You will discover adventure wherever you travel

For those who know him, it is almost impossible to answer the question of where Martin Navrátil is right now. He could be climbing to the base camp of K2, sailing the Congo River, or discovering the customs of the local population in Afghanistan. Today, however, this extraordinary traveler and adventurer, who has already traveled to 167 countries, took a short break from battling the weather in Kamchatka to take us on a wild and beautiful journey around the world. For those who don't know much about the name Martin Navrátil, a quick glance at his FB profile or the website Travelistan.sk will immediately tell you that he is not just an ordinary traveler. While for us, ordinary people, traveling mostly means a summer vacation by the sea and we consider a visit to a Maldivian resort to be exotic, Martin's traveling is on a completely different level. His experiences will amaze you, sometimes even shock you, almost like the most adventurous Hollywood movies. Finally, judge for yourself...

The country must call you to itself.

I traveled for the first time when I was seventeen, after socialism.

"When I travel, there always has to be a story behind it. The country has to call me to it in some way. For example, I've never been to Switzerland in my life, but I've been to Afghanistan four times."

The key is to find a reason to travel to a given country.

"Many people travel without knowing where they are going, just because they found a cheap flight ticket, for example. However, the best way to get to know a country is to know something about it. It doesn't necessarily have to be just its history. You can get to know a country through its food or local customs," Martin recalls, and at the same time offers one of his travel tips right at the beginning.

However, it's one thing to discover the beauty of Alaska and another to be confronted with the harsh realities of Iraq or Afghanistan. When asked what it's like to visit these parts of the world and why he goes there in the first place, Martin doesn't have to look far for an answer. "I did a report in Iraq for the magazine Týždeň and TV JOJ because I told myself that I was tired of reading articles about war conflicts that people only write indirectly. I wanted to see authentically what it really looks like. The world is not black and white and you can only find out what the reality of events really looks like by visiting the place." "However, if I dropped you off in the middle of Kabul, you wouldn't feel like you were in a war zone at all. People on the street are smiling, you don't feel like you're in a region where one of the longest civil wars is going on. In Erbil, Iraq, discos are open, regardless of the fact that you are twenty kilometers from the war front. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not afraid, I was afraid too. But I never go anywhere without a reason."

I love countries that maintain their uniqueness.

A person who has seen as many unusual countries as Martin is probably one of the best qualified to evaluate or say where is truly beautiful. But is it possible to choose one favorite destination from all that? "My favorite place changes every day, it depends on my mood. But overall, I really like going back to Africa. It's very demanding to travel, it's hard to find experiences there, and you have to travel a lot to find those experiences. Paradoxically, it's an extremely expensive continent, despite being poor. However, it has an incredible spontaneity, people have the same problems that we have, but they live their lives incredibly directly." "I also love countries that manage to preserve their cultural uniqueness despite the twenty-first century. For example, China, under the burden of absolute modernity, preserves its cultural customs. When you read Marco Polo's book Millions and then travel through China, you experience exactly the same thing he did in the thirteenth century. That can't be said about many places." However, according to him, Martin's strongest experiences include trips that are among the most demanding.

"The last time it was Chukotka, the area opposite Alaska, where we went to observe reindeer. We experienced temperatures of fifty degrees below freezing, which felt like minus sixty-five, so sleeping in a tent in the tundra was really challenging. Last year, my friend and I went across the entire Congo and we were the first Slovaks to do it. We rafted a long section of the Congo River, traveled through the rainforest, and it devastated us unbelievably. Here, my comfort zone was pushed by leaps and bounds." Again, a reality that is insanely far from the general idea of ​​an ideal vacation where one can relax. However, it doesn't always have to be that way.

I don't always look for extremes. For example, I was in southern India recently and that was a nice active relaxation.

"I'm going to Pakistan to K2 Base Camp soon and I'm really looking forward to not having my phone in my hand or turning on my computer for two weeks."

However, this doesn't last long for Martin, as he then prepares for another adventure that is unimaginable for many of us. "As I said, the country has to call me. There has to be a story. Every time I say I've had enough, a few days later I read an article in the newspaper or learn something from a book and start looking into it. It gets so interesting that it won't let me go." “For example, next year I’m going to Antarctica, where I’ll be sailing on a sailboat from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Town for fifty-seven days with researchers from National Geographic to watch whales. It’s going to be amazing, even though we’re going to have 13-meter waves and guaranteed seasickness the entire time. It’s also about pushing your own limits. If I knew that the weather in Chukotka would change and there would be such huge frosts, I would definitely consider it. But once you’re there, you have to fight.” "I especially love the historic cities in Europe and travel here when I need a break from the world. A good example is the Baltics. The capital of Estonia, Tallinn, is a hidden wonder. I also love Scandinavia. There are so many beautiful things to find in Europe that sometimes I even ask myself why I travel so much to other parts of the world."

Planning means being prepared.

Martin, regardless of whether you are a beginner or an experienced traveler, advises to correctly estimate your strengths and experience. Otherwise, you will not enjoy the trip.

I make a living planning trips, but often one doesn't have enough information to plan everything adequately.

"Then you have very little time, you have to think about everything that could go wrong. When preparing for a trip across the Congo, for example, we couldn't find anything on the internet except for a contact for a German who didn't finish the trip. And that German – Hans – gave me the best advice. Africa is unpredictable. For example, you come to a port, you want to sail a part of the river, but there is no such thing as a timetable. The ship could leave today, tomorrow or even in five or six days, nothing is ever certain." "At the same time, in many cases, there are also unfounded fears associated with this. Many people are afraid to go, for example, to Africa, where I travel a lot and often. They are afraid of diseases, for example, even though they don't even know what specific diseases there are in Africa. However, with experience, you learn to distinguish between what to be afraid of and what not to be afraid of."

"In many cases, this also leads to unfounded fears. Many people are afraid to go, for example, to Africa, where I travel a lot and often. They are afraid of diseases, for example, even if they don't even know what specific diseases there are in Africa. However, with experience, you will learn to distinguish between what to be afraid of and what not to be. Experience will help you assess the situation and the level of risk best. At the same time, we should not forget that traveling is not a race about how many countries someone has visited. It is mainly about the experience and it is important not to fall into chasing numbers and overtaking your neighbor who has seen more."

Finally, we wouldn't be here if we didn't ask Martin about his attitude towards dressing, which is very pragmatic, but far from limited to just trekking pants and a sweatshirt or waterproof jacket. "For me, it all depends on where I'm traveling. It's funny when people wear trekking clothes everywhere, as if it's a universal garment. When I'm out exploring a city, I like elegant fashion."

You wouldn't go to New York dressed like you just climbed a mountain, and you wouldn't last very long in a jacket in Kamchatka.

Martin adds with a smile.

Photo source: Private archive of M. Navrátil and Alain Delon Fashion