I decided to my entire story of travel into words. The good, the bad and for better or worse, the unforgettable. I hope by reading my story, there are travel lessons in there for someone just starting out exploring this beautiful and one of a kind globe.
As Horizon Unknown nears its second birthday (how has it has been that long?!), I thought it’s time to give a bit of insight into who runs this travel blog.
That would be me, Ben McLaughlan. 99% of the content on this site was created by me and influenced by my stories of travel.
So if you care to know more about why travel is my mentor, my best classroom and why sometimes I hate it – read on.
Pre Horizon Unknown Travel Blog
As I mentioned, my real name is Ben McLaughlan. I grew up in Newcastle, on the east coast of Australia (2 hours north of Sydney, because very few people can point out Newcastle on a map).
Before I left Australia for the very first time in 2013, I had a pretty stable and comfortable life. I was (still am) a qualified electrician, earning decent money and a solid group of friends.
But I was stuck in a rut that no amount of drinking and partying could dig me out of. So, just like many travelers, I quit my job and sold my car and brought a one-way ticket.
My first experiences overseas
In 2013, I had no idea where I was headed or where I would end up, but in the end, I settled on Dublin, Ireland to be my first stop.
Before I left, I booked four festivals:
• St. Patrick’s Day, Dublin, Ireland
• La Tomatina, Valencia, Spain (that giant tomato fight in the streets)
• San Fermin, Pamplona, Spain (Running with the Bulls)
• Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany
And while I don’t totally agree with some of the aspects of these festivals now, it gave me the courage to actually get on that plane as I had some sort of plan – plus, I’d lose quite a lot of money since it was all paid for!
I worked in Ireland (Dublin and Limerick) for a month as a door salesman (totally not the job for me – I’m shit at selling things), spent St Patricks Day much too intoxicated, and took off to Paris, France a little while later.
Now, let me be perfectly clear. I was terrified that entire flight to Dublin. I knew no one, had no safety net, and little idea what to expect. I got drunk at 7:30am as soon as my flight landed before jetlag took over.
Time for my first real culture shock
There I was thinking the differences I was experiencing in Ireland were a huge culture shock. Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
After Paris, I visited Amsterdam and then on to Egypt. I think it’s pretty clear what my first real culture shock was.
In the space of a short flight, I was in Cairo. Totally different language customs, culture, religion, history, and the list goes on. I was well out of my comfort zone, but Egypt had plenty more unforgettable experiences to come – including armored escorts.
I’m sure I’d feel different if something serious happened, but after all that, I loved my 2 weeks in Egypt. It’s still one of my favorite travel experiences to date.
Finding love while traveling in Europe
After surviving Egypt and another 2 months exploring many amazing sights throughout Europe, I found myself in Prague, Czech Republic. I decided to book a 12-day tour through Eastern Europe. And I’m pretty darn happy I did.
On that tour, was my now partner of going on 7 years. We traveled more of Eastern Europe together and met up multiple times throughout Europe, including Spain and Portugal.
In October 2013, I flew to Edmonton, Canada. And by the heart of dry, freezing, windy winter in January, I had a 2-year visa to live and work in Canada.
While I was traveling Europe, I had literally zero intention of visiting Canada, let alone living there. Not that there’s anything wrong with Canada – just that it wasn’t part of my plan.
But I fell in love with a girl I met abroad and my plans changed quite quickly.
But here I am, nearing 2020, and licensed in my trade of electrical and having traveled almost 30 countries together, I think I made the right call!
Traveling after 2013
After 2013, I traveled to many countries – went back to Europe a couple of times and took a month-long road trip through Northern Canada and Alaska – all with my partner.
It wasn’t until 2017 that I stepped foot into Asia. For 12 months, I traveled the ancient and modern sights around Asia, from:
• Snowboarding and sightseeing the length of Japan
• Visiting the Great Wall of China at Jinshanling
• Overnight trekking from Kalaw to Inle Lake in Myanmar
• Exploring ancient temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia
• Adventuring through Laos, a country still hurting from the Vietnam War
• Sleeping in Buddhist Temples in Japan
• Overnight treks and severe travelers diarrhea in Nepal
Honestly, that list could go on for quite a while. Travel is one of those activities that just being in a new city or situation can create everlasting memories.
At the end of this trip, almost 2018, I decided it was time to bite the bullet and do something I had considered for quite a while – start a travel blog.
In late 2017, that’s what I did. Horizon Unknown was born and it is one of the most confusing, difficult and rewarding things I’ve ever done.
I finally thought my story and experience was worthwhile sharing – if only to help travelers looking to find their love for travel, or what to do in a certain location.
In the end, I hope to help those just starting out o overcome that fear of the unknown I experienced all the way back in 2013 and 60+ countries ago.
As 2019 winds to a close, there’s plenty more travel I want to do. I’ve never stepped foot in Central or South America, I can’t wait to road trip more of the stunning landscapes of Canada, explore more of my home country of Australia and my hometown of Newcastle, as well as return to an ever-growing number of places I simply couldn’t fit into my first time through a destination.
There is always something more to see – you just have to be willing to look for it. As the great St Augustine says, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel only read a page”.
Ticking bucket list items while traveling
There have been plenty of things I’ve ticked off my bucket list of things to do and places to see before I die when it comes to travel.
Still, no matter how much I travel, that list seems to only get longer and longer.
When I first left Australia back in 2013, those 4 festivals there wasn’t too much on my must-see list. That quickly began to fill up as I explored and ended up seeing some unforgettable sights in the last almost 7 years.
From the Great Pyramids of Egypt to Scuba Diving in Thailand, from the colorful streets of Cuba to Coliseum of Rome – it’s pretty obvious why travel is so important to me.
What’s next for Horizon Unknown?
This world is truly a beautiful place to travel and learn from many different ways of life. I can’t wait to explore more of it and help you as well. These 17 traveler stories show how common culture shock really is.
This blog is here to help you, whoever’s is reading it, to travel better, cheaper and more fulfilling.
If you have questions about travel, suggestions of what I should write about, or anything else, I’d love to hear from you – just drop a comment below and I’ll get right back to you!
Thanks for reading!
Happy and safe travels,
Ben – Horizon Unknown
