I had been working on a start-up idea for about 6 months. I had resigned from my job half way into it. The product wasn't coming together and I was running solo. I looked at my runway: My savings were quickly running out, and the hopes and dreams with them. I knew failure was imminent, but I decided to turn it into a different kind of victory. I decided to let go of everyone and everything: People filling me with negative emotions, fear of having to start over, and the terror of not living within identity constraints.
I took the remaining of my savings, filled a backpack and bought the cheapest one way ticket to Europe that I could find. I was ready to see the world before I was too old to explore. I wanted to live today without knowing my destination tomorrow.
I backpacked 22 countries.
My only companion from home was a used Lonely Planet book. I found new companions along the way. A handwritten journal remains from that trip that I may compile into this blog one day.
I travelled from Seattle, WA to Toronto, Canada where I caught my flight to Amsterdam, Netherlands. Then I travelled by train to Bruges, Belgium, followed by Brussels. From there I went to Berlin, Germany and Prague, Czech Republic. I went again by train to Vienna, Austria and by bus to Bratislava, Slovakia. Next, I stopped in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and then Zagreb, Croatia. I went to the beautiful coast of Split. I reached the beloved Mostar, Bosnia and Hercegovina by bus and also spent time in Sarajevo. Another bus took me to Belgrade, Serbia. I headed for Bucuresti, Brasov and Transylvania in Romania after that.
I slept in the train to Budapest, Hungary and took another train to Krakow, Poland. I visited Auschwitz and Birkenau.
A long train trip to Lvov and Kiev in Ukraine was followed by another trip back to Bucuresti, where I connected to another train to Sofia, Bulgaria. Athens, Greece was next, and then the islands of Santorini and Crete by ferry. When I returned to Athens, I headed for the port of Patras where I took a ship to Bari, Italy. I crossed the country to Napoli (Naples), and visited Pompeii, Sorrento and Amalfi Coast. My stay in Rome was followed by a visit to the Vatican City, then Firenze (Florence) and Milan. The scenic train ride to Interlaken, Switzerland and a short stop in Iseltwald helped me find my peace. A night ride from Geneva to Paris, France and a long stop in Barcelona, Spain were followed by a flight to London, England. Dream cities.
To escape the expensive stay, I took a bus to Edinburgh, Scotland where I said my last goodbye to Europe. I went back to London where I got on my final plane to Toronto, Canada before starting a completely new life.
You will not be surprised if I tell you that 12 years ago this day, I had just gotten off a plane from Amsterdam to Toronto, having travelled across the Atlantic to start a new life away from my birthplace.
A simple itinerary will not tell you what it feels like to backpack for 80 days, say goodbye to your homeland permanently, or start anew. But after all these experiences, I am a changed man. I rewrote every aspect of my life when I returned: personal and career, short- and long-term.
New beginnings are easier on those who have experienced many endings. You find your place in the world. You realize that as long as you're alive you cannot possibly fail, unless you quit.
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