Rattling along on a small train, I momentarily dissolved into the daily lives of the locals. It felt as if I were the only traveler there. Time flowed quietly. The train students take home every day—the repetition of their daily routines. They won’t remember that I was ever part of that moment, but for me, it remains a long-lasting memory. Feeling like an uninvited guest who leaves no trace—that, I realized, is the essence of travel. More than seeing, hearing, or tasting new things, it’s about briefly hitching a ride on someone else’s life. Perhaps that one hour on the way to Shimabara was the truest form of travel I’ve ever experienced.
This is a note I jotted down years ago on a train bound for Shimabara. When we travel, we arrive in new cities, eat new foods, and try new drinks. Those are certainly the joys of traveling.
However, I believe travel exists on a slightly different plane. It’s about briefly slipping from my daily life into someone else’s, and stealing a scene that only I will remember—a scene they will never recall.
I am still out there, searching for the joys of travel. I simply love to travel.
And so, I steal those personal moments and record them here.
zzoos
p.s. To capture these scenes quickly and effortlessly in any situation, I only take photos with my iPhone. I never carry big, heavy equipment.
