Advertisement
Published: January 3rd 2017
Edit Blog Post
After visiting 38 countries and flying aboard 20 different airlines, I’ve already been back in Curaçao for a bit more than a year now. I arrived exactly on my birthday in December 2015. Time flies! It was really nice to see family, friends and acquaintances again after 2.5 years. Within my first week on the island I was interviewed live on TV and at a radio-station, and later on also by a newspaper. Sometimes I’ve been stopped by random people on the street asking “are you the guy who travels around?” Most of them have been following me through the newspaper Amigoe, for whom I’ve been writing reports of my adventures since June 2013. I got only compliments for what I did and they all encourage me to keep traveling. People liked the Curaçao t-shirts I used to wear very much and they always mention how cool that is.
During those 2.5 years abroad I’ve seen so many things, experienced a lot, seen many landscapes, experienced cultures, made new friends,tried other food, learned a lot…words cannot describe this incredible experience and as long as I’m in good health and able to afford it, I will continue to travel! I
really want to encourage everyone, especially people from our islands, to travel as much as you can. Some are afraid; just dare to take the first step and overcome that fear. I promise you’re going to love it! It doesn’t have to be the way I did it because that’s not for everyone. Make travelling your goal, work and save for it. Go explore the world, expand your horizons, step out of your comfort zone and go for it! Travelling is the best thing I could do with my money. Luxury and material possession are nice for some time, but travel-experiences last forever! The experience with the tribes in Ethiopia was, without a doubt, the highlight of my trip. Other highlights were the Aurora Borealis (northern lights) in Iceland, the Elmina Castle in Ghana, floating on the Dead Sea in Israel, visiting the ruins of Petra in Jordan, the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan and Varanasi in India.
It was hard being back in Curaçao in the beginning. I obviously missed traveling: the absolute freedom of wandering around like a nomad. I didn’t have a car in the beginning but within three months I was able to buy one.
Then I slowly starting to get used being back and I could do my own things. I went to climb Mt. Christoffel again, the highest hill in Curaçao. I also went often to the beach and participated in the Carnival Parade too. I often still think a lot about traveling, at the same time I also think about the future. What now? What’s next? There are places several left on earth that I would like to visit one day. My list consists of around 30 countries I would love to visit one day and if I ever make it, it would be around 100 countries I’ve ever visited (count is at 71 right now).
Friends and acquaintances often asked me: “How long are you here for?” “Are you going to travel again?” I’ll stay on the island for now. Within a month after arriving, I found a part-time job at school and at a foundation, and also an on-call job in tourism. I like that variation because I hate routine. Travel is my passion and it keeps constantly itching. I wouldn’t want to do such a long trip again but I’d love to make a journey of a couple
of months through Latin America one day. I’d love to do such a trip with the help from sponsors but in Curaçao it’s not easy to get such things if you don’t have the right connections. I would show people from our islands what there is to see and do in our own region. I’d be doing this while I keep promoting Curaçao by wearing my Curaçao t-shirts, putting Curaçao stickers on walls at bars and hostels, tell interested people about my island by showing them videos and pictures.
The most important thing for me is (and I always say it), that I have food to eat every day and I have a roof above my head; and that I’m able to do the things that I like. Life is short and we only live once. I really want to thank everyone who showed me support and it makes me feel good that others also learned a lot through my blogs. I will continue to write blogs; the next ones will be about two trips I made during 2016 from the island. Since more than a year ago I’ve been on Instagram, posting several older and newer (travel-) pictures.
Feel free to check it out: “elttravel” .( https://www.instagram.com/elttravel/ )
A Happy and Blessed New Year for everyone, all the best for 2017 and may all your good wishes become true!!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.129s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 11; qc: 31; dbt: 0.0993s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Narda
non-member comment
Gelukkig nieuwjaar!
Leuk om te lezen hoe het met je gaat en hoe je terugblikt op je reizen. Veel succes met al je toekomstige plannen! Maak er een topjaar van!