About
Hi, I'm Taha.
My story is probably similar to a lot of yours. I grew up in Morocco until I was 18, then moved to France to study software engineering. I grew up timid and introverted, and that kept me from living the life I'd actually dreamed of, one filled with spontaneity and the kind of random encounters that turn into lifelong friendships.
One YouTube channel that really shaped me back then was Yes Theory, with their motto "seek discomfort." So I set out to get out of my comfort zone. It started with moving abroad. The following summer, I went on a 20-day trip through Portugal, hitchhiking my way across 13 cities and crashing at strangers' places along the way. That trip cracked open my eyes to the kind of person I wanted to become and the life I wanted to live.
Two years later, I volunteered for a month in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, as a construction worker at a hostel, and loved every second of it. That's when it clicked that we'd been sold the wrong dream. Study, get a job, grind away for decades, and hope you have enough energy left to enjoy life once you retire, all in the name of stability and safety.
My favorite anime of all time is One Piece. I've always wanted to be like Luffy, setting sail to discover the world, going on big adventures, meeting my "crew," and figuring life out one saga at a time.
Over the past 5 years, I've visited 20 countries, mostly solo and on a budget. I started sharing my trips, and a piece of my mind, on Instagram every now and then, and realized how many people felt exactly the way I do about life and travel, but never took that first solo trip.
That's what this blog is for. Guides to places I've been, budget breakdowns, tips, recommendations, and, why not, a little motivation to take the leap yourself.
After 5 years away from home, I finally finished my studies and graduated. Unlike Luffy, though, I can't just set sail full-time. Turns out my passport is considered "weak" by a lot of borders, and I need a visa just to show up. So until I sort that out, I'm your average software engineer (a job I actually love), going on side quests whenever I can and sharing the journey with you.
Follow along, I'll need all the support I can get! Find me on Instagram, read the posts, or get in touch if you want to work together.