Travel has always been in my blood, which explains why I feel a constant need to be on the move.
The Slovakia Chapter: How It All Started
I was born in Italy. When I was just one year old, my mom brought me illegally to Slovakia to live with my grandparents for four years. Back then, the border was still closed and I didn’t have a passport, so she snuck me across in my grandpa’s truck, hoping I wouldn’t cry during the police check. Luckily, I stayed quiet, and that is how I officially moved to Slovakia for a little while.
Growing up, I spent every summer there. Because my grandpa was a truck driver, I vividly remember how much I loved going on road trips with him to Hungary and Lake Balaton—sleeping in the little bunk bed in the truck was the best part. That is probably where my love for travel really began.
Egypt: The First Culture Shock
The first time I experienced true culture shock was at age nine, when I went on holiday to Egypt with my aunt. I remember the strong smell of spices in the local markets, and I also witnessed how differently women are treated. For the first time, I understood that women have to be much more careful than men in certain countries. On top of that, the catcalling in Egypt was on a whole new level.
The Dominican Republic: High Expectations
When I was 16, I went to the Dominican Republic with my family—a trip I had dreamed of for a long time. I remember the excitement vividly, though it was also my first lesson in how high expectations can be a double-edged sword. In my mind, I pictured crystal-clear Caribbean waters while listening to Bob Marley by the sea. Instead, a hurricane had hit two weeks prior, ruining the beach, and the water was too rough and brown to swim in. Plus, it turns out they don't even listen to reggae music in Santo Domingo. 😅
Paris: Disappointment
By 17, I learned that media portrayals aren't always the truth. I went to Paris—my dream city, the place I thought I would one day move to. I imagined a stunning, romantic escape, but the reality was far from it: homeless people everywhere and open drug use on the streets. To this day, it is still the least romantic city I have ever visited.
Spain: Don’t Travel with Friends
After graduating high school, I went on a summer trip to Málaga, Spain, with an old school friend. That is when I learned that travelling with a friend can either bring you closer or drive you apart. It turned out we had completely different travel styles. I didn’t like any of her ideas, and we ended up fighting all the time. She was focused on partying and meeting guys, which felt like an old chapter for me. That was the last holiday we spent together.
Switzerland: Learning Independence
At 20 years old, just after finishing a winter work season in a hotel in Switzerland, I wondered what to do next. While there, listening to the stories of people who had already travelled extensively was so inspiring. That is when the itch to travel truly started. I hadn’t started travelling yet because I was still too heavily influenced by my parents' opinions—meaning always working and never wasting money on travel. It turned out I ended up doing the exact opposite.
Fuerteventura: The First Taste of Freedom
I remember vividly telling my mom I wanted to travel so badly, but she was judgmental and neither understood nor approved. So I went anyway, without telling her. I took my first solo trip to Fuerteventura in 2018, and that is when I finally stepped out of my comfort zone, met a bunch of new people, and tried surfing for the first time—a dream I had held for a while.
That same year (of course, without telling anyone), I travelled to the Azores and Madeira by myself, and I absolutely loved it. The sense of freedom and independence became addictive, and that is when I knew I wouldn’t go back to studying. Instead, I preferred working so I could save money and do what I wanted with it.
Norway: The Crazy Idea to Move to the Arctic
In 2019, after a few bad experiences in the hotel industry—mostly due to toxic workplace atmospheres and shifty contracts—I decided I was done working in South Tyrol (where I am from) and ready to leave Italy. A year earlier, I had randomly seen a job posting for a tour guide in Norway. I did some research and applied to a few places. My dream was to work as a guide in the Lofoten Islands, where they weren't hiring at the time. However, the same company I initially reached out to recommended I apply for the North Cape.
That is how I ended up guiding for five years at Europe’s northernmost point, and I loved it! Living in the Arctic isn't always easy given the harsh weather, extreme seasons, and remoteness. Yet one of the best perks is the freedom it gives you to travel wherever and whenever you want, because not many people return to the Arctic. Living in such a remote place also kept my expenses low, allowing me to save a lot of money and travel for months at a time all over the world.
Solo Backpacking in Southeast Asia
After my first year living in Norway, I took my first solo trip outside of Europe: four months of solo backpacking through Southeast Asia, where I visited the Philippines, Vietnam, and Laos. Contrary to what many people think, you never feel alone when travelling solo. You meet so many other solo travellers, especially in hostels, and end up sharing wonderful memories with them.
In the Philippines, I remember hanging out with a funny local traveller from another island, exploring Siargao on a bus, and doing sunrise yoga. My favourite memories were always driving the scooter around.
In Vietnam, I met a French girl, and we continued our journey together through the countryside—running out of gas in the middle of the jungle and sleeping in a bamboo treehouse facing the rice fields.
Travelling as a Couple
My boyfriend (whom I met a few months prior) joined me in Indonesia, and we explored Bali, East Java, and West Papua together. Even though I loved travelling alone, having someone with me who shared my exact travel style and love of adventure made the experiences even better. It was so nice to share those memories and talk through what we were experiencing.
With my boyfriend, I ended up travelling a lot through South America and Central Asia—creating my best memories. Our travel style has evolved over the years, too. We started ultra-cheap, staying in crappy hotels with no flushing toilets, worms on the floor, and sleeping in airports just to save money. Now, we are too tired for that and spoil ourselves a lot more. Let's just say we value comfort much more now.
I have visited 40 countries so far, and my top 5 favourite places are: Nepal, Bhutan, Ladakh (India), Peru, and Colombia.
After visiting so many countries, we don't get excited just by checking off new places the way we used to. Now, we look for destinations with deep culture and physical challenges, like high-altitude, long-distance treks. After doing the Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal, we've been chasing that feeling ever since.
The Future
I don't know how much longer I'm going to keep travelling. Even though I keep saying "this is my last year," travel is probably something that will always stay a part of me. At the same time, I am starting to get more realistic. I would like to start saving money for my future and settle down in a place I love—though I'm still not sure whether that will be somewhere else in Norway, South Tyrol, or the French Alps. I'm still trying to figure it out.
One thing is certain: travel is getting more expensive every year, and I can't keep up this lifestyle forever. Settling down isn't cheap either, so a drastic change is coming one way or another. I only have a few dream trips left on my list: Pakistan (to do the K2 & Gondogoro La trek); Peru (to finally do the Huayhuash trek, which I had to cancel this year due to health reasons); Nepal (to do the Manaslu trek).
After that, at least as far as expensive, high-effort trips go, I'll be done!
Time will tell..