Travels teach us that there is a world beyond our own, not only because of different landscapes, but also in terms of cultures, religions, and belief systems.
As I travelled the world on a bicycle, I felt a need to document my encounters. After more than 5 years, my catalogues contain over 250K photos/videos, several daily handwritten diaries, typed notes, and hundreds of audio clips. I have only posted a fraction of them yet, as writing slows me down considerably.
It would have been easier had my posts only consisted of pretty photos with little captions. After all, nowadays, we consume content like fast-food, with our fingers constantly on the scroll. We are not reading, rather scanning.
Some people have advised me not to publish everything on the internet so later I can monetise it as a book. But I believe there is more to the world than making money. I consider it’s the duty of a traveller to report so others can also learn from alternate ways of life. So I spend a tremendous amount of time working on stories without seeking any rewards.
Writing is very painful for me. I have spent more time writing than on the bicycle. Most of the photo essays take me days or week to finish as I select photos, listen to audio files, select text from the daily Urdu journal, and translate into English. I would rather prefer to take pictures and edit them than do write-ups. But I realize, pictures alone cannot tell the complete story and require words. However, I find storytelling to be emotionally exhausting.
In all this hardship and unpaid work, I try to convince myself that maybe these stories bring some value to others, as they helped me see the world better when I wrote them. Stephan King said, “writing is refined thinking.”
Humility is a precondition for learning. A journey into the mystery cannot begin unless we surrender. Travelling can teach us nothing if nothing can enter our mind.
Writing is very painful for me. I have spent more time writing than on the bicycle. Most of the photo essays take me days or week to finish as I select photos, listen to audio files, select text from the daily Urdu journal, and translate into English. I would rather prefer to take pictures and edit them than do write-ups. But I realize, pictures alone cannot tell the complete story and require words. However, I find storytelling to be emotionally exhausting.
In all this hardship and unpaid work, I try to convince myself that maybe these stories bring some value to others, as they helped me see the world better when I wrote them. Stephan King said, “writing is refined thinking.”
Humility is a precondition for learning. A journey into the mystery cannot begin unless we surrender. Travelling can teach us nothing if nothing can enter our mind.
For these posts, at times, I get praise, other times, harsh criticism and abuse, as on my recent post on Eid-al Adha.
I cannot promise you will like everything I share here, but it will always be my earnest observation. After that, it’s up to you to draw your own conclusion!
Artwork (based on second pic) by Kamran On Bike
