Long Way Home https://journals.worldnomads.com/micro/ Mon, 6 Apr 2026 17:02:09 GMT World Nomads Adventures A measly 1200 characters. Here goes: My name is Mike. I'm a wanderer. When I travel, my camera is as necessary as my passport. New places and cultures inspire me. I've always felt compelled to try and capture my experiences on the road. For what reason exactly, I was never sure, but I knew I got a kick out of it. I guess it was a way of connecting with and understanding a place. Then I decided to document my last adventure in a photography blog. The project pushed me to be more immersed and aware in 'the moment' in order to capture it honestly. The publishing outlet gave my photography purpose and really changed the way I approached a situation. I enjoyed the challenge of capturing the feel of a place, its mood, its details, its characters, its narratives through photos. I think my photography progressed immensely as I became more attuned to telling the story of a place through images. I still have a lot to learn though, and the opportunity to spend time with a professional in the field excites me. If I could combine my curiosity for the world with my love of photography into a career, I would be one chuffed wanderer indeed. Oh yeah. And I love wild places. I have lugged my gear up many a cold mountain in the dark in the hope of capturing a life-affirming sunrise. So pick me! (please) https://journals.worldnomads.com/micro/photos/41333/China/My-Scholarship-entry-Middle-Kingdom-Middle-Class Travel China micro https://journals.worldnomads.com/micro/photos/41333/China/My-Scholarship-entry-Middle-Kingdom-Middle-Class#comments https://journals.worldnomads.com/micro/photos/41333/China/My-Scholarship-entry-Middle-Kingdom-Middle-Class Tue, 11 Jun 2013 00:02:00 GMT 0 I find China a fascinating place due to the speed at which it is changing and the opposing forces pulling it in different directions. There are visible tensions between old and new, rich and poor, tradition and progress, communism and capitalism, history and future. Rapid development and economic growth in recent years are creating the largest aspirational middle class the world has ever seen. With rising disposable incomes, China's middle class is driving a boom in domestic travel and consumer goods sales, and being influenced by and aspiring to Western affluence means traditional fashion and music styles are evolving. China's middle class currently numbers about 230 million people and is growing rapidly, set to triple in a little over a decade. They wield enormous, undeniable purchasing power and will play a crucial economic and cultural role in the 21st century, as well as presenting numerous social and environmental challenges. I visited China in 2012. I remember being overwhelmed by the sheer number of people, surprised by the pervasiveness of capitalist Western brands in a supposedly communist country, and astonished at the level of modernity and tangible speed of development. As I wandered the streets of Shanghai and Beijing with my camera, I was compelled to document the rise of China's middle class that I could see happening all around me. This photo journal is the result. https://journals.worldnomads.com/micro/photos/41286/China/Middle-Kingdom-Middle-Class Travel China micro https://journals.worldnomads.com/micro/photos/41286/China/Middle-Kingdom-Middle-Class#comments https://journals.worldnomads.com/micro/photos/41286/China/Middle-Kingdom-Middle-Class Sat, 8 Jun 2013 23:51:00 GMT 0