About
Traveling Forward
Dustin and Theresa Dobson created this site to document the stories and photos of their adventures traveling around the world. Theresa is Traveling Forward’s author while Dustin acts as the editor, photographer and website manager. Of course these roles are not strictly adhered to, as Theresa snaps a great pic every now and again and Dustin gets inspired to write a post on occasion.
Dustin & Theresa
Soon after we met in early 2004, traveling and the idea of even living abroad became one of the recurring themes that we bonded over. Our early adventures bounced us around the United States, but it didn’t take long before we decided to venture out of the country. Only seven months into our relationship we took our first big trip together to Peru, exploring Lima, Cuzco, the Peruvian Amazon and extraordinary Machu Picchu. In 2006 we spent two wonderful months traveling around Italy and France on what we call our Food, Beach and National Park Tour of the two countries. In Mexico we visited Puerto Peñasco, San Carlos and the Riviera Maya, eventually returning to Playa Mujeres for our wedding in 2010. These trips were amazing and inspiring and they deepened our desire to see more of the world.
And so we did just that, deciding to follow our dreams of adventure, exploration and learning. In November of 2011 we departed the United States without a return date. On that single long-distance voyage we visited almost 40 countries across 5 continents. We bought a motorcycle in India and toured the Himalayas. We sailed the Caribbean Sea on a catamaran. We spent several months scuba diving with sharks in Panama’s Coiba National Park. We went on safari in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. We volunteered at numerous farms, animal rescue centers, and other locally owned businesses and schools. We have made countless wonderful friends that we can’t wait to see again. But most of all, every day we learned so much more about ourselves, our relationship and about this wonderful, vibrant, and exciting world around us.
An Update
As of November 2013 we are back in the United States, focusing on spending time with our family and friends and contemplating “the next step” of our lives together. With Cuzco, our French Bulldog, again by our side we are back to exploring North America, a continent that could very well keep us busy for the rest of our lives. Don’t worry about us, though; we’re always planning our next international adventure or a visit to friends in far corners of the world! We’re continuously Traveling Forward.
Our Travel Goals
We have several important goals that we constantly aspire to during our travels:
- Deepen ourselves as citizens of the world while connecting with each other through the challenges and experiences of our journey.
- Travel spontaneously yet deliberately, and as a local not as a tourist. To us this means experiencing a place for what it is without preconceptions, not solely as a guidebook may instruct. We’ll be eating and sleeping in local establishments, making friends out of strangers, and looking for the recommendations of locals.
- Give our time and energy along the way to people or organizations that are in need of volunteers.
- Exercise caution and travel safely but be unafraid of the unknown, allowing ourselves to grow through challenges along the way and expose ourselves to everything a location offers.
- Travel without any specific timeline or agenda allowing us to stay a bit longer in locations or with organizations that we enjoy. We plan to continue our journey as long as we are financially able, but more importantly, as long as we are happy doing so.
- Witness and participate in cultural and religious traditions, try local cuisines and explore national treasures as we meander through each country.
- Utilize this website to document our adventure, share our trials and tribulations and keep us connected to family and friends across the globe. We’re hoping for a long, successful, life-changing adventure and that you’ll follow us along the way!
