Travel theme: Transformation

Posted on February 13, 2015 by ailsapm

Friday 13th is a day that can strike terror into the hearts of superstitious folk, but seeing as we have not one but three of them in 2015 (February, March and November) perhaps it is time to embrace a more positive side of the day. While theories abound as to why people believe it to be unlucky, none of them are conclusive and there is plenty of evidence to the contrary. In the Hebrides off the coast of Scotland, Friday is considered the luckiest day to sow seeds and in ancient Egypt the number 13 symbolized change and transformation. So to honour the day in a less than usual way, here are a few photos I have taken on my travels that suggest transformation or change of some sort. First up, a dashingly yellow butterfly, the ex-caterpillar epitome of transformation, in the jungles of Tikal.

Staying in Tikal, I was struck by the transformative power of nature and the passage of time. Once a thriving, ancient metropolis; all that remains now are a few scattered temple tops peeping out above the jungle canopy. I wonder how long it will take for our modern skyscraper-filled cities to be consumed by nature when we finally succeed in making our planet uninhabitable.

One of my favourite transformations of all takes place each year when winter comes around and soft white snow coats the countryside, making everything sparkle and glow. The last two winters have been tragically snow free and I must be honest, I feel a little cheated. I had to rummage back through three winters of photos to find this snowy shot of Big Four Mountains in the North Cascades.

I hope you’ll join me in saying good luck to unlucky Friday 13th and ushering in change with your own interpretation of this week’s theme. If you would like to join in (everyone’s welcome!) here’s what to do:

Create your own post and title it Travel theme: Transformation
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Get your post in by next Thursday, as the new travel theme comes out on Friday
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xxx Ailsa

Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun. – Pablo Picasso

Every man can transform the world from one of monotony and drabness to one of excitement and adventure. – Irving Wallace

About ailsapm

Hi there! I’m Ailsa Prideaux-Mooney. I’ve lived in many places, and travelled to many more. I had a lot of fun getting there and being there, wherever there happened to be at the time. I climbed a castle wall in Czesky Krumlov, abseiled down cliffs to go caving in the west of Ireland, slept on the beach in Paros, got chased by a swarm of bees in Vourvourou (ok that wasn’t fun, but it was exciting), learned flower arranging in Tokyo, found myself in the middle of a riot in Seoul, learned to snowboard in Salzburg, got lost in a labyrinth in Budapest and had my ice cream stolen by a gull in Cornwall. And I’m just getting started. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read so far, I’d love you to follow my travelogue - wheresmybackpack.com - and remember, anyone who tries to tell you it’s a small world hasn’t tried to see it all.

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