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 »

Departing for D.F., Mexico

SKY HARBOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, PHOENIX, AZ, USA – We’re ready to depart for our adventure! We fly out of Phoenix and into Mexico City (or “D.F.,” as they say south of the border) tomorrow morning, November 30th, at 11am. We should be arriving in the city after a short three hour flight.

We are each carrying a backpack, Theresa’s weighing in at 38 pounds and Dustin’s weighing in at 40 pounds. We’ve packed pretty well, in our opinions, considering that we’ll be taking along warm and cold-weather clothes, our shoes, a small tent, a computer, camera equipment and a few extras on this trip.

We’re spending our first three nights and four days in Mexico City, exploring Read the rest of this entry »

Giving Thanks

TEMPE, AZ, USA – Thanksgiving provided a wonderful opportunity to visit with the entire family for a day. Our grand Thanksgiving feast was hosted by Marless and Rick Fellows, Dustin’s mother and step-father, in their home in Tempe, AZ. Everyone came together, including grandparents from several sides of the family, all the parents, each of the kids, grandkids, and cousins. We spent a splendid afternoon eating entirely too much of the delicious, traditional Thanksgiving treats and bonding with some family members that we haven’t seen too much of over the last few years.

Dustin’s step-father, Rick, a long-time commercial pilot, has also decided that this is the year for him to retire. If you are keeping count, this makes it so that all three of our fathers are ready to leave the hustle and bustle behind them and enjoy some leisurely travel (perhaps they’ll meet us along the way), as well as having relaxing days and working on fun projects they’ve always wanted to get to but haven’t quite had the time.

Marless came up with the excellent idea of throwing Rick an unconventional retirement party, and that combining it with the Thanksgiving festivities would make for the perfect occasion. All of the family dressed up as TSA agents, pilots and flight attendants, and went about setting up the entryway to the house as an airport security check complete with a body scanner and containers to put your keys, shoes, and belt to be thoroughly inspected. We can honestly say that this Thanksgiving celebration was the safest ever! After a rigorous pat-down, guests were promptly pampered by a swarm of flight attendants, offering up wet towelettes, snacks and a choice of beverage. It was great fun for all and Rick especially was surprised and quite impressed.

Marless Fellows, Dustin’s mother, is an artist and her career is really beginning to take off. While always very creative and artistic, she realized her passion for Read the rest of this entry »

Visiting Family in the Valley

CHANDLER, AZ, USA – We departed Illinois on November 14th for the long haul to Chandler, Arizona to visit Dustin’s family. This would take twenty-eight hours of driving, but we had plenty of music, audiobooks and conversations to keep us occupied for a voyage that spanned three days, seven states and 1,850 miles. We arrived the evening of November 16th and enjoyed just a single night’s rest before heading back out again, this time for the annual Dobson family camping trip.

In the morning we helped Dustin’s father and step-mother, Vince and Jacque, in packing up the three-vehicle caravan that would travel southwest past Gila Bend, Arizona, heading into the foothills of the Sonoran Desert. As we arrived and began to set up camp the rest of the Dobson clan arrived. Joining us was Dustin’s brother Daniel, and his two sisters, Hallie and Kelsi, along with each of their spouses/fiancés, children and families.

Encircling our campsite were several sections of the farmland that Dustin’s father owns in the valley. Just like Theresa’s father, Vince has decided to retire this year, and is beginning to transfer the responsibilities of the family farming business over to Daniel. All around our camp were fields upon fields of alfalfa, milo and cotton. The white, fluffy fiber from the cotton plant will be sent away and spun into yarn or thread, and the seed, after separated from the cotton fibers, will in turn be used as feed for livestock along with the milo and alfalfa.

Adjacent to the campsite are several sites with interesting archaeological and historical significance. Approximately five miles away lays Read the rest of this entry »