Importance of Elsewhere
In Paul Theroux’s new book, The Tao of Travel, he writes,
“As a child, yearning to leave home and go far away, the image in my mind was of flight — my little self hurrying off alone.
I wanted to find a new self in a distant place, and new things to care about. The importance of elsewhere was something
I took on faith. Elsewhere was the place I wanted to be.”
”The wish to travel seems to me characteristically human; the desire to move, to satisfy your curiosity or ease your fears, to
change the circumstances of your life, to be a stranger,
to make a friend, to experience an exotic landscape, to risk the unknown …” – Theroux
“…The tourist generally hurries back home at the end of a
few weeks or months,the traveler, belonging no more to one place than to the next, moves slowly,
over periods of years, from one part of the earth to another.”
- Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.
-Marcel Proust
“All good trips are, like love, about being carried out of yourself and deposited in the
midst of terror and wonder. ”
- Pico Iyer, Why We Travel
“There is a change that takes place in a man or a woman in transit.
You can see this at its most exaggerated on a ship when whole personalities change.”
- John Steinbeck
”Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
- Mark Twain
“Travel is flight and pursuit in equal parts.”
The Great Railway Bazaar, Theroux






















December 27, 2011 at 19:11
IMPRESIONANTE LAS FOTOS FELICITACIONES!!!!!
December 20, 2011 at 15:14
Beauty and ‘elsewhere’ are in the eye of the beholder! And I think these photos are amazing!
September 27, 2011 at 21:52
Absolutely stunning images! Love the quotes, some of them are old favourites of mine.
September 25, 2011 at 16:36
Every single trip a new venture… a new learning.
A complete new outlook
Traveling can teach u a lot… reflecting clearly from your snaps !!
They r amazing.
September 19, 2011 at 22:51
wonderful, moving, evocative images
September 18, 2011 at 16:55
Thanks for the lovely trip!
September 18, 2011 at 14:05
Caro Sr Steve,
Tenho procurado seguir os ensinamentos de um grande poeta brasileiro que diz o seguinte:
A verdadeira arte de viajar…
A gente sempre deve sair à rua como quem foge de casa,
Como se estivessem abertos diante de nós todos os caminhos do mundo.
Não importa que os compromissos, as obrigações, estejam ali…
Chegamos de muito longe, de alma aberta e o coração cantando!
“”Mário Quintana”"
abraços do Brazil
Milton
September 18, 2011 at 10:54
Voilà des images qui nous donnes envie de partir là-bas, très loin!
Comment peut-on rester immobile devant de si belles images?
Bravo et merci Steve pour ce magnifique voyage.
Paul
September 18, 2011 at 09:29
Very interesting and beautiful pictures, Steve. So inspiring ! I like the presentation by topics (“Elsewhere”), it explains something.
September 18, 2011 at 06:45
inspirational
September 17, 2011 at 15:22
Lovely! Evoke the feeling of listening to distant lands calling out to you.
September 17, 2011 at 14:20
“Elsewhere was the place I wanted to be” … these words from Paul Theroux together with your beautiful photos had an echo inside me.
September 17, 2011 at 11:30
Soon I’m going to travel to Bolivia and Peru. Thank you Steve to be a motivation and light with you amazing work.
September 17, 2011 at 07:54
Just another amazing series. Excellent!
September 17, 2011 at 07:29
Beautiful, thanks!
September 17, 2011 at 06:28
You rock !!!
September 17, 2011 at 05:42
Magnifique reportage. Bravo et merci Steve pour ce beau voyage.
Paul
September 17, 2011 at 05:22
You’ve reawakened a bite that I thought no longer itched!
September 17, 2011 at 05:12
This is the one of the beautiful posts of yours Steve. Not because of photographs, yes you heard me right, because judging by photographs every post of yours is beautiful, but this post is so beautiful because of the title and the content. Travel and explore. I really want to take my camera and roam around. Discover the world. Thanks for such a great inspiration for all of us.
Regards, Vivek
September 17, 2011 at 03:58
If Steve has made the unseen visible he has also conveyed the unsaid from one human heart to another.
September 17, 2011 at 03:34
so inspirational and real…
September 17, 2011 at 03:25
Excellent excellent ! Some great pictures !
September 17, 2011 at 03:06
“The World is Your Studio” Real pictures from real world.
Love Respect Bow to you.
Thanks for sharing.
http://kaushalsingh.wordpress.com/
September 17, 2011 at 02:40
Excellent post Steve..Congrats..
September 17, 2011 at 02:14
Amazing photographs as always
September 17, 2011 at 01:23
Sin palabras…
September 16, 2011 at 23:23
[...] Calcutta, India In Paul Theroux's new book, The Tao of Travel, he writes, "As a child, yearning to leave home and go far away, the image in my mind was of flight — my little self hurrying off alone. I wanted to find a new self in a distant place, and new things to care about. The importance of elsewhere was something I took on faith. Elsewhere was the place I wanted to be." Afghanistan "The wish to travel seems to me characterist … Read More [...]
September 16, 2011 at 23:15
Exelentes registros…un abrazo grande de argentina ciudad de Bahia Blanca
September 16, 2011 at 23:00
thank you for giving courage to challenge myself with travel and photography, i.e. to follow dreams
September 16, 2011 at 22:57
Would love to see more of your photos. I have several of your books, and love them all!!!
September 16, 2011 at 22:30
Absolutely amazing. My favorite photographer of all time. Truly inspirational
September 16, 2011 at 22:30
Me encanta este fotógrafo… Menudas Fotos!!
September 16, 2011 at 22:23
The Proust quote is the heart of the matter.
September 16, 2011 at 22:11
[...] Importance of Elsewhere at Steve McCurry’s Blog. Like this:LikeBe the first to like this post. This entry was posted in Artículo. Bookmark the permalink. ← Previous Post [...]
September 16, 2011 at 22:05
Oh to be able to shoot like Steve. Bravo, master McCurry.
September 16, 2011 at 21:40
Can I travel with you
September 16, 2011 at 21:36
congratulations!! I’ve enjoyed with your photos
September 16, 2011 at 21:07
Very nice and real.
Thank you.