We Left Everything Behind to Travel the World… What an Adventure!
Ten months ago, we made a dream we'd both had since childhood come true: we set off to travel around the world!
To make it happen, we sold our cars and our house, quit our jobs and said goodbye to our families.
It took us a while to take the leap, because leaving everything behind to travel to the other side of the world is, of course, a little scary. But today, after ten months on the road, we don't regret a thing!
Ten Months of Discoveries and Encounters
Since we left, we've been amazed by everything we've seen. Breathtaking landscapes, different cultures, but above all, extraordinary people who have opened their doors to us, shared their daily lives and welcomed us with incredible kindness.
If I had to choose one experience that deeply moved me, it would be meeting a group of young girls at a school in Sumatra, Indonesia. I had the chance to spend a day with them, talking about their daily lives, their culture and their dreams for the future. Thanks to a translation app, thank you, technology! đ We were able to talk, laugh, sing and even dance together!
These young girls, who live with very little, offered me biscuits and made me beautiful little pieces of jewellery with flowers. They treated me like a queen, when in my eyes, they were the real queens. That day will remain in my heart and mind for a very long time.
Moments like these change the way you see things. They make you realize even more how fortunate you are, teach you to appreciate the simple things in everyday life and show you how to live with less.
This journey has also taught us to let go. We travel with backpacks, on a small budget and without a clearly defined itinerary. We organize almost everything from one day to the next, and sometimes, even in the middle of the afternoon, we still have no idea where we're going to sleep that night! That's the freedom we love so much, even if it sometimes comes with a few memorable travel mishaps!
When the Adventure Doesn't Go According to Plan…
One experience that immediately comes to mind is our journey from Vietnam to Laos. Almost 20 hours in a minibus, including 17 hours travelling along remote roads through isolated villages. At the time, we were used to buying a local SIM card and withdrawing cash whenever we arrived in a new country. Except this time, there wasn't a single ATM or mobile phone shop along the way! So we ended up spending 17 hours without Internet, without cash, without a translator to communicate with the locals, without knowing exactly where we were and without being able to let our families know we were okay. Once we finally reached a large town, it took us another hour and a half to find a shopkeeper willing to share their Wi-Fi with us. We were finally able to reactivate payments and cash withdrawals on our bank cards, withdraw some money, and then start looking for a local SIM card and somewhere to stay.
Let's just say we learned our lesson! We always try to plan ahead as much as possible, but sometimes things simply don't go according to plan. For us, this remains one of the most stressful moments of the entire trip.
How eSIMware Changed the Way We Travel
For the past four months, we've been using eSIMware, and it has genuinely taken away a huge amount of stress. We arrange our mobile connection before crossing into a new country, which means we can get back online as soon as we arrive and a mobile network is available. No more running around looking for a shop to buy a local SIM card! And when you travel the way we do, without necessarily knowing where you're going to sleep that evening, having access to maps, a translator, or simply being able to reassure your family makes an enormous difference.
A new perspective…
After ten months of travelling, we've realized just how much this adventure is changing us. Not necessarily in terms of what we own, but in the way we see the world, the way we meet others and the way we appreciate what we have. And if I had to leave you with just one thought, it would be the words I said to the girls at the school in Indonesia before saying goodbye: “Please, don't forget to dream big.”
Because I truly believe that dreams are meant to be lived. Whether they're small, enormous or seem completely crazy, we all have the right to believe in them and to try to make them happen. Ten months ago, we dared to live ours.
And today, with our backpacks, our minds full of memories and still so much of the world left to discover, we're incredibly happy that we took that leap.
Special thanks to Joannes for his beautiful photographs, which capture the most precious moments of this adventure.