Meet the Permanent Traveler

 

• 21

  Times Around the World

• 2

  Times to the Moon

• 398

  Flights Taken

• 820,000

  Kilometres Traveled

 

I have also

 

 

What's your favourite place?

There is no one best place in the world. It depends on individual preferences. I like warm weather, sunshine and ocean but also city life and modern amenities. In summer I like Europe because it’s easy to rent a nice car (I like convertibles) and drive around many beautiful places. The US is also great for road trips in summer. Hawaii and Costa Rica are perfect during the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere. South Africa is special because the African continent with its wildlife and people is different from anywhere else in the world. Unfortunately, safe travel within Africa is limited. Australia is beautiful but expensive and far away from everything. Thailand is one of the best holiday destinations. Great value for money! Singapore is a nice city to live in if you like modern city life and have lots of money.

Do you never get tired of constantly travelling?

I don’t move around all the time. I have periods where I’m on a road trip for several weeks or months, changing location almost daily. Then there are periods where I rent an apartment for several months and don’t move around at all. It’s all about balance in life.

When will you stop travelling and settle down?

I don’t intend to ever stop traveling. I’m sure I’ll slow down and the way I travel may change, but I don’t know why I’d ever want to cease traveling entirely. The world is too beautiful to just stay in one place. My old age retirement plan is to spend the summers in Europe and split the winter months into two warmer and sunny destinations, e.g. 4 months Europe + 2 x 4 months warm & sunny winter destinations.

How do you pay for this?

Passive income. I own commercial properties in Germany. The surplus rental income plus monthly management fees from my investment partner. I also invest in the stock market for diversification as part of my old age retirement planning.

Where do you live?

I don’t have a home anywhere. I just rent hotels, guest houses or apartments wherever I go.

Where do you have all your clothes?

I rent a 1.6 sqm storage unit in Berlin, where I change my clothes when I’m there, depending on where I plan to go next. I also buy new clothes along the way, ending up with way more clothes than I need! My luggage is one 75 l suitcase (Osprey Ozone 75l), a backpack with maximum size as carry on (Tortuga) and a high quality garment bag (Degeler SkyHanger). Lightweight and durability are of the utmost importance for me!

Do you get lonely?

Not really. I have always been a lone wolf and feel comfortable with myself. I meet people along the way. Some of them have developed into long-term friendships and even more. Also, the internet makes keeping contact with people around the world very easy.

How many languages do you speak?

Fluently I speak two, German and English. I took Russian classes in school and Spanish at university but never really put much effort into them in the real world. English is sufficient in most countries. For everything else, Google Translate is my best friend.

Does the Coronavirus stop you from traveling?

My international flights in 2020 got cancelled. I was still able to travel through Europe. At the end of February 2020, just before the world entered into lockdown, I returned to Berlin from a two months trip with my dad to Dubai and Southeast Asia. After the first lockdown, I went on a month-long road trip to Croatia and spent a month each in beautiful Gdańsk and Kraków in Poland. Since October, I rent a penthouse at the beach in Crete, Greece. I prefer sitting out the pandemic in the sun. Solo traveling makes keeping social distance simple. Let’s keep fingers crossed for 2021!