At first glance it looks like just another travel blog. But "“Cautha16" is far more. It’s an adventure story. Better yet, it’s an adventure story that starts with a revolution.
In June 2014, just a little over six months ago, 52-year-old Bolognese man Stefano Sola used all the strength, thoughts and courage he had to change his life. He wanted to abandon his daily routine in Calderino, Italy, where he had an unfulfilling job, a home and a simple, serene tranquility that had started to feel like monotony -- in order to move with his wife and young daughter into a sailboat.
That’s right, a sailboat. He sold his house and car, then packed his luggage, leaving out everything except what was absolutely necessary. Then the adventure began.
“Lots of people ask me how I managed to give everything up, to leave everything behind. That’s when I think: How do you guys manage to keep going to work every day? Where do you find the strength?” says Stefano in an interview with Repubblica.it.
Did it take courage? Sure, but not that much, really, claims Stefano: “For our own peace of mind, we calculated a budget of one thousand euro per month, but it’s not like we’re living like hermits.” Not much, anyway. “Once you eliminate your fixed expenses, like the car, heating and electricity, the cost of life drops dramatically,” Stefano told Reppublica.
It’s an idea that appeals to plenty of people, and which Stefano was able to realize thanks to something a gas station attendant told him: “One morning he told me he was thinking about abandoning everything and moving to South America,” says Stefano. “Except that he wanted to go about it in a very practical way. He explained in detail how he was planning to sell his house, his furniture, his car. For the first time in my life, the dream actually seemed like a concrete possibility.”
So away Stefano went, off to live amid nature, sunsets and free of “false desires.” The impact on their lives has been “violent, but rewarding,” he claims. Happy sailing, Stefano, and thank you.
This post originally appeared on HuffPost Italy and was translated into English.