For traveler and photographer Jeremiah, the best way to see the world is with his camera in hand. Here, he shares some of his favorite snapshots from our Egypt & the Nile tour, and talks about what motivates him to travel, the beauty of having an expert guide, and more.
People choose to see the world for many reasons. So, why do you travel?
I was born and raised on a small island in Alaska, in a town called Ketchikan. Like a lot of other people I had dreams of visiting foreign countries as I was growing up. It took the passing of my younger cousin Nick, who died in a car accident, to spur me to take action on my travel dreams.
Nick was only in his thirties, and didn’t go to a lot of places either. Since I was only in my early forties, I felt like I had nothing holding me back from traveling abroad, and didn’t wanna listen to any excuses I was giving myself about why I couldn’t go. When I’m visiting another country I feel that I am doing it for both of us and really take nothing for granted.
Why do you enjoy seeing faraway places on guided Go Ahead Tours?
I am so incredibly happy that I’ve come across Go Ahead Tours. I feel it’s a great way to see the places that you only dreamed of going to. You have very knowledgeable tour guides who have obviously put in countless hours of study. And, you make new friendships with other travelers on tour, who have been bitten by the same travel bug as yourself. There is a level of comfort that comes with traveling with a group of people, and I stay in contact with many of them via social media.
What are some of your favorite on-tour moments?
My favorite times are our shared meals as a tour group. We can all sit together and reflect about what happened that day or on previous trips. I’ve heard so many great stories and shared a lot of laughs with fellow travelers. We are typically on tour for a couple weeks and it’s a great way to quickly bond and form lasting friendships.
Also, spending time around the locals of whatever country I’m in are some very wonderful experiences as well. You can learn a lot about them from reading books, but I’ve learned so much more being there and asking them questions personally.
Your travel photos are stunning! What are some of your favorite shots?
It’s hard for me to pick favorites, but I do enjoy taking portraits. I’m also very fond of landscape photography, and capturing nature the best way I can. If a photo is forced then it’s most likely not going to turn out the way you thought it would. For me, the key is to let the frame flow. I typically get a quick vision of what I want to capture in my mind and then just let the camera go to work.
You’ve been to Europe, Australia, and Egypt, and have a tour of India on the horizon. What draws you to these different parts of the world?
Perhaps the fact I was born and raised on an island has something to do with my extreme wanderlust? We have about thirty miles of drivable land and four stoplights, and Ketchikan is also a rainforest that gets about 141 inches of rain per year. I love my hometown without question. But when I was a young teen I set goals for myself to get off the island and see more of the world, more than just what surrounded me. My list of places to go to is still very long, and I can put a pretty nice dent into that list.
If you had to give one piece of travel advice to somebody who has never gone on tour, what would it be?
I would say listen closely to what the tour guides have to say—they really do know their stuff. It’s advice you might not get otherwise if you were traveling independently.
How has seeing the world changed you for the better?
I know it might sound cliche, but coming home from a trip abroad makes me feel much more appreciative of my family and circle of friends. I receive many, many thank you’s for posting pictures or videos I’ve taken on my adventures. I’ve heard from several people that they appreciate my posts because they will probably never get the opportunity to go where I’ve been, and because of me, they feel that they got the chance to go along for the ride.
Thanks for sharing your story, Jeremiah! Do you have a travel story? Send us a note at social@goaheadtours.com.
