“You must had got a big sponsor? You must have made a lot of money in your other projects? Why should people pay for your dreams to explore the world? Normal people work, save money and then travel. How can you call yourself a nomad and still afford travelling in Europe? If you are a nomad then you should be in places where you can afford to be and work for it, like India.”
These are the questions and assumptions I have been receiving from some friends and followers of my travels since I been in Europe with a new travel project. So let me help clear up some of the assumptions we have on others and share a little of the way I live as a nomad.
I don’t really wish to justify my life to anyone but I hope this helps all of us understand a little more of what I do.
No. I do not have a big sponsors. I do not make money on my social projects, as everything that was raised is spent in that time of the projects and completion. And YES I am not as normal as others.
Exploring Europe and West Africa has always been my dream and passion, and yes I could never afford it. As my first worry was always the cost of travel, food and accommodation. But as time went on, as I grew stronger in my experiences as an explorer, that fear went away too.
I waited for the right time, purpose and moment to get here, which took me six years to realise. Six years of my life being a nomad and an explorer in Asia, finally got me into Europe and next Africa.
I work daily, write, photograph, in hopes to find sponsors and funds. That is my reality too. As always, I live a very basic simple life. I prefer to eat simple food, I share meals with friends, we cook what we can afford. I choose to live with friends here and those who can host me, to give me shelter. In lives of travellers, we share what we have. I walk everywhere, for hours at times and I take buses when it’s needed.
I don’t spend money in cafes, hotels, shopping, consuming anything more that just for my survival as a traveller. I keep what I have to last me as long as I can. Every cent matters to me as a tool for me to keep going.
I did not want that to stop me from exploring new lands and cultures. I followed my intuition to be here, it was time. I am not fearful on things which are not in my control.
I did not want to just wait till it’s too late for me. I wanted to also leave my comfort zone and take this risk, so I can discover more about life, learn more about this path, new cultures and meet new souls. So I could document different cultures, share their stories and live my passion as a photographer.
So what do I do to earn a living on the road?
My life path now is as an traveller, writer and photographer, a storyteller as many call me. I have accepted that and believed in the universe that it is my purpose today. I don’t expect all of you to understand this path of life but it is my reality today. This is what I do for a living. I explore. I share. I create ideas to support marginalised communities.
For this travel mission, I created an idea to raise funds while I am on the move here, maybe you have seen or read, the project Voyage Of Light. I am currently crowdfunding my travels, I am also selling some prints to raise funds and partners who wish to use my images pay me a fees too.
Money is a tool of exchange, at times I’m invited for talks and to share my experiences. I teach and I guide too, it’s donation based. Sometimes I receive contributions from my readers, supporters and well-wishes too. Maybe soon I’ll create some photo-books of my life experiences. I am living week by week here in Europe, I don’t know how I will make it for two years but I am not thinking about that.
I will figure that out as I go, somehow answers always come. I work everyday for 5 to 8 hours, to make this happen and for you to see that I am here on a new travel mission.
I decided to explore two years of my life into these countries of the world and new continents, heading into unknown spaces, working with societies, aiding projects and learning new cultures. It is not a touristic way of life, but living as a documentary photographer.
Even when it means being hungry at times, uncomfortable or in pain. My backpacks are not light, my travels are not always easy, at times hours on the road. This is life to me, and I am blessed to be able to live it.
Why do I do this? So I could learn more, be in the idea of explorations, share moments and someday share this in my books, photo-books, exhibitions and talks. In hopes to inspire more. The knowledge I gain here will be invaluable. With what little I have left, I decided to just take a leap of faith, book my flight ticket and get here. I don’t know what it will be, I don’t know how I will do this, but I know and I believe in the universe. It always guides me.
My knowing in my path is all I need. Not to worry about money or societies understanding in what life should be. What I should be, but where I wish to be. I choose to be here, as I felt it’s my calling, my time to be in this spaces, to explore this part of the world. I have no other reason, excuses or explanation that ‘normal’ people have. I know I am not as normal as others.
Let me now ask you this question? If you think my life is so easy or glamorous that I can travel around the world, with not ‘working’ or doing anything that you feel is a ‘job’, then why not you do it too? Leave your comfort zone, sell all your belongings, leave your loved once and go explore for years. Would you?
I have choose this way of life as my path, I wish to show you that dreams, ideas and passions can come true. We are capable of anything. I wish to share the lives of others and create a documentary about the truth of life journeys.
I hope to share it with more and we all can find a little explorer in our spirit and heart. I wish you to support my passion for travel and share the love of journeys. So we can learn and awaken more. I hope with this new project ‘Voyage Of Light‘ it will shed light on different cultures, social issues, lives of others I meet and social projects we create along the way.
In the end to put all this into a photographic documentary or a book. Unplanned as usual but with a purpose of an adventure. I hope this will help more see a new reality of life, not to be in a rat race for money or profits but to share it to make ideas and dreams come true.
To trust and to share the passion of life. At the same time, sharing a little light, that we have a choice, we can dream about anything, and we can share this dreams with others.
Voyage Of Light | Exploring the Unknown
