Susan Solo – Photographer | Traveler | Adventurer

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The Great Debate – Tourists vs. Travelers

It’s no secret that Chris and I both have a fairly serious case of wanderlust – we both want to see and photograph as much of the world as possible within our means, and we have an extensive list of must-see places. Just a handful of cities and countries are highlighted on my bucket list page, but a separate list lives on my computer, begging me to plan and book trips. I’m constantly reading travel blogs and books and watching documentaries about travel, and in doing so I’ve noticed that there’s an ongoing tourist vs. traveler debate. You can even find tips on how to be a traveler instead of a tourist, suggesting that one is somehow superior to the other. (Just Google “tourist vs. traveler” to see hundreds of examples.)

My thoughts on that? It doesn’t really matter! And I’m not one to force anyone, including myself, into a label.

Chris and I tend to do a combination of adventure travel, relaxing vacations, weekend mini-trips, and traveling to visit family. And on any of these trips we might do both so-called “cheesy tourist stuff” as well as exploring off the beaten path on our own. We did several small group excursions in Alaska, for example – kayaking, whale-watching, zip-lining, and dog-sledding. Those were some of our favorite experiences of the trip, and I have no idea how we would have had access to any of that without a tour group. Stingray City in Grand Cayman is probably the most touristy thing to do on the island and it was one of the highlights of our trip. We are driving the Ring Road around Iceland this summer and we expect to discover tons of things along those 800-something miles, but we absolutely plan to go see the major tourist sites including the Blue Lagoon. We’re also planning to go inside the magma chamber of a dormant volcano, with a guide of course! I’m okay with not being the kind of person who would just mosey down into a volcano without someone official telling me what’s what, and most importantly, how to get back out. So whether we’re wandering around on our own or doing something with an organized group for the purpose of access or even safety, finding things randomly or using a guidebook to identify major must-sees, it’s all awesome to me. In fact, I love to strike a balance between the two.

I’ve also read several articles that suggest a true traveler is willing to give up all the comforts of home including a permanent residence and a steady career. Would I love to drop everything in my life, sell my house and focus solely on traveling the world? Sure! But Chris and I are so fortunate to have great jobs (knock on wood) and a home that we love. And our paychecks allow us to buy things like, you know, plane tickets, so I’m happy to just travel when I can. Does that make me a less serious/devoted traveler? Nah! When I can’t be out and about, I love to spend my free time reflecting on past travels in addition to researching and learning about places I hope to visit someday. I’m completely obsessed with Google maps for stalking places that are on my travel bucket list. I usually have the next half-dozen trips planned to some degree. (I like to know a certain level about my destinations, but I’m also excited to discover things while I’m there.)

quote by J. R. R. Tolkein

I say go be a tourist, a traveler, an adventurer, a beach bum, or any combination there of – just do whatever feeds your soul and makes your heart happy. Embrace it! See the world in whatever way possible if you’re fortunate enough to do so, even if that means just wandering to a new corner of your own town or city and trying to see and experience something new. In my eyes you’re lucky if you’re a tourist or a traveler because it’s amazing to get to travel, period. We’re all individuals shaped from our own experiences and we have varying-sized comfort zones.

There’s no “right” way to see the world, except to travel responsibly with an open mind and respect for other cultures and differences. I won’t judge someone who is wearing a fanny pack, taking a photo of their friend pretending to hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or if they duck into a McDonald’s for lunch, but I will definitely frown at someone who is being disrespectful as a visitor. Usually though, I’m just happy when we’re somewhere new and exciting, and not at all concerned about who is a tourist and who is a traveler. Oh, and by the way, I’m almost always going to have a camera with me (unless it’s inappropriate to do so) and I don’t care if that makes me a tourist – the one label I’m sure of is that I’m a photographer. 🙂

So what do you think? Do you label yourself as a tourist or a traveler, or maybe even a hybrid? Or do you shun the labels altogether like I do? Either way, happy/safe travels to all!

May 5, 2014
Go North, Young Woman!

My parents have kept track of the states that they have visited in the U.S. and they only need to visit a few more in order to complete the whole set. I was curious to see how many I’ve been to as well, so I sat down and listed them out. (Side note: I can recite the fifty states in alphabetical order. It’s not a very exciting party trick, but I can do it.) And then being the visual person I am, I decided to create a graphic. The states I’ve been to are shaded in green:

Based on that image, I realized I am sorely lacking in the northern-most part of our country! (Hence the title of this post, a play on this quote if you weren’t sure.) I do like the fact that it looks like the country is a container that I’ve purposely filled over half way with liquid from bottom-to-top. Several of the states I’ve visited multiple times, and I’ve even lived in five (yellow stars). My parents took me on many a road trip in my youth, from the time I was an easy-going infant (so I’m told) up through my sullen teen years and even my twenties. Yes, I was a super moody teenager with a bad attitude that probably made me an unpleasant travel companion at times. I have since apologized to my poor parents! But now looking back, I’m so appreciative of the times that they ~~dragged~~ drove me around even when I wasn’t visibly thankful because I had the opportunity to see so much of this beautiful country. Some of our travel routes included stretches like Denver, Colorado to St. Louis, Missouri (Kansas is a loooooong state) and Plano, Texas all the way to Orlando, Florida.

My favorite road tripping memories are of seeing the vastness of the Grand Canyon, magically standing in four states at the same time at Four Corners, and riding practically every ride at Disneyland and Disney World. I’ve been inside the St. Louis arch and can tell you that it does NOT tip you upside down on your head on the way back down even though that’s how it looks to a four year-old. I can’t even begin to count how many different capitol buildings’ steps I’ve climbed. I love that my dad always stopped to take photos of us standing next to each state’s Welcome sign (and all the other signs, too), and that my mom usually had a patient answer to the question, “Are we there yet?” We visited major landmarks, historical sites, museums, nature centers, zoos, state parks, aquariums, big cities and tiny towns. We drove as far north as Toronto, Canada and as far south as Tijuana, Mexico.

I’ve continued to visit many of the states and have seen some of them for the first time as an adult. I’m pretty sure I never traveled to NYC until 2005, for example. And I landed in Iowa a few years ago to photograph my friend Kim’s wedding! So in order to finish what they started and to cross it off the bucket list, I need to visit about seventeen more states, and there are a few that I’ll revisit since I haven’t covered nearly enough of what there is to see. I’m mad at my twelve year-old self for opting out of the South Dakota trip with my family (I stayed at a friend’s house instead), but at least now I can take my camera and photograph Mount Rushmore properly. Chris and I have talked about making the trek to all of the MLB stadiums, which would help cross off Massachusetts, Minnesota (I’ve been to the airport in Rochester, MN and drove through to Iowa, but I don’t think that counts), and Wisconsin. I’ve always wanted to visit and photograph Maine, we plan to ski in Vermont sometime soon, and we’ve talked about doing a wilderness adventure-type trip to Montana. But we need to come up with a plan for the rest of the states because I’m not sure I know much about them!

Does anyone have good ideas for what else we should go see in the remaining states? What states are on your must-visit list? Let me know!

Also, speaking of maps – check out my brand-new interactive Travel Map! I started linking travel blog posts to the map (red dots) as well as plotting out what’s in the planning queue (yellow dots) and what is officially booked and coming soon (green dots)! Oh and the blue dots are hanging out in a few of my top wish list places. Antarctica, I’m coming for you eventually!

May 2, 2014
Fore!

Chris just recently got back into playing golf (he used to play when he was younger), so it was the perfect time for me to cross off go to a driving range on my bucket list. My mom used to play, and her dad was an avid golfer in his days, so I figure I must have some amount of aptitude for the sport, right?

Last weekend we visited Dulles Golf Center & Sports Park, where Chris taught me the basics on grip, stance, and swing. I was surprised at how much is involved, and I’m not sure why I didn’t realize it’s such a difficult sport. I had fun though! My nine iron connected with the ball over half the time and a few times I even sent the ball straight, so that seems like a good start. My arms are still a little sore though, I think from the many times I accidentally whacked the club into the ground. We’ll definitely go to the driving range again, and I’m also planning to take a lesson or two. I see what a tremendous amount of practice it takes to become good enough to play, and I think I’d like to attempt a real game someday (a long time from now).

May 1, 2014
Grand Cayman 2014

Chris and I just returned from a week on Grand Cayman, and we are smitten! What a beautiful, fun island. When we first started researching a year ago, we were looking for an island with good off-shore snorkeling. The Caymans kept coming up in my search for snorkel sites, so we decided to give it a try. We’re so glad we did! The whole island is beyond lovely, everyone we encountered was so friendly (we met people from England, Australia, France, and India), and I only ended up with two bug bites – a Caribbean island record for me!

When and where it makes sense, Chris and I prefer to stay at a private rental if we can rather than a hotel for several reasons. I love having a home base where we can feel a little more like a local. We go grocery shopping for the week and eat a few meals at home instead of eating out all the time, so it’s a little more healthy. And most importantly, we enjoy having a quiet spot where we can enjoy the pool without listening to anyone yelling or screaming! And if you do some research, it’s not necessarily more expensive than a hotel – we tend to look just slightly into the shoulder season so that the rentals are much more affordable.

This time we ended up in an amazing villa in the North Shore area called Fish Bones. Long story short, the first two villas I picked were sold after I signed the contract, so we were offered a really great deal on this third choice. We couldn’t have ended up with a better house – the view of the ocean was mesmerizing, and we had an entry point into the water down some steps built into the cliff. Chris snorkeled there a few times and saw bar jacks, parrot fish, angel fish, various crabs, and we even saw an eagle ray and a southern stingray. I didn’t get in because there were a few spiny sea urchins hanging out by the steps and I’m clumsy! But I did spend quite a bit of time sitting on the steps, gazing at the water feeling peaceful.

Staying on the east end of the island on the northern shore, we were pretty far from Seven Mile Beach (about a 45-minute drive), but we did go visit that side of the island a few times. If you’re looking for a hotel or resort situated on a gorgeous beach with access to lots of restaurants, amenities and activities, this should definitely be a major contender for you. We ate lunch on SMB one day and enjoyed the soothing ocean views and fish-watching. The tarpon are huge! We also hung out in George Town a couple of times and spent an afternoon in West Bay.

Sadly, on Monday Chris got really sick from something he ate – we narrowed it down to some tartar sauce that accompanied our fish & chips at a restaurant in George Town. We tend to share everything when we eat out, but I am NOT a fan of creamy white sauces and didn’t eat it, so we’re 99.9% sure that’s what it was. So unfortunately, we had to cancel our scuba dive trip that was scheduled for Tuesday. I had mustered up the courage to try diving and Chris was excited about it, too, so we were disappointed, but it’s not at all safe to dive while you’re sick so it was necessary to cancel and we ran out of time to reschedule. We fully intend to try again on an upcoming trip – we have Belize and Vieques trips planned for next year, so one of those spots might work!

Thankfully, Chris was feeling a little better by Wednesday so we could do some gentle island exploring including the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park to see Cayman parrots and blue iguanas. The parrots were adorable! The one blue iguana we saw was lethargic, but interesting nonetheless.

We also explored Starfish Point which was super cute – we saw about a dozen sea stars, sprinkled throughout the shallow area of a small, secluded beach. They’re fascinating little creatures! Unfortunately, their numbers are dwindling in that area because irresponsible tourists take them out of the water for too long or even take them home which breaks my heart. I picked one up very carefully and completely beneath the surface of the water for a few seconds to take a photo, then gently placed him/her (?) back in the soft sand. It was a really cool experience, and I’m glad we got to see them before they inevitably disappear. I almost wish someone could stand on the beach all day and tell people not to remove them from the water. (I would love that job.)

We actually ended up driving the entire perimeter of the island throughout the week, but most of our time was spent closer to home. We poked around a lot in East End, Rum Point, and Old Man Bay. (Side note: Chris did most of the driving since he’s better at driving on the left-hand side.) There was plenty to keep us busy all week in those areas – restaurants and bars, a sculpture garden, various historical wreck sites, and we also visited some fascinating blow hole sites along the southern shore only 10 minutes away. If we have the chance to go back to Grand Cayman, we would definitely stay in this area again for the peace and undisturbed natural beauty.

By Thursday, Chris had recovered and was up for some adventure, so we didn’t have to cancel our trip to Stingray City – yay! It ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. Fat Fish Adventures took us out on jet skis for a thrilling tour of the island – we rode through the mangroves, stopped at Starfish Point and the Stingray City sandbar, and we ended the tour with a bit of snorkeling in the Coral Gardens area of Rum Point. I have to admit that I was nervous about this whole excursion! I had only ever jet skied on a sound in Florida where the water was calm. I read reviews of this tour that said you ride in open water where the waves were generally pretty rough, so I envisioned being flung from the jet ski into the ocean where I’d immediately be surrounded by swarms of jelly fish, sharks, and barracuda. (I do know the sharks and barracuda in the Caymans are typically harmless, but in my imagination they are not.) Chris was an excellent jet ski driver though, and even hitting waves at 50+ mph we never tipped over, so I had a blast.

I had also never jumped off a boat or other watercraft into open water, and knew that I’d be expected to do this twice on the tour, so that made me nervous as well. As I’ve mentioned, I’m pretty terrified of the ocean! Or so I thought – I think I might actually be getting over that fear. When we arrived at Stingray City, we saw huge shadowy figures in the water and I was shocked at how big the stingrays were! But somehow I got in the water anyway, and instantly became fascinated. Cautious, but fascinated. I opted out of holding one or getting a “back massage” from one of these magnificent creatures because I just don’t feel like we were meant to interact with them in that way, but I did gently pet one. They were, after all, brushing up against my legs like sweet, friendly kittens. We also saw a cute spotted trunk fish (see below – Chris took a great photo of it).

When our tour group got to the Coral Gardens site, I ignored my fears once again and just jumped in – I’ve never seen such a beautiful landscape underwater! The colorful corals and fish had me completely hooked, but we only stayed in that spot for about fifteen minutes. I wasn’t ready to leave and I ended up being the last one in the water.

We enjoyed the snorkeling so much that we decided to do one last adventure on Friday – we joined Tortuga Divers on a fantastic trip out to Sunset Reef where we snorkeled for well over an hour. I took more video than photos, but check out the trumpet fish below, and Chris’s stunning image of an angel fish!

I took a ton of video on this trip, so I’ll work on putting together some of my favorite clips. Stay tuned! And finally, I’ll end with the traditional toes-on-vacation shot from the pool. I could have stared at that view all day long, and sometimes I did.

Update: I finished a little video of the trip and uploaded it here! Again, I’ll add a disclaimer that I’m not really a videographer (I barely understand frame rates and all that jazz), and I definitely need more practice shooting video and photos underwater. But you’ll get the idea, and Chris was able to grab some really cool scenes of the rays at Stingray City!

Grand Cayman 2014 from Susan Marks on Vimeo.

April 27, 2014
The Bucket List

I’m really excited about crossing a few things off my bucket list this year! If all goes as planned, the next one to be completed will be scuba diving. And since the weather cancelled our hot air balloon ride last fall, Chris and I are hoping to get to do a balloon flight this year if the weather cooperates with our schedule. We will also be traveling to Iceland and I’m really (really really) looking forward to that one.

Did you know the phrase “bucket list” showed up on a list of words that should be banned in 2014? Do you find “bucket list” to be annoying?! I don’t mind it at all. (I am a list-making weirdo though.) I like keeping track of the things that I want to do in my lifetime, and I don’t know what else to call it. I was originally going to call it something happier like “life list,” but I decided to be traditional and go with what everyone else calls it. It could also be taken as “here’s a whole bucket of things I want to do in my lifetime.” If it’s good enough for Jack and Morgan, it works for me.

What I love about the list is that while I fully intend to accomplish the items or at least try my best, there’s no pressure to do them by a certain time (like the 101 in 1001 list that was popular a few years ago). I’ll just try to complete each item at some point in my life. Oh and as a side-note I just have to clarify this: in no way do I think that trying some of the more skilled things will get me to a point where I’m at all proficient. Meaning, I know I can’t just go take a salsa class and become an amazing salsa dancer or even call myself a salsa dancer whatsoever! But what’s really cool about it is that when I try new things, it makes me appreciate other people’s talents that much more because I get to experience just an ounce of the hard work and dedication that goes into becoming good at a skill.

I also like the accountability that the list provides for a few of the items that make me a little nervous (i.e., anything involved with the ocean). I’m proud I crossed off snorkeling! I was so scared to try it, but I’m happy to say it’s something I actually enjoy doing now. Okay, it still makes me a little nervous, but not nearly as much. And I need to do it more often so I can practice my underwater photography skills. It’s a whole other ball of wax using a camera below the surface.

I’ve transferred a few things leftover from my original 101 in 1001 list, and I’ll continue to add new things as I come up with them. I couldn’t possibly add my whole travel wish-list because it’s just too long, so I included a Top Thirty section. Hands-down the number one item on my list? Photographing an emperor penguin in Antarctica. We’ll have to save up for that trip so I imagine it will be a while, but I am one-hundred percent determined to go. Let me know if you keep a list! And if so, what’s one of your top items?

April 21, 2014