I tattooed on all 7 continents

It all started with a dream. I had tattoo travel heroes — like Chad Koeplinger, who’s been to more countries than anyone in tattooing as far as I know, and Travelling Mick — an ex-tattoo reporter who spent over 30 years travelling the globe, exploring and documenting tattooing in all areas. Both men were a great inspiration to me, and the travel stories I heard firsthand were the greatest fuel. I wanted to go out there and see the world. I wanted to tattoo on all 7 continents — which, at that time, I thought had never been done before. I did it back in 2019, a year after I became sober, so fulfilling a dream became easier without bad habits.

The opportunity for adventure was there.

It all started with a phone call from a friend in China, sometime in the middle of 2018. I had already been a nomad for a good couple of years, so after talking to him, I realized my biggest dream might actually be possible. He told me that his travel agent had contacted him — there was ONE unoccupied seat on a boat to Antarctica. A two-week trip, departing in February from Argentina, costing around €5k. From the research I had done over the years, Antarctica always felt inaccessible — prices were usually north of €20k, with long waitlists, and the few ships allowed to go were booked out years in advance. I couldn’t afford normal prices, but that discounted seat was a window. A last-minute deal. I paid the deposit and took it.

The trip was organized by a local travel agent, so they had the power to negotiate good prices for a group of 500 Chinese travellers, most of them in their mid-60s — and me, one Eastern European 30-year-old. I was excited and started planning.

I outlined the trip like this:

I wanted to get back to South Africa to see Nicholas (Rest in Paradise, my friend) at Tomb Tattoo — so I made that part of the plan. I wanted to start and end in Tokyo. At that time, you could get 35–40% off ticket prices with RoundTheWorld.com ( website seems no-longer active unfortunatelly) if you started and finished in Japan — around €8k in business class with 12 stops around the world. Collecting miles as a frequent flyer was a mission on its own too — after this trip, I would become a Senator in Lufthansa’s Miles & More, which equals Star Alliance Gold status.

I got my ticket, packed spray caps and a few tattoo machines, and went. The ticket looked like this:

HND – FRA – CPT – LDN – JFK – LAX – EZE – USH – EZE – AUK – SYD – NRT.

12 stops. 6 continents + a boat from Ushuaia to Antarctica and back.

3 months. January to the end of March. 2019.

Mission impossible? I don’t think so — as long as I could conquer all that jet lag.

As the date approached, I went back to Japan and started my journey. I did a few tattoos at the legendary Three Tides Tattoo and took off to Africa. Met with homies, did more tattoos, and continued to London to see one of my favorite humans — Ash at The Circle. Did some art, a couple of museum visits, painted walls, and moved on to the USA.

Two stops there — the city of all cities, NYC, and then off to LA. I did a few tats at Norm’s (R.I.P. to another legend) Love Letters in West Hollywood. Painted a few back walls in those alleys you know from every ’90s rap video — where gangbangers tagged everything. Gotta love LA — La Brea, Los Feliz. Good times.

After that, for the first time in my life, I went to South America. I flew into Buenos Aires, where I had a few days before my flight to Ushuaia. I didn’t know anything about BA and had zero friends, so I wandered the city alone. I saw incredible murals and graffiti around Palermo and other districts, and one artist stood out — big owl-style pieces, signature: Perla. His work was everywhere.

I found him on Instagram, reached out, and we ended up painting a few walls together. Turned out he had been a fan of my tattooing for some time. Great guy — I quickly became a fan of his too. He introduced me to the local tattoo scene, I tattooed his hand, and we’ve been good friends ever since. Now Perla is based in Switzerland — I owe him a visit soon (note to self).

After a great time in BA, I went to Ushuaia and boarded the explorer cruise ship Hurtigruten ( https://www.travelhx.com/en/destinations/antarctica-cruises/ ) for a two-week journey. Antarctica was unreal. We were lucky with the weather — we had daily landings and walks. Thousands of penguins, stunning whales, seals and a deep dive into the most remote and unknown land on Earth.

On the 19th of February — my 34th birthday — I hand-poked a number 7 on my hand to mark the 7-continent journey. The most meaningful tattoo on my body.

After that life-changing experience, I went back to Ushuaia, returned to Buenos Aires to make more art with the guys at Green House, and continued to New Zealand to visit the amazing Ship Shape with one of my favorite humans — Captain Matt Jordan. I painted a panther on the front gate of the newly opened shop, did a few tats, and moved on to Sydney to see my favorote guy Ant and his family. We made good tattoos, had proper food, all-together best times with my guy, after that I

linked up with legend Rhys at Little Tokyo, and overall had a great time in Oceania. With a quick layover in Singapore to catch up with the fam at Galaxy, I went back to Tokyo to close the trip.

Three months. January to March 2019.

I did tons of graffiti, tattoos, paintings, and even learned silkscreen printing in Argentina. I ran from wild monkeys chasing us in Africa. I studied tattooing with one of the greats — Horimitsu in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. I learned about endangered species on an explorer ship. I made lifelong friends — and sadly saw some for the last time (who would’ve known with Norm?).

Memories that stay with you forever.

What a life.

Live your dreams.

Forever grateful.