Ancient Odysseys is the brainchild of Marisa Rodriguez, founder and citizen scientist.
I developed the idea for Ancient Odysseys to make it easier for travelers to join research-based paleontology and archaeology digs and work right alongside the scientists themselves.
How my passion turned into
a mission.
It all started in 2012 when, with no experience whatsoever, I joined a dinosaur dig in Wyoming. Braving the 100-degree heat and 35 mile-an-hour winds, I helped to unearth the horns, jaw, legs and frill of a Triceratops, a creature that hadnât seen the light of day for 65 million years. It was thrilling.
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As the years went on, the fun continued. I worked on a Hadrosaur here, an Ankylosaurthere and even joined a Neanderthal dig in Spain.
The excitement I felt working every day was matched by the sense of fulfillment that I was doing something that benefited science. And the more I told others about my adventures, the more I heard how many people had a lifelong dream of going on a dig.
The idea for Ancient Odysseys started there. I wanted to make it easy for travelers to find paleontology and archaeology digs around the world.
By joining a dig, you not only help scientists with the actual excavation work, but almost 100% of your fees fund the important work being done by these researchers now and into the future (minus the hard costs for room and board, of course).
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I sometimes wish I had a more portable trade like a teacher or nurse so I could use it to travel and work. But on the other hand they also get paid poorly, so swings and roundabouts I guess.
My travel experiences ? Lots of I suppose. Maybe a few of the more interesting. Kaseri in Turkey. has some The very interesting rock formations like tube like. Then there was Taiwan on Sun Mountain in the early morning. Beautiful. But maybe the most for me was the Sahara desert. The absence of anything.
⊠cheap, safe, old world quality & appreciation of fine food booze and customer service. Blue skies, yellow sandy beaches. And a genuine cultural & historic lesson: something more than a tour guide showing you their pyramids. ⊠which reminds me: romance!
My travel experiences abroad, happened when very young so not much to tell except I donât like package holidays and I am not a fan of spitting camels.
However, travelling in and around the UK has provided so many great experiences, from idyllic turquoise seas, interesting buildings, historical sites, eccentric characters with amazing stories. Yes, the best kind of travel is staying local (UK)
My most interesting travel experience was travelling from London to Sydney, mostly overland via Turkey, Iran Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangadesh etc. I trip I suspect would be very difficult these days.
I saw the Bamiyan statues later blown up by the Taliban, experienced a couple of severe earthquakes in Iran and Afghanistan, travelled through the Khyber Pass, raced across the badlands between Iran and Afghanistan, went on a trek in the Himalayas, saw Mt Everest, crossed the Indian/Pakistan border during their war and saw many wonderful sites along the way. The trip took me about a year (I wasnât in a rush)
I was lucky enough to be able to travel the world all paid for by the British taxpayer, thank you.
The dress code insisted that all us travellers wore Green and have short haircuts though. I did visit Paris for two years in the 60âs for a 19 year old it was very educational and did not prepare for a my next tour in what is now the Yemen, short visits to Libya, Malta and Cyprus completed my Mediterranean holidays. Tours of West Germany, Berlin, Canada and Northern Ireland twice came and went. All the fun, games and T-shirts came to end when I left the Army but I did manage to squeeze in a civilian holiday to Trinidad
Yes, I agree. Unfortunately, I travel the continent for work (itâs tough to travel in Africa) but I enjoy exploring Africa. Of course, work trips are different to holidays. But, I still get to experience new places, food, people and languages so itâs not all bad.
Very different, the north is tropical the south east temperate, lots of deserts but no desert is like another. I love driving it. little traffic just the occasional road train to pass. The bush changes all the time. I came across this Lonely Planet climate equivalent map but I donât know how accurate or helpful it is
It doesnât matter how remote it is there is always something to stop and look at, I havehad to curtail this sometimes otherwise you would never get anywhere.
Well, I was banned from Assiniboia Inn (The Sin Bin) in Medicine Hat Manitoba Canada for ever for smacking a ladyâŠa long storyâŠand I did pick up a War Disablement Pension for injuries received in Northern Ireland, so yes
I have a plan to travel north from Kalgoorlie up the centre of WA and out to a place called Laverton but next year my kids want to go with me to Darwin and Uluru - places I have visited but wouldnât mind going again. Whether that happens or not I donât know they have to get a lot of time off work to do it.
As for things like the Gibb River Road and the Great Sandy Desert I think that ship has sailed for me but the Oodnadatta Track is possible however I have attempted it three times so far and rain has closed it on every occasion just before I arrived.
