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If you're not traveling, it might be nice to us other source of additional motivation and inspiration. We can get it through participation in various types of exhibitions, meetings, slide shows, internet forums etc.
Photo exibithions
World Press Photo -
this annual world exhibition with headquarters in Amsterdam. They relate to information that appeared in the media. Subject matter is varied from politics to global wars and crashes, natural disasters and moral scandals, sports and everyday life. Newspapers live mainly from brutal facts, they feed more on tears then happiness, but the show is sensational. The imagine description should be read, otherwise we might misunderstand the message. Last year the exhibition was hosted in over 100 cities in 45 countries.
Wildlife Photography - Natural History Museum in London is organizing the greatest photographic exhibition I’ve ever seen. And it’s hold annually! There are amazing photos of flora and fauna, in wild and unique perspective. Although as it turned out, sometimes photographers cheat us - in 2009 the winner was disqualified (after the show), when it turned out that in the picture wolf was in captivity. The situation was arranged. However, most of the photos are so natural that there is no doubt that this is natural animal behavior. Only 11 countries hold the exhibition in 2011, and for my luck, Sydney was on the list.
Film Festivals
Banff Mountain Film Festival. Every year in Banff, Canada, mountain film and book festival is hold. When a jury reviews hundreds of films submitted, they selects a dozen, which then go on the world tour. In Sydney they choose eight films in one evening. There is not great atmosphere, but still worth seeing the movies.
EXPO
EXPO, knows as well as World Fair. It presents the achievements of most world nations in fields like architecture, technology, science and culture. The first time it took place already in 1851 in England. The Eiffel Tower was built also for this exhibition, when Paris was the host in 1889. As usually happens The Tower supposed to be dissemble after the exhibition – radio invention saved it, as in fact Eiffel was used as a radio mast. Currently, this exhibition is held every 2-3 years. I managed to see EXPO once, when I visited Shanghai in 2010. Short reportage here. In 2012 the exhibition will be held in South Korea, and in 2015 in Milan, Italy.
Meetings
If you don’t have time, you can’t or don’t have the possibility to travel around the world, thanks to the Couchsurfing Couchsurfing world can come to you. The idea is to meet to studying foreign cultures through the local community. This is an online organization where you set up your profile. While travelling I write a message to the person whose profile suits me best (interests, age, location, humour, experience, etc). If the host accepts me, then I go to his/her house for two nights (officially for two, but sometimes depend of the situation it might turn out more or less). It shouldn’t be treated as a free hotel, so I spend my time with the host - conversation, cooking, city sightseeing, etc. When I’m back in Sydney, I’m offering a couch. I’m not accepting copy-paste messages, probably written to other twenty hosts without reading their profiles. If there is nothing personal in the message, it means to me that the traveller didn’t even read to whom he wrote. Those who made a little effort, and I like their profile, I invite at home. It is a large dose of trust, but it works so far. I have just few negative experiences.
However, couchsurfing doesn’t have to be always invitation to the house. In your profile you can specify that you don’t offer a couch, but will be happy to meet for coffee. On the website there are also community groups, which you can belong. Sometimes I meet up with other couchsurfers to go together for concert, game, picnic, or for a monthly meeting at the beach. This is a site for open and positive attitude people. I you would like to find me, check my nickname: hitch-hikers (Sydney)
Forum
If you are looking for information in travel field, I suggest you check the online forums. People are sharing knowledge and experience. Currently, there are so many websites of this type, so you can get lost in that. In my opinion the best one is very popular Lonely Planet forum, called Thorn Tree.
In terms of equipment forum, the best in my opinion is backpacking light. Unfortunately, some articles are available only for members, which cost you some annual fee.