Last year's SteemFest 2 in Lisbon, Portugal was so much fun I made up my mind right then and there to attend every SteemFest event in the future.
Minutes before I was about to book flights to Thailand, a place I have always dreamed of going to but was waiting for @roelandp to announce the location of SteemFest 3. The anticipation of that announcement had me on pins and needles. Not wanting to wait anymore I was literally sitting at my computer booking my flights to Thailand when my inbox was flooded with notifications announcing the time and place for SteemFest 3, so, I booked those flights too. Perfect timing.
So my road to SteemFest this year will be a long journey starting in Cancun, Mexico. I'll spend a week in Mexico City before catching a flight from there to Bangkok, Thailand where I'll spend 2-months, then go to Krakow, Poland for the event before returning to Thailand for at least two more months, maybe more.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. - Mark Twain
I had a chance to hook up with my friend @anomadsoul a couple weeks ago when he hatched this idea for the #roadtosteemfest, a wonderful idea to get to know each other before meeting up. One of the things that really stood out to me at SteemFest last year was this feeling of meeting people for the first time who you already felt you knew through reading their posts, it's remarkable in that sense.
So let me share a bit about myself.
I have done many things and traveled to many places around the world but this will be my first time going to Poland. I joined Steemit on August 31st, 2016 and soon after started an initiative called Steemit Open Mic, an online, live music venue to give musicians a chance to share their music with the Steemit community and get their music heard.
Bizarre travel plans are dancing lessons from God. - Kurt Vonnegut
A study of the trending pages on the platform clued me into the understanding that the more one can help others on Steemit the more successful one could be. This is truly a gift economy. What is a gift economy you ask? Here's a great post about that titled, The Reason You Don't Understand Steemit: It's Like A Gift Economy Not A Commodity Economy -- by @stellabelle
With so much support from so many talented musicians on Steemit and the generous support from a handful of witnesses, (@pfunk, @ausbitbank, @aggroed, @curie, @isaria) I'm now gratefully living on Steem 100%. I'm not rich and live a modest lifestyle, but do get to travel quite a bit.
It took me about 8-months of working 8-12 hours per day on the platform to make enough to replace my income and thanks to Steemit have been introduced to crypto, one of the mission statements of Steemit.
Before getting involved in Steemit I was selling timeshare (vacation packages) in Cancun, and instead of talking about traveling as I did for 12-years, now I'm traveling myself.
One's destination is never a place, but always a new way of seeing things. - Henry Miller
People have the mistaken belief that traveling is expensive, but not anymore as renting a house really. Doing both at the same time is expensive so I only do one at a time. I will either rent a place and stay put for a couple months or hit the road and travel.
@luzcypher and @lizanomadsoul at the beach in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
My friend @lizanomadsoul who I also introduced to Steemit says the Germans have a word for my condition.
Fernweh which translates to wanderlust. Apparently the only cure is to keep traveling and if one can't travel then getting a job in the travel industry and reading travel magazines and blogs can keep the symptoms under control temporarily, but actually venturing into the world and seeing it first hand is the only real remedy.
Sometimes I'll stay in a fancy resort for a couple nights but mostly I've grown fond of hostels. Not only is it less expensive which translates into staying longer, but that is where the real travelers are. In fact, that is where I met @anomadsoul and introduced him to Steemit.
People travel to faraway places to watch, in fascination, the people they ignore at home. - Dagobert D. Runes
What is a real traveler you may ask? Simple. Someone who travels extensively, not just for a week or two vacation once a year, but continually, staying in places long enough to really know the culture.
For example, as I mentioned I'll be in Thailand for 2-month prior to SteemFest, but will be returning to Thailand after the event. There are so many places around South East Asia to see like Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and the Philippines. For this reason I have not booked flights returning to Cancun because I don't know when I'll be returning and plan to visit these places while on that side of the world.
Tourists don't know where they've been, travelers don't know where they're going. - Paul Theroux
Hostels are a fantastic place to share and recruit people to join Steemit. Not only are they fascinated that I can live this way, but they have great stories of their own to tell and see Steemit as a way to share them. Hostels are so much more social than staying in hotel rooms and when you're traveling all the time getting to know people is important.
A man of ordinary talent will always be ordinary, whether he travels or not; but a man of superior talent will go to pieces if he remains forever in the same place. - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
I have had all the trappings of success in my life, cars, money, houses, etc., but sold everything and can now fit my life into a suitcase, a camera bag, and a guitar. Things no longer hold the importance they used to. Experiences are the new shiny toys that hold my attention. Relationships are the glue that binds it all together. This perspective has created a priceless, global network of friends in my life.
With that in mind, one of the coolest things about attending Steemfest is the friendships one makes from all over the world. Being part of SteemFest is like meeting your extended, global family. A room full of excited people doing what they love and are passionate about while sharing the common point of interest we express ourselves though, namely the Steemit platform. It's such a unique experience.
Plus, once you buy your ticket and get there, Steemit Inc. generously takes care of everything else. The food, drink, and, entertainment spared no expense last year and I'm sure @roelandp has a great time in store for us this year too.
A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. - Lao Tzu
Last year I won a ticket through a contest sponsored by @quinneaker and 80% of my flight was reimbursed by the SteemFest Travel Reimbursment Fund which really helped with the costs of going to the event.
So this year I want to give back. That's why, with the help and sponsorship from @anomadsoul and @blocktrades, @openmic will be giving a ticket away to one lucky winner this year. Be sure to follow me and look for that soon-to-be-made announcement on my blog for your chance to win a ticket to SteemFest 3.
If you are going to SteemFest this year be sure to visit @anomadsoul's blog to find the latest #roadtosteemfest post and write something about yourself. Once you do feel free to add a link to your post here so I can read it. Looking forward to reading your stories and meeting you all in Krakow, until then may Steem be with you.
Here's is a lesson in Thai that will make you laugh.
https://ytcropper.com/cropped/kc5b63f93fb2341
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The Road To Steem Fest Or Let S Get To Know Each Other --- by @anomadsoul
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After 2 Weeks Hundreds Of Comments And Votes The Winner Of My Steemfest2 Ticket Giveaway Is --- by @quinneaker
Help Me Solve This Mystery The Man That Blew My Mind At Steemfest --- by @luzcypher
Save The Date Steemfest Krakow Poland 7 8 9 10 11 November Hotel Packages Now Available --- by @roelandp
