ABOUT
With the realm of internet overflowing with travel blogs, you may ask why another one? Good question. Because before each trip I, possibly like you, scan a plethora of online travel blogs and it is very likely that many of the spots I’ve visited or the activities I’ve done are already covered by well-traveled bloggers.
So then how is Backroads of Eden different?
Well, no matter the purpose or style of travel you choose — whether you have a few days or a couple weeks, even if it’s your first visit to a place or your tenth, whether it’s a local trip or an international destination, perhaps going solo, with family/friends or as part of a tour group — beyond all the photos, connections, memories and souvenirs you bring back, your travel experience goes as far as what the place and the journey has been able to teach you.
Over the years of living and traveling internationally, I have come to appreciate that a place is much more than its tourist-facing facade. Whether it’s the city you currently live in or somewhere hundreds of miles away, it is filled with practices and norms stemming from old, new and ever-changing belief systems, its landscape shaped from years of natural and man-made influence, its good and not-so-good impacts of history, and more.
Your travel experience goes as far as what the place and the journey has been able to teach you.
And often times, it’s through the lens of the simplest and most common things in life that a place shines its brightest.
So, through Backroads of Eden blog posts, I will be featuring these lenses — either from a particular travel journey or inspired across the different trips — trying to highlight some of the many perspectives hiding behind the mundaneness of life. I hope that they can in turn encourage you to add more dimension to your own travel experiences, taking along with you curiosity, mindfulness and appreciation of a place and its people.
What the blog is not
Not Just
The Good!
If you want to take in only the pleasant things a place has to offer or hear about travel experiences that are just about the feel-good moments, you may be in for a slightly bumpy ride. Because no matter where you go, there is another reality that is often painted, whether you choose to see it or not – poverty / environmental degradation / systemic inequities / impacts of colonialism, industrialization or over-tourism, etc. So occasionally, where some bleak observations need to be shared, it will be included. But these are meant to further our own understanding of reality and hopefully, encourage a more conscience-driven experience.
Not A
Trip Plan!
If you are looking for a detailed trip itinerary, a list of things to do, packing tips, etc., this site won’t offer that. But don’t turn away just yet!!! Because the posts will still highlight key things and spots you’ll likely want to check out.
How best to use the information from this site?
I don’t think there is one right way to experience a place. But whichever place you do visit, feel free to also try experiencing it through one or more relevant lenses that will be highlighted here or use this to identify your own. And then let your curiosity and open mind do the rest. At the end of each blogpost, I’ll also be sharing some tips to consider for different comfort levels, that may help with embedding this open-minded, curious and reflective approach to your journey.
But let’s make this a helpful dialogue where possible. If you have additional lenses/things that stand out about a place or across multiple trips which you would like to share with me, please do so through the ‘Connect’ page!
Content Verification: All content provided on Backroads of Eden is based on what I have seen or heard on my trips and some post-trip reading. It is for informational purposes only. I make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site.
Copyright: If you would like to feature any of the photos from this website, kindly check in with me first. More about this and other policies can be found under ‘Policies and Disclaimers’.
Thank you for your understanding! Let’s together create a respectful space to share travel stories.
WHAT’S WITH THE NAME? If you happen to be curious about the blog name, here’s why. In the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), the ‘Garden of Eden’ is often referred to as an earthly paradise. As a Christian, I see every place in our world as having evidence of the Creator’s design and given to us to cherish and care for. I often find this beauty at its finest in the less known or crowded spots. Hence, Backroads of Eden.