Since this is my first post for Backpackflags I will tell you who I am and why I love travelling - the short version.

I grew up on a farm in the countryside of southern Sweden, close to nature and with lots of animals around. The travelling I did as a kid was mostly in my own country, our parents took us hiking, camping, canoeing... I learned to appreciate the beauty of my own country, but I knew I wanted to explore the world. A big inspiration for me has always been my older cousin Evelina, who showed me that you should be yourself and do what you like. She and her husband are out in the world living vanlife now. You can follow their adventures on @wildfire.eurasianvanlife.

In high school I got my own dog, Loka, who has been with me ever since. She is an amazing companion to take on hiking trips and other adventures. I will tell more about her later. It was also in high school I did my first travel without family. Me and a friend went to Ireland for a month to volunteer at a dog shelter. It was quite tough both physically and emotionally but I learned so much on that journey. Since then I've tried to travel whenever it's possible.

The first time I came across Backpackflags was after a trip to New Zealand, when I realized I wanted flag patches for every country I've been to. It's a great way to remember and start conversations with new people. Behind every flag there is a story and that's what I want to share in these posts.

The amazing thing about travelling is that you never know were it's gonna take you, or who you will meet along the way. But some things you know for sure; it makes you evolve as a person and there is always something new to discover about yourself and other people.

Keep travelling, keep learning.

https://www.instagram.com/sarasaraxa/