Alexey Korovin: how to change their lives and stop living on the machine
Travels Inspiration / / December 19, 2019
Guest of our interview Alexey Korovin I did just that. He radically changed his life in 2009, when he went with the company motoputeshestviyakh for the country. After a while, he decided to break away from the company and continue the journey itself. Since then, he does not imagine his life without a single motoputeshestviyakh and shares his impressions in his books and movies.
Alexei was one last trip to Australia. 30 000 kilometers, 137 days and 16 countries - personally I can not even imagine what it's like. I think you will too. That's why we decided to interview Alexis and present it to your attention.
- How did you decide to devote their lives to travel?
I never devoted his entire life traveling. It's part of my life. And I came to it by accident. For example, sometimes people try to stop eating meat. Sami persuade himself that it was wrong. Tense, trying not to break. And sometimes you just come to the state when you no longer need and do not want to eat it. Now I have a second situation.
In 2007, I first sat on a motorcycle. Wish I had before, but were constantly excuses, due to the fact that I was doing other things. A little ride, and in 2009 for the first time decided to go out of town.
- Serious "away" happened!
That's for sure. I found the guys who went from Kiev to the Caucasus. There were five, and I went with them to understand what it is and what a trip. However, starting with them, I realized that I'd rather go alone. I could not move around with their speed and could not be in their company. Therefore, I decided to separate and go one further.
Four days later, I realized that single journey - this is the tool that I need in life. And over time, it is strongly intertwined in my life. For me, these trips - this is not a hobby and not a job. It is a tool that helps for a while to withdraw from society and their comfort zone.
There are different tools. For some, this extreme sports, and for someone to drink. And for me it became the single trip.
- That there is an outlet?
- It's not really an outlet. When people want to travel, they are saving money for a long time and then travel, then save up money again and travel again. Divide your life into two parts. Good and bad. But I like to live in the city. I'm always well. Just over time, there is a feeling that you're living on the machine, and then I realize that I need to break out of the city.
It seems to me that such a "shuttle run" between the society and seclusion should be in every human being. You can not get stuck in any one or in another state.
Therefore, I do not go round the world trip. They last too long, and in the month you have just wants to go home fourth and fifth. Settle.
- And how much is occupied round the world trip?
- About a year.
- Perhaps, it is very difficult.
- Everything is relative. If you aim to travel around the world, then yes, it's hard. But if you enjoy the process, you just live and benefit from this high. Do not you think, and do.
- And why the motorcycle?
- What is the bike? For me, it combines a few very important things. I need the speed, the land and the ability to connect with the space. When you travel in a car, if you're in a dome, to protect themselves from the outside world.
- I had a question of where you draw inspiration. But, as I understand it, if you enjoy doing something, the inspiration, and especially do not need, right?
- Inspiration - is a cool theme. For me, inspiration - is when the soul speaks. People can live from the mind and the soul. When you live from the mind, you have some inspiration particle, but you almost everything you do because of their willpower.
And you live from the heart, when doing their job. Or at least try. I often read people's questions about how to find inspiration. The answer is: just do the trick.
Travel - it's my business. I still sometimes do the things of the mind, but I try to keep track of them and come to the fact that everything must be done from the heart.
- Maybe, after all something must come from the mind?
- Of course, head on your shoulders should be present. That's how I had prepared for travel. I planned everything down to the smallest detail. I thought, and suddenly here something will not work or will be wrong here. I simply ceased to live the moment.
But you can plan from the heart. Plan to "here" to receive pleasure from the planning. Less to think about the future and the past, live in the present moment. The only difference is, what are you assotsiiruesh - with the soul or mind.
- Understand and change is very difficult.
- Right. But this is exactly what you need to do in my life. The best part of it all, that you cease to be afraid of unnecessary things. I have this moment arrived in 2008. I gave up the business, which has devoted 14 years of age. All these years I lived them, and throw it - it's like leaving your child. Business people will understand me.
- And what was the first trip?
- It was just the Caucasus, about which I have already mentioned. We went to Kiev and arrived at Rostov. With us was a guy who went to Kazakhstan, and I have a brother living there. The rest went to Tuapse sea. I realized that in the Tuapse I do not want to, and decided to go to Kazakhstan.
We got to the border, and I did not miss. There was no passport. And I went back to himself. It was my first solo trip. The five days I went back to one, opened my life anew. I finally felt like with him alone.
In these travels all you do all day - it's going. You can not take anything themselves because the wheel. And at this time you are to yourself. Then I realized that these little moments of privacy should be. They are like the air.
- Very similar to meditation.
- This is it. For me, meditation - it can monitor the current moment. And various monotonous things in this help. Someone knits, someone draws. Many ways. Motorcycle - one of them. A kind of "meditation on wheels."
Meditation - this is the tool that allows you to slowly become himself.
- Do you travel alone, to enter into this state?
- Yes. Traveling gives me privacy. I tried to ride with people several times. I spent a couple of days with them and then went himself. It's not that.
- How do you plan to travel? How to choose the route?
- I do not know. The first trip I had planned really. It was around the Black Sea. And planning a second trip to Mongolia, I also came to mind. By the way, for me to Mongolia - is the best country to travel.
- Why?
- There are no people. Steppe and emptiness. Sometimes stops in the middle of the road, look around and see nothing. No trace of civilization, nothing. As if you are alone in this world.
- And how do you get across the Indian Ocean in his journey to Australia?
- From Kathmandu to Bangkok by plane. At the motorcycle. There is impossible to go a different way. And from East Timor to Australia - the ship. Moreover, these ferries are very rare, and I waited for him a month.
- What did you do this month?
- It was the coolest moment. Difference pastime here and there is the fact that the house you have a lot of classes. And there's nothing you. And you start to think about how to kill time. At such moments, you do not live. And I learned not to worry about this time, and to be here and now.
Just take the time I can. For example, in Bangkok. You can go to the cafe, to the sights and so on. But I did not want to do that. I felt the mind tries to find something to do. Therefore, half the time I was meditating, and walked the rest of the time. And in Bangkok came to me the state of happiness. Whatever I did, it brought me joy. Me straight batters from this condition.
It was the same in Timor (extreme point of Indonesia) and Australia. Just take a month and a half. And it was wonderful and a half months.
- How often do you communicate with people? I avoided them?
- Not. I not avoided, but did not seek communication. There were meetings, communication. During the trip, I do not need people to talk to. Nevertheless, I met many interesting people.
When I arrived in East Timor, to wash bikes (mandatory procedure for smuggled across the border) I met a traveler from England, Chris, and then another with two bikers from Germany and Holland. We talked a bit while waiting for the completion of all procedures, and then boarded a motorcycle and departed. Though traveling the same route, but do not overlap.
- There are people who do not just look your journey, and said, "Yes, well done" - and continued to live on, but also to change something in your life?
- There is. I can not say that very often, but it is written by people who were inspired and changed their lives. This is not always a journey. As I have said, they are not suitable for everyone. But do people find what is right for them. And this, in turn, gives me strength.
- How ordinary people treat your journey?
- How do you feel about him?
- it inspires me.
- That the others too. When people see a man who rides a motorbike hell knows where, many have a feeling of elation. You always take with an open mind. It's a wonderful feeling when one person opens the heart, you have the same thing happens.
Each encounter - it's a joy. Whether it's the police or the person to whom I asked to spend the night. For you people are always open as long you do not live with them.
- And there is the adrenaline in your travel?
- No, I have long outgrown adrenaline addiction. Sometimes you just want a fast ride, but extreme long ceased to be pleasant to me.
- Speaking of adrenaline. What happened in Pakistan?
- In Pakistan, it is impossible to move without special paper. It is given to all travelers. After its receipt you are given an escort of five cars, and you in the escort to move across the country. And I decided not to get it. And I went on the North road to Lahore, which is considered one of the most dangerous.
Somewhere halfway I saw ahead on the road there are some guys on mopeds. I did not suspect anything and just decided to go through them. But when I approached them, one turned around and I saw that he was holding the machine. He shouted something in his own language, and I immediately realized that it was something like "stop."
I did not have time to think, I began to turn the other way and go back. At this point he shrugged shutter and fired several shots in my direction. Bullets flew past me. Between us was 30 meters. This is one of those moments when you realize that you're not a fatalist, as imagined. I want to live.
Such animal fear helps you deal with the situation quickly. On the machine.
- And why did you go through Pakistan without that piece of paper? Did not know?
- Yes, he knew, of course. But getting this paper is very similar to the procedure in our country. We need to wait for reception, then stand in line for several days to obtain. In addition, more and escort. It is also necessary to wait. And it moves at a speed of 30 km / h in the whole country.
When I moved to Iran, to the border I was leading the escort. I thought, "Nifiga imagine how everything is serious." And in Pakistan arrived, I spent a couple of kilometers away and said, "Go." And I thought that before the driving itself, and everything was in order, why not drive here.
But after the shooting I went to the first police station, I asked them all at once an escort, which only can be. I asked for this piece of paper and told her no time, go back and get it. It was necessary to go back to the border. There I was told that my visa expires in two days, and they will not have time to do it to me. They offered to go back to Islamabad to extend the visa and return to them. I sent them and just went on another road. Somehow break through.
And on this road for a few hours before I left the escort of other travelers from England. And after some time, I overtook them. After some time, I stopped to rest, and I caught up with the escort. We arrived and are waiting for me. I walked over to them, and they say, "Now you go with us."
I had no choice. And they travel at a speed of 30 km / h. On a motorcycle ride with a speed difficult. In general, I overtook them, and drove to the next post, where I was told to wait for an escort again. It was not until the night. We stayed the night and had to move out at eight in the morning. I got up at six, pack up and leave one.
- Problems were no more?
- No, then everything was in order.
- Often on the road broke a motorcycle?
- by itself - no. Only once was my fault. I decided to go on a dirt road that was all rummaged and partitioned excavators. I drove up to one of the areas where the road has been completely plowed, and there already waiting for a few motorcyclists, while the backhoe to finish the job.
I decided not to wait and went on plowing. Then again, such a situation. And again. Last plot overcame, went up the mountain, and the bike is not going. Planted clutch. Stop, look, and by me all these riders pass. The Irony of Fate.
I went back to the camp to the excavator and for a long time tried to explain that it is necessary to repair the bike. They even do not understand English. While all explained while the motorcycle was sent until repaired, much time has passed. Initially furious about it. And then I thought that I, a pancake, in the Lao countryside, go for a walk through the jungle, to communicate with people. Live present moment.
Clutch repaired, but after a while it started to act up again. I'm going over Laos, and I understand that I need to continue to go to Vietnam, but if it breaks the clutch, the chance to repair it I will not. The second option - to go back to Bangkok, in the studio. I reached the fork in the road between Vietnam and Bangkok and thought.
- And what do you choose?
- Vietnam - what will be will be.
- not lost?
- Passed Vietnam, Cambodia, but when he went to Thailand, has almost kicked the motorcycle pushed. Clutch almost did not work. I clocked him and slowly rolled.
- It turns out, the spirit has won the mind again?
- Yes, you first think it over, he decided to go to Bangkok. But when reached the fork in the road, he decided not to think. Just turned on Vietnam.
By the way, right now we are creating a parallel and lay out 7-part film of this journey called "To yourself halfway around the world». Available for three series.
- Where did you spend the night?
- Differently. I tried to sleep outdoors when weather permitted. When he felt that it would be cold or have to charge the device, search for hotels. In all other cases, I stayed outdoors.
- A lot of things have been with you?
- Not. It all depends on the person. I have a minimalist approach. I tried to take with you to a minimum. Of food I took only rice, buckwheat, butter, brandy and coffee.
But now I am going to Norway, and understand what it will be cold. This time there will be more things. I lean constitution and strong hands freeze. Therefore, I take a lot of warm clothes. No matter how many took a little will not.
- What kind of equipment would take with you?
- Navigator (Garmin Nuvi 500), smart phone, dual cameras (Canon 600D and GoPro). GoPro - one of the most important tools, but Canon provides better picture, and when he wanted to add to the colorful film frames shot using a Canon.
- I use some applications?
- I almost did not stay at the hotel, so I like the application were not needed. The most important thing - Google Maps. His work offline sometimes helped. But the navigator, of course, useful. He does not waste charge your phone and paves the way to the smallest paths, that I was needed.
- What do you do in your free time travel?
- I have two projects. One - Production Company TorpalAnd the second - a bag Mixbag. While sell on the Russian market, but we plan to go to the United States. I've been there in engineering. In general buzz of design problems. I try to do it just for fun.
But the most important thing - it is My blog and the ability to inspire people. This is what gives strength to continue my business.
- Can you advise readers how to start? How to find my life's work?
- The most important thing - to understand themselves and each moment. It always comes to mind the movie "The Matrix." He's very metaphorical and perfectly illustrates how our life is moving on the machine. Once this is realized, you begin to slowly crawl out of their holes.
I started to get out with the help of yoga and meditation. At first I did not understand anything at all. And then the clever ideas started coming to mind. Try to offer somebody do what he likes. The man immediately find thousands of excuses.
Also, your favorite business should not be a hobby. In this way you divide your life into two parts: that's this part of me for the success and money, and this - for themselves. You say to myself that 70% of my life, I'm not going to live, and the remaining 30% still pickings. Once one accepts the idea that the 70% of the time he does not live, then immediately begin to change. Do everything and do not be afraid to make a mistake.
Error - this movement forward. We think that our life - it is a straight line, in fact it is not. If I did not have experience with the business, I would not come to the state, which now I am. Errors need more than that - they are useful.
Imagine a limousine. Ahead of the driver of the limousine there who thinks, "Damn, I'm in charge! I'm driving. " This is the first step. At the beginning of the way I felt as a driver. I want to turn to the left - turn left, I want to right - turn right.
And then it turns out that I am not alone. Behind it sits eccentric, which is really in charge. He's in control of everything. This is the second stage.
And the third stage, when you start to feel not the driver's seat and the back, blending with its spirit. And the sooner you realize who's boss in the limo, the faster you will learn to manage their lives.
Read the following interview with A.Korovinym "How to find his life's work».