It may seem a strange topic for a world-renowned travel writer. But Pico Iyer has become an expert on stillness and “going nowhere”.
(Image by Rita Taylor)
I think in the information age, sometimes the more we hear about a place the less we actually know about it. I’ve been amazed when I experience any of those countries in the flesh, I realize how little I’ve known about them just following them through the headlines. To speak to your question, I know people worry that if you go to Calgary tomorrow or Venice tomorrow, it’s harder to experience a place because you’ve already watched 100 hours on YouTube and seen so many reports of every hotel you’re visiting online. But that’s never been a concern of mine, because I think every place and every day throws up shocks and surprises no matter how armed you think you are. I don’t worry that the world is getting eroded by information, only that sometimes it is being obscured by information. +Pico Iyer
