October 2024 we start again..
Ancona-Split with our camper Rocinante!
Story Hunters on the road - We have restarted our Rocinante camper (Hymer 1987) and we are once again on the road towards new adventures and discoveries.
As always, the program is… vague. We know where the (mental) journey begins: Split , and we know where it will take us: Crete. But between departure and arrival, each stop is a surprise. Crete is more than a destination : we feel that this time it will be a place of change , a space that encompasses the most authentic Mediterranean , and that could really reserve some unexpected twists for us.
It is not the first time that we explore Crete , but for us this island is like an idea that continues to generate energy and passion. Our journey has never really ended here… and probably will never end. In Crete anything can happen. Even that it becomes, one day, one of our homes.
On this journey, as always, many things will happen and we will tell some of them here. Why? After seven years of travel and stories , of life-changing stories abroad, we like to think that someone can find inspiration in the stories told by Story Hunters, in the meetings, in our vision of travel.
And then, we like to let the journey create the encounters and write the plots.
We travel withour YouTube Channel , which we love and which has become an integral part of our journey. However, we do not want traveling to become something we do only for it. We want to continue to tell only what we feel is true and authentic , and we want the experiences we have lived to guide us.
This journey will be a reflection towards another phase of change , and perhaps for this reason the way we tell our stories could also change. We don't know yet how it will happen, but we feel that something new is about to happen. After having listened to and interviewed many people on the topic of change, now we are the ones going through another evolutionary stage.
This story is intended to be both a logbook, for those who wish to experience the journey with us, and an experiment to see where this new phase will take us.
Back to the Road: Rocinante Resumes the Journey
After so many trips, Rocinante, our old '87 Hymer , is almost like an extension of our own soul . With it we have explored every type of road and faced many unexpected events, but also discovered incredible places and experienced unrepeatable moments. This camper has become an integral part of our life: a refuge, a means, and even a symbol of freedom. Every time we start it up again, it feels like we are reactivating a piece of ourselves, something that had fallen asleep but that starts pulsating again as soon as the engine is turned on.
This time, our journey will take us beyond the Adriatic, towards Split, the first stop on the journey. Split is a city that has always fascinated travellers, with its thousand-year history and its lively energy, made up of traditions but also of that all-Mediterranean vitality. For us, it represents a symbolic starting point, a place to recharge our batteries and prepare for the journey that awaits us.
Crossing the sea from Ancona and then slowly descending towards the south is a deliberate choice. Not only is it a route towards new landscapes , but it allows us to leave behind the “noise” of everything that is familiar to us, to immerse ourselves in a different dimension, quieter and deeper. Changing panoramas await us, jagged coasts, small islands, cities that bear the signs of an intense and troubled history .
Between Islands and Small Villages: Slowness as a Philosophy
Along the way, between one village and another, we will make more or less long stops, without too much planning. We have learned that the beauty of travel is also in going against the flow compared to the frenetic times that society imposes on us. It is a philosophy that we have embraced for years, and that has allowed us to discover not only incredible places, but also to meet people who have deeply enriched our experience.
During these stops, we will immerse ourselves in local life : we will try typical dishes , we will listen to the stories of fishermen, artisans, people who live by the sea and the lands around. Croatia , and then Montenegro , Albania and finally Greece , are places of transit, but also of cultural stratification. The people we meet are the result of a long history of contamination, and even the cuisine reflects this mix of flavors, smells and ingredients from different lands.
Exploring these places means coming into contact with a culture that has formed over time, made up of centuries-old traditions and stories passed down from generation to generation. Each village is a small world , and we want to get lost in its streets, taste the local cuisine, and discover those details that you don't find in tourist guides.
The Suspension of Time: The Sea and Solitude
One of the most powerful aspects of this journey is the sense of suspension of time that the sea gives us. When you travel along the coast or on small islands, everything seems to slow down. The rhythms of the sea are reflected in the lives of those who live there, and we, in some way, let ourselves be carried away by these natural rhythms.
The sea has an almost hypnotic effect. We often stop to admire it, both at sunset and at dawn, when the light creates colors and reflections that make every moment unique. This journey is not only a geographical itinerary, but also a search for a deeper connection with nature. We realized that it is in these moments of silence, in front of the immensity of the sea, that we feel closer to the true essence of the journey. It is as if everything else fades away, leaving only us, Rocinante and the sea in front of us.
This solitude , which at times can seem almost alienating, is actually an opportunity to reflect. We have left so much behind, and this journey also represents a phase of change for us. Each stage, each stop, is like a piece of a puzzle that will help us understand where this new phase of our life will take us.
Crete: An Island, A Destination, A Possibility
The final destination of this trip is Crete. We have already explored this island twice, but every time we return it is as if we discover a different side. Crete is not just a tourist destination, it is a place that emanates a particular energy, an island that seems to contain the best of the Mediterranean. This time, however, we also see it as a concrete possibility. It could become one of the places where we decide to stop, a space that could become our home.
Crete is a land rich in history , mythology, and unspoiled nature. It is also a place that, in recent years, has taught us a lot. Life on the island has its own rhythm: the people are welcoming, the cuisine is simple but genuine, and everywhere you feel the call of Minoan history , Greek myths and a past that still seems alive and present. It is a place that stimulates change , and perhaps that is precisely why it attracts us so much.
We have met many people who have chosen to move to Crete , to change their lives and embrace a more authentic reality. We do not yet know if we will do the same, but we feel that this possibility is increasingly real , and that in some way Crete is calling us. It is a thought that has accompanied us for a long time and that fascinates us, because it represents a different way of living , far from the chaos and frenetic pace.
Unexpected Encounters: People Who Enrich the Path
Another fundamental aspect of this journey are the people we meet along the way. Every time we set out, we know that it will be these encounters that will give meaning to our journey. It doesn't matter if it's a chat with a local, a meal shared with other travelers, or an interview with someone who has chosen to change their life. Each person brings with them a story, and each story is a piece of the mosaic that makes up our experience.
During our travels we have met extraordinary people: artisans, fishermen, chefs, artists, travelers who have left everything to embrace a different life. These are encounters that leave a mark, that teach us something new and that, sometimes, make us see the world from a completely different perspective.
In a certain sense, we have become “story hunters” . We seek these stories as a source of inspiration, as a way to better understand the world and ourselves. Each person we meet enriches us, gives us a part of their experience and makes us reflect on what we want from life.
The Narrative of Change: Storytelling to Inspire
We have spoken to many people who have experienced a radical change in their lives. Each of them has a unique story , a personal journey that has led them to make courageous choices, often difficult, but that in the end has made them happier. For us, listening to these stories has become a way to understand the meaning of change and to reflect on what we really want from our lives.
Change is a theme that has accompanied us for years, and this journey is only a part of it. Telling our encounters and experiences is a sort of logbook, but also a way to inspire those who read or follow us.
We believe that every story has the power to touch someone , to light a spark , to make them reflect on what is truly important. We ourselves have drawn inspiration from the stories of others, and we hope that our journey can, in some way, inspire someone to find the courage to follow their dreams.
This journey to Crete , therefore, is also a path of narration of change. We have no pre-established plans, we do not know what we will tell or what we will find along the way. Every live streaming, every video of ours, every story we share is an open window on our journey, and we want it to remain authentic, spontaneous, and true. We will tell what we experience without filters, because we believe that it is this sincerity that makes the difference.
Our Travel Companion: The YouTube Channel
A fundamental element of our journey is our YouTube Channel , which has now become almost a travel companion in all respects. We decided to open the YouTube Channel to share our experiences , and over time it has become much more than a simple communication tool : it is a bridge between us and the people who follow us, a platform where we can tell what we experience directly and without mediation.
Traveling with the Channel means taking a community with us , a small virtual family that follows us and often interacts with us, sharing opinions, ideas, suggestions. It's nice to know that there is someone on the other side of the screen who follows our journey, who participates in our adventures and who, in some way, is close to us. Yet, we care about maintaining the authenticity of the journey: we don't want to travel just for the Channel or to create content. We want every video, every live broadcast, to be the result of a real experience, of something that has touched us and that we feel the desire to share.
We have always believed that the YouTube Channel should be a space of inspiration and not a showcase. We tell our stories because we want to, because we like to share our journey, and because we hope that, somewhere, someone can find ideas or motivation. But our journey remains first and foremost for ourselves: to discover, grow, and experience the world with our own eyes.
The Island of a Possible Future
Our arrival in Crete marks a sort of symbolic milestone. We know that on this island new possibilities could open up, perhaps even the possibility of a different life . We do not deny that the idea of moving to the island of Crete is something that has been buzzing around in our minds for some time, but that we have not yet fully decided. It is a choice that requires reflection, time, and the ability to understand if this is really what we want.
Crete, however, is already much more than a destination: it is a possibility, a point of arrival and, perhaps, a new point of departure. Here we found a community that lives according to different rhythms, that has chosen to embrace a simpler and more authentic lifestyle. Many of the inhabitants of the island have lived stories similar to ours, they have left everything to find a more authentic life, and we feel close to this philosophy.
During our previous visits, we had the opportunity to explore both the most well-known areas of the island, with their enchanting beaches and ancient ruins, and the more hidden places, those far from mass tourism. This time, however, we approach Crete with a different spirit. We are no longer just travellers, but observers of a possible future reality. Every step, every encounter, every landscape pushes us to reflect on what “home” really means to us and what our next big change could be.
A Nomadic Life: Living Without Roots, But With an Inner Compass
For years now we have been living a nomadic life , without fixed roots. This choice has given us incredible freedom, the possibility of exploring the world and living according to our rules. But it has also taught us that nomadic life requires an inner balance, a sort of compass that allows us to maintain a direction even without having a fixed place to return to.
Life in a camper is simple, spartan, and often unpredictable. It has taught us to adapt, to live with less, to find beauty in the little things. It is a life that has allowed us to experience a dimension of freedom that we would have hardly found in a more traditional life. But every now and then we ask ourselves: will the time ever come when we will feel the desire to stop? Crete represents, in some way, the possibility of finding a balance between our nomadic soul and the need to have a fixed point, a place to call home.
The answer to this question is still uncertain, but one thing is certain: we will continue to follow our inner compass. This journey is showing us that there are no definitive answers, that every phase of life brings with it new questions and new possibilities. And we are ready to welcome every change, every evolution, with an open heart and a curious spirit.
The Logbook: A Story to Inspire and Share
Writing the diary of this journey is an important part of our experience. Every word, every reflection, is like a small stop along the path, a way to fix memories and share emotions with those who follow us. We do not know if these pages will ever end, or if one day we will decide to collect everything in a book , but for now it is enough for us to know that this diary is a travel companion, a trace that will remain.
Through words, we try to convey the essence of what we experience: the breathtaking landscapes, the unexpected encounters , the moments of solitude and reflection. Writing is our way of putting our thoughts in order, of understanding ourselves better and of creating a connection with those who, on the other side of the screen or the page, read and perhaps dream of living a similar experience.
This diary is not just for us, but for anyone who feels the desire to leave, to change, to find their own path. Telling the journey is our way of giving something back , of donating a piece of our experience to those who are looking for inspiration or courage. We hope that, by reading these words, someone can find the motivation to follow their dreams, to face change and to live life with a pinch of madness and adventure.
Into the Unknown: The Beauty of an Endless Journey
Ultimately, what we learned is that the journey has no real final destination. Even though Crete is our goal for this adventure, we know that once we get there, we will find new questions, new stimuli and maybe even new goals. The journey, after all, is a state of mind, a way of life that does not depend on where you are, but on how you feel.
Every time we think we have found an answer, the journey leads us to discover a new question. Every time we think we have reached a goal, we realize that there is still so much to explore, to learn, to live. This is the charm of the nomadic life , of being explorers of the soul and of the world: there is never an end, only new stages to discover.
And so, with our trusty Rocinante Camper by our side and theStory Hunters YouTube Channel as our witness , we continue our journey, guided by curiosity and the desire to explore. Maybe one day we will find the perfect place, maybe Crete will truly be our home, or maybe we will continue to wander the world, collecting stories and creating memories.
What matters is that, as long as we are travelling, we will continue to live intensely, to tell, to inspire and to be inspired.
Because, after all, this is the true essence of our journey.
Here is our video for you, thanks for sharing it with those you think will appreciate it! ;-) Barbara & Leonardo
Our Site > Story Hunters Tv
#ChangeLife #ItaliansAbroad #ItaliansAbroad #LifeAbroad #I'mGivingItAllUp
#Startover #ItaliansInGreece #MovingAbroad #ItaliansInCamper #Expatriate #LivingSimple #FollowingDreams #AlternativeLife
#ItalianInCrete #CamperLiving #DreamsOfFreedom #MinimalistLife #CamperLife #CamperTravel #VanLifeItaly #OnTheRoad #SlowTravel
Comments