The retired architect Lauro Andrade 80, discovered a new passion in the elderly: Adventure tourism and artistic photography . The union of these factors resulted in more than 20 trips to remote places in the last decade alone, as well as an exhibition in Santa Catarina and the publication of a book with the images.
Father of three children and widower more than two decades ago, Lauro began this journey alone with about 69 years. He photographed extreme scenarios: tornadoes, the mouth of an active volcano, bears in northern Alaska and the famous Aurora Boreal – who has spotted more than once.
The first adventure was for Tanzania that he defined CNN Viagem & Gastronomy as an amazing place. The country is known for culture, natural beauty, beaches and the highest mountains on the African continent.
When it came back, however, a fright: “I found that I had kidney cancer and I had to remove one from the organs.”
Even with the unforeseen health, Lauro would tell the doctor that he had a scheduled trip to India and could not miss the tour. Said and done: did not lose.
“45 days after surgery, I was in New Delhi . Everyone widened their eyes when I heard that I had just taken a kidney, ”he said laughing.
However, Lauro guarantees that his trips have always been very safe. To do this, it hires the same tourist agency to be accompanied by a guide during the adventures.
It was the specialized professionals, even who rescued them in times of trouble. He lived one of these situations in Ethiopia considered the oldest country in Africa, where it felt more insecure.
There, Lauro was watched all the time by people with machine guns. “We had an armed militia to be able to photograph,” he said.
Even so, The former architect set up in a camel and left for a four -hour ride to the mouth of an active volcano . The tour needed to be done at night due to the high temperatures – almost 50 ° C at the base of the desert.
The photographer began his journey at 7 pm, but paused several times along the way. “We had to get to midnight in the mouth of the volcano, photograph, rest an hour and return,” he said.
On the way back, Lauro got sick . “It was a very big sacrifice, because walking on camel, only with a kind of little mattress, [foi muito complicado]”He pointed out.
And he continued, joking, “I didn’t know if a omelet had been fried or turned. I passed out, but I photographed the mouth of the volcano. ”
The most unusual is that Lauro does not define this moment as a perrengue. When asked about the biggest refinement in foreign lands, the former architect points to a case that lived in Iceland.
“I stumbled on a wire, fell with the machine on the chest and the camera lens fitted. There was a doctor on the team, she examined me and saw that I had not hurt me. It was the biggest perrengue I had on a trip, ”said Lauro, who had to take the photos of the cell phone.
Lauro also lived other adventures, such as when he photographed a Tornado in the United States . But how to prepare for this kind of adventure? Before going, he received a briefing of how to act.
“We had two American technicians who had computers to control where the tornado direction came from, so that we stay on a tornado security margin. Also, knowing the direction of the wind, they have an escape road, ”he said.
Another trip that Lauro made and marked him a lot went to the Iran . He said he had to follow the country’s restrictions, as Do not photograph any woman but even so, it guarantees that it would come back there. “One of the safest places I have ever been,” he exclaimed.
Lauro’s trips are several. On foreign soil, he passed countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Myanmar and Japan, where he walked on a four-seater single-engine plane, whose landing took place in the water, to reach a park where the monkeys were.
To photograph, he also visited Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Bhutan, Norway and many others. In Brazil, he met from the Pantanal and the north of the country to the Sertão de Pernambuco. “Each photo has a story,” he said about the records.
How to make safe trips?
What care Lauro takes when choosing a destination? He always travels about 10 days with a guide and a trusted tourist agency that, in this case, is Pedro Coelho from Borealis.
For Pedro, The photographer is a great example of life and overcoming . “Always using your next adventure as a motivation to stay active and physically prepared. He proves that the passion for traveling and exploring is not old, only requires preparation, will and the right partner to make the experience possible, ”he said.
In 2021, Lauro gathered the favorite photographs and made an exhibition at the art gallery of the Juarez Machado International Institute, in Joinville . He also launched the Book “Long Live Life” with the images of his adventures.
Why does he keep venturing into? The answer is simple – and beautiful. “Traveling makes me feel younger and wanting to make the next trip. I love to live ” he finished.
The 80 -year -old Brazilian post explored more than 20 adventure destinations after cancer Appeared First on CNN Brazil V&G.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
