National Geographic has devoted a chunk of their website to digital storytelling, and it’s pretty dang cool. In 2013 a man named Paul Salopek walked the same paths of the first people whom migrated out of Africa in the Stone Age and shifted the world to be ours. Luckily for us, he documented this journey through photo, video and audio and we get to walk along with him.
The site begins the adventure in Ethiopia in chapter 1, described as one of the world’s oldest human fossil sites. This is where Salopek begins his trek out of Africa. The site displays a timeline for the viewer to follow, which is mostly made up of photographs and captions. The shots pictures are raw and unfiltered, displaying the landscape, culture, and elements. One photo that specifically grabbed my attention from this collection is one that I’ll paste below for you to see. It’s titled “Bones atop Bones: Walking through a Colossal Graveyard”, and it shows how nonchalant and comfortable the people of Ethiopia are walking amongst their dead.
In chapter 2, the trip evolves as the reporter begins to cross borders. This section of the website provides a “walking tour”, but you won’t be as worn out as those who have actually already travelled 63 miles by foot. You’re able to select photos and move step by step this section, making the experience that much more detailed. What I actually found most interesting during this part, is the contrast between old time and new time. A photo is displayed with a busy street full of cars, morning rush hour at 7am. This puts the whole experience into perspective. The reporter is standing so close to vehicles, but still chooses to walk on foot to replicate the experience. You can find the photo here.
If clicking photo to photo isn’t enough for you to get the closest experience, you can navigate to Milestone 11: Overpass in chapter 2. At this point, it’s day 136 and mile 1000. Salopek describes this time in the dessert as an obstacle course with farms, factories and desalination plants. At this point, he had stopped and paused to record the landscape and those he had met in his path. This feature is similar to what I’ve experienced on Google Earth, where the camera is stationary in one spot and you can click around. This is a unique way to explore the elements and scenery. You can find that panorama here.
