National Geographic Traveller

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AWARDWINNING NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER

HIGHLIGHTS

Editor’s

letter

@patriddell

@patriddell

Digital Nomad

Emma Thomson is travelling the entire

length of the Silk Road — from Beijing to

Istanbul. Follow her adventure on Twitter,

Instagram and online: #NGTSilkRoad

natgeotraveller.co.uk/digitalnomad

S

ometimes it’s the being-lost, out-of-your-depth,

seat-of-your-pants experiences that are the most

exhilarating, fulfi lling and rewarding in life. And

sometimes it’s just the ordinary, nondescript events that

lead you to the most unforgettable encounters.

The fact is, travel is wondrously unpredictable. You can

follow in anyone’s footsteps — pick the same destination,

book the same fl ight, take the same tour, tread the same

path — but you’ll never have the same adventure. The

world is not a theme park, alas. No matter how much you

plot and plan, you’ll never completely eradicate the

random — those chance events, those unforeseen

developments; those factors that ensure you emerge

with a tale to tell that’s uniquely yours.

Our cover story this issue celebrates those times when

things don’t quite go according to plan: the guide that

appears from nowhere and asks you to trust him; the

tempting side road that leads you out of your comfort

zone; the chance meeting that turns your preconceptions

upside down.

Of course, you should plan ahead, fi gure out those

complicated itineraries — it’s just that sometimes, just

occasionally, leaving things to chance could trigger a

fortuitous chain of events you’d never have imagined.

And sometimes, that’s really why we travel. Isn’t it?

PAT RIDDELL, EDITOR

Photography Competition

Our annual Photography Competition

is now open — for professional and

amateurs alike. Enter now online:

ngtr.uk/photo-comp-

Travel Geeks: Rail travel

Our expert panel will discuss all things rail-

related at the next Travel Geeks event. p.

The Alps winter guide

Don’t miss our 68-page guide to the Alps

— free with this issue

12 natgeotraveller.co.uk

Editor’s