april 14th, 2025 – Day 14 – 717 km
—I want to preface this post by saying that, so far, everything has been more beautiful and loving than I ever imagined. And, yes, I’m aware that I’m still in the honeymoon phase of this trip. And, yes, I know that my hopelessly romantic nature has me viewing the world through rose-tinted glasses. But please, allow me to—
It’s been nearly two weeks since I set out on this journey, and after having a little break in Stuttgart, I thought it’d be good to reflect back on April 1st—a day filled with an amazing lunch, heartfelt goodbyes, and some tears as well. But more importantly, it marked the beginning of embracing the unknown.
In the lead-up to my journey, a lot of people had a lot of questions —which is entirely understandable. However, a lot of the same questions arose which, just, felt.. off? They all seemed to be rooted in fear.
“But what if you get lonely?”, “But what if you don’t like it?”, “But what if your bike breaks down?”, “But what if your bike gets stolen?”, “But what if you get robbed?”, “But what if someone takes you hostage?”
I get it, kind of. But.. what if..
What if I never allow myself to experience people, kindness, cultures, food, stories, … What if I never let myself be humbled by nature, the weather, or life in general? What if I never step out of my comfort zone to truly understand how good my life has been up to my ripe age of 33?
I deeply believe that many of these fear-driven questions are a byproduct of our current media climate, where the unknown is often portrayed as dangerous, and we’re encouraged to be afraid.
Let me give you an example to further illustrate my point. The last headline I read stated: “1 person killed in horrific bus crash.” And while I do acknowledge that it’s tragic, and I wouldn’t wish such a loss upon anyone, but the headline could’ve also read: “Modern safety equipment saves 49 lives in horrific bus crash.” —except, the media deliberately chooses not to. They choose fear instead. Why?
Because. fear. simply. sells. better.
I can’t and won’t tell anyone how to live their lives. But I want to share that since I stopped consuming media a few years ago, I’ve found much more peace in my life. I worry less and experience more. I truly believe that by not allowing this negativity into my life, I’ve approached this trip with less prejudice.
And yes, I’m completely aware that bad people do exist, and I would be genuinely terrified if I were to get robbed —then again, I’m also terrified of being in the woods all by myself, which I almost do daily now. So there’s that. — but I have yet to experience any wrongdoings. Because up until this point, previous travels included, I have only been met with smiles, kindheartedness, compassion and hospitality.
I’ve been given candy bars, invited into homes, offered showers, shared meals, and welcomed at breakfast tables with hot coffee —simply because the night was cold, and they knew I was sleeping in a tent. Heck, I was even given the keys to Raman’s home, simply because he would be home late and wanted to provide for me. It’s easy to forget, but people do look out for people, regardless of what we’re told.
I’m not entirely sure why I’m writing this. Maybe I just needed to vent. Maybe it’s because, up until now, I’ve only experienced the beauty in people. I dont know. Take this post as you will, but at least it’s off my chest.
So, I don’t know. Fuck the media and its message of fear. Go outside, experience the world, talk to people, listen to their stories, buy a coffee, and allow yourself to feel fucking amazing. You’re doing great. Just never forget to love life.
