“You may only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough!”

Hi, I’m Anja, a native German from Munich. Like many people, I was taught to go to school, get a job, get married, have kids and live happily ever after. So I did all those things “normal people” do (except getting married and kids, fortunately :). After the final examination at school, I made an apprenticeship at a large, well-known German insurance company and worked myself up during the last couple of years. I’ve been in a relationship since I was 16, moved into an apartment with my boyfriend and just lived a “normal” life. Ever since I can remember I have been dreaming about traveling, exploring the world, make out more of live.

So I  decided, after five years of relationship and “getting settled” in a sneaky way, that I need to change my life and that I DON’T want to be one of those ordinary people who say: “Some day I will do this (and travel the world).” You won’t. There is no perfect timing. You have to make time for it. While most people waste a lifetime of creating dreams (and never realize them), I made a first step to fulfill my dream. I broke up with my boyfriend, moved into my parents place, grabbed my backpack, applied for a Visa for Australia and booked a flight to Sydney. Life is a bitch – after all, you won’t get out alive! So let’s have some fun! 🙂 ..and that’s exactly what happened after all. It was the first time for me traveling for a longer time and also the first time traveling alone. Friends and family thought I’m crazy and just could not understand why I’m doing this. For me, it was just like, WHEN DOES THE JOURNEY begin? I couldn’t wait. After all I spent about half a year in Australia and had the best time of my life.

Currently I’m working for an investment company in Munich. It’s a regular and ordinary job with a “normal” salary. Every year, I take some time off work and travel to places I haven’t seen before. Nothing excites me more than learning about other cultures and understanding the everyday life of people in different countries. It’s my philosophy of life to explore the world and plan attempts to land in unplanned circumstances 🙂 ..which is essential to keep life exciting, I guess.

Many people often ask how I can afford to keep traveling. The key is learning to live with less and, above all, compromise. I live in a tiny apartment where I don’t pay a huge rent, my vehicle is an old bicycle which I’m in love with. I don’t need any expensive clothes or other stuff… My motto: “Buy experiences, not stuff”. 🙂 It’s so much more worth it. This is something though, every person needs to decide for their own selves. The most important thing is to enjoy your life and to be happy – that’s all that matters.

While being back home I’m doing a lot of sports, like climbing, triathlons, team sporting events, hiking, etc. Essentially I love being outdoors, enjoying the beauty of the mountains and the nature which is giving me incredibly power and joy. Since 2013 I’ve also found my passion in obstacle races. This is the ultimate test of mental and physical strength. You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have! 🙂

Always follow your dreams, they know the way. That’s not the horizon, it’s the finish line! 🙂