If I hadn't lived it. I don't know if I would have believed it. Earlier this year there was a contest to talk about the best SharePoint Journey. I didn't think it was much of a contest since I totally believe I've had the adventure of many life times, and continue to have amazing SharePoint journeys and adventures.
You wouldn't believe the amazing SharePoint people around the globe. You may meet a few or even a few hundred on twitter, but it's not until you go to Malaysia and hang out with the Singaporeans and a few SharePoint guys from Bangladesh that you realize just how global SharePoint and it's powerful goodness really is. I wouldn't have put up with the security treatment both directions for a day in Palestine, if I wasn't so struck by the loyalty and powerful values of the most sincere friends I've ever met. Many whom were loyal friends before I even visited.
My amazing journeys and wild adventures started after I left Microsoft. I will say it was during my tenure at Microsoft that I got the bug for travel, and being the guy that helped make sure the global Teched's were taken care of from a SharePoint perspective was one of my favorite roles ever. I've since spoken at every global Teched minus Korea and India, but I've visited the SharePoint community or 3 in India, and even though I've been to S. Korea twice I'm sure I'll be back to visit the community there some time.
I hope this post inspires and doesn't sound like I'm showing off. I hope everyone can visit the places and communities I have. In fact I'm always happy to network and connect you with my friends in these amazing diverse places. I hope you realize that by now.
If you haven't ever visited the 7 New Wonders of the World, I hope you watch the show "An Idiot Abroad" it's a great show and gives you a small taste of how awful it can be. Just kidding. It is great, and it will change your life.
So here's a tiny photo album of me at the various wonders and a snap shot of some of the community or community people in each of these places. Let it inspire you…
The Great Wall of China, and the Beijing SharePoint Community (Sharing the Point Asia)
Machu Picchu and the Crew of SharePoint Conference Peru
Christ the Redeemer and the SharePoint Community of Brazil (TechEd Brazil)
Taj Mahal and the SharePoint Community in Pune India (.NET User Group)
Chichen Itza and the SharePoint Symposium speakers of Mexico City (Viva SharePoint Latam!)
The Great Pyramids of Giza and the Cairo SharePoint User Group
Petra Jordan and the Jordan SharePoint User Group
The Coliseum in Rome and the Croatian SharePoint user Group
Contrary to some opinions. I haven't stopped travelling altogether. I'm very selectively choosing one region per quarter. Was great seeing the Costa Ricans at the SharePoint Symposium. Up Next SharePoint Conference, which doesn't count as I'm trying to blend in a bit and soak up and network with my friends around the world and take in a few business level and how we did it sessions. Up next after that is Palestine SharePoint Saturday, European SharePoint Conference, Belarus SharePoint Saturday, and Slovenia SharePoint Conference! Thanks for sharing my travels with me!
(Yes, my kids are in a lot of my photos, I tried to be selective about these, but also you'll notice Michael Noel in a lot of photos. I bet he was with me at 4 of the seven and completed other 2 after me. He is still planning on visiting Christ the Redeemer soon, so I may be the only SharePoint traveller to knock off all 7 including near by communities. I think he has yet to speak in MX as well.