Around the world in 80 pages

A little while ago my good friend Daniel told me about that idea of his and I would be lying if I said I liked it. I freaking loved it. I was amazed by it - and actually I am thinking of stealing the idea and doing it on my own.

The idea

He bought an empty book. A really nice book, leather cover, nice grip of the paper, a real bees knees, if you know what I mean. And this book is meant to go around. How far, we don't know.

It works like this: 

You get the book from whoever, you write a little bit about yourself and how you met the person you got the book from. You add a picture of yourself and then you pass it on to the next person. In the end you have a book filled with entries of people, hopefully, around the world with all kinds of different stories, maybe even languages and whatsoever.

The Journey

So I, understandably, got hyped about the idea and I kind of was pushing him to fulfill it - which consisted of a one time question of mine "yo, what's up with that book idea of yours?" and, correct me if I'm wrong, three or four months later it was done. He showed me the book and start compiling his entry. This obviously included the background, the idea and instructions. And boy, that was already an adventure on it's own. 

At this point you have to say Daniel, one of the nicest blokes I met, very smart kid, but writing is not his strength - neither is English. Obviously as it is meant to go around far, it should be comprehensible for everyone. I couldn't count how many times he asked me to review what he's written and maybe change it. "Thomas, can you check this" is forever echoing in my ears - mainly because he sits next to me at work and this phrase pops up almost daily - nonetheless it was quite a draft, literally. 

You ever heard the phrase "writing consists out of 80% editing"? Me neither, because I just made it up. I'm not sure about the percentage but it is a big part of writing - having said this, if you read my entries you know I hardly proofread them and edit them because I'm just too lazy. However, proofreading other people's stuff is a different thing - #BornToTeach

What felt like the whole summer later, he finally had the text ready and just needed to write it down. Which felt like another summer ...

After all he finished it and, for whatever reason, I was the predestined friend to be smirk the first pages. At this point I want to apologize first but I honestly think I nailed it.

It was pure destiny, that the quote he chose for the project happens to be a quote I have a tattoo of:

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” 

The Map

I have to admit, the book was lying around my place for a little while before I eventually wrote that entry. Partly because I didn't really know what to write. Ok, mainly because I didn't really know what to write. 

Eventually I came up with something and started writing. For whatever reason what I've written turned pretty dark very quickly. I eventually aborted that text. It's not like I didn't like what I wrote but more because I didn't like how it related to the project. An upbeat book about interesting people sharing their spirits. Ugh, all this stuff sounds so bourgeois. (I recently learned that work and literally never us it which is why I had to Google how to write it). I think another week or so passed before I came up with an entry that I liked and could put into the book. The pressure, the incredible pressure of writing is intense. Actually not but still. If you want to read my entry just click here.

After that the actual hard part - for me at least - came. Somehow I felt a strong connection to this book and wanted to get it on the track where it gets around. I felt instantly knocked back to my backpacking days and thought about how awesome it would be, having such a book with you. You always have something to write about and you easily find someone to give it to. Most of the time a really good friend you met yesterday. And also like that the book travels around fairly quickly and quite far. Which is what I wanted for the book. Daniel on the other hand was more adapting a natural way of it. Where ever it goes is where it goes. Simple.

I had some people to give it to and couldn't quite make up my mind. My first idea was to give it to my girlfriend who would shortly after go to Argentina and there pass it on to other people. She didn't want to participate though. Which is totally fine. It's a complete voluntary project so no hard feelings. Then I thought about other people but didn't know who. There were some obvious picks that are in our circle of friends but then, I feared, it would just stay in this circle of friends and never really get out of town. That's not what I designed the book for. Ehrm, I mean what Daniel designed it for. *cough-cough*

Ironically, after I did pass on the book the were some great opportunities. First there was Matt who moved back to Berlin and instantly the book would go to a different country. Berlin being a big city I thought it wouldn't take too much time or would be too hard for him to find the next bearer.

And then a week later my roommate announced that he would move out within two days which was quite the shocker. I asked him where he'd go and he said he just bought a bike and is now cycling - at least that's the plan - all the way to Morocco, then cycling back through Spain up to Franc and eventually the Netherlands. But that's not his story. It did, however, remind me of the backpacker days and how easy it was to meet people. 

The funny thing was in those two days from him saying he'd leave and him actually leaving I talked more to him than ever before and that's actually where I got to know him better. He is quite ... absentminded. "Scatterbrained" is what it describes better. He has no real plan on where to go and how to do it. Again this is story of another day and I wish him nothing but the best. Long story short I'm happy I didn't give it to him as I believe he might have lost it.

So, who did I give it to? 

Yes.

Contact

In the end all I wanted to say, or better is to ask you guys to check out his website as I really love the idea and will be following it patiently and well yeah maybe I do steal the idea one day ... who knows.

Website: world.nocreativo.com
Instagram: @_thousand_miles_

the man behind it all