For 6 years we discussed and planned our round-the-world (RTW) trip. But the one thing we could never do was mention any of these plans with our co-workers until 6 weeks before leaving. And boy were they surprised! To us, the signs were pretty obvious that we were getting ready to leave and can’t...

In case you don’t already know this little fact, they speak French in France. Not the kind of French that Pepe La Pew spoke on morning cartoons, but real French. The kind that is rather difficult to understand if you don’t know the language. And even if you do have a background in the French language,...

Before heading off on our 2-year around the world adventure I wanted to make sure I had the right camera gear. Choosing the right camera gear for travel is easier said than done. If I had the money I would have splurged on a Leica M9 and a couple of Leica lenses and called it good. Since that wasn’t...

(Our actual RTW costs are at the bottom of the page) One of the most discussed topics for a Round-the-World (RTW) trip is the budget. Everyone wants to know what it will cost to take the trip of a lifetime. We all want it to be very affordable, but deep down we know it will not come cheap. Back when...

Our last week in Portland was a busy one filled with farewells and severed ties. After all, it will be a few years before we will travel back to the Rose City after our round the world trip, and we most likely will not choose to live and work there again once we decide to resettle. Friends and family...

We are down to the final countdown with only 2 weeks left before we begin our 2 year around-the-world adventure. We should be excited, but we’re not. With a trip of this magnitude we should have everything perfectly scheduled and know exactly what needs to be done. Yet, we are like a deer in the headlights;...

Right after purchasing our house, 12 years ago, we stopped at Home Depot to buy house-remodeling supplies; something that would become a common occurrence. I can’t remember exactly what we were buying on that day, but as we walked towards the front doors we came across a lady with a box of free kittens....

On Monday I gave notice at work. For the past four days I have been trying to figure out how I feel about that. I have worked for the same employer for 12 years, been planning to do long term travel with my family for 5 years, and have been blogging about it openly on the internet and on social media...

Today our daughter is celebrating her 8th birthday; a day we’ve been waiting over 5 years for. But what is so special about 8, you may ask? At 5 you enter school, at 13 you become a teenager, at 16 you can drive, but what happens at 8? For us, and many other travelers, 8 is a very special age. This...

So, here we are at the final countdown: 1 day until our last ditch effort to get rid of our stuff at our estate sale, 1 week until we move out of our house and into a furnished apartment, less than 2 weeks until the sale of our house closes, 2 weeks until we give resignation notices at work, and only...