Photo Of The Day: Watching The World Go By

Ever have one of those travel days where time slows down? Where instead of heading off to check an endless list of museums, famous churches and restaurants off your vacation “to-do” list, you simply grabbed a seat at the nearest cafe and watched the world go by? Today’s image, taken by Flickr user LadyExpat, feels like one of those travel days. The man’s relaxed pose and dispassionate stare suggest it’s a day to relax, observe and enjoy the view of whatever happens to be in front of us.

Taken any great travel photos lately? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day – Sicilian man

This elegant gentleman was captured in Sicily by Flickr user TravelSeminar. The weathered creases that line his face, the pulled back curtains and shy grin all suggest a moment of welcome and openness. It’s the perfect visual accompaniment to a brand new year – take it as an invitation to get your own travel plans off to a great start. Here’s wishing you all the best in 2012!

Have any great travel shots of your own? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day (12-9-09)

This photo titled “Peace” by jrodmanjr, the fellow who took it, is a lovely depiction of an alley away from the hubbub of a city. As he noted, time away from the souks in Dubai, the city with the tallest building in the world, was well needed.

In the comment section, he also gives details about why he framed the shot the way that he did. If he had moved the camera to the right, “the bright clutter, crates, and trinkets ended up to be too much of a distraction. “

As it is, we become the witness to the life of a man who reads in quiet repose.

If you have captured a quiet moment of repose, or any other sort of moment, send it our way at Gadling’s Flickr photo pool, It might be chosen as a Photo of the Day

He’s 80 and has been walking the world for 16 years

Sometimes it’s years before we hear of the real vagabonds; I wonder how many we never hear of at all! Henry Lee McGinnis has been walking the world for the last 16 years, Google him and I find nothing other than a one-minute video on BBC.

So far he has walked over 80,000 miles across the US and 66 other countries. He is currently entering South America and will finish around 2010 in Texas, after passing through Central America and Mexico.

According to his website, the former Methodist minister and World War II army sniper, carries a 100-pound rucksack with everything but a kitchen sink, and a six-foot steel-tipped walking staff for protection. When he is not camping out, he looks for local hosts for a bed.

Inspired by reading National Geographic since he was 6, at the tender age of 9, he knew this is what he wanted to do. He believes that most people are searching for answers to the following questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? This walk is an inner and outer pilgrimage for Mcginnis.

At 80, the man is still full of life: he wants to write a book of his journey and learn to play tennis before he is 100!

On the video, he leaves one message [paraphrased]: “When you are retired, don’t sit in front of the TV set and gain 20-50 pounds drinking beer and eating sandwiches, go see the world!”

Prime example of the “it’s never too late” notion: If he could start his pedestrian world tour dream at 62, we really have no excuse to follow ours!