interest by association

When planning a trip I don't tend to dive into the culture until I arrive on it's soil.  Then I try and learn everything about it -- I'm more interested in understanding how people live day to day then ensuring I've seen every touristy spotlight written up in the books.  Because I don't immerse myself ahead of time I do sometimes miss out on things I don't leave myself time for ... because I didn't know to do so.  It just means I have to visit again.

When I get back from a trip I suddenly find myself surrounded by personal stories, news articles and travel tid bits related to my most recent exploration.  I've always wondered if they have been there all along -- but surface due to my new interest by association?  Or, is someone following me on these trips because they've decided what I do must be the next big thing (perhaps someone from the NY Times Travel)?  I mean, Bush did head to Uruguay after I deemed it a beautiful place to visit.

Although, I don't think two fires in Chile -- the weekend after we left -- has anything to do with what's popular.  One was in a hostel we stayed in down in Patagonia.  The blue hostel was the one that burned down and we had stayed in their related green house.  Around the same time a building in the historic Valparaiso also burned down.  We had wandered up in those historic streets, although I'm unsure if we passed the building.

So, it's probably no more than interest by association, and that's okay by me.  It means the more I travel the more I will pay attention to the world around me.  The more I will feel connected.  The more I will have stories to share.  No documentary or travel book will compare to the real thing.  It's like holding a photo you took in your hands vs viewing a digital one on the screen.  It's a whole different level of connection.