And I call myself a traveler?

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Looking at a map of the states I have visited in any significant way, it occurs to me that I know London and Berlin better than I know huge sections of the United States. A few years ago that wouldn’t have bothered me, but lately, it begins to feel like a void in my knowledge and understanding. I’ve never set foot in Washington DC, Maine, or Nebraska. I’m unfamiliar with big chunks of the South. Hawaii and Alaska feel like distant dreams.

As I contemplate 2011, and daydream about seeing New Zealand or Viet Nam, I also find myself thinking of exotic places on the Great Plains. I look at my beloved camera and my fingers start to itch at the thought of great open spaces, big skies. In terms of financial reality, 2011 might also be a good year to stick closer to home.

As always, planning, research, and dreaming is and will be as much a part of my travels as the actual boots on the ground.

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Photos

US States I've visited
Pretty pathetic, for a citizen and a traveler.

Comments

[David]

better than me
I don't have a map made up, but if I did it would look a lot blanker than yours for US travel. Plus, I would not count places I do not remember as a young child, like Hawaii, the first state I immigrated through from Japan.

[Jennie]

The Ultimate Tourist
My name is Jennie and i just wanted to let you know that there now is a webpage called http://theultimatetourist.com where tourists from around the world finally can get some use from all these photos they have, posing by different tourist attractions. Here you can choose between over onehundred different attractions and activities, upload your travel-photos and collect one tourist-point for each photo. You will reach different levels of Tourist the more photos you upload, and everybody over 80 points will be Ultimate Tourists. Remember, you have to be in every photo yourself to prove you were actually there, and dont worry about the 'No backpackers'-sign. Its just for fun. So if you would like to compete with your photos, or maybe just spread the word, go into http://theultimatetourist.com Three Swedes are in the top 3... Challenge them! :)