The Shoemaker’s Compass:
Solo Travel Guides & Weekend Escapes.
Hi friends,
I’m Mostafa!
Like you, I’m just a regular 9-to-5er who needs a space to recharge. Whenever I get the chance, I head out solo to find those beautiful spots that make you go “wow.”
I still want to grow my career, but I learned there is more to life than hopping from one grey room to the other.
This is my solo travel diary of places I’ve explored. I did the planning and the execution, and now you can do it too!
Everyone is welcome here. Welcome to my compass. 🧭
My Story: Escaping the Bubble
I grew up in a small city in Lebanon. It’s incredibly comfortable and beautiful, but it’s also a bubble.
Growing up, I was caught in the classic chase: high grades, a scholarship, a corporate job, a raise. There was always another goal. We’re taught to call this “ambition.” But if you take a step back, it’s usually just driven by fear; the fear of falling behind or not staying relevant.
Our modern world is structured to make you feel guilty the second you stop hustling. In my culture, that pressure is twice as heavy. Success isn’t defined by your peace of mind; it’s measured by your job title, your salary, or what other people think of you.
In my mid-twenties, I hit my first major burnout.
The Turning Point
In the middle of that crash, the absurdity of the endless chase finally hit me. I had to sit down and ask myself a terrifyingly simple question:
If money wasn’t an issue and I had endless resources, what would I actually do with my days?
It took a single hike in a mountain village called Afqa to get my answer. Standing there in the quiet of the Lebanese hills, it clicked: I am a nature guy.
I don’t love the hustle; I do it to pay the bills. I play the part of the extrovert at my office desk because I have to, but deep down, I just want to disappear to a cabin somewhere and grow my own food.
A New Kind of Goal
So, I started hiking. Soon after, I went on my first real adventure to Jordan—wandering Petra, floating in the Dead Sea, and returning with wild salt crystals in my bag. For the first time, I had a goal that had absolutely nothing to do with my resume.
But let’s be honest: bills still need to be paid. I’m not here to sell a daydream about quitting my job to wander the earth. Instead, I’m focusing on two very real goals:
First, building financial freedom. I want to buy back my time and kill the anxiety of the corporate treadmill. I still want to grow my career and skills—but to fund a higher purpose, not to chase a fancy title.
Second, simply seeing things. Escaping the chase gives you the space to actually look around. I want to collect stories to tell when I’m old, building a home where every single corner tells a story.
Skipping The Fancy Stuff
Let’s challenge what “adventure” is supposed to look like.
We don’t need luxury cruises, skyscrapers, or fancy restaurants to experience the world. Honestly? Sometimes we’re just completely done with crowds and people. Let’s trade the concrete for raw nature, where the air is free, the noise is gone, and you can finally just breathe.
