Despite the marvels of modern transportation, Vladimir Nesin prefers to see the world on foot.
Despite the marvels of modern transportation, Vladimir Nesin prefers to see the world on foot. “I ran around barefoot as a kid, and whenever I take my shoes off it’s like a return to my childhood (детство). I’m always struck by a desire to take my shoes off,” says Nesin, who claims (утверждает) to only wear shoes in extreme circumstances (обстоятельства).
He travels alone for the most part, but is sometimes accompanied by others at different stages of the journey. His main companion is his third wife, Veronica, the granddaughter of a First Nations chief in Canada. Together they traversed (пересекли) 55 countries in 10 years. His son from another marriage, Nikita, also has joined him on 33 trips. Those wishing to join (присоединиться) can usually find Nesin online.
“Nobody is ever frightened by the prospect of traveling with me – they know they’ll be safe with me.”
Nesin first set off into the world at the end of the 1970s, in what was then the Soviet Union. He managed to traverse 15 Soviet republics in 20 years. It wasn’t until 1997, when he got his travel passport, that he finally took his first trip abroad. Complications (сложности) arose almost instantly.
Nesin admits that there are places he could visit again and again, including Vietnam, Thailand, China, and Southeast Asia as a whole. He is self-taught in English and Spanish, and also has three books under his belt, all dealing with the topic of barefoot travel. He is now seeking a publisher for his latest work.
