Connect turns 10! 🎂 Join the time capsule ⏳

[muhammad_ilyas]

Back in 2018, I took my first trip from Karachi to Khewra Salt Mine. That journey wasn’t just about visiting a beautiful place—it marked the beginning of an incredible adventure. Since then, I’ve contributed wherever I could, sharing places, experiences, and helping others discover the beauty around us.

One of the biggest milestones was meeting @KashifMisidia Bhai for the first time. What started as a simple meet-up grew into a strong friendship and a lasting positive bond that has made this journey even more meaningful.

These years have been full of unforgettable memories, exciting adventures, and plenty of challenges that helped me grow. And yes… somewhere along the way, my black hair slowly turned white!

Looking back, I’m grateful for every trip, every contribution, and every amazing person I’ve met through this community.

Happy 10th Birthday, Local Guides Connect! Here’s to many more years of exploring, sharing, and making memories together.

If you wanna see my 9 Year’s journey

**Khewra Salt Mine, Pakistan — 2018**

And now

Capturing this during my last visit in Ranikot Fort Sindh

My most recent adventure took me to the magnificent Ranikot Fort, often called “The Great Wall of Sindh.” Surrounded by rugged mountains and breathtaking landscapes, it is believed to be one of the largest forts in the world. Walking through its ancient walls was a reminder of Pakistan’s rich history, culture, and timeless beauty.

From my first journey to Khewra Salt Mine in 2018 to exploring Ranikot Fort today, every trip has added a new chapter to my travel story. I look forward to discovering more hidden gems and continuing to share them with the world through the Local Guides community.

Tagging my Pakistan friend’s through out my journey: @KashifMisidia @DrFoodieOfficial @Bilal_shaikh @Swalay

[Rahul001]

Thank you @Latika_Malhotra for a wonderful time capsule for the 10th year of Connect for the community.

Looking back at my early days, I am flooded with memories of my first meetup at Chalai Bazaar in 2021. Sharing that experience with @syedshiyazmirza, @GeoZac & @abrahamjoseph236 was truly where my path as a Local Guide really started to take shape.

Beyond that, the Kochi Mega Meetup remains one of my absolute favourites. It was such a special experience to meet @SonamW, @TravellerG, @Gurukrishnapriya, @Manishhh & so many other wonderful Local Guides. Spending that time together to explore the city with the community is a memory I will always cherish.

Fast forward to today, it feels fitting to continue celebrating Connect’s 10th anniversary by staying connected. @Gouri.PS & @SarathUpendran joined-in for the meetup in Trivandrum to mark the occasion.

Sharing the joy, exchanging stories & passing around gifts and souvenirs with the community reminded me exactly why this platform is so special. Best part of this community is that my home is filled with souvenirs, gifts or group photos of the community meetups & it reminds how close we are as a local guide on Connect.

Happy th Anniversary , Connect. Here is to many more years of mapping & friendship.

I would like to tag @TravellerG (but he’s more than a friend) where he was with me from the start of my journey & inspired me to contribute with care on Google Maps too.

[Rozzub]

জনাব @Latika_Malhotra ১০ তম কানেক্ট দিবসের শুভেচ্ছা

[Supriyadevkar]

It’s nice meet-up where everyone share their experience with connect @SharmaK

[SoniaK]

Oh this will be so much fun! Can’t wait to see those beautiful faces before and after 10 years of Connect journey. Thank you @Latika_Malhotra for coming up with such a wonderful idea.
Happy 10th birthday to Connect

[Roman_Ahmmed]

Hi @Latika_Malhotra, thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to share our decade of memories!

I have really loved seeing so many Local Guides from all corners of the world sharing their beautiful memories with this amazing community.

While I don’t have a full decade of memories yet, my journey truly began when I met a Connect Moderator for the first time back in 2020 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Getting to attend ConnectLIVE Dublin 2026, where I got to meet so many incredible Local Guides in person. It will always be my favorite and most unforgettable experience, full of lifelong connections!

Keep Contributing!
Cheers

[NirmalTeja]

Happy Tenth Birthday connect

My first meet-up was in 2018 Visakhapatnam with Google maps product manager Anil Ghosh @Latika_Malhotra

[davidhyno]

These 10 years have really flown by @Latika_Malhotra , and it’s all thanks to the company of the Local Guides who accompanied me on this journey!
This is a short video that captures in 30 seconds all the time that has passed over these 10 years…an excellent premise for all the years to come!
A heartfelt thank you to all the Local Guides I’ve met so far, with a special mention to

@ErmesT the real first LocalGuide I met, and a big hug to @JaneBurunina , @KarenVChin and @LuigiZ

May this wonderful journey continue for everyone…
David

[cuicani]

hello, everyone! it’s party time!

Thanks for this lovely initiative @Latika_Malhotra and of course I’m joining: I’ll add three stages to my timeline:

2016: Ten years ago

At this moment I had no idea that either the Local Guides program or Connect existed. I was just living my life

2024: My Local Guide Adventure begins

I wrote my very first review in 2023, but it was until 2024 that I got in touch with Local Guide Communities and 2025 when I attended my first In-Person Meet-Ups.

2026: Today

By now I’m already used to the activities, meet-ups and initiatives by Connect. I’ve posted quite some nice posts and I’ve built and strenghtened some lovely friendships. Of course I organize and attend regularly to Meet-Ups: that’s the best way to make friendships stronger.

My Teams:

• Local Guides Mexico #TeamTacos
• L’Équipe Francophone #LocalGuidesFr
• Honorary member of #LocalGuidesBrasil

.
Thank you all for being there! I love you

[OliverKIWI]

@Latika_Malhotra A walk into the memory lane:) Can’t wait to catch up with friends and fellow LGs again!!

[Mohammedabd]

The product is a good

[Rushikesh_joshi]

Happy 10th anniversary to Connect

[Ayaanali]

Hi @Latika_Malhotra, Happy 10th Birthday to Connect!

I haven’t been here for a full decade, but I started my Local Guides journey around 3 years ago.

Then: Here is a photo from my early days when I first started adding places and mapping around my village, Tajpura.

Now: Here is a recent picture of me still enjoying contributing to the map!

I don’t have a specific Local Guide friend to tag yet, but I want to tag @ErmesT and all the moderators to say a huge thank you for always being so helpful and keeping this community great. Cheers to many more years!

[PrasadVR]

Thank you for creating this time capsule and giving us the opportunity to reflect on our Local Guides journey. I’m looking forward to sharing my story and reading the experiences of fellow Local Guides. Happy 10 years of Connect!

[Supriyadevkar]

First of all Happy 10th anniversary of connect to all . It’s great thing to celebrate together with collection of all posts together.I like to read the celebration posts of all and thanks to you for this great effort.

Every one having their own story about connect which are definitely interesting and teaching something new.
I am also posting my journey in below link

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t/connected-by-maps-united-by-hearts/567979?u=supriyadevkar

[SonamW]

Thank you, dear @Latika_Malhotra ji for coming up with this beautiful initiative called Time Capsule.

It fills my heart with immense joy to reflect on and share my Connect journey.
Although it has been only a little over a year since I joined, the experiences I have gathered are far beyond what words alone can express.
If I were to fill my time capsule with just one thing, it would be immeasurable gratitude.

Perhaps that is why I chose to express my journey through an ode.
Every time I think about this incredible journey, emotions take over.

In just over a year, Connect has enriched me in ways I never imagined.

Bit by bit, this journey has nurtured every dimension of growth EQ, IQ, SQ, AQ, and CQ
Today I find myself a bit more aware, a bit more confident, more compassionate, and far more enriched than the person who first joined this community

With folded hands I thank every Local Guide, every organiser, and every moderator who has worked tirelessly to ensure that this platform continues to grow, evolve, and thrive

I also applaud Connect for building such a strong, supportive, and inspiring community where learning and kindness go hand in hand

Sharing my First And the recent capture of my Journey….

The first photograph is from my first meet-up, organised by another newly joined(then) Local Guide @SharmaK

Watching someone who had joined around the same time confidently organise a meet-up gave me the courage to believe that anyone can begin their Connect journey at any stage.
That meet-up became the starting point of countless virtual and in-person meet-ups, friendships, and unforgettable experiences.

The last photograph is from the meet-up celebrating 10 Years of Connect, organised by @curatorofmemory who like me, had also joined Connect only a year earlier.
However by this time, I had gained enough experience and confidence to contribute meaningfully to the celebration he organised.

To summarise this beautiful journey,My very first meet-up was organised by a Local Guide who had joined alongside me, and my latest meet-up was once again organised by someone who had joined in the same year as I did.

What unfolded between those two moments was nothing short of magical.
A journey of continuous learning, meaningful connections, shared experiences, and tremendous personal growth.2025 has been a wonderful year for me.

Thank you once again for giving me this wonderful opportunity to pause, reflect, and express what this year of my Connect journey has truly meant to me.

I am sharing my ode here as a small tribute to this beautiful journey.
An ODE to C O N N E C T

( Picture created by @Rahul001 and shared by @curatorofmemory ,Thanks )

Warm Regards
@SonamW

[AbdullahAM]

Happy 10th Anniversary to Connect!

Thank you so much for sharing the post and remind us about our past great memories with connect and other local guides. I will share more very soon.

[ISAIKBALULSURUR]

THEN : December 13, 2016
This was the first email I received from Local Guides.

This is a photo of my first meet-up as a local guide with @amughits but at that time I didn’t know that it was a local guide meet-up in September 2018 because I still had little literacy about this great community.

NOW — a decade 2026

Nearly 10 years later, Local Guides has become much more than Maps for me. It has given me meaningful friendships, unforgettable meet-ups, and countless memories.

To celebrate this milestone, I also shared my 10-year Local Guides journey here: My Decade Long Journey Finding “Home” in Local Guides (2016-2026)
What I treasure most is this welcoming community. I’ve met amazing friends who have supported, inspired, and encouraged me to keep growing.
For me, Local Guides is more than sharing places it’s about sharing kindness, building connections, and making a positive impact together.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey, especially @Andhyka @Hans01 @suryabezum @ervinaajeng @Etalutfi @AnisaAe @Firmansyah_MI @renyraynada21 @Zuh4f4rh4n4 @Andrianto @br14n @doni_hariadi @JeffryRisandy @abishofyan @Luq.Hendra @ZR2025 @Amaliooo @Radhitya_Ditto @Ramin2 @mikaelr @Yuni83A @yuniarinukti @FahmiAdimara @elyudith @AndiBrata @ririsnurbintari @ritakusuma.10 @Anjar @Dinithea @SyamsieUngu @Dhatuardhan @irulmusmus @aininovita @storyimah @Sisca_Nuning @RifanKN @MasJon @PaDeSSo @RivaniRahmadani and to all my Local Guides friends I couldn’t mention here due to the mention limit, thank you for being part of my journey. Your kindness and support mean so much to me.

Special thanks to @Latika_Malhotra for creating this wonderful “Connect Turns 10! Join the Time Capsule” challenge. It gave me a chance to look back on how far this journey has taken me.

Happy 10th Anniversary, Local Guides Connect!

[ErmesT]

Thank you for inviting us to travel on the time capsule, @Latika_Malhotra
Together with @KarenVChin we did it exactly on July 15, for a virtual meet-up with @TraciC (now @Traci ), who putted the first stone of this amazing community. Here the recap: Recap: [Virtual] Italy, July 15, LGConnectTurns10: Celebrating 10 Years in our Global Village! - Virtual Meet-up

But of course I wanted to share also a little bit of my personal story, my first steps, in The 10 years that changed my life. Part 1 - Knocking on Google's door

@ErmesT

After 10 years, we are still here.

Thank you, @latika_malhora , for offering us this journey through time: Connect turns 10! 🎂 Join the time capsule ⏳ To remember where we started, to not forget what moved our first steps. I have loved Connect from the first day I entered it, and from the first day my love has been reciprocated.

[EshaHarish]

Such a beautiful journey, @SharmaK sir! From joining Connect in 2023 to hosting a #LGC10 meetup in 2026, truly inspiring to see how far the journey has come.
Grateful to have been part of this celebration virtually!