KOCHI: Alex Chacón was once driving through a remote village in the mountains in Peru. “I looked like an astronaut because I had a helmet and the whole rider’s gear,” he says. Seeing him, the whole village came out to greet him. “I was very lost. And they said, ‘Please stay for dinner. We haven’t had a foreigner visit us for the past six generations.’ It is really cool to experience things like that,” he says. The American travel blogger, known for his viral travel stories on motorbikes, was in Kochi the other day, in connection with the state Tourism Department’s Kerala Blog Express.
That’s the best thing about travelling on motorbikes, he says. “Though it is difficult and expensive, you get to see and do things most travellers never get to do. One even gets to see local people who haven’t seen a foreigner before.
So I like the experience of creating a shock factor,” he laughs. The most important aspect of his travel, according to Alex, is meeting people. “You meet all kinds of people. I have met really poor people. They are the happiest and give you everything they have just to make sure you have a good experience or are comfortable in their home. People have entirely changed my perspective on life,” he says.
Having travelled to over 70 countries in seven years, Alex has found that being open to different cultural experiences is the key to enjoy travelling. “It changed me because it allowed me to be more appreciative of where I come from. It also helped me appreciate different places and the people around the world. I used to be very culturally sensitive. Now I understand and appreciate the different cultures of the world,” he says.
Contrary to what the high-resolution images and the stories one hear, travel is not always pretty and picturesque. “I have gotten sick on the road. I have been robbed. You just have to be strong to get through. This is the world for what it is, you just have to deal with it,” says Alex.
So has there been an instance that made him want to stop travelling? Answer: Yes, getting sick. “It is horrible being sick. There are times when I have thought I just want to be home. And then there are these moments of stress and frustration when you have money and time issues,” he says. But these moments are what really separate the true travellers from the people who are just tourists. “Tourists, for me, bring things - souvenirs, trinkets or so - back from their trips. Travellers, on the other hand, bring back experiences which don’t have a monetary value. Before the journey, I know I’m either going to bring back a thing or an experience. And I value the experiences more than the things,” says Alex.
Doesn’t he get emotionally attached to a place he just experienced? “I am okay with knowing that experiences are all I’m going to bring back,” replies Alex.
For those wondering about these experiences, the Texas-born medical graduate has a long list. But he agreed to list a few of his most unforgettable ones. “The Northern Lights in Alaska, driving across the Sahara desert in Egypt, the road trip from Delhi to Ladakh and the architecture and history of Europe are one of the best I have experienced. But the most unforgettable and out-of-body experience was seeing the world’s largest salt flat in Bolivia. When it fills with water, it becomes the world’s largest mirror. It was so beautiful,” says Alex.
Of all the 70 countries, which one is his favourite? “It is impossible to have a favourite country. It’s like ‘if I have 10 children, which one will I love the most’ kind of question. Each country has its own beauty and its own challenges. I love India because of its people and culture,” says Alex.
His travel story began in 2012. “I had just graduated from medical school,” he says. After selling all his belongings, Alex set out on his first motorcycle trip: From Alaska to Argentina. “That lasted 500 days. I went across 20 odd countries,” says Alex. The revenue from his viral travel videos and his never-ending passion to see the world has made him attain the spirit of wanderlust in these fast times.