I was just sitting in the hostel trying to upload the last batch of photos for a client. Joel, an Australian guy that I met a few days ago sat down next to me and we just started chatting a bit. I’ve gotten used to not asking people when they’re going home and instead to ask them, “Where are you going next?” This question is just a bit more practical because as I’ve realized, people are quite serious about this traveling thing. Joel didn’t disappoint. He’s headed to Buenos Aires tonight and then he’s headed back to Australia in a week. How long has he been traveling? Seven months. He was a teacher in Australia. He quit his job and decided to just travel for a bit. I asked him what made him do that and he said he figured he might as well do it now while he’s still young.

It’s crazy, because every day I meet someone like this. People that are just out here doing whatever they want, making the most of life. Here are a couple more:

Brandon: I met him while at lunch in Rocinha, the largest favela in Rio de Janeiro. He’s been living in Rio for the past 4 months. I asked if he spoke Portuguese. He said no. He’d actually never even been to Brazil before he moved to Rio 4 months prior. He was in London for all of his life and figured, why not move. Why not move to Rio.

David: Another guy I met through the Rocinha trip. I asked David what he was doing in Rio. He said he found a cheap flight from…I can’t remember where the flight was from now. But I do know that he was just trying to make his way to Ecuador because he had a flight out of there in 2 months. He had NO plan on where he would go next or how he was getting there or even how long he was staying in Rio. His only “plan” was to get to Ecuador in 2 months.

Random girl at hostel: I just don’t remember her name. Actually, I don’t think I ever got. Fact. I never got it. Anyway, she was born in the jungle in Zimbabwe, went to visit Dubai and liked it, so she stayed. Now she’s traveling through South America.

Nico: He’s the bartender at the hostel. He was born in Italy, but grew up in London. He’s been in Salvador for one month because he wants to learn Portuguese.

I’m sure there are a few people that I’m forgetting. There are also some people that I simply haven’t asked. And I’m certain I’ll meet even more people during the next two weeks.

Related posts:

1. I’m Not A Backpacker
2. Traveling Alone as a Woman
3. You Can’t Expect People to Act the Way that You Do