When I was a kid, I always tried to postpone, skip or finish school as fast as I could. I had more important things to do. At least, this is what I thought so at that age. Now, many years later, I realise how fool I was. Why? Because now I don't have so much time to do that, the learning process is different, it takes more time and energy to pick up stuff. And guess what. The eager to learn is higher now. I’m 36 years old and I got back to school. Shifting career, getting into the design at this age could be a brave move for most of us. It’s not easy, but I think it’s better than being stuck into something that you don’t love doing anymore. I try to blend school in my adult life, I try to learn how to learn again. Note to my younger self: Learn something new every day. … Read More
Time to slow down
We are always in a rush. We’re always busy. We have to do something at any giving time of the day. We have to? Or we decide to? I’ve just started an experiment: I spend one to two hours per day in the middle of nature, without doing anything, in particular. I just sit there and enjoy the silence. No rush, no worries. It’s been a week and I already feel great. I hope this will last forever.
Wembley to Camden Town
I like walking. A lot. When I've visited my friend's new working studio in Wembley, I had a look on his window and I've seen Grand Union Canal, just a few steps from his window. It didn't take too much time to give myself a new challenge: to walk by the canal from his studio to Camden Town. I did a bit of research: It's a 10 miles journey, about 3 hours. Challenge accepted, I say to myself. Just a few minutes later I've started walking by the canal, from east to east, starting with Wembley area, then Park Royal, Kensal Town and so on. I didn't regret a second the decision I've made. It's one of the most non-touristic route you can choose if you get to London and that's the main reason I really like it. You can discover London in layers: from industrial part, residential, green … Read More
To the airport
I like flying. I like flying so much that I felt stuck in time, during this pandemic. I couldn’t fly for more than one year and things got a bit weird in my head. Maybe because I’ve been used to flying almost monthly. I had even more than 15 flight segments in one month. It’s like an addiction. I needed a Pandemic to realise that I’m addicted to fly, to move countries, to travel. Anywhere. Now, after more than a year of staying on the ground, trapped, I fly again. The sky sent me an amazing gift for being so patient: one of the most beautiful view over the Alps.
Live in the present moment
We all thinking at the past. We all try to plan the future. But what we actually need to do is to live in the present. It's hard. It's maybe the hardest thing a human being can do. There is a study where people were given the option of either sitting in a room with their own thoughts for 15 minutes, or giving themselves an electric shock. 60% of men and 30% of women gave themselves a shock, rather than spend 15 minutes alone with their own head. So yeah, it's hard. Almost impossible. That's my new mission starting from today: to live in the present moment as much as possible.
Tesla
I had this wallpaper on my laptop for years. This is the amount of time I also had to wait for this dream to become true. 3.5 years from the moment I put the order and 7 years since I've started to dream, to be more specific. I've started following Tesla in 2012, when the Model S was launched. Doing my research about Tesla, I thought the car is too good to be true, too advanced to get into the market, too early to be understood and appreciated by masses. Apparently, that wasn't the case and Elon Musk's Master Plan got implemented as he planned it. Years are passing on, I get more and more interested in Tesla. I start dreaming, even if, at that time, it seemed to be impossible for me to imagine myself behind a "T" steering wheel. 31st of March, 2016. I'm in London, I make some decent… Read More
Morocco
I think the best way to start a new trip is by lowering down your expectations. This is how I did before flying to Morocco. It's good, healthy. The post title is Morocco, but I actually had the chance to visit Marrakech only, so I don't know how accurate this content will be. It's 20th of January. My first day in Marrakech. I sit down by the pool. The sun is rising towards the middle of the sky. There's around 16 degrees Celsius outside and I still can't believe that yesterday I was freezing in London. I order breakfast, coffee and orange juice. All of them are delicious. After a few more hours of laziness I decide to start exploring the city. I go straight to Medina, the busiest part of the city. When I say busy, I say people walking, cyclists, cars, donkeys, craftsmen, butcher… Read More
Vipassana Experience
The picture on the top is not just a picture of the sky. It's a picture of the sky I was staring for hours after I got out from a Vipassana retreat. OK, what is Vipassana, you may ask. It's a retreat than can last from days to months, where you are totally disconnected from the world: you don't have access to internet, books, radio, tv, you are not allowed to speak to each other and you meditate about 12 hours/day. It's a huge challenge. First, you ask yourself why are you there. Why you decided to wipe out some days from your life and do absolutely nothing. After a few days, you start thinking at your past. A few days later, you start to plan your future. Your mind goes crazy. Second week, when your mind had enough of thinking, planning, wondering, you finally start relaxing. A… Read More
Is it too far or too close?
Too far from what? Too close to what? When I moved out of London, I got this question so often, that I had to memorize the answer and say it over and over again: You moved to The Cotswolds? Isn't it too far away? Too far away? I ask back. What do you mean by too far away? It could be too far from your world, your own bubble, but maybe it's closer to mine. We tend to create our own bubbles and everything that is different could be wrong. I don't think there's right or wrong. Just different. When you live in London you can be tricked and believe that's London and the rest of the world. London is an amazing city, full of opportunities, nice venues, events, great people, amazing architecture, but it's not the centre of the world. It's just another city. Or bubble. Since I moved to T… Read More
Just cruising
My first cruise ship experience was as a photographer on Costa Magica. It wasn't easy. A lot of work, not much to learn and selling the photos was a huge pain in the ass. I got out quickly and I said to myself that, at some point, I'll get back on cruise ship as a passenger. That's what happened this time. I embarked on Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas. The itinerary was perfect: Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Maarten, Martinique, Barbados, Grenada, and back to Puerto Rico. I had the chance to experience most of the Caribbean in just a week. Of course, I couldn't go into details, but it was enough for a first timer. The ship, service, events were simply amazing. 5 stars for the staff. I know how hard it is to work on a cruise ship, so I give them a bonus star. Until now, I thoug… Read More