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“I Have Been to 34 Countries at the Age of 23…” – Lutfi

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Find out what inspires Lutfi to travel the world.

T: A short bio about yourself, A 3-4 lines that best describe you, what you do for a living and so…
L: I am Lutfi, a graduate of the University of Edinburgh in Biotechnology. I am currently working as a medical sales rep in Malaysia. I am a solo tripster and history lover. I travel because I want to learn about the history of the world. Every city has a story to tell. I have been to 34 countries at the age of 23 which is the greatest achievement in my life apart from having a degree. Most of my travel trips are through Couchsurfing.

T: Where have you been?
L: Mostly, I went to countries around Eastern Europe and South East Asia. The places which I have set my foot and carved my moments were Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Viet Nam and United Kingdom.

T: What’s your favorite place so far? Why?
L: I am a tripster; which I like to go to non-cliched places. I tried not to revisit any cities I’ve been to except for Bucharest ( I’ve been there 3 times). There are not so many things to see in Bucharest but the atmosphere and cheap prices won me every time. Also, my favourite place is, of course, the place where I studied, Edinburgh. The capital of Scotland has a majestic extinct volcano, Arthur’s Seat and the Edinburgh castle has a unique combination of nature and urban attractions which you can’t find in other cities in the world.

T: What was the most challenging thing about travelling?
L: The Language barrier.

T: One unforgettable travel experience or incident that sticks in your mind…?
L: The incident which I will never forget is when I was nearly stabbed by a local kid in Serbia. It happened when I was sitting by the Nis river just reading my novel, he came to me and teased me with his knife, luckily a young Serbian man helped me to call the police. Another unforgettable travel experience is when I experienced Ukrainian Easter vibe; I got a lot of traditional Ukrainian foods like vareniki (dumplings) and borscht (traditional soup) which my Ukrainian Couchsurfing host served me.

T: What place is top of your bucket list?
L: I like to experience Tango and Asado ( a beef steak) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

T: One advice to travellers?
L: Couchsurfing is not just a platform for u to get free accommodation, it is an ideal way to learn about local culture and also make friends!