I love to travel. This in itself is clearly not unique. So many people love to travel, it’s not a special quality that only I possess. But it is something to be proud of! I am lucky that I am able to travel the world and visit other countries and cultures often. I do not want to take this for granted, and want to help others explore this wonderful world as I do.
I went straight to university at 18, without taking a gap year as I thought I would do that after graduating. The way things worked out, I didn’t get that chance. My husband and I discussed trying to take a sabbatical from work at some stage, but again, that has not worked out for one reason or another. Years kept passing. We moved from London to New York at the start of 2017, and are currently tied to a visa without the option for taking a sabbatical for travel right now. So, over the years, we decided to take as long a holiday as we could afford financially, and with time constraints from our jobs, each year and explore a different part of the world whenever we could.
Almost 10 years ago, I worked out I had travelled to the same number of countries as my age. I decided then that a personal goal of mine would be to keep that up and travel to (at least) as many countries as the age I am. And I have done!
Over the last 10 years we have backpacked across Europe, South East Asia, Australia & New Zealand, North America, and most recently (last week) Bolivia and Peru in South America. Our next plan is to visit Argentina and Antarctica at Christmas. As we cram so very much into a 2 or 3 week holiday each time, we rely heavily on Google Maps and the Local Guide Reviews to find the most highly rated places and things to do, since we don’t ever have extra days to play with or gamble with on a risky-reviewed place. We meet so many backpackers on, for instance, 6 - 12 month travels, who often can’t believe what we are cramming into 15 days.
We have found over the years that Google Maps is the most reliable set of reviews. Other review sites can often contain extremely negatively biased reviews, where disgruntled customers are looking for a platform to complain on, or vice versa sometimes, using it to describe an outstanding or stellar place or experience. This can often miss the middle ground or people generally pleased, but who do not feel the need to leave a review. We haven’t found this with Local Guides - where reviews are most often honest, trustworthy and helpful. This is why we often will go for the highest rated restaurant on Google Maps versus any other review sites. And this pays off!
This is why I love to contribute on Maps in the same way. To help others walking in our footsteps, visiting places we have already been and experienced. I like to add details that I find important, that perhaps I hadn’t seen in my own research for a place, such as at restaurants details about the staff, if there was a wait to be seated, or maybe any tips for visiting somewhere (like Machu Picchu, where we found so much conflicting advice online), where I outline exactly when we went with timings, and how we got there.
I feel that we are all so connected, not just by other people - like when you meet a stranger and then discover mutual friends in common - but by the places we have been, and experiences we have had. Strangers can have such little patience or understanding with other strangers, simply because they haven’t met them yet and view them as an unknown; but we all have so much more in common than we could ever know.
I love contributing to Local Guides and therefore to other’s lives and experiences, and thoroughly enjoy seeing when others find my reviews helpful. #weareallconnected #connectlive2019
