Turkish adventurer travels world on skateboard

ISTANBUL

A Turkish voyager has traveled more than 40 countries on his skateboard and published a book containing notes of his adventurous journeys across the world.

Çağatay Özdemir went on a journey by rejecting corporate life five years ago and started earning a living by experiencing different jobs, such as crocodile watchdog and lifeguard in the countries he went to.

Including the concept of travel into his life cycle rather than being on a short break, the traveler visited countries such as Lebanon, Singapore, Cambodia, Australia and Indonesia during his journey.

Later, he secluded for five months in a treehouse in Kabak, a village in Turkey’s Mediterranean province of Muğla’s Fethiye district, in order to turn the notes he took during his travel into a book.

Özdemir now aims to inspire those who think like him by telling the thousands of pages of notes he has kept since 2017 and the stories that shape his journey through his book called “Awakening Journey.”

Speaking to Demirören News Agency, he said skateboarding has become a passion for him and that he will continue to travel on his skateboard.

“My life continues like an exciting, adventurous, funny, romantic, fantastic and dramatic movie,” Özdemir said, emphasizing that his inner journey has also accelerated and deepened during this time.

“I learned to be patient by getting rid of my prejudices, anger, laziness and weaknesses. By getting rid of my toxic features, I gained new virtues. By including my travels in my life cycle, I tried to survive under difficult conditions in different countries,” he added.

Özdemir believes that his experiences can guide those who do not have the courage to draw their own destiny.