Plus tri

Moj pokušaj da okupim interaktivnu grupu ljudikoja zajedno osmišljava putovanja, planinarenja – jednom rečju, avanture – nije baš uspeo. Razloga ima više, ali najvažniji je možda taj što svi vole da putuju, ali retko ko želi da lično doprinese pripremi i planiranju, bez čega nijedno putovanje ne može biti uspešno.

Druga važna stvar je – trening. I na najboljem putovanju, nespreman čovek ne može da diše punim plućima, da se uskladi s ritmom grupe, da zaista uživa. Iako se o tome često priča, samo nekolicina prijatelja zaista trenira i ozbiljno se priprema.

Zoka je u početku delovala kao neko ko se samo želi malo da prošeta. Nisam odmah shvatio šta ona zapravo radi. A onda je došlo na red testiranje – i bilo je jasno: spremnija je od većine. Ne samo fizički, već i mentalno – jer se pripremala, čitala, razmišljala o svakom detalju puta. A, ispostaviće se, nastavila je i nakon puta.

U jednom trenutku je napravila veliki iskorak – počela je da trči. Ne samo rekreativno, već i takmičarski. Juče je upravo završila 10 km na Beogradskom maratonu. Fotografija je nastala nakon trke, u korejskom restoranu. Osim simbolike koju Koreja nosi za svakog od nas, u kadru su i ždralovi u letu – motiv koji me, nekako, podseća na uspešnu porodicu Obradović. Možda će Zoka jednog dana i o tome pisati.

Za sada, u pripremi je njena knjiga sa zajedničkog puta u Peru. I to me posebno raduje, jer pokazuje da možda nisam sasvim promašio u svom konceptu zajedničkih putovanja. I sam sam sa mnogih putovanja pisao putopise, pa me je oduševilo što je ona poželela da učini isto. Jedva čekam da pročitam njeno viđenje tog putovanja.

Kao što to obično biva – nemamo sjajan video s maratona. Ali imamo jedan dragoceni trenutak: Zoka se stapa sa masom trkača, a rukom kao da nas poziva da joj se pridružimo. I to jeste smisao života – putovati sa ljudima sa kojima možeš da podeliš strast, ideje i istraživanje nepoznatog. I na kraju sam ipak zadovoljan jer sam u Zoki video sve ono o čemu sam maštao kada sam pokretao Avantura Tim – da zajedno stvaramo, da se pripremamo, i da rastemo kroz svaki korak, bilo da je to staza, trka ili nova zemlja

♥

My attempt to form an interactive group of people who would plan trips, hikes – in a word, adventures – together didn’t quite succeed. There are many reasons, but the most important may be that while everyone loves to travel, few are willing to personally contribute to the preparation and planning, without which no journey can truly succeed.

Another important aspect is training. Even on the best trip, an unprepared person can’t breathe deeply, keep pace with the group, or truly enjoy the experience. Although this is often talked about, only a handful of friends actually train and take preparation seriously.

At first, Zoka seemed like someone who just wanted to take a walk. I didn’t immediately understand what she was really about. Then came the testing – and it became clear: she was more prepared than most. Not just physically, but mentally too – she read, researched, and thoughtfully prepared for every part of the journey. And, as it turns out, she continued to do so even after the trip.

At one point, she made a major leap – she started running. Not just recreationally but competitively. Just yesterday, she completed the 10 km at the Belgrade Marathon. The photo was taken after the race, at a Korean restaurant. Beyond the symbolism that Korea holds for each of us, the image features cranes in flight – a motif that, to me, somehow reflects the successful Obradović family. Perhaps Zoka will write about that one day as well.

For now, her book about our shared trip to Peru is in the works. That brings me great joy, as it shows that maybe I wasn’t entirely wrong in my concept of group travel. I’ve written travelogues from many of my trips, so I was thrilled when she wanted to do the same. I can’t wait to read her story of our journey.

As often happens, we don’t have a great video from the marathon. But we do have one precious moment: Zoka blends into the sea of runners, her hand raised as if inviting us to join her. And that is the true meaning of life – to travel with people with whom you can share passion, ideas, and the exploration of the unknown.

In the end, I am happy because I saw In Zoka everything I had dreamed of when I founded the Avantura Team: to create together, to prepare together, and to grow with every step, whether it’s a trail, a race, or a new destination.