Andrei Zviagintsev

The landscape is like something out of a painting..

Two life lessons I learned on the road:

1. After every climb, there's always a descent. No matter how difficult it is, the rest is always easy, so much so that in a minute you forget all your past problems.

2. Sometimes what seems like an uphill road is actually a descent. You can fool your eyes, but not your pedals. The effort you put in always clearly tells you whether the road is up or down. And how many times have I felt like I was going uphill, when in fact I was going downhill easily?

It's just like in life. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's harder, one thing follows the other. And what seems difficult to the eye can actually be a pleasant experience. And on the road, all this happens and changes so quickly that it's simply impossible to ignore such philosophical lessons!)

Hoi An is a city of a thousand boats and a million Chinese lanterns.
Desolate streets during the day transform into an impenetrable human jungle by evening. Cafes with delicious food, souvenir shops, ancient architecture, photo ops in traditional costumes, and, of course, river rides on boats decorated with lanterns—all this attracts thousands of tourists. This is probably the most crowded town I've visited so far. And I understand why people from all over the world come here; I'm the same way!

And from here begins my journey north. If you look at the map, you'll see that I made a significant detour south, although I was planning to head towards China. This was, so to speak, a test drive.

Knock on wood, it seems I've bought everything I need, adjusted my bike, and gotten a bit more comfortable with the road lifestyle. Now you can just drive and explore Vietnam as you please. There are about 1,000 km left to the border.

The next city on my route is Da Nang. It's a very popular destination for Russian tourists. I simply skipped it, stopping at the beach and having some potatoes and cutlets.

I caught myself thinking, "Why am I even writing about travel again?"

There are many other people who can do this better. I think I have more to share. For example, about emotions and experiences, about problems and goals that aren't always achieved, as they tend to gloss over online, about freedom.

Recently, as I was entering the city, I was met by a guy filming his daily vlog. His theme for the day was asking passersby, "What is love?"

After talking with me and hearing my story, he released a video that began with the words, "I was looking for love, but I found freedom!" Well, that sounds pretty intense!)

So, that's what my lifestyle looks like from the outside. Freedom.

And just recently, someone left me comments like, "I respect you for your character." And I didn't even consider my character to be important or valuable.

So what am I trying to say? I have a three-month goal—to get my website creation up and running and make money from it. It feels like I've taken a turn off the road to my goal since I started this journey. But no, I just need to figure out how to combine it all. I don't want to talk about beautiful places and new cities, but about moving toward my goal, no matter what.

I spent the night on the veranda of some abandoned but charming little house just 150 meters from the sea. For breakfast, I had pasta with sausages and fresh tomatoes. And of course, coffee—where would we be without it!)
"But why not the beach?" you ask.

The beach was so windy that it was impossible to even light a stove for cooking, and there wasn't a suitable spot anyway—the sand was everywhere, turning into flying dust.

Anyway. That's not it. I'd like to tell you about the beginning of a bike trip.

The first day is euphoric; I've finally started. But then it gets tough. You have to get used to a new way of life. In everyday life, you have a comfortable place to live, a comfortable bed, your favorite cafes and shops, your habits, a toilet and a bathroom, as trivial as it may sound. And here, you don't have any of that. Every day you have to find a new place to spend the night, find somewhere to eat and buy groceries—there's nothing you can get used to except constant change.

Heat and physical exertion every day. Your body needs to get used to that, too.

Equipment. No matter how well you pack, you have to rearrange your bags on the road to make the bike more comfortable and prevent anything from jiggling around. Plus, you need access to the inside so you can quickly get things out. The bike itself needs fine-tuning. For example, today I adjusted the brakes and gear shifters because they weren't working at the extreme positions. Tomorrow I need to tighten the steering knuckle.

From my previous trip, I can say that all these sharp edges smooth out, you get used to everything, and the ride becomes comfortable. In Laos, after my first night in a hammock and a steep mountain pass, I slept for two days in a roadside hotel to recover. By the end of the trip, I'd spent seven days sleeping in a tent. And I was even thinking that a tent would be nicer than the shabby hostels in Pattaya.

I'll spend the next night just outside Da Nang. It's funny, everyone's complaining online about rental prices skyrocketing during the high season. 800 rubles for a tent and voila, you can sleep right on the oceanfront x)

There wasn't a soul on the beach.
I found a shelter, set up a chair, and made coffee to keep me awake.

Up at 5 AM, I got ready, had breakfast, and by 8:30 AM I was already heading towards the sea. It's not far from Hue to the coast—just 15 km—but I decided to drive through villages, leisurely and enjoyable, to see the local life—so the distance doubled. Rice fields, streams, friendly Vietnamese who wave and say "hello" when they see you. With a break and lunch, the drive took about 5 hours. The only downside was the heat—+38°C in the middle of the day.

Not surprisingly, the beach was empty during the day. After resting and drinking coffee, I continued on, hoping to find a suitable place to spend the night at the next beach. Alas, for many kilometers between the sea and the road there are cliffs and a steep bank, so I had to turn back after stocking up on food for dinner and breakfast.

It was getting dark. In the evening, more people were there, so I pitched my tent in a quiet grove under the pine trees, about 300 meters from the sea and the cafes with lights.

As I was falling asleep, I saw the shadow of a small dog silently passing by the tent. In the morning, it turned out it had stolen my breakfast, which was hanging in a bag on the handlebars. How it managed to do it so silently is still a mystery to me x)

Hello, friends!
Today I'm here with some good news!
Well, you probably already guessed from the photo that I bought a bike. Also arriving today were a tent, a chair, and camping pots. I also bought a mat, wrenches, a bike lock, a pump, inner tube patches (as I've learned, these are essential), and a few other small items.
Tomorrow I also need to buy gas for the stove and a handlebar basket (I hope I can get it hooked up).

The bike itself is significantly more advanced than my last one; it even has gear shifting—which means I can now ride up hills instead of walking ;)

My plan is to ride through Vietnam, first a bit south, and then north toward China, stopping to do some work when necessary. I'll try to travel along the coast, stopping at interesting places along the way. I'll eat at local eateries, camp out whenever possible, and I won't rush; I want to travel with pleasure. The most important thing for me isn't getting anywhere, but simply moving forward and trying to have fun.

Thank you so much to everyone who supported my idea! I hope we'll have fun on this new adventure together!

I told you about the mess, but I still haven't shared how I see the way out of it ;) Or, more precisely, where I see myself in a few months, having achieved my goals:

I create client acquisition systems – websites, advertising, content, and other tools. Interestingly, a frequent request for website promotion isn't always a solution for the client. For example, try promoting a new website offering real estate services in Moscow – it's an ultra-competitive, cutthroat market where you need to invest millions to achieve anything. But a short video review, produced correctly and published on social media, is highly likely to be a hit and attract potential clients. In other areas, it's the opposite – a website and advertising are everything. Understanding all these subtleties, I not only set up promotion but also help you save money by avoiding wasting time and money on empty methods.

And I started by creating such a system for myself, sharing it here, honestly and without embellishment. The funny thing is, I already had it up and running—not that long ago, just a year ago. But I abandoned it because of my travels. And as luck would have it, this year the general approach to promotion changed very quickly and dramatically—old methods began to work worse or stopped working altogether. But it's not all bad; quite the opposite—simply by looking at this issue from a different perspective, you can quickly achieve success while others are still treading water, where finding clients is no longer possible.

I've been wanting to clarify the situation by sharing these thoughts for a long time, but I never got around to it. I have so many ideas that sometimes I don't know where to start x)

News..
I recently left Laos because my 30-day visa-free stay in the country was about to expire. I had several options for further travel: Thailand, China, or Vietnam. I chose Vietnam.

Interestingly, I had to travel through the city of Savannakhet to get to this country—it was there that I turned into Thailand three months ago while cycling. Thus, I've come full circle, and now I can say that, wandering randomly through Southeast Asia, I've crossed the entire country of Laos from north to south, which took me over a year in total. x) Incidentally, I liked Savannakhet this time—I was lucky with the hotel, the mood was great, and there was even a 7-Eleven nearby.

My first impressions of Vietnam—the country seems very green after the parched rice fields of Laos during the off-season. The people are friendly, smiling, and sometimes pester tourists with offers to buy something, but nothing too extravagant. I also like the local food; it's a little cheaper than in Laos and Thailand, which is nice.

The first city on my route has a difficult-to-pronounce name, Hue. It's an ordinary town, about the size of Tver. The interesting things here include the river with its embankment and the imperial city, which I haven't yet visited. The weather is nice—warm.

I continue to pursue my goal and strategy—creating websites for people in business and setting up service promotions. I'm methodically taking various steps that should lead me to my desired destination. For example, yesterday I published an article on my website about how to promote services in the tourism industry. Articles like these are useful for readers, plus they should attract potential clients to the site, perhaps they'll be interested in my services.

Sometimes I stop by bike shops; I miss that style of travel, and I even catch myself wanting to buy a bike again and ride around Vietnam ;)

That's the way it is!

Why is it so hard to promote your services in Russia right now?
It seems to be because there are so many restrictions. The internet is intermittent, social media is blocked, instant messaging is blocked, and taxes have been raised. And it would seem there's no way out, it's time to give in, they've won...

But on the other hand, you're reading these words not as cave paintings, but on the internet. There's still access to the internet. It turns out the problem isn't with the technology itself, but with our loss of faith in how it works. That's all. And it's not surprising given all this stupid, constant bad news! But maybe it's worth continuing to fight for what you love. The winner is the one who didn't give up! Don't forget that.

Hugs to everyone, good luck!

Was there ever such a thing?

I know that someday I'll look back on this life, be a little sad and a little happy, remember it fondly, I'll miss it, it'll be far away, it'll seem unreal. It's like listening to the music that played at school discos—it all happened, but so long ago and so far away, a little sad and it gives me goosebumps.

Atmosphere.

I'm sitting in a local café. Across from me is a family from France. I'm sitting there and thinking—how wonderful it would be to bring my wife and kids here someday, to show them this whole amazing world. Just chatting, discussing the day's experiences, making faces, laughing, choosing dinner together. It all feels so homey, even though they're so far from home. Their home is always and everywhere with them—their family.

The speaker is playing music, covers of famous songs performed by a local band. I know that when I leave here, I'll miss this atmosphere very much. This music, the millions of bikes on the roads, the hand-made bamboo bridges, the cows on the roads and the buffalo in the fields, the noisy geckos, the mountains with jungle, the rice paddies, the rice, noodles and pad thai, the local beer, sabai sabai, kapchai, the local meowing accent, the Lao and Tai chi, the dusty roads and hostels with pools, border runs and tuk-tuks, the colorful temples and primitive roadside cafes, my volunteering and bike travel, and much, much more. I love this world and will never forget it. Every country, every city, has its own world and atmosphere.

No matter how difficult traveling has been, I wouldn't trade it for anything!

«Let's do a three-way deal» - what's your first thought? X) But that's not what I'm talking about. I have a great idea!

Did you know you can easily save over 60% on online promotion costs?

Let's say you've decided to create a website. Let's take an example: you spent $1,000. You want to run advertising - you spend another $1,000 per month. You decide to write an SEO article for the website - you spend 10 hours a week.

Now imagine that all this can easily be divided into THREE!!!

I call it website sharing
This is when several business owners from similar industries team up, creating a common website and advertising - thereby splitting the costs three ways.

Examples:
Manicurist + Eyebrow Artist + Makeup Artist
Realtor + Renovation + Furniture
Websites + Contextual Advertising + SMM

Now imagine that everyone takes turns writing articles for a website for SEO promotion, and suddenly one of the participants' articles ranks high – everyone gets traffic at once. Plus, writing articles alone is a huge waste of time, while three people only spend a third of that. The same goes for advertising budgets – each person pays once every three months, and since there are three participants, the advertising never stops.

And the main killer feature! If one participant suddenly wants to leave the project, the others can buy out their share and sell it to another, a new member of this "syndict" ;)

By the way, if you're thinking about launching your own website, I'm happy to help. My email address is

Hugs to everyone, have a nice day!

A tiny step for humanity and a giant leap for me personally – I moved from a hostel to a bungalow!

Now I have a gazebo with a hammock and a river view, chickens run around on the lawn, and in the backyard there's a rice field where cows graze during the off-season. But most importantly, I now have a desk to work at, and nothing bothers me here, like it did in that hostel. Honestly, I'm really surprised that I like living in the village so much. X) I never planned or wanted this, but somehow it just works out that way.

Step by step – little by little, I'll change things for the better. The main thing is to have a sense of progress, which is essential when moving towards any goal.

But it's too early to relax—while this is a significant success for me, it only accounts for about 1% of my overall plans, so great things await me in the next three months ;)

Friends, I made a messenger! Yes, just like that, in Laos, practically under a palm tree ;)

The cool thing is that anyone can not only use it, but also become its owner.

The idea was simple: create an algorithm that can be used and scaled without any special knowledge, so to speak, for each of us. Blocks and bans should bypass it; where there's internet, it will work. You also don't need to bypass any blocking to use it; it's all legal – details below. But how does this even work?

This is all so interesting, so I wrote a whole article: Messenger

How do I get out of this mess? The first thing you need if you want to work productively is to find or arrange a comfortable place for yourself. In my case, it's to start by moving out of the hostel and into a decent hotel or bungalow. This will give me a place where I can work peacefully, create content, and not be bothered by anything :) That's the top priority!

This requires some initial money. The question is: where do I get it?

So, any strategy for achieving a goal should be based on implementing several hypotheses. For example, one of mine is to tell this story in real time here. Imagine if I, alone in Laos, was able to promote my services without money, using my skills—how can this motivate those in a more advantageous position, but due to problems, they simply forgot about it and lost inspiration?

There are other hypotheses, too, and I'll share them. But the key here isn't coming up with a hypothesis, but rather following it until my chosen date—for me, it's three months—without stopping or giving up. Both successes and failures can hinder this, as has happened to me more than once. It seems counterintuitive, but think about it: if there's no result for a long time, it's demotivating. Conversely, if you have money and a lot of work, the progress process can pause due to lack of time and simple laziness! It's also important to be open-minded and not get attached to the result—just do what you've planned, as if you were conducting an experiment like a scientist—the result isn't important, what's important is to follow the path, gather observations, and draw conclusions.

By the way, I still need to periodically take 2-3-day breaks to move around. I have a second goal: to get to a place where I can stop for a longer period, but that part of the plan will remain a mystery until I actually implement it ;)

My hostel has four beds and only one electrical outlet. The sink is at chest height, and to wash your hands you have to bend them three times, and the water runs off right onto the floor—you wash your hands and feet at the same time. :) There's a water heater, but it only has two settings: "hot as hell" and "off." Luckily, it's hot outside during the day, so you don't have to use it. It also hangs right above the toilet—I guess some people find it convenient to sit on the toilet and shower at the same time. ;) But I'm not one of them. :) And the other day, two Turks arrived. They seem like nice guys, but they're really weird—they go to bed around 4-5 AM, fuss around all night, wandering around. One morning, around 5:30, I woke up and one of them was just standing there staring at the wall.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining; I've been to worse places. But before, I could tolerate inconveniences for the sake of traveling, but now, apparently, I can't. At first, you try to ignore these little things, then they start to irritate you, but after a while, you adapt, get used to them, and accept them. So, basically, everything's okay ;)

Nevertheless, it seems that this moment was a turning point in my goal-setting, and I'm glad about it.

I also understand that all of this is the result of my own actions over the past nine months – I simply completely abandoned promoting my core services. But I don't blame myself, because during this period, there were many things I wouldn't trade for anything. In short, everything is natural and going as it should!

And my first goal, of course, is to get the project going and move from here to a better place!

My big problem is that I'm constantly in a tizzy.

Today I want to quit everything and just blog about travel, tomorrow I want to sell my camera and focus on websites, and in two days I want to become a famous photographer all over the world. Switching between different areas, I lose focus.

I think it's time to experiment – pick one area and dedicate three months to it completely.

But which one? I need to take a realistic look at things ;)

Travel blogging - I've been running it for a long time, it's a lot of time, and there's no monetization or return on investment. But I have many memorable moments. Plus, even if this area takes off, I need to travel endlessly to keep creating content. Traveling is fun, but not all the time.

Photography - it can bring in money, but you need to live in one place. If you move, you have to start almost everything from scratch; it takes 4-6 months to get going.

Websites and advertising aren't exactly exciting. But you can compensate for this by learning something new in the field. You can work remotely anywhere. Internet issues in our country are a hindrance, but you can work with people from other countries. This field has always brought in the most money.

It seems like the choice is obvious. Now you need to set a goal – concentrate on one thing for at least 3 months (until May 31, 2026), look at the results, and adjust your future strategy.

The main question is where to find clients? You need to choose several hypotheses and test them over a period of time. But that's the topic of a separate article; I'll cover that a little later. By the way, the results of such research can be published – that's already a good idea for content ;) The main thing now is to make it to the end of May while strictly adhering to the strategy!

Lately, I've been thinking more and more about how I need to somehow stabilize my financial situation ;) In other words, focus on earning money.

Firstly, I'm tired of hostels. The neighbors snore, there are no hooks for clothes in the shower, there's nowhere to charge your phone—there's only one outlet for the whole room; all these little things start to get on my nerves after a while.
Secondly, my posts about survival while traveling seem to be scaring off potential clients. People probably think, "How can you trust him if he lives in a tent?"
(Although this is certainly a misconception; I've never let anyone down!)

The problem is, I hate to abandon my blog, because what kind of memories will I have later? And many people follow my posts, are touched by them, and support me. On the other hand, how much time will I have to promote my services?

I need to somehow combine all this so I can talk about both my travels and my business.

By the way, the feeling that I'm constantly moving is an illusion. Last year, I lived in Laos for four months, Almaty for two, Aktau for a month, Georgia for two, and then Laos for another month, and only then did I go on a bike trip. So, that's 10 months of sedentary life in a year! Honestly, I'm shocked right now. And my long breaks are precisely because I was either building websites, actively teaching courses, or running ads. In Laos, I also volunteered, and in Almaty, I took photos.

Damn, I'm not such a slacker, it turns out x)

The first day on the island, I did nothing, absolutely nothing. When I need to think, recharge, and decide on my future goals, I take a day off.

It's not easy, I'll tell you, because my brain is used to rushing somewhere, doing something, trying to do everything at once. But inspiration comes in a pause, not in a rush of meaningless actions. On days like these, I can lie in bed, watch some videos, take a walk somewhere, read, or treat myself, for example, to something delicious. But it's really not easy; try enjoying a day yourself, and you'll realize that you're strongly drawn to something simply out of habit.

Somehow, my mind clears on days like these, and ideas and visions begin to flow.

Writing is another good practice. If you have any doubts, several options that need to be addressed, or an idea comes to you, write it all down. I use notes on my phone, but a notebook and pencil will do just fine. It's hard to organize everything in your head. Notes organize the information, which helps clear your working memory ;)

On the second day, I decided to rent a bike and ride around the island.

Remember I was riding my bike to a place called "4000 islands". Well, I finally made it x) Without a bike and through Thailand, but I made it!!!

You can't imagine how happy I was to leave dusty Pakse today, a city I was really tired of. It feels like life has immediately improved, I was even lucky in the minivan - I sat in the front seat with my legs stretched out comfortably. I found fried potatoes in the first cafe. And my hostel is on the shore with a view of the river.

I was driving here and thinking about this ↓↓↓

Would you like to see with your own eyes how ordinary people live in Laos, what they serve in cafes in Thailand, or what the architecture of Asian cities looks like?

The idea of conducting virtual tours was born. The idea is simple: I tell you where I am, we choose a convenient time, video call, and go for a walk together. This is an opportunity to see what I see without getting up from the couch. Honestly, I would sometimes like to travel just like this myself, in comfort, warmth, and cleanliness ;) An interesting option is to influence what is happening, i.e., you can suggest turning somewhere, stopping by and having a look, or suggest some other ideas right during our walk.

Write me a private message if you want to go with me on an excursion to Don Dat Island on the Mekong River in Laos, near Cambodia!)

WhatsApp: +7 (920) 154-26-56
Email: innovative-business@mail.ru

These happy kids had been riding around the neighborhood all day, beating drums, since early morning :) But I still decided to go up and take a photo with them, to add at least a little positivity to the day x)

They returned my card, but I still couldn't withdraw money from it. I walked 11 kilometers that day looking for a working ATM, and my leg, which had just gotten a little better, may have started to itch again. The bank couldn't really explain where their ATMs were, so how could that be? The manager showed me two spots on the map—one had an ATM, and the other, the farther one, didn't. I was just walking down the street, hoping to spot a random ATM, sometimes asking the locals, who were also clueless ;) I managed to find four, but none of them gave me any money, perhaps because my card was blocked after it had been stolen. Ultimately, I gave up and withdrew money using a different method, with triple or quadruple conversion.

Overall, the city isn't pleasant; I want to leave as soon as possible. There's nothing to do here, the streets are dirty, very dusty, and I don't feel comfortable here.

This isn't the first place like this, but fortunately, I'm quickly realizing it's not my thing, so I have no doubts – whenever an opportunity arises, I need to get out of there.

Traveling isn't always paradise, although that happens. I feel like I need to think about going somewhere and staying in one place for a few months. Looks like he's tired after 3 years.

Never before have I struggled so much to get food! This morning, I was left without money or a card in Laos... Mmm, yeah...

How did this happen? I woke up this morning and went to the ATM, which hadn't worked the day before—it still hadn't. I went to the bank—it was closed. I returned to the hostel, waited, and went to the ATM again—it seemed to be working, but there was a small window with some kind of error message on the screen. And then I made a mistake – I inserted the card, hoping the error would go away :( You already know how that ended.

I went back to the bank branch, explained my whole ordeal, and they promised to sort it out and return the card by 2:00 PM – I hope that happens! But I still don't have any money.

Then I remembered I had a stash of $20 that I bought back in Georgia – and it seemed like it was time to put it to good use. Only then did I have enough money to buy water and food.

It's already dark, I'm walking along the dusty Lao lanes towards the lodging for the night. After licked tourist Thailand, these places seem especially dirty, with garbage on the roads and suspicious liquids spilled on the sidewalks, with an unpleasant smell. I really want to drink, but not a penny in my pocket, or rather not a bale (this is the local currency). I would give everything for a sip of cold Pepsi, I go and dream of such a simple but very necessary thing! And so I see the cherished ATM in which our cards work .. Out of service - well, why exactly does it not work today :(

At such moments, everything starts to piss me off. Although it turned out quite well. I left Thailand With a total of 3 baht, this is 7 rubles, i.e. spent everything to the maximum so that there is no unnecessary currency left. And the plan was to reach the hostel (paying it from the card), and on the way find the same bank. By the way, in Laos it is pointless to look for ATMs on the map, they are often not marked, and those that are marked may not work. the bus wasted in the heat in the wrong street until I suspected something was wrong and went to look for it in my own way. but I stood it up! I would probably give a hostel 4 stars with a minus sign. I didn’t remove one more, because there is a hot shower.

Some day when Mercury is in the wrong constellation, hike..

And so everything is fine, I'm back in Laos.

Always and everywhere—at every train station, they'll tell you the only way to get to the city is by taxi. And it's clear how much the local driver will charge you. I don't believe it. A city with a population of 120,000 simply can't live without public transportation. 300 meters to the main road, and there I am, riding in a local minibus with schoolchildren for just 15 baht (about 40 rubles). A taxi would have charged 10 times more ;)

A day of hitchhiking, a night on a train in a bunk bed, a day in Bangkok, and a night on a hellish train sitting in a chair—I decided I needed a break and checked into a hostel, which honestly feels more like a monastery. There's a morning market nearby, where I bought shrimp dumplings—and yes, those exist.) Breakfast, a shower, and a place to lie down are already a pleasure.

Yesterday I finally went to Decathlon and bought a backpack and two carabiners. Then I went to Mr. D.I.Y. and bought a neck pillow. Thank you all for your support; thanks to your help, this 11-hour sedentary train was much more comfortable for me! I swear off riding it, but every time I have no choice.

So, I'm in Ubon Ratchathani—just 100 kilometers from the border, and I have a few days to spare.

About my leg: it's gotten better, but not completely, I'm still healing. I wash it and treat it several times a day. Luckily, in warmer countries there are plenty of water taps. I probably would have stayed in Pai to finish my treatment, but my 60 days in Thailand are coming to an end, so I need to cross the border to comply with the country's immigration laws. I had no choice, so I had to go.

Now I need to get some sleep and rest. Thank you all for your support, your interest, and your concern! Hugs, friends!

I won't tell you where I'm going until I'm there :) Otherwise, I'll trumpet my plans, and then for some reason they fall apart)))

So, today I'm in Bangkok. I hitchhiked from Pai, a mountainous area with only one road. It took me almost a day and three rides. A cheerful Thai guy with a red headband, muttering something under his breath; a crazy driver, accelerating and braking on switchbacks—the worst you could imagine, and with children in the car, too. I don't know about children, but I definitely have more gray hair; and a merchandiser—a friendly guy with whom I even stopped at one of his stops along the way. That was my hitchhiking companion.

At the train station, I was lucky—I managed to buy a ticket with a sleeper berth on the overnight train. This year, it's practically impossible to buy such a ticket; apparently, the reseller services book everything in advance :( That's how I ended up in Bangkok.

I don't even know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I've already gotten used to the way of life on the road – at the train station, I can charge my phone, boil water in a cup for coffee and sandwiches, go to the restroom, brush my teeth and wash my face, even wash my foot and apply iodine, which has improved, but I'm still recovering from it.

There are two things I've never been to in Bangkok, but really wanted to see. The first is the giant three-headed elephant. You can get there by metro – so that's it! The second is an 80-meter temple with a dragon twisting around it. Considering I'm only in the city for one day, the second goal seems impossible; it's very far away and difficult to get to.

More I'd like to go to Decathlon; they sell really cool little backpacks for 170 baht (420 rubles). I had one like that before, but it wore out after two years. It's very convenient, both on the road and when you stop somewhere, you can throw in a camera, sweatshirt, and some small stuff and go for a walk. I really want to, but I'm hesitant right now; the money isn't much, but it's definitely worth it right now. Anyway, we'll see.

I have a trash train tonight. Trash because I spent 11 hours sitting on a stool; unfortunately, there weren't any other tickets available today.

I'm considering my future options. All the articles I've read and videos I've watched suggest that business in Russia is very difficult. Instead of growing, small and medium-sized companies are now focusing all their energy on survival, or even closing down. Saving money is the main trend for everyone.

What does this mean for me? I need to offer affordable and simple products that will bring benefits here and now. For several years now, I've had a ready-made project called "Website in 3 Days" – it's a fully functional, inexpensive website that launches very quickly and only requires the client to fill out a questionnaire.

It seems like this is the direction we should be developing now. Another argument is the fact that social media and instant messaging apps are blocked in the country, which limits advertising opportunities for businesses. But websites are still working.

I'd like to hear your opinion:
1. If you're a business, how are things going for you? Are you doing well or are you struggling, and what are your thoughts on this?
2. How do you like the idea of investing in inexpensive but mass-market services, like my "Websites in 3 Days"?

Share your opinion on any social media; all the links are in the site menu. Thank you!

Leaving the monastery – have I given up?
Yes.

And no :)
The first reason is my foot. It's started to swell and I can barely fit into my slipper. This bothers me a lot. And, naturally, it distracts me from meditation. It also creates a lot of doubts – should I leave or stay? These doubts, in turn, make me constantly think about it and endlessly replay all the options in my head.

The second reason is that I didn't feel a spiritual connection with this place. That is, despite all the natural beauty surrounding me, I didn't feel cozy and comfortable. Although it would seem so :) I also constantly had many questions about the philosophy of everything that was happening: Thoughts, temptations, bad habits – they cause suffering. Buddhism gives the answer – meditate, turn off your thoughts, and there will be no suffering. But I'm not sure I agree with this. Sometimes, of course, meditating is useful, training the mind, that's true, but not all the time. I've often felt happiness from thoughts and actions, not from inaction. For example, by realizing a dream or moving toward a goal, learning something interesting, or simply enjoying life's pleasures, through love affairs and socializing with friends. Plus, the very philosophy of freeing oneself from suffering implies that a person lives in this suffering. That's somehow wrong, in my opinion. You can meditate for years, trying to become happy (and there's no guarantee you'll achieve it), and yet miss out on the one and only life we have, which holds so much. As if "meditation = the path to happiness" is too simple an answer. Perhaps I'm not ready yet, or perhaps my path lies elsewhere. Time will tell.

In any case, it was a very interesting experience that made me think about important things. And what a stunning place – a paradise in northern Thailand!

The dormitory for people undergoing Vipassana meditation is a two-story building with a toilet and shower inside. There are no beds, nightstands, chairs, tables, partitions, glass windows, or any of the trappings of a regular room. People spread mats on the floor, wrap these mats in blankets instead of sheets, and then cover themselves with two more blankets to keep warm at night. However, there are outlets, fans, and lockers for storing valuables. There are many such dormitories; mine was number 30.

As you can imagine, after living in a tent, this was actually a bit of an upgrade for me. The only thing that was inconvenient was the pillow. It was small and uncomfortable, and I had trouble sleeping on it.

There are bathrooms inside the room, and there are also outside ones. I like the outdoor ones better; they feel more private, and you don't feel like someone's sleeping behind the wall. The outdoor ones are a few stalls, each with a toilet and shower. The sinks are located in front of the stall entrances. It's actually okay. Although... There was only one trash can for four stalls, so apparently toilet paper isn't allowed here. By the way, there wasn't any inside. But you could buy it at the store at the entrance.

About the store.
It's more like a kiosk shaped like a store crossed with a cafeteria. The former offers tea, coffee, cookies, chocolates, ice cream, and BP-shki (the most powerful food on the menu, so to speak). The latter has tables and chairs where you can sit. But the main function of this place is to provide a quiet setting for conversation. Here you can chat out loud, have a good laugh without worrying about disturbing anyone, as many guests do when they come here.

The monastery grounds are lined with numerous walking paths and benches. Everything invites you to stroll, enjoy the beauty around you, or meditate. The place is truly heavenly; photos don't do it justice.

First morning at the temple.
At 5:00 AM, everyone was scheduled to wake up for meditation in their home. But everyone slept until breakfast.

Before breakfast, there's a ritual of offering to the monks. It goes like this:
Everyone takes a plate of rice and sits around the perimeter of the Drama Hall (our meditation assembly hall). Monks with small pots walk along the rows of guests, and each of us places a piece of rice in theirs.

Next, everyone goes to breakfast. The menu includes:
Rice;
Two types of vegetables or potatoes;
Something like croutons as a topping;
Sauces, condiments, and gravies;
Tea, coffee, cocoa, and sometimes cookies with something like jam, only thicker.

It sounds minimalist, but everything is prepared very tasty. Lunch is about the same, but dinner is not provided. However, there is a store where you can get some refreshments if needed.

After breakfast, there is a short time left, and then two hours of meditation. The first hour is walking meditation. Very slowly, contemplating each step, each guest walks one after the other through the entire temple complex. Everyone is dressed in white, so it all looks very strange to the uninitiated. The second hour is a typical meditation in the hall. The goal here is to concentrate on your breathing.

Then comes lunch, more meditation, cleaning the area, chanting mantras, and evening meditation. Free time for about an hour, and then lights out.

It should be noted that no one here is rushed or forced. Someone might oversleep, for example. This is certainly not encouraged, but there is no strictness.

The essence of this entire process is to find happiness through meditation. Life is full of problems, worries, and temptations that make us worry about the future or regret the past. But meditation (the process of concentrating on your breathing or steps) allows you to be in the here and now. This is the theory, very, very briefly, of course. I won't express my opinion on all this yet; I still need to digest this experience.

Dozens of people in white clothes slowly walking one after another along a path in the park—that's the first thing I saw when I got off the bus.

It's very strange; at first, it looks more like a hospital or a cult, yet located somewhere in paradise. Mountains, greenery everywhere, large yellow flowers laid out along the paths, large fish slowly swimming in the lakes—the location is truly beautiful.

First, they met us at registration and explained the local rules. It's really simple here—follow the rules and don't do anything wrong; everything is correct and quite reasonable. They wrote down our information and sent us to collect those very same white clothes and bed linens. After that, I checked into the dorm.

There are also private cottages (they were only offered to women) and tents (but I was already full of the tent). I'll tell you more about the dorm later.

After taking care of all the daily chores, we met with the head monk. He briefly explained the essence of meditation and himself. It was an introduction.

Dinner is not provided here; instead, there's meditation and mantra chanting, which is what we did that evening. But more on that later...

Two weeks of camping, and here I am, walking along the road toward the bus stop, overcome with doubts.

Option 1: I can go to a temple to learn meditation from the monks and do Vipassana there.
Option 2: head back to Chiang Mai, check into a hotel or hostel, and take a break from tent life.

So what should I choose?

Vipassana is a vow of silence for 10 or 20 days, depending on the difficulty. The main activity is meditation. But! There's a monastery here for beginners, so to speak. Meaning, silence isn't required; meditation is three times a day for 1-2 hours, and it lasts for 3, 5, or 10 days. It's an interesting new experience for me.

But on the other hand, it's quite difficult for an unprepared person like me. I also got a really bad blister on my leg and dust got in it, and it's not healing well and bothering me. Yeah, I know it sounds like an excuse, but it's not one. And I just want to take a break, live a normal life. I'm always busy, either with my bike, or with a storm, or with a tent, or with Vipassana...

What would you do in my shoes?

I was 12 or 13 years old then, still in school. I'd wake up at half past four in the morning, and a car (a small Mercedes van) with a driver named Mishka would pick me up on Zeleny Proezd and take me to the Privokzalny Market. There, we'd load bales and tents from a container into the truck, pitch the first tent right there on Privokzalny, and the second at the Central Market. We'd ride right in the back of the truck, lying on top of the bales because there wasn't enough space. The bags with our stuff were so big (bigger than me) that my friends would joke about it, saying things like, "Look, the bag's walking on its own!" We'd meet up again in the evening, head to the markets, collect all these bales of stuff, and take them back to the warehouse. Then, happy, we'd walk out into the "yard" at sunset, rejoicing at the money we'd earned. That's how I spent my two weekends for several months. And that was one of my first jobs.

Our "yard" was a place of power for us back then, a place for meetings and adventures, a second home. I lived in the neighboring yard, but my friends accepted me, and our "yard" became mine too.

There were other sources of income back then, which I might talk about in the next post.

What did you do in the "wild 90s"?

What a scary thought!
Even the most disgusting smell, like in a toilet, can be learned over time. It works the other way too: Even the most wonderful experiences eventually stop evoking the same emotions they did the first time.

"Another temple"
"Another waterfall"
"These mountains don't even touch those"
After three years of traveling, new places stop bringing the same delight or joy as the first time. I don't want to seem arrogant or arouse envy, really! Think about it: For example, you bought a new iPhone – it's awesome for three days, but then it's just a screen you use to watch videos online. The emotions are gone. And so it is in all areas of life.

What should you do?
1. Find inspiration – books, movies, videos on interesting topics, new people, relationships. You need something that gives you a pleasant feeling of satisfaction.
2. Hobbies. For me, this includes blogging, photography, and I'm also thinking about buying a ukulele again and learning to play. If you don't have a hobby, try something new. If you don't like it, try something else.
3. New experiences. Another example from my life: First, I traveled by plane/train/bus – then I tried hitchhiking. Just exploring got boring – so I tried volunteering. And just recently, I got the idea to travel by bike with a tent. It wasn't easy, but it gave me a huge boost of emotion.

There's nothing worse than stagnation in life, when you're blinded by your problems. You need to move, there's no other way!

What are the odds of walking down a random road in a small town, raising your hand, and in less than a minute getting into a stopped car with a stranger speaking Russian? And just five minutes later, hearing in her words exactly your thoughts, which have been swirling around in your head for days?

A series of coincidences, and here I am, sitting in a stranger's car, wondering what prompted her to undergo Vipassana.

"It's a difficult question. Sometimes we try to hold on to something, afraid of separation or loss, and this prevents us from finding what our hearts truly desire. I want to change this in my life"—that's her answer, but to a completely different question. To my question, which I've been asking myself for a very long time.

"Why do I continue to hold on to pieces of my old life?"

I haven't been a photographer from Tver for three years now. No one has ordered websites since August, and frankly, I have no interest in doing them; I have to force myself to do them. I still present myself as an expert in these fields, maintaining my statuses and descriptions on social media and the website. But I'm different now.

Three days ago, I was standing in a camera store, thinking about selling my camera, but I couldn't, which is a shame. And a year ago, I thought about it too, and I didn't do it either. I love my camera, but it's money and a burden on my shoulders that I carry with me but don't use. Why?

Why am I afraid? Why am I afraid to surrender to the flow of life? Why am I afraid to trust it and see where it leads? Who else can do that if not me?

In the five minutes we rode together, we exchanged much more than a short conversation between two strangers. We exchanged the energy and experience we needed on that day and in that place.

It's still a chilly morning, the fog obscures the mountains, and I'm drinking coffee with my favorite blueberry jam cookies. One of the most important rules of travel for me is that mornings should be like this. Wherever I am, I want to feel like a normal person and start the day on a pleasant note. I have a kettle and a gas stove, but I didn't need them today, although...

I'm back in the tent.

There's a town in northern Thailand, very close to Myanmar, called Pai. It's a cross between a resort and a campsite—you can rent either a cabin or a tent. This pleasure costs 125 baht (311 rubles). Electricity, a kitchen, coffee, tea, a toilet, a hot shower, and three dorms—all this distinguishes my current shelter from a wild camping trip.

It's cool at night, 13-15 degrees, but the warm blankets make for a comfortable sleep.

In general, I've heard a lot of good reviews about this town from various travelers. Chill and peaceful, they said. A peaceful place with a relaxed vibe. Well, we'll see!)

P.S.: The sun rose an hour later – it's amazing. It's hard to describe in words the feeling you have when you enjoy everything around you, and there's peace and tranquility within.

This street was closed off for the evening, and hundreds of local vendors would take to the road and set up their stalls. It would change beyond recognition, turning into a night market. This was where my hostel was located, on the second floor in a laundry room.

Tourists from all over the world strolled past, choosing souvenirs, clothes, paintings, and various handicrafts, and looking for something to eat that evening. Various smells mingled and merged into the unique aroma of Thailand. Somewhere, music in English was playing; judging by the applause at the end of each song, it was a recording of a concert. And I sat on a chair, observing all this and reading my notes. I have what I call rules of life—conclusions I've come to and written down. I also have a list of dreams. Sometimes I reread all of this to refresh my memory.

During my few days in Chiang Mai, all I saw was a hostel, a nearby park, and a street with a night market. And that was enough for me after long days of travel. I simply enjoyed not having to get up and go anywhere.

I bought a bag of sliced pineapple for 20 baht and strawberry ice cream for another 20 baht, and that was my dinner right there on the street. I like pineapple, but the ice cream was pretty mediocre.

That same day, I worked until about three and took my laundry to the laundromat. Whether I'm traveling or staying in one place, I always wash my clothes myself, keeping them clean. But if possible, I take them to the laundry or run them through the washing machine—it's always better.

I call it routine—the usual household chores that I can't live without. And sometimes I even enjoy doing this in contrast to a more active lifestyle. Now I even want to work more, to return to the image of an IT specialist from the vagabond lifestyle.

So, I ran an experiment – I made short videos in English for three months. Are you interested in the results?

I'll give you the answer right away: I'll most likely switch back to Russian because it's easier for me to express my thoughts that way. That's one reason.

Another:
I posted videos on three social networks – Shorts, Reels (on both social networks), and TikTok. I did all of this on my main accounts, meaning I transitioned to a new language. Plus, I created new accounts specifically for English on each. I ran them for about three weeks and quickly got burned out because it's incredibly tedious to post the same video on seven different accounts. But that was to be expected; I thought that would happen. As for the transition to a new (English-speaking) audience – I feel like it happened after about a month. But there's another important point here: I think social media also takes your geographic location into account. For example, they'll show you more to Indians if you're in India; to Laotians if you're in Laos; and to Thais if you're in Thailand. Or to people from other countries who also travel in the same places you do.

But I haven't seen any significant increase in views—everything has remained pretty much the same. I think it's not the language that plays a big role here, but the length of your regular posting, the interestingness of your content, authenticity, and your luck!)

So, after three months, I'm faced with a choice: continue creating content in English or switch back to Russian. Incidentally, I was also simultaneously dubbing content in my native language on VK, Telegram, and Threads, but in text format. Not to mention that during this same period, I traveled to several countries, built websites, taught, volunteered, and much more. I'd done a huge amount of work and was simply tired. And fatigue is the enemy of creativity. I've long understood that the easier it is for me to create something, the more actively and interestingly I do it.

And based on all these considerations, switching back to Russian seems the most favorable option now. What do you think about this—what would you do if you were me?

25 hours on trains, and here I am in northern Thailand. Traveling without a bike is significantly faster, but not easier.
The thing is, the railways here are narrow-gauge, meaning the distance between the rails is at best 70 centimeters, not like ours, which is 1.5 meters. This explains all the consequences – the carriages are narrow, a seat designed for two can hold at best 1.5 meters. They are hard as oak and not at all anatomically correct. I more or less fell asleep when everyone got off, leaving me with two seats opposite (it's supposedly four seats, but for three, which is too small for me alone), on which I reclined at a 90-degree angle, like a corner.
At least the scenery is picturesque, and the train travels along a winding road between the mountains. You can lean out the window and feel like you're in Sri Lanka, where they have that famous train too. ))
But I must say that after selling my bike, I started feeling much better (physically, I mean). Anyway, I arrived in Chiang Mai, kind of tired, but not so tired. I walked the 4 km to the hostel, especially missing my bike at that point, and lay down to rest.
Generally, I think you need to alternate between adventure, relaxation, work, and more adventure. Incidentally, I'm currently in my "work" period – I need to get some work done on the websites. Plus, in a comfortable environment, I can leisurely plan my next steps; I have some interesting ideas.

How to learn English quickly - 3 Ways

1. The easiest is Duolingo.
The app is not at all stressful; everything is done in a game-like format. It helps you learn new words and simple expressions. But it's certainly not enough to fully master the language.
2. Intermediate - Dmitry Petrov's "Polyglot" Lessons.
The course aired on television consists of 16 short lessons, 40 minutes each. The main idea is to understand the basic structure of the language. Affirmations, questions, and negations in the present, past, and future tenses are a simple 3x3 table; once you memorize it, you'll be able to communicate with people.
3. Complex, but most effective - Experience living in an English-speaking environment; for me, that was volunteering.
If you live in an English-speaking environment, you won't have a choice; you'll speak English. It's difficult at first; your brain explodes from the intense work. Then you get used to it and at some point you feel that your skills are growing right before your eyes.

From the mountain gorge I moved to the other side of the lake to spend the night in a tent by the water. This is my first night in the open air, tomorrow it will be clear whether I like this style of travel or not.

I drove half of my way around Lake Issyk-Kul along the southern shore in 3 days. To go around the lake, you need to go back along the northern side. In a few days I will rest and work in Karakol, maybe go to the mountains again, and then go further. P.S.: The landscapes from the window here remind me of scenes from westerns.

We spent the night in a neighboring village in a house with a view of a potato field and mountains. Several thick blankets folded on the floor served as beds. Tired, went to bed early and finally got some sleep!

At the top we were covered by rain and a hurricane wind. It became dangerous to go down on horses, although it was also dangerous without them. There was a moment when I slid down the grass in a raincoat, hoping to get to the bottom faster. By the way, I filmed this moment on video - the video will soon be released on YouTube. But the landscapes here are of course incredible, I would hardly have wandered here myself.

After the morning shooting we went to the village to climb to the mountain lake on horses. The village itself was at an altitude of 2100 meters, at what altitude the lake is - I do not know, but we climbed for more than three hours. At the beginning of the journey thunder rumbled over the mountains.

The day started at 5 o'clock with filming in the canyon and on the lake shore. This is my part of the contribution to the volunteer project.

I spent that night in a yurt. The night on Issyk-Kul was cold, but 3 blankets helped me sleep soundly) But I really didn't want to get out from under the blanket.

In Bishkek, I found a volunteer project that turned into a trip to Lake Issyk-Kul. That's where I met a baby camel. I originally planned to go there later and hitchhike, but it turned out even better.

5 days ago I left Almaty to go on a vlog trip around Kyrgyzstan. Today I petted a baby camel for the first time.

23.06.2025
Today is my day off.

I haven't published short news stories here for a little over three months. During this time, I finished volunteering in Laos and went to Almaty, visiting Bangkok and New Delhi. I'll try to improve and share news more often. By the way, I'm on social networks and I'm much more active there, all the links are in contacts - add me, let's be friends! (Photo from my first mountain peak in Almaty)

I've been in Laos for two months now. Sometimes in the evenings I come to the veranda just to watch the sunset.

Today we photographed elephants. Perhaps we will make canvases with photos for the wall. It is a pity for the animals, of course. Although the baby elephants are quite friendly and inquisitive, and tourists feed them well. Mixed impressions.

Today I'm taking pictures of food for the menu.

Exactly 2 years ago I flew away from home and haven't been back since. I remember the snowfall at the airport, my doubts before getting my boarding pass - "Maybe I shouldn't?", how a wheel was torn off my suitcase on the way, how I couldn't call a taxi at night, how I was looking for a SIM card with this suitcase on one wheel, how I saw the Caspian Sea from the hotel window for the first time... All this seemed so complicated, incomprehensible, and dangerous in places. And now two years have passed, but it feels like five.

A woman behind the glass with a kind smile is doing something magical with a dress on a mannequin in her studio, a man on the river bank is slowly weaving boats, apparently for sale, and the owner of a cafe is cheerfully playing with a dog waiting for the first customers, somewhere in the background there is calm music, and I am just strolling here after breakfast. Morning in Tam Coc.

This morning we met with Ola, took some photos, which I will show you soon. And last time we saw each other was on Phangan in Thailand. In general, it is interesting - you travel, meet someone, make new acquaintances, friends, then your paths diverge, and after a while you can meet in another city, country or even on another continent.

In Asia, I have moments when it seems like I've been there before. It's like a feeling when you just woke up, you don't remember what the dream was about, but the mood is still there. A fleeting deja vu. And here it's the same. One of the most peaceful and pleasant places I've been to is the "Temple on the Island"

I myself find it hard to believe that phones have learned to take photos like this. Amazing!

Street, gates, tables, a bike, and inside the houses kids are watching cartoons. This is the vibe of local cafes.
Greens, rice noodles, hot sauce with apples and carrots, something like our lula kebab. Local lunch for locals - very delicious!