Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain is my favorite modern travel writer who also managed to create and star in one of the most entertaining globe-trotting shows on right now, No Reservations. He has proven that travel to non-traditional destinations is highly entertaining and is an inspiration to chef's and travelers everywhere. Since my blog has only moderate entertainment value, check out his blog and this clip where he visits one of my favorite places, Peru.

The Innocents Abroad 1869 / Study Abroad 2009

“We wish to learn all the curious, outlandish ways of all the different countries, so that we can ‘show off’ and astonish people when we get home. We wish to excite the envy of our own untraveled friends with our strange foreign fashions which we can’t shake off...The gentle reader will never, never know what a consummate ass he can become, until he goes abroad. I speak now, of course, in the supposition that the gentle reader has not been abroad, and therefore is not already a consummate ass.”—Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad, 1869


"We're here, Let's get drunk!!" - Hundreds of Thousands of American College Students Studying Abroad, 2009



I work in a study abroad office. Each year I am partially responsible for sending over 2,000 students to all parts of the world to study for various lengths of time. Even though it was written 130 years ago, this quote still perfectly describes the consequences of one's first time out of their home country. Several years ago, I worked for a company that sent high school students abroad on package tours that averaged about a week in length. The first quote has always stuck with me and I hope it will with you too. For further information; the University of Virginia has put together this comprehensive guide.

The Innocents Abroad Homepage

Welcome to Mt. Rushmore

Mount Rushmore in 1969







Mount Rushmore in 1989

Mount Rushmore Today

That's right, it doesn't do anything. Since the 1940's, droves of tourists have seen this picture and felt the need to travel to a place they wouldn't go otherwise, South Dakota, to see and photograph this spectacle.

In the summer of 1989, the almost 8 year old me got into a stylish maroon Chrysler Minivan in Libertyville, Illinois for such a purpose; a scripted journey. My family had a lot of activities planned for this vacation, but for me, this was to be the highlight, a dream fulfilled. What would it look like in real life? What souvenirs could I buy there to show off to all my friends? We pulled into the massive parking lot, walked up the steep pathway, and there it was, exactly like the photos, I was full of excitement and wonder.

Then about 4 - 5 seconds went by. I was still looking at it, but didn't care anymore. I had seen it, now what, it doesn't do anything, and looking at a photo of it was an identical experience. I quickly fell into a state of boredom which continued for the next several hours we were there.

From then on, I have been fighting the idea of destination tourism. Whenever I see something I thought was my dream to see, it is quickly followed by hollow disappointment. There are places we all want to see; the Eiffel Tower, The Grand Canyon, The Great Wall of China, we go there, we see them, we take photos, we blog. The experiences getting there are almost always more memorable and exciting. It raises the question Why go there at all? Traveling to non-traditional destinations will be full of the same experiences, and lead to even cooler souvenirs. Maybe we can find some value in the destination, something, anything that is different than expected. In the case of Mount Rushmore, this is impossible.

Mark Twain, Anthony Bourdain, P.J. O'Rourke and many other travel writers throughout history have tackled these subjects. I seek inspiration from them for a greater understanding of travel and the self. This blog will include writing by others and personal experiences to help us all understand the impact of travel on ourselves.