Life on the Road: From the Granite Rocks of Macedonia to New Horizons

 

Life in Flow, or Foundations Hidden in Rock

Another stage of my journey in North Macedonia has come to an end.

Nearly six weeks in one place brought deep insight and a shift in perspective. Arriving here, I realised with total clarity that what I am doing is not merely another trip. This is my life — a peaceful, slow movement from one point on the map to another, in a rhythm that nature itself sets before human beings. Today I close this chapter, leaving behind familiar Europe and heading towards more exotic horizons.

Prilep and the past five weeks will remain in my memory as a beautiful, grounding time. Here I absorbed an abundance of stable, powerful energy emanating from the granite rocks and surrounding mountain ranges. This landscape acted as an anchor, directing my attention even deeper towards spiritual matters. Day by day, my senses fed on the view of rugged hills, gradually merging with the urban backdrop of Prilep. Though the weather was changeable and brought about two weeks of distinct chill, it in no way disrupted the natural rhythm of daily life.

Macedonia proved to be a peaceful and safe space, filled with the aroma of the earth, fruit, and fresh vegetables. Although the local economy flows at its own, slower pace, this carries undeniable advantages — it allows one to preserve simplicity and undisturbed calm. Many young people leave to seek a living abroad, and imported goods can be relatively expensive; however, the essentials for my lifestyle — a functional apartment with a kitchen, ripe produce of the land, and local transport — remain remarkably welcoming and accessible.

I spent countless hours unhurriedly walking the charming streets of central Prilep and connecting with this space. Even more time was gifted to being with mountain, rocky nature, covering tens of kilometres on foot. One can feel how the Balkan land has strengthened and added another chapter to the foundations I previously built in the harsh climate of Scotland.

New paths are opening, and new knowledge flows in. Experiences accumulate every day, and my life — though minimalist and quiet by its very nature — proves to be exceptionally intense, profound, and constantly evolving. I leave this stage with a sense of complete satisfaction, entering the next chapters of my journey with peace in my heart.

In this Macedonian culmination, I clearly perceive a turning point — a moment when I stopped defining myself as a traveller or a tourist, and simply began being on the road as my natural state of focus. I have discovered a deep continuity through groundedness. Changing locations is neither an escape nor a search for superficial attractions, but rather the gathering of further elements into a single, inner blueprint. The external scenery changes, yet the foundation grows ever stronger. Shedding unnecessary needs has opened a space within me for an extraordinary intensity of feeling — a simple meal, my own kitchen, ripe fruit, and the proximity of rocks give me complete sensory and spiritual fulfillment. True growth happens for me at a slow pace and in direct contact with the matter of the earth. The granite rocks have served their purpose — they have provided me with a solid grounding, with which I calmly move forward.

Ginkgo and Gaia