I PLANNED NOT TO PLAN — Everyone has a story worth telling

Having known Sam since middle school, he always struck me as an academic, not so much of an adventurer. He had a pleasant demeanour, was everybody's friend, you typical model student.

Years later when Sam walked through our doors, I realised how much had changed. Gone was the ironed high school uniform shirt and polished shoes, he now donned a dark multi-climate jacket, camo field pants, and a beaten yet sturdy pair of hiking boots — he looked ready to tackle anything the world could throw at him.

Since the end of high school, Sam has traveled to over 30 cities and has no plans to stop anytime soon. He first started backpacking eight years ago, travelling from the North to South of Taiwan. From then on, he has become addicted to the backpacking lifestyle.

“It is so much better; I can choose how long I stay at a place whenever I want, an extra day, even an extra week!”

With countries including Iceland, Germany, Croatia, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Japan under his belt, Sam’s feet has taken him across the globe. However, of all of his trips, the greatest life-changing journey was to Iran in 2014.

Sam’s trip to Iran was anything but a typical backpacking trip. Not only was it because it was his first time in the Middle-East, but also due to the scarcity of useful information about travelling inside Iran on the internet.

“Ever since I was a kid, I always liked to have my stuff well planned out. As a backpacker, I planned most of my trips in detail, or in another way to say: I planned- to protect myself. But for Iran, there was not much I could research.”

Without a detailed travel plan to follow, Sam learned the importance of grasping every opportunity along his journey. Although he had been backpacking for years, this was the first time Sam pushed himself to travel in a style outside of his comfort zone.

Sam made the most of his experience and took every chance given to him. Whether it was choosing to stay with a local Iranian family instead of a hostel, or hitch hiking overnight with a new companion instead of catching a bus. Sam explained that these unique experiences would stay with him forever.

“Risks? Of course there were, and there were moments that I was uncertain as well. But like life, you have to use your common sense, and trust your instincts to make a decision on the spot.”

Sam admitted there was a moment he was unsure when he was in the middle for the desert, between Tehran and Isfahan.

“But look, I am well and alive. Although it wasn’t my plan. But because I decided to “taking the chance” , I met a friend, had an unforgettable experience, and saved my bus fare too. I think it is a pretty good trade.”

“A perfect travel plan does not exist, if you travel, there MUST be the “unexpected”. Whether the “unexpected” is positive or negative, they are always memorable… and for me, these memories are the reasons I travel.”

Sam shared that he believed many of his peers believed in “following the plan”, as if it is a guaranteed formula for success and happiness.

“What I learnt from my traveling is that: a well planned trip doesn’t guarantee a great trip; nor does a well planned life guarantee happiness in life.”

When crafting his watch, Sam wanted a design that represented his experiences and values.

“There are too many things that happen in life, and can be easily distracting. Having the globe on my watch reminds me every day that there is a world waiting for me to explore.”

When we wrapped up the interview with Sam, I asked him the most cliché question one can ask a traveler, “Where to next?” He didn’t have the answer at the time, but a week later , Sam contacted us with a single country — Cuba.