Where’s Andrew?: FIELD TRIP

Our intrepid global nomad Andrew Evans is gearing up for his next big trip…but where exactly is still under wraps. Today he visits the National Geographic Maps division to pick up some maps for his journey.

I love maps. For me, maps are the seeds of good travel and it’s how I begin all my journeys–by staring at a map, then thinking, plotting, wondering, and ultimately, wandering. 

While other airplane passengers watch DVD’s and read novels to pass the time, I am entertained for hours with the back page maps of the in-flight magazine. Ask me what my favorite book is and I will point to the National Geographic World Atlas for the endless travel possibilities that each page represents.

I leave for my first mystery destination in exactly one week. Nobody knows where I’m going–but I think I have an idea! And so, for the next few days, I will be busy packing and planning for the great adventure that lies ahead. A good map always makes a journey smoother, and so I took a field trip to National Geographic’s world-famous map department. I’ve always been slightly obsessed with these iconic maps, so it was very exciting to finally get a sneak peek into the nearly hundred-year old cartographic traditions of the National Geographic Society.

I also learned a ton–like, did you know that National Geographic has its own licensed fonts just for their maps? And that every little village and town’s name is checked with local governments for accuracy? Ten minutes in the map department and I was dizzy with maps, but I soon found the one map that I needed next week. I have it spread out before me right now and will be studying my destination carefully. 

Needless to say, I am pretty excited. If you plan to join me in my next adventure, then bring a good map. You’ll need it as you guess where I am each day (and I don’t plan on making this too easy for you)!

So, be ready next Monday, November 29th when I hit the road and get ready to keep asking, “Where’s Andrew?”