Never plan too much in Puerto Rico!

"I know you only one day, but I can already say this is so YOU!" said Sebastian (room mate in a hostel) after he asked me how was my overnight on the island of Culebra and I replied I never got there, because I missed all the ferries, due to the people I met and had amazing conversations with, so I just didn't feel like going. 

How my day looks like, you may ask? Well, I have a special way of traveling, which I like to call "getting interrupted and lost all the time". After so many years of traveling I haven't got that feeling of orientation just yet! Is that frustrating? YES! But is it fun? Ohhh, yes, it is! I start my day  deciding where I'm going, but as soon as I leave my beautiful hostel, I get lost. When I finally find the way out, I get lost again. Then I end up doing something completely different and I make a new plan. But after all of this, I usually meet really awesome people, who I end up hanging out with and miss out the thing I was planning. So the whole day I end up getting lost and finding beyond amazing people and not doing what I planned. It works the best for me and it makes a hell of an adventure! 

Yesterday I was discovering the local side of Fajardo and Ceiba, which definitely was a bit of a bumpy ride all along. I reckon Enterpreise shouldn't have trusted me their car. Let's just say local roads are not as good as highways, where tourists usually take their rent-a-car. But is so much fun! There's nothing like a legit roadtrip in Puerto Rico. The car will take you from a rain forest to nice sandy tourist beaches, to countryside, to old town or a local beach in not more than an hour. 

You can not come far with buses here in Puerto Rico, because all the people here own a car, so  buses are not really needed. A car cost me 20$ per day including the insurance. The petrol is so cheap, that when I went to a gas station yesterday and payed 40$ to feel up the tank, the tank was full at 29$ (you have to pre-pay before you feel up). And with the car you're way more faster, more independent and always off to a great adventure.

So bottom line, never plan too much in Puerto Rico, because there's adventure waiting around every corner. Don't listen to anyone who says Puerto Rico is dangerous, because you will hear that at least 5 times a day! Who's dangerous?? It's so much fun with all this people here! Some will take you for a surf, some will take you to salsa in the afternoon, with some you'll share great conversation but definitely all of them will give you great advices and unique experiance. 

"Bievenidos a Puerto Rico, la isla del encanto!"

Mayita

It's you against the ocean!

"It's like being reborn, no seriously, it's like coming out of your mother's womb all over again" was Tomas trying to explain to me, the feeling of riding a tube. We were sitting in the beach bar after my surf lesson. I was drinking Coke, and he, as a real surfer, had a Corona in his hand.  For all the surfers I met around the world surfing has been their life, but nobody couldn't explain the real surfer's lifestyle, as Tomas did.

I was just parking my car and saw him approaching on his cool bycycle, with a big smile on his face.  He's living on the beach of Luquillo, town, which always offers great waves and friendly people, but most of all, a unique relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. He has been riding for over 50 years and is one of the first big wave riders in Puerto Rico. Living 15 years in Hawaii, definitely put him somewhere on the map of great surfers. 

"Surfing addicts you, It becomes your way of life, nothing matters anymore, surf is your life" he says with passion and complete dedication in his eyes. "You go in the water and you leave all your problems with money, boyfriend/girlfriend or family on the beach. You're in the water, and problems are on the beach! It's you against the ocean! You can't think about your problems while in the water, because you have to stay focus, otherwise you're going to get smashed big time. It's like some kind of therapy!" explains why all surfers are so chilled! "

"Maja! You never turn your back against the ocean, remember never!" was one of the first advices he gave me, while we were in the water. I asked him why he thinks surfing is so addictive? "It's you against the ocean, you against the nature, when you're riding the waves, you've conquered the nature, you are above anything, you're controlling the nature!"

"Maja, what do you do?" he asks me. "I'm a writer, I write about the world and people I meet!" I say. "Well, I hope one day you can write about me!" "I sure will, Tomas!" and so we parted, he disappeared between the tropical palm trees on his bicycle and I sat in my car and drove away chilled and relaxed, as I had my head clear and my mind peaceful. 

Till Tuesday when we meet again, so he can present me another part of his home, The Ocean!!!:))

Mayita

Perfect love casts away the fear

 ...sipping mint tea on the tropical Ocean beach, watching the waves break, and talking...to HIM...

O.K., I have to admit that the main purpose of this trip wasn't travelling itself, but more like, finding and rediscovering myself again. With help of other people. People who's knowledge and experience can help me turn my life into the right direction. Or should I say, I'm on a search for the way to a Greater life! Yesterday was one of these days. A day! I met Carlos. The guy who helped me to stimulate my mind in such a way, that I'm kind of lost again. Not so much as lost as I want to discover what I really want in my life right now. Or what I need, shall I say. I will never forget his words: "Maja, in life you don't go for things you want, you go for things you need!" "What is that you want? But what is that you need?" "How will I know what I need and what I want? I asked." You'll know when you will stop asking yourself that!"

He said I have a great future ahead of me, I will live in abundance, I will be happy and my parents will be extremely proud of me. But that will happen, when I will go for things I need! I said to him that whatever I'm doing is never enough and I feel I need to do just a lil bit more for me to be completely happy.  He said I'll never be completely happy, because such thing as completely happy doesn't exist. I think he saw my bumped face. "Maja, you're different he said, and don't even worry, you'll be totally fine, you will live the life of you dreams, you're heading in the right direction!"

Is it possible that in the process of going after your dreams, you lose yourself somewhere on the way? Is it possible that what you need in your life is not the same that what you want? You want something, but you need something else? And when you fulfill your need, can you then go after what you want, or will you be satisfied after you fulfilled your needs so later on you won't want anything else? But does something like that even exists? Is there a point in your life, you don't want anything more that what you have? "You'll get to the point in your life, when you will realise that air in your lungs is all you need!" he says:))

Some other words of his I can't really understand at the moment. He looked at me deeply in the eyes and almost screamed my name: "Maja, remember this!!" "Perfect love, casts away the fear!" 
What does that mean? What is perfect love? Love towards yourself, love of your family and friends, love you give and get back, or love of true soul mates?? Or is it all together? And when you have that love, then you're not afraid of anything anymore? There's no more fears and you can do miracles? What is perfect love, that casts away the fear?? That's my mission on this trip. To get the answer! 

Mayita

Baliando con la gente en Puert Ricooo!

It's so not anymore all about visiting stunning places and doing all the activities. Of course traveling is usually based on that, but my main focus is on people. Sure, I'm amazed about the attractions that Puerto Rico has to offer. How can you not be impressed by the fortresses of El Morro and San Cristobal, who played the important role for almost 400 years protecting the Caribbean from invaders. And the tranquility of tropical forests and refreshment of rain on your skin while on a hike. Or the crystal clear ocean with waves breaking pretty much perfectly. It's a big fairytell around every corner. But basicaly, people you ran into, bring the real WoW to the whole adventure. 

"Andale mami, bailamos!!!" was yelling the seller to her friend, ''Au, au, auuuuu" was screaming the old lady when she heard a song she liked, at the fiesta I randomly ran into. They don't know what the old age is and they look and act like young people. What a passion and what characters!!

Our sweet Francisco and his hostel, which became such a comfortable shelter for me, I decided to live here for the rest of my stay in Puerto Rico. Francisco is extremly dedicated and impressive person, who is very passionate about bringing the budget tourism combined with volunteering, to Puerto Rico. He says in joke that with my knowledge of traveling, he would  love to employ me to help him.

The people you meet on the street help you all the time, with information and directions, even when you're not lost. When they notice you're looking at them them, they give you this warm and respectful look. Tomas and Alen, local surfers, we met today, loved to explained to us, about life in Puerto Rico and how everything works around here. Even tho the country is under the dependence of U.S. it's amazing how they have kept the culture and don't let the U.S. to take over. They stay loyal to their roots.

At the beginning I thought it will be a bit of a struggle to travel around, because nevertheless Puerto Rico is not a budget destination! But when you infiltrate into the local life, people will hook you up with some pretty good deals. Or they will introduce you to a friend who would take you somewhere for free. The traveling is just about nothing without people. They represent the essence of traveling itself. The majority don't understand the backpacking. It's not about the budget traveling. Maybe some part, but basically, is living it up with the culture, meeting people, who will unintentionally change the flow of your thoughts and help you realise the things you would missed if you haven't met them. It's about sharing life stories. Getting to know them and their way of life, their struggles and their happiness. That helps to start living in the symbiosis with the mankind and understand each others lives.  

Mayita

Things that put smile on my face...

Sometimes you really don't need a lot for your day to become 100% better. Be more aware of things happening to you and you realise there's a lot that can put a smile on your face. It was a long exhausting trip from Slovenia to Puerto Rico, all together 2 whole days (that's the price you pay for a budget traveling). 

For solo traveler as myself, sometimes it is a bit lonely and you have to find things you occupy your mind with. I like to observe my surroundings. 5 things that made me smile while long hours of waiting on the airports:

- A strick business man sitting across of me, wearing pink socks.

- A cute note on a coffee cup and a heart shaped foam milk on my coffee in Starbucks.

- A girl who didn't have lower part of the arm and made me realise how happy I can be cos I do have both arms!

- Anne, a German girl I've met on the plane who moved to Peru to live with her boyfriend. A still existing hope one day I can share similar story.

- Couples all around me, which are the proof there's much more love around us, than we think.

A BIG smile on my face today was Francisco, who made such a warm welcome to San Juan and his guest house for me. It's far away from a tourist hub. It's in a warm neighbourhood, full of playful kids and Latin music coming from the speakers all around. 

Even bigger smile on my face right now - bed! Exhausted but happy,

buenas noches amigitos,

Mayita

New way of seeing things

 I love this emotional moments just before I settle my horses for the next adventure. Moments, when I reminisce the good times on the road, when I feel sad for leaving my home again, but looking forward for the upcoming adventures and people I'll meet.

It's never easy to go, but hey, it definitely became easier through the years. I believe in myself more and more and I know that whatever I'll get myself into I'll definitely benefit from. Few people have asked me, how I know it will always turn out the best for me. I just know! I trust myself, my judgement and my power. I know I'll take up the next challenge that's coming my way. Also I know, when I'll screw up or things won't go my way, I'll accept that and bring only the best out of the experience. I don't mind making mistakes or wrong decisions. Because in the end you realise they were the right decisions, they led you to something better and bigger in life. 

I don't plan my life as much as I was. I truly go with the flow more and more. I let everyone and everything in my life and accept it as it is. Life is easier that way. How bad can it really be? Everything passes eventually and in the end turns into a great story. "Are you not afraid?" they would ask me. Of what? The world is not dangerous (well it is, according to the news). I have faith and I believe every day something great awaits me. And usually it does, also because you're more aware and cherish the little things. And if I meet someone who's not a good person, who will hurt me? Hurt me if you want, I'll survive. In life you realise that the only time people can hurt you when you let them hurt you.

I learned how to be emotional detached, so I have all the emotions under control, and I don't get overwhelmed too often and consequently take better decisions, which are not based on my emotions. I'm improving myself with concentration and doing things 100% and finish what I've  started. The most I improved  myself in clearing out my head and not over thinking things that don't need my attention anymore. When I'm done with certain thing, I make a closure and stop analyzing. I've learned how to stop thoughts going through my mind, when unnecessary. It helps a lot. Because you can focus more on the things that need your focus, instead of over thinking and analyzing every single thought or situation. 

So yeah. I'm so ready for my next backpacking adventure. I love how's my backpack losing its weight with every travel. I just don't need that much stuff anymore. Just few t-shirts, shorts, some meds and basic toiletries. No need for anything else. It's never about the material. I don't travel because I need a vacation, would go to a 5 star hotel, eat in a fancy restaurant and do whole lot of shopping. I don't need that in my life. And people said, money will change me, that when I'll come from yacht, I'll definitely go on a luxury vacation, and I backpacked just cos I never had money to afford better. Yea, I did change in some way. I realized even more, how money can never make you happy. OK, it's basic, you need it for survival, but how much do you really need to be completely happy?

Where I'm going now? Who knows? I have ticket to San Juan, but who knows if I ever end up in Puerto Rico, with so many things always happening on the way. What's the plan? I will write, I will photograph, I will enjoy and I will help on my way. I will only do things that make me happy. I will try to find opportunities for my career. I will accept challenges and I will learn. As once Henry Miller said: “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

See ya later, alligator,

Mayita

Quick inspiraton from the books

I remember back in the school days how I loathed reading and writing freaking summaries of books I couldn't be less interested in. My mom literally force me to read as much books as possible and to participate in reading badges all my schooling. First thing, first...i hate to be forced into something! If it's not my decision you will find out how rebellious I can be! Now? I love, love, LOVE reading. Because I read the books I'm actually interested in!  So no more writing for me today, just quotes from my all time fave books, which are helping me with my plans, decision making, growth and basically to live my dream life! Enjoy and hope you encounter some inspiration for yourselves as well;))

“Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle…”

 “Our minds become magnetized with the dominating thoughts we hold in our minds and these magnets attract to us the forces, the people, the circumstances of life which harmonize with the nature of our dominating thoughts.”

 “Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.”

 “Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.”

quotes from Think and grow rich, Napoleon Hill, 1937

"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security."

 Don’t be afraid to talk about your plans, in order to properly investigate, by fear that if it doesn’t work out you will look like a failure. “You’re not a failure if you don’t make it, you’re a success because you try.”

 ” We can’t control our world but we can control our reactions to it.”

 “The way you use words has a tremendous impact on the quality of your life.” For example, instead of saying: I should/ I could, it is a problem/ it is an opportunity and, if only/ next time.

quotes from Feel the fear and do it anyway, Susan Jeffers,  1987

 “You are the masterpiece of your own life.You are the Michelangelo of your own life. The David you are sculpturing is you. And you do it with your thoughts! (Dr. Joe Vitale)” 

"When the voice and the vision on the inside is more profound, and more clear and loud than all opinions on the outside, you've begun to master your life" Dr John F De martini

 "Learn to become still. And to take your attention away from what you don't want, and all the emotional charge around it, and place your attention on what you wish to experience" - Michael Beckwith.

quotes from The secret, Rhonda Byrne, 2005 

It's the person who makes money valuable!

I could say I've met both sides in this past years. Extremely poor and extremely loaded. I 've seen smiles and hope on faces of people who don't have enough to survive. And I've seen  boredom and apathy on the faces of the rich. I was happier with people who don't have anything and they will still try to give you everything!  But nevertheless, I did meet wealthy people who are giving and generous. Money is not always a bad thing (sometimes it sure is, but not always). It's all about the success. Success first brings the wealth from within and later on, the wealth from outside.

There are four ways to get wealthy. Either you're lucky and you're born into the wealth. Or you are smart (!) and you get married to someone who is wealthy. Or you are stupid and you do the illegal stuff. The fourth way is a success! I've met lots of business men who worked hard all their life to enjoy the benefits of long hours and all the sacrifices. These people are rich and humble from inside, because they've been on the bottom while trying to get on top. This are the people who dreamed their way up. Who stepped outside of their comfort zones, who dared, who dedicated their lives to their dreams and believed in themselves even during the hard times.  All the courage and faith they had never lost while climbing the staircase to success. So yes, there are rich people who are humble and great men, because of all the things they've gone through to get where they are now. They are warm hearted and extremely generous. They don't take things for granted and are thankful for everything in their life. They help others and they would contribute to a better world. 

Money is not always a bad thing. If someone worked hard to get it, played fair game, gave up many things on the way,  isn't that money well deserved? Are we all capable of this? No, otherwise we'd all be wealthy! And we could be! Every one of us have the potential to be successful, to live our dreams and in reality live the life we're craving for! But it takes courage, faith, lots of optimism and positive attitude to get there. In real life, most of the people want to be rich, but they wouldn't do a thing for it. They would just sit in the couch, full of envy and disrespect the people who actually deserve everything they own.

I learned a lot about money. A lot about people with money. How valuable money is. And how full of values wealthy person have to be, in order to even deserve all the wealth. It's the person who makes the money valuable. Money will never come to people who are not grateful for the things they already have. Because if you're not happy with what you have, you don't deserve anything better. If I want money? I want success and recognition. I want to be a good person, the best version of myself and make the world a better place. If the money will come along, I definitely won't mind. In the end it's all about what you deserve and how much YOU actually value!

"The key to happiness is having dreams. The key to success is making your dreams come true."

Welcome aboard!

It’s been a while. I could say I didn’t find time to write about my life and adventures, but who believes this hackneyed phrase these days. So I’ll just say I didn’t have the energy to write after the hectic and nerve wrecking 18hrs working day on board. I've been working 5 months around the Med as a 2nd stewardess on 70m private yacht. It has definitely been THE experience of my life, in a positive and negative way as well. I’ve met people whose bitterness and unhappiness took over their soul and conquered all aspects of their life. I learned how to live with that kind of people on a small living area with no way out (We were anchored away from the shore the whole summer).  I learned how to stay strong at all times and how to keep going  and motivate myself during unbearable times.

Yachting industry isn’t a picnic and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t thick skinned or at least wish to become so. It’s industry with no mercy, where you work  weeks or months without a day off and some days without even a  30 minute break. Another challenge are the people you work with. They are opposite of who you are, opposite of people you usually have in your life. It's a challenge to find a way to, at least try to get along and have as less confrontations as possible, to live in some kind of symbiosis, for every one's sake. During the main yachting season (jun-sep, jan-apr) you can forget about your life, your priorities and wishes, your main and only focus is on work. You work for billionaires and they require a 24/7 service on the highest level with complete dedication, 100% concentration  and absolute perfection.  So why would one even commit oneself to that kind of job? Nevertheless it’s well-payed job and a pretty good way of saving all the money you’ve earned. Due to non-stop work you’re not really able to spent  money and on top of all, everything is payed for you - toiletries, health insurance, accommodation and food. So it’s 100% clear, you don’t enter this industry for reasons such as travelling, having jolly summer and fun or look for friendships. You come only for financial reasons.

Yachting industry is a great school of life, you learn a lot about different people and life itself. Emotional detachment is essential and at times you have to go over yourself and over your limits in order to survive. There's no point in being emphatic and help others, because basically it’s all about saving your own ass. You have to work things out for yourself only. There’s no compassion, no sympathy no feelings involved. It’s industry with no mercy. And that’s why it’s not my cup of tea, and I struggled all the time, either to stay or go. It was against my moral principles and my way of life. But I stayed in the end. Because if I start something, I finish it. And all in all I grew even stronger, became even more thick skinned and I learned and realised what  kind of people I don’t want in my life.

Any kind of school of life is good. If you read between the lines and you know what the lesson is then it’s all worth it. It’s called life. Most of the time it treats you good. Sometimes it treats you less good in order to teach you something or to prepare you for the upcoming challenges.  It’s  like a ship after all. Sometimes it will be rocky, unbearable and it will make you sick. But the other day you wake up into a beautiful day on calm sea, with playful dolphins jumping out of the water, sweet breeze of the wind and gentle morning sun on your skin. You never know what you gonna get! Welcome aboard of life!:)) 

“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” Seneca