Hello, I’m Johannes
traveler, storyteller, creator.
I’m 22, originally from Germany, and for the last two years I’ve been traveling full-time across four continents.
When I’m not running marathons or testing the latest travel gadgets, you’ll find me writing or producing the content you might have already seen on different platforms.
This site is where I bring it all together, the Gear I trust, the lessons I’ve learned, the stories I want to share, and sometimes a few personal thoughts from everyday life.
How Travel Changed My Life
I was 19 when I first set out to “travel.” No big plan, no fancy gear, just me, an old car, and the idea of driving around Europe. Things broke, I got lost more than once, but somehow those messy road trips became the spark that started everything.
At 20, while studying to become a teacher, I discovered copywriting, and with it, the chance to actually work online. It started small, just a side hustle during classes, but it opened a door I didn’t even know existed. A year later, I jumped all in: three months in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. It was my first real taste of long-term travel, and it completely changed the way I saw the world.
From there, everything grew. Buenos Aires showed me how it feels to fall in love with a city. In Spain, GearUpYourLife was born, at first just me, geeking out about gear, too shy to even show my face. And most recently in Croatia, I realized this isn’t just a project anymore. It’s the beginning of something bigger. And having you here, reading this, sharing your own stories, that’s honestly the best part of all.
19 years old, an old car, and no plan. Everything broke, but that chaos was the real beginning.
My first three months abroad, the moment I truly felt what long-term travel means. Busy streets, night markets, early mornings… it changed everything.
At 21, Buenos Aires stole my heart the rhythm, the food, the energy. It was the first city I truly fell in love with
Spain was where GearUpYourLife was born. At first I was too shy to even show my voice, but that little project made me grow.
In Zadar I felt it clearly: this isn’t just a project anymore. It’s the beginning of something bigger.
Why Trust Another Traveler?
I’m just a Traveler— like you, who’s been on the road a little longer, tested way too much gear, and learned what actually works. That’s why GearUpYourLife exists: to share the wins, the failures, and the lessons, so you can pack smarter and stress less.And it’s not just my journey, people like Renee, my very first subscriber, share their stories here too. Together, we’re building a community of travelers who believe that travel should feel lighter, freer, and a little more human.
I’m not a Gear Scientist or a Travel “Expert.”
Tell Your Story.
GearUpYourLife isn’t just my story, it’s ours. Travel isn’t only about the places I’ve seen — it’s about the stories you bring to the journey. This space is where your voice matters as much as mine. Below you’ll see three very different personalities who shared their journeys: my very first subscriber, who reminded me why I started, Antonio, probably our youngest and most traveled community member, and Christine, the first teammate behind GearUpYourLife, editing videos you’ve already watched and now sharing her own travel story too. Different paths, different voices, but all part of the same journey.
