User:Iuliana

Task 1

                               Me as explorer

In my first classes of geography when our teacher was explaining about the main explorers I was always wondering if there were still places on the earth than can be found and explored, or we already arrived to the point that there is nothing else to be explored. An explorer is supposed to be a person who finds places and sees things that nobody else have seen before. First people explored places on the earth, then they moved to the seas and the oceans and finally other tried to discover the space. I believe we all are explorers in our own way. Most of us when we travel we try to avoid the already known places by tourists and “explore” places that no tourist can get, where we can find only local people. This way we can find out how is the real life in that place and not only base our opinions on the part that everyone knows that usually is full of cliches. Even though the many places are mostly explored I think that there is still something new to find in anywhere we go because everyone of us have our own point of view different from any other. In terms of exploring I always limited myself mostly because where I come from we don't have much to explore. It was already fully “explored” by soviets. But once I came to Spain I discovered the pleasure of taking a day walk with friends in the Pyrenees. I first started with the lowest parts trying to improve every time. I realised that my passion for Photography made my desire of exploring grow even more. There is always the desire of capturing moments and things that nobody did before. I think every photographer is an explorer. I chose this picture because is one of the few pictures I appear, that makes me feel as an explorer, as I had the whole world at my feet. It has nothing to do with the clothing, surroundings or situation but the feeling of the picture itself makes me an explorer. It was taken the last summer in the north of Spain, in Galicia. This part of Spain has always new things for me to be explored. There is also the main destination for the way of Santiago – a way that helps many pilgrims to explore their own personalities, possibilities and purposes. In comparison to the explorer who usually has a scientific purpose, a pilgrim have a personal purpose.

                                 Expedition Item

The Vaseline is very helpful in preventing blisters. You are more likely to get blisters if your feet are hot, wet or tired. I got this tip from a friend that did the whole “Camino de Santiago” which is a very famous walking way in Spain. I supposed that in an expedition we would have to walk a lot carrying a heavy bag. It helps when applying on the clean feet in the morning. I could choose any other item, but I think that once our main activity is walking and exploring, we have to do it as better as possible, and nothing can bother us more as some blisters.