“I Hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”
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While travel has been paused, I still seek reading and hearing the stories of others’ travels – what nature they’ve seen, activities they’ve got up to, the people they’ve met. In a world that seems scary to many at the moment, these websites have filled me with excitement to get out, explore and Adventure again with great gusto and I hope it does for you too!
1. Erin Sullivan – www.erinoutdoors.com
In her own words, Erin shares her ‘adventures, advice and mishaps from the road and the trail.’ She is an outdoor photographer and travel writer and in this season has pivoted beautifully to creatively capture the ‘Great Indoors’, whilst still giving us that feeling of adventure.
View this post on InstagramToday I went for a snowy paddle in an ice cave with a couple of new friends. ✧ When I was a kid and couldn’t fall asleep, I’d go under the covers and imagine adventure scenes. A fold in the sheets could have been a mountain or a wave. With all the time I have been spending at home lately, these scenes have come back to the front of my mind. I thought it would be fun to create them in my apartment while I’m not traveling. ✧ Staying home is literally a life saver right now, and your inner artist can thrive given any restriction. Follow your curiosity. ✧ Looking forward to sharing more of this new series with you! #ErinsGreatIndoors
I mean how inventive is that to recreate an ice cave using bedsheets!!!
I’m still getting my outdoor fix on her Instagram just seeing the inventiveness of using household objects and little figurines to recreate outdoor scenes for us to enjoy whilst stuck inside. This is indeed a new way of experiencing the outdoors! Maybe you too can take up the challenge of recreating the outdoors inside.
2. Lola Akinmade Åkerström – www.lolaakinmade.com
Lola is a storyteller – through her words and mesmerising portrait captures of the people she meets on your travels. She captures their soul, their laughter, their strength, that wrinkle here, that crease there, and all in all drawing you into that person’s life.
View this post on InstagramEvery time I go to Jakande Market in Lagos, I try to stop by “Baba’s” stall. He’s an old mallam who sells beads and whose photo I’ve been privileged to take every time I’d visited the market over the last couple of years. So in my hand were prints I wanted to give him. Several prints. His beard growing lighter over the years. His grin upon handing him shots of himself already filled my soul for the day. His eyes lit up. He called his son. Showed him the photos. Called across the alley over to the next stall. Another vendor selling beads. He showed him the photos as well. I bought three bead necklaces from Baba. I didn’t haggle or negotiate. #WhenWeTravelAgain
We are a culturally rich, global village and listening to an individual’s story, just fills me with such feels of adventure. For it is the people we meet, the people we now know exist, that make that trip all the more alive. Lola introduces us to those very same people that make you want to pack up and go meet them for yourself and add to the adventure called life!
3. Linn – IG @Microadventuregirl – www.instagram.com/microadventuregirl
I first interacted with Linn on Instagram when she had created a ‘Lockdown Cinema’ for her daughters whilst camping in her back garden and star gazing and I though what an innovative idea during this season for those missing their microadventures of camping and hiking.
View this post on InstagramDIY Lockdown Cinema! . A wee change from just camping in the back garden last night to watch one of our daughter’s favourite films, and a bit of star gazing for us. It’s the little things right now . . . . . . #lockdown #outdoorcinema #outdoors #camping #GoNicePlacesDoGoodThings #StayHome #GetOutsideInside #Microadventure
A microadventure was a term created by the adventurer Alastair Humpreys meaning an overnight outdoor adventure that is small, cheap, local and achievable, for normal people with real lives. I have had a few microadventures of my own but I particularly like the ones Linn is creating and participating in at this time. As well as Lockdown Cinema, she has participated in a Virtual Everest Base Camp Expedition Challenge where individuals climbed whatever they could find in their house (usually stairs but one lad used a ladder) to ascend 85000ft indoors to ‘summit’ Everest. The video created of this challenge certainly put a smile on my face and showed the strength and need for community when adventuring.
4. Wonderful Wild Women – www.wonderfulwildwomen.co.uk
This community is passionate about all types of adventures and aims is to inspire to get women outdoors and in nature. A community of women like me! Usually, they organise local meetups and events in and around the UK. In this season they have been sharing lists of adventure films to watch at home, organising virtual social run clubs, and on the website, you can read of all the explorations taken on by the women within the community from Stand Up Paddleboarding to Swimming in Snowdonia, UK. It is a worthy website, which I have spent hours on, pouring over various stories.
View this post on Instagram𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗞𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 * Link in bio * To help with any boredom that may be surfacing, boost moral and get that fire burning for new future experiences we have put together a little list of some of our favourite films all centered around the outdoors; from everyday adventures to epic challenges, stunning awe inspiring scenery of far away lands to the beauty on our doorstep. Thank you to everyone who contributed! @lucy_in_the_lakes @jesslikesweets @laurenm_b @jennuttall @faye4whelan @jenricicle @itskateoc @mccreadievicki @gillymcarthur @sarah_gerrish . . Get the kettle on, hunt out the sleeping bag and have your very own living room bivvy… . . We’d love to hear about your favourites too!? #wonderfulwildwomen @jessielphoto @mount10goat @monetroseadams @manoncarpenter @paulmissinglink @davemacfarlane @inov_8 @maiamedia @cj_cart @lightshedpictures @tessa.lyons.art @natasha_brooks_ @missinglinkcoach @astrayfilms @bethanyhamilton @hennataylorfilms @joeyschusler @patagonia @jenzeuner @annekeller1 @rei @reelrock @reelrock_europe @sketchyandylewis @theoutdoorswimmingsociety
5. Clé Hunnigan IG @alivelikethewind www.instagram.com/alivelikethewind
For a platform that is so visual, its not Cle’s IG photos that have me welling with excitement to explore the world. It is simply his beautiful penmanship to create such feelings of wanting to explore every crevice of the world and experience how he feels for myself. His description of India below makes me close my eyes and be transported to the land he carefully describes.
View this post on InstagramIndia Video Out on YouTube Now (link in bio). . This is just a little taste of what happens when you take a community of creatives and travel lovers to celebrate Holi Festival of Colours in the place where it originated – India. . One morning, I awoke from the most beautiful dream. In this world, I was a modern explorer seeing a place I had only ever imagined. I tried to fall sleep again but the call to experience this place kept me awake many a night – until I gave in. . Now here’s the thing: India doesn’t leave you much choice. It demands to be felt, down to its core. It must open your eyes with its colour and it’s clamour. It must be breathed in and it will undoubtedly pique your senses. This land – of kings and countrymen, of silks and age old spices, of chaos and indelible beauty isn’t just a tale that you hear in passing. India, in all its fullness, is a living legend that you must experience for yourself. . . . . . . . . . . . #windcollective #livelikethewind #socality #livefolk #natgeoadventure #voyaged #beautifuldestinations #wearepangaea #fromwhereidrone #holifestival #india #incredibleindia #travelnoire #artofvisuals #visitindia #india #livenow #earthscope #iamatraveler #travelawesome #kings_shots #createexplore #letsgosomewhere #wanderfoll #wowplanet #jaipur #worlderlust #amerfort
Clé also directs, produces and pens the words of cinematic short films with his creative team at The Wind Collective and for this Easter, since I couldn’t travel to experience the celebrations they brought it to our devices with this visual beauty ‘Semana Santa’, shot on location in Guatemala. Honestly, this dude is gifted and will inspire daily wanderlust in you. In this Stay at Home season, he is using it to write his first book full of short stories, poetic prose, notes and essays all gathered up within him from the years of travelling. I for one cannot wait to read it and patiently await its creation!
And there you have it, 5 new and diverse set of people, you may have never heard of, or perhaps you have all creating adventure in their unique way. I hope it still keeps that adventurous spirit alive within you during this time.
Let me know your thoughts about them in the comments.
From my ever exploring heart,
Stay Home for now & keep safe
The Five to Nine Traveller
xxxx
