‘Sempre a l’oest’ (Always to West), a new book of a world traveller

A dream that all travel lovers share is going around the world. This is a great dream that almost everybody has thought about sometime. But, how many of us have thought seriously about doing it? Not many probably. However, there are still some free minded people that get over the fear and pack their bags for a long trip like this and J.M Romero is one of those few.

Romero is a Catalan guide from Barcelona who a long time ago, in the 70’s, made a trip around Asia. A type of travel we now know as ‘budget travel’. In those times this concept didn’t exist, and crossing a whole continent by train or simply walk across it seemed to be an epic adventure. As time passed in Barcelona, Romero was still caught with those Asian memories and finally in 2001 he decided, at the age of 45, to pack everything he got and start a trip to the West. That’s how this book was born: “Sempre a l’oest” (”Always to the West”).

“I didn’t plan or study anything. I just left, following the wind of circumstances, recovering the free spirit of that hippie crossing I did a long time ago. The trip was the purpose, not the destiny. I didn’t have any previous idea, just the direction: ALWAYS WEST.” This is the beginning of the book, relating adventures across the Atlantic and Pacific Sea, the Amazon jungle and the winter in Siberia among many other things. This Catalan traveller only had one unconditional partner with him: a notebook in which he wrote down all his thoughts and feelings during the five year’s trip.

3 Responses to “‘Sempre a l’oest’ (Always to West), a new book of a world traveller”

1. Rosa Huerta says:

   July 10, 2009 at 13:21

   Acabo de leer el libro el cual me ha gustado mucho y lo he recomendado a todas mis amistades. Me encanta viajar, aunque yo lo hago algo más “cómoda”, y a pesar que lo hago muchas veces sola, es con una agencia de viajes en grupo, si las personas me caen bien, estupendo, pero no tengo problemas en desplazarme sola por donde sea. El libro me ha recordado muchas cosas de China, Indonesia o Tailandia.
   Una pregunta y un ruego, si paso por las oficinas, Josep me podría firmar en el libro?.
   Soy de la misma Barcelona (de la cual estoy enamorada, suelo tener extranjeros en mi casa y les indico mil y una cosas que se puede hacer en nuestra ciudad.
   No escribo en catalán ya que cometo nuchas faltas, en mis tiempos de niña estaba prohibido y siempre ne he dedicado al inglés del cual soy profesora.
   Gracias por su atención, Rosa Huerta
2. Josep M. Romero says:

   July 21, 2009 at 12:16

   Hola,

   Muchas gracias por sus amables comentarios sobre mi libro -disculpe la tardanza en responder, lo he visto hace un par de dias.

   Con mucho gusto le firmaré el libro, tal como solicita. Si le parece,envía un e-mail a mi nombre a la dirección bgb@bgb.es,y seguro que encontramos un momento a no tardar.

   Un abrazo

   JMR
3. Joshua Johnson says:

   March 11, 2010 at 7:17

   All in all I do not make comments on blogs, but I have to mention that this post really forced me to do so. Really admirable post