As my friend once said:
’’Humans are little dipshits, and it is my responsibility to try to understand them because I am one of them”.
Hello! My name is Layla. I am 29 years old and I am from Georgia, a small country in the Caucasus.
I was born and raised in the capital Tbilisi, where I spent most years of my life.
Four and a half years ago I made a decision which changed the course of my life to a point of no return. I left the country with only 500$ in my pocket, that finished within a month, two backpacks, no bank account, no safety net and no intention of ever going back.
In the beginning of my journey it was not clear to me what it was I was doing and for what purpose. But sometimes knowing what you want is not essential. Knowing what is it you don’t want is already a good start. And with time, of course, as I gained experiences, the journey acquired new shape and form.
What Was I Doing Before I Left
I was studying at the university, faculty of animal sciences. In the meantime, in order to afford paying for my studies and have a decent life I worked as a customer service representative at a call centre. I had a few friends and owned a cat.
Paying bills and taxes, having a bank account and health insurance were an integral part of my rather conventional life. There were occasional night outs with friends and colleagues, short and long-term partners.
And I could not possibly imagine my life with no money.
Jolly good time, if you ask me.
And then covid happened…
And then covid took over the entire world, a deadly merciless virus, as they said. Our governments forced us to wave goodbye to our normal lives and lock ourselves in our houses and apartments.
Although, I perceive that period as rather depressing, the first year of the pandemic is of an utmost significance to me.
Right before it all started I met a wandering traveller who caught my attention instantly. I heard that he had been travelling by then for three years with no phone and no money, and soon after I met him personally.
Thus, I had an opportunity to hear his stories first hand. And he happened to be a fantastic storyteller! His ability to give a detailed account of the events, to deliver general mood that prevailed in the story, to accentuate the importance of each participant and to masterfully articulate his emotional and intellectual experience – was a truly fascinating process for me.
My imagination ran wild and this was when my trouble started – I began to dream!
I noticed that whenever I felt particularly low, I imagined myself in the parts of the world I have never been to. Suddenly, all once seamless activities, such as going to work, studying, socializing, became burdensome to me.
I wanted to rid myself of all these trivialities and to lead a totally different life. No matter what the outcome of such life would be.
I Made the Decision
Towards the beginning of 2021 an idea was born that perhaps we both could leave Georgia and travel together for a period of time.
In practical terms leaving Georgia meant that I had to finish my studies, quit my job, give away all my belongings, including my cat and say goodbye to people I considered friends at the time.
But most importantly it meant instability, uncertainty, having to meet, talk and stay with strangers on daily basis. Long hikes, long waiting times by the side of the road, mental and physical exhaustion.
The prospect of leaving my stable and comfortable life, and travel with no money was terrifying. The month before leaving I felt continuously anxious. I had trouble sleeping, felt depressed, and for the first time in my life had a panic attack. The thought of stepping into the unknown was unbearable.
But already by then I knew that I could not continue as I did before.
”Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!”
In The Beginning
At first moving around was still not easy, due to covid restrictions. Travelling itself was quite tiresome as well, for people were still afraid.
We travelled around Turkey for about a month. This is where essentially we spent all the money. Then transited Bulgaria and arrived in Serbia with no money at all. We stayed in there for about nine months. Mainly because the atmosphere concerning covid was far more relaxed in this country. And we both found it refreshing.
But, all in all, I would characterize the period we spent in Serbia as rather miserable. We had no money, ate very little food, we volunteered at the hostels where conditions mostly were far from optimal. The world still seemed to be tipsy after the shockwave it had received just a year ago.
But fortunes change. Denmark was the first European country to lift all the restrictions, and it became our desired destination.
After Serbia we travelled some more around the Balkans, then moved to central Europe, the Scandinavian countries, and so on.
First one and a half years of my journey I spent in and out of Europe. During that period I visited most countries on the continent, won a race (between the two of us) to the North Cape, made an attempt of finding a sailing boat to cross the Atlantic Ocean and reach the Caribbean.
Since I Left
I have been to slightly over 50 countries in this period of time. Many of them I had visited more than three times. I was able to pick up some Spanish, Norwegian and gain understanding of Serbian to a point when I can have a basic conversation with a person.
I have, of course, visited Georgia on number of occasions for different reasons. But I am just as much of a stranger there, as I am in any other country.
Most importantly, since I left I am able to observe the progress that I have made throughout these years. I have learnt of numerous ways how one can survive with no money. I can also clearly see that I have become more resourceful, sturdy, creative, and less arrogant and foolish.
What Is This Blog About?
One important idea I learnt during my journey is that our world is swarming with endless possibilities. And it takes some effort to become an individual who is able to seize these possibilities.
It is not a classic travel blog, where reader can find all the tips and information about cheap flights, hotels, places where to eat and so on.
On the contrary, it is a travel blog the purpose of which is to inspire to be more individualistic and less of a grey mass; not to settle for socially accepted convenient ways; to look for other possibilities; to learn how to be uncomfortable; and to ask questions.
Ultimately, this is the only way to progress!