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“The generosity, friendliness, and creativity of people blew us away” – Anne-Laure Carruth
I met Anne-Laure Carruth this year at the Travel Storytelling Festival, and when I saw her speak I thought she was one of the most adventurous women I had ever met.
In 2014 and 2015, she and her friend Lucy Engleheart drove an old Land Rover around the Mediterranean and the Middle East to attempt to truly understand the region and bring back stories of good news form a troubled part of the world.
After applying for Royal Geographic society grant and getting all the way to the finals, they didn’t win the award. But they decided to make the drip happen anyway.
It took a year and half to prepare for.
Everyone said it would be dangerous, everyone told her not to go.
She cultivated a broad support network that grew as she traveled from country to country that gave her friends and contacts before she drove across each border.
Among the things Anne-Laure and Lucy had to consider were: border crossings, guides, cultural institutions, car maintenance, historians, route, safety, health, local customs, pricing, charity worker contacts, schools to visit, and lots more.
This episode will dig into the details around setting up and running such a trip, the art and culture that Anne-Laure experienced along the way, and some of the great positive stories that she brought back from her experince!
What you will learn in this episode:
-How two women drove around the Mediterranean and the middle east
-How to plan and fundraise for a giant expedition like this
-How to build a network of friends as you go, to get you though “dangerous” countries like Libya and Tunisia
-How art allowed them to connect with the local people
-The evolution of their art projects along the way
-Why Anne-Laure didn’t need Arabic lessons
Quotes:
“I had been trying to find ways to paint in cool countries” – Anne-Laure Carruth
“The only way to prepare for driving across Africa is to drive across Africa” – Anne-Laure Carruth
“I’m super interested in people, their stories, and place” – Anne-Laure Carruth
“It’s all about smiles, eye contact, and body language”- Anne-Laure Carruth
“The trip worked because we were so different” – Anne-Laure Carruth
“The generosity, friendliness, and creativity of people blew us away” – Anne-Laure Carruth
“We realized there is an innate fear of the unknown” – Anne-Laure Carruth
“Shift your fear to curiosity” – Anne-Laure Carruth
“Adventure is about learning and discovering things” – Anne-Laure Carruth
“Go home and tell people we are not terrorists” – People in the Arab world
Continue the Adventure (Resources from this episode):
Thanks Anne-Laure Carruth!
If you enjoyed this session of The Art of Adventure Podcast, let  Anne-Laure know by clicking on the link below and sending her a quick shout out on Twitter:
Click here to thank Anne-Laure on Twitter!
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