John Hinde, a retired management consultant and long-time subscriber to a major British newspaper, has become an unexpected travel inspiration within its readership community through his extensive collection of amateur photography. At 60 years old, Hinde has documented journeys to 90 countries and aims to reach 100 by the end of 2027, sharing images and experiences from locations spanning Belize and Guatemala to southern Finland.

Hinde's enthusiasm for exploration was influenced early on by his multicultural upbringing; raised in Kent by a Portuguese mother and British father, he grew up listening to his father’s travel stories, including a notable 1963 road trip from Baghdad to Birmingham. Childhood holidays across Spain, France, and Portugal laid the groundwork for more adventurous travels later in life. His first major overseas trip came in 1987 with a visit to Peru, followed by a solo month-long expedition to India and Nepal in 1996.

Alongside his passion for travel, Hinde developed a keen interest in photography, inspired by his father’s use of a Leica M3 camera. He continues this tradition with a Leica M11, still employing lenses he purchased three decades ago. Much of his photographic work is shared on Flickr, while recent years have seen him contribute pictures and travel anecdotes in the online comments sections of travel articles, building a small but dedicated following among fellow readers and publication staff.

Among Hinde’s most memorable travels, he cites visits to Peru, Kenya, the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Colombia as particularly impactful. His recent 2025 trip to Egypt’s Serapeum of Saqqara left a profound impression, especially the 24 monumental bull sarcophagi carved from granite and basalt. Reflecting on Cambodia in 1999, he noted the visible aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide, with a young population and scarce infrastructure, highlighting the sparse crowds around Angkor Wat at the time.

Hinde has a diverse range of preferences regarding urban destinations. Buenos Aires stands out as his favorite city, praised for its architecture, culinary scene, and vibrant neighborhoods. Conversely, he found Riyadh, which he visited for work in the tech sector shortly before retiring in 2020, less appealing due to its dusty environment and perceived lack of aesthetic appeal.

Currently traveling through North Macedonia and Kosovo, Hinde has also completed visits to Europe’s ten smallest countries. Looking ahead, his travel wishlist includes Antarctica, the South Sea Islands, the Caribbean (beyond his previous trip to Cuba), and Central Asia’s “Stans,” with a particular interest in Turkmenistan, which he hopes to explore next year.

With ongoing plans to continue traveling as long as possible, Hinde’s detailed photographic records and firsthand narratives promise to remain a valued resource and inspiration for the community of readers who follow his journeys online.