You may know Marcel from the travel blog El Mundo, where he shares his experiences, inspiration, and practical information with his readers, as well as interviews with other travelers. And since he is heading off on another adventure soon, we found out what he has planned and what he cannot do without on his travels.
Travel has become such a passion for you that you started a blog about it. Do your notes serve primarily as inspiration for others, or are they a form of travel diary for your own needs?
It is probably 50/50. I am happy when a beginner traveler reads the blog and gets inspired or plans their trip based on my blog. I write for pleasure, and it is interesting to read my own stories years later.
You are currently planning to go somewhere again. Can you tell us when and where, and how this trip will be different from the previous ones?
Right at the beginning of 2018, I am flying to Lima, Peru, and from there I will set off on a three-month journey of nearly 5,000 km to the south of the continent. It will be different in that it will be my longest and most daring one. I will undertake it alone, using all possible means of transport. I am really looking forward to Patagonia, which I want to cross by bike, and also to conquering high Andean mountains and volcanoes. Besides that, I want to write a book about traveling during the trip.
A long journey requires thorough planning. How long do you prepare for it, and what does such preparation entail?
Honestly, the older I get, the more I prepare. 7 years ago, I left to work in Florida during summer break. After a few days, a friend from Alaska called me to come work with them. I grabbed my passport and the next day I was shivering in a swimsuit and a t-shirt at the airport in Anchorage. I have been preparing for my three-month trip to South America for almost a year. It all started with a request for unpaid leave, booking a flight, vaccinations, buying equipment, from a sleeping bag to water purification tablets. My backpack is only 60 liters, and stuffing everything I need into it will be truly challenging.
Is there something you would never leave without?
Before leaving, I always check if I have my passport, phone, and payment cards. Everything else can be bought anywhere. Besides that, I always take my travel shirt, which travels everywhere with me.
When did you actually realize that traveling is what fulfills you?
Probably during my first trip to Peru 5 years ago. Until then, I had only traveled around Europe and spent a year in the USA on an internship. However, Peru was probably a "life-changing experience". Suddenly I felt how different our Western world is and that normality is very relative. We only have one life, and most of us chase things we don't even need or only own for social status. Traveling personally gives me a huge sense of freedom. I have my whole life in my backpack, and yet I lack nothing.
What travel experience has been the most intense for you so far?
It is hard to say which was the most intense. It was probably the experiences where I feared for my life. In Burma, we had a motorcycle accident. Our taxi driver missed a turn, and we flew straight into a concrete wall. In those seconds, my whole life flashed before my eyes. I have beautiful memories of Costa Rica, where you visited me, Peter from Slovakia, who built a house in the treetops. We spent three days with him in the Costa Rican jungle listening to his life stories. A powerful experience was swimming with nurse sharks. Our pirate threw a piece of meat into the water, and when the sharks didn't react, he just said they were full and it was safe.
Besides enjoying travel, you also do paid consulting. Is it possible to get rich, or at least make a living, in this day and age when all information is available for free on the internet?
There are travelers who make a living from consulting and a few foreign bloggers who have become rich through their blogs. My consulting is mainly used by friends and acquaintances, from whom I naturally take nothing. The biggest income comes from writing and publishing commercial articles.
Your motto "Travel more, buy less" speaks to your fondness for minimalism. We agree that experiences are more valuable than material things. However, do you think it is necessary to travel halfway across the globe for them? Shouldn't people rather learn to enjoy everyday little things and enjoy the beauty of nature in their surroundings? After all, the Slovak mountains are so beautiful...
I completely agree. One should enjoy the little things, and I remind myself of that every day. I come from Liptov, and I have great respect for the Slovak mountains. That is why I spend several weeks in the Tatras every year. I have always been fascinated by distances, nature, and high mountains. South America is my favorite mainly because of the culture, nature, and Spanish, which I really like. Patagonia, where I am heading, has been my big dream since I was a child, and I think now is the right time to fulfill this dream.
Thank you for your time and willingness, and I wish you a safe journey!
Would you appreciate inspiration for gifts that adventurers in body and soul will definitely appreciate? We equipped Marcel for his journey with a Nalgene bottle and proven Deuter brand accessories.
