This one might be kind of obvious, but I guess I’m hooked to traveling. That is the way I was raised and that is how I will raise my kids in the future. You’d be surprised how many countries we had visited with my mom before I was even 5 years old. I count my travel time as a transision between different phases of my life, never looking on it as wasted.
Most of my primary school, I’ve spent following my parents follow their dreams who soon enough became mine. In a really good way. They have fallen in love with the mountains and adapting the same lifestyle, even after they would have kids is kind of amazing. I would be doing my school homework from the base camp under Fitz Roy or on the ferry to Sardinia. Plane travel used to be my favorite! (Not a big fan of flying anymore because all I want to do now is sleep, but it was a thing for me, back in a day!)
I remember, if we would be gone for a couple months, I’d always do my school work in the first couple of days and later enjoy the sweet vacation in the middle of nowhere. And watch my brother struggling the last couple of days before returning to school.
I don’t think there was anything wrong the way my mom decided we would do school. In fact, I see myself getting a better education than my classmates since I’ve turned into a very social person who knows a lot about relationships, communication, and different cultures.
The first year of high school that I attended was at a local school in Slovenia. But after 2 months our family made a decision of going to Argentina for a half a year and I came back just before the end.
My journey took a big turn at that point when I started to realize Slovenia is not my best fit, nor it will ever be, in the near future. I found myself being very different from the people my age. Maybe it was the way I grew up… or the fact that I had been a little more mature… who knows!
That is how I ended up moving to BC, Canada. Enrolling in grade 11 there was one of the biggest shifts of my life. Everything changed, but since the young age – I had the ability to adapt to the new situation pretty well.
As interesting as learning was, the mountains were more! I skipped math for snowboarding and hanging out at the skate park. Weekends would be spent sneaking in Tofino to catch some waves. And early Monday rises hiking something in the local area. In my senior year, I’ve already accepted the fact that I’m not going back to school. I took some online classes at the beginning and graduated earlier. I’ve spent my whole 2016/2017 winter having the best ski season of my life.
It’s funny where life would take me when I told myself that I can have anything I want and go places I want to go, as long as I work hard for it! I have been working and hustling on making money since the early ages. My parents were very supportive, but traveling was my thing, so were all the sports that I wanted to do. Which is why I had to work for that. Looking back – that was the reason why I much appreciated everything life has gifted me, every day. From waking up in a beautiful paradise to having the ability to ski the best powder in the world, having the world-class granite climbs in my backyard and still going for a bike ride in the evening.
I never looked back. My stubborn attitude and focused mind led me to amazing places that taught my lessons of a lifetime.
I make my living booking photography shots with different clients, earning money through affiliate programs, working for this amazing company called Beemiles, selling my presets and making commisions with paid collaborations through my Instagram. I still work like crazy every day, but I love what I do so there’s never a “bad time at the office” for me and every day is different. That is what keeps my life interesting for me… Fun projects, different ideas, and hard work, while enjoying the beautiful landscapes, the mountains, snow, and waves…
There are lots of ways to explore the world and learn about the hidden treasures of the earth, pick the one that suits you the most! Travel often, it’s good for the mind, body & soul.
Whether you prefer to visit hotels and treat yourself with massages and spa treatments, or you want to hitchhike the world and live out of your backpack, do a little solo action or have the best weekend out with your squad… You can have it all.
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SUSTAINABLE PACKING
Our care for the planet does not end when we hope on the plane and leave our safe, eco-friendly neighborhood behind for a couple of weeks. Making my way around South-East Asia for the last couple of year has really opened my mind what destroying a beautiful paradise means. How are we, as travelers supposed to enjoy the light blue water and sandy beaches when they’re full of trash?! I was absolutely disgusted by the amount of trash in the water in popular locations like Bali, Philipines or Thailand. Grossed out.
It began to feel like for every piece of natural beauty and scenery we take in, there was the same number of encounters with poverty, pollution, and filth. Abandoned landfills left overfilled and overflowing sweating in the hot sun beneath hundred-year-old coconut treats and aqua blue skies.
Mounds of washed up plastic, non-biodegradable trash, and discarded manmade supplies piled higher than most local houses.
Laughing children playing games in nearby rivers and streams as trash bags and plastic bottles sailed unnoticed among them. It was so difficult to see with my own eyes. These countries are being bombarded with hundreds of thousands of new tourists each year at the cost of their only remaining natural beauty. A majority of this pollution being discarded shoes, sandals, toothbrushes, plastic cutlery, water bottles, water bottle caps, children’s toys, product packaging, microplastics, and fishing supplies.
There is a lot we can do. Maybe more than you think?
– Bring your own reusable water bottle! Even though tap water isn’t drinkable in most of the third world countries, you’ll still find lots of options to avoid buying plastic water bottles! Most of the hostel, villas, and stay will provide you with drinkable water and all you have to do is fill it up before you go adventuring.
– Eat and pack close to nature. Make the most of your stay and shop at locals markets! It’s a luxury to eat the best mango in the world in Bali (since I know that back home we only have the 7$ flavorless ones). Bring a reusable bag while going shop and say NO to the plastic ones that you’re offered.
– Pack light. It saves whatever transport mode you use, and yourself a ton of energy. Pack purposefully for the destination you’re traveling to. What do you really need?
– Support the small entrepreneurs and go against mass consumerism. We live in a demand-driven society. Help the good brands, without lobbying power and big advertisement budgets, to climb up the ladder. Demand plastic free and toxic free where you can. This way you say no to oil drilling, carbon emissions, and yes to a cleaner way of life.
– If you buy toiletries, buy in bulk to minimize package materials.
I love the sunscreen brand, called SuntribeSuncreen. Plastic-free and organic sun paste has been protecting my water adventures, for quite a while now! Their most popular product is the face zinc paste and the most recent one, that they have recently launched is the full body protection!
Right now, more than ever – is important to stop and think where we shop for our everyday products.
How do we affect the planet, the wildlife, and the people around us?
Are we, by buying that product supporting the eco-sustainability of our home and protecting our oceans?
Are we minimizing the plastic waste or making the issue bigger?
Definitely, something to think about, before purchasing our daily items. I’ve taken this from Suntribe website, I love their mission;
Every year, 14 000 tons of sunscreen is washed into the ocean from swimmers, leading to widespread destruction of marine life. 10% of the world’s coral reefs are threatened by bleaching caused by the most commonly used chemical UV-filter, Oxybenzone.
To counter the problem, at Suntribe we scientifically validate our sunscreens to be 100% safe for marine life. We are also proud to be partnering with Nordic Ocean Watch and Sea Going Green – two organizations determined to rescue our oceans and have a positive impact on this world.
CHEAPER WAYS TO GET AROUND
I don’t think I remember ever paying a full on actual price for a plane ticket, a hotel stay or a night out! When it comes to seeing the world, I’m probably the master of cheap traveling. There are numerous websites that will help you book the best prices on the market. Here are just a few:
ACCOMMODATION
- AIRBNB – A classic website, offering different types of homes, from the business type of traveling to backpackers and long-term accommodations. This link gives you a sweet discount on your next adventure!
- BOOKING.COM – Browse millions of hotels, hostels, villas, and homestays around the world!
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FLIGHTS
When it comes to me booking my flights, I usually start browsing a couple of weeks before I actually intend on doing it. Why? Because the prices may vary so much that you don’t even know. I once booked a flight to Argentina for less than 400$ and the same flight – a day after almost tripled its price. Our search engines work in a way that they’d remember your browsing and come up with different discounted prices every time you search. I recommend looking at my top 3 websites bellow and sticking to my tips. That will get you the best travel deals.
PHOTOS
Whoever knows me well, knows good that I love capturing moments in tropical places. The light blue water, palm trees, and secret lagoons… nothing better than that. Which is exactly why I created a course on how to take amazing photos in tropical places. The good news is, that is for FREE.
YES COUNT ME IN
Do you love to explore? Let me know how and where! Let’s connect. Follow my daily life on Instagram.
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