I don’t know much about Ibn Battuta, but
his words are very familiar to me. They come to mind when I am, indeed,
speechless as I gaze upon the wonders that I encounter in my travels, as I find
commonalities in strangers and appreciate the intricacies of a culture
different from my own. They come to mind again when I become the storyteller as
my family and friends gather around the cork world map created by Lana KK that
showcases my travels.
The World Map Colorful adorns my drawing
room. I was attracted to the colors—so much so, in fact, that I decorated the
room around the map and so it is the focal point. My guests are first attracted
to it as the work of art it is with aesthetically pleasing designs and hues.
Then as they draw closer, they see the gold round-head push pins subtly marking
the places around the world that I have visited, fine gold thread joining some
of the pins according to a particular itinerary. Bronze pins await patiently to
be replaced with gold, marking my future travels.
One of my favorite things about the world map wall art is that my guests may enjoy it as is it—there are those who need
nothing more than its beauty and to know where I’ve been and where I’m going. I
am not a boor, after all! I do not foist my cherished travel stories on those
who will not appreciate them. But when my guests linger before the map and ask,
I become the storyteller of whom Ibn Battuta spoke. I get to relive glorious
experiences, and my “audience” is transported to other times and places. I
don’t think there is anything that equals traveling for the wealth of
interesting stories—some funny, some bizarre, some soul-stirring, some
poignant, some jubilant—all of them fascinating.
Sometimes I pass by the world map as I
follow my everyday routine, and one of my many memories reaches out to me. I
grab it and savor it for that moment.
Sometimes the map is an educational tool
for my children (and, truth be known, for me also). They learn about a region
or a country in school and come home to find out where it lies in relation to
the rest of the world. My children are growing up in a much smaller world than
I did, so when we hear something on the news about a place with a
“strange-sounding name,” we go to our wall map to be able to situate it.
My son already has his own world map in his
room on which he notes the places he’s been and the places he is determined to
go. I’m happy that he is a curious lad gifted with wanderlust. In fact, he
chose Lana KK’s Wanderlust Design World Map, the 100cm x 70cm size, which he
marks with silver and black push pins. When he graduates from school and likely
to go off traveling by himself or with his companions rather than his parents,
I’ll get him a larger one.
I gifted my niece and her husband with the
World Map Antique for their wedding—she is an amateur historian and he a
professional. I wasn’t concerned that they had not traveled. It’s an exquisite
work of art that fits in with their interior décor, but it has motivated them
to travel. I delight in the tables being turned and they become the
storytellers. They also have done a marvelous job of arranging their most
memorable photos around the map. My in-laws will soon be retiring. Ever since
their family was grown, they have been working and saving to be able to travel.
Their gift will be World Map Nostalgia.
My next vision is one of Lana KK’s cork
world maps in the office—World Map Blue Ocean, if I have my choice. It’s a
bright yet soothing color—a quiet place in a hectic workplace. I’m picturing
each of us having our own color push pins and marking all the places we get to
travel to—a perk of working for an international company. The boss is
interested in the idea, particularly since Lana KK fits in with our own mission
of high-quality and sustainable materials.
