Around the World in 717 Days

CHANDLER, ARIZONA – When we left the United States in November of 2011 we were in search of an adventure. We didn’t intend on traveling for any finite period of time. There was no big list of countries that we planned to visit, and we definitely didn’t intend to circumnavigate the world. Every day we made decisions regarding which direction to head or where to spend the next week or month and every day we were surprised by what laid around the corner. The constant discovery and unending challenges and lessons are what made our trip worth continuing. Combined, they are why our journey lasted much longer than either of us (or our family and friends, for that matter) imagined.

Starting with Latin America, we traveled by land between Mexico and Read the rest of this entry »

A Final Hurrah in the Philippines

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Somewhere between Vietnam, Japan and South Korea the two of us made the second-most pivotal decision of our long-term adventure: to finally return home to the United States. We had decided that surprising one side of our families after two years on the road would be a unique Thanksgiving gift that only we could give. So, as our final hurrah, with about a month left we headed to the Philippines to explore a handful of the country’s 7,107 islands. We played in the beach with local kids, visited the famous Chocolate Hills, went tarsier-spotting, and watched once-in-a-lifetime sunrises and sunsets. We went scuba diving with thresher sharks, rode around in tricycles, hung out in a biker bar in Manila, and ate our fill of local dishes like lechón, kare-kare and dinakdakan. We really savored our last few weeks on the road in the Philippines, reminiscing over the two years’ worth of adventure we’d just had, and enjoying a vacation before re-entry into the U.S. 

With a long history of conquest and settlement by the Chinese, Arabs, Spanish, Japanese, Americans, and various indigenous tribes (to name just a few), the architecture, cuisine and general culture of Read the rest of this entry »

Snapshot Series: Primates Around the Globe

Photographing wildlife is one of our absolute favorite activities no matter where we are. This post showcases some of the many primates that we snapped pictures of during our travels in Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and the Indian sub-continent. Observing their expressions, mannerisms and behavior up close is astonishing and reveals just how closely related we all really are. We thoroughly enjoyed watching these animals up close and laughing at their human-like behavior – and quite often mis-behavior. 

Angkor Wat, Cambodia: Long-Tailed Macaque

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Caught by Haiyan, the Strongest Typhoon

MANILA,  PHILIPPINES – We have just returned to Manila after being hit directly by the now infamous super typhoon Haiyan. The experience was harrowing, to say the least. This is our story.

We could hardly contain our excitement as the plane began its descent towards the island of Busuanga. From our window we snapped photo after photo of tiny islands ringed with inviting turquoise waters gradating into white sandy beaches. While our round-the-world trip has been incredibly fulfilling it has also at times been equally as exhausting. So, our weeks traveling around the Philippines were to be more of a “vacation,” a last hurrah before heading home for the first time in two years. Coron was just one of the handful of islands we were to visit and we had planned a good eight days of relaxing, exploring the island’s beauty, and of course, diving the famous WWII wrecks which the Calamian Islands are known for.

From the airport to Coron Town it was a pleasant ride with grass fields giving way to lush forests of mango trees and Read the rest of this entry »

Awed by Colorful South Korea

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – For the entire duration of our now two-year long trip we planned as little as possible, becoming more and more flexible with our itinerary as we went along. Many times we didn’t know what country we’d visit next, or even in which direction we’d head. Traveling in this way allowed us to move with the seasons, book last-minute discounted airfare and even stay places longer when we felt like it, unrestricted by any self-imposed itinerary. Celebrating our first Christmas swimming in a waterfall in Oaxaca, touring Japan for almost a month, and spending three weeks in the middle of the Nicaraguan jungle were each pleasant surprises – even to ourselves – and made possible only due to our lack of a firm travel schedule.

There was one big exception to this lack of planning, however. Long before Read the rest of this entry »

Snapshot Series: Food Around the Globe

Yes, we need it to survive, but food is also something we live for, searching out specific cuisines and culinary experiences. When traveling food is also a tool for getting to know a country. It is a method to connect with local people. Food is even a source for gaining insights into cultures and their histories. While we may not remember every detail of every meal there are many that stand out; we can easily recollect where we were, who we dined with, the scents whirling around us and even who prepared it and served it to us. Food has a power over us. We travel for the food.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Cevapi

Grilled minced beef served with cabbage salad and somun (a spongy flat pocked bread) Read the rest of this entry »