I wish here to tentatively draft a rough timeline of my last 10 years to positively show how desires, backlashes and afterthoughts may impact a person’s life. In particular, the core message announces there is no limit age (I am in my late-thirties now) to keep dreaming about regained freedom and social dissent.
September 2013: IÂ quit my steady job and undertake a 4 months solo-trip through Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil, reaching Cape Horn with my backpack. My first journey outside Europe. The experience is indelibly amazing.
February 2014 – June 2015: IÂ sadly go back to reality and start a new telesales job in Portugal and, from 2015, Belgium.
September 2015:Â I set foot for the first time on the African continent. After travelling to Morocco, I decide to write a “pilot post” in view of a new blog project. At the same time, I start to follow thematic blogs, youtube videos and online courses to get an idea on how to generate passive income and develop a professional travel blog.
February 2016: My last working day in Brussels. Time to abandon my second permanent job for travelling.
March 2016: I set off for another astonishing, boundless experience along the the legendary Silk Road. Together with my girlfriend Bea, we build up an ambitious project including a new travel blog with all the related social networks branches. We proudly found our brand-new “company” NomadXpress to travel across the world without any limit and deadline. Eventually, after 9 months, 45,026 Kilometers and 23 Countries, we are back home again. Tired and happy.
January – December 2017: Umpteenth attempt to revert to normal, regular life. This time in Barcelona, Spain. In spite of the good vibes, it has become harder and harder to get used again to a stable European citylife. Memories of exotic, far-flung encounters keep haunting me : )
September 2017:Â Brief test of solo-travel across Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria. The journey ends up being a great opportunity to recover the rusted enthusiasm for backpacks, hostels and couchsurfing.
December 22, 2017:Â Last day of work. Heartfelt and touching goodbye to friends in Barcelona.
December 24, 2017:Â Back to Italy for the necessary “quarantine”. 40 days to rest and organize the following expedition.
January 7, 2018:Â Without a clear itinerary, I buy an “escape” flight ticket to Beirut, Lebanon. The idea is visiting the complex region. Just the starting point for pure improvisation.
January 7, 2018: I purchase a lifetime couchsurfing subscription to live a more local and genuine experience when exploring new lands.
January 7, 2018:Â After many doubts and second thoughts, the dice is cast again. I am going to open and write my second travel blog. This time personal. This time with less expectations but new, seducing countries to talk about.
February 2, 2018: I leave Europe for Lebanon, first step of a wondrous 15 countries (mostly overland) solo journey spanning across almost 40.000 Km and 326 days, all described in this blog.
October 2, 2018: During the umteenpth wild trekking (Muktinath > Chairo, 26 Km) in Nepal, I randomly meet my future and current girlfriend Angelica, rock-solid part of my life for the last 2 years and a half (as of June 2021).
December 24, 2018: I am back home (Italy) on Christmas Eve. Quite happy after all.
January 2019: I move to Barcelona to resume my previous chapter but again no luck in the long term.
June 2019: 3 weeks trip with Angelica across Finland, Estonia, Lettonia, Lithuania and Poland.
August 2019: 2 weeks trip to Malta, country #78.
December 13, 2019: last day of work. Enjoyable company Christmas party the very same night! An emotional goodbye to everybody for the second time.
December 29, 2019: one-way ticket to Santiago de Chile to see Angelica, hopeful to stay abroad for at least a couple of years. The first month is spent mostly in Santiago while working a bit as a freelance language teacher.
January 27, 2020: Plane to Uruguay, country #79. In the end I travel for around 2 weeks, before catching several long-running buses to cross all Argentina westward to Chile.
February 2020: back to Chile. We carry out some memorable expeditions in the South, and around Santiago (Apoquindo & El Plomo).
March 9, 2020: one-way plane ticket towards Colombia. All described in the related post.
March 20, 2020: landing on the tropical Cancun beach, Mexico, lucky to have momentarily escaped from the political restrictions linked with the Covid-19. The following month will be very agreable. All narrated here.
May 7, 2020: mournfully back to Italy due to the pandemic global worsening. I spend about 1 month home between compulsory quarantine, sanitary restrictions and inevitable depression.
July 13, 2020: I start working again to cover a maternity leave. In a way, the best scenario given all the circumstances.
August 15, 2020: Gipsy travel n. 6 by car to Budapest, covid free city, apparently : )
October 2020 – August 2021: a calm period ensues in Lonigo, Italy, marked by routine activities and the regular daily job. Angelica moves twice and shares plenty of mountain trekkings and bike hikes, the main distractions while waiting for better times.
August 1st, 2021: After having for long time nurtured the dream of an overland epic trip from Italy to South Africa, coronovirus-related issues (closed borders, uneasy vaccinations, lack of logistics, etc.) prevent us from taking that unique path. In the end, we opt for the American continent starting from Spain and a direct flight to the Dominican Republic and so on. The air ticket from Venice to Barcelona (to meet some friends) is bought on this day. Alea iacta est !!
August 12, 2021: Last working day here in Lonigo, Italy, after 13 months of contract and 15 of “native village confinement”. A great sabbatical year now ahead to properly conclude my 30ies and get my own back for the last 2 stolen years of dictatorial Covid-19 restrictions.
August 25, 2021: 39th birthday, merry and melancholic goodbye party with old pals and family before setting out one more time for new, enticing adventures.
August 27, 2021: One-way flight from Venice to Barcelona.
August – December 2021: Travelling across Spain, Dominican Republic, Haiti, United States and Mexico with my girlfriend Angelica. Travel log displayed here.
January 2022 – May 2022: Solo travelling all through Central America from Mexico to Panama. Travel log here.
May 28, 2022: Landing in Santiago de Chile to meet again Angelica and celebrate the civil union with her.
June 6, 2022: Civil union with Angelica.
July 16, 2022: Flight to Trujillo (Peru) for a 35 days solo trip across Peru and Ecuador. Travel log here.
August 20, 2022: Landing back in Santiago de Chile.
August 25, 2022: “Sad” 40th birthday celebrated in Santiago and Maitencillo, Chile, with a gifted paragliding fly.
September 30, 2022: One way flight to Macapà , Amazonia, Brazil.
October 8, 2022: Entering French Guyana by land.
October 14, 2022: Entering Suriname by land.
October 29, 2022: Entering Guyana by land.
October 31, 2022: Back to Brazil, by land.
November 5, 2022: Crossing the land border Pacaraima (Brazil) РSanta Elena de Uair̩n (Venezuela).
November 9, 2022: Back to Brazil again. Complete travel log available here.
December 2, 2022: After around 16 months I am again back to Europe, to spend Christmas holidays with my friends and family.
February 3, 2o23: One way flight Bergamo – Larnaka (Cyprus) to supposedly search for a new job. Indeed, after about one and a half months, researches were regrettably stopped. I had nevertheless the chance to explore an intricate geopolitical situation with the territory tripartition among Greek Cyprus, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and UK overseas bases.
March 22, 2023: One way flight Larnaka – Tel Aviv (Israel), this time for leisure and discovery of a complicate territory. The total trip (Cyprus + Israel + Palestine) would eventually last 72 days and included both Israelian and Palestinian territories. An old-school journey with lots of Couchsurfing, hitchhiking, hostels and genuine local experiences. The number of visited countries is increased to 98.
April 15, 2023: One more time back to Italy to try to find a job and wait for new, passionate challenges. I had been wandering about the whole world for around 15 years by then.
July 14, 2023: After being notified I would start my new job in Italy on the 1st September, I immediately decide to book a 5 weeks trip to Madagascar and Mauritius, countries #99 and #100 respectively. The first checkpoint is reached!
July 19, 2023: The Venice – Paris – Mauritius – Antananarivo 24 hours flight is on.
August 21, 2023: after 32 shocking days of total madness, I am ready to get back to the “safe” world. Another 30 hours flight to cope with.
August 23, 2023: Angelica is joining me in Italy.
September 1, 2023: starting to work in a new company in Italy. Experience is quite rough from the very beginning.
September 15, 2023: Angelica is sadly moving away from Italy.
November 30, 2023: Probation period in the company ends and is not renewed.
December 4, 2023: last day of work.
December 12, 2023:Â Starting a Tefl level 5 online course to teach English abroad.
January 24, 2024: A now Sales job is offered in Bali, Indonesia, starting from 26th February.
February 21, 2024: Flight for Bali, Indonesia.
May 28, 2024: After 3 months hard working, the Bali company does not seem to promise anything good for the future. Black market working conditions add to the top. I decided to undertake the umpteenth solo travel across Indonesia, East-Timor, Malaysia, Tawi-Tawi (Philippines), Brunei and Singapore, summing up 5 new countries (total 105 as we speak).
July 16, 2024: Landing back in Milan to attend my brother’s wedding soon. A couple of months resting time to recharge batteries and come up with a new plan for September.
July 26, 2024: After only few days from the coming back and few interviews, a new job as an ESL English Teacher is granted in Vietnam, starting from September.
September 7, 2024: Flight from Venice to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
September 14, 2024: After a one-week training in HCMC, I travel to priovincial Bien Hoa, 30 Km away to start my teaching experience in a private language center. 1 year full-time contract is signed. This is my job # 17 in country #106, year #17 abroad.
September 21, 2024: First teaching day, quite OK.
November 15, 2024: After several stressful months, finally I get my Vietnamese 2 years-valid Work Permit.
