Hear stories and life-lessons from circumnavigating the planet on a bicycle while living on 3 Euros a day for 5 years. Pablo Mandado talks about his experience growing up in the Aragon region of Spain, how a trip to Greece changed everything and led to a life of long-term travel, and how he quickly transitioned into a spontaneous, hyper-minimalist and hyper-budget travel style. He reflects on negotiating trust and reciprocity when hitch-hiking and couch surfing. Pablo then shares an uncomfortable moment while hitchhiking, as well as a surprising moment of connection, and some incredible stories from his month in Laos. He then talks about meeting his girlfriend in Latvia and embarking on a 5 year cycling journey to circumnavigate the globe together. Pablo explains the value of of a loosely planned trip rooted in spontaneous decisions and how he was able to live on just 3 Euros a day for 5 years. Next, he tells incredible stories of getting caught in a massive snowstorm in Turkey, the heartwarming hospitality he found in Iran, avoiding the secret police in Uzbekistan, and what it was like to cycle across mainland China. Pablo also talks about his photography journey and how he was able to turn that into a business. Finally, he reflects on the unique benefits of traveling the world by bicycle, the re-acclimation experience after the trip, how the journey shaped his relationship, and the lasting impact of long-term, hyper-minimalist, spontaneous travel on him as a person.
364: Cycling Around the World in 5 Years on 3 Euros a Day with Pablo Mandado
Episode Summary
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About the Guest

Pablo Mandado
Pablo Mandado is a hyper-minimalist traveler, photographer and cyclist who completed a 5 year round-the-world bicycle journey from London to New York, crossing 30 countries while living on just 3 Euros a day. Prior to that he spent two years backpacking, hitchhiking, wild-camping and couch surfing across Europe, Morocco and Southeast Asia. He has now traveled to 78 countries and learned to thrive on minimal resources, spontaneity, problem solving, and has build a life completely outside the conventional path. Originally from the Aragón region of northern Spain, today when he’s not traveling he maintains a base in Lisbon, Portugal.
What You'll Learn
- The incredibly unique value of traveling the world by bicycle
- How to negotiate trust, hospitality and reciprocity when hitchhiking and couch surfing
- The lasting impact of long-term, hyper-minimalist, spontaneous travel
Links From the Episode
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CONTACT AND FOLLOW PABLO
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OTHER MAVERICK SHOW PODCAST GUESTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
LOCATIONS WHERE THE INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE
- Matt: Asheville, North Carolina
- Pablo: Lisbon, Portugal
#1 BOOK THAT PABLO RECOMMENDS
#1 PERSON WITH WHOM PABLO WANTS TO HAVE DINNER
TOP 3 TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
TOP 3 BUCKET LIST DESTINATIONS
AIRLINE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
PLACES IN CHINA MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
OTHER PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Armenia
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Balkans
- Hungary, Budapest
- Carpathian Mountains
- Caucuses
- Croatia
- England
- Europe
- France
- Germany
- Georgia
- Greece
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Laos
- Riga, Latvia
- Lithuania
- London
- Morocco
- New York
- Portugal
- Prague
- Southeast Asia
- Spain
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- United States
- Uzbekistan
Time Stamped Show Notes
**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.
[1:12] Introducing Pablo Mandado
[2:51] Growing up in the Aragon region of Spain
[4:38] How one Trip to Greece Changed Everything and Led to a Life of Travel
[6:14] Transitioning into a spontaneous, hyper-minimalist and hyper-budget travel style
[9:22] Negotiating trust, hospitality and reciprocity while couch surfing
[10:45] An uncomfortable hitchhiking story
[11:54] One surprising moment of connection
[13:20] Spending a month in Laos
[16:45] Meeting his Girlfriend and Starting to Travel Together
[20:55] Planning a Round-the-World Cycling Trip
[22:41] Pablo’s Round-the-World Cycling Route and Gear
[25:24] The value of a loosely planned trip rooted in spontaneous decisions
[27:40] Living on 3 Euros a Day for 5 Years
[30:40] Getting Caught in a Massive Snowstorm in Turkey
[32:31] Cycling Across Iran
[ 34:45] Evading the Secret Police in Uzbekistan
[38:01] Cycling Across Mainland China
[40:02] Learning how Kind People Are
[41:23] The unique benefits of traveling by bicycle
[43:21] The impact on his relationship by traveling in this style with his girlfriend
[45:07] Pablo’s Travel Photography
[48:02] Re-Integrating into Regular Life after a 5-Year Cycling
[50:43] The long-term impact of hyper-minimalist travel
[51:47] The Lightning Round
[55:01] Follow and Connect with Pablo