So, the longest year of my life is finally ending!
This 2012 has been a great one , not only for the kilometers wandered, but also for the wonder and excitement that has been part of my daily life for 365 days.
It was the 2nd of January when I found the ad by Garry and my life perspective changed forever.
I have been waiting now for almost 365 days, I quitted my job in Amsterdam, left my house and said goodbye to my friends. I have spent every single day of my 2012 talking and dreaming about Africa, planning and preparing everything, in order to organize my departure and let the dream begin and come true.
I answered to many repeated questions all year and I can truly admit I still can’t believe that the dream is starting in just 5 days.
On the 4th I will fly back to Iceland, where I am going to stay for a couple of days trying to hunt the Northern Lights once more and meet my travel mates before the departures.
Then next Monday, in 7 days, the truck of Vikings Across Africa will leave Reykjavik heading East, destination the Far Oer Islands. In one week I will already be living he dream, or maybe I am doing it already, without even being fully aware of this.
My 2012 has also been the year of my dream trip to Argentina and Patagonia, travelling alone for 20 days through some of the most beautiful landscapes ever seen in my life.
On April 8th I arrived to Buenos Aires and met my Argentinian family for the first time in
my life. The welcomed me as someone they new since ever it was beautiful to meet all of them, spend time with them and create a link that hopefully will last forever.
Argentina amazed me for its people, their kindess, the latin atmosphere and the beauty of its surrounding. And then there was Patagonia, that simply stole my heart forever. It was the 20th of April 2012 when I arrived to Ushuaia, the World’s End, the Suthermost place of the Planet, and I think I will never forget my emotions the moment I saw the name of Ushuaia on the wooden pillars at the entrance of the town, the night I arrived there. It was dark and it was snowy, and when I got off the bus, I think it was the happiest moment of my travel life, not only for the beauty of the place, but more for the meaning of that destination, for the conquer, for the freedom of my spirit and the awareness of my personal and psychological strength. It was one of my life milestone, a day and a 1st impression to remember forever.
When I disovered the Africa expedition, I thought to cancel the trip to Argentina, in order to spare money for it. I thought about it for long time, but at the end I couldn’t cancel it, not this time. It was ages I was trying to go to South America, reaching Ushuaia had been my dream for ages and now that I was so close to get it I couldn’t renounce. It was wise and I am happy I decided to pursue it. When I came back from Argentina I was finally sure of my future choice, I managed to admit who I am and what I want in life. I understood I am a traveler, a wanderer, and I am made to move, to travel the world, it’s my nature. I finally understood I don’t want and don’t care to be or become a manager, to sit on a chair in a office and pretend to be happy with the others. The only way to be happy for me is to be on the road, to be free to follow my nature. I don’t want to pursue richness, nor comfort, I just want to see as much as I can, and would never change that feeling of exploration and discover, of richness and growth that I feel when I travel, with anything, especially not money.
This 2012 was a year of transition, a year necessary to evolve and become aware of my true self, before pursuing my dream.
Now the wish for this 2013 is to be as adventurous and amazing as it promises. It’s the year of Mother Africa, let it just begin.
Happy 2013 Everyone!