A hand-painted wooden donkey, two curious backpackers, and a habit of turning up wherever the view is best.
A globetrotter? More like a donkeytrotter
I lived in the souks of Marrakech while interning at a travelers’ café. Every morning on my way to work, shopkeepers shouted prices at me, except one. An old artisan who just sat there, painting wooden animals in beautiful colors. I walked in and bought a little donkey. Its job is simple: look good in the frame and be our stand-in.
Since then the palm-sized mascot has come everywhere with me. My girlfriend and I spent months crossing South America, stretching our budget by cooking, camping, and taking buses, and still made room for the good stuff: Colombian coastlines, Bolivia’s salt flats, and the patagonian glaciers. Donkey has been up to 5,000-meter passes and down into epic deserts.
Usually in my pocket, never complaining about the accommodations. And it’s coming along for whatever’s next.
Epic Hikes, budget tips, and little routes you can copy
High altitude routes, Multi-day tours, and hidden gems
Amazon rainforest, Machu Picchu, and mountaineering in Huaraz
Coffee, green valleys, unique cities and beautiful people
The plan was 4 months in South America. The budget said otherwise. By tracking every peso, choosing camping over hostels, and learning how to budget backpack, we stretched it to 9 months. From Colombia to Patagonia. Paragliding to multiple day treks. We didn’t just survive on a budget; we unlocked more adventure because of it.
I got to admit, that last line sounds a bit cheesy, but it’s the honest truth. Because of the budgetting, we spent more time with locals, did some sketchy things and lived in a tent in Patagonia for more then a month.
And I would do it exactly like that, all over again.
274
days in South-America
6
Countries visited
100%
of expenses tracked
No inspirational quotes. No filler. Just data, routes, and the occasional photo of a painted donkey in places it has no business being.
Still traveling. Still tracking. Still carrying that ridiculous donkey.
