Unexpected encounters: Alex Văcariu
I met Alex on a dirty sidewalk in Barranquilla (Colombia), during the second biggest carnival in South America.
Amid the chaos that was Barranquilla, with locals and travelers mingling tumultuously on salsa, cumbia, merecumbe, champeta and reggaeton rhythms, one of the most unexpected and authentic encounters occured to me.
I was trying to catch my breath, sitting on the sidewalk of a random street that turned into a huge party, just as every other street of Barranquilla during the carnival. This cool rebellious looking girl was hola hooping in front of me. We spoke for a bit before she exclaimed: "Romania? We have a guy in our group also from Romania! Come meet him!"
It's not usual you meet Romanians sailing so far abroad. So I thought "wow, cool!", but the minute I started talking to Alex I figured this is one of those experiences I was always craving to come across. Why? 👇
Alex has been traveling for 8 months through all Latin America. Okay, okay, a lot of nomads do that nowadays, so? Well... he did that with 0 money. ZERO. Nada. A big backpack, his tattoo machine and other 20 people sharing the same beliefs - modern day conquistadors of life at its purest. Sleeping on the streets and grateful for the stars and nature, for locals' hospitality who feed them, or people's who take them on a ride so that the adventure can go on indefinitely. All at no cost. After all, what does it cost oneself to be kind?
The best part is that this is not just a stupid ambition of theirs - it's a way of living. Which freaking fills my soul with joy. I won't be able to do what Alex does ever, but I admire his devotion to authenticy, his free spirit and resistance to material joy. He's pretty much the very augmented version of some of my strongest values.
Meeting him and his friends from all over the world who were aimlessly dancing at South America's second biggest carnival was a blessing. We split ways late at night, after sharing stories on a dirty sidewalk in Barranquilla. They will go south, hitchhiking their way to ultimate freedom, while I will seek new horizons enriched by another fascinating lesson.
You can follow Alex's journey here.
