History

A bit of history about myself. Two years ago (2008) I finally managed to make a dream come true. For the first time I was going to travel to the so dreamed Europe. Scandinavia to be precise. Since I’m small I am used to travel during school’s vacation with me, my sister and my parents all packed inside a car and heading somewhere inside Brazil, my huge home country. Though I never really liked traveling, also didn’t have the feeling to go somewhere new. I was quite happy and confortable with my lifestyle, all that hours inside a car under a melting sun of around 40ºC wasn’t fun, at least for me. 14 hours inside a car? Too exhausting.



Traveling wasn’t something on my favorite list, BUT there was a curiosity about Scandinavia. Reading to newspapers and watching the TV news I was already tired of listening that Scandinavian countries are the most developed countries in the world. The most human developed region. I got the curiosity and dream to go to these places (Sweden and Finland mainly) to see how far in development human could reach. Thousands years of human history and according to some index there in Scandinavia was what best human has got until now. A region so developed where in the kinder garden boys learn to knit, a society where woman isn’t only treated equally as a man, but behave as equal not being the fragile sex and get the same opportunities. Facts, reality, not some kind of hypocrite policy to we create an illusion to ourselves. No corruption, extremely low unemployment, no poverty. Doesn’t it sound like a paradise on Earth? Well for me it did and for at least 6~7 years I dreamed with the day I could go and see all this wonderland with my own eyes.


In 2008 I graduated on Business Administration, the ceremony day I guess it was March 29th, it was a Saturday. On April 1st, Tuesday, lie day in Brazil, I was unbelievably in the airport taking my first flight to Europe, it was the first time I was traveling by myself. The plan: spend 3 months in northern Europe, base myself at Tallinn, capital of Estonia and from there go to Finland and Sweden. Reality: I early faced that Finland and Sweden wasn’t enough as 3 months to explore Europe. So it ended as a 5 months trip visiting 17 countries (Germany, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Italy, Vatican, Greece, Austria, Slovakia, Czech, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Lithuania, France, Belgium and the Netherlands).


Two years later, 2010, here I am again. I went to college July 21nd, Wednesday, to pick up my BA diploma. July 25th, Sunday, day to take another plane to the old continent. Plan: 2 weeks traveling with company to London (UK), Paris (France), crossing Switzerland and finally getting to Rome. Then fly back to Paris and start a month solo backpack trip around France (Marseille and Nancy), Luxembourg, Germany (Hambourg, Dortmund, Bochum and Frankfurt) and the Netherlands (Maastricht, Eindhoven, Nijmegen, Utrecht, Den Haag). Try to get in touch with people, try to see a mix of lifestyles, cultures, food, architecture.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=107272636940197248840.00048b74352863cea8bbe&t=h&z=5



Reality: I will try to keep this weblog update as frequent and fast as I can. Keep checking it. Changes in my plan? Who knows. Past is history, present is a gift and tomorrow a mistery.


In 2008 I discovered the joy of traveling and exploring the unknown. Facing new and unexpected situations. My dream now is a round the world trip. My curiosity? So many, but things like, how is life in the far Eastern? What about the less comprehended Middle East? And crossing all over Africa would it make me more aware about this forgotten continent? How would it be to travel over Marco Polo’s track connecting Europe and Asia? Is a round the world trip enough? Why not cross it without a penny as Ramon did [www.letmestayforaday.com]? Why not cross it with a bicycle as Danilo is doing [www.homemlivre.com]? And how about a round the world sailing?


Traveling means to discover how big this world is and how small we are.
So, travel Antonela!


If you want to know more about my 2008 trip here is the website (only in Portuguese): http://ruyhirano.blogspot.com/