Gallery: only connect
Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.
E.M. Forster, Howards End
Yes, connecting is everything. It is through connecting to others that we find ourselves. And what better way to connect than to travel?
Iโve posted previously, several times in fact, about how my travels have brought me into contact with different people around the world, enabling me to see what we have in common and better understand our differences:
Magic moments while travelling
Breaking boundaries while travelling
So today, for Donnaโs Lens Artists theme of โConnectionsโ, I thought Iโd take a different approach. Iโve just returned from the annual Virtual Tourist Euromeet, held this year in Kotor in Montenegro. No doubt over the coming weeks and months Iโll be sharing lots of photos and information about the different places I visited. But what makes these meetings special isnโt just where we go, itโs who we go with. When we meet people from other countries on our travels, itโs usually a fleeting connection at best; valuable but not sustained. My involvement with Virtual Tourist, however, has enabled me to make genuine friends all over the world, and the Euromeets are our opportunity to get together and connect each year.
To celebrate the old friendships rekindled and new ones made at this yearโs meet, here are some of my favourite moments spent connecting with other VTers, as we call ourselves.
This post is also a thank you to our hard-working host Valentina. I’ve hosted a meet myself (in Newcastle in 2022) and I know just how much is involved. Thank you Val! And thanks too to my friend Shelagh who took most of the photos in which I feature.
Split and surroundings: pre-meet
Ahead of the main meet I spent a few days with friends (most from the UK) in Split, before travelling to Kotor via Dubrovnik, by ferry and road:
Kotor โ main meet
My remaining photos are from the main Euromeet, and to give you an idea of the number of countries represented by members, Iโve captioned them with country name rather than personal name:
Iโll finish with some memories of a particularly enjoyable day, with a boat trip on Skadar Lake in beautiful weather. Thatโs just one of many places I plan to share in a future post; for now, here are some photos taken on the boat:
Altogether the following countries were represented at the meet: USA, England, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Austria, Poland, Romania, Latvia, India, Israel, Australia
I visited Split in May 2024 and Kotor in June 2024. All photos of people are shared with permission.
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63 Comments
Annie Berger
Sarah, I echo what others have said about everyone looking like they were having a lot of fun! I’m curious about virtual tourist. How did the organization get started? How did you become involved in it? I thought it was surprising that there were no chapters or anybody representing the United States at all.
Sarah Wilkie
Hi Annie ๐ Here’s a cut and paste from my rather long reply to Suzanne below with a potted history of Virtual Tourist:
We connected via a website, Virtual Tourist, which was an early pioneer in social networking, and provided a platform for travel reviews long before Trip Advisor, and for forum-based advice. What started as small get-togethers between travellers who found themselves heading to the same destination, or between a traveller and a local who had provided advice through the forum, gradually evolved into several pre-planned larger get-togethers each year, one of which was always in Europe and was known as Euromeet. It was always organised by members for members, not by the company, and when they sold out to Trip Advisor who later (2017) closed down the website (much to our dismay), many of us resolved to keep them going. Weโve done so successfully every year, apart from 2020 and 2021 of course, mainly using Facebook as a convenient way to stay in touch and post events. They are only meetings in the sense that we all gather in the same place, nothing more formal than that. The only plans are for group meals and some outings, all of which are optional. Some people come for the whole weekend, or longer, and do everything, others may come for just a couple of days and only join the meals. Itโs all very flexible, very inclusive and very rewarding!
And there are lots of US members! The company was based in California (Manhattan Beach) and the US is the first country I included in my list of countries represented at the meet. Altogether at this meet we had eight of our US members, but there are quite a few others who are very active but didn’t make it this year. And although the demise of the original website has made it a bit harder, we’re still very open to new members! So if you think you and Steven would enjoy meeting people from all over the world at a similar event, do message me ๐
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norasphotos4u
How wonderful to have this opportunity!! Looks like good times were had by all
Sarah Wilkie
Absolutely, good times indeed!
Leya
A fabulous idea come true, Sarah! How enriching for everyone. Love it that you shared some with us!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Ann-Christine, enriching is exactly the right word for these experiences!
Tina Schell
Well what perfect timing for this one Sarah! It sounds like a fantastic organization and what could be better than friends all over the world. Ours would be a much happier planet if everyone traveled donโt you think?!
Sarah Wilkie
It is fantastic Tina, and I agree – the world would be a better place if more of us travelled ๐
Kymber Hawke
That’s so neat when you can meet up like that!๐บ It looks like a fun trip,
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, it was great fun ๐
Anna
I should have been there dammit! A few more years and hopefully Iโll be back to meets! I see a few familiar faces there! X
Sarah Wilkie
Ooh, don’t leave it too long, I want the chance to meet you ๐
Anna
Haha yes I know, itโs so hard as every euromeet is smack bang in the middle of the school term. If it was in July I could come as my daughter has 3 weeks off. Ill have to try to get to London again one day soon and we can meet then!
Sarah Wilkie
That sounds like an excellent idea ๐
Sofia Alves
Absolute joy, Sarah. We can see how much everyone was enjoying, even when the weather wasn’t as nice!
Sarah Wilkie
Indeed ๐ Better weather would have been nice to have, but not essential to enjoyment!
lisaonthebeach
What a fabulous experience, Sarah! And so MANY connections!! And everyone looks HAPPY! ๐
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Lisa – everyone is always happy to meet up, and perhaps more so since we had to skip two years due to Covid ๐
equinoxio21
Definitely good to “share” in blogging. One meets great people. ๐๐ป
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, that’s very true – one of the very real benefits of the internet (to counter some of the negatives)
Heyjude
Well this week’s challenge really fell into you hands! What a fabulous way to meet up with fellow travellers and a great excuse to visit places all over the world. A bit like conferences without the boring bits!
Sarah Wilkie
It did, absolutely ๐ I was considering a post like this while I was away and when I saw Donna’s theme it consolidated my thinking. And yes, rather like conferences without the boring bits, but much more fun!
Christie
What a great way to get together!
Sarah Wilkie
It is indeed!
sustainabilitea
I had to read this several times because when I saw “virtual”, I thought something different from what your experience really was. It’s more like our little blogger meetups here in Arizona, but with people you’ve met from all over the world. What fun! I’ve been fortunate to meet one-on-one (or two) with other bloggers, but nothing like this. Sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
janet
Sarah Wilkie
It’s very like blogger meet-ups, and like blogging our friendships started in the virtual world before evolving into face-to-face meetings and ‘real’ friendships ๐ We have those little meets too – for instance in August a friend is visiting London from the US and I and a few other London-based VTers will meet up with her for dinner one evening. The big annual meets evolved out of those smaller ones.
grandmisadventures
What a blast to get to meet up with so many friends at such a fun event! ๐
Sarah Wilkie
Oh yes, definitely a blast – thanks Meg ๐
Marie
What a wonderful network – and how lovely to meet up with old friends and new each time….
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, it’s an absolute joy ๐
Suzanne@PictureRetirement
Sarah, is photography, travel, or both the emphasis of the group and how did you initially form? Since you call them ‘meetings’, I am wondering if you have planned discussions and if so, what are some topics? How special to be ‘connected’ to a group of happy, like-minded people. P.S. Nice photos of you. You look very tall!
Sarah Wilkie
Hi Suzanne, and thanks for your interest in this ๐ The emphasis is travel, although a number of us are keen photographers too. We connected via a website, Virtual Tourist, which was an early pioneer in social networking, and provided a platform for travel reviews long before Trip Advisor, and for forum-based advice. What started as small get-togethers between travellers who found themselves heading to the same destination, or between a traveller and a local who had provided advice through the forum, gradually evolved into several pre-planned larger get-togethers each year, one of which was always in Europe and was known as Euromeet. It was always organised by members for members, not by the company, and when they sold out to Trip Advisor who later (2017) closed down the website (much to our dismay), many of us resolved to keep them doing. We’ve done so successfully every year, apart from 2020 and 2021 of course, mainly using Facebook as a convenient way to stay in touch and post events. They are only meetings in the sense that we all gather in the same place, nothing more formal than that. The only plans are for group meals and some outings, all of which are optional. Some people come for the whole weekend, or longer, and do everything, others may come for just a couple of days and only join the meals. It’s all very flexible, very inclusive and very rewarding! And we’re always open to new members!
Suzanne@PictureRetirement
Sarah, thanks for sharing the background regarding the group. How wonderful that you all have maintained contact and still get together. I can imagine the vast travel resources that you each bring to the table.
JohnRH
Great tour photos! A lot of connections!! ๐
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you John ๐ But I may have misled you as these meetings aren’t tours. We’re all independent travellers who agree to meet up in the same location, making our own arrangements and choosing accommodation to suit us. Then one or a couple of members plans and books some activities and meals that we can share together, or sometimes members organise activities together in smaller groups. It’s all very flexible ๐
Anne Sandler
Wow Sarah, what a fun and fabulous connection. Your travels have made the world much smaller, and I appreciate your bringing them to me.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Anne ๐ It’s a real pleasure sharing these trips with you!
Egรญdio
What a joy it is to have the human connection with other travelers! The photos show how much fun these meetings are.
Sarah Wilkie
I’m so glad the fun of the meetings came across in the photos ๐
wetanddustyroads
That’s the great thing about travel โ the people you meet! I’m impressed with how many different countries were present at your VT meeting … and you guys seem to have had loads of fun.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, we had a good mix of countries this year, and some of them (Bosnia, Slovenia) new to these meets. But we were missing friends from other countries who couldn’t make it – Portugal, Spain, Canada for instance. Next year we will be in Malta – hopefully lots of people will make it!
wetanddustyroads
I will definitely be with you in Malta in spirit!
Sarah Wilkie
You’d be welcome to come for real!
Wind Kisses
Wonderful,Sarah! I am glad you featured people for connections since that is always a subject (of yours) I love. And I have enjoyed seeing your VT trips as well. Making connections with people all over the world is such a great way to enhance our lives as you show. As someone who has been lucky enough to live in many places in the world, I know the power of immersing ourselves into new places. Kotor is truly one of my favorite places to travel, so I will enjoy seeing it through your lens over the next few months or weeks. Split too is bustling, fun, and cultural. The quote: “Only Connect” is one I will remember. Fantastic post.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Donna ๐ That quote was the first thing I thought of when I saw your theme and the rest followed ๐ I’d been considering writing a post celebrating the pleasure these meetings bring us all and you gave me the perfect excuse to do so!
Wind Kisses
That is fantastic, Perfect timing.
photobyjohnbo
Such a perfect subject for this week’s challenge, Sarah! What an enjoyable outing that would be. One of the things I used to enjoy about cruising was dining with strangers at the beginning of the cruise, and enjoying the last days of the cruise with new “old friends.” Some cruise lines may still use that model, but on the ships I’ve sailed, that table sharing is gone.
Sarah Wilkie
A good analogy John, but then imagine you have a chance to meet up with those new old friends on an annual basis, and maybe with some of them at other times too, until they are no longer new at all. Then add some genuinely new ones to the mix each year and you have some idea of what these weekends are like ๐
Lorraine
I’m a bit disappointed I couldn’t make it to Kotor this year. It would have been great to meet up with my VT friends again. I haven’t seen you Sarah or the rest of my other VT friends since Bulgaria Euromeet.
Fingers crossed in will be in Malta next year and catch up with you and the others VT folk ๐
Sarah Wilkie
Hi Lorraine – yes, it seems ages since we saw you! It’s definitely in Malta next year and DAO has already posted the dates on Facebook – the last weekend in May / first in June. I do hope you make it!
thehungrytravellers.blog
Glad you had a good time, weโve been to all three of those places and they all have good things to offer. But then nearly everywhere does.
Sarah Wilkie
I really enjoyed all three, although the weather could have been better in Kotor!
Sue
What a fabulous way of meeting people from different cultures and getting to appreciate different ways of life! All with the common bond of travelโฆwhatโs not to love?
Sarah Wilkie
It is – and it’s not an exaggeration to say that it’s changed my life!
Josephine Hill
Sarah , wonderful memories of our time in Split & Kotor.
I have met some wonderful people through these meets . Its how I met you and we became friends ๐
How lucky we are to be able to do this.
Josie cx
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Josie, and yes, if it weren’t for VT you and I would never have had the chance to become friends ๐
Easymalc
I recognise a few of those faces. Hope you had a great time there.
Sarah Wilkie
We did, thank you Malcolm ๐
margaret21
You’re right. Those moments of connection with people from different cutures and different ways of life are so valuable and interesting, even if only brief. If sustained, as in this case, how much richer those connections are!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Margaret ๐ It’s been wonderful to be able to meet and become friends with people from so many different countries through VT!
Teresa
That must be so much fun connecting with all these people with the same love of traveling.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Teresa, it truly is ๐