Travel Hall-of-Famers - IgoUgo Hall of Fame

Composthp

Why I write for IgoUgo:: I love writing about my travel experiences and sharing travel tips with friends. IgoUgo is an excellent platform for me to share my travels with friends at home and abroad.
Favorite travel quote:: "Roads go ever ever on,
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone,
Turn at last to home afar."
—JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit
Funniest travel moment:: Singapore had just been declared SARS-free. My friend and I immediately flew to Japan, and in a traditional Japanese inn in Miyajima, we were greeted by a worried-looking obasan who asked if we had a fever throughout our stay. Our hosts probably burnt everything we touched!

Why I write for IgoUgo:: The world is too big for one person to see it all; thus, I write with the hope that I can at least give a brief look into a place that someone might not get the time to see—a favor that is usually returned in kind.
Favorite travel memory:: When my car broke down in Toubi, Syria (aka the middle of nowhere), two shopkeepers invited me into their store and filled me up with whiskey and tea. We just sat there, drinking and chatting, and by the time the mechanic arrived (2 hours later), the whole village had joined in.
Favorite souvenir:: Just outside a church in Mtskheta, the center of the Georgian Orthodox Church, a hunched-over old lady with a well-worn scarf handed me a small bracelet with a black Georgian cross woven into it. She mumbled something in Georgian and scuttled off before I could thank her.

Why I write for IgoUgo:: IgoUgo offers a unique forum to connect with other travelers—writing journals. Soon after I create a journal, I'll hear from someone who's been there (or wants to go there) and has a story to share. It's addictive.
Favorite travel memory:: My favorite travel memory invariably comes from the most recent trip I've taken. As I write this, I'm thinking of an idyllic day spent sea kayaking out on Lake Superior in Ontario: the clear lake water, the gentle breeze, the congenial company...ah!
Favorite travel quote:: My favorite travel quote is also a personal motto: "Wherever I go, there I am." In other words, I can't expect travel to change me—I have to be open to new things. It's similar to Heraclitus' comment that temperament is destiny.

Why I write for IgoUgo:: IgoUgo is the perfect outlet for my three main passions in life: traveling, photography, and writing. If I am able to inspire someone to travel and see more of the world, that's fantastic. All travel experiences are important, and what makes them special are the memories we keep.
Favorite travel memory:: My favorite travel experiences are many and varied: seeing the mist lift at Machu Picchu; watching the sun set on the beach at Isla Mujeres; following the monks to prayer in Luang Prabang; exploring the temple complex of Angkor Wat or Granada's magnificent Alhambra...the list is endless.
Favorite souvenir:: My fertility statue from the Sacred Valley, Peru. I found it in a dusty shop where a wizened old man assured me that it was Incan. It was confirmed later as genuine and dated pre-1500. Although brown from time, it is actually made of white granite and measures 25cm high.

Why I write for IgoUgo:: First and foremost, I'm a frustrated travel writer with too much time and not enough talent. Writing helps me to remember the reasons I love traveling, and some small part of what I put down might eventually be of help to someone. The Amazon.co.uk vouchers come in handy, too.
Favorite travel memory:: Muddling through a night climb of Mount Fuji in the pouring rain dressed in white leather trainers, shorts, and Y100 waterproofs that split and then slowly unraveled before I'd gotten halfway up. At the top, we drank miso soup and triumphantly watched the sunrise through a dust storm.
If money were no object, I’d go to:: India, the only country that's ever managed to repel and intoxicate me at the same time, every single minute of every single day.

Why I write for IgoUgo:: Even as a fairly slow-paced, independent traveler, I find that things become a bit of a blur. Knowing that I'll write forces me to pay attention to detail, and I consider my evening journal-writing as a "debriefing." It has made travel more enriching.
Favorite travel memory:: The setting? A small restaurant in Paris, 1977. Eating my lamb stew, I found a large black water beetle. I thought, "Well, this is France; perhaps it's part of the dish." I scooped it out, summoned the waiter, and pointed—I can still see the look of horror.
Favorite souvenir:: Nine months after a trip to Nassau, Bahamas, in 1979, our son, Mark, was born—great trip, great kid.

Why I write for IgoUgo:: I write for IgoUgo because it's perfect for someone who's as passionate about traveling as I am. Ever since I was a child, I've kept a diary of all my travels. Twenty years ago, it was handwritten, embellished with sketches. Today, it's online—thanks to IgoUgo.
Favorite travel quote:: "Life is short and the world is wide."
—Simon Raven
If money were no object, I’d go to:: China, because it's so rich in beauty of every kind, natural and man-made. I'd want to savor everything, from the Forbidden City to Wulingyuan, from Chinese opera to the awesome food.

Why I write for IgoUgo:: IgoUgo has made it possible to have friends all over the world. Some I've met in person, but others I’ve connected with only by email. I cherish this opportunity. From my first attempts to write for this site, I have been greeted kindly and helped by others.
Favorite travel memory:: Gliding on the water along the northern coast of Iceland on the "Little Red Ship," the MV Explorer, and thinking about how wonderful it was to have this opportunity.
If money were no object, I’d go to:: Japan, where I would spend a year traveling, staying in traditional inns, walking as much as possible, and going out in boats on the Sea of Japan.

Why I write for IgoUgo:: I have traveled all over the US and parts of Europe since I was 18, and I have been to some places not explored by tour buses and groups. I love sharing my experiences in the back-door parts of the world that are local favorites untouched by mass tourism.
Favorite travel memory:: After five times in Europe and 42 of the 50 United States traveled in my short life, my favorite travel memories are with my family, friends, and pets. From childhood trips to a family vacation with Dad in 2000, I have fond, funny memories that will last a lifetime.
If money were no object, I’d go to:: If I ever hit the Powerball, I have two travel fantasies: I would go all over the US, Canada, and northern Europe to see the lands of my ancestors, or I would get season tickets to the Boston Red Sox to see my favorite baseball team at Fenway Park and across the States.