o mně
/ Get to know me better
If we sat down over a coffee (or a beer), what would you want to know?
Where's home?
I grew up in the Czech Republic, and feel most at home at our family cottage – a 200 year old traditional log house where my grandparents lived – in the heart of Bohemian Switzerland NP.
So... what do you actually do?
I've been an outdoor guide, destination scout, facilitator, translator, community builder, language teacher... For a long time, I thought I needed to pick one. I spent years wondering what to call myself.
How did you end up doing all this?
All along I was following the same compass: curiosity. I keep following the things that genuinely fascinate me. I keep making things. I keep learning. And I keep saying yes to unusual opportunities.
What's your biggest dream come true?
Probably the three months I spent living and working on a boat in the Caribbean through Workaway. I'd been fascinated by sailboats since I was a kid reading adventure books, so waking up on one every morning felt surreal. Since my captain was a diving instructor I could learn how to scuba dive and explore some of the most amazing wrecks in the area, including the RMS Rhone, which sank in a hurricane off the British Virgin Islands in 1867. Watch our dive to the RMS Rhone on YouTube.
Why do you keep collecting certifications?
I genuinely enjoy learning how things work – and then putting those skills to use. Over several years, that's turned into becoming a climbing instructor, mountain leader, Open Water Diver and, just now, Yachtmaster. That way I can teach, guide professionally in the outdoors, and turn months at sea into not being just a passenger anymore.
Have you ever said yes to something that scared you?
I booked flights to Australia for four months of solo travel. Without a plan, or a place. And with severe arachnophobia. None of my friends understood why I wasn't actually looking forward to it as the trip got near. I ended up staying with some amazing hosts along the East Coast doing odd jobs through Workaway. I lived on a steel boat in a dry dock, in a house in the middle of a tropical forest, or in a heritage guesthouse in the Blue Mountains. Made some life-long friends. And survived the creepy crawlies. Though I have some pretty fun stories to tell.
Tell me a weird fun fact from your life
What's a little quirk you have?
I can never resist browsing a little free library. I've found some genuine treasures in the most random places, too – like an illustrated book on dealing with death just as our dog back home died. I also collect rocks, and once found a book called Everybody Needs a Rock about how to pick a good one. True story. So the libraries find me as much as I find them. And yes, my luggage gets heavy.
What's your favourite place you've ever been?
Probably the road through the centre of Australia. Seven days of driving where the land is so empty that any one thing becomes a sight, but you might only get one a day. It was my dream thing to do, so the drive itself was the experience. Would I recommend it? That depends entirely on you. There's no single experience to sell. The vast emptiness and the distance are the point.
I love watching Mel Brooks's Spaceballs, and ever since I was a kid, I've had that Winnebago image stuck in my head. When I started living in Canada, I actually bought one!
It was an original from the '80s and looked really similar. If you're not familiar with Spaceballs, you'll probably know Walter White's motorhome from Breaking Bad. Well, it looked just like that, minus its contents.
I called it home for four years, fixed it up, and eventually drove it through the Rockies to its new owner before moving away from Canada. I only wish I could've teleported it here.
What's with all the animals?
My lifestyle hasn't really allowed me to keep pets of my own, so I make up for it by petting every friendly animal I meet on my travels. If it looks like I'm flirting with someone, chances are I'm actually interested in their dog. I do, however, resist petting bears, bison, moose or rutting elk, no matter how fluffy they might look.
Whether you're here because of mountains, languages, retreats, translations, creative projects — or because you stumbled here by accident — I'm glad you stopped by.
Maybe our paths crossed for a reason. You never know where curiosity might lead next.
Markéta Machálková
inspirolka@gmail.com
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