When I was in university I was lucky enough to spend a year living and studying overseas. The experience of discovering new cultures, landscapes, sights and sounds opened my eyes to the diversity found across the globe.
What fascinated me the most was wandering slightly ‘off course’ taking unplanned detours and the human interactions these forged. Throughout the years I would continue to email family and friends my suggested ‘add-on’ itineraries to the Lonely Planet guidebook’s well-beaten path.
When the local guides program was launched I became more and more inquisitive as to the world around me zooming into streets on google earth. I realised that maps was revolutionary in transforming human connections. My emails and well-categorised excel spreadsheets had instantaneously become out of date! It was now possible to travel the world and see the major sights without a single guidebook.
As I reflected on travel to some of the more remote places on earth I began to search for them on maps… they were not there! I wanted others to experience their own nuanced, subtle journeys of discovery so began to add locations, submit reviews and photos showing the external environment around some of my favourite places.
I started working in remote outback Australia 18 hours drive from the nearest capital city, I created lists of outdoor experiences for people visiting my small town and made a few posts on connect highlighting remote beaches. If they were interested in travel further afield I would encourage them to download the map offline and go exploring to visit attractions I had added like Garden Pool, a wide river lined with paperbark trees in the middle of the Australian dessert!
As I began to travel more myself I continued to add places like this small caravan takeaway kiosk, update inconsistencies and review some of the best local cafes on the map such as this amazing bakery in the streets of Dubai or the first review of a new Nigerian-Canadian fusion restaurant I stumbled across in Vancouver last week.
I create, edit and update content on maps because I care about those around me and wish to make information readily accessible so that others can also discover the best this world has to offer!
