About the Author Travel Journal

About the Author

João from Gao to Timbuktu in Mali

Hello my name is Joao Leitao – I am from Lisbon, a city I love and also the capital of Portugal.

I lived some years in other areas of Portugal such as Portimão, Monte Canelas, Praia da Rocha and Évora, more specifically where I studied at Visual Arts university.

I love to travel and experience the world as it is, and, adapt, while adding another personal option which is learning languages ​​and doing photography.

Some travels in North Africa, much of Spain, and the Portuguese territory largely with my family before the age of 15 have caused the travel bug to stay within myself, and since then I have channeled all my savings and time to travel.

During my life I have lived in New York City – USA (approximately 1 year), Almaty – Kazakhstan (1 month) Kankaanpaa – Finland (half-year), Lviv – Ukraine (half-year), Istanbul – Turkey (approximately half-year), Erfoud – Morocco (3 years), Marrakech – Morocco (approximately 1 year), and Ouarzazate – Morocco (since January 2012).

Among many of my personal things, well, I like movement, I like touch, I taste good food (I am a vegetarian since 1995), I enjoy good company, I like to kiss and be kissed, I like to paint and do photography, I like oatmeal, I like to light incense, I like pure perfumes.

Allied to my study of Kung-Fu Lotus, traveling appeared as an extension of these drills, control of physical aspects and mental development.

The journey and being on the road presents huge challenges and tests so that we can apply our personality and what we are in practice.

Photo of Afghan Army and Joao Leitao on the road to Kunduz Afghanistan 2012

Living in Morocco – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

Living in Almaty Kazakhstan

I started working in Morocco in 2003, in advertising and online marketing for travel companies and Moroccans hotels in Sahara Desert.

I live in Morocco since 2006 where I opened a small advertising business, events and tourism. I got lots of work with tour agencies, hotels and riads in Marrakech. In 2013 I gave my business to someone else.

Each day I spend in this country gives me interesting adventures, new knowledge and a nice life quality. I lived almost 1 years in Sahara Desert, between the village of Merzouga and Hassilabied. I lived a few years in Erfoud, almost one year in Marrakech, and since 2012 I live in Ouarzazate.

I now dedicate myself full time to travel writing and along with my sister, we organize trips in Morocco, from our site Marrocos.com/morocco. It’s incredible the natural and historic diversity in Morocco.

Living in Turkey – 2011

Living in Almaty Kazakhstan

For personal reasons, in April 2011 I moved away from Morocco and spend some time in Istanbul. I ended up finally returning to Morocco in September 2011.

Istanbul has served me as a base for traveling elsewhere, I ended up staying in Istanbul to live about 4 months while the rest of the time I was on the road.

The city is fascinating, with very interesting people, good food and amazing landscapes. Loved the experience of having an apartment right on the border between the Istanbul district of Nisantasi and Besiktas.

Living in Ukraine – 2009

Living in Almaty Kazakhstan

In May 2009 I moved to Ukraine. I totally loved the experience and it was an important factor in a specific time of my life.

I rented an apartment in the city center of Lviv, Doroshenka Street. Lviv is a fascinating city, with about 1.5 million inhabitants. It makes part of the country’s important cultural and historical past. Lviv is not far from the border with Poland and the Carpathian mountains further south.

For long time I wanted to visit this Ukraine, and I ended up staying half a year. There are several things that I liked, among many, the Russian and Ukrainian language fascinates me, the architecture of this city (within the UNESCO World Heritage list), and the people were very warm and friendly to me, I did plenty of friends. I was in Ukraine and took half a year to learn more about other countries in the region.

Living in Finland – 2005

Living in Almaty Kazakhstan

I lived a semester in the city for a Kankaanpaa, 300km north of the capital Helsinki.

Of all destinations that I had available to go study abroad, Finland seemed to be the most exotic and most different country from everything which I’ve ever been before, and a great opportunity to travel in the region and meet other destinations.

In January 2005, after making the New Year in the Desert in Morocco, I drove to Finland, along a 2-week trip to northern Europe.

My experience in Finland was very positive. I was half a year in the small town of Kankaanpää, about 300km north of Helsinki, the Finnish capital.

I took the opportunity to travel to the North of Sweden, Lapland and Russia, where I traveled 1 month and explored the historic “Russian Golden Ring.

Living in Kazakhstan – 2004

Living in Almaty Kazakhstan

I spent one month as a volunteer teaching English classes and artistic expression for children in the city of Almaty in southern Kazakhstan.

I loved the experience and never forget what this type of activity has enriched my way of being.

Without actually having gone to Kazakhstan with the intention of volunteering, the opportunity opened up on the first day of arrival in the city.

I took the opportunity to visit the city and its surroundings, mountains, national parks, waterfalls and villages surrounding Almaty.

Living in USA – 2000/2001 and 2005

Living in New York City USA

The United States was for me, one of the first countries to which I traveled.

In fact, apart from Portugal, Spain, France and Morocco, yes, the United States was my 5th country. When I arrived to New York City, I felt very much at home. I flew to New York, the city that I gave myself to for many months.

After being one month in 2000, I accepted a job offer in a Japanese Youth Hostel in Manhattan, where I learned a lot and where I met very interesting people. I had a very intense contact with Japanese culture.

In 2001 I made two more trips to New York where I stayed half year, later to return twice in 2005 where I lived for one month in the mountains north of the State of New York in the Catskill Mountains.

I went back a few more times to New York City, staying in Williamsburg, Lexington Avenue and Tribeca.

This website

Travel site / blog

This website is a deposit of useful information, photos and videos of various destinations and countries.

I want just to remember you that this website is not a company, and being only a personal travel website, my only intention is to share my own experiences on the road.

The information on this website intend to help you prepare and organize your trip, but, I do not hold myself responsible of any imprecise or outdates information.

João Leitão - Author of this website

“HELLO! I'm João Leitão, originally from the city of Lisboa, the capital of Portugal. Since 1999 I've been traveling on a 6 months year average. I now count 4 full passports, more then 80 countries and regions and I've lived in places such as Kazakhstan, Finland, USA, Turkey, Ukraine & Morocco (where I permanently have my house since 2006). On this website I share useful travel info and advice.”

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