An open letter to fold out tourist maps — the grass is greener
Dear Tourist Map,
I have walked past you many times — at airports, information centres, and in book stores. And, we have met before. Although I don’t expect you to remember, as you meet a lot of people every day. It is also unfair to expect you would remember my face, because sometimes I put you in my bag and you stay in there for a while until I need to make room for other things. Then you live out your life stacked with mail on our bench — I’m sorry, I know the electricity bills aren’t great company.
Although I am very much attracted to your lines, I often feel conflicted when I look at you. Sometimes you give me the impression that you’re complicated, and lacking a sense of direction in life. I’m not sure whether its because you’re trying too hard to please, or because you’re trying to woo absolutely anyone that walks past you.
I wish you would take the time to find out a little bit about me. I think then we might get along better if we could relate to one another. You would find out that I like adventurous activities, and I would be impressed by a lunch at a winery.
I don’t know much about you, you seem a bit guarded when it comes to sharing stories about yourself. I know where you live — you’re a local, and I like that — and I know how to get there, but I don’t know what you like to do, and how you spend your time. If I knew more about you it would make our relationship easier.
Just imagine if I found out that you love hiking. And you’ve just returned from a 3 day hike in a mountain range nearby. We could catch up at a cafe, you could show me your trip, where you stoped and what you saw along the way. You could give me tips about where to get food, and the best spot to take a photo along the route.
I would plan how I was going to attempt the same journey, and ask you along to join me. You would spend days hiking in the sunshine, occasionally we’d chat along the way if you thought I should stop at a lookout. You might get rained on, and I can’t assure you it would be a warm nights sleep laying out in the open. But imagine the memories.
Then, after our trip, I would go back to the same cafe where we first chatted about the hike. I would invite my friend Jess along, and we could tell her tales of spectacular rocky boulders and watching shooting stars deep in the wilderness. I would recount how we almost got lost, but you managed to navigate us back to the route. She would sit there listening to every story with such curiosity.
Imagine if this is how everyday could be for you. Going on amazing adventures all over the world. One day you could be in a gondola in Switzerland with Dave, the next day you’re hiking the Camino de Santiago with Emily. Your only challenge is how are you going to be in so many places at once.
So. What if it is possible? To all those folded pocket maps out there, there is a better life! Your friends might tell you ‘the grass is greener’, and I am here today to tell you IT IS!
So fold up your lines, parks, and roads. Flatten your mountains and dry up your rivers. Then walk yourself over to Alpaca. Don’t worry, Alpaca is very friendly, and welcoming of anyone who loves to travel, or just loves dreaming of travel. Introduce yourself, and tell Alpaca some of your travel stories. Alpaca will craft you your very own new attire. It still has lines, parks, roads and oceans, but it is the little details that you will impress you the most.
Up close, as you examine the craftsmanship, you will notice mountains rising from the plains, ocean floors transparent through the water, and glaciers shimmering in the light.
You will now be a local expert in every part of the world, across every style of travel. You now have this amazing innate ability to relate to any kind of traveller you meet — whether it be families, someone travelling on their own, hikers to golfers. Don’t let people call you a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ — you have exposed yourself to soo much information from so many people that you’ve met in your life — that I can confidently say you are a ‘master of all’.
In your new life with Alpaca, each day will be different, and you will be responsible for listening to some incredible tales. At times it will seem overwhelming, but we’re always here to lighten the load. At the end of the day you are going to be taking millions of people on journey’s to discover and explore more of the world.
Don’t hesitate. Don’t look back. Today is the day that you make your world more. Today is the day you start your new life as an Alpaca Map.
Welcome on board.
