What Happens When You Travel the World at 22 — Where She Builds (Ep. 12)

00:00 I left after 2 hours of mold.

M creates creativity. You know why you have such good shower thoughts is cuz you actually have space in your brain to

To have bases in at least two or three places for taxation purposes, but also just for seasonality. You know, Canadians are so cute. You just have a time zone called mountain time. It just tells me everything what I need to know about these people.

Welcome to Where She Builds, the podcast where two globe charting solopreneurs share the real journey of building a life and business on the move. I'm Shandi, an online personal trainer helping people feel strong anywhere in the world.

And I'm Anna, creator of Your Travel, Anna, a global community and go-to resource for those wanting to live a fulfilling and culturally curious life.

Thanks for being here.

Let's dive into this week's episode. Welcome back everyone to the Where She Builds podcast. I am Anna joined always by my co-host Shandi. Good morning from Canada. Shandi, how are you?

Good afternoon from the Netherlands. I'm doing great. How are you?

I'm doing okay. I am a bit tired as we record this in the morning here in Canada. I drove 10 hours. Yes, I feel

01:03 like my eyes are still opening. So, apologies if you're watching on YouTube. I [laughter] am awake here talking.

I drove yesterday from Pentictton, which is just south of Colona, a city people know a bit more, to Calgary. And yeah, it took me 10 hours, which

yeah, I stopped at Fruit World, got 15 pounds of blueberries because BC blueberries are just

actually 15 lbs.

Yeah, three grapes worth. [laughter] I'm not exaggerating. And some peaches and plums and some green beans. So that took like half an hour and um I had to stop a couple times just cuz I was solo driving and my eyes were starting to hurt. What?

Yeah, we made it safely. So, yes, I am back in Calgary for about a month's time only. [laughter] For a month's time. And then where? What are you doing?

I'm going to see Shandandy. [laughter]

Or let me reverse it. Shi's letting me into her home. [laughter]

02:03 I'm so excited.

I'm of course so excited to see you and of course our favorite bee character, Pat. Um, but [laughter] I also haven't been to the Netherlands since 2018. So,

I know. And if people know me, they know I actually lived there as a kid for three years. So, the Netherlands has always had a very warm spot in my heart.

I love

Yeah. I'm so excited to see you and work with you and of course record,

which is going to be so weird recording in the same spot, in the same time zone

I know. We're gonna have to figure that out. I don't know how we're doing that yet, but we'll uh we'll navigate it.

And while I'm there, your race is happening. So, tell me how running is going preparing for this.

Actually, it's going so well. So, on Monday, we did an 11 km run and I was feeling quite confident like everything was going well. Um and then for my birthday, which was a month ago already, Pat got for me a gate analysis, like a running analysis. And so, we just did that today and it was so cool. totally

03:04 recommend for people that are into running. It was such a cool experience. Um especially coming from like the sporty nerdy side of me. I was loving it because when I was in university, we did a biomechanical uh biomechanics class and we did kind of a similar thing where we would stick these little retrflective markers on people on like their joints and everything and then there would be a camera that would capture their movements and then it would relay that onto a computer and then you would be able to see biomechanically how they're moving, if there's any way that you can make it more efficient, all that kind of stuff. So then fast forward to today, we were able to do something that was like a little bit more high-tech. So instead of having to have all of these like tape pieces put on you, it was just you're on a treadmill and then there's a couple of cameras at different angles and then it was able to just using AI generate those dots on a screen in front of you and you would just run and then it would give you a marker let's say like cuz because they have all of the uh information online from a bunch of different analysis and seeing like what's the most

04:04 efficient gate and everything. they were able to make a comparison out of fives, a mark out of five for for me. And my first one was a 2.4. So my running was garbage apparently in the in in a beginner way. He also said like it's very normal to have that kind of gate when you're running um as a beginner.

But then he made a couple of different tweaks for me to improve my running. And then literally within 30 seconds I went from a 2.4 mark out of five to a 4.2.

Like he just Yeah, it was insane. and it it was a lot harder. Apparently, I step forward, so I uh do a heel strike when I'm running. So then that's also what's causing my shin splints, which I have very badly from childhood. And then that's always what I'm very scared of getting here as well. And I and I have it, but he said that's probably the cause of it. And so I switched that to more of like a mid stance, midfoot um gate, like when you're ending up running and feels awkward, but in a good way. And then he said like running with higher knees and everything and just changing those things. He said that I

05:04 could be so much more like so much quicker. So then we ended up doing the test. I think my last test was like a 430 per kilometer and I was like okay I can do it. So I'm very excited to train with those differences. And then I have it was so quick. He literally just the the test he did he sent it to me through email at that time. So I see I have all of the data. I can do whatever I want with it. Such a cool experience. Yeah.

Wow. I love that. That was a gift as well. Like what a unique like we none of us need more materialistic things. So I think that's such great because it's something that's going to help you with longevity with this race learning. I am very impressed. I'm very curious what my score would be now too. Like I'm thinking of it like I'm like hm. But I know that you here when you're coming.

Oh yeah maybe. Actually I I know that there are some easy quick techniques that help people improve running. And if you've just never been looked at externally because often we're just running by ourselves, how do we know what's going on

and how we can improve our running? So

06:05 very cool idea.

Very cool. Yeah. Yeah. I loved it. Best best present.

The sciency nerdy versus like the, you know, the more athletic person. It was I was in my element. I was loving it.

Yeah, [laughter] for sure. That's really cool. And speaking of assessments and data analysis and training, you have some exciting business news to share in the last week. That's kind of crazy. I'd like to hear more personally, but also I know you at home want to hear as well.

Yeah, I got two two new clients this week again. So, very exciting. It's all happening very quickly, which I'm loving. It's very nice. But to be honest, we were kind of talking about it back and forth over text today and you're you asked a very nice question of how you're managing the intake with the workflow and I honestly was like, how am I going to answer Anna to this one and I really had to think about it. So, I'm glad that you asked it before we jumped on the podcast.

Maybe we can brainstorm here actually. This is a place [laughter] which we'll discover how you are going to. No, but I

07:06 love it though because what I realized was actually because I'm having more and more new clients coming more often. My intake flow is becoming so much more efficient. So, it t it's taking me less time to intake people every time. Initially, it would take two plus hours for me and now it's becoming, you know, an hour and a half to an hour to be able to do all of the calculations and everything that I do after I intake somebody. So, it's it's becoming more efficient, which I'm really happy about. And it's nice to practice those, you know, get all of the the things figured out and everything's smooth and

I've also officially done two of your workouts since last week we said that I was one of your new clients and I

haven't been crazy sore the next day, which is not the only indicator of how a workout goes because the first round I kind of just wanted to know what the material was. And I think the next super set I can definitely, you know, explore with weights. Now that I'm home, I have more exploration of equipment, too. Um, but I'm really happy and I love

08:06 Shandandy sends a video of how to do things and I did watch the video for both ones because I'm familiar with some of the terms, but I'm like, wait, that version of it, how is it? But I see a space, Shanny, where we [laughter] could we could even um I was going to say efficient size. That's not a word at all. Make your intake efficient

because I know that I am not the only client you have that are doing some of these moves. And I think if you were in a space where you had this catalog of movements and somehow I don't know if the editing would take longer than how you do it, but if you had this catalog of movements, you could just say link them to all the different videos and then you're not re-recording. I love the personal aspect of it. So it's I don't know. I'm just putting that in your brain that maybe it's an option.

Yeah. Yeah. You did mention that a while ago and I've been trying to figure out how I can make it. But who knows? Maybe somebody listening to this like a couple months or years down the road, maybe I've already figured it out by then. So,

09:06 no, I mean, we can talk about it like I I have an actual idea and system of how it could happen, but I don't know if it's the right shift for you because I think that personal aspect is one of your highlights and

one of your strengths as a trainer of being like, "Hey, Anna." And I was like, "Oh, she's talking to me. But how did these two folks come about to find you?

To be honest, I didn't ask this time, so I need to. One is a a friend from here, so that's great. That's uh something like it was just a personal contact.

She was looking for something. And then the other one I didn't ask, but I'm going to have my first meeting with her this week, so I'll let you know.

Okay. We would love to hear it. We would love to hear it. Very exciting. And

it's great to just see if your first time listening into this podcast to this titty chat. Um, Shannie is an online personal trainer, so you should hit her up if you want to work out and get your butt kicked

in simple terms.

Yeah. [laughter] Speaking of what we're doing, Anna and your co-l

Yes. More about it.

10:06 Yeah. And I just need to speak openly that holy time has absolutely flown by and I'm like, "Oh, it's in a few months. Like, I'll start to get things together." Luckily, a friend of mine, Poppy, shout out to Poppy. She's also an amazing photographer. Wild Poppy Photography was visiting me in Pentictton. And I'm definitely realized I'm a verbal processor. Pence's podcast. And when I just talked out loud the dates of when that's happening, when I think I'm going to be in Europe, how I'm going to backtrack it. Somehow I thought I was going to fit in the Camino to Santiago in between there in the next month and a half. Crazy. So, [laughter] that's not going to happen this time.

Okay. Okay. Um it's just like two highlight trips back to back that I just don't think it's the right time. It's just not the right time.

Fair. Which is fair.

So yeah, I'm in the like final I I mean we're in the planning stage and like finalizing some of the activities and putting together a draft itinerary cuz in past co- livingings or nomadic meetups, one thing that frustrated me is not getting a schedule until like the

11:08 day before. So I want to have a loose schedule of how things are happening. So folks, should they have some flexibility with work or like want to plan around it, maybe they're trying to explore a different region and use this co- livingiving as a base, I want them to know what's happening. So

that is on the agenda for the next couple days. So amazing. I love it. I love to be just seeing from where you started to now like it's happening, you're doing it, you've got people in it, and it sounds like it's going to be such a great month.

Yeah. Yeah. And I I'm really excited that there are folks that are coming and I'm so excited. It's such a confidence boost, but I should keep it real that I think I still get the imposttor syndrome even though it's happening and it has been successful in the sense of people showing up. I still get this like, oh my gosh, is it going to be a good month? And I'm a bit of a mama bear. Like I want to make sure everyone has a good time, everyone has snacks. I guess the over planner in me is nervous, but I just have to remember I can only prepare what I can prepare. These are also

12:08 adults who have traveled before

and I need to remember that they are self-sufficient humans and I can only provide what I can provide and yeah just

want to make it happen. So I'm very excited but also

yeah but it's I mean rightfully so, right? it's your first co- livingiving that you're hosting which is a huge step and super exciting but then you can use it as a learning curve too right like thing with so much love it's probably not going to go 100% as you're planning it to be that that's going to be your learning curve and maybe it goes 99% the way that you plan it to be but that 1% you can always get better with and so that's something that you can take too maybe this doesn't go as best as as you wished it to be but now you're like okay for the next co- livingiving which you're for sure going to do then you can be okay well this is how this worked this last time and now we're going to make it better and then

you know a couple cool livingings down the road you're going to have even better even more exciting and better well you're still going to have great people but like you know what I mean you're going to just improve and improve

13:08 and improve so it's a learning curve but I'm so excited to see how it turns out it is it feels very daunting to think about the future and I think I just have to get through this first one and see how I feel and I am very excited I think it is a a space I want to be in in terms of business, but I'm being ve very realistic, too, that I'm going to have a great time. I'm going to make sure it's an amazing experience. But in the post feedback, I'm really going to ask myself like, was this something I enjoyed? Is this where I feel my skill set? I want to put my energy and passion. Just because some folks want me to plan group trips doesn't mean I have to pursue that and have to listen to them. So, I think I'm in this interesting space of, yeah, I just want to go into it. And I'm in a weird place in the month. As I said at the beginning, I'm tired today. So, like, rightfully so. energy gung-ho, you know, we've got to uh we've got to roll with it. And I think after a little bit more rest coming back here, I'll really be in like power planning mode. So,

everything's going to work out though. I'm very excited and I'm excited to have you, Shandandy, to help us train. So,

14:08 we'll have to make sure that we can schedule that in where you can support us and get a nice sweat on. Yeah. So, I'm really excited about the co-l livingiving. Lots is happening in the next couple weeks. And Shanny and I just want to let you know that in our heads we are ending season 1. So this is actually the last episode of internally how we're organizing season 1, I guess you could say.

Mhm. So we'll take a week break and then we'll come back again even stronger.

Looking forward to it.

September. Yeah, in September we have some very cool guests that are coming up and planned for season 2. So we're already in the production side of things for it. Today's episode is very cool featuring a friend of mine and now a friend of Shandies who has a really interesting life. And if you are in your late teens or early 20s, I think you're really gonna like this episode. So, let's get into it. Let's do it. I'm so excited to welcome one of the most energetic digital nomads we know. Someone who threw out the traditional script for his young adult years and has built a life of remote work and global adventure, visiting 36 countries before

15:10 turning 22. Please welcome to the show my little brother from another mother, Danny Visnakovs. How did I do with the last [laughter] name, Danny? Welcome to the show.

That was that was that was better than most other people in my life. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.

Oh my gosh. Thank you so much. I uh practiced it for one time. [laughter]

Yeah, that's she's prepared enough folks. [laughter]

Yes. Yes. And so Danny, we met um about a year ago, I guess, like a year and a couple months ago in Romania for the first time. Do you remember how we first met or our first interaction? Cuz I do.

Yeah. We looked at the Orient Express train. You remember that?

Yes. Yes.

Yeah. That was a that was a fun ride on this very Eastern European train. We got off and then we saw this luxurious version of it and we were like, "What the Why why haven't we been in this one?" And then uh we walked up to the castle.

Yes. But my like core memory, I do remember that train being there and we had taken like the local Romanian train to get to this mountain town. But my memory I didn't know you didn't know

16:11 your name. I just saw a person who looked strong and I said, "Can you carry my suitcase up the stairs?"

You sure? You sure you're the one? Or did I or did I propose to [laughter]

Chandandy? I already had my big backpack and my little backpack.

So I was like, he looks like he's just bouncing around so energetic talking to everyone. And so I was like, "Hey, can you carry?" And he's like, "Yeah, okay,

Yeah, you had quite a few bags indeed. But I think I I proposed you to to carry your bags. No, I'm not sure.

No, you took it. You were just so distracted and excited to be there. You didn't even hesitate. You just took it. And it was like I think it was like five stairs. I just was like, I probably would reduce the chances of falling. So

that was that was not five stairs, Anna. That was not five stairs.

Well, anyway, thank you so much, Daddy. Here we are today.

You're welcome. [laughter] You're welcome. No, we're kind of little family. Cute.

Yeah. Yeah. And I do call him my little brother from another mother, which we're introducing some Danny to some good old slang here for your English knowledge.

17:12 Danny, so you grew up in Latvia. You moved during your childhood to Germany. You've also lived in Portugal and you have had such a early taste of different cultures and living in different places. Do you have do you have any memory as a kid that really sparked this interest to continue to explore different places that you could think of

childhood trauma? Probably it is going to be a therapy session. I told you it's not it's not [laughter] that there was any it's not that there was any bright memories about traveling around the world that sparked this. It's just more of that uh my my family and I moved as I was as I was little a lot and then so I moved since I was I don't know 3 years old and then I guess I just kind of

Very cool. [laughter] Very cool.

And I think one of the things that Chandi and I are really impressed by is that you speak three languages fluently but like maybe a couple half languages, three quarter languages as well. Do you think this is a superpower or do you

18:12 think this harms you? No, it's definitely super power. [laughter]

It is therapy. No, it is therapy. No, it is super. It's super super cool. Like understanding multiple languages I think gets you in your network far very far. And it's not even about fluently being able to have a conversation. It's just about I don't know. people always feel so so respected and valued and they're all getting super cute and kind as soon as you speak three words like you know like saying thank you hello and I would like to order beer immediately gets you like to having a free snack or whatever it's it's not about the snack but you get the point

and what languages do you speak

so I grew up uh with Russian as my mother tongue and then I learned English and then I learned German then I had French in school which is uh rusty and uh long ago and uh Then I learned Spanish and then I moved to Portugal and the whole mix of languages made it a little bit easier to understand some bits but uh main languages are Russian,

19:12 English and German.

Are there any other languages that you would want to learn?

No, I would I would like to improve the ones I have. Like I don't actually speak proper proper Portuguese or French or Spanish. So I would like to definitely Spanish and Portuguese. Yeah, very similar languages as well. So improving one seems to improve that. They're also

I get lost sometimes in between those like you know like suddenly using Portuguese words in Spanish and vice versa. But yeah, I believe so. I [laughter] not fluent in either, but I do know like a little bit in either. So then I do mix them together and they're like, "You know that Spanish, right?" And I was like, "Yep, I totally knew that." I had that all the time when I was when I was learning Dutch and Spanish at the same time. So, I called it sputch. I was doing like some words in Spanish, some words in Dutch, a little bit of English sprinkled in here and there. Do

you do you actually speak Dutch?

Yeah, fluently.

Wow. Why? [laughter]

20:12 Because I live in the Netherlands,

right? But like why?

My my partner Patrick.

Yeah, I see.

Who's the B-roll guy of [laughter] the

I see him.

Okay. So, something that's really interesting and I think one of the main reasons why I wanted to kind of break down you being on the show is I So, first of all, when I travel, I don't actually share my age with people. I don't know if I did with you, Danny, but I have this theory that whatever age

for a long time.

Yeah. Okay, cool. Whatever stage of life you're in is the is a stage of life you are and it shouldn't be defined by age. When I was deciding to interview you and talking to Shandandy about it, I was like, I really don't want to make this all about age, but I couldn't help myself because I think your late teens, your early 20s are such defining years. And they are years where you make big bold choices and you make big moves. And you know, there's moves that I would have made differently. And I think what's interesting for you is when I'm like, wait, who was I at 22 and what

21:12 choices was I making in the people around me? And one of the biggest things is I feel a lot of folks in North America perhaps too is that they go to university. They either take a year off. They take a year during their degree or a year after their degree to travel around 18 to 23 maybe. But you at 22 have already traveled to 36 countries. You're already working remotely. Was schooling ever in the picture for you? Did you just know that you wanted to go this or you're just like, "Hey, let me try it. Let me figure it out. Let's see how long I can ride this wave."

Yeah. I never wanted to go to university. I never wanted to stay in the system. It was um much longer than I that I would have needed to. I I had my first business when I was 16. I had a photography business which I opened through my parents' names. And then well that's this this didn't go very well but I was already working side hustles and waitering and whatever since like the age of 13 like you know newspaper boy and I always just wanted more or different things from from colleagues

22:12 and students and like friends. Germany was also just a very not fun country to grow up in. Like it was very restrictive. Freedom and uh free thinking is not a is not a is not a thing. even though they Yeah, whatever. Let's not make it political. Um it but it was but it was always just like this this urge the hunger for more for other things for a different horizon I guess. And um then after I graduated I was very lost actually. I was so lost that I just started working whatever I could. 80 hours a week on different jobs and also including night photography in a in a club and then after like a couple of months I just said okay like you can't continue doing this for long enough so you got to look for some other jobs but I clearly knew like I want something practical but also something maybe maybe rational and hands-on certainly and maybe combined with some creative parts and also with people and and I went to

23:12 through the topics of maybe some social studies you know maybe some art or film making and uh and sales as well and like typical typical economic stuff and I was like no like that that's that's none of this is a fit none of this none of this seems like this is what I want to do and I also don't want to go to university maybe I just had a not an improper picture of how university looks like I realize now but then I ended up in uh in um yeah like low wage jobs until I left Germany for another low-wage job in Portugal. That's how I moved there and there I um switched my businesses. I closed the photography business in Germany, started doing my own thing and uh suddenly started traveling.

So, what are you doing currently, Danny? What's the job now?

I am running a paid ads agency. So, I'm doing ads for German small and mediumsiz

Wow. So you like completely changed

24:15 So not not really. I I mean I was in photography, but I was also like I'm I'm at a computer since I'm seven or six, you know, like I had I hosted the first Minecraft server to to play with my with my friends via Skype, if you know what that thing is still. And when I was

We know what that is. We're not we're the older ones here. [laughter]

I don't know. I feel like I feel like Skype is just just became a meme suddenly because it's all just Discord and WhatsApp and Telegram. Um so so like and then and then build the first kind of websites and and then here and there things and just click myself through stuff. So I wasn't a very big leap towards digital marketing. I was already kind of doing something around the digital presentation of personas or businesses before. So a lot of self-taught time like you were just exploring internet learning into the you know what do they call it like YouTube university is what the joke is now and and not going to proper

25:15 you know technical

and mentorship like the like mentorship was something that completely gave me the the big jump that I'm very thankful

not only professionally but also So, do you think that university would ever be in the cards for you? Like, would you ever decide to go to Yeah,

I I actually thought about it a couple of weeks ago. We were talking about it with my girlfriends. Like, I want to I feel like I have a bottleneck now and it's business operations. I'm very bad at business operations and I thought to become successful in marketing, I just need to be very good at doing ads. But, it turned out it's not the same business that I'm that I thought I'm diving into. It's more about hiring people and managing people and operations to make this actually a successful self- sustainable thing and I can't do that. I maybe I may be good at ass and talking to people but I'm really bad at building systems. So then I was, huh, like you you've done uh some business studies, right? And she was like, yeah, yeah. And then, so now I'm thinking maybe in a couple of years when I have the time and

26:16 I'm a little bit more in peace with everything and more stable, I would I could imagine doing a like rich kid university thing where I pay a lot of money to get the network. No, no, but like but like Yeah, for real. like because I would need a studies I would need I would need a study that is above bachelor but still is like like I can be accepted into right so like some sort in of an MBA or maybe something like that I could imagine

you want to skip the bachelors and just try and go right for your masters

yeah what what should I do in bachelors

this is some big ball energy

yeah this is a theme I mean I've heard

yeah I mean a friend of mine and I'll give he's 30 31 and he also is going to try and go straight for his masters, but he has 10 years of the same industry experience that he's going to try and prove as work experience enough. And this is this is where I hate age. That's not to say you can't do the same thing and that it just I don't know what the systems do and what do they especially

27:17 when you're working for yourself and you're not working for what is recognized as a big company that you might have the work experience, you know, like how how do you justify all your work? But hey, um I think it's great. I think the one thing that university taught me was uh maturity. I think it taught me deeper thinking. I think it taught me strategic thinking. It just kind of elevated how I approached my workflow and everything. And I got a degree in dance. So I think

you say that like it's a bad thing, but it's not. You got a degree in dance. That's so cool.

It is cool. But I think what what I view it as is it was a fine arts degree and a lot of my time in university was moving my body. So I had a lot of time in class versus let's say a business degree is more like shorter classes, a lot more time studying. Whereas our courses were fullon. But what I mean is I came out with a piece of paper and I think it just helped me to be a deeper thinker and a more strategic thinker. Do I apply anything I learned in university today? Not directly, but time management skills, how to approach people, breaking

28:17 down how to complete a project from part A to part zed. Yeah, it helps for that. So, I'm all for you to pursue it because what do you have to lose besides some money, but you're probably going to gain something out of it.

Yeah, I'm not sure if it's even possible to actually do what I what I was saying to do like to just skip bachelor, but I've heard it is possible if you just have enough money for it. So it's it's just it's it's it's it's uh somewhere in the in the in the in the skies like maybe I would but I am not a fan of the educational system

that uh I grew up.

What I liked Yeah. I wanted to add on top of what you guys are both saying here because um I feel like university is different for everybody like what you bring from it as well. So for me, my experience with university was that the people that went to school was it was just to get a piece of paper because in order to get a job, you needed the piece of paper and you needed to do this and that and whatever. Um, and now like hearing from Anna's perspective, the life skills that she pulled from

29:17 university and saying like maybe I'm not actually using what I learned in school, but the life skills that I learned in school, I'm still applying today. And then Danny, you saying, "Oh, I don't need the bachelor's part. I just want to learn so I can apply it real life right away. Like there's so many different aspects to university than I thought it was just okay, you pass these exams, check, check, get this piece of paper done. But now you guys are making me view it from a totally different perspective and I think that is so cool.

It made me wonder though, Danny, do you feel like this this piece of like maturity, time management, life skills, you're learning that as you travel while you work? I don't I wouldn't say it's specifically because of travel, but I would say it's just because of life in general and experience. And I mean I I'm like I'm not employed. I'm self-employed. And I completely underestimated what it means in the beginning. I was like, "Yeah, let's have some freedom." And now I have freedom working in Sundays, you know, like or like fighting my own self-discipline every day. And so I guess I guess the biggest learning was always for me the

30:18 experience. And that's why I always I already knew before I need something very practical. I don't want to go to a university specifically if there's not non practical parts of it. So in Germany there is a so-called alone which I was looking into which is basically like a higher education that you can get from the age of 16 instead of university and then you have you get you become a professional in something it's mostly not always but mostly very practical jobs. So even you do economics, you get work like you have school blocks but the rest of the time you're actually in a firm then they teach you something.

Right. Right. Yeah. I'm familiar with nurses definitely like at 16. Um I've heard in Germany like choosing a little bit of your career path at 16 and and going to certain schooling that will support that and help accelerate your education a bit. But I find it very interesting. I mean pursue it in any way you want. I do think that travel, whether you realize it or not, has definitely taught you a lot of life skills because you've been to many countries. You're navigating eating in

31:18 different places. You're navigating time management of, yes, running your own business, keeping your income coming in, and then on top of it, all the travel components and different languages and different experiences and meeting new people. There's so much to it. There's so much decision making that I think if I'm not sure what your friends are like back home, but I know there's some 22-year-olds in my life that would not be able to manage the oncoming decisions and life experiences that you have to handle while you're traveling. So, what I'm curious about is what what is like the hardest part of your lifestyle right now outside of making sure you obviously have an income and running your business, but in your day-to-day like what part of this lifestyle makes it the most difficult for you? And then what's like the best part of this lifestyle right now?

This changes a lot. It changed a lot during um in the past in the past couple of years. And I would say that I got way quieter and more peaceful and less energetic. Also in a bad way, honestly. Like I feel like I feel like I really want this cute young energy back. And I still have it, but I have it way less. I

32:19 can feel it since like uh since since a year or so. And uh right now I would say or like what it always has certainly been is structure. Like structure is hard and it goes the same way as self-employment or versus being employed. It's easier to have structure if you if you're being forced into it. And as much freedom as it might give me that I can, you know, typical digital node picture work from a cafe or on a on a sandy beach. No one does that. Um that it's still it's it's it is hard to then keep your together. And keeping together doesn't mean just waking up early, which I don't do or um you know eating healthy and so on, but it's just like you know taking time for yourself like setting some boundaries and work or like you know doing a hobby. I don't remember the last time when I did something just because I had time to do something like I settled down in Indonesia for seven months and that was the first time I was like oh my god I I have like my week is full. I'm plann and it's not work amazing. I was playing

33:19 paddle, you know, I was dancing salsa and bachata and I was going for a sunrise or no never sunrise actually sunset uh whatever view like and suddenly you have stuff to do like I never had this during travels before. During travels it was always getting work done and then well getting drunk as a 19 20 21 year old mostly. Yeah, I think Shandandy and I can definitely both relate to that. There is so much ultimate freedom in the lifestyle, but there's so much self-discipline that comes with that. And I think I know myself as well when I've settled in a place for a longer period of time to have downtime and also a community to do activities that aren't laptop associated

and to actually be like, okay, I don't have to go anywhere in terms of like a next destination and I don't need to be on my laptop right now. What do I do? What are my hobbies? Like people ask me, "What are my hobbies?" And I'm like, "I don't know. Travel and like maintaining my business. Those are my hobbies."

You really like if you're there for a long hobbies are able to get out of

Yeah. You're able to get out of survival mode a little bit, right? Cuz when

34:20 you're traveling full-time, you have to figure out where you're going to stay next. You have to figure out where you're going to eat. You have to figure out all these different things. Who if you want to meet up with new people, how you can meet how can you do that? And then all of these things add on top of each other. And then you're also trying to keep a business afloat on top of that. So when you're longer periods of time, then you can actually, you know, already have people that you know and go out with them and enjoy it. And I think your business also excels that way too when you have that extra time to put into it.

I I actually think like one of the reasons for me to settle is to grow my business again. Like I feel like I was very nice and like this whole energy and this whole input from all of the people I met in the beginning of my business because I was traveling and now I feel like I just need like I know what I'm doing. Like I don't need any more input at the moment. They just need to execute stuff and I and I and executing stuff is so much easier if you have structure and like a stable stable life. We're um we're planning to settle down until towards the end of the year and get a yearly lease. So maybe not that much of a nomad anymore.

Whoa. Don't say that cuz Shandi has a lease and she's very nomadic still. Like

35:20 I think we've recorded like she's been in three different places for our our um podcast and we're not even into 12 episodes yet fully. So,

but that was also that was also why we settled down quote unquote was so that we could focus on our businesses too because that's what we noticed was when we were traveling in the van that you were just on high alert all the time. So, our businesses

it wasn't that they were failing but they're excelling now because we have the time to put into it and we're at a resting state now instead.

And boredom creates creativity. You know why you have such good shower thoughts? It's cuz when you're in the shower, you actually have space in your brain to think. I really believe that. And like toilet thoughts, I know that's a bit weird, but that's when the best times because you just have a moment to like not be jumping around and like people aren't distracting you and the energy is not coming at you. So, it's just that time to just have a moment to rest and think and be with your mind. But I wonder for you, would you describe yourself then as we talk about this like go go go kind of mentality? Are you more extroverted, introverted? How are you

36:21 recharging your battery? What's the what's the secret for you?

Well, this this also really depends on the face. That's why I would probably call myself something in between. I guess I think there is a word for it ambbervert, but probably more on the extroverted side. Yeah. Like my my girlfriend next next to me in front of me, she's just like, "No, you're not an ambbervert. You're you're definitely an

Yeah. I was [laughter] going to say, if you say introverted right now, you and Chandandy and my head are opposite and I'm kind of in between you two. I can feel your energy, Danny, but I burn out so much faster than you. [laughter]

I I feel like I feel like that really also depends a lot. like hanging out like in the past couple of weeks we're just hanging out at home. It was hot outside, you know, friends were here in the same city left. We have our computers. We found some online games that we could play together. Like we both have work to do. We have a nice big apartment that we rented and suddenly I find myself just chilling at home the whole day. Never happened in in years.

Yeah. Do you think you're a little bit burnt out and that's why you're kind of doing the homebody thing?

37:21 Yeah. I'm making you realize it now.

No, no, you're not making me realize it. It's just it sucks in a

therapy session.

No, but we we just never touched base about where are you? Where are you recording from right now?

I'm in North Macedonia in uh at Lake Orit. [gasps]

Oh, I love that place. That's so nice. Do you like it?

So peaceful here. So peaceful. So nice.

But July is a bad time to be here. It's very hot. And now towards the end of the month, there's so many tourists. It's so full. It's it's incredibly full. Which doesn't make it less peaceful. That's that's the good thing about the place. It's pretty peaceful still. Uh beautiful lake. Probably I did not expect it at all. Probably top three of all places where where I've been.

Watch out for the snakes though.

Yeah. There's little snakes in the water. That's a little bit freaky, but beautiful place. [laughter] Absolutely.

Why did you tell me that? Why didn't you tell me that two days before I leave?

Well, if you haven't come across any snakes, you're good. You're golden. We

38:22 were sapping on the on the lake there and then there were snakes in the water and I was like, "Oh, I sure hope I don't fall in here." [laughter]

Okay. Well, okay. Wait. Pointing out two things. Subing stand up paddle board. And I love how you just said you're golden. That's such a Canadian thing.

Is it really?

I think it is. I don't know. Danny would agree, but you're golden. Don't worry about it.

I'm golden. That doesn't mean golden.

You're golden. Like, you're good. You're

Yeah. Yeah. All right.

Like golden. You're Gucci. You're gold. Gucci dates us. Shandandy, we have to be kid and cool here. [laughter]

Okay. So, one thing I wonder too about the age side is the digital nomad scene in my experience is very, you know, it's altering. It's changing. There's kind of different there's different scenes with the nom the nomadic scene. But I would say most people are at least 26 27. I've met people in their 60s. So, they can go anywhere. I would say mostly up to mid4s is kind of like the heavier component of the population. So as someone who is in

39:22 their young 20s, has that been something that you miss hanging out around people your age or in this like more starting phase of okay [laughter]

that's a German upbringing. No rapid fire. [laughter]

No. Um well well you see that's a difficult topic. I really dislike position because I feel like it sounds very very how do you call it self uh self how do you what is the word

well I think it's okay so myself I always found myself hanging out with older people too because I just liked the little bit of maturity I always found myself hanging out with older people and I found myself a bit of an old soul I didn't want to party as much I didn't want to you know try things out I just wanted to bake cookies and go sit in a park and eat them and [laughter] people wanted to experiment and I was like no

it's just not many it's just not many people my age that I can share what I'm going through and it's also not many people that I find it's not about

40:24 intelligence or smartness but just about the experience that I get from older people and and I do feel I'm on the same level most of the times if not even higher sometimes when I'm talking to people older older than me I find a lot of value talking to uh yeah other entrepreneurs and also and also vice versa I believe. Hey everyone, we're just going to take a quick break from this episode. It's your travel friend Anna here with some exciting news that there is new YTF merch including hoodies. If you're watching on YouTube, we are holding them up. There's some that say, "Sorry, I can't. I'm in another country." There's ones with airplanes on the back and also ones that say, "This is my airport outfit." And even Coach Chandandy has a hoodie now. If you're interested in getting one, you can get them at your travelfriend.com/shop. And I can't wait for you to wear them and meet new travel friends. All right, let's get back to the episode.

41:24 There's just not many young people my age that I can actually profit or value from. It's not about it's not about this transactional relationship where I just want to profit from people, but I don't feel like I be I'm being understood. I can share things. like I'm I'm coming by calm to my friends and they love them and they're amazing but I just can't talk to them about what's relevant to my life at the moment and it is different when I'm talking to people older and I feel like I'm profiting and getting a lot of value from them and also I believe or that's the feedback I get they they get a lot of value from from me as well even though I'm half their age sometimes or maybe even a third but it's uh it it it works out and I and I and I've been always like that as a teenager as well or as a kid I kind of bonded more with older Very interesting. Yeah, I think there is something. You definitely I've always thought you brought the energy and you brought this excitement and this curiosity and this like open eyidness to every experience and I feel like you're just as you're a sponge, you're always observing. You're asking questions that are bold and I think people who are like settled in their ways a bit more might be a bit more hesitant to do that. So I've seen it myself and I I always know

42:25 I can rely on you to bring the energy in the room. So, I also know sometimes I'll hide from you because again, you're extroverted. And I've learned myself that like being around you just brings my extroverted side out, but my battery dies too fast. I can't keep up with you.

I can imagine that.

It's true. It's true. Okay, so in this travel world, you've been to 36 countries, so we are curious. How are you planning things? How far in advance are you planning things? How do you make decisions? What led you to North Macedonia right now? How are you making choice about being in Indonesia for 7 months? What are some things that are the impetus for you to travel? Whether it be destinations, people, money, how do you do it?

It is mostly not planned until I got into a relationship. Before that, it was super spontaneous. Oh yeah, let's uh spin a wheel of fortune flight to Kyrgyzstan. Like and then we and then we and then we hitchhiked last year from

43:25 Banska to Istanbul. Well, we really tried but two big men didn't really get far hitchhiking so we just [laughter] got a taxi at some point but and a bus. Um so and then we flew to Kyrgystan. That was super fun and like all of the other things that that uh all of the other places I've seen um like Transnistria or Ukraine deciding on the go. That was fun. But um now we were both in Asia and we knew we have some checkpoints that we need to visit in Europe. I had a conference I need to go to. She had an event she needs to organize and then uh you know oh we got invited here and then if we fly from Asia the cheapest flights are there. Oh family is next by so and then suddenly I find myself and the whole year is already planned. I know I'm going to be in Asia in November and and it actually terrified me in the beginning. I was like oh my god Danny since when is your whole year planned? But then but then this peaceful the the peace settle in. Oh my god, I know where I'm going to be exactly in 3

It's it's almost like having a home, you

44:27 know, just uh not quiet.

You think it's been helpful because it's eliminated one decision maybe at a time of stress with work. I don't The one thing I know that's consistent is I know where I'm going next Tuesday.

Yeah. So yeah, but like I I think it also will change quite a lot. So the plan is to then be in one place for a year. And as much as we want to stay in one place and have a home, I know we're going to want to go somewhere. I know there's going to be a weekend. The weekend is going to turn out into a week. Uh so let's let's see probably still I still want to keep the spontaneity that I have as a as a human being. I think it's a part of my character and I really like it. But uh having having a place and having a plan is very useful if you if you feel disconnected from all of the other social norms.

So both previously in a relationship versus now in a relationship. When you're traveling, are you staying in host, hotels, apartments? Are you getting leases?

Yeah. Uh yeah, I was all always Airbnbs

45:27 or hotels.

I've stayed in host like five times. Maybe three, four.

Why? Why do a full Airbnb hotel versus a hostel? What are some of your components or like the criteria of the reasons why you would?

I like uh to think I'm going to cook. I never actually end up doing it. But that that's a fact. I always look out for the better kitchen and I never use it. It's in 3 years of traveling. It's the first kitchen I'm using and it's such an amazing kitchen. It's so big. Oh, that that's exactly the kitchen I want to want in my house on someday. So cooking my own, chilling, just like the the space like I I don't know what to say like people go to hustle for party or just because they don't have any money. I got to Airbnbs because I want my private space and but I but I did host it. It was very very fun a couple of times.

So one thing that's a benefit to host is making friends instantly and even I I like a mix so I don't mind a hostel. I usually look for nonparty, a little bit

46:28 more mature host, but when you're staying in these private spaces, what is one thing or how are you making friends? So, if you're in North Macedonia, of course, you have your partner with you, but should you want to make new friendships or connect with people? What

I know I'm just going to just going to pick up someone's someone's suitcase and carry it up a couple of years [laughter] and then

Hey, that doesn't count because we were at a nomadic experience together and we had already met some of the people. So you knew one person, I knew one person, they already knew each other. But like when you're not

one thing, so there's one thing that always works. Remember this kid. So like if you really if you're really really desperate for for friends for a couple of days, you go to an Irish pub in like it's like 11:00 p.m. You find a group you find a group of Irish lads on vacation. You you can identify them by them being red and have a pint in their hand [laughter]

in their hand. And then and then you just come up to them to them with with your pine and you just say, "Oh," and that's it. You're done. Like you're going to have you're going to have

But what if you [laughter]

47:28 It's kind of true with Irish always willing. And Aussies, I find Aussies are so like always willing to be friends with everyone and anyone, but what if you wanted to meet someone local or try and try and not just hang out with Irish people around the world?

H you know, meeting someone local is uh not every lo not all the locals want to be friends. The first thing we just talked about it like a couple of weeks ago as well. Thai people don't want to be friends. Thai people don't want to do anything with you. Indonesians on the other hand, they uh yeah kind of also don't don't want to. But then if you go to Japan, obviously it's also very hard. And sometimes you end up in countries where it's super easy. You don't need to actually do something for it. You go to cafe and then suddenly people are talking to you and are very interested and curious. So it really depends. If I would want to make friends, I would probably go look for meetups. I dance, so I would go dance salsa and bachata. Easiest way to make friends. Um co-working spaces, workouts. Well, and then uh super randomly like it's Yeah.

48:28 bars. Some sometimes it's like events or something or like some activities like going paragliding or like doing a group trip. Like when I when I was traveling alone, obviously obviously host were fun. But the thing about hostiles, why I stopped doing hostile and I never done them too much. It's because even for me as an extrovert, that's just too much like like it's it's fun for it's fun for if you're just in hostiles, but if you're actually traveling full-time, it's always the same conversations and now as a and also as a nomad on a nomad event like I was just to Bansko, it's exhausting. I we were even joking about we should have cars that we just pull up for every question for like answers of like I'm doing this. Yeah. This many. Yeah. This is my favorite. Yeah. Okay. Are we done? Can we can we move on, please? And in hostiles were like the extreme of it.

Yeah. Because you don't get past that superficial level, right? You're always asking, "What's your name? What do you do for work? What do you like, what's your favorite place you travel to?" And then you move on to the next place. So,

49:28 you don't ever break that barrier.

Level two conversations.

Yeah. I think I think at a nomad festival, should I ever like my own, which maybe one day I would because also Danny, we should talk systems and logistics cuz that is my jam. And Danny should know that I'm like more organized. He almost was ready for a cord when we were doing our pre- chat and I was like, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. We're not We got to We got systems here, buddy." Like,

so [laughter] surprised. I was so

But I feel like at a nomad professional

at a Nomad festival, we I'm going to give people and if anyone's listening who runs one, you can steal this idea. just, you know, let me know that you did you a t-shirt that has like name and then an underline and you give them a Sharpie and then everyone wears their shirt around and then it says like what they do or what you want to talk to them about and then so when you introduce yourself to them you you can't ask them their name, what they do, where they're from because it's on their t-shirt. So then you have to ask them something that's a little bit more thoughtprovoking but sometimes it's due language barriers and stuff. We had a previous episode on how to meet friends

50:28 and some of these pickup lines we're using. But I think something instead of saying what do you do for work? What's one thing that excites you about your job? What's a highlight from the past week of your work? These kind of things that aren't allowing, oh yeah, I just do a little bit of ad work. If I asked you what's one of your favorite things from this week in your job, you have to think and describe something to me in your work that's more than just

you know, you know, I also I also just believe in natural connection and and I I mean it makes sense to to think of events in a way of how to make people come together. There are so many also natural ways for that. Like what what I used to do when I was smoking. So a week ago, what [laughter] I used to do when I was a what I what I what I used to do when I was uh smoking and being in hostile and stuff is pretending to not have a

It's such an amazing thing. You come up and you're asking for fire and then the next and then then you can decide is are you open? Is the conversation flowing already? No. Fine. I just ask for a lighter. Bye. Or are you just staying? And people never mind. and nobody ever ever realizes. Yeah. Just go to events

51:28 and dance with people like breaking through the superficial. I don't know. And I always feel like it's not me, but I think it's also me standing on events and you're just having the same this like even sometimes the same chain of questions and you're I once called it out. I was like, can we just can we please like can we skip this? And then the other person was like, thanks God, right? I hate it. And I was like, what why do we do this in the first place? It's so weird.

Yeah. Yeah. I think um I have to say I've always been jealous of smokers only for that component of it because I think what it is is you have something in common. You have something instantly in common. You have a mutual understanding that we're all going to be standing here for x amount of time. So we could either make it an awkward interaction or we could interact together. And because obviously this is a repetitive behavior, you're doing it all the time. And so it becomes very normal to to have the cigarette attached this habit with also socializing. And I think that's a huge component of reasons why people continue the addiction, but it's um they don't want to give up that like, oh, but I love standing outside and meeting new people and like talking with people,

52:28 especially traveling. And I I get that. I could see the appeal to that. But unfortunately, it's attached to something that for some people is not good for their lifestyle, but let's not get into that deeper part of things. But I can see the appeal. And if there was a way that we could somehow indicate to other folks that we're interested to get to know them, it would be an amazing

Mhm. Danny, what is the dream now? If you were to picture your future 5 years from now, what would it look like? Money is not an issue or there's no limitations to the finances. I shouldn't say money is an issue, but

No, it would be so not fun if money wasn't wasn't an issue. Um,

you like the challenge of it? No, I wouldn't say. Um,

are you playing bartender right now as well? [laughter]

Maybe I should open up a bottle of wine. This is a wine conversation. Um, [laughter] I uh think

we've never had someone like pour a full drink while [laughter] recording

This is just this is just typical Danny.

53:29 You have energy. Like [laughter]

what? Like No, that's water.

I know. Most people just like don't they just wait till the episode's done, but we we love you for it. like anyway

that's their problem for yourself.

That's my way of going through life. So um I would I want I want a house and I want two or three of those. I want to I want to have bases in at least two or three places for taxation purposes but also just for seasonality I guess. And um I want the business that I'm running right now to be I want to be a real CEO. like I want to I want to be the thinker and somebody else is executing. I think that's very possible quicker than I think it is, but it takes so much work for me. It's like especially because this is absolutely not something I'm talented in. It's going to take a while and uh want to do way more uh actually work and having my own service or product doing way more consulting than I

54:31 do right now. I enjoy consulting. I enjoy talking to people. Yeah. Um, maybe already kids. Kids what? Five years.

Wow. We love to see it. I'm ready to be an auntie again. So, just saying, [laughter] let me know.

I have two. I I'm a I'm a fur auntie. I've got a cat and a dog as my niece is.

And um I'm a very good auntie right now. I've been told. I'm definitely taking care of this puppy very well. So, just saying wherever you are in the world, I'll come be nanny and I'm I'm good at cooking, cleaning, and taking care. You just have to give me rent.

She'll she'll [laughter] use the kitchen that you said you don't use. I'll bake

Yeah, [laughter]

But Danny, where would the locations be in your mind? You said you want two or three locations.

So, one of them must be Portugal. One of them must be in the mountains, probably Italy, Austria, or maybe some Latin America where which I haven't been to. and one Asia for sure.

55:31 My highest appeal is Thailand. I've lived in Indonesia, never gonna go there again in my life probably. That's how I'm talking about now.

Like uh in in Indonesia, I don't think this is for me sustainable for a long term. Thailand very much is. Um Thailand is also huge. You can have everything in Thailand, especially the north and uh for Europe certainly Portugal if I could own a place because renting is extremely extremely expensive. And well, I still have u my family in uh in in Europe, so I'm there potentially, but uh somewhere in the mountains. I'm I'm a skier. I want to I want to have a winter place, too. Skipped the winter for so many years now in our boat. Like I I need I need some snow.

I mean, where you're talking to two Canadians here. We [laughter]

I love a good winter. Like I miss hoodie season. And

I mean, I love traveling. I love the heat. It's nice. your your suitcase is lighter, but then there is something about coming home and just putting on the socks, the sweatpants, the hoodies,

56:32 not not having to go outside. Like, how nice is it when you see that it's crappy weather outside? You look out and you're like, "Oh, I I can stay here and read a book. I don't have to go outside for a run. Like, it's cold outside."

And he's like, "Introverts are happy right now." Honestly, I can cancel plans because the roads are bad. [laughter]

It's amazing.

That sounds funny. Okay, we've got some rapid fireish questions for you, Danny. And this is one question I hate getting asked, but I'm going to ask you anyway. Right now, top of mind with no context. Favorite country currently, what's at the top of the list?

No, don't. Um,

I hate getting asked this cuz I always say, for what reason?

No, no, no, no, no, no. Because because there's so many categories. You can't do that. Like like like look look there's there's amazing countries but there's also amazing cities but the country is Like I would not want to live in North Macedonia but or is pretty fine. I would not want to live in Bulgaria but Bansow or Sophia is pretty fine. I hate Germany but I like what place in Germany

57:33 right so favorite country?

Okay. Favorite city then? Favorite city.

Favorite. That's even more difficult.

Okay. If someone are we have quite a North American audience. So if there was someone had a oneweek vacation and they want to experience more culture outside of North American culture. What city are you recommending to them?

Easy to fly to is always Portugal. It's the nearest and also France. I think if you're also staying on the western side of France, you're going to have a very an amazing time with lots of nature and castles and stuff. Especially like there's everything on the west coast you can you can have in Europe. Like west coast of Europe is amazing.

Okay. Take us outside of Western Europe because everyone only goes there. So take us somewhere else.

Um yeah like uh go to Czech Republic. Czech Republic is very culturally rich. It's not expensive. It has amazing nature as well. The people are warm for Eastern Europeans are very welcoming. Um Poland as well even cheaper. Uh very

58:34 modern, very nice. If you would want to go to Asia and you want a cultural shock, go to Singapore. Go to

uh go to Bangkok if you want some beaches then definitely check out Lumbok Bali's beaches are amazing like the small islands in between. Um if you want some nice communities go to Chiang Mai. If you want little tiny cozy streets definitely some Vienna central European cities. If you want some If you want some very cold people go up north.

The hey the farther north you go the colder they are. We know this. I mean, we're kind people here, but like

we're the farther the colder the country, the colder the people. The warmer the country, the warmer the

in first interactions.

Yes. Yeah. Cuz if for example, I can think of like my Finnish friend. And when I met her in Malaysia, I hope she doesn't mind me talking about her, but it's fine. Um, when I met her in Malaysia, I thought that she hated me. I was like, "Oh, okay. I don't want to talk to you ever again. Whatever." And

59:34 then she met her boyfriend and my boyfriend and her boyfriend were friends. So then that's how we kind of got to know each other. Now she's my best friend. Now I love her. And I asked her to begin with, "Why did you hate me? What was going on there?" She's like, "I didn't hate you. I just don't do small talk. We don't do small talk in Finland. We don't say, "How are you doing? I don't care how you're doing unless I actually really care how you're doing." I'm like, "Okay, cool. I like it.

I like the directness." Whereas the South Americans are, hi, how are you? Oh my gosh. There's so much first interaction with them, but it's harder to get to know them deeply because you can't tell the Finnish, you'll know if they like you, but the other the reverse warmer cultures, you're not sure if they like you cuz they like everybody to begin with.

Exactly. Yeah.

Yeah. Okay. What's shock, but

Yeah. What's one country right now is just like you won't return to? You don't have to explain if you don't want.

Moldova just not on your list.

It's just a hole.

Okay. Love the honesty.

Actually, I met I met a very cool Mulovian guy uh here and then he he he

60:37 promised me to show me the better side. But it was so bad I went to Ukraine during war. Like like it was so bad. I went to the bus station. I took the first bus out and the first bus was to Odessa to Ukraine. And I would say also I would not return to Ukraine during war because that was not the smartest idea I've had in my life. But Muldova was just sucks. That was hor that was so

Wow. And am I correct in saying Malddova they speak Russian or a dialect of

They speak uh Russian as well but they also have their own language. Muldovven and they also speak a lot of Romanian.

A Romanian. Okay. So could you were you finding communication easy with people or it was it was

I I stayed for two hours. I left after two hours in I was like I I saw it and I was like what am I doing here and then I

This is prime Danny. [laughter]

I literally We took we took we took a train. We took a night train from amazing Bucharest. Bucharest like Romania is that's on the list. Romania

61:38 one of my favorite cities from last year. Romania. Uh really Bucharest. Such an amazing such an amazing city. So lovely. It's a mix of like um Portuguese like something Lisbonish and some St. Petersburg and central European architecture. So nice. And um and then we take a night train which is the oldest train in history, some Soviet ass thing. And I needed the first time in my life I bribed I bribed the staff to get a room for myself. I needed to give them a bribe like like in the movies, you know, like this is how I grew up in those movies. Eastern Europeans, you know, like you know, just give him a little bit then you get a bit, you know, no why why am I here? like I don't I don't want my trauma to come up again. Like I don't I don't need some Soviet asphalt under my feet. Let's leave. So I go went to Ukraine. And Ukraine on the other hand was so beautiful.

Okay. Got [laughter] it.

I would say like

five five minute rant

62:40 No, I love the passion. I love the directness. I love that you were quick to make decisions. My only counter to people listening is I think I've arrived in places too. Personally, Bucharest is not high on my list to return to as well, but I think I would return and give it another chance because, okay, maybe it's not going to be your favorite place, but what if you met some awesome people? People make your experience so different as well. So, I think it depends. The activities or the atmosphere may not be and obviously you have a different background than I do. But I think any place you can always find the good in it, but it just might not be good enough or you just had choice also.

Or it might not just be for you. That could also be, right? could like you guys just said, Anna just said, Bucharest was not for her, but Danny, you loved it. So, it could also just be personal preference, but 100% what Anna said as well, that's the people that you meet there make your experience because if you're just by yourself, even as an introvert, if you're just by yourself, it's less fun than if you meet somebody, you get to share experiences with them. But, you know, you get to

But, you know, even if you're by yourself, there's places where you feel

63:40 comfortable and safe. Let's say safety is a big thing, right? I'm feeling way more like I'm enjoying things if I'm not walking past.

And let's give context. You're what, 6'2? 63.

Yeah. I'm I'm a I'm a I'm a white privileged heterosexual sis man. Yeah. And I'm very tall.

How tall are you?

I'm I'm 195 centimeters. So 61.

I'm comparing 64 almost.

Oh, okay. Yeah. So, all right.

You got a foot on me.

Yeah. [laughter]

12 in. Well, 30 cmters I'm doing all the conversions. [laughter]

So, if you don't feel safe in space, yeah, there's no way I'm I'm feeling more comfortable, I think.

And and then and then if you if it's walkable, like Asia is not walkable. Asia, you need a community or it must be very beautiful to be worth it. For me, it must be walkable. It must be pretty. It's nice to look at. I want to I want to walk around cities. I like cities because because of the urban exploration. And then I want the coffee to be good. I want the food to be at

64:42 least okay wherever I'm going and I want to feel people are around me and it's alive and Bucharest was all of that in the summer. Same as Lisbon always is and and Muldova wasn't.

Gotcha. Gotcha. Um are you ever going to come to Canada?

I was I was in Vancouver last year.

Okay. For a day?

No, for uh 10 days actually. You just

Okay. Well, are you going to come to the mountains? Are you going to come again?

I've been to the mountains, too. I've been I've been to what's the name of it?

Yeah, I will come again certainly. I'm actually flying to Seattle in October. I'm going to be in Seattle, but then I'm heading off to Asia. But I will definitely come to Canada, but not for skiing. I've seen your passes. They're like 300 Canadians a day. Like,

yeah, they're expensive, but beautiful. They're I mean, but the mountain 300 300 a day. Beautiful.

You're skiing the Rocky Mountains. You're not skiing I mean, I've skied some French like Alps are beautiful, too, but the mountains here are just a different scale. the amount. The runs are so high.

They're elite from someone who only does

65:43 blue and green runs. [laughter]

You can take helicopters up and ski

It's a very big tourist.

I mean, yeah, you got to pay like a pretty penny, but it's you get a guide. You're going up. It's a day experience, too, because you have to get prepared. And you have to be a very elite skier, too, because you're doing double black diamonds and stuff. You're doing back roads and things, but you can get helicoptered up and then Yeah. skiing down. It's a long run down.

All right, Danny. It's been so [laughter] nice to chat with you. You've made us laugh, but where can people find you online if they want to connect with you? You're traveling everywhere, so it's going to be hard to to meet up because always changing locations, but where can people find you online?

I think Instagram is probably the best traveler thing because of stories. Some suddenly somebody's posting they're in Albania and I'm like, kilometers away. Um, so it's Danny Visnck. Danny with the double N and the Y and then V I S N A K. Danny Visnack on Instagram and vistnakovs.de if you're interested in

66:44 digital marketing and a paid ad

Awesome. And you work in for sure German and English and Russian if you're looking for a triilingual person to help you. It's very very fascinating. I love watching some of your marketing work for your ads, but it's all in German and I've got a lot of German to learn. Yeah, I've been posting in German recently. It's a little bit harder, but

and it's always weird when you know your friend only in one language and I've only I've never really seen you around other Germans.

I've forgotten [laughter] about this side of you.

And people also have different tones when they speak in different language. Like my my tone in in in German is so much higher than in English. When I talk English, it's lower. Did you hear it? Yeah, it is a little slightly slightly higher.

that's funny. That's funny. Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Danny, for joining us today.

Thank you, guys. Thanks for having me.

You're so welcome. We are Where She Builds. You can find us on Spotify, YouTube, wherever else you listen to your podcast. I'm Anna at Your Travel

67:44 Friend Anna, joined always by Shandandy at Coach Shandandy. And we will see you in the next episode. Ciao for now.

Bye-bye, guys.