Why…
The Purpose of Journeyscope is to give you travel advice on exciting destinations.
Journeyscope offers you real travel experiences reported by a passionate world traveller that will inspire you to go on an adventure. The in-depth articles and travel advice will give you a great basic knowledge which will be useful for you to make a decision on your next trip and can guide you when are out on the road exploring.
Who…
Journeyscope is for the explorer and the adventurer, young and old…male and female. We are passionate about travelling…we are alive when we travel…we get excited about new experiences…we love meeting new people and like-minded
What…where…
At Journeyscope we report about authentic travel experiences from fantastic major cities, small country and Outback towns, nature preserves of Australia, Canada and the United States. We cover amazing aspects of history, geology, architecture and music. The highlights, things off the beaten track and quirky aspects also find their way into our stories.
Featured on the site you will see breathtaking photos and in-depth descriptions of amazing destinations. Furthermore you will also find our section on travel advice which are quick and easy accessible guides to cool destinations but also to various things you should be aware of when heading out on your adventure. All photos found on the website are the real deal and are not manipulated in any way.
The writer…the photographer…
Owner and CEO, Morten Lauridsen has been travelling and exploring the world for many years. He is an adventurer in the sense that he likes trying new things, pushing the limit, chilling, enjoying life and meeting people. He loves when the unexpected happens, going with the flow and the experience takes you in. A day may be planned and scheduled…but suddenly an interesting street comes into view and it has to be explored. On the way you may meet new people, whom you get to know and you find a new side of yourself…and this is when you live!
Morten has always been fascinated by the new world…Australia, Canada and the United States…ever since his childhood. Watching a series such as “Centennial” on television was so intriguing for him. This was the story about the pioneers coming to North America. Among them was the Canadian fur trader Pasquinel, sailing down the river, living off the land, trading with the Indians and then returning to the city of St. Louis during the winter. The option of shifting between life in the wilderness and the city was awesome and the freedom appealed to him. Another character was R.J. Poteet, the cattle trail boss who was in charge of the drive of longhorn cattle across the plains from Texas to Colorado. The challenge, the freedom and the camaraderie among the cowboys of the drive was very alluring to him as well.
The history of Australia, Canada and the United States has always fascinated Morten…the development of the three countries from the early settlers to the present…the War of Independence and the Civil War of the United States…the wars and conflicts between the English, French, Americans and Mexicans over the territories in the North and South…the wars between the Americans and the Indians…the huge involvement by Canada and Australia in the First World War which had a huge impact in their road to further independence.
The nature of Australia, Canada and the United States is very intriguing to Morten. The great outdoors of the remote Australian Outback…the rugged and dramatic sparse country of Canada…the stunning wilderness of the United States…the red rocks, open ranges, the bush, the wildlife…exploring these aspects in the nature preserves really sparked his interest for biology and geology.
Morten has always been fascinated by nature programmes mainly produced by the BBC and during his childhood David Attenborough was the main character of these broadcasts. Attenborough’s passion and enthusiasm about the nature made all the difference. The French naval officer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau was also a huge influence during Morten’s childhood, watching his amazing programmes exploring the underwater world. These programmes laid the foundation for the dreamer and adventurer in him.
Architecture is also one of Morten’s great interest…the infrastructure of the major cities and small towns…the old and modern buildings and structures in composition with each other…from Art Deco, Deconstructivism, Victorian, Boomtown to Edwardian style architecture and much more.
The culture is another of the very important aspects of travelling for Morten. Especially the music, from the birthplace of rock’n’roll in Memphis to the jazz clubs of New York, Seattle and Sydney. The major entertainment venues of Las Vegas and New York to the blues clubs of Chicago. Sport is also a part of the cultural appeal and includes everything from the hockey venues of Vancouver and Edmonton…the AFL stadium of Sydney…to the NFL stadium of Seattle. And last but not least the museums…in Toronto, Sydney, Ottawa, San Diego, Las Vegas, just to name a few.
The people is yet another positive element of travelling around in North America and Australia…they have a certain drive in these immigrant societies…they are polite, open and friendly to visitors and strangers…factors which make all the difference to make you feel at home and make your journey more enjoyable. Travelling around by yourself, with mates or in an organised group you will meet people with whom you will bond. New friendships will emerge with locals or fellow travellers and if you keep in touch you may meet again in their or your home country or somewhere else in the world.
Morten moved to Sydney in Australia and lived for a period of 3½ years and here he got to live out his big dream of living in an immigrant society in the new world. The city and the country appealed a lot to him and here his taste for trying the unknown, experiencing new things, exploring and being adventurous really kicked off.