late to explore earth, too early to explore the stars." I am not sure I agree. For one thing, the latter half of the quote might not prove to be true (if we are able to radically extend the human lifespan and compress timelines for interplanetary travel). More importantly, we are arguably among the first humans to actually be able to explore the world.

For most of human history, we were confined to traveling, at the most, several hundred miles from where we were born in our entire lives. Early farmers actually traveled significantly less than early hunter gatherers. Only in the last 200 years has it become normal for ordinary people to travel thousands of miles. For example, I regularly fly between the east and west coasts of the US. In the early 1800s, this journey would have taken 6 months overseas around Cape Horn in Patagonia. By the late 1800s, the Transcontinental Railroad would have made it possible, miraculously, in half a week's time. And by the early 1900s, commercial flight began steadily chipping away at that time until getting it down to about 6 hours, under fuel efficiency constraints, in 1960. While the time to travel has not noticeably dropped since then, the cost has. After 1978, deregulation allowed airlines to compete on price by setting their own fares. And the internet has enabled nearly perfect price discovery for travelers.

In essence, we are perhaps the only generation to date to have the luxury of deciding that we want to travel across the planet and having transportation plans decided within minutes. If we wish, we can even be there on the same day. So why the sense that we were born too late to explore?

Well, we are admittedly a bit too late to discover the earth. There are unexplored corners of the planet, but few that we can comfortably visit. By around the early 20th century, following the final expeditions to the South Pole and the final polar archipelagos, someone had been everywhere on the planet that there was to be. And since the launch of advanced remote-sensing satellites in the 1970s and more recently geolocation/web mapping platforms, we have lost the experience of geographical mystery. It is romantic and curiosity-inducing to stumble unexpectedly upon a lively taverna in Siena. Less so to save it in your phone, knowing you could return to its exact location whenever you choose.

So what, then, is the purpose of travel in our era? I would make the case for personal discovery. You are unlikely to directly contribute something to humanity today by virtue of your travels — someone has already done that. But not all discovery needs to be in service of humanity. To this point, I've decided to make an earnest effort to explore the world a bit more and to document my research.

Where I've Been

Here is where I've made it so far and where I intend to go. As you can see, I have barely scratched the surface of Asia and South America, and have yet to go to Africa and Oceania. I figure that by documenting where I've been and where I'm going, it will encourage me to continue traveling.

North America

The United States: Home. Perhaps at some point I will make a list of which states and national parks I have visited.

Canada: Most of my time here has been spent in British Columbia, skiing in Whistler Blackcomb or visiting Vancouver.

South America

Argentina: This is actually the country I've spent the most amount of time in outside of the US to date, as I spent a summer in Buenos Aires. I think I have found myself drawn there because my father spent a few years of his childhood in Mendoza and multiple of my college friends are Argentinian. Perhaps also because I studied Spanish in school and am half Italian on my mother's side (Jorge Luis Borges said "the Argentine is an Italian who speaks Spanish"). I loved the food, wine, and nature while I there. Iguazu Falls was an incredible sight to behold and I hope to explore Patagonia soon.

Colombia: I visited Cartagena, Bogotá, and Medellín. I was in Medellín during the election of current president Gustavo Petro, a historic moment as he is considered the first far-left Colombian president in recent history. He is also a former M-19 member. And even 30 years on, there seemed to be a profound and lasting impact of Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel.

Europe

Austria: Skiing in the Alps. Nobody knows how to do après-ski like the Austrians.

Denmark: Mostly Copenhagen. I loved the Designmuseum and am still obsessed with whacky furniture to this day.

England: Have been to London for a wedding and will be there again soon for one. Given how much I love English literature, music, and Premier League football, I certainly owe it more time.

France: Have been twice, most recently to visit my girlfriend while she was living in Paris.

Italy: My mother's family is from Torriana and some of our relatives live in Santarcangelo di Romagna, all of this in the north near Rimini. These areas are beautiful and the food is delicious, but I have also loved Rome, Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Pienza, and Venice.

The Netherlands: Amsterdam, mostly. I love and am disoriented by the way that different modes of transportation collide at intersections.

San Marino: I am in fact a citizen. The only microstate I've visited.

Spain: I've been to Barcelona, Madrid, and off the coast around Mallorca/Menorca. I'd like to go back to each of these.

Switzerland: The first time I traveled here I went on a hike with the family of the friend I was visiting. We lost our way, were trapped in a blizzard, and needed to radio for help, which arrived after about 6 hours.

Asia

Japan: I have, for as long as I can remember, been fixated with Japanese culture. Since the first time I tasted it, sushi has been my favorite food. The concepts of mindfulness, beauty in imperfection and impermanence, and a beginner's mindset have always deeply resonated. This is perhaps the trip I most eagerly awaited. I visited Tokyo and the surrounding areas. I was shocked by the cleanliness and upkeep of the streets, and felt moved to do my part to improve American infrastructure and quality of life. I loved my time there, though by the end I felt almost suffocated by the orderliness and craved American freedom, individualism, and chaos. I would love to travel next to Kyoto and Sapporo.