About

What's this about?

This is a kayak journey that began summer of 2013 at the Olympic Harbor of Barcelona. The course was left / nord always very very close to the coast. And today, four years later, the journey keeps going.

 
In 2014 something happened! 

An encounter that would change this trip, and also my life. I found on the streets of Alghero (Sardinia) a little furry dog. This dog was called to be my new friend, my new sailor! Nirvana has become a loyal travel partner, and with her, the travels have gained a new dimension.
  
Our daily routine.

This is not an athletic challenge. Actually we try to stop as much as we can, to get to know new places, cultures, and people. You can check the whole route here.

Every night we mount the tent in different places. Usually on the beach, next to the kayak. It's not the same as having a good sofa with a big tv and playstation, but still, it can be pretty comfortable and interesting to live directly by the water on beaches or little creeks. I find it more cosy than I'd thought. Except for the finest sand beaches! This sand is always sticking everywhere!

However, we also do quite a normal living such as going to the bar for good coffee, go to the local markets, go for a walk, and have a beer at the evening with some new friends. 

We sure love traveling / living with this kayak, and we are still thirsty to discover more Mediterranean treasures. So check around every now and then for new updates ;)

 

FAQ

We are lucky to meet so many people interested and curious on this kind of living. And usually a lot of questions pump out. These are the most common:

Where /when did you Start the trip? 
Barcelona 2013

Where /When does it end?  
Still a mistery

How many Kilometers have you navigated so far?
Around 5.000 kms.

Is this your first trip?
No, that's the second big trip. The first one was around the Iberian Peninsula (6 months - 3.600 kms) 

Do you sleep on the beach?
Yes. Every night a different one. I have a rule to myself: do not pay for sleeping. It is not just for saving money, which definitely helps, but also as a challenge to find your way out, and what you learn by doing so. In any case, we get a lot of hospitality from people during the cold periods, and it happens often that we end up sleeping in someone's house, even in a church sometimes, or guest in some nice b&b when it is out of season.

What does your family say?
I guess they are used to it, so it's not a big deal anymore. But I do remember the first steps into solo traveling by kayak, where they would get scared and they would try to convince me to stop doing that. I do hear them regularly on the phone.

How do you eat?
Usually with my mouth ;) No, really, this is a question I get asked dozens of times per day.
I actually have a little kitchen packed inside my front compartment. With a little self made stove (check this video if you want yours!) I get to cook a vast majority of meals with fresh ingredients. Thanks to having enough storage capacity and no weight problems, I can bring good fresh ingredients with me. Supermarkets are actually everywhere. No need to take food for more than 5 days.

How many miles / kilometers do you navigate per day?
Hey, I am not in a rush! :) So I paddle between 10 - 30 kms. I prefer to navigate 4 hours a day stopping a lot along the way. If sea conditions or island hunting reclaims it, I could go for a one day 40 -50 kms long ride. But I try to avoid it as much as possible.

Why are you doing this? Since I was a child I've always wanted to be an Indiana Jones, or some kind of pirate. And this is the closest I got, I guess. Something told me, that solo traveling brings you so many new learning. And I wanted to grow in this sense, to become a stronger and better person.
 
I also want to raise awareness of the importance and urgency in protecting and preserving Nature. Since many years I've felt the lack of logic in nowadays lifestyle. The mass population aren't free with so much propaganda. They easily choose lifestyles offered by multinational companies. So sustainable living is often ignored. It does not make sense. We have the technology to evolve sustainable and peacefully, but we keep ignoring.

For this voyage I'd like to contribute as much as I can with these values. That's why together with Oceana we are rising awareness to protect and preserve the Mediterranean Sea. Find out more here.

Where are you going?
I am just following the coastline. Wherever this one will take me. Next countries on my route: Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, maybe Greece...

Do you fish?
Yeah. Arpon and a fishing line is all I have. 

How much does such journey cost?
Living like this is possible also because I spend so little. No house, no bills, no car, no gasoline...etc. Just food. doing it right would mean you're spending around 200 eur per month. 

You still need money though?
At the beginning I would be working here and there, and try to be as efficient as possible. But then I started collecting nice seashells and working them into necklaces, earrings, rings, and other cool stuff. This is a good way for people I found on the beaches willing to help me, to just do it with an economic contribution. People that want to help from the distance they can also do it. In exchange I will be sending a Happy Postcard to every donor :)

Have you got a GPS?
For navigation I hardly use it, since I'm always near the coast, and any island crossing is near enough to see it. In case of emergency I would activate a gelocated alarm that should save us.


Do you also travel in winter?
The first winter I did. And it is not that bad. The Mediterranean Sea gives us many sunny days with good conditions. The coast and the sea are soooo calm. The opposite of the summer stress. But now I prefer to use it as a break to get somethings together, and spend some time back in Barcelona with my family. 

How do you charge your phone?
We get to a bar, and try to connect the phone. If it happens that there is no civilization for a long time (not common) I would use a solar battery, which does help me out.

That lifestyle is not for me, I could not do it!
That's ok. 


Now you can follow us in these following social media: