Ibn Ibn Battuta, 10 Years On

Andrew in downtown Algiers, September 2013.

Amid the Algerian cultural musings, the occasional gelato-infused vacation update, and the recent World Cup guest blogging, I wanted to pause briefly to mark a milestone and to thank everyone who reads, reflects on, and sometimes even responds to the stories I share here on Ibn Ibn Battuta.

Hard as it is to believe, this month marks 10 years since I first started writing this travel blog.

Over the past decade, Ibn Ibn Battuta has known multiple platforms and designs, from its humble beginnings in a ratty notebook to the site you see today, but I have worked hard to steer its content in pursuit of a constant goal: "to show armchair travelers back home what they're missing and why I travel". That's how I have long articulated it, but in truth it is also more than that. For me, this blog is about opening eyes to the world in which we live, a world of which I have been lucky to see more than most, and a world that—if more people could know and celebrate its diversity—might be a better place for us all to live.

At some point between my first entry (warning: clicking that link will take you to an awkward picture of 19-year-old Andrew) and today, I began telling myself that I was writing this blog for me alone. (Well, almost: "Even if only my mother reads it, I will keep writing!") More than anything else, that philosophy has kept me at it, stubbornly, for the past decade. And I expect it will continue to serve me.

But after dedicating thousands of hours of work on this blog, I must admit to feeling a little thrill every time someone comments on the site or on Facebook, offering encouragement or challenging me to provide more detail, to explain further, to go deeper. Thank you to all of you who have found my work valuable in the past 10 years—to both those who have read in silent reflection and those who have shared feedback.

In my travels, I have learned much over this decade that I hope will make the next one even richer. Thank you for reading, and safe travels.

Notes:

• Looking to explore some of the last 10 years' best entries? Check out my "Best Of" page.
• Remember that I am always happy to hear your suggestions about what you would like to see more of on Ibn Ibn Battuta. Don't be shy!