An interesting guest in the Pearl of the Adriatic!
Dubrovacki Dnevnik introduces us to 47-year-old Gabriel Vissio on the 21st of September, 2017. Gabriel, an Argentine who has travelled around the world by motorbike, took to a 120,000 kilometer long road and arrived right here in Dubrovnik.
“As a child I had a book with all the countries in the world and I was fascinated by them. I knew all the major cities and flags for every nation and I knew I’d visit them all one day. I think I was born with this idea and I will not stop until I complete it.”
“I began six years ago in Argentina. The most demanding endeavor was certainly to ”conquer” Alaska. On that journey, I went to a total of 19 countries throughout South and North America. When I arrived in Alaska, I had to make one of the most difficult moves in my life – to leave my motorbike. Namely, from Alaska I went further on to Europe, and I didn’t have any other way [other than to leave my bike]. That separation was terribly difficult. But, well, we met again in Europe I’ve been traveling for two years now. So, for six years I’ve been on the road, I’ve not been home once,” he noted that he missed his family and the girl he had met in Ecuador during his long trip, but that he had great support from all of them.
”I’ve travelled through 53 countries on my trip, and Croatia is the 53rd. My goal is to travel the whole world. For now, I’ll concentrate on visiting every country in Europe, then switching to Africa and then to Asia. For the rest, I’ll leave Australia til the end,” Gabriel said, emphasising the fact that he was truly enchanted by Dubrovnik.
Gabriel says he knew about the claims of Croatia being a beautiful country, and that he’d heard about Dubrovnik in the past.
“The beauty of this city fascinated me through the photos, the documentaries I’ve watched and, of course, through the Game of Thrones series!” he said.
However, what was most delightful to Gabriel were the Dubrovnik people themselves.
”What I was most thrilled with was, of course, the people. I don’t know if I’ve ever had such a welcome anywhere in the world, or experienced such a level of hospitality, it’s unbelievable. Dario, Toni, Ivan, Ivan and Ivana welcomed me like a family member and I don’t know how to thank them. I was surprised to meet people who were so friendly and kind. They’ve filled my heart with warmth,” said Gabriel, before praising the homemade brandy which, as he says, warmed him up almost as well as the friendly approach of the people who met him in Dubrovnik.
“I travelled the same trip with the same motorbike, my beautiful Yamaha. She’s my baby. We started this adventure together and we’re gonna finish it together. When I was on the road, around the world, I got a bigger, more enduring bike as a gift, but I refused to go with it. This is something we have to do together. On this journey, she’s a friend, a support,” he emphasised emotionally, not allowing his Yamaha out of his sight.
Although the venture is demanding, he has, as he says, done it quite quietly so far.
“Most of my trip was actually quiet. I had several accidents, the worst being in Venezuela when I was recovering for two weeks in the hospital. But it won’t stop me from realising my dream. Because this really is my dream and I won’t stop until it’s complete!” concluded Gabriel for Dubrovacki Dnevnik.
After Dubrovnik, Gabriel continues his journey to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and from there, he’ll continue to Zagreb, then on to Slovenia and Italy.
Translated from Dubrovacki Dnevnik
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