“I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.”
― Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Hope you’re having a brilliant Saturday so far! I’m interrupting our regularly scheduled program of sketch stories to bring you a little weekend update about this trip’s itinerary…
1. A change of conference plans
While I was sketching in Vienna’s Café Schwarzenberg last week, I got an email letting me know that TBU Jerusalem has unfortunately been cancelled (where I’d been invited to speak on writing and sketching). This redirection got me thinking, and after the dust had settled, I decided to head to Dublin in October for the annual TBEX Europe conference (short for Travel Blog Exchange).
It’s been three years since I last attended TBEX, and I’m looking forward to venturing back into the world of travel blogging. Some of my greatest writing friends and mentors are also going to be there, so I’m especially excited to catch up with them – as well as work on a few sketches, of course…
2. Re-thinking the flow of the trip
One reason I hadn’t planned on going to TBEX before was because I was viewing this trip as a single entity – I felt that suddenly picking up my pen (or paintbrush, if you will) and heading to Dublin would disrupt the flow. But a conversation with a publishing company this summer inspired me to re-think this.
Rather than create books of sketches based on specific trips, they encouraged me to think more universally. I’m now working on a longer book of sketching narratives from around the world – a sketching narrative being a series of sketches that tells the story of my time in a place – and am hoping to return home after this trip with at least four such sets of sketches for the book.
3. Bosnia-bound
The coffeehouse sketches I did in Vienna last week will hopefully form one sketching narrative, and I’m excited to announce where I’m headed this week to do my next one – Mostar! I have long wanted to visit this city in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically to see its well-known bridge, and I felt like this was the perfect time to make that happen. By this time tomorrow, I’ll be on my way to Sarajevo.
4. Turkey – a place I don’t want to rush
Without having to get to the conference in Jerusalem, I have more time to play with at the end of my trip – and Turkey isn’t a country I want to rush through. I’ve decided to save the Middle East for a future trip and spend my last five weeks in Turkey – which will give me more time in Istanbul (again, to do a sketching narrative there!), and I’m also contemplating doing a three-week trek called the Evliya Çelebi Way.
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Okay, enough change for one post, right? While I’m sad that “From Prague to Petra” won’t meet its fitting end in the Wadi Rum desert, I hope you’ll understand the redirections and keep following along!
Thank you as always for reading – from Bosnia to Dublin to Turkey, I couldn’t be more excited to keep bringing sketches and stories your way.
I say that REdirection means serendipitously meeting REmarkable people….can’t wait to see what amazing journeys you have.
I’m so grateful you were sitting there when that email came through! Thanks so much for talking me through these redirections, I’m pretty excited to see what Bosnia, Ireland, and Turkey all hold 🙂
Love the re-directions, always tend to bring the better out of the plan. Good luck and keep on posting 🙂
And just to warn you, the Mostar bridge is no longer an original structure. It was sadly bombed during the war in Yugoslavia but it has since been beautifully rebuilt. Also, visit some of the mosques there for your preparation for Turkey 🙂 and do not forget to try burek (with meat) or sirnica (Bosnian cheese pie), you won’t regret it.
I feel the same way, my friend 🙂 Although it was a little strange to re-think the trip while it’s actually happening, I’m grateful for the flexibility and freedom to do so! And yes, I did actually know that! I also heard that some bits and pieces of the old bridge were used in the new structure? I’m so looking forward to sketching it, and coming to understand a little of what happened there. Oh, and thanks so much for the food recommendations – I can’t wait to let you know how they are 🙂
I just checked out the Evliya Çelebi Way – This is SO my thing! I hope you find the time to take it, it really seems so worth it.
Yes!! Doesn’t the walk incredible?? I’m fairly certain that’s how I’ll start my month in Turkey – and I will absolutely let you know how it is 🙂 Also, just in case you’re interested in reading about other cultural walks there, here’s a site I found listing them: http://cultureroutesinturkey.com/c/ So wish I had time for them all!
What an interesting redirection. Sarajevo and Mostar are beautiful. I had a very interesting time especially in Sarajevo. There were so few tourists there and it was definitely a highlight of my time in the Balkans. I’m a bit jealous of your 5 weeks in Turkey though, that will be quite amazing I’m sure. I only visited Cappadocia and Istanbul but I hope to get back someday soon.
Anwar, I think you just might be one of the most well-traveled people I know 🙂 I love that any time I mention a place, it seems you’ve already been there! I’m also really glad to hear you had such an interesting and rewarding time in Bosnia – I definitely can’t wait to explore it.
Haha, I try to get around when I can. I have not been to Ireland yet, somehow…so you’ll have me beat there. In Sarajevo there is this really cool caravanserai in the old part of the city that is great to visit. And a few odd places like ‘cafe bill gates’ and cafe tito. The people in the Balkans are so incredibly friendly I found, I hope you enjoy your time there.
I’ll admit I’d never heard of a caravanserai before, but it definitely sounds like a place I need to visit when I’m in Sarajevo (as does Cafe Tito…). Thank you as always for the brilliant tips, Anwar 🙂
I honestly believe that things happen for a reason, whether we can see that reason right now or not. Often when plans fall through I’ve found that generally is simply so they can lay the foundation for something better, something you couldn’t see before because your original plans were obstructing them. It sounds like TBU falling through could wind up really propelling you in new creative directions that really stretch you as a storyteller and I, for one, am really excited to see what happens as a result!
(Also, I agree that Turkey doesn’t seem like a country to rush. Surely there is a reason you get issued a 90-day visa, right? 😀 )
Steph, I can’t thank you enough for your lovely comment. I also believe everything happens for a reason, and am excited to see where these new developments lead! I especially appreciate what you said about being pushed in new creative directions – I would certainly love for that to be the case here 🙂 I hope all is well in Indonesia with you and Tony!
well, I am happy to see through your eyes WHEREVER you go! thank you for sharing your wonderful talents so often from so many wonderful places. and your flexibility to switch a plan will bode you so well, not just in traveling but most other parts of your life. Brava!
Thanks so much for your kind comment, Nancy – it means a lot. And yes…if there is one thing that travel has taught me, it is absolutely the importance of flexibility 🙂 I’m excited about this trip’s new directions, and am glad to hear you’ll be following along!
Hi Candace! I can see that I have a lot to catch up on again. I’m really excited that you’re going to Bosnia – I spent my 40th birthday in Mostar and it absolutely stole my heart. I’d go back tomorrow if I could and have long nursed a fantasy about living and working in the country. Now that I hear you’re going to TBEX I want to go!
Mandy! There’s so much excitement here. Firstly, I loved hearing you celebrated your 40th birthday in Mostar…I’ve only been in the city a day and I already LOVE it. We will have to compare notes at some point! (and if you ever do end up moving here, I would be quite easily convinced to come join you 😉 Also, you should totally pop over to Dublin – I’m looking forward to all of the reunions as much as I am to Tbex itself!
Well, if I ever do move over, I will definitely make sure that I have a spare room!
Excellent 🙂 And vice versa if I ever find myself calling Mostar home at some point…something that would be so great to do at some point!
Sad about your conference getting cancelled, but happy things have worked out so well! I’m so far behind on your blog. It’s exciting to see all the twists and turns of your adventure all in one sitting 🙂
Thanks so much, Carmel! Yes, while I was definitely disappointed that TBU was cancelled (since I was not only excited to explore Jerusalem, but have my first speaking gig!), I couldn’t be more grateful for the way things turned out. I’ve loved this week connecting with friends in Dublin, and am excited to re-visit Croatia tomorrow – two things that wouldn’t have happened if TBU was still on. Sometimes you just have to trust that life knows best!