I was trawling through some of last year’s photos this weekend, trying to find something. My wee collection is dwarfed by the 100s which my teenage son took in Peru last summer (July ’10).
Amazon Basin, Peru
That started me thinking. He’ll be finishing high school in June.
By the time I left high school I’d visited France and the USSR (once each). Those were both school trips, and I paid for the USSR one myself. Holidays were taken in the north of Scotland. My dad had been to France once (to play football against French Universities), and my mum had never been abroad. I’m not sure if she’d even been outside Scotland!
Alpe d'Huez, 06
Mark has been to Peru, the USA (4 times!), Thailand (10-12 times), both parts of Turkey (ie the Asian side and the European side) and 12 European countries that I can think of. That’s not “double counting” the European part of Turkey.
Times Square
I have a question mark over Denmark. I think he has overnighted there, but can’t be sure. I couldn’t be certain how many times he has been to France. 6 for sure, but it is probably more. He has even been to Lithuania. 3 times!
Thailand 07
A startling contrast. A startling reflection of how our lives have changed in a generation, and how the world is now a smaller place.
Andes, Peru
Certainly his experience is out of the ordinary. His mum is Khmer, so frequent visits to Thailand to keep in touch with family are to be expected. I had a long relationship with a woman who is Turkish but lives in France, so that explains some more of it. I used to have an office in Vilnius…
At his age I had flown in a plane once – Aeroflot from Riga to Moscow. His flights must run to 3 figures.
Iquitos to Lima
So that begs the question… how will it be for the next generation? Space travel? Teleporting?