This Millennial Traveler Explains His Love For Traveling And How It Has Made Him More Self-Reliant And Extroverted
What is GAFFL?

GAFFL connects solo travelers with similar itineraries to explore destinations together. Whether you are backpacking in Asia, road tripping in Australia, or exploring national parks in the US, simply type the destination you are traveling to, find travelers who are going there at the same time as you, connect with them, plan trips, meet, and travel together.

Sander
Sander is a 24-year-old copywriter from Belgium and the driving force behind Ars Currendi.
30th Dec | 6 min read

Table of Contents

    At GAFFL, we love to publish inspiring travel stories from adventurers around the world. You can connect with adventurers from 170+ countries on GAFFL, meet up, and explore destinations together. In this article, we are featuring Sander, an inspiring traveler & copywriter from Belgium.

    Sander is a 24-year-old copywriter from Belgium and the driving force behind Ars Currendi. As a traveler, he is very versatile – he loves going on quick weekend getaways with friends, exploring far-away countries with his family, and even traveling solo from time to time. You can also follow his travel endeavors on his Facebook and Instagram.

    Join The GAFFL Newsletter

    Join our subscriber list to receive the best tips on solo travel, helpful travel guides, inspirational travel stories, and more. You can unsubscribe anytime with just one click.

    SUBSCRIBE

    My Travel Inspiration

    I’ve been traveling with my family for as long as I can remember. It started out with our yearly ski trip when I was about 4 or 5 years old, and later we also started to go on city trips around Europe. Ever since then, I have taken every opportunity to go traveling, be it with family, friends, or alone.


    I continue to travel because it’s the thing that gives me the most energy and it makes me feel alive. I love the person I am on the road, and I will continue to hop on a plane or train whenever I can.

    How Often I Travel And Activities I Enjoy

    I travel as often as I can. Usually, this amounts to about 3 to 4 trips a year.


    The activities I do when I travel truly depend on the people I am with. When I’m traveling solo, I go out of my way to find the activities that will lead to the best travel stories - things a typical ‘tourist’ won’t do. I use websites like Atlas Obscura for this.

    When I’m traveling with friends or family, I usually do things that are a bit more easy-going: walking through the city center, finding hidden restaurants, visiting a museum, or exploring nature.

    How I Pick Travel Destinations And Prepare For It

    I have a long list of destinations I haven’t visited yet, so all I have to do is check flight prices to each of these destinations and figure out which trip will be the cheapest at that time.


    My trips vary wildly in length. I’ve been on trips that took two days, but I’ve also been on the road for nearly a month. I would say the average trip is somewhere between four days and a week.

    Once I know where I’m going, I try to figure out what there is to do there. I make an overview in Google Docs, so I can easily access it from all my devices, and I gradually add information about restaurants, activities, and other practical things to that document.

    How I Pack From My Trips

    I actually wrote an article about packing light, and I often go back to the information in that article myself. My biggest tip is this: when you’re packing your bags, consider each item carefully and ask yourself whether you’re really going to use it on the road. Doing this simple thing can have a great impact on the amount of luggage you’ll be carrying around.

    I always try to have some way of taking pictures with me when I travel. Whether it’s a DSLR camera, a smartphone, an action camera, or even a disposable camera, I love to immortalize my memories through photos.

    Favorite Memory Of Meeting New People

    When I was traveling solo in Malta, I met an American family in St. Paul’s Catacombs. We were exploring separately at the same time, and I struck up a conversation with them. We eventually ended up going to the same museum afterward, and we decided to explore the museum together. I haven’t seen or heard from them since that day, but it’s a great memory I still cherish.

    My Travel Experiences And Bucket Lists

    I’ve mostly traveled in Europe, but I’ve also been to Morocco, Japan, Bali, Singapore, and India. As you can see, there are still plenty of places I haven’t discovered yet, so yes - I do have a bucket list! And, like every other travel blogger I know, my bucket list only keeps getting bigger instead of smaller.


    Some things on the list are Rottnest Island (Australia), Zhangjiajie Forest (China), Taroko Gorge (Taiwan), Banff and Jasper National Park (Canada), and Fingal’s Cave (Scotland).

    Apps, Websites, And Resources I Use While On The Go

    I use several resources to plan, organize and execute my trips. Some of my favorite travel resources are Atlas Obscura, Airbnb, Google Flights, Hostelworld, Skyscanner, and Tripcoin.


    I actually started my blog in 2017 as a way to keep my loved ones up to date about my first solo trip to Dublin. Over time, it grew into something much bigger than that, and now, my purpose is to help aspiring solo travelers reach their travel goals by sharing what I know about travel and how to avoid the mistakes I made.

    Traveling On A Budget And Managing Costs

    I try to travel on a budget. It’s a fun challenge for me to see how I can get the best possible trip with the least amount of money. During my travels, I manage my costs by making small savings everywhere. I book a bed in a hostel dorm room instead of a private hotel room, I cook in the communal kitchen instead of eating out, etc.

    Cool Stories To Share

    I have a few cool travel stories I love sharing with people. The first one is from my solo trip to Malta. I ended up sleeping in Wardija Punic Temple; a temple on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean, at a 40-minute walk from the Azure Window.

    I also explored an abandoned children’s hospital on my solo trip to Berlin, and I got my first tattoo when I was in Dublin by myself.

    The Travel Repellents

    At the moment, of course, the pandemic. I had seven trips planned for 2020 - it was supposed to be my big travel year - and then COVID hit the world, and travel restrictions were put into place nearly everywhere.

    Other than that, the same things everybody struggles with: time and money. No matter what people say, travel is expensive, and - though you can find ways to save money on the road - your destination and activities are still largely going to depend on the state of your bank account.

    Lessons Learnt From Traveling

    Travel has taught me that anything is possible and that having unique experiences can completely change your outlook on life. If it hadn’t been for the things I did during my solo trips to Dublin, Malta, and Berlin, I would not be the person I am today. I would be less independent and more introverted, for one.

    Traveling is something that can open your eyes to the beauty of the world and the oneness of its inhabitants. It’s something I would recommend to everyone because there’s simply nothing like it.


    Other cool travel stories you might enjoy! 

    Join The GAFFL Newsletter

    Join our subscriber list to receive the best tips on solo travel, helpful travel guides, inspirational travel stories, and more. You can unsubscribe anytime with just one click.

    SUBSCRIBE