What Makes A Tourist An Explorer? - The Madeira Project: A Hopeful Journey
At what point does being a holidaymaker end, and becoming a tourist begin?
Is there a point which you pass staying in a previous, unvisited country, you move from it being just a ‘fly and flop’ trip to being a curious wanderer? What does it take for it to become an adventure or expedition?
Photo by Julia Solonina on Unsplash
These are questions I am asking. I’m dreaming what it could be like spending an extending time on Madeira and the visiting neighbouring Azores. It’s what I’m calling - The Madeira Project.
Why Have An Adventure in Madeira?
The Madeira Project is a plan, process, and passion for special memories. It’s a vision. A goal. A hope and wish.
My wife and I have enjoyed many ‘city breaks’ in locations such as Vienna, Florence, Bratislava and Dublin. We got a feel for the places walking off beaten tourist paths. But maybe not much more than a fleeting glimpse of life there, as seen by the locals. It feels as it is, packaged, short, often sweet and memorable. What if we stayed longer? How could the experience have been different?
So for The Madeira Project, I’m dreaming more of perhaps an adventure than just a break. Much more.
Is time spent in a place the best definition of adventure? Or is it the curiosity you have of discovering the unknown?
Is it having the gift of time to be more open to unusual local customs and experiences? When savouring the tastes and aromas of the new surroundings is at a slower pace?
Is it when you have walked away from the well trod paths, to roads less travelled and found serendipity had given you an opportunity to sit trying to communicate with broken language and signs over a glass of tea or homemade hooch, hidden in a hillside village?
The Madeira Project hopes to make that happen. As that famous philosopher, Captain Sensible once extolled. We need to talk about what we want to do. If there are no dreams for dreaming, then how can your dreams comes true?
So, I’m dreaming.
I’m dreaming of spending 10 - 12 weeks in Madeira with my wife during the winter in about three years’ time. I want to learn basic Portuguese, learning about the country, the culture, meeting people and in the process writing a couple of books along the way.
Setting a plan in the process is something I enjoy. Will it come to fruition? Maybe not, maybe it will. But in planning, writing and thinking it will change me.
I don’t know the diddly squat about Madeira today. What I know now wouldn’t fill a paragraph. I will do in the future. The idea of The Madeira Project will make my life richer. I know that.
I could have a million other ideas. It's a good place to start because this one gets me excited. I could decide to run a marathon, or attempt to climb the north face of the Eiger. These days my clumsiness quotient seems to expand. I cannot ascend the north face of the staircase without an old tumble. (Oh no, Dads had a fall, again.) So a trip to Madeira seems more appropriate. Not I couldn’t plan and attempt both things.
You can visit a new country during a two or three week holiday. To get beyond first impressions, the facades of tourist tours, avoiding the well-packaged experiences is what I want. To get a deeper understanding of the location, the rich history of the islands and the people. I suppose that interests me the most. People. Travel and people. Most memories come that way for me.
Why Choose Madeira?
Too cliched to say, why not?
I’ve thought of Sardina. Something about the Blue Zone location makes you live longer. It could be Abruzzo in Italy. After watching seasons of A New Home In The Sun, the area, people, and the culture are captivating. I’ve even got guide books for the place in the bookcase. There is Japan. It’s a country that fascinates me. So many reasons. I still think about those places. Maybe for the future.
Madeira is the perfect location for a new adventure. Here’s some reasons why.
Madeira is a beautiful and unique destination. It has a rich history that could make a compelling book.
There is a year round microclimate in Madeira. Doing a simple, quick google search it’s because of the orography. (I had never seen that word before. So already I’ve learned something) Orography is the branch of physical geography that deals with the formation and features of mountains. It’s these mountains I’m looking forward to hiking and the warm ocean currents I want to swim in that create these diverse microclimates. They cause fewer fluctuations in temperature, keeping winters warmer and summers cooler. Seldom do average temperatures drop below an average of 18°C. This makes travel in winter months more appealing and possible.
There is the opportunity to explore the “Levada” walking trails. Walking across the island sounds incredible before I’ve even had a study of what’s available.
Madeira is accessible to the UK within a four-hour flight for pocket loving budgets too. I can find prices for long lets that will make my limited budget possible.
Writing articles and books about the planning, and a travel book about the trip, would be a rewarding and fulfilling creative project to share the Madeira I discovered with others. I found some ‘rosebuds’ in Kerala. I’ll find some more in - The Madeira Project. It would be a legacy of my experiences and travels. I can look back and be proud of it.
How Will The Project Work?
The trip to Madeira will happen within the next three years.
Before I go, I want to:
Learn about Madeira and its history.
Get an idea of the island’s flora and fauna
Explore its art, literature and culture.
Find the best hiking routes in Madeira.
Understand what the local festivals are.
Learn basic Portuguese language.
Know is there more than one famous person who plays football, who comes from there?
I’m interesting in making connections with people in Madeira - maybe some local interest groups, u3a, ex-pats, for example, and set up possible speaking opportunities? I’d like to build connections and meet friends before online, and then in person.
Before, during, and after I’ll be writing content for blog articles. Then publish at least one travel book about the planning process and another about the trip. Yes, there are other books about Madeira, but not from my perspective and experience. I believe there’s value in that.
What If It Fails And I Don’t Go?
That’s a possibility.
But what if I do go?
I have had a lot of dreams and ambitions that have failed. But many which have succeeded.
One thing is for sure, I know. I will become different in the process. I will grow in my knowledge and skills. I’ll meet people along the way I would never have met. Who knows what I might end up learning, seeing and doing? That’s why it’s an hopeful adventure in the making. I would have nothing to write about if I had the answers.
Are you interesting in following the journey? Sign up for updates below.
I’d love to have you along for the adventure. Could you help me? What, or who, do you know who could make the adventure exciting? Is there a place you’ve visited off one of the road’s less travelled where you think it could be worth me going? Then let me know - email at info@peterbillingham.com.
And until the next time, tchau.
