Meeting Gonzalo was totally unexpected occasion. There was a big monthly Couchsurfing meet-up in Sydney, Spring 2014. While I was lost in crowd of Couchsurfers talking to many friends having some beers I’ve spotted an unknown face. Face I never saw before. That time I knew most of the Couchsurfers in Sydney. I’ve never saw this guy before, who is he?… Gonzalo was on the road, as usual. We started to talk and I find out that this man was travelling for three years without break. His only method of transport is hitchhiking. He has hitchhiked South America, Europe and from Europe to China through Russia. He has done Australia, Asia… what else to say? He is that kind of guy you want to meet on meetings like that. For people like Gonzalo one planet is not enough and day is too short. The pace he moves through countries is surprisingly fast. Interesting with pocket full of stories. As far as both of us are moving around we stay in touch via internet.
Name: Gonzalo Cazenave
Nickname:
Age: 31
For how long have you been travelling?
I’m travelling since 2011
How many countries have you travelled so far?
I’ve been in 36 countries
Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Plurinational State of Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Singapore, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vietnam
Why did you start to travel?
Because I felt that I need to change my life, I was working 9 hours in an office and one day I said, let’s go, without plans… to see the world. I love freedom, and with travelling every day is different
How do you finance yourself?
Working, I’ve worked one year in New Zealand, two months in Estonia, one month in Thailand, one month in Sweden, three months in Peru, two months in Colombia. I save some money and continue
The most favourite photo you took?
For me me best photos are when I’m on the road, I love to take photos of me while hitchhiking
The best moment while traveling?
For me the best moments are when I stay with local people. I love to make friends, and see new cultures, this is why I travel by hitchhiking and for free
How the travels has changed you?
Now I’m more simple, I don’t need a cell phone, don’t need a car, I only need to be happy…
For me all the people are the same… money is nothing if you don’t have love of the people…
Religion, Philosophy?
No religion,
my philosophy is to live the day like it’s your last! Freedom!
What’s your attitude towards money, people, animals & nature?
To money, I don’t care about money, it’s only a paper, it’s good for buying a food, drink or some beer, but no more than that…
To people, animals and nature – Respect
Are you afraid of spiders / cockroaches / snakes / rats etc?
Only snakes hahaha
Who is the most interesting person you’ve ever met?
To many… on the road… one truck driver in Romania, he was amazing… he invited me to have some beers and then he went back to work, we are friends now
or…
another driver in Kazakhstan he invited me to sleep in his house because I didn’t have a place to stay and in the morning he bought me food, gave me money and gave me a lift to the way to Russia, he’s amazing
or…
in China, one family, picked me up and they invited me to spent a day with them, they drove me to the hotel and showed me the real Chinese culture… I’m in contact whit this family permanently
and many friends on the trip, many people travelled with me in Thailand, Indonesia, New Zealand, Vietnam… I love when people join me on the road…
Best place / city to live (where would you like to settle down once) according to your travels?
Difficult, I like many cities…
Surabaya Indonesia, Moscow Russia, Almaty Kazakhstan, Irkutsk Siberia Russia, Rezekne Latvia, Tallinn Estonia, Yangon Myanmar.
If I need to choice one, maybe the first for a couple of years.
Future plans?
Now I’m in Lithuania, and I’m travelling to meet my mother in Croatia after more than 2 years, that’s my plan, then maybe stay in Europe or move maybe South America. I don’t have big plans, sorry.