Believe it or not, but my phone was stuck on one event. Facebook suggested a meeting in «Portal» with a citizen of Zhytomyr Oleksiem Hlembotskym. Of course, there were several variations how to accept this event: to go there or not. A team of Zhytomyr.Travel decided not only go to that meeting but also to write down his story. And it is really very interesting, it shows how to leave the success reached and to start doing those things that you like. For example, to travel to different countries and take photos of those things that were unseen before

«As far I started doing mountaineering so began my first journeys abroad, especially to Georgia, and so I also started to think about leaving my profession and starting traveling. This decision came to me not very easily»

«Two years ago I started traveling. Before that I had my own business in the capital city, had a good income and was a kind of a rich man. But my job didn’t let me to travel normally. At work I felt like in a cage, and at one moment, when there was nothing more to reach, I decided to leave it all and to start traveling»

«Now I am a professional unemployed, but in a combination I am trying to take photos»

«I am not searching permanent work. More than two months I can’t stay in one job. Because staying more means a career, and now I have no time for this. It is needed for me to travel, because after each journey I return as another person, with new impressions and emotions»

«I mostly travel around the countries of the Middle East and Northern Africa. Europe is the least interesting for me, and those countries for us are the nearest exotic. In my journeys I usually learn about culture and traditions of those people, their lifestyle and meet new people-it is always interesting»

«I travel with a little 40 l backpack, a light sleeping bag, single tent and a camera. Camera is a main aim in my journeys. I wouldn’t travel without it. Why my backpack is so small- it helps during the flights, a small size helps to econom on the baggage and to have only a hand luggage»

«I love ease and mobility»

«Beforehand I put some places on the map, which I have to visit in a new country, and after that the locals and new friend usually prompt me what places to visit, about which you wouldn’t find out from the Internet. As a result, you visit lots of places without planning it»

«In a very investigation of the new memorials I usually go with a certain supply of water and canned food. During the journeys it is possible not to calculate the conditions and not to meet people for some time. In such cases my ration is a canned fish and a local bread»

«My standart budget in every country is 100 dollars per month, not including visas and some tickets which I prepare beforehand»

«As usually I have to cross the borders on foot, and it is hard, especially, when you didn’t have an opportunity to do the visa beforehand. Even in a visa-free countries there can be problems with the border crossings. I advise to prepare the documents carefully and read the rules if intersection»

«Hitchhiking is an ideal way to learn about culture, traditions of the other countries and its nationalities. In a day you can catch 10-15 cars, if you have to overcome 500 km. In this way, you communicate in every car that takes you, each time telling the same about yourself, and in return you get to know from people something new about their culture, interests and new places which they suggest me to visit…Of course, it is not quickly, but it is always interesting»

«During the way, the locals always treat when they see a traveller with a backpack, and it is also a part of learning culture through the local cuisine»

«Usually I live in a tent, do not use hotels or hostels, only in some extra emergency situations, in millionaire cities, when it is too dangerous to put up a tent or I couldn’t find a shelter in the locals with the help of Couchsurfing. At first it was scary, but in some time I got used to it»

«It can be, you drive in a car with a local and he says: «Today you will be my guest. I will introduce you to my family: kids, wife» and I answer: «Ok. I am ready». And as a result I lived for two days as a guest in his house. In Iran it is a normal thing. In every second car they offer you something in your way, will give you a lift to that place where you need, or in a best case, will invite you to their house. In return I always offer my help».

«The same story was in Morocco. I have stopped a car, a lady was driving, it was very strange, due to their traditions, but she also invited me to her house, introduced me to her kids, husband and we spent a great time together»

«Sometimes there can be some difficulties in communication, as not everyone speaks English, but the body language hasn’t been cancelled. With one driver who was one of this kind I was driving for two hours. At first I spoke to him in English but then I understood that it was in vain, and so switched to the native one. And so each of us was talking in his own native language, but as a result, we were laughing all our way long»

«One of my favourite activity during the journey is to go to the markets and to take photos of that local colorit. The locals are keen on being photographed and moreover they do not care how do they look on them and even do not ask you to send those photos. As far as they see a camera, they shout: «Come up! Take photos of us!» They all like to pose for the photos, in fact, women less»

«The problems with taking photos are sometimes possible, especially when you are not far from the strategic locations or taking photos of the police. Also there can be some troubles in touristic locations, when the locals can ask you for the money after that you have taken photo of them»

«The one of my scariest overnight stays was in Tunis. My close friends know this story. In the mountains where I stayed the whole night hyenas were howling and there was a terrible cold. I haven’t slept till the very dawn and in the morning was running from the people very quickly»

«During the two years I have «met» only a scorpion and a big tarantula in the desert of Iran. These are all dangerous animals which were caught by my eye»

«There were of course such situations when people scared. It is usually uncomfortable to stay overnight in a megapolis. It is mostly impossible to find a safe place and to put up a tent there, because in the big cities the crime rate is much higher. Recently in Romania there was no place to sleep in a suburb, аnd so I was running through the lofts to find a silent place for the overnight stay. All in all, I settled in a tent between the garages. Sometimes I have to sleep in very uncomfortable, awkward and even extreme conditions»

«Recently I have been traveling along Iran for a month. When I was just preparing to go there, I knew a little about this country. I was preparing seriously for a hard journey. My friends wished me not to get to the terrorists. In fact, the country turned out to be another. A safe one. The Iranians live peacefully among themselves. I have changed my view about this country. Iran and its people have excited me a lot. They have a big potential. I didn’t expect that. I suggest everyone to gather and visit this unbelievable place with its history, traditions, until it becomes an open and popular one. Ukraine for the Iranians is a neutral country. Smiles are blooming on the people’s faces when you start telling them about your country»

«For example, bread in Iran is baked in small family-run bakeries on little stones. In the evening, all traditionally gather in a line for the freshly baked bread and take it home. No loaves and even more sliced ones from the supermarkets as we have»

«In the East, people immediately after acquaintance communicate like old friends. You look at them and it seems like they have known each other for all their lives long. Instead, we value our personal space a lot and do not want to allow someone into it. Thats why I don’t practice hitchhiking in our country»

«I don’t think about emigration. I love my country, especially Polissia, where only among our forests it is possible to find peace and to charge yourself for the next journey. I always come back here with a great pleasure»