E8 - Juan: From Law Courts to Endless Travel

What does it take to leave behind a promising career and embrace a life of endless travel? In today's episode, we explore the remarkable journey of Juan, a former lawyer from Spain, who decided to follow his passion for adventure. Hear about his upbringing in Salamanca and Madrid, his brief stint in the legal world, and the powerful experiences that ignited his wanderlust. From his first major adventure with an Interrail pass to the spiritually enriching Camino de Santiago, Juan's stories are both inspiring and thought-provoking.

Embark on a winter trek along the Camino de Santiago and discover the unique challenges and joys that come with fewer crowds and colder temperatures. Juan shares how meticulously planning his route and carrying all his essentials in a single backpack led to a profound appreciation for simplicity and nature. Simple moments, like the warmth of the sun after hours of rain, transformed his journey into a deeply spiritual experience, fostering greater self-awareness and personal growth.

Travel across Europe with Juan as he recounts his adventures using Interrail and Couchsurfing. From night trains between Zurich and Ljubljana to the scenic Bernina Express, Juan's tales highlight the cultural richness and logistical challenges of train travel. We also delve into his travel blog, "La Eternidad del Viaje," exploring how it evolved from a commercial project to a platform for sharing authentic experiences. Finally, Juan offers insights on balancing long-term travel aspirations with personal relationships and encourages us all to embrace opportunities and overcome fears. Tune in for an episode brimming with inspiration and practical tips for your own journeys.

Connect with Juan:

• Juan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juansaladoviaje
• Couchsurfing: https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/juan-salado

Connect with me:

• Igar Garai Instagram: https://instagram.com/igargarai
• or be my CS guest: https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/igar-garai

Transcript

Igar: 0:01

Hello, dear travelers from around the globe. Hope all you having an amazing trips during this summer, and so did I. And now we're back with episode 8 of the Travelcast. Let me introduce my guest, juan, from Spain, who quit his lawyer job to start not return trip. Hola Juan, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and about your background?

Juan: 0:26

Yes, sure. Well, I was living in Salamanca, which is a small city in Spain. I am from Madrid, so I was living there for almost all my life and there I studied law law. Then I became a lawyer and, yeah, I tried for like two years something like that but I wasn't feeling like really comfortable and also like I had been thinking about like doing this kind of trip for a long time. You know like, for example, using couchsurfing or different ways, you meet a lot of travelers and they talk to you about these long trips they do, the people they met and so on, and I felt like I had this insight that I really wanted to do it. So, yeah, that's how I'm here. I started like two months ago and that led me to this trip.

Igar: 1:24

Yeah, that just started now man, man, this is, you know, wish you good luck, wish you good joy and many joy, and definitely I agree, like you're supposed to, to meet many cool people and different things gonna happen. So let it be. And, in general, what has inspired you to start this travel, you know, and in general, like not necessarily maybe this travel. Did you have any travel before? Or it's like your first scratch travel?

Juan: 1:54

Yeah, Like really more than one month is the first one, but well, last year I did like an intervalle Because there was was like a discount, something like that in spain and I could do it and, yeah, I use couch surfing for it, but not like uh. This is like the first trip I do like uh, where I don't know when I'm going to go back and what inspired me.

Juan: 2:24

well, it has been something like like for many years, I would say. First, people I met in couchsurfing, like I don't know, like some friends that I already have now and I don't know they. They talk to me about these long drinks, for example, sasha, or that you interviewed him, I think yeah, shout out to.

Juan: 2:45

Sasha and I don't know. I met like other people that they were talking to me I don't know the trips in Turkey as you did and I was like really shit, I want to leave that also. I did like it was three years ago Camino de Santiago, which is like San Way, I think it's in English. So there. I also met people like really interesting that they were traveling for a long time, they were not just doing the Camino but like Camino was part of their big trip and before that it's like.

Juan: 3:18

I had never known people that they were doing this, because I was like living in a, a I don't know, let's say in a bubble, that I don't know. You're in the city, you have your life, you see all the people every day that they have like lives similar to you, and then it was like when I started to meet these kind of people, that I was just like shit, this is really cool. I want to at least to try it, and that's what inspired me the most. Yeah, I think interesting, interesting.

Igar: 3:48

So, yeah, you mentioned all these um three topics. We will like deal with them. Uh, really curious about and interrail and, uh, community santiago and uh, yeah, uh. But at first I want to ask you, because you also mentioned couchsurfing it's how you also met Sasha, our friend in common, and yeah, so how did you first get involved with couchsurfing?

Juan: 4:14

So I heard about couchsurfing when I was doing an Erasmus. It was in Hamburg in Germany, and this was in 2019. And I remember someone told me about a platform that you could sleep for free same for me sleep for free ok, this seems amazing, so I want to try it.

Juan: 4:36

And I'm here and I remember I tried like to use it I think I was in Hamburg, so maybe I tried to use it in Dresden, but nobody explained me how this worked.

Juan: 4:46

So I remember just sending like one sentence hey, can I stay here please? Something like that and of course, nobody replied, and then I stopped it, I, because I don't know, I, I didn't use it, I went back, just went back to spain, and then it was in 2020, during the pandemic that I don't know how it was like here, but in spain we stayed like, for I remember I stayed for almost three months, like just on my place, and that gives you like a lot of time to think and to see also like new things in the internet and so on. All right, and I felt like I wanted to travel, but in a different way. On. All right, and I felt like I wanted to travel, but in a different way, like I don't know like seeing how locals really live and I I saw some people who were using town surfing, so it's like it came back to my life.

Juan: 5:37

And then, yeah, after covid, I I said, okay, now I have to do it, I will take it more seriously and not seeing only just like a way of sleeping for free all right.

Juan: 5:48

So that's why I started and first time was in porto. I stayed with a guy there. It was a really cool experience, also not only because of being hosted, but the people you meet with couchsurfing in the city, so it was like like a new way of traveling for me. Uh, yeah, that's how how I started. Yeah, like a guy told me about it when I was in my erasmus I think he was from from tibia, yeah, and he told me about this thing that he used and I said okay, let's try it interesting and like did you start to use it firstly as a guest or as a host?

Igar: 6:26

As a guest as a guest, yeah, but I know that you also host travelers, right? So like, how was the experience like hosting?

Juan: 6:36

these people. You know, it was really good, like when I was traveling, like being a guest, so I was feeling like I want to have like the other perspective.

Juan: 6:48

Because I'm the kind of guy that if someone comes to my city, I want to show them like everything they feel like a local. So last year, well, in Madrid I didn't do it because I was living with my parents, but then last year I moved with my girlfriend to Salamanca and we talked about it and we agreed that it could be nice to try it. And yeah, it was great.

Juan: 7:11

We met really nice people and it's also nice because it's not like in Madrid that all the people that go to Spain usually go to Madrid. So in Salamanca it's more like they have different reasons maybe for going there you don't have that like not many people know about Salaman going there.

Juan: 7:25

You don't have that like not many people know about Sri Lanka. So the kind of people that go there are sometimes like interesting also. So, yeah, it was a really nice experience also and in the future, if I like, when I go back, if I go back, I will try to do it again.

Igar: 7:43

Yeah, it's really nice interesting and you mentioned this part also. Yeah, like experience as a local experience, like have this cultural exchange right and uh, in general, how, like maybe you have some examples to some situations when you felt like that, you felt some really cultural exchange between like you and like your host or like something like this, um, and you know how it's impacted you, you know and like, do you have some examples with that?

Juan: 8:19

yeah, now, well, I, I should think more. But the one that comes into my mind right now last year, during the interrail, I was in Slovakia and I was hosted by a family. He was 71 years old, so he was for me. When I saw it it was like okay, yeah, he has a profile, I will try to send something, but probably he's not hosting Mm-hmm. Yeah, he said yes, I stayed there with he, his wife to one daughter, one son, and we stayed there.

Juan: 9:01

It was like a village in Slovakia, like, let's say, near the mountains more or less, and they didn't speak a lot of english. So there, like, uh, it was for me. It was really nice because I was like part of the family for two days and it was like, I don't know, I was waking up and I was having breakfast with them, like like a Slovakian breakfast. Then I was with the guy going to see their friends with the bike, I don't know. It was like being part of their family, you know, for a few days. I mean, it was not really a cultural shock, but it was something really interesting for me Because, like cultural shock, I just traveled Now, I just traveled in Europe, so that's why I didn't have maybe like a cultural shock, but these kind of experiences that surprised me a lot, how they were acting with me and so on, I think this was really beautiful, yeah.

Igar: 10:04

Well, this is really interesting.

Igar: 10:05

Like to have such exactly like what I also like couchsurfing for, you know, like to get to some family or to some random location I don't know like, because sometimes people put, let's say, city and like, for instance, like hey, we live in madrid, or like for what you, for example, had um before coming to wroclaw and katowice. The person not like mentioned Katowice, but person lives like kind of outside and then you kind of experience the that place rather than some bigger cities, like yeah, yeah, yeah, and again different people.

Igar: 10:37

I really resonate with you with such like experiences, like some older people, because again a little bit pity about English can be maybe more rich exchange, but in general it's unique and that's what I also like this platform for.

Juan: 10:59

Yeah, it's true that if you don't use it, you would have never seen these parts, as you say, out of the city or whatever. And usually I think some of these parts are the ones that are really different, because cities, most of them you can find similar things from one to each other, but if you go to the suburbs, let's say, or to other cities in the surrounding, that's where I found really different places and people.

Igar: 11:24

Yeah, it's true, indeed, indeed. Well, and you mentioned that you did the camino de santiago in winter. Yeah, yeah, like how was this experience?

Juan: 11:35

it was nice. Yeah, I did it in in december, like, uh, three years ago. Yeah, I mean, I didn't know they do the whole one. It was like for 10 days, something like that. And how long is the whole one? Well, the whole one you can do it from wherever you want, but usually people start in the Pyrenees, which is in France, but the first day they already sleep in Spain. So that's 30 days more or less. Oh, really, something like that. All right, and where did you start? It's a small city, it's called a pom ferrara not really famous.

Juan: 12:12

Yeah, it's like in a region called Leon, but really close to Galicia, which is already more okay, so it's more or less like thing was like 200 kilometers, something like that. So yeah, like about nine, ten days, yeah. Yeah, I did it in winter because I had like this vacation. Let's say also I wanted to do it like because I have done a few of Camino's before, like also five, six days days things like that, and they were usually in summer and it was really crowded, so I wanted to live like the other experience.

Juan: 12:54

All right, also, yeah, doing it alone again, and that's why I decided winter, I don't know. I don't think there will be much people. Let's try it.

Juan: 13:04

And yeah, it was really really nice, like it has good things, but also bad things, like, for example, one nice thing of the Camino is that you can usually decide where to sleep, like while you are walking, and in winter, yeah, like you don't have to book, you know, because there are a lot of albergue circle which is like these hostels, so you just, I don't know, you feel tired. Okay, let's ask in this one if they have a place, and in winter most of them are closed, so you have at least one, like every, let's say, 20, 25 kilometers or something like that so you have to plan it more, because you cannot say, okay, I feel like walking more, because maybe you

Igar: 13:45

have to go 20 kilometers more oh, very good, very good thing to know, yeah, yeah yeah, so that's like the worst part maybe, but I don't know.

Juan: 13:56

On the other hand, there are less people. It's like a you see all the people the same. We were like maybe 15 people doing it, something like that. That you will see them every day. Yeah, it was like a family, something like that, but it's nice also because I mean, can be your family if you want all right, exactly, yeah yeah, I want to try like I like walking alone.

Juan: 14:19

So maybe I I see them at the end of the day and we share time, but I prefer to walk alone. So that's also nice in the Camino and I don't know. It's everything for me. It was just 9 days, but people who do it for a long time they see that they get deeper knowledge of themselves.

Igar: 14:40

I think that's the reason. Yeah, just a quick question Is there any translation for Camino? Maybe, because you kind of like saying Camino's Camino.

Juan: 14:51

Yeah, I think it's.

Igar: 14:52

St James Way, I think.

Juan: 14:54

St James St.

Igar: 14:55

James, I think, but I'm not sure. No, but like Camino itself, is there any word of the meaning Way? Ah, that's what I was actually thinking, that maybe way or like road or something. Yeah, interesting, interesting. And what about like in general? Yeah, you already mentioned that you need to plan it a little bit more, and, but did you have any other challenges besides that? Uh, like I don't know whether or like that you need to sleep somewhere that you couldn't walk to. That Let me call hostel I, because I forgot this word. Yeah, yeah, I'll be okay. So, yeah, like, oh, like many, like something else. Like how was your preparation again? Because for me, winter you know it's like in my head is again in that region, might be like I don't know if it's like north of spain, more or less, so it might be like windy or maybe cold or maybe rainy. So, like, how was like this part for you?

Igar: 15:53

yeah, it rained a lot really yeah, yeah, and so you just keep walking with the raincoat and everything and just keep going yeah yeah, that's it.

Juan: 16:00

but sometimes it's like when the sun appeared, it's like I value it more, you know, because it's not like you are accustomed to the sun and you don't think like I don't know, you don't pay attention to it. But when it's like raining for hours and suddenly it stops and you can see the landscape and enjoying it more, I don't know. So that's one of the things that people talk to me and I'm angry that when you do the Camino, you value more like simple things, because for example you are carrying all your things in one backpack, right?

Juan: 16:37

Yeah, you are aware that you don't need more. Yeah, also, yeah, it's raining a lot, that you see a sunset and you value it, so this can this kind of things. Yeah, so this kind of things I don't know, but yeah, alright, interesting.

Igar: 16:48

And in general, you also mentioned some interesting part that with, let's say, like the spiritual part of this Camino, that people become close to themselves. Their thoughts, like you walk, you kind of feel a lot. What about you, your personal experience? I'm close to themself. There's thoughts like you walk, you kind of feel a lot. What about you, like your personal experience, like how the Camino itself impact your personality and spirituality?

Juan: 17:16

Yeah, I would say. Well, first of all, what really impacted me was, like the people I met, but because I think that if I haven't done the Camino, I wouldn't be here now. Why? Because there was where I met people for the first time that they were traveling, for example, for years, and that you see them, that they were not worried about that. You know what am I going to do when I go back and try to find a job, and they were not worried about that.

Juan: 17:45

you know what am I going to do when I go back and try to find a job and they were not worried about that, and for me, that was like the part that uh shocked me more, like, come on, these people are happy and I don't feel like I could do it because I I feel like I would be stressed. So, first of all that. And then, yeah, like you walk alone, you are all the time with yourself, so you have time to think or to not to think. So if you don't want to think, it's nice because you are enjoying the way, but sometimes, especially if it's raining, is like you cannot avoid it. You are like thinking about your stuff and it makes you I don't know, like having things more clear sometimes.

Juan: 18:32

So that's yeah, I would say. After that, I remember I went back home, I made a decision which was I was not going to take more cases in law so that changed me in that way.

Juan: 18:52

I didn't make the decision of quitting, but instead of having some time to think if I really wanted to still do it. So that was thanks to the Gabino, I think, because I have this time to think and also because I met these people that made me like think, okay, do I want to try this? So, yeah, it changed me like that, but like in a spiritual way. I wouldn't say so, but maybe I need like you know like people who are doing it for three months like for one month.

Juan: 19:26

They say how was it? I don't know if it was disorder, but I listened to it. They said 10 first days are for your body to get accustomed, the other 10 for your mind and the other 10 for your spirituality something like that Interesting. Yeah, so maybe that's why I spirituality something like that Interesting. So maybe that's why I didn't have this spiritual journey.

Igar: 19:49

Well, I can totally resonate for this 10 days thing because I had experience with Vipassana. It's like meditation, when you're like without phone, you kind of all day meditate, you eat like vegan food and you kind of just focus, and it's 10 days, it's pretty intense and I think, yeah, of course like a little bit it's different and different, difficult to compare, but still the same. They also had this 10 days and thing is also mind-blowing, like changing a lot and like because you, you kind of sit, meditate and anyway you're thinking like it's like all comments, for me it was all life, life in front of my eyes coming going. I'm like okay.

Igar: 20:30

So I believe it's just a different way to achieve something for your mind, for your health or spirituality, because it's also part of the religious work, right, but from Christian way. Interesting, very interesting.

Juan: 20:48

It's like that if you pass a nice also, did you have like these phases also, like maybe at the beginning?

Igar: 20:52

yeah, like I needed, I think, seven days maybe to adjust, because I think on seven or six I really wanted to leave.

Igar: 20:59

I was like I don't really get anything from this. I want to just like I tired, it's a lot, like my back is in pain. But then I think on day or seven or eight like I don't really remember how was that I was like like it's kind of cannot say that, it's you know something open for me or like you know, some mind-blowing thing happened, but somehow it became all different and all calm and like and I don't know different, and I really not regret that I didn't leave and like I finish it because, especially on the last day and then, when you, when I left already to the city, to the society, like the impact, like how I feel, how I think like was interesting, yeah, very interesting. Uh, I I didn't have many also uh, maybe, um, life-changing decision, uh, because I know like people have different stories, quitting jobs, like sales you for example, or like I don't know, divorce, you know, like unhappy marriage, or like quitting addiction, like smoking, alcohol, drugs, whatever.

Igar: 22:11

So for me it was more I don't really know how to put this conclusion but it was definitely a big impact from maybe feeling myself better and maybe also whatever I had, even from childhood, from school times, like if I had, you know, like when I was mad or sad on somebody, and like you know you keep it and you kind of, ah, this person, you kind of you remember that, like, since all this stuff, I kind of forget everybody who I had With this even small bullshit, like you know it's, but it was inside, like you know this uh, small poison, and that was for me very interesting yeah, so it allowed.

Juan: 22:53

You like to forgive?

Igar: 22:55

yeah, kind of kind of yeah and like really like I think it was really happened on this day, eight or some, seven or something, when it started like come to me like a slideshow, that like I was like forgive, forgive, next, next, and like, just like this, you know, like I'm just okay, not keep, like let it go, let's go inside. Very interesting, very interesting, yeah, so, yeah, oh yeah, I heard.

Juan: 23:19

I met people who did this and they really recommend it.

Igar: 23:23

Yeah, maybe you will try it. What can I quit more like Right, right, right, how I can become lighter, interesting, interesting, all right, and like two more. You also mentioned Interrail experience. We can touch it nicely. How was that for you? Because you also was using an interrail and cowish surfing at the same time, I think it's also was both of this for you was kind of new. How was that in general? Yeah, and what can you tell?

Juan: 23:58

It was great. I've never thought about doing the interrail before, but there was like this you know, like last year in summer in different european countries they have like these promotions for people to use the train, and in spain there was like a discount for interrail if you were under 30. So I said, okay, I will do it. I don't know, it's like now or never. I was 27 and if you are less than 28, it's cheaper also. So it was like something like a really fast decision. And then I started and, yeah, it was great because I had used Cowsurfing before, but maybe just for staying one weekend, things like that, but not like in a long travel, let's say like day by day. Uh, yeah, I, I thought I I wanted to try it. Um, both things. It was really nice, like because, well, first of all, I, I love, uh, trains like traveling in training.

Juan: 25:04

If they were cheaper, I think I would go by everywhere very comfortable, transport very comfortable. Yeah, it's nice and also it's a place where you can also like see how people live, because you know like it's uh, you see differences in the trains, like not not only the train, but the people who get in, how they act in the train.

Juan: 25:24

It's also like something nice to see, like the difference between the countries right, right yeah and then, yeah, I started using couchsurfing and most of the places where, where I was, I used it and it was really nice because, also, I was afraid because it was in july, so probably I would have found many tourists, but using couchsurfing, a good thing is that you can also go to the places that they're not that crowded because local people don't usually want to go to those places. So you go with their two others yeah, very good coach.

Igar: 25:58

Actually it's very good coach.

Juan: 26:00

Yeah yeah, so it was really good. Yeah, and I I made some friends that I still keep them. So, yeah, I love it. It was a nice experience.

Igar: 26:09

And how, like in general, how did Couchsurfing exchange your Interrail adventure? Because, like, again, you need to maybe request to people like how the planning was happening by itself, because I know with Interrail, because, yeah, we also talked with I it was the first episode of my podcast and we talked and guys were also travelling with Interrail. So, as I understand correctly, you kind of need a little bit of a plan, right, or at least to understand your route and then to book this place and go to the train station, take a seat. Yeah, and then how was your plan in the way itself and plus couchsurfsurfing, because, again, you need to provide the base Was you sure that you will arrive those days? How was this part?

Juan: 26:56

Yeah, I had to plan it a lot Like before I started. Maybe I was there like the whole week planning it and sending requests at least to have like trains and a place to stay for the following, let's say, 15 days, something like that since I start, yeah, and then you're doing the interrail. You are like planning, I don't know. You have time in the trains to send a request and to try the trains. Sometimes you also have to replan it.

Juan: 27:25

Would you planned before, maybe because it was in July, so maybe one train was already full and you have to change your, your route all right but that's nice also because you, I also go like not to have everything so planned and, for example, I meet you and you told me about Turkey, for example, so I want to change my road, so that gives you also the chance, so it was fine. The I think the worst part is it's if you need, like a trains where you have to book a seat, because then you book the seat and you cannot do anything or you lose the money, or it's fine. But if you don't have to book the seat, you go to regional trains, then you can, you can flow. Let's say, but yeah, with the couch surfing, is true that I prefer to send requests in advance so, yeah, it was, everything was really planned.

Igar: 28:20

Yeah, most of it well, interesting and do you have any interesting stuff? Because you it like, you can see people, like how they act in those trains differently. Do you have any like highlights or unique experience of travel with the train across?

Juan: 28:39

Europe. I booked a night train from Zurich, switzerland, to Ljubljana, slovenia. It crossed Austria, I don't know. That was really interesting Because you were seeing how people change it when you stop and you they were getting into like, uh, for example, I remember like two old ladies from austria that they got into the train at 2 am and like we were in the this kind of baggages, yeah, where you have like yours just sat down and you have like people sat down in front of you and you have to be like that all the night. Ah, so it was not sleeping.

Juan: 29:31

No, no, no, no, yeah. So they got into and they were talking at 2 am, like for hours, so we couldn't sleep, yeah. But so then I went to the like the part of the train where you can see the other people, and there was one guy I think he was from georgia, because the train was going later, and he was just like if he was at their place, like he was with a pajama, with the flip-flops. That was like very interesting and, yeah, that was me something like really different, but also like small things, like, for example, I remember in I think it was in Slovakia it was the first time that they gave me like you know, like because while I was doing this trip, I took trains in many different countries and in Slovakia they gave me a bottle of water to all the people and I was surprised because in the other

Juan: 30:24

countries. They didn't give it to me, but there was like something normal and I mean, it was not something I was expecting. Maybe in slovakia, um, I don't know. Like small things. Yeah, also like how the people acted in the friends, some trying to speak to you but, uh, if they don't speak english, you cannot do a lot. Others like uh, like no, they just go more to I don't know to be with their selves. It was like, yeah, small changes, I don't know.

Juan: 30:54

In france was nice also, I met like a girl from romania and she was like really trying to talk to me, even though she saw that I couldn't speak a lot french. Well, I invent french because I tried to change the words from Spanish. Yeah, right, yeah, and we could communicate. So I don't know, yeah, like things like that, but small changes. I would say, yeah, well, one train. That is like an amazing experience that you do the interrail. It's a nice opportunity for doing it, because usually it's pretty expensive and with this you can do it for for free. Let's say, yeah, it's a one train which is called bernina express, okay, and it's going from switzerland to italy and it goes through like the the alps, oh, that was super nice and you take it for free, like it's included in the internet, if you get the original train, yeah, but if you get like the panoramic yes, it's like these windows you have to pay maybe 20 euros, 30 euros mm-hmm like for the seat and you took original.

Juan: 31:56

I did both.

Igar: 31:59

Yeah, so which one you recommend? Like, is it okay, they just regional? Yeah, I prefer regional.

Juan: 32:04

Yeah, first because the Panoramic is crowded. So you want to see something, you have to stand up and see. Yeah, all the Instagram people there. Yeah, the GoPros, so you cannot see a lot. Then the regionals. There are not that many people and you can sit wherever you want in the regional. You can stand up, see one side, then the the other. You can open the window also.

Igar: 32:27

All right. Yeah, something similar happened with me in Sri Lanka. It is like popular train from oh my god, from Ella to Colombo, if I'm not wrong.

Igar: 32:42

So, point is, like also Instagram train also, you can open door, you can look outside, like kind of make photos like this, like out of the kind of train that is going beautiful landscapes here, there and and there is also three class of this train, like third class you will. Like it's overcrowd with a lot of locals, everybody sit everywhere, so it's kind of crowded. Second class you have a seat and you can also open window. Everything is fine and you can go out like do this outside, yeah, and I don't know hanging out of train, how you, how you would say, and another one is first class, and first class is with AC.

Igar: 33:25

Yeah, it's comfortable, but you cannot open anything, you cannot really do this adventure. And the same situation with this tourist, like in the beginning there was like all these doing these photos, everything, but then it's literally one, two hours Activity. Then they see they get in board and then it's empty. So you can do whatever you want, calmly, without like rush, without pushy, you know, but you know this excitement coming like you want to do it, like now that so yeah, so kind of similar the game, with this window opening right and with the tourist itself. So similar kind of situation somehow.

Juan: 34:05

Interesting, interesting you recommend the second or the third class second.

Igar: 34:12

Third will be too much, like, for example, local, or like kind of too much people crowded, everybody's sitting. You will not be able really what might will be very hot alive because yeah, yeah, yeah, so I would. I think second definitely worth it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, um, bro, like uh, I also know that you are still having or had the blog, and like I would like to touch this part and uh, yeah, can you like tell me a little bit about it, because I really don't know much. And yeah, and later let's see yeah so, yeah, I, I did well.

Juan: 34:51

I did with my girlfriend a lot like we started.

Juan: 34:54

It was already three years ago or something like that because we both like traveling and we thought maybe it was a good way like to share in what people can do in the places or maybe, who knows, to get like some income from it. And I have always liked writing, so it's without the other, let's try. Yeah, we started a blog which is called the letterternidad del Viaje. It's like the translation could be like the eternity of the trip. Yeah, something really poetic. Yeah, we started. It was like more like something, let's say, commercial in terms of that you, we try to position it in Google. I learned a lot from this. Yeah, it was nice. Yeah, we have been like with it for a few years. Then, at the end, I was like gets the previous months, it was just me, because I was like the one who was really enjoying it.

Juan: 36:00

Like she was helping me with editing pictures and maybe Instagram this part, but I really love like writing and the trips and so on. So, yeah, we mostly well, I mostly wrote articles about the places where I was, but mostly Spain, I would say, and the entire island. So that was nice this train, I told you the Berlin Express. But when I decided to start this trip, I was like not feeling comfortable with what with it? Because I felt like.

Juan: 36:33

I was writing what people wanted to read, but not what I wanted to write. Interesting, yeah, so that's why I decided just to stop it. It's there, so if someone wants to check something, he will check it, and I thought, okay, if I'm going to share things with this trip, I prefer to do something more personal and something that I really enjoy, and I don't care if it's going to have a lot of viewers or not, so I just created an Instagram account and there I'm.

Juan: 37:05

Yeah, I'm like posting videos and pictures, but it's more like things that I really want people to.

Juan: 37:13

I don't know that they could maybe get inspired of, for example, when I was because when I started my trip volunteering in this albergue of the St James Way, and it was more like things that I think people could get inspired, like, for example, a video about why people do the Camino or, yeah, these kind of things. And so when I was visiting a city or something, I was not writing like what you should see a city or something, I was not writing like what you should see in this city, but I was more writing like things that surprised me in this city and how I myself was dealing with this city, like I don't know what I was thinking, how I was feeling, these kind of things, so I don't know.

Juan: 37:58

It's something different, but not with the expectation of earning money so I'm enjoying it more and I'm not like in a rush, like, for example, now I'm I'm doing it like I'm posting things from one month ago, like just now, so it's like I'm taking my time different.

Igar: 38:18

Yeah, let's see how is it, but yeah, yeah, yeah, I totally get you like, you know, like, posting it like when you feel it and uh, yeah and. But just have a question like technical like and let's say why you decided to move more like into instagram and like not do, let's say both continue the blog. But the way you want, the way you feel and how you want to connect to people, audience, like or like here, what is your reason why you I got the issue, what you felt, that like, hey, it was more, you was right, small, like that people want to read about rather than what you want to write. So like, but yeah, what kind of blocking you to write what you want in this blog.

Juan: 39:13

And nowadays Like I think what is written in that blog is helpful for people, so I just decided to leave it there. What is written in that blog is helpful for people, so I just decided to leave it there. But I think I wanted to like a new beginning. Let's say try something from the beginning.

Juan: 39:28

So that's why I thought about creating this, because I felt like if I go on with the blog, maybe I could like, do the not, like, do the same. Let's call it mistakes, but no mistakes, like doing the same path again, and I didn't want that to feel that pressure, maybe, to do that.

Juan: 39:46

So that's why I wanted to start something new. Yeah, like I was starting something new, this is like a change of life. So to translate that to the social media, let's say so start a new account, also like for sharing it with the people that I was like meeting, like new people. Also like my personal Instagram account, let's say, I'm not using the previous one. So it was like a mix of everything. Like I wanted to maybe to start a new life. So I thought start a new Instagram account sounds like something from the 21st century to start a new life.

Juan: 40:28

So it was like a mix of things, yeah.

Igar: 40:30

I kind of get you a little bit. You know, uh, because same issue I had. I had like old Instagram account and like I had, like I didn't do for many years nothing. Then I started to do and then kind of I don't know, like it was ups and downs and this year I also, like started a new one, a kind of new beginning. Um, I would honestly say I think maybe in this new beginning it was still in this style of old um, and I think maybe one of mistakes, what I kind of did, it's like I also told previous people like hey, it's my new account, follow.

Igar: 41:07

But I think better, like, just do it by yourself, without telling uh, yeah, because, and try to get new audience just with your feelings, with your current situation, not just because you know them, or it's your friends or it's your family. However, it's went how it went and I really get what you're talking about and especially this part that, yeah, you had this blog and theoretically and like practically, you can start to write what you want. The same like, for example, artist right, they can do like album like this I know, for instance, coming to my man in king park, they was doing, like some I know rock and stuff, you know, like this, like everybody laughed, but then they kind of moved more to soft music and people start to criticize them, but they still use the same name and everything. But they did what they felt on that moment and and like it's what the job of artists to express themselves, how they feel, so and what I'm trying to say, that yeah, in theory, you could do like I don't know all like Another chapter in this website or something, but those feelings inside, yeah, what you have is kind of Different.

Igar: 42:21

That like, oh, maybe, if it's like this, I will do in the same style or something. Yeah, yeah, really, uh, interesting, interesting and in general, what like inspired you to do this blog, like the blog itself and like instagram now and the previous one, or yeah yeah, yeah, like, uh, I think it was yeah, also during the pandemic that I was there trapped at home.

Juan: 42:39

Uh, yeah, I was like maybe I started to see people who were living doing different stuff that I was accustomed to do because at that time I was studying for becoming a lawyer and I wasn't thinking about all the options.

Juan: 42:59

I wasn't thinking it was like, okay, I studied, studied for this, so I will do this. It is what it is. And then I started seeing that and how people could get like money from their places and traveling and so on. And at that moment, like a blog of travels, like I like traveling, I like writing, so why why not?

Juan: 43:21

let's try it all right and it was that, yeah, nice, and yeah, I started doing it. So I learned a lot also about this digital marketing, which I found it interesting. But then when I I think I liked it because I was doing it for myself, because then I was doing it someone contact me because he told me he was happy on how I wrote, if I wanted to write for him, I said yes, but I wasn't feeling that comfortable because I was like writing for others and they had like different style and maybe they want different things. So I also quit that part. But yeah, the beginning was that it's just like I don't know, I saw people doing it.

Juan: 44:08

I like writing, let's try it. Yeah, it was like that. And for this new one, it was more like there are like different factors, like one yeah, if I can inspire people, like some people inspire me to do things, that would be nice. Also, I, I think, is a like something like a memory in the future because I'm trying to write like in every place I am like the feelings I have there.

Juan: 44:38

So I think when I finish this trip, it would be nice to like beautiful, to read everything. I know I was feeling sad. Why?

Igar: 44:44

right, yeah.

Juan: 44:46

Yeah, also like, let's say like a memory yet. So yeah, mix of reasons and also yet to use it like a new account and sharing it with people I know like it's like a new life.

Igar: 44:58

Cool, cool, cool, really. Hope you enjoy, hope, like, enjoy, hope you will do the way you want. Thank you, and I just also want to touch on one topic, maybe pretty quickly, let's see, because you also did do these volunteer things and you use another application called Wordpackers. Can you tell briefly what is it and how you do it and like and in general share some experience, what you have with the app?

Juan: 45:29

Yeah, yeah. Well, I used it for first time in this trip. I was in Nalberge Camino, St James Way. I was there for one month. I decided to do it because when I did the Camino I met these people that were volunteering and I found it really interesting. I wanted to live from the other perspective. We talked before about Cowsurfing that I wanted to host people seeing it from the other side and that's how I decided to try it.

Juan: 46:02

It was a really nice experience because I don't know it's like living inside the camino, because when you are doing the camino, you just stay for hours in a place but you don't see, like all the people who are behind and all the interesting people who are there, because you know, like people who are there are people who mostly have most of them did the camino once, they love it and they decided to stay there, so they are really interesting people also. So the experience was was marvelous. Yeah, and also, yeah, I did that. And then I wanted to try, like volunteering, as a way also to be more time in a place while traveling, because sometimes I feel like you know, now I'm using Couchsurfing so I stay maybe two nights or three nights in a place, but I still miss like a feeling of staying more time in a place, like more relaxed.

Juan: 46:59

I don't know if this happened to you, but for me, when I've been like for one month, like I don't know, like three nights in one place, three nights in another one, I feel sometimes tired. Definitely definitely, really, really so that's why I thought volunteering could be nice, to like to stay for one month in one place, then recover, experience that place a lot and then go with my trip if I want. Yeah, so you, you have the same feelings.

Igar: 47:28

Well I had the same like when travel a lot like in some constant move, yeah, getting like that, especially like that you need to move this backpack all the time, also physically a little bit tired. You kind of I take the energy, I don't know from everywhere, from place, from people, from you know the way itself, but then like still it's, it's uh, on some places like I want to experience more, you know, like stay longer, um, yeah, but actually it is good approach. What you said like to go to volunteer and so far you had only that experience with on the camino hostel again yeah, yeah, and but I know that you also go into, like you will have some experience soon, right also through this word package how it works like you need to pay, you need to apply, like they pay you, like.

Igar: 48:21

I mean, what is it? I? I heard and I did some research many years ago, but I really don't really know how it works so you pay 40 euros, no, 50 euros per year, all right, just to have the account.

Juan: 48:35

Okay, like in couchsurfing, that is yeah, and then you can apply for all the offers. You see, and it's mostly like a couch surfing you apply and they can say yes, they can say no, and some of them offer you, like a place to stay, some meals for example the one I was, they offered me a place to stay and three meals, but some of them they offer you just the place to stay and others maybe one meal per day.

Juan: 49:08

It depends on the offer. You can put filters and check and I think I haven't seen one that they pay. But I know there are other applications like work away. There are like more offers there. I think some you can get paid also, I don't know if a lot, but because they are giving you for the home.

Juan: 49:32

Maybe it's just a bit, but yeah probably you can get money from it also. Yeah, it depends on on the place. It works like that, just using your application and you wait for the answer and you will go to finland.

Igar: 49:48

What you want to do there, what is? What is it?

Juan: 49:50

so yeah, I would be volunteering in a. It was like an old building that some families, well, some a group of friends like they are like 50 something like that. They bought it and they reconstructed and they are like organizing their like events like, let's say, yoga. They accept many volunteers. Actually, I was checking and I don't know, maybe they have place for 10 volunteers at the same time.

Juan: 50:28

I think Something like that. So it could be. Yeah, it could be nice. I don't know what I'm doing. What I will do, Alright. Alright, Because we have a talk like a video call. I was saying that I am open, like to do different things.

Igar: 50:43

I know they have a lot of tasks, so we'll see so I kind of whatever you will be handy and useful, kind of you will do so, yeah, yeah, but this place, in what city? Way to be? He said between.

Juan: 50:57

Turku, hels, helsinki, okay, okay, maybe a small city. I think it was an old sanatory.

Igar: 51:07

Okay, sanatory, then okay, it's like a picture appears for me Because in Belarus, in my culture, we have a lot of the sanatories, some of them already abandoned, some also people was buying and do some I don't know another way of you know, tourism, you know, but because in general it's like government team, uh, yeah, but I mean I understand more or less the conception. Okay, because in the first place I imagine some palace, I don't know old, like this european thing, you know. But yeah, this is more close to my culture interesting, interesting, um, cool, like and and yeah, literally, you will do whatever you will be useful for yeah and like do you have any time limit, like how long you will stay?

Igar: 51:56

yeah, I will stay for one month. Okay, is it like agreement? It's like what they say one month minimum, or like you just decide one month.

Juan: 52:04

I think minimum, one month in this one, but you have different offers. I think, usually minimum is one week Okay, but most like yeah, I usually still. Now I try one month because I think it's yeah, yeah, yeah.

Igar: 52:16

Very reasonable, you know, especially if you want, as you mentioned before, like to chill, or, like you know, especially if you want, as you said mentioned before, like to chill, like you know, to do some activities. Yeah, so to travel around me, all right. And uh, juan, yeah, you know what are your future plans for travel destinations in your bucket list? I know that you kind of don't really know and it's not returnable trip, but, like, after this, volunteer, like what, like what in your mind, not it can change, definitely like this we understand right from this conversation, but, yeah, so far, like what you, what you, where you're heading, what you're doing so after well, I'm trying to force myself not to make a decision right now.

Juan: 53:10

So my idea is, when I'm there in August, I will decide what I want to do after. But sometimes it is, even even though I try, like my mind is thinking of what I want to do and this. So right now, what I'm thinking more deeply about doing it is one option is maybe travel a bit more around Europe and going towards Turkey, because people who were in Turkey, like you, yeah, promote ambassadors of Turkey?

Igar: 53:46

yeah, but I met a lot of them. Yeah, that's really good place, yeah, in my heart, yeah, yeah, like usually people talk really good things about the people there so that's why, yeah, I would love to do it.

Juan: 53:57

I don't know know when, but maybe after this trip it could be nice to go to the south. The original plan was maybe spending a few days in autumn in Slovenia, because I would really like to see the mountains.

Juan: 54:14

I was in Ljubljana once, but I didn't have time to see all the mountains and these things, and I thought that maybe in September or October there won't be many people, but and then, yeah, through the Balkans and maybe go to Turkey. But also another option is maybe saving a bit of money and then going to Argentina. I'm thinking a lot about it, yeah, because I have family there. You know, like recently I'm thinking a lot about things that I would like to do and that I didn't do them, but sometimes I think maybe if I want to do it in the future is going to be too late. I have family there that they are like well, a bit dull some of them, so I think I'm really thinking that maybe is the best opportunity for me in the future. If they are not there, I would regret of not going there. So that's another option. You know, these are like just things that I'm thinking and in.

Juan: 55:21

August I will make a decision.

Igar: 55:22

We'll see all right, man, good luck, yeah. But very, very nice thought about turkey, definitely in balkans recommend, and argentina, well, um, but well, they have also winter. I wanted to say go on winter, but well, they will have warm time.

Juan: 55:38

Now they have have winter. No, they are like the opposite here. So, yeah, yeah, okay, so in winter they will have some. Yeah, I don't know where Some maybe you know yeah.

Igar: 55:48

Anyway, I have one more question to you, like because I know you in relationship, and how do you balance like travel with this aspect of your life? Because you know, like one thing when you travel together, but one thing when you keep going on a returning trip, how is it with your partner?

Juan: 56:07

It's nice we talked about it, like she understood it like it, because, I mean, I think it was not a big surprise for her because it was something I really wanted to do and for like, I've been talking about this for years and she cannot do it right now because she's like another project. Well, she's a spanish teacher.

Igar: 56:29

If someone wants spanish classes, all right yeah, yeah, guys, you know where to yes so, right now she couldn't do it.

Juan: 56:41

We talked about it. I felt like I had to do it now. It was the perfect moment. I was not happy with my job. I thought it was not too late for doing it. So, yeah, we talked about it. It was nice. What we do is that we meet some places from time to time. So we spent a few days in Verona, in Italy, all right, and also, at the beginning of the trip, in Burgos, in Spain, all right, and yeah, it's really nice. But it's true that, like sometimes, yeah, you like I can get a bit nostalgic because it's not like I don't know, you are maybe alone in the city and you think, oh, it could be nice if she's here, right?

Igar: 57:24

to share this moment, to see, to get to experience the entire and how you like maintain contact like just like some whatever, like whatsapp videos and like this yeah yeah, whatsapp and video calls from time to time and like, is it okay? She's not. Like, hey, I miss you, come back or something.

Juan: 57:39

No, I mean yeah, yeah, I think we miss each other. We don't say it like a lot because we already know. Also, we are kind of accustomed because we live in different cities. She's from Salamanca. I was living in Madrid. Also, she was living for a few months in France. I was in Spain.

Juan: 58:01

I live in Germany, in Hamburg, so we are kind of accustomed to this kind of relationship. But, yeah, of course we, we talk about it. I know she, she like we both would like to be like physically together right now. But I don't know, we are like different people, we Want different things right now and we keep going with that. But it's really nice because it's compatible. You know, because sometimes I speak to people that I met during the trip and they told me, like, but how is your girlfriend good with that? How didn't she break with you?

Igar: 58:37

Yeah, so I feel really nice in this because, yeah, I think it's just about communication and we both understood it that's very sweet, sweet of, also of her, you know, like to let you really go and like don't be scary, unlike that you will maybe it is like this fear inside naturally like maybe meet somebody or something. But good that you communicate, you understand, you maintain the contact, being loyal. You know all these things are definitely important and yeah, so if she will listen, you know, you really see it to allow them to let the one do the trip and like go with his feelings, not to be stuck on the job he kind of didn't really enjoy back then at least yeah yeah, also because I think that if you feel like we will have to talk about it and I wouldn't have done this because she didn't want to- yeah I think it would be bad for both, because, exactly right, it's bad feelings inside me, you know so I think it's nice just to talk about it.

Juan: 59:40

I don't know we are together, but we are like two different individuals, it's normal but very sweet.

Igar: 59:47

For me it's like also interesting part, very interesting part and good, happy for you guys. Well, juan, really nice chat. I would still like to open a little bit more topics, but I think for both of us we have time limitation and well, what message like I know, a piece of advice would you like to share with our listeners?

Juan: 1:00:19

I would say that that is never too late, that if they really want to do something and they have been thinking about doing it for a long time but they think they are missing a lot of things if they do it, I would say that sometimes our fears are not that bad. They should try them. Try that thing and just do it, and if it was bad you can come back. It's not that bad Like sometimes our mind, I think, is pushing us down and it's more like to take this step and then things are not that bad and then things are not that bad and if you do a mistake you can go back.

Igar: 1:01:04

I would say that, well, beautiful, beautiful advice, yeah, nice thoughts, man, like how people can connect with you, or like where they can follow your travel adventure, yeah, so right now.

Juan: 1:01:13

Yeah, I created this instagram account which is called juan, which is my name salad, my surname, which is salty, which is called Juan, which is my name, salado, my surname, which is salty, salty. Salado Viaje, which is trip in Spanish Juan Salado Viaje.

Igar: 1:01:27

And there, yeah, yeah, I will put the link definitely in the description.

Juan: 1:01:32

Yeah, so I post everything in Spanish, but, like, I use it also to speak with the people I meet, right, so, yeah, they can contact me there if they can meet.

Igar: 1:01:42

Thank you, thank you, sweet, sweet man, really once again, thank you, gracias, right, so high five Thanks to you, yeah.

Juan: 1:01:50

For doing this, my first interview.

Igar: 1:01:54

All right and yeah, so all people. What I can say? Just like, as Juan said, it's never too late and enjoy the summer, enjoy the podcast and be posted.