Europe's Greenest City
Sheffield, England, located in South Yorkshire, is known to many sports fans as the birthplace of the world's oldest football club. It was here in 1860 that the first ever match between club teams was played. Music lovers know this city as the birthplace of Joe Cocker and Richard Hawley, and environmentalists know it as one of the greenest cities in Europe, with 83 parks and over 2 million trees.
It was here that 26-year-old Mike Hudson spent most of his life. After graduating from a local school, he trained as a systems engineer and got a well-paid job. A few years later, at the end of 2013, the Englishman realized that 'this was not for him,' bought a used minivan for £2,500, and began preparing for the 'main journey of his life.'
Prepare the Minivan in Winter
It took Mike about five months to turn the ten-year-old (in places heavily rusted) van into a vehicle suitable for long journeys. As a result, the minivan acquired a refrigerator, gas stove, sofa, double bed, solar panels, and a water supply system. The interior of the van turned into a kind of small studio apartment with a kitchen, work area, wall decorations, and even flowers.
Mike continued to go to work every day, and devoted all his free evenings to transforming the minivan. 'I had friends, a house I rented with a friend, a car, and a good job,' says Mike. 'However, looking back, I can say that the last year of my life in Sheffield was not very happy. I felt trapped in a daily routine from which it was impossible to escape.'
When the van was ready, Mike quit his job and left the UK. This happened in March last year. 'I was nervous, terribly worried and happy at the same time, because I knew there was no turning back,' Mike recalls and calls the trip the 'biggest experiment' of his life.
Life on Wheels
Over 10 months of travel, the Englishman drove about 16,000 kilometers and visited 10 European countries. From England, Mike took a ferry to France, then to Spain, then to Portugal. His further route lay east to Germany, and through Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria he arrived in Greece in November 2014. In almost every major city, Mike stopped for several days, or even weeks, to study its attractions and culture in detail, meet locals, and simply relax.
Mike celebrated New Year's in Athens with his family, who specially flew to Greece. At Christmas, the Hudsons, like true Englishmen, listened to the Queen's speech, and held a feast on one of the beaches, spending only 30 euros on it. Fresh fish bought at the market was grilled over coals, salads were made from vegetables, and it was washed down with excellent Greek wine.
The Main Thing is to Save on Everything
Spending as little money as possible is one of Mike's main principles. All his savings are £4,500 (about 6,000 euros). Mike tries to keep within 12 euros each day. This money goes on food, petrol, and visiting some attractions.
Sometimes Mike manages to earn a little – he gives lifts to hitchhikers in exchange for petrol. The traveler also gets some income from his blog: some readers send Mike small amounts, and money also 'trickles in' from the ads placed there.
'I describe all my adventures in my blog. It gives people an incentive to move in the right direction, to follow their dreams. If my story prompts someone to drop everything and go on a trip, I'll be very happy,' says Mike.
Everyday Trifles
Of course, the Englishman periodically encounters some difficulties. For example, on the way to a music festival in Romania, on a mountain serpentine, the rear wheels of Mike's minivan slid off the road and the car got stuck. Mike could not get out of the trap because of his car's rear-wheel drive, and to top it all off, the hoses burst and brake fluid leaked onto the road. Fortunately, a driver passing by helped Mike get out of the trap and towed his van to the nearest auto repair shop.
Only Forward
Mike does not plan to return to his homeland anytime soon. He intends to continue traveling, but has not yet decided where to go next. Actually, he likes England, but the long winter, when daylight lasts only a few hours, negates all the climatic advantages of his homeland. 'As I get older, I want to look back and make sure I got everything I could out of life,' says the traveler, who is currently working out his further route on the Greek island of Santorini.
Timur YUSUPOV.
«Lenta.ru»