What were the incidents that inspired and encouraged the boy to leave his hometown and go to an alien land in The Alchemist?

The boy, aka Santiago, has always had a desire to travel. That is why he had become a shepherd. That job allows him to travel around the countryside of his native Spain. However, a pastoral life is not enough to satisfy his wanderlust and allow him to achieve his Personal Legend.
His inspiration to leave for foreign lands first comes in the form of a recurring dream. In this dream, he is taken to the Pyramids of Egypt, where he is told that he will find a great treasure. His inspiration to travel abroad is further stoked when he tells his dream to an old fortune teller. The old woman tells the boy that he must go to Egypt to find this treasure. Santiago is still not convinced that he should go until Melchizedek, the King of Salem, shows up and tells him that it is indeed within his grasp to find the treasure. As he tells Santiago, Melchizedek frequently appears to inspire and encourage people who are on the verge of giving up on their Personal Legends. With all this encouragement, the boy sets off for Africa in pursuit of his treasure and Personal Legend.