Frequently Asked Questions
For the past 17 years that I have been traveling, I’ve been asked lots and lots of questions by many people. Some are close friends and family, some are acquaintances; my followers online or people who simply know me through media.
I try to reply each and every one of them in detail. However, since most of the time the questions repeat; it is more practical to have something written in depth as a reference.
So, please have a look below. If your question is there and you’re satisfied with my answers, great!
If still something is missing, you can ask in the comments below, or e-mail me if you want to keep the conversation private.
Enjoy the ride…
How do you find all the money to travel without working?
🙂 Who said I’m not working?
The fact that I do not have to go to the same office every morning and have a boss that I have to report to and work all year around for 2-3 weeks of holiday in a year does not mean that I am not working.
Actually, I may be working much more than many other people in corporate world. Only the way I define ‘work‘ may be slightly different than others. For me, work can be done waiting in bus station, flying in a plane, drinking a cocktail on the beach, at the mountain inside a tent, crossing the ocean in a cruise ship, at a local coffee shop or simply at home.
You guessed it, right? All I need is a computer with internet connection.
Building and running a website, creating high quality unique content in terms of articles, photos and videos, publishing and promoting them all, actively posting on several social media channels, attending travel, technology and blogging related conferences and exhibitions around the world, creating business opportunities with new companies, attending physical and online meetings, giving public speeches, appearing on TV and radio programs, creating content for published media, working on several different projects in addition to EnginEER Travel, and managing to do all this stuff location-independent while traveling is a little bit of work I guess.
In the end, noone pays you to travel.
But they may pay you for the projects you do, related with traveling.
What is your favourite country?
Yessss, here we go again. My favourite question of all times!
Noooo, it’s not. Actually after being asked a million times, I am fed up with it.
I guess this is by far the most difficult question to reply for any well-traveled person because it’s really hard to choose one country among many. I know several of my traveler friends agree with me at this point.
If I would choose ‘my favourite country in the world’, I think it would be really unfair for lots of other amazing countries which offer incomparable beauties and experiences.
While it is almost impossible for me to select one favourite country or specific destination after having been around the world quite a bit, it’s fair enough to mention several of my favourite destinations.
Wooow! So you are a travel blogger! That’s awesome! It’s a dream job for everybody. I want to be like you. How can I do it?
Calm down, take it easy 🙂
It sounds like a cliche but I have to repeat it: It is not as easy as it seems!
Making a living as a digital entrepreneur requires some skills, really hard work, and most important than all; passion.
It is a job with no certainty if you can / will make enough (or any) money. You always have to find new and innovative ways, follow closely the news and improvements in your area and adapt to them. You should and will always struggle to keep your business contacts and make new ones.
It is something that runs 7 / 24. This means no official holidays. Forget about Christmas, bank holidays, national holidays as your website, social media and communication channels should be up, active and running all the time. You have to think of it as the local store in your neighbourhood that never ever closes once it is opened.
Saturday and Sunday is no more different than Monday and Tuesday. As I call it ‘everyday holiday, everyday working day’. Depends on how you take it.
But most important than all, it is all about passion. A passion to travel. But when I mean travel, travel in all means. In tough and dangerous conditions, in inapproriate times, maybe with little or no money, long hours and days spent on buses, planes, trains, stations etc. All these should not sound like a hassle but should be fun. That’s the key. And on top of that, a passion to write, creat visual content, and share them all with people. A passion to do research, be an expert in your area and inform your audience. That’s all about it.
So, if you believe you can do this hard work, you are welcome to the club! 😉
You have been all around South America; how come you didn’t visit Cuba?
🙂 Introduction to Geography: Cuba is not in South America, or at least that’s what I’ve been told and believe unless you can prove the opposite.
Have you been to India? All travelers go there. Russia? China? …
Nope. I have not been to India, Russia, China, Cuba and some more other ‘most popular’ destinations.
It’s not that I don’t want to go, or I am not interested. Just didn’t have the chance. I will visit them all one day, and you’ll know!
The world is so big and there’s hardly enough time. And even most importantly, I’m not in a hurry. I love taking it slow and easy when I visit a country, so that takes time.
In other words, I prefer not visiting India in a rush for 1 week only and instead wait for the right time when I’ll have several months to discover in depth.
Will you continue traveling all your life?
I am not sure, but I guess I will. So far so good.
The means of traveling varies by time, circumstances and expectations. I feel there is and there will always be the free spirit inside me who wants to be on the road.
I live a more spontaneous lifestyle than to be planning what I will be doing 10 years later. Do you know what you will be doing yourself?
Isn’t it dangerous to travel?
It is and it is not. Traveling is not any different than living in some fixed location for me. It is my way of living life. Therefore, I can not see a clear distinction in terms of security between ‘while traveling‘ or ‘not traveling’. Depending on the destination you are, you may always need to take extra precautions. That’s it.
If I travel in remote and dangerous areas, I always inform my backup emergency team. This team consists of several close friends and family, who are capable of assisting me through long distance. They are the people I can trust. They can communicate in several languages and know how to sort things out internationally in a fast way. They know where I am, who I am with, additional emergency contacts of people around me, my next destination, possible dangers in the area. So, in case of an emergency, they are the first that I will get in touch with. So, that gives me confidence and relief to some extent.
What’s in your bag?
I try to travel as light as possible. This has been evolving by time and experience.
I remember my first 10-day-backpacking trip to Europe (year 2001), I had a 75 litres backpack with almost 20 kgs of unnecessary stuff. When I look back now, I find it so funny. But yeah, that’s how you begin. Now I do a similar trip with a 30 litres backpack of around 8kgs (including computer and electronics).
I began my 1 year long South America trip (year 2010) with a 55 litres backpack + a daypack with 16kgs all together. Now I do a similar trip with my 42 litres backpack + daypack with all together 13-14 kgs max (including computer and electronics).
If I’ll go in nature, do camping, hiking etc, I take my 42 litres backpack and that won’t be more than 15 kgs (including tent, sleeping bag, mattress, cooking equipment and food).
When I am on a business / press trip of 1 month max, I take a carry-on luggage + daypack. Altogether I try to have 12 kgs max (including computer, electronics and some fancy clothing).
Finally; in 2 luggages, 1 backpack, 1 bag and 1 computer bag, I can fit all my necessities, to relocate myself overseas for long period of time. This includes absolutely everything I need (think of it equivalent to a truck-load of stuff that people have when they relocate themselves).
What languages do you speak?
I am native in Turkish, fluent in English, good at Spanish, functional in German, beginner in Swedish.
I’ll learn basic French to get by in many African countries. Russian and Arabic also would help a traveler a lot but I don’t have that much energy.
Can I come with you?
Yes you can. I’ll get your tickets ready. So, pack your bags and let’s go tomorrow!
Well, I wish that’d work that way. But in fact there’re different possibilities that you may travel with me.
Normally I do solo traveling. That’s the way I can get the best feel of the location I go to, meet more people, and dive much deeper into the culture.
However, sometimes I travel with my partner, or a close friend that I share a similar traveling habit with.
I am also frequently invited for business trips, FAM trips, press trips where we gather and share information about a specific location.
On top of all those, I sometimes need assistance for some business trips that I am going. That would be in terms of professional photography, videography, creating written content, expert advice and guidance about the destination or topic etc. If you think you are a good fit, please get in touch with me, specifying your qualifications. I will keep that in my database and contact you when / if needed.
Second option is that, I may be organising group trips in the future. Please leave your contact details, also mentioning your favourite top 5 destination that you’d like to go to. I’ll get in touch with you when it is the time.
Last but not least, I will be organising some contests to win a free trip with me to some beautiful destinations in the future.
I am a student / professional but I have never had the opportunity to travel in my life due to lack of money / time. What can you suggest me?
This is one of the most frequently asked questioıns, and it is a great pleasure for me to help you; and that is the very reason that enginEER Travel project exists.
I believe any person is capable to travel in an easy and elegant way; and this should be better done in a responsible manner. The very first thing to do is to dream big, follow your heart, and see through which path your passion (in this case traveling) takes you. The rest is easy. Just follow the path. Really.
I suggest you to read the What’s EER? page and the relevant articles, and then shoot me your specific question via comments below or by e-mail.
I also do public speaking to inspire and motivate people of all ages. Have a look at my previous speeches. If you want to invite me to speak, do it!
I am a hotel / restaurant / agency owner. I would like to offer you free accommodation / meal / service and I want you to write good things about us. Is it possible?
Maybe. But I can not promise.
I will never write a positive review just because I receive freebies, complimentary service or discount.
I will do it only if I am really satisfied with your service / product and I can honestly and confidently refer you for my audience. For me the value of keeping the trust relation between me and each and every person in my audience is not comparable to any freebie you may offer.
In the end, I take this very seriously and professionally. I am not here to look for opportunities to travel for free and write super-positive reviews which will deceive people. My aim is to create high quality content from which my audience can benefit from. When it comes to reviews, I try to be as transparent as possible.
So, basically if you are offering a high quality product or service, I am very happy to recommend and share it with my audience.
Please get in touch with me and let’s engineer it together.
I am a representative of a tourism board / travel agency / tourism company / media / PR department and we want to work with you in a project / invite you for an event. Are you interested?
Sure, why not? Let’s talk about it.
Please have a look at my previous references if you haven’t yet done so. And then contact me with the details, and I’ll get back to you asap.