Lucky Number 5: Accidental Wanderlust Celebrates Five Years of Storytelling

Accidental Wanderlust launched on a day when the world may not have been paying much attention to blog posts about international travel adventures, foodie exploration and living a life full of surprises. September 11th is a day of remembrance, reflection and seeking community.

In 2015 September 11th fell on a Friday, when the world was weary after a long work week, and I thought friends might be searching the internet for a distraction, something that promised hope, and freedom and escape.

For many people travel is that means of escape. For some it is thrill seeking, and for others there’s a deep need to find commonality across the globe, and the comfort that comes with that.

September 11th 2001 halted travel, for good reason, until safety measures could be put in place. Our hearts ached at the compounded loss of that means of escape, and that loss of mental security. It was a wake-up call.

In the spring of 2020 COVID similarly halted travel. We retreated into ourselves, isolated. . . distanced from one another. But this is not sustainable, in the long term. We need one another, and so we found ways to connect remotely, ways to “travel,” virtually.

A single blog post, in the right moment, helps in this endeavor.

This blog, begun on September 11th, provided evidence that there are still places to go, cultures to explore, and connections to be made. It’s not the same – life will never be the same post-9/11 – but that’s the nature of change. We don’t have to like it; no one asked our opinion. But we can make the most of it.

As Accidental Wanderlust celebrates 5 years of blog posts, come along and revisit some of the adventures that have been shared over the last 12 months, pre-COVID and in spite of COVID. Get lost in the adventures. . . then go out and create your own. Share your stories, and I’ll continue to share mine!

Visit the “Home” page, to discover the stories behind these images!