This is Me, The BarrisTourista

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

~Saint Augustine

People wonder why I love to travel so much. They always ask if I just like to get away or think that I simply enjoy a good vacation. Both of those things are true, but it’s so much more than that.  For me, it goes to the very essence of the quote above. There is a vast, magnificent world that should be seen by everyone. The cultures, the people, the experiences worldwide are so vastly different, yet so very much the same. We are all people underneath all of the distinctions, and by experiencing new things and new places, we stand to come closer together. It’s hard to hate someone when you have seen how they live, how they love, how they want the same things in life that you do. But to never travel is dangerous; it’s myopic; it’s close-minded.  Perhaps—just maybe—if we all stepped outside our communities, our comfort zones, and our bubbles and experienced different cultures, we wouldn’t still be fighting against some of the sad injustices that we see around the nation and the world.

Traveling is one of my true passions, something I hope to do not just in retirement, but continually along the way. And why not? Why not experience God’s great works amongst them? He created this beautiful world; why shouldn’t we enjoy it? Why not catch a glimpse of that world before parts of it go extinct, or sink or melt away?

But, don’t get me wrong: I really do enjoy a good vacation. I enjoy a good swim-up bar as much as the next person. With the stresses of life and work and an American culture where we live to work, I yearn to work so that I may live. I enjoy what I do and I love helping people harness and capitalize on their creative spirit, energy and passion. I wouldn’t trade my profession for the world, although I would love to trade in some of the law-school debt I accrued getting there. But again, it’s the journey. I just don’t want to do it in one place.

“Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” 

~Benjamin Disraeli

What exactly is a BarrisTourista, anyway?

BarrisTourista is a mix of two distinct words. And anyone who knows me knows that I have always done at least two things at any given time, even going back to getting dual degrees in both college and grad school. Why be confined to just one thing? I suppose that’s the true Gemini in me.

The phrase is a combination of Barrister and Tourista. The barrister portion refers to my legal background and profession, and the tourista portion is self-explanatory. Even though the name is catchy, I don’t consider myself—and never hope to be—just a tourist.  Of course, I will see (and shoot) my share of monuments and well-known sites, but when it comes to the real sights, sounds, and especially tastes, I want to travel like a local.  I want to remember more than I have seen. I want to live it. And as I live it, I hope to show it to you. Not just through my photography, but through my words.  After all, before my current profession, before all of the law and order, before I even knew how to work a semi-professional camera, I wrote.

So run away with me. Join me. Follow me on my journey. After all, it is all about the journey. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the ride.