'And Fintown Trekker said unto myWanderlusters, Come up to me in the bar above Pizza Express in the Earls Court Exhibition Centre, and be there: and I will give thee paper, printed by inkjet, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.'
Last Saturday was indeed a momentous day. One of myWanderlust's most legendary figures, the self-proclaimed grandaddy of GoWander, Fintown Trekker, came across the waters (by plane, not foot) to present the 10 myWanderlust Commandments to those who had gathered to hear his word.
The commandments were not carved in stone (I blame Ryanair's excess baggage fees). Rather they came printed bearing the image of a glowering Fintown, wielding an ice pick in a manner that suggested His word was indeed the law. Each myWanderlust was handed one on arrival and a pile of others left to be distributed to those who couldn't make it.
For those of you unable to swing by the Towers for your own personally signed copy, I've faithfully transcribed the Word of Fin below.
The Ten myWanderlust Commandments
1. You will bear witness to the Power coming from the Towers.
2. Conversely, for enlightenment purposes, you must have one blazing bush of a row with the Towers.
3. You will have but one travel God, Wanderlust.
4. You will scorn all pretenders vigorously and heap them upon a burning thorn bush.
5. Thou shalt honour thine Pluck and the DrG.
6. They shalt not commit photoshoppery.
7. Thou shalt not commit bloggery.
8. You will not force persons to naval gaze as confusion arises with other members below.
9. You will not favour Wanderlite over well written Experiences.
10. You, in a myWander life, will have attended at least one Destinations show.
Signed: Fintown Trekker
I should point out that it hasn't all been delicious home-made biscuits from EHalford, jars of Irish caramels and stuttering Skype calls to online friends on the sub-continent. There have been other things happening on myWanderlust this week.
Like JayR's post on the forum celebrating inspirational photographers. She admires Ansel Adams but wants to take photos like Don McCullin. AngelaR likes Heather Angel. Mooseontheloose is fan of Steve McCurry. Meet the Gringo and Jamie Furlong admire Mr McCurry's work too as well as younger photographers like Eric Kim and Eric Lafforgue. Which photographers inspired you? Me, I was always partial to the photos in National Geographic. Universally excellent and guaranteed to get my feet itching.
Howellsey got the weekend started in a celebratory manner by reminiscing about memorable (or barely memorable) travel-related drinking sessions. DrG, Liz Cleere, Satkinson, Ehalford and JayR piled in with tales of big nights in foreign climes of their own, while denhamj bravely stepped in to suggest that just as much fun can be had with chocolate cake and ice cream. Whatever your poison, you'll have to agree that if you cobbled together an itinerary from all the 'experiences' listed, you'd have one hell of a trip.
Meanwhile, Dew is looking for advice on Taiwan and MagsR is looking for like-minded travellers in Hampshire, West Sussex and Surrey to catch up and chat about travel. Help them out here.
Over at experiences, denhamj has posted a thought-provoking piece reflecting on 40 years of travel, comparing travel then and now. It has kick-started an interesting discussion in the comments below about whether it is still possible to be an intrepid traveller in a world that is so inter-connected. I think that it is, but in a different way. And I agree with an old hippy called Ed Buryn who says 'The Age of Discovery is never over when you are the discoverer.' In 20 years time a new generation of 'old bats' will be reminiscing over Facebook like we reminisce about Post Restante. What do you think? Join the debate here.
Speaking of 'Old Skool' travel, it looks like treacleminer has dug out his old slides and scanned them. His pics of the Transmongolian railway in winter and the Silk Road to Urumqi are a reminder of a time when things were a little softer around the edges and the sky always had a hair in it.
In a sense, Rhoda1 goes back in time too, with a selection of images from her recent trip to Burma, a country that is only just welcoming travellers back after decades of isolation. See why Burma is set to become the next big destination here.
Dog lovers are in for a treat. Pebbles111 has posted a gallery of huskies looking adorable in the snow. Jamie Furlong has posted a photographic tribute to the men of Kerala. Nick Ledger has put up some stunning photos from his visit to the Harbin Ice Festival.
Finally, you must check out the photo DrG has posted of him and his house guest, Fintown Trekker, posing in the snow in Greenwich.
By the way, if you're wondering what Fintown Trekker looks like under his kagool, he's just like you imagine. What does he sound like? Just like you imagine. Meeting him is like conversing with one of his forum posts made flesh.
I only wish it is something you all could have experienced!
More like this
Read previous From the Editor blogs here
Want to explore all that myWanderlust has to offer? Check our our online community here
Want to ask myWanderlust members to help with a travel dilemma? Post your questions on our forum here
Just back from posts make the Wanderlust team green with envy... Check out most recent entries here
