7 months on a motorbike through central Asia. From Slovenia through the Balkans, Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan. Later back to Iran and through Armenia and Georgia to Russia. After a few circles in Mongolia followed by the "STAN" countries, then again Iran and at the end all the way to the south of Oman. 17 countries, 50,000 kilometres, 50 stories, one book. K talibanom in piratom - To the Taliban and Pirates (sorry to English-speaking friends, at the time is the book available in Slovenian language only). Author Boštjan Šifrar’s life is anything but boring. Captured in Afghanistan and suspected of spying for the Taliban, stories about Russians and their vodka, in Mongolia he was staying with locals in their doughnut-like homes. "In a little more reserved country," as he describes it, he helped one person to flee abroad. He constantly establishes contacts with locals, what makes his travels and stories so appealing. Crazy journey. He and his motorcycle. Incredible adventures. Read what Boštjan trusted us about his travels, lifestyle and thinking.
You are describing yourself as an average person. However, you have travelled and seen a lot and even wrote a book.
Why wouldn’t I? Everyone has hobbies. In the last ten years, I actually travelled a lot and gathered a good deal of stories. Almost every journey I've done was with my motorcycle. Maybe I stand out for that reason. Recent seven months trip was in Central Asia. I experienced a lot of interesting stories and that is why I have decided to write a book. Anyway, numerous people travel and write blogs. That is why I think I live quite an average life.
Why on a motorcycle? Do you always travel like that?
After I reached an age 16 and passed the test, I mostly travel by a motorcycle. Until my first serious job, I was making shorter weekend trips. Then I really started to travel with my motorbike, longer journeys also. I mostly travelled solo, which I really started to enjoy and cannot see the end of it. Now I am in.
How is your book written? Why did you write it at the first place?
I have read some travelogues, such as diaries or tourist guides. My book is entirely different. The collection of stories which are connected, gives a reader the experience of travel. So far, the responses are very positive. I also read it 50 or 100 times, and even now I still love to take it and just read.
How did the decision come to go on a journey for seven months? Did you quit your job? How were the preparations? How did you get the idea?
Of course, any idea has to start somewhere and mature, grow. Like that was in my case. Days at work were too repetitive; I spent even more and more time in a company. I played with the idea to make such a trip, so I would not be limited in time; that I wouldn’t be looking at the calendar when the holiday ends. After eight years of work, the idea was mature. It was time to realize my desires, my dreams. So I quit the job, no idea, how long the journey would last and at the end of May 2014 I set off from Slovenia. All I knew was that I want to travel for an indefinite time. I wanted to see Central Asia, as I often flew over these countries and was wondering what is happening there, and I also wanted to discover the countries between Europe and China. Plan was the Silk Road that traders were travelling 2000 years ago. Of course, the plan changed during the journey several times. In the book, you can read about the reasons. For example, I was captured in Afghanistan by the Afghan army; I had to turn right in front of the South Korean border due to excessive costs. In the end, I ended up in Oman, in December 2014, where I wanted to continue my trip in Africa, but my way came down to an end due to the pirates. My seven months ended there. I travelled the world with the plan that I have no plan whatsoever.
How do you live without a plan? From day to day? How can you indulge and trust that the events lead you?
You simply go with a flow. So you're free, you disregard any plan or calendar, and live in a shorter frame and just wonder what tomorrow brings. When I was in the country for some time and I no longer knew what else to do, I started to glance around. Which country could I visit and which embassies are nearby. I arranged a visa and continued my trip on a short-term plan. You fall into a different way of life to which you have to accustom.
When you travel, you also establish contacts with the locals. Those connections are probably the one that makes your travels so special.
On this last trip, this was especially noticeable, as I had no one next to myself, no one to take into consideration. Locals frequently invited me to their homes, to various events, and celebrations. Since I was alone and because I like to go with the flow, I experienced things that were given. If people invite me, I'm going with them. As I speak Russian, I was able to communicate with anyone in Central Asia who crossed my path. I like to establish contacts, start a discussion with shepherds or farmers along the way, schoolchildren in the city. For example, I was in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan for months and not once did I pay for accommodation because every day I ended up with the locals. It was the special charm of this trip.
You travel alone. If you want, you can always find people to talk to, but you’re on your own at the end. What do you do in a crisis? How to deal with moments of weakness?
In 2011 when I travelled around Australia for three months, I was really alone most of the time and I wished I had some company. Now I'm really happy that I was alone a lot as I got used to it. Once you start enjoying solo, once you realize that for your happiness you do not need anybody, you come to a high level of thinking that you can only achieve alone. In the seven months, I was more or less alone. I did not miss company or that someone else would be with me on the road. Whenever I wanted to chat, I started a discussion with people. If I wanted to be alone, I spent time outside the cities in less populated areas.
But once you get used to travel alone, it is probably hard to imagine a long trip with a company, isn’t it?
It's true. If you're on the road by yourself, it is one of the great advantages that for one you will always find a place to sleep by locals. In Mongolia, and elsewhere, where they live in small houses, humble and poor, it is much harder to sleep by the local people if travelling in a group of two or three. If you're alone, there is always room, in a garage or in a barn. It is a great privilege.
You travel on your motorbike. You are doing a lot of kilometres in any weather. Don’t you ever get sick of it?
I am a strange shepherd. I still insist that I am not obsessed with motorbikes. I have some other hobbies, which are entirely related to the nature and I don’t miss the motorcycle. Travelling by motorbike is only my passion. It is part of me; I am simply happy if I can travel with it.
What changes when you come home after such a long trip? What are all those travels teaching you?
It comes with age. You mature. I live like I lived ten years ago. I have the same material things, but live 300 percent differently. It is difficult to say when this change occurred. You mature slowly, especially when travelling in poor countries and you face the most friendly, open, and happy people. When you are alone with yourself and with your thoughts and start to think about the stories of the poorer areas and compare them with stories of richer countries... All of this leads to a different way of thinking. It's hard to say that I was happy ten years ago; I fantasised a lot, a lot of things bothered me, and I was not satisfied. Now I am very happy. It rarely happens that I make it clear I am annoyed by something. In every little thing, I am trying to find a bright side. My view on the world has changed. This is not because I would have been under the influence of travel. I can go anywhere and this thinking will no longer be changed.
Why would you advise to youngsters to go and see the world?
The first thing I would advice is that everyone should live in isolation for some time. The longer the better. When you're alone, you have the time to find yourself, to discover what you want to do with your life. You have time to think about the things you usually do not occupy yourself with, when you are embedded in everyday life. In the long run, the journey gives you much more, if you travel alone. You have time to think about yourself and about life. Travelling gives you a broader perspective on life. You realise that life can take place in a different way, that our way is not the only one. And if you do not see and experience other forms of life, you cannot begin to live differently. You start to wonder, if this, what you live now, is really what you want. No change is needed if you do not want it. But maybe one day you wish for a change and travelling will make it easier for you.
