FAQWhat people typically askWhy did you go? - What are you searching for? - Why South America? - How long will you stay? - Where will you go next? - Doesn't it get boring? - How do you pay for all that? - What other countries do you know? - Don't you want to work again? - What if you ever get sick? Why did you go?I have always wanted to travel and see more of this world, but I was busy working. Loosing my job and being in the situation to not have a house & family finally made me go. With the job market being as it is, I do not miss much when I am not looking right now. What are you searching for?Nothing. Maybe a lot of people do that - travelling to "find" something. I do not. I did not leave because I felt an emptyness and there is nothing in particular that can happen that will make me stop and return immideately. It is not even that I travel for the fun of it, but I just do not want to work anymore and South America is cheaper and more interesting than Düsseldorf! Why South America?I looked at the world map in January 2003 with India and Pakistan testing nuclear weapons, bombs against tourists in Bali, Israel still at war with the Palestines, Afganistan fallen, but unstable, the US just about to start a war with Irak, the whole El-Kaida thing, North America not that interesting anymore, Australia too far and Afrika .. well. All that I had left was South America and instead of travelling the world, I decided to visit my friend Valeria in Sao Paulo. After 2 weeks I returned and after a great summer in Germany (2003) I am back. How long will you stay?I don't know. I will return to a normal life soon (some day), but that can be here as well. To me the difference between living and working in Europe or South America is not so big. Where will you go next?It will take some time before I am through here. Maybe I will not go any further afterwards. Though I am somewhat closer to Australia now .. :-) Doesn't it get boring?Yes it does. Just travelling from sight to sight is not my thing. I recharge my batteries in Sao Paulo as I can. Like this, I can probably continue for a long time! How do you pay for all that?Savings. Living and food is not expensive here. You can make it in most places for less that 10 Euro per day. Travelling by bus is not more that 30 Euros for 1000 km. If you see the tourist sites outside the main season and do not spend too much time there, you can stay a long time with little money. Also the fixed cost I have in Europe is not more than 200 Euro / year. What other countries do you know?I am not the type of person that "knows" a country because I have read a book and spent 2 weeks in a holiday resort there. After living there or spending a lot of time there, I would say that I know The Netherlands, Finnland, USA, Norway & France. I have visited Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Tunesia, Luxemburg (!!), Monaco (!!!), Hong Kong & Singapore. Don't you want to work again?Yes and probably soon. Not that I really want to, but I like the idea of working a few months and then travel for a few weeks. What if you ever get sick?I am sick from time to time, but only typical respiratory system illnesses, cold / flu, sometimes stomach related things, but nothing serious. Sight seeing & walking so much is good for my overall condition. The medicine I need for that is cheap. In case of an accident with more servere injuries, I have an insurance.
|