Invidious

To have a dream and turn travel into a job has been a long journey. Coming from a family that worked hard but had limited opportunities in a country with a weak passport, I’ve had to jump through endless hoops just to access them. Growing up, I thought my path was already decided by my environment. That only made me hungrier. Curiosity pushed me to seek beyond what I knew, beyond what seemed possible.

This photo was taken in Mongolia, on my second day of riding, feeling deeply content and grateful to finally be here. Mongolia only recently introduced an e-visa, which made this trip possible. Before that, I had to go through the ordeal of securing a 30-day Schengen visa, another expensive, frustrating process that drained me before I even got on a plane.

When you have a shitty passport, you don’t take travel for granted. You grab every opportunity like gold, because when travel becomes your job, you work harder not to let it go. You work with what you have, even when it feels unfair.

I know how much my passport limits me. My work revolves around travel, yet I can’t just move on a whim. Every trip demands financial and personal background checks, proving my intentions over and over again. What comes effortlessly to others, who hold powerful passports with freedom of movement, feels like an impossible puzzle for me. I see others hopping between countries effortlessly with no visa struggles, no questioning, no financial background checks.

I won’t lie if there’s resentment, even jealousy, when I see others in the same industry expanding their opportunities without barriers. Meanwhile, I fight for every visa, every entry stamp to tell new stories.

Dave and I recently applied for my UK residency extension, £4000 without a solicitor, just so I can stay for another 2.5 years. People assume that because I’m married to a Brit, I automatically gain citizenship. But no. In three more years, I can apply, pass the required tests, and finally gain the freedom of movement that so many take for granted.

Maybe I sound bitter. Maybe I’m just exhausted from constantly hitting these walls. But I dream of a day when this isn’t part of my story anymore.

Until then, I keep going.

6 months ago | [YT] | 471

@PP-im6mb

You should be rightly very proud of what you have achieved, even with a weak passport and the difficulties this presents. Your videos are extremely well produced and are both entertaining and informative. Many of the people producing travel content simply fly to a particular location and review their hotel or resort, in contrast to your format. I'm certain that your channel will go from strength to strength once you have the ability to travel more freely. In the meantime try not to become too despondent. You are exploring and sharing your experience of countries that we would otherwise not see. Your content is unique in this respect. Every credit to you.

6 months ago | 2