Travelling Thoughts

Hello everyone!

For those who have been following me here at Havestories.com for a while, you most likely have noticed that things have been a little quiet around here lately. And there has really been a reason for it, and I’m thrilled to finally being able to share what we’ve been working on – it is a brand new adventure that we’re incredibly excited to embark on!

Life, as they say, begins at any age… And for us – a vibrant 48 and a youthful 52 – that new beginning is Open Road Tales, our very own YouTube channel dedicated to the joy of travel! For years, I’ve poured my thoughts, observations, and stories into the written word here on Havestories.com. And while my love for writing remains as strong as ever (yes, those three book projects are still ongoing, and the first one is finally reaching the end of editing process! Hooray!), my wife and I have felt a growing pull to share our passion for exploration in a more visual way. But, whilst sharing is caring, there is more to that…

We both are avid travelers at heart. Sometimes even those family members nearest to us have wondered aloud if we will even find a place to set down roots, or are we doomed to forever seek out what is beyond the next hill.

Doomed? It is no doom, but instead we cherish the freedom of road trips, the thrill of discovering new cities, and the unhurried pace of truly immersing ourselves in a destination. For us, many times the destination is the journey itself. And it is this love for exploration, which makes the very essence of Open Road Tales. We envision a channel where we share our journeys, our experiences, and the little details that make each trip unique.

Now… you might be wondering how Havestories.com, as a blog that has been going on for several years fits into this new picture. Especially when I have been blogging about a multitude of topics, ranging from dirty coffee cups at an AirBnB apartment in Lisbon, Portugal, to the drama of Eurovision Song Contest, and everything in between. Well, the thing is, we see these two platforms as wonderful companions! Think of our YouTube channel as the visual storyteller, bringing our adventures to life on screen. Something you can watch, whilst enjoying your evening tea on your sofa. And then, think of Havestories.com as the place to delve deeper in those moments when you don’t feel like watching a video, or maybe when you need more detailed, written account on something that you saw in our channel.

My plan is as it has always been with Havestories.com; to bring you articles with more in-depth information, perhaps downloadable destination guides, coupled with personal reflections on many different topics, and, as a new addition, updates on all things travel-related – from important news like ETIAS to helpful travel advisories.

One aspect of me that you might not be aware of, is something that we feel very strongly about at our Open Road Tales YouTube channel as well, is traveling with our beloved poodles. As pet parents, we know firsthand the joys and challenges of exploring the world with furry companions. As this kind of content seems to be lacking, or is concentrated to areas such as the U.S., we aim to fulfill that pothole in the road, and create content that sheds light from European point of view on what it truly entails to travel with pets; sharing tips, tricks, and honest insights into making travel with pets a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Furthermore, as a member of the LGBTQ community, I also want to weave in travel content that resonates with and includes our community. I have noticed a trend that there are very dedicated LGBTQ travel channels, and at the same time the more mainstream channels often overlook minority experiences, I hope to bridge that gap and offer a more inclusive perspective within our travel narratives as we both believe that everyone deserves to be seen and represented in the inclusive world of travel stories. I have envisioned that the LGBTQ content would be something that will first appear here, at Havestories.com, and only later on our YouTube channel. And this is something that I would love to have your feedback about – what is the LGBTQ content that you want to see? Is it about the Pride culture? Clubbing? What?

Making the decision to start creating content for our Open Road Tales YouTube channel is definitely a new and exciting challenge for me as I’m much more comfortable behind a keyboard than in front of a camera! On the other hand, my wife is much more at home with visual experiences, something that you can check out on her personal TikTok channel as well (remember to give her a follow!). I always thought that just snapping a photo would suffice, but there’s a whole new world of skills to learn, and we are embracing it with open arms (and maybe a few nervous jitters!).

This is the moment where you come in! Creating quality videos and informative blog posts takes time, effort, and yes, resources. As you probably remember, I work as a full-time registered nurse, which seriously limits the time I can put in to edit and create anything. If you enjoy our content here and in YouTube and want to support our journey, we would be incredibly grateful if you would Buy Us A Coffee.

It is only through your generous contributions (and my meagre salary) that will directly help us upgrade our equipment – we dream of moving from our trusty Samsung S22 Ultra to the fantastic DJI range for vloggers, which we know will significantly improve the quality of our videos. But your contributions do more than that – far ahead in the future we envision a proper motor home to take us away to our next adventure.

If the thought of Buying Me A Coffee sounds like a date request come too soon, there are other ways that you can, and should, show your support for the content we are creating.

• Please share this blog post with anyone you think might be interested in our travel adventures.
• Head over to our YouTube channel, Open Road Tales, and subscribe! Your support there means the world to us.
• Leave a comment on our YouTube videos with any topics or destinations you’d love to see us explore. Your ideas are invaluable!
• And of course, leave comments below this post with any thoughts or suggestions for future blog content.

Now it is time to flip a coin and choose which way we go on together. And now it is not just me, but us both, and we’re thrilled to have you join us as we embark on the wonderful journey of Open Road Tales.

This new chapter isn’t just about my thoughts and travels anymore; it’s about our adventures together, and we can’t wait to share them with you.

Personally, I want to thank YOU for being a part of the Havestories.com community this far. This is not the end, but just a junction on a road that we call life.