A few days ago, I knocked over a coffee cup with my elbow so that it flew across the entire room, the couch, the rug, the floor, the stool. A really lovely way to start the morning, is it not? So I cleaned it up, more or less – threw the rug straight into the washing machine, the couch is pretty much fine, and it seems to me that this blog is exactly the same! Not perfect, but good enough – just like life often times is.
Long story short – welcome to you, and welcome back to me, into this rabbit hole. In the meantime, I’ve written a book (My Philippines), worked in an international humanitarian organization (i.e., I hustled both in Estonia and in the world’s crisis zones), and finally went off to explore South America for almost a year and a half. And that’s exactly what I’ve come here to tell you about, because after all, this is a travel blog, not a cleaning blog.
Today is a big day (I don’t know what day or date, I’ve somehow managed to keep drifting along after the trip without needing to know), but it’s BIG. Because now you can buy the travel journal Witch Way to the End of the World from our online store! And no, it’s not more related to my own stories than that the questions in this journal were partially inspired by my own journey and needs. It’s really meant for your future awesome story (if you’re a woman going traveling anywhere! If you’re a man and are interested in this product, well, let me know and we’ll think of something – the design is just currently more geared towards women).
Now, let me take you along on the South American adventure and answer a few questions chosen from that journal, so that my 80-year-old self has something to look back on. And of course, also to show off what a great product has been made! Let’s go!
P.S. You’re actually supposed to answer these particular questions before the trip, but I’m doing it retroactively since the journal didn’t exist before this particular adventure.
Why this destination?
South America – because I’d never set foot in that region before, and it seemed like a good time to fix that. I bought a one-way ticket to Ushuaia (what a cool name!) at the southern tip of Argentina. So yes, I literally flew to the end of the world. Though honestly, the world could just as well end in Latvia or on top of Egg Mountain (the highest peak of Estonia) – it’s all a matter of agreement in the end. Plus, I was drawn to the diversity – mountains, big cities, deserts, waterfalls, rainforests. I wanted to go somewhere with as many different experiences as possible – things I can’t get in my sweet Estonia.
How long are you planning to stay? Why?
I didn’t actually have a set plan. I wanted to stay as long as my gut said, or my wallet allowed, or whatever else might have influenced me. Looking back, I was away from Estonia for what was, for me, a record time: about a year and three months. After about a year, I started to feel that Estonia was calling me back pretty strongly, but it happened to be March, so I figured I’d rather be welcomed a bit more warmly.
So as not to scare all of you off with too long a post, I’ll stop here. But as a teaser: the upcoming posts will cover the journey from Argentina to Colombia. I biked down Death Road (sounds more dramatic than it was), climbed a 6000+ meter mountain in Bolivia (was way more puke-inducing than it sounds written so casually here), fell off a horse into the mud, got my arm stitched up in Uruguay, ended up in a Peruvian clinic, sailed towards Antarctica (but didn’t make it), stargazed in Chile’s Atacama Desert, did ayahuasca in Ecuador, drifted down the Amazon with pigs and chickens, etc. So if you were about to close this page with a sigh, maybe something in the future posts will speak to you.
I’ll allow myself a couple of advertising minutes, because the structure and questions will continue coming from the Witch Way to the End of the World. Honestly, all my soul and love and good energy in recent times – the morning coffee mishaps and late-night bursts of inspiration – got woven into the journal! I hope it inspires you and becomes a cool companion on your journey, and later becomes the coolest souvenir book for you too!
It’s a reflective travel journal created by a journalist and world traveller (me -> Madle) and a psychologist (Ethel), containing sections to fill in before the trip, during the trip, and upon your return home. In total, about 66 printable pages with questions and more, in both A4 and A5 formats. So you print it out yourself at home (or sneakily at work). The big advantage is that you can add as many extra pages as needed since trips vary in length. And none of us have to mess with shipping or pickup – wherever you are, it just arrives to your email. A digital fillable PDF version is also coming soon for those who’ve forgotten how to write by hand.
So – if you’re going on a trip, or you’ve got a (girl)friend who is, there’s a thoughtful gift waiting in our e-shop! And once you’ve brought the trip home by holding the fully filled book in your hands – there’s no more valuable souvenir, nor will there ever be. Ever.