Startacus follows the Brown Signs

by Startacus Admin

At first, we felt that this featured website, followthebrownsigns.com, seemed rather wonderfully whimsical. However then, we realized it is much much more and thought it best to share Amanda Hone’s site with you all.

So the story goes (and this is the very abridged version). Amanda Hone has a fascination for brown signs. The brown signs that you pass by every day, and probably on most occasions, without a second glance. The only difference is that Amanda follows the brown signs to wherever they take her.

At university, and when bored, her and her boyfriend would visit said cool places; an otter and owl sanctuary, The National Motoring Museum, an ornate Indian maharajah’s well in the middle of a country village, were just a few of the places they frequented.

Post University, a jobless Amanda, held on to her love of the brown sign. Off she went on a whistlestop tour around the UK and as she travelled around, she took note of all the brown signs and recorded her journey and to them wherever she went. However, Amanda realised that whilst the locations themselves were wonderful it was the stories and people that made her journey more than just a sightseeing tour. As Amanda explains on her website:

“Every one I visited told me its’ own unique story and everywhere I went there were people and passions that were inspiring, meaningful and important. I found myself learning more about Britain and the British people than I ever had in any lessons at school, and more importantly I was learning in the best way possible, through talking and engaging with the people and places myself....

What saddens me is that Britons now rate shopping as their favourite pastime. This dull, characterless and boring pursuit takes precedence over discovery, spontaneity and learning. It provides no insight into the world around us and actively dulls the desire to engage in and become part of our history and heritage. On my travels along the Brown Sign Way though I realised that all is not lost. There are so many people out there who care about lots of very different things, who aren’t in it for the money and want to tell us, the general public, about the things that are important to them, why they should be important to us too (whether we know it or not!) and are totally dedicated keeping them alive.”

And that is why we thought it best to share with you Amanda’s tale. Now, Amanda has a unique site and whilst it is still a work in progress - you get the feeling that this is no longer just a personal story and journey.

Here at Startacus we firm believers too that there are many self starters out there, who also care about different things and want to ‘create something’ personal gives them meaning and value, in an otherwise sterile environment.

Amanda is a self starter and we encourage you to take a little look at her site and also next time you see a brown sign, stop for a minute and then follow the sign - you never know where it may take you....(and that is the point after all)!

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Published on: 29th October 2012