Now for Wildlife is the initiative and project founded by Luciano Foglia (ARG) and Caroline Parton (UK). What initially began as a journey to explore the boundaries of human culture, with the intention of traveling and living en route to Mongolia, unexpectedly evolved into a profound appreciation for the natural world. This transformative experience not only changed our plans but also shaped the course of our lives from that moment on.
It was 2018 when we started our journey from Europe towards Central Asia, in an old 90s ambulance turned into an off-grid home and studio. We renovated it together on the hot streets of southern Spain. The beginning of an adventure that became our lifestyle, and a way of exploring the planet in a different and incredible way.
At the time, we were based in Amsterdam. A comfortable life with all the luxury that comes with living in a well-serviced city. But for a long time we were slowly feeling that there was something we were missing out there. Something more meaningful behind the internet and the entertainment of cultural life. We knew that it was not money but time that would take us there.
Our Journey Begins
The loose idea of traveling towards Central Asia was to reach Mongolia. While we were passing a winter in Kazakhstan, waiting for the extreme Siberian cold to pass, Covid arrived on the news. Kazakhstan was suddenly closing its borders, with no reopen date in sight. Our visa-free period was about to run out, so we decided to head to Kyrgyzstan. A few days later, all the countries around us had closed their borders.
We had no choice but to surrender to the situation and context. Even though those were uncertain times, it gave us the chance to explore the Tien-Shan mountains in a much deeper way. A land of nomadic people that has taught us so much about generosity, circular living and the importance of community.
Because of the high-altitude mountains that form most of Kyrgyzstan, and the small human population, two worlds coexist together in these mountains. The wild nature untouched, and the human context. Since spending all our time in these mountains, and watching the seasons change, that distinction has become very clear.