The Wealth of Waygoer

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page, St. Augustine of Hippo claims. Kiril Svrakov has read many pages of this “book”. He has been to more than 120 countries, but not as a tourist who takes selfies for Facebook. On Instagram you will find him as #waygoer – a neologism meaning a person travelling to explore the world.

Path

Ethiopia

In this global world, you can choose what to do with your life. He moved to New York with his mother when he was 16. For him, there was no doubt that this was the centre of the world, the best place to live. Until he started travelling... At first, he thought that one year would be enough for a trip around the world. But the journey lasted eight years, and after some interruption in which he worked to raise funds, he returned to travelling as a way of life.

Why

Socotra

“Staying for too long at one place may lead to deadly emotional setbacks in a person. This is a sign that you need to go somewhere in order to breathe in some fresh air, to feel the wind. A journey is not moving from one place to another, and one must mature for it. It is an experience, a reflection, a search for answers…” – this short quote of the famous Polish journalist Richard Kapuszczyński contains the feelings that Kirill Svrakov has. Here are also some of the answers to why he travels.

Where to

Oman

In order to travel, you must be prepared for it. Many people stop at the thought that funding is needed. However, Kiril has come to the conclusion that if you want something very much, there will always be a way. Some stay in five star hotels, but most travel with scarce funds. Time, desire and a little money – this is all you need to go around the world. But first, however, you have to leave your comfort zone. It is tiring, sometimes there are risks, dangers, trials, but every new country is a new thrill. The horizon opens up new perspectives. Travelling becomes your drug, Kiril Svrakov says.

The Finger of Fate

Nepal

Travelling is actually a big journey to yourself. It reshapes you on the inside. Kiril is convinced that fate loves the brave, but it has its own plans for everyone. For him, 26 December 2004 is a memorable date. Then, a strong earthquake along the north-east coast of Sumatra caused a monstrous tsunami that swept the Indian Ocean and killed more than 226,000 people. The disaster struck the coastal regions of 14 countries. And just a few hours before it struck, Kiril Svrakov was leaving the Phuket island of Thailand, one of the most affected areas. In July 2006, he was in Egypt and was searching hard for a plane ticket to get to the Sharm el Sheikh resort. But for days on end – there was no ticket! Nothing. Kiril was determined to go there and left by bus and ferry. He arrived at the resort several hours after the bombings, which took the lives of nearly 90 people and injured many.

School for the Brave

Bhutan

Journeys are the best school. When someone has already invented something and it works, just apply it, instead of reinventing the wheel. A Chinese proverb says that it is better to travel 1,000 km than to read 1,000 books. Many people are afraid to go on a journey and this fear does not allow them to open their senses. And Kiril is already looking at Bulgaria through his global eye: “The country is changing, but slowly. People here are not used to demanding. Where else the seller is king, and not the client? Time is not appreciated, they make you wait everywhere.”

When they find out how much he has travelled and how much he has spent, some exclaim: “I would buy a super car for this money...” But Waygoer does not think that travelling is a waste of money, time and opportunity. Travelling is his wealth. The wealth for which he has already chosen Europe to be the place to return after another trip.