We want to hear what you love about islands, what your favorite indie travel island destination is, which island you’re most longing to see, or why you think islands evoke such strong emotions in travelers.
And – you know we have to ask – what would be three things you would absolutely have to have with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?
WHAT 3 THINGS WOULD I BRING ON A DESERTED ISLAND?
1. SURVIVORMAN Les Stroud –
(Dave and Deb from the PlanetD with Les Stroud)
Do I really have to explain his usefulness here?
- 1. he comes with a knife
- 2. he comes with the skills to survive ANYWHERE for at least a week
- 3. he has that cool GPS device and a crew that will come find him after a week if he doesn’t return
2. Anthony Bourdain
(Andi Perullo from My Beautiful Adventures with Anthony Bourdain)
I may cook, but I am nowhere near professional. So of course having a professional chef that can cook (or fig out how to) cook delicious meals with food I’ve never seen will keep me from starving on said island. Plus, the commentary that will undoubtedly ensue, will be priceless.
3. Black Rigging Rope (approx. 300 ft.)–
What? I’m a rigger. That shit comes in handy for EVERYTHING:
Making a hammock, making a net, making traps, lifting things, writing “Help I’m Trapped On This Deserted Island” in the sand, roping two sea turtles together mate…
EVERYTHING!
Ok – now that I’m pretty sure that if trapped on a desert island with these 3 things I’ll be totally all set –
WHY DO WE LIKE ISLANDS?
How the hell should I know?
I’m not an omnipotent being, or a psychic. I cant speak for an entire population of billions of people. I’m pretty sure there are people out there who hate islands, and that making such broad generalizations about things is called STEREOTYPING and not exactly the most intelligent thing to do.
But I know why I like islands…
BECAUSE I LOVE THE OCEAN AND BEACH.
I love to sit in the sun, waves lapping at my feet and just relax. I love beaches away from the crowds, the screaming kids, the drunken frat boys, who puff their chests out all shirtless acting like I would in a million years remotely find them attractive.
I like the quiet. Which is kind of funny, cause I’m pretty [understatement] loud and excited by stupid little shit. But not when I’m at the ocean. It calms me down and I just love to sit and relax and not really do anything. I enjoy the sound of the waves, burying my toes in the warm sand, and jumping in the salty ocean water, playing in the waves like a child.
And yes, I’m talking crystal blue Pacific or Caribbean island style here. Not North Sea, rocky, frigid, violent-waves- crashing-up-the-sides type islands. I bet there is people that would love those types of islands. Me , on the other hand, get hypothermia just thinking about it.
Besides, I like to run around in bikini tops, half dressed, soaking up the sun. Not going to happen on the Svalbard archipelago.
SO WHAT ISLAND IS MY FAVOURITE/WOULD LIKE TO VISIT?
I would love to spend time on the Pacific Islands, you know the ones in the middle of nowhere that are super expensive to fly to (at least from the USA). Like the Solomon Islands, French Polynesia, all those islands that litter the South Pacific. I would also love to go to more inhabited islands, like Malta. Because I love the Mediterranean, and would love to go to a country who no continent seems to include in their maps (seriously, wtf continent does Malta amend Gozo belong to? Africa or Europe?) And Socotra, off the coast of Yemen. Its one of the places they filmed the movie THE FALL; which I would love to visit every place that movie was filmed.
I haven’t really been to many islands. The best so far were the islands off the coast of Croatia. I love Croatia and would love to explore more of the 1,000s of Croatian islands. I’ve actually only been to Vis, Brač, and Biševo. I would love to see more.
So, yes. I love islands. I bet many people do. I’m also pretty sure there are people who hate islands and tropical beaches (actually I know a few). But I do love them. So if anyone wants to send me to review/photograph one, I’m totally game!
CHEERS!
(I would like to add a special thanks to Andi Perullo from My Beautiful Adventures, and Dave and Deb from The Planet D for sending me photos of Les Stroud and Anthony Bourdain. You guys rock (and so do their blogs). Thank you for helping me out, and giving me permission to use these photos!)
This is part of Boots n All 2012 Indie Travel Challenge. I’m doing this in hopes of becoming a more consistent and better travel-blogger. And possibly getting to be stuck on an island one day. (oh noooooo!) CHEERS!