Santa Maria volcano, Guatemala —
Matthew Karsten, otherwise known as The Expert Vagabond, has been traveling the world since 2010. He left his job and girlfriend and hit the road, but the adventure only really began in Guatemala."Hungry for a wild adventure, I recruited fellow travelers to join me in climbing a very active volcano called Santiaguito. We reached the summit just in time for it to erupt with smoke and ash. From then on, I was completely hooked. Travel addict for life."
Tamarin, Mauritius —
South African Gareth Pon is Africa's best-known Instagrammer, and his camera skills have taken him all over the world. But it's his mother's homeland Mauritius that he holds closest to his heart:"When I came back to Mauritius in 2013, it was the start of what changed my perspective of photography: it was my first overseas trip exploring and capturing new places and my first time I had my work recognized as a photographer."
Iceland —
"A trip to Iceland was a major part of my greatest adventure," said Ryan Armstrong, who is currently based in Canada."I loaded up my rental car with new friends, drove through whiteout conditions, and managed to capture this photo between the changing weather. Views like this inspire me to get out and see more of this beautiful world we live in."
Railay Beach, Thailand —
Dave and Deb make up The Planet D, a globetrotting power couple who've been on the road for six years to date. Their adventure began on the shores of the Andaman Sea, "reigniting" their marriage and prompting them to reassess their careers."Now we travel full time and have revisited Thailand again and again. With more than 100 countries visited and countless adventures under our belt, we have never forgotten the first trip that changed our lives."
Govi-Altai, Mongolia —
While "wandering" the world for five years, New Zealand-based American Elizabeth Carlson had a life-changing moment riding horses across the Mongolian steppes."It's the most physically challenging trip I've ever done, and was also one that tested my mental capacities. A month offline. A month without a shower. A month of eating sheep. Nothing puts life into perspective like this."
Sikunir, Indonesia —
Indonesian photographers Kevin Anda and Renaldi Ahmad didn't have to look far for world-changing inspiration. Indonesia's 17,508 islands are a photographer's paradise. Anda experienced this moment at Dieng Plateau, near Wonosobo, Central Java:"I took this picture when I traveled together with several friends that I met from Instagram. We decided to go there during fasting month to challenge ourselves. It was a lovely experience indeed and the place itself was magical."
Turkey —
Describing themselves as "two Generation Y young adults," Mike and Amy from Australia experienced their epiphany in Turkey, a country that inspired them to give up their jobs and go traveling:"We came to realize just how incredible it is to visit a place with so much history -- and that there were so many more countries like Turkey, with its people, stories and sights dating back thousands of years.
"We realized just how big the world was and how much there was to see -- and if we didn't start soon, we'd never get to see it all."
Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina —
There's nothing like beautiful vistas and cool, crisp air to inspire a moment of clarity. And that's exactly what Christine Jones experienced at the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina:"This photo (along with many others I took that day!) is very special to me as not only does it symbolize all the amazing memories I made in South America, but it's also shaping my future too by continually inspiring me to chase my dreams to become a glaciologist."
