For those of you new to my website (and there are several), I wrote last January of my intentions to travel around the world once I finish my current degree.
I haven’t mentioned it much since then because there hasn’t been much to mention, but I’ve quietly been compiling plans for how and what I want to do. Most of it has been with regards to technology, but the trip to Argentina has got me thinking of how I’m going to pull this off and just what I need to do to get it done. It will be much more difficult than I first thought.
To recap for those not up to speed, here is the sort version of the plan: circumnavigate the globe and visit at least 100 countries.
The long version is much more involved. I want to create a document of my travels online. Text, video, audio, photos, everything. I want to do it as live as possible (which might be difficult depending on where I am). I want to use the site to meet people around the world and document all the people and things I experience. If possible, I’d like to take what I create and bring it to a different medium, like TV, but that would be just gravy. I want hours and hours of video, of which maybe a fraction could be used for other purposes. I want to talk about the science, politics and history of all the places I go in a depth that you can never see on TV. I fully intend to interview the Prime Ministers of Nauru and Tuvalu.
I’ve already reserved a domain name: everything-everywhere.com. It has a hyphen I know, but I thought it captured what I’m trying to do and it was available. I will need a team of support people back in the US who can work reservations for me, get my shipments, and manage the website. I also want to take a bunch of rock samples and have them sent back to the US as well.
I got some help already lined up here to help me while I’m on the road, but I’m sure I’ll need more. I haven’t even begun to make the website yet. I have no idea where this project will go, or how big it could get, but I’m not too worried. If nothing else, I get to see the entire world before I die.
…and that’s pretty cool.
5 replies on “Trip Update”
Given your previous history with this topic, I hesitate to say it, but you’ll have a much easier time pulling this off with a Macintosh — editing video alone (especially mixed with still photos and voice over) would make it worthwile.
I’d also say along those lines the main thing you are going to need is a human video editor … for storytelling as well as cutting/pasting. You should probably practice ahead of time. You’ll probably want to kick down for that too so you’re guaranteed someone polishing and pushing your stuff while you’re on the road.
Yeah, I’ve been assuming that. I’m guessing I’ll have to mail most video back to the US to get edited and put online. There is no way I can guarantee having a net connection or the bandwidth to be able to upload stuff. I will also be able to make sure I have everything archived this way.
Why not do something of a dry run in the U.S. first? Spend a couple of months working out the kinks by visiting cities or national parks so you can work on getting the content-generating stuff down without having to worry about logistical issues like shipping, visas, etc.?
“I have no idea where this project will go” … I hope you pick some kind of angle for your “show” that has some kind of positive affect on the world. “here is a photograph/video of everywhere on earth” is just “i touched it first”. what else do you have in mind besides the fun tech aspect?