Alan Silmann is one of those lucky people who has skilfully managed to make
travelling a lifestyle. Rather than trying to find time for travel, he just does it. Regularly.
He has
managed to get into the cellar-hand profession, which classifies as one of the best jobs for globetrotters.
Alan believes there are not that many obstacles to travelling on a regular basis. "It all depends on the
breadth of your comfort zone." When you think about it the only major expenses you come across are flights,
accommodation, transport, and food. The more you are willing to compromise along these lines, the easier it
will become to travel.
When he is not working a wine harvest in some of the world´s most beautiful
places such as New Zealand and Australia, he explores the planet through his camera lens. Alan´s curiosity for
the beautiful corners of this world manifests in his photography. His Instagram is full of inspirational
imagery that´ll guarantee a travel appetite.
We therefore decided to ask some travel advice from this experienced explorer.
How do you prepare for new destinations?
If I have time I do some pre-work. But mainly I go with the flow. Book my first
accommodation and see it from there. I like to meet local people and hear their recommendations. The good
thing about working a wine harvest is that you meet a lot of people from different parts of the world. So,
when I go to new places I often have a local friend waiting for me there to give me tips. I also like to
google with keywords such as "top 10 places”, "epic places" or "best abandoned sites." I also find photo
inspiration from Instagram. When there´s a great photo I just want to go, and check the place out.
What do you recommend to people who aren't
that comfortable at making travel acquaintances?
I think one great thing about travelling is that it really opens you up. When you
throw yourself into unusual situations you have no choice but to find a way out. It definitely develops you as
a person. But there are lots of travel apps that guide you through destinations if you prefer that.