Dear Reader, on the morning of December 29, 2016, while finding a lunch spot in the Town of Truro, Nova Scotia, I noticed a decorative painted mural running the length of the railway station platform. I immediately sidetracked from lunch and instead chose to walk the section of the platform, my camera in hand. The mural was quirky and sweet, depicting the history of Truro and other images related to train travel. However, I was captivated by one of the images: an illustration of a boy riding a bicycle with a sign that read: ‘Karl M. Creelman Around the World’.
As you know, that moment changed everything. It set me on a 250+ blog journey that has taken me five years across six continents and through 125 years of history.
Never in 2016 did I imagine that an image of a cyclist on a painted mural would reroute my life, but here we are.
And now, dear reader, I need your help.
An Invitation to be part of this history.
You are cordially invited to contribute to the “GlobeTrotter Time Capsule” for the milestone 250th Karl Chronicle.
Why a Time Capsule?
Throughout these chronicles, I’ve written about the great World's Fairs — starting with the inaugural Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, London, the “great idea” of Prince Albert (Queen Victoria’s husband). I’ve been fascinated by these exhibitions, and for my loyal Karl subscribers, this fascination will be obvious.
We visited the Seattle Space Needle, which was built for the 1962 World’s Fair. We explored Chicago’s leap into architectural greatness after the 1893 Fair. I walked the promenade in Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building, which hosted the 1880 International Exhibition. We marvelled at the rapid construction of the Eiffel Tower for the 1889 Fair, and travelled to Glasgow, where Karl himself had a ticket and wrote about his experience.
And although not part of our literal route, the 1939 New York World's Fair introduced the first formal “time capsule,” a sealed cylinder intended to be opened in 6939, a date I can barely wrap my mind around, never mind plan for.
Although placing keepsakes into the foundations of buildings was common practice in earlier centuries, they were never meant to be opened. The New York capsule changed that, a deliberately crafted gift of momentos to the future. It included seeds, microfilm, newsreels, a letter from Albert Einstein, a can opener, an electric lamp, a watch, a Mickey Mouse cup, and a miniature camera.
Its purpose: to help future generations understand how we lived.
There are many considerations when creating a time capsule: durability, humidity control, preventing moisture, and choosing the right container. Capsules range from tiny personal tins to large-scale chambers over six feet long and weighing hundreds of pounds.
For our GlobeTrotter Time Capsule, we want something clean, dry, and safe. I’ve chosen a vintage metal suitcase*, it will look futuristic, but it won’t be buried. A suitcase feels right. It's what explorers carry. It holds the essentials for a journey.
I’d like ours stored at the Colchester Historeum, where Karl’s original letters and photographs are so carefully preserved. The same archives that gave me access to 125-year-old documents will ensure that future researchers in 2150 can discover what we’ve left behind.
The essence of our time capsule will be the distilled spirit of curiosity, three perspectives on travel: Karl’s from 1899, mine from 2020–2025, and yours, the readers who travelled with us.
What Goes Inside?
From Karl's Journey (1899-1901):
A photograph of him and his trusty Red Bird bicycle
His five letters of “credentials”
Specifications of the Cyclone camera, with the precious glass plates representing photography in 1899
His postmaster’s stamp book with verification from every town that welcomed him
His signature book with all the autographs
A photo of Karl as an adult
A map of the world from 1899
500 Indian rupees circa 1900
From Louise’s Journey (2020-2025):
My camera’s memory card containing thousands of images from around the world
My signature book with autographs from people I’ve met along the way
All 250+ blog posts bound into a book
The first signature series of my Karl’s Travelography**
Specifications of my mirrorless digital camera (how archaic will it seem in 2150!)
A map of the world from 2025
A photograph of me giving a museum talk. My own moment of standing where Karl once stood, following his path in a new century.
My passport, stamped with the countries I visited, a hint of how crossing borders may look entirely different in the future.
From you:
This is where you come in, dear reader. I’m asking each of you to contribute three things; your responses will be compiled, printed, and sealed alongside Karl’s and my own mementos.
Please answer all three questions in the comments:
Which of the 250 adventures so far have you enjoyed the most, and why?
Was it Karl getting lost in the Prairies? Me meeting the Maharajah? Karl’s 230 wild horses at sea? My sidetracks in Sri Lanka?Share one location from this journey that captured your wanderlust.
Future travellers will see where the explorers of 2025 were looking to visit. Will these places still exist in 125 years, or will they still have the same name?Your message to 2150.
Tell them something about yourself, your favourite travel destination, or what the spirit of adventure means to you.
Our capsule is modest — only 125 years! — and infinitely more personal. We’re not sending iPhones or Crocs.
We’re sending stories. Curiosity. The spark of a Nova Scotian who, at 21, hopped on a bicycle in 1899 because he wanted “to have a look around and gain a bit of experience.”
When I started the Karl Chronicles, I never imagined reaching 250 posts, let alone having an audience willing to read them. A time capsule without you would feel incomplete.
So please, dear reader, add your answers in the comments below. Your words will sit beside Karl’s and mine.
Deadline: December 31. A compilation will appear in a ‘bonus’ January chronicle.
Our time capsule awaits.
*virtual case, not a real one
**and yes, more coming on these images in Spring 2026
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The Karl Journey is registered as an official expedition with the Royal Geographical Society