For the previous 20 years, we’ve journeyed throughout the globe, embracing the assumption that “journey is deadly to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness,” as Mark Twain so eloquently acknowledged. We’ve shared our adventures, our pictures, and our experiences in several cultures, believing that by showcasing the great thing about the world, we may assist folks see past borders and variations.
However occasions have modified. The world we’re touring in now could be not nearly sharing lovely photos—it’s extra complicated, extra divided, and extra fragile than ever earlier than.
Journey Used to Unite Us. Now, It Feels Totally different.
After we first began touring, every thing was new. Social media was in its infancy, and other people had been being launched to locations that they had by no means seen earlier than. Journey felt like a instrument for connection—a solution to expertise totally different cultures, break down limitations, and open minds to new potentialities.
However now, we see a world that’s not solely extra divided but in addition extra cynical. Journey has been commodified, diminished to an Instagram backdrop quite than a chance for studying. As an alternative of sparking curiosity and empathy, it usually fuels comparability, competitors, and apathy. As an alternative of uniting us, journey content material typically reinforces the divide between those that can discover freely and those that are struggling simply to outlive.
And whereas the world scrolls previous one other good sundown, too many individuals are combating simply to dwell.
The Actuality We Can No Longer Ignore
Conflicts are raging throughout locations we’ve visited.
- Sudan is within the grip of a devastating civil struggle, displacing tens of millions.
- Ukraine continues to be beneath assault, with civilians struggling each day.
- Myanmar’s folks stay beneath the management of a brutal navy junta.
- In Gaza, complete households have been worn out, and harmless lives proceed to be misplaced
- In Yemen, Haiti, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and so many others stay in turmoil.
And these are simply the conflicts that make headlines.
The World Is Burning—Actually
We can also’t ignore one other disaster unfolding in entrance of our eyes: Local weather Change.
The locations we’ve visited—the glaciers of Patagonia, the seashores of the Maldives, the rainforests of the Amazon—are altering, and never for the higher.
- Wildfires have ravaged Greece, Canada, Australia, and California, displacing folks and devastating landscapes.
- Floods have swallowed complete villages in Pakistan, Libya, and Germany, leaving destruction of their wake.
- Coral reefs that we as soon as marveled at whereas diving are bleaching and dying at an alarming price.
- The Arctic ice we as soon as stood on is disappearing, and island nations like Tuvalu and the Maldives are actually sinking.
We’ve witnessed these modifications firsthand. We’ve spoken to locals who’ve misplaced their properties. We’ve walked via landscapes that not exist. And we’ve realized—we can’t simply preserve sharing fairly photos whereas pretending every thing is ok.
We Can’t Keep Silent Anymore
We will’t proceed to stroll round pondering every thing is a dream anymore. We will’t sit in a spa, pretending all is nicely, ready for another person to say one thing or climb mountains for our personal private achieve.
We’ve got to talk up.
We have to discuss politics, poverty, and human rights abuses within the locations we go to. We have to discuss how tourism impacts native communities and whether or not it helps or harms them. We have to discuss local weather change, concerning the industries destroying our planet, and about what we, as vacationers, can do to make an actual distinction.
We need to face up towards fascism, authoritarianism, and oppression—and assist others arise as nicely.
We Don’t Blame Anybody for Staying Silent—However We Can’t Anymore
We don’t blame anybody who chooses to not converse out. That is our alternative alone.
For folks with jobs, households, and even our fellow journey bloggers and vloggers who’ve partnerships, talking out may imply dropping every thing—contracts, alternatives, and even their complete livelihoods. We perceive why many keep quiet.
However we’re able the place we can take that threat. And when the danger is talking out towards cruelty, corruption, and fascism—we expect it’s price it.
For almost 20 years, The Planet D has stood for discovery—the journey of exploring the world. However transferring ahead, we would like it to face for one thing better:
1. Decency – As a result of human rights ought to by no means be up for debate.
2. Democracy – As a result of freedom shouldn’t be assured; it should be defended.
3. Dedication – As a result of change doesn’t occur with out motion.
What’s Subsequent for The Planet D
We’re not saying goodbye to journey. We’re nonetheless going to discover, nonetheless going to share guides and itineraries, and nonetheless going that can assist you uncover the world. However we’re additionally going to inform the entire story.
We’ll nonetheless showcase unbelievable locations, however we’ll additionally expose what’s taking place behind the beautiful photos. We’ll discuss concerning the folks combating for justice, the communities on the entrance traces of local weather change, and the vacationers and locals making an actual distinction.
As a result of, similar to that hammam therapeutic massage expertise we as soon as informed you about—there’s all the time extra to the story. And it’s time we begin telling it.
A New Journey, Collectively
We all know this shift may really feel surprising, however it’s the appropriate one. Journey has all the time been about discovery—and typically, meaning dealing with uncomfortable truths.
Thanks for being a part of this journey with us. It gained’t all the time be straightforward, however will probably be price it.
Dave & Deb
