The First and Only

Submitted by Macabea on Thu, 03/10/2011 - 05:13
We are no longer explorers
For centuries many people have enjoyed traveling because of the opportunity to see new places and experience different cultures.  Travel though has changed greatly in the past centuries- as opposed to the adventure and newness of traveling in ancient times, current forms of travel are “touristic,” and all aspects of a trip can be planned before departure.  The new form of travel makes many experiences more accessible to travelers but it loses the excitement of being the first person to see things, but it also forces travelers to maintain a higher level of honesty in telling their tales. 
 
From Herodotus, to Marco Polo, and Columbus, each of the travelers that we have read enjoyed being the first to see new things, to go where no one had gone before, and to find things unique to these new lands.  Herodotus explored the world trying to discover the history of different cultures, most importantly he was one of the first to write what he saw.  His great explanations of the various lands were one of the first accounts of any lands outside of their homes.  Marco Polo left home at age 17 and advertised himself as “the world’s most traveled man” he not only saw great things but held important positions in the Khan’s empire.  Columbus left Spain, believed that he had found a new passage to the indies, and continued to explore these islands.  Each man went on his journey for different reasons: to find history, gain wealth, and to have fame.  Significant to each story is the desire to explore.  In the end they all return home and tell their tales.  This return shows that they want not only to explore but also to gain recognition for having explored, to brag about what they’ve seen. 
 
Even though their journeys were incredible, each traveler was known for expanding the truth to include a realm of fantasy and lies.  This approach can be expected because many who had not traveled at all were expecting enormous tales of scary creatures and communities with strange practices.  If Herodotus would have written his History about how similar all the cultures he visited were people would be disappointed.  Or, if, Marco Polo would have come back with great wealth but not the stories of Khan’s court- or if the romance writer did not aid the tale, his story would not have been as inspiring.  Lastly, Columbus had a big choice as to whether or not to admit that the people and city-less islands he explored were probably not the East Indies.  In each tale the explorer had a choice of what to tell, he knew that nothing could be really proven right or wrong.  Nowadays however, any good story comes equipped with proof in the form of pictures, videos, or a website of specific activities.  We’ve lost the ability to imagine things as grander as they are because if we do, someone who has also been there will prove us wrong.
 
All of the travelers that we’ve studied have been more of explorers and this kind of adventure has been lost to us.
Michael's picture

In Search of Uncharted Territory

Submitted by Michael on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 21:55.
I agree with your post. Our ability to experience adventure in the way those we have read did is somewhat more limited than in their time. It seems like every inch of the world has been explored today and plotted out on Google maps - although this is not entirely true. Although finding the unexpected has certainly become more difficult today, I believe it is still possible. All of the clichés of ‘getting off the beaten path’ and ‘going in search of the authentic’ are certainly clichés for a reason, and contain a great deal of truth. Although it is harder to do this today I think it is nonetheless possible. Beyond this however, it is important to note that the journeys we read have often be characterized as much by personal exploration and growth as they have been by physical exploration. Leading me to believe there is always unknown territory to be charted, even if it is within oneself and merely brought out through travel experiences.