TRAVEL NOTES
Agnese's travel notes
The idea for the blog was born during the trip between Latin America and the United States. Travel Notes it was the folder where Agnese saved notes, images and stories of her travels. Now it is the blog where he collects all the experiences of his life.
Welcome to Easy Travel Hosting! Spain, Ireland, Austra and then around Europe and now it stops in Ireland again. Could you tell us about yourself and your need to move?
I grew up in Galatina, a town in the heart of Salento, and since I was little I have always had two problems: I am "severely affected" by daydreaming (or as they would say in Italian, I always have my head in the clouds) and I get bored really easily. This is probably the basis of my need to constantly move.
I have always read lots of books and watched lots of films, and every time I imagined being in the same places as the protagonists and experiencing incredible adventures. As a child, I loved waking up at the weekend and discovering that I would be leaving with my family for a little trip to discover some new place in my beloved Puglia or even around Italy.
Since primary school, I had decided that I would do a job that would allow me to move around the world and, when they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, in fact, I answered street or circus artist (a job that I thought would take me to travel the world).
I didn't become a street or circus artist, but I made my dream of traveling around the world come true! I decided to study languages and move first to Europe and then to South and North America, and I think it was the perfect choice for me.
I don't like the idea of staying in the same place for too long and it bores me, and even though Ireland has now become my second home, I don't give up at least two or three trips a year.
Obviously, moving often isn't always easy or all roses as they make it out to be in books and films, and sometimes it's really difficult to be away from your family and friends. But every time I visit in person a new place that has been on my Bucket List for a long time, that I learn a new word in a language I didn't know, that I sit at the table with people of cultures and experiences so different from mine, that I feel so comfortable and at home, despite being so many kilometers away from home, I understand that I have made the right choice.
What is keeping you in Ireland now, what do you find fascinating and what is starting to tire you out?
After traveling for a year, I returned to Ireland for a three-week holiday, but I found my dream job and decided to stay here. I like the people, the music and the beautiful landscapes of Ireland.
I still remember the first time I arrived in Dublin, in 2012, when smartphones with Google Maps didn't yet exist, and I was walking down the street a little lost looking for my hostel. At least ten people stopped to try to help me without me asking. The kindness of the Irish is precisely one of the reasons why I would recommend everyone to visit this country
As for the landscapes, however, there are not only the green meadows that everyone imagines, but also the coast. In fact, for a sea lover like me, Ireland is one of the ideal places to explore different and beautiful beaches and cliffs.
I also like the fact that Dublin is a capital, and therefore offers many opportunities, not only in terms of work, but also in terms of activities to do in your free time. At the same time, however, it is not a giant city like other European capitals, and it is quite easy to get around and have authentic encounters with locals.
As for what's starting to tire me, if I wanted to be really obvious, I could say the weather! As many will already know, the climate here is quite cold and above all there is a lot of rain. The thing I like least, however, is certainly the fact that, being an island, it is difficult to travel by train, bus or car to other nearby countries, as I could easily do for example when I lived in Austria.
An event that changed the course of your life, perspectives and points of view. We're talking about your year backpacking in America, could you tell us about it?
Leaving for Latin America was, in reality, a fairly impulsive choice. I've always thought that I would like to travel backpacking for a while, without a specific plan, but I didn't know when I would do it.
In 2017, I was in a job I didn't like, in a place I didn't like. But perhaps, like many young people, I almost felt guilty leaving him, after having worked so hard to get a permanent contract. Until one day, while I was at the seaside on holiday in my native Salento, I decided to book a one-way ticket to Mexico and sent my resignation email.
In one year I visited several countries: Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica and the United States.
Needless to say, it was a unique experience and one that truly changed my life. I discovered some beautiful places, which truly left me speechless, from the Amazon forest, to the glaciers of Patagonia, to the Guajira desert, etc.…
Backpacking helped me discover these places in an authentic way and make me feel at home, despite being so far from home, from staying with local people, to preferring local public transport (instead of tourist buses), to gaining volunteer experience which really helped me understand what I wanted to do in life.
And it was in fact thanks to some volunteering experiences, in particular one in Colombia and one in Peru, that I understood that I wanted to make a total change in my career and work in the field of sustainability.
Obviously there are difficulties and moments of discouragement. When you don't make plans, there can be bumps along the way and, at times, adapting to such different realities seems difficult. Furthermore, you always have it the feeling of never being able to go back to my old life and an office job. But it's definitely worth it!
This trip is the reason why I started writing my blog, Travel Notes. Initially, in fact, I had a diary that I always carried with me, where I wrote down suggestions and advice. Then when I decided to open an Instagram account and publish the first photos, some people started contacting me, telling me that they would like to visit a certain place and if I had any advice for them. In the end I decided to publish these notes online and writing about my travels has become a real passion.
Let's now talk about your trip to Tanzania, why this destination, and would you recommend it?
The trip to Tanzania was my last big trip before the pandemic, in September 2019, and it was a fantastic experience. I had never been to Africa and I decided to add a new continent to the list of places visited. Also, I really wanted to go on safari.
So, after a bit of online research, and after hearing the wonderful stories of a friend of mine who lived in Tanzania for a year, I chose this place.
Having only two weeks, I decided to spend one relaxing on the beaches of Zanzibar, and one going on a safari in the Serengeti, Ngoro Ngoro and Lake Manyara parks.
The beaches of Zanzibar are all very beautiful, but too full of tourists for my tastes. Of all of them, however, I would recommend visiting Jambiani, where the Kuza Cave Cultural Center is also located, a cultural center and NGO that helps the local community, where it is really possible to immerse yourself in the local culture, taking part in dance, music, cooking lessons, etc.… and where there is a beautiful "secret" natural swimming pool.
An unmissable destination in Zanzibar, which even beats the beaches for a sea lover like me, is Stone Town, the main city: truly a magical place. Here I would recommend taking part in a tour to find out more about the culture and history of the island.
As for the safari, however, it is truly an experience to do at least once in a lifetime. During a safari, you can have unique encounters with wildlife and see incredible landscapes, like those seen in documentaries!
A safari is also an opportunity to support, by choosing the right travel agency, not only natural conservation projects, but also local communities, creating job opportunities.
So, would I recommend Tanzania as a destination? Absolutely! And I hope for myself to return one day and discover new places in the hinterland, perhaps the less touristy ones, where I can live authentic experiences.
As you know, Easy Travel Hosting uses renewable and eco-sustainable energy to power its servers. Furthermore, a tree is planted for each new hosting, actively helping reforestation and the absorption of CO2. What do you think of this project and in general, do you think it is important to seek a more sustainable lifestyle?
For some time now I have discovered how much the Internet actually pollutes. Several studies show that the Internet and the entire system around it are responsible for 900 million tons of CO2 every year, making it a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, on par with the aviation industry. Quite alarming numbers
I started doing some “digital cleaning”: cleaning up my email inboxes, deleting duplicates or unnecessary files, saving and reusing Internet searches, downloading content instead of streaming it, etc.…And then I tried to make my blog more sustainable: after all, a blog that talks about sustainable travel should try to pollute as little as possible, right?
For this reason I decided to contact Easy Travel Hosting and move my blog to this platform, which seemed like the perfect solution for a blog like mine. The fact that it runs on 100% renewable energy, the reforestation project in Guatemala (which also creates job opportunities and support for the local community), and the impeccable service are all reasons why I would recommend Easy Travel Hosting to everyone.
Regarding sustainability in general, I think that adopting a more conscious lifestyle is, at this point, a necessity and a duty we have towards the planet and future generations.
Every time I find myself in front of a natural wonder during one of my trips I think that I am very lucky to be able to see it in person and that it would be a huge shame if it no longer existed in the future.
Personally, I always try to do as much as possible, both when traveling and in everyday life, from avoiding single-use plastic, to having a plant-based diet, using public transport, being careful with energy consumption, avoiding buying things that I don't actually need, picking up rubbish that I see on the street, etc.… You can't be 100% sustainable, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try and every action (even those that seem most insignificant) can have a huge impact.
Sustainability has so much importance in my life, that it is not just a personal life choice or a hobby that I write about in my blog, but it is also my job. In fact, I currently work at an environmental NGO that works with coastal communities in Ireland to remove waste from the sea, educate and raise awareness of sustainability and protect against coastal erosion.
Easy Travel Hosting thanks Agnese very much for taking part in our interview.
If you want to find out more, you can follow her on her website by clicking here.
And on social media too!
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