Explorer's Atlas Began on the Kickstarter

We wanted to design beautiful wall prints, unique maps combining graphics with captions of fun, informative writing about different corners of the world. 

We wanted it to became an ultimate curiosity guide, decorative wall piece for every traveler, a space for both your travel memories, as well as inspirations to keep on traveling.

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The idea soon materialized into this:

The beginnings were difficult and humble... When I finally decided to quit my job

to start a venture of my own, my family and friends thought I went crazy...

But I was aware of the risks and knew there would be sacrifices. Most importantly,

I wanted to chase my dreams at all costs anyway.

We structured a plan, drafted an initial budget and gathered up our savings to start-up! During long debates followed by prototyping and a production planning phase, we figured that best way to promote the maps and raise funds for such an unconventional, creative project would be via crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet. It's usually reward-based, which means that the money contributions from project supporters are exchanged for a ready product after the campaign is finished. Project creators raise funds, promote and pre-sell their product without necessity to incurre debt to start-up.

We set up a company, a small design studio, and after few months of preparation we rolled out with our campaign on the Kickstarter:

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The campaign turned out to be an interesting challange and an enormous success!

Check it out here 

It required from us using all of the skills we gathered; besides graphic & product design 

we had to plan and carry out all the marketing, PR activity, strategy and financial planning, video production, product photography, logistics and much more... 

We've tested our concept, people loved the idea and the product. New orders followed and our audience of travelers and inveterate dreamers grew as well! 

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Explorer's Atlas at paper design fairs

Founding of the Explorer’s Atlas marked a beginning of a new exciting journey, allowing me to combine love for travel with an urge to become an independent creator.

It hasn't been easy since, but most importantly, it made me feel like I was in the right place at last: I've started doing what I was passionate about and I traveled again!

 --> Look where I went next <-- link do Borneo post

Enjoying sunrise on Padar, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia

Explorer's Atlas gets published

by Harper Collins

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Several months after the campaign, we've experienced another amazing surprize - 

a call from an acclaimed publishing house in the UK. They offered us to write and design a world atlas based on our original Explorer's Atlas concept!

Dreams really come true..

We started right away, and after 6 months of work, produced 120 entirely new map pages which compiled the book. The atlas was ready and published in the UK shortly before Christmas 2017!

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The book is available on Amazon.co.uk

Another few months later, Explorer's Atlas was shortlisted by 'Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards' in category 'Photography & Illustrated Travel Book of the Year 2018'.

I felt acknowledged and was amazed at how things have unfolded.

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The Story Takes A Hard Turn...

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After I got back from the awards ceremony in London, something unexpected happened again, but this time, the surprize put me in a really dark place. 

I was in a middle of my regular climbing practice, when I lost focus for a brief moment, made a basic mistake while belaying and took an 8m fall to the floor.

I was alive but my legs were completely crushed.. It wasn't sure if I was going to fully recover... I felt as if my world collapsed. Priorities change in moments like these - your plans, dreams and ambitions are put on hold...

It took ten titanium implants, an auto-transplant from my pelvis to my heel and six months of recovery, until my feet could touch the ground so I could start learning

how to walk again..

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My feet and new titanium parts, six months after the surgery

At that time I wasn't sure to what extent I would regain overall fitness. I dreamed of being able to go and see the mountains, to travel and feel that sense of freedom in

my heart again. I realised that I could have lost it forever... 

But I was not going to give up easily. Not after surviving a potentialy deadly fall.

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I focused on my recovery and dedicated tons of time and effort into physiotherapy... After 10 months I started walking again!

One of the last weeks on wheelchair, 5th month after surgery

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What's Next? Why Share?

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After I stood back on my feet, I felt unstoppable. While I was still in recovery, we've managed to get the Atlas translated into 3 foreign editions published in Germany, Spain and Poland!

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Explorer's Atlas, Spanish Edition: Atlas, Para Curiosos Insaciables

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I looked back at the my fascinating travels and asked myself if the ones that are ahead of me are going to be different from the ones before the accident? 

The experience of isolation during months when I couldn't move from my bed made me realize that all of my trips, as amazing as they were, were sort of 'private' journeys...

I realised that I needed and wanted to share my stories and travel experiences with like-minded indivduals

Working with maps and the album encouraged me to keep on writing, to start the Explorer's Atlas website and this blog! 

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What keeps me going?

• curiosity, thirst for knowledge and wisdom 

• fascinating people around the globe

• risks, challenges and adventures

• search for bliss, awe, self-improvement

So.. What's Adventure Travel Really All About?

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"Fuck the itinerary" The Darjeeling Limited

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• Spontaneity: your mind loves surprises, even if it doesn't want to admit it!

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• Getting to know yourself: discovering and exceeding your own limits

• Opening yourself to new experiences: challenging your views and learning       new skills

• Embracing differences among people and cultures to notice beauty in the odds

• It does NOT have to be about doing extreme, expensive or jeopardous things

I want to share with you my philosophy of traveling, and how I changed my life by stepping on an exciting but difficult path of exploring my dreams and life through traveling. 

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Exploring Buddhist monasteries in Alchi, Ladakh, Northern India

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Our memories are like stories. And there are no great stories without the element of surprise. So live your story, step off the beaten path and embrace the unknown!

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I want to show you:

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• How to travel on budget without missing meaningful experiences

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• How to plan and prepare for travel while maintaining the sense of adventure (tips)

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• How to break outside your comfort zone while remaining safe and healthy during trips

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• Ways to keep yourself inspired when you’re not traveling (film, books, maps)

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• My original maps and graphics inspired by travels

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