[:nl]The first Human of the Earth I will introduce to you is Alan. I met Alan on my trip to Morocco in 2015, where we shared the same hostel (Green Milk Hostel, great place!). When my boyfriend and I wanted to move on, Alan joined our hitchhike adventure without hesitation! The three of us ended up wild camping in Taghazout and Paradise Valley, shared tons of stories, laughed a lot and tried to communicate with the people who gave us a ride. After a couple of days traveling together we split up, Alan continued his way to the desert and we decided to stay for a little while in a small village. Alan inspired me among other things with his stories about the Camino the Santiago, a pilgrimage route in Spain, to walk this path myself one day. This is Alan’s story:
Alan at the 100 km sign at the Camino the Santiago in Spain
My name is Alan and I am a 23 year old from Canada. My first true solo trip was driving across Canada to see the east side of my country for the first time. Of all places I’ve been to, my favorite place in the world thus far has been Burning Man, I believe every wanderer must make their way to Black Rock City someday! Burning Man is an annual gathering that takes place at Black Rock City—a temporary community erected in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. The event is described as an experiment in community and art, influenced by 10 main principles, including “radical” inclusion, self-reliance and self-expression, as well as community cooperation, gifting and decommodification, and leaving no trace.
When in another country, the best way to get around is hitchhiking, because of all the amazing people you meet and stories you hear along the way, money saved aside. It adds an element of uncertainty to the entire situation, and that can be fun as well. Of course, if you aren’t feeling in a social mood, night trains are the way to go, that way you wake up in a new place and save a day in travel.
I have learned a lot from travelling, but I think the most surprising thing is the idea that we have everything we need right now and here. It might seem obvious to some that we are incomplete, broken, or missing out but I think that when we remove all the externalities we are surrounded with in our normal routines, we end up focused on something closer to our true selves, and in this case, I guess I found myself staring at a complete human in the mirror one day without realizing such a change had come over me, no grand epiphany or revelation needed.
I have already planned about 3000 trips I could do next.. But on top of my bucket list is, I think, another long distance walk (like the Camino) such as the Appalachian trail or DJing at a public venue. Travelling has opened my eyes to the possibilities this life affords, and to spend some time making art is very high on my list right now. I fund my travels by saving, but I definitely want to explore working abroad in the future.
Every place I go to turns out to be totally different to how I’ve imagined it. I do very little research before heading to a new location, that way I can really be in the moment when I arrive. Expectations tend to be shattered but I find this valuable in part.
One special moment for example was in a small town in Morocco,I was gifted a pair of military style harem pants by a Muslim fashion designer. We had talked about Islam for a little while one evening when I was browsing his store, and he gave them to me as a way to make sure I didn’t forget that Islam was about kindness and family, not what ISIS or the media portrayed. It was only a $5 item, but it touched me deeply.
One last thing I want to say to all of you is go past all those walls you’ve built inside yourself! There are experiences, people, and love beyond what you can imagine waiting for you on the other side, you just have to take that leap of faith and open yourself to new opportunities!
Alan in Paradise Valley
Thanks Alan, for sharing your story! If you want to follow Alan and his travels, you can find him on Instagram as @Alwill_nothing.
[:en]The first Human of the Earth I will introduce to you is Alan. I met Alan on my trip to Morocco in 2015, where we shared the same hostel (Green Milk Hostel, great place!). When my boyfriend and I wanted to move on, Alan joined our hitchhike adventure without hesitation! The three of us ended up wild camping in Taghazout and Paradise Valley, shared tons of stories, laughed a lot and tried to communicate with the people who gave us a ride. After a couple of days traveling together we split up, Alan continued his way to the desert and we decided to stay for a little while in a small village. Alan inspired me among other things with his stories about the Camino the Santiago, a pilgrimage route in Spain, to walk this path myself one day. This is Alan’s story:
Alan at the 100 km sign at the Camino the Santiago in Spain
My name is Alan and I am a 23 year old from Canada. My first true solo trip was driving across Canada to see the east side of my country for the first time. Of all places I’ve been to, my favorite place in the world thus far has been Burning Man, I believe every wanderer must make their way to Black Rock City someday! Burning Man is an annual gathering that takes place at Black Rock City—a temporary community erected in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. The event is described as an experiment in community and art, influenced by 10 main principles, including “radical” inclusion, self-reliance and self-expression, as well as community cooperation, gifting and decommodification, and leaving no trace.
When in another country, the best way to get around is hitchhiking, because of all the amazing people you meet and stories you hear along the way, money saved aside. It adds an element of uncertainty to the entire situation, and that can be fun as well. Of course, if you aren’t feeling in a social mood, night trains are the way to go, that way you wake up in a new place and save a day in travel.
I have learned a lot from travelling, but I think the most surprising thing is the idea that we have everything we need right now and here. It might seem obvious to some that we are incomplete, broken, or missing out but I think that when we remove all the externalities we are surrounded with in our normal routines, we end up focused on something closer to our true selves, and in this case, I guess I found myself staring at a complete human in the mirror one day without realizing such a change had come over me, no grand epiphany or revelation needed.
I have already planned about 3000 trips I could do next.. But on top of my bucket list is, I think, another long distance walk (like the Camino) such as the Appalachian trail or DJing at a public venue. Travelling has opened my eyes to the possibilities this life affords, and to spend some time making art is very high on my list right now. I fund my travels by saving, but I definitely want to explore working abroad in the future.
Every place I go to turns out to be totally different to how I’ve imagined it. I do very little research before heading to a new location, that way I can really be in the moment when I arrive. Expectations tend to be shattered but I find this valuable in part.
One special moment for example was in a small town in Morocco,I was gifted a pair of military style harem pants by a Muslim fashion designer. We had talked about Islam for a little while one evening when I was browsing his store, and he gave them to me as a way to make sure I didn’t forget that Islam was about kindness and family, not what ISIS or the media portrayed. It was only a $5 item, but it touched me deeply.
One last thing I want to say to all of you is go past all those walls you’ve built inside yourself! There are experiences, people, and love beyond what you can imagine waiting for you on the other side, you just have to take that leap of faith and open yourself to new opportunities!
Thanks Alan, for sharing your story! If you want to follow Alan and his travels, you can find him on Instagram as @Alwill_nothing.
Alan in Paradise Valley
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