|
. |
|
Vietnam (for browsers that don't read Vietnamese) Short Hops Closer to Home Getting in Touch |
I started out as a shy traveler. I was worried to be seen poring over a map, because I might be "mistaken" for a tourist. And I would certainly never bring a camera with me. After all, I don't usually forget things. Aside from the embarrassment of carrying the thing around, I would remember what I saw anyway. In 1994 I went to Miami. In Miami Beach they have a wonderful and wacky style of architecture. The homes there are an art-deco imitation of steamships, and they were so surreal that I wanted to take some pictures. It was there that I bought a camera. The camera was a cheap one without a focus, so in the end I bought a coffee table book on Miami architecture. But it was around that time that I started to take pictures. The one thing I forgot about was that people always ask how your trip was, and for this reason alone I started to bring the camera. There was a trip to Peru, and afterwards I put together a photo album. It was a good prop. Not only could I tailor the narrative in the order of the pictures, but I could keep things moving -- and even had a chance of getting through the entire story. For a month or two after each trip, I explained and explained, getting smoother with each iteration. I noticed, though, that some people have more interest than others, and people naturally have different attention spans. Some people, when they hear you've had a good trip, are satisfied and then change the subject. This is what I like about the Web. You can delve as deeply as you want -- or not at all. If you get tired of one thing, you can jump somewhere else, so if you're not a linear sort of person, you're not trapped in someone else's story. And besides, I don't have to keep explaining. It's a bit more work to put together, but then again, you can reach more people. That's another thing I like. People I know are all over the place, and sometimes I don't see them in person for a long time. By that time a trip is old news, and I certainly don't like to lug around a photo album. Now I can e-mail them and say, "It's on the web." NOTE: If you're logging in through this page, it means you have JavaScript disabled, or you're using an older browser. You'll get through the site OK, but for the best experience, you'll definitely want to switch JavaScript on or upgrade. If you feel this is an error, either report it on the message board or write to the webmaster. Thanks! |