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I thought of writing another post before starting the trip to share how the preparation has been going.

From the moment I made the decision to go on this journey (sometime last year), I've been thinking of all the things that I need to take care of. In the beginning, it felt overwhelming – deciding when to leave my job, when to leave Hungary, putting some belongings up for sale, and finding organisations to which I could donate some of my clothes. Every time I move from one place to another, I always get rid of many things – stuff that I believe I don't really need because I don't use it very often, so it's not worth carrying with me. Apart from these more important short-term decisions, I also had to start thinking of my planned trip.

For me, the most effective way to deal with this feeling is to stay organised. So, I started taking notes on everything I would need to take care of. An Excel file is usually my go-to tool, as I got so used to using one due to the types of jobs I mostly had.

Then, for each topic, I started doing a lot of research – flights, visas, travel insurance, water bottles (with or without a filter), proper clothes to take, volunteering experiences, places to visit, internet options, bank cards and cash to take, shoes to bring (buy new ones vs. take old ones; waterproof for the monsoons or lighter shoes because of the heat)... just to name a few. There were many decisions to make, and the more I researched, the more questions I had.

Now that the departure date is so close, most of these things are figured out, but I just wanted to give you an idea of what preparing for such a trip involves... at least for me. :) And because it's the first time I'm doing a trip like this, a lot of these things are new to me, so they take more time. The closest experience I've had to this was doing the "Camino de Santiago". I've done a few different routes already, but the French Way was the longest one and also the most rewarding – I walked for 33 consecutive days. I absolutely loved the experience, but I'm fully aware that it won't have much in common with the journey I'm about to embark on. It did give me an idea of how to pack minimally and sleep in not-so-luxurious places, but travelling on a very well-marked road in Spain is not the same as travelling in the countries I'm going to visit.

By the time I'm writing, there are just a few small things I'd like to buy and to take care of, but nothing overwhelming anymore. Just counting the days to start this journey. :)

Comments

  1. Anonymous22 March 2025 at 18:31

    O teu blog está incrível, Rui — sincero, inspirador e cheio de coragem! A forma como contas a tua história mostra não só o teu lado aventureiro, mas também uma vontade profunda de viver com propósito. É inspirador ver ver alguém que ouve o coração mesmo quando a mente (ou a sociedade) pede “segurança”, alguém próximo...

    Parabéns pela tua escrita que flui com autenticidade, e isso faz com que qualquer pessoa que leia se sinta contigo nessa jornada, e eu estou contigo. A tua primeira publicação, em especial, tem o poder de gerar identificação com quem também sente esse desconforto no “caminho tradicional” da vida.
    Continua a seguir essa voz interior com a mesma coragem e verdade com que tens caminhado até agora. Que cada passo fora da zona de conforto seja um portal para descobrires mais de ti, do teu mundo do nosso mundo e do que realmente importa. Tens dentro de ti tudo o que precisas para viver esta aventura com plenitude. Que o desconhecido te abrace com beleza e te devolva ainda mais leveza, sabedoria e muito amor. Força, Rui - que a vida te surpreenda da melhor maneira!
    Daniel da Ju

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