The older I get, the more I want to travel. I'm not talking about another vacation for a couple of weeks, but to really get out there for a time period measured in months.
Well, I'm reading about a guy who took that same thought to the ultimate extreme. Ibn Battutah, a 14th century Moroccan and good Muslim, set off for his pilgrimage to Mecca and didn't come back for almost 30 years.
I wasn't a geography major, but the fact that along the way he took in much of North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, India and China tells me that he wasn't exactly looking for the shortest route.
A true Medieval wanderer, Ibn Battutah took the time to document his travels in vivid detail, an account that has been edited into my current read, The Travels of Ibn Battutah (edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith). It's incredibly interesting stuff.
Although 30 years is a bit extreme, I'm definitely jealous of his journey. Entertained by kings, sheiks, amirs and sultans every step of the way, Mr. Battutah lived, loved and learned more on his journey than most can dream up for their entire lives.
Well, I'm reading about a guy who took that same thought to the ultimate extreme. Ibn Battutah, a 14th century Moroccan and good Muslim, set off for his pilgrimage to Mecca and didn't come back for almost 30 years.
I wasn't a geography major, but the fact that along the way he took in much of North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, India and China tells me that he wasn't exactly looking for the shortest route.
A true Medieval wanderer, Ibn Battutah took the time to document his travels in vivid detail, an account that has been edited into my current read, The Travels of Ibn Battutah (edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith). It's incredibly interesting stuff.
Although 30 years is a bit extreme, I'm definitely jealous of his journey. Entertained by kings, sheiks, amirs and sultans every step of the way, Mr. Battutah lived, loved and learned more on his journey than most can dream up for their entire lives.
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