Key Highlights of a Fantastic Household Journey Across the World

Our household world tour is over and now could be the time for a closing abstract, the abstract of all of the summaries, and far more than a easy abstract, it’s a huge abstract in three orientations: human, organizational and monetary. I’ll inform you in regards to the achievements, the highlights, the fantastic encounters, our favorites. I’ll then describe the entire group and the prices related to our fantastic venture. In an effort to aid you plan your subsequent journeys, I’ve compiled an in depth logistical and monetary statistics. You’ll know every little thing about our flights, automotive leases and lodging, in addition to the financial savings we have now achieved by way of Journey Hacking. I’ll flood you with figures so you can even, in flip, contemplate an expertise that can go away its mark on you endlessly! Are you prepared? Right here we go!

This text is the primary of a three-part abstract of our around the world journey:

Our world tour in a nutshell

First, right here is a quick abstract of this evaluation with some statistics:

• 444 days of journey;
• 50 international locations visited;
• 56 flights;
• 9 visas required;
• 33 rental vehicles;
• 181 habitations;
• 213 cities visited, together with 39 capitals, to not point out the various villages and websites outdoors the cities;
• 120 UNESCO World Heritage Websites;
• 50% of pricey international locations, 50% of nations thought of low-cost;
• 95,000 km coated by aircraft;
• 57,000 km traveled on land, by automotive, on foot or by different technique of transport;
• 152,000 digital camera shutter releases (a mean of 342 per day);
• 91,240.84 CAD (71,548.48 USD) spent on our household of 4;
• Professional-rated over twelve months: 75,006.00 CAD (58,817.58 USD) or 18,751.00 CAD (14,704.00 USD) per particular person;
• 2 well being issues: 1 wrist fracture for Mateo and 1 gastritis for Jessica (and 1 or 2 diarrhea);

As well as, we traveled completely with carry-on baggage and we took half in Journey Hacking, a self-discipline that allowed us to remain very often, and fully freed from cost, in luxurious inns and in airport lounges.

The map under reveals the international locations we visited. We had designed our itinerary in an effort to take pleasure in as many experiences as doable in essentially the most favorable local weather doable, whereas minimizing time variations. This has led within the impact that we have now not carried out a “round-the-world tour” as such (though I usually describe it as such), however slightly a return journey to the opposite aspect of the world with a number of stopovers.

A perpetual surprise

We now have lived 444 days (14 months and a half) of discovery, pleasure and surprise.

Metropolis, sea, mountain, forest, desert, we walked in the course of wonderful landscapes, each as distinctive as the subsequent.

Castles, palaces, cathedrals, temples, fortresses, mosques, ruins, we visited spectacular locations stuffed with historical past.

Structure, sculpture, portray, music, we have now appreciated artwork like by no means earlier than.

Proboscis monkeys, Orang Outans, tarsiers, vultures, elephants, big bats, snakes, koalas, camels, we have now seen numerous animals, all as unimaginable as they’re wonderful within the wild.

Pizza, sushi, paella, fish & chips, tandoori rooster, falafel, pho, couscous, dim sum, goulash, pad thai, we ate the most effective delicacies ready by the locals with the most effective native merchandise.

Crocodiles, scorpions, tarantulas, silkworms, crickets, ants and different flying or crawling bugs, we additionally dared to eat particular creatures. Not due to an absence of selection, however as a result of it’s additionally a part of the journey!

From India to the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Fiji Islands, we have now seen as a lot poverty as wealth, unique cultures and traditions, chaos and extremely organized societies.

Airplane, automotive, camper, ferry, prepare, bus, subway, tram, taxi, Uber/Seize, tuk-tuk, scooter, bicycle, cable automotive, horse, donkey, and even helicopter (Vanuatu) and scorching air balloon (Turkey), we have now used all types of doable and conceivable methods to journey.

Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Judaism, Sunni and Shia Islam, Hinduism, Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism, Confucianism, Atheism, Esoterism, we have now reached a few of the most sacred locations in every faith and noticed the observe of religion amongst peoples.

Realized objectives

Earlier than we left, we had a number of objectives.

We would have liked to escape our day by day routine and luxury zone: we lived like nomads, every day otherwise from the earlier ones. It had develop into our lifestyle.

We supposed to detach ourselves from our materials possessions: we traveled with solely 4 suitcases of 8 kg every. However we got here again stuffed with reminiscences in our heads and in images.

We wished to take pleasure in our kids as a lot as doable and construct sturdy household ties: dwelling collectively 24 hours a day for 444 days was not at all times straightforward. However we overcame every problem collectively. We will now say that our relationships have by no means been so shut and that we’re greater than ever able to face the winds and tides that the longer term holds for us.

We need to transmit the values of selflessness and humanity to Mateo and Luka. We need to equip them to succeed whereas avoiding being conformist, in a society the place being completely different is perceived as a failure. We consider that in this 12 months, they discovered to develop far more than if that they had attended faculty. They have been confronted with the completely different realities of the world and have been capable of observe scenes that they might by no means have been capable of see in Quebec. We now have seen them develop and flourish. They’ve develop into extra coherent, mature and accountable. These boys make us proud.

Nevertheless, I have to admit that Mateo and Luka in all probability didn’t take pleasure in this journey as a lot as Jessica and I did. At their age, we predict they don’t but understand the inestimable worth of the expertise they’ve simply lived, however we have now little doubt that they may understand it as they grow old and thank us for it. We see this journey as an funding of their lives. If it can repay, solely the longer term will inform us, however we consider it can!

In fact, journey is one in all our best passions. For years, we had been organizing one “large” household journey per 12 months, lasting a mean of 1 month. This journey has due to this fact, in a approach, happy our thirst for discovery, permitting us to avoid wasting 15 years on our goals of exploring the world.

As Christians, we felt the necessity to let ourselves be guided by God. We took half in celebrations with brothers and sisters of religion in about ten international locations. We have been very interested in all religions and beliefs. And our religion in God has grown significantly stronger.

This expertise has allowed us to question ourselves and concentrate on the issues we contemplate to be a very powerful. Tolerance, openness, positivism, empathy, sharing, caring and minimalism are values that we’ll proceed to good in our lives.

Our want was to come back out of it collectively extra human, intellectually grown, emotionally remodeled and spiritually higher geared up. Right now we are able to say “mission achieved”!

Particular moments in every nation

Listed below are a couple of moments for every of the 50 international locations that we’ll at all times bear in mind:

• To be in ecstasy in entrance of the ice chunks on Diamond Seaside in Iceland.
• Understand Jessica’s little woman’s dream of seeing the Buckingham Palace in London, England.
• Immerse ourselves within the festive ambiance of Cardiff in Wales.
• Admire the ocean from the ramparts of Saint-Malo in France.
• Eat French fries on the principle sq. of Antwerp in Belgium.
• Have an ice cream on the banks of the Utrecht canals within the Netherlands.
• Stroll alongside the Corniche in Luxembourg.
• Watch folks swim within the crystal-clear water of the Rhine in Basel, Switzerland.
• Tour the attractive castles of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Germany.
• Get pleasure from a panoramic view from the heights of Vaduz Fort in Liechtenstein.
• Take a ship tour on Hallstatt Lake in Austria.
• Having the unusual feeling of dwelling within the communist period in Bratislava, Slovakia.
• See the glowing parliament of Budapest in the course of the evening in Hungary.
• Succumb to the great thing about Krakow’s predominant market in Poland.
• Drink the waters of the thermal springs within the coronary heart of Karlovy Differ within the Czech Republic.
• Ponder the within of the wonderful Orthodox church buildings of Sofia in Bulgaria.
• Fly in a scorching air balloon over Cappadocia in Turkey.
• Be amazed by the great thing about the Santorini caldera in Greece.
• Swimming within the heat waters of the Mediterranean Sea in Ayia Napa, Cyprus.
• Stroll amidst the spectacular Roman ruins of Baalbek in Lebanon.
• Feeling afloat within the Lifeless Sea in Israel.
• Ponder the non secular fervor on the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Palestine.
• Bedouin-style sleeping and consuming within the Wadi Rum in Jordan.
• Ascend to the 124th ground of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
• Watch the torrential rain fall on the sand dunes in Oman.
• Witness the everlasting managed chaos of Varanasi in India.
• Take part within the lantern competition in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
• Stroll all day lengthy by boat on Lake Inle in Myanmar.
• Tour the temples of Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
• Tasting a Pho in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
• Journey throughout the tea plantations between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka.
• Ponder the extraordinary sunsets of El Nido within the Philippines.
• Admire the colour adjustments on Uluru in Australia.
• Immerse ourselves within the universe of the Lord of the Rings at Hobbiton in New Zealand.
• Take a helicopter tour in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
• To be greeted by everybody you met with a pleasant “Bula!” in Nadi, Fiji.
• Get pleasure from Kobe beef in Kobe, Japan.
• Touring avenue meals stalls in Taipei on the island of Taiwan.
• Cross the island of Hong Kong on the historic tram.
• Reside like millionaires in a luxurious suite of the JW Marriott in Macau.
• Observe proboscis monkeys in Bako Nationwide Park, Malaysia.
• Stroll in the course of the rice fields of Munduk, on the island of Bali in Indonesia.
• Style all types of durian in the course of the durian season in Singapore.
• Stroll by way of the slender blue alleys of Chefchaouen in Morocco.
• Benefit from the vaporetto on the Grand Canal of Venice in Italy.
• Take a tour of Ljubljana in Slovenia by vacationer prepare.
• Admire the waterfalls of the Plitviče Nationwide Lakes Park in Croatia.
• Attend a flamenco dance below the arches of the Plaza de España in Seville, Spain.
• See 3 international locations, 2 continents, a sea and an ocean from the highest of the Gibraltar rock.
• Survey the partitions of the Moorish fortress in Sintra, Portugal.

Comment:

• Hong Kong, Macao and Gibraltar aren’t formally international locations, however non-sovereign territories.
• Israel and Palestine are two States acknowledged by the United Nations.
• I’ve not included the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is {a partially} acknowledged impartial state, as Taiwan is.
• Canada shouldn’t be included within the checklist.

Unforgettable reunions

Throughout this journey, we prioritized the encounters. It was a possibility for us to reconnect with household and mates. Our itinerary had been deliberate accordingly. I have to admit that we in all probability wouldn’t have been to Lebanon, Sri Lanka or Vanuatu with out it. And it will have been an actual loss for us, as these international locations are so stunning! Right here is the checklist of individuals we visited:

• Isis (England);
• Nicolas, Charlène and household (France);
• Ernest and Nicole (France);
• Edith and David (France);
• Pascal and Delphine (France);
• Almut (Germany);
• Itzia and Philipp (Germany);
• Mirella and all of the Aoun household (Lebanon);
• Vaibhav, Sangeeta and their prolonged household (India);
• Mai, Duc, household and grandparents (Vietnam);
• Mr and Mrs Ky (Thailand);
• Nipuna, Jayomi and household (Sri Lanka);
• Shailja, Bikram and household (Australia);
• Iris, Morsen and household (Vanuatu);
• Ing, Jason and household (Japan);
• Joeva (Japan);
• David (Taiwan);
• Tante Martine (France);
• Mrs Houtmann (France);
• Mr and Mrs Seng (France);
• Maria and Manuel (Spain);
• Hector, Susana and household (Spain);
• Steven and Nadeen (Portugal);
• Rachel (France).

People who find themselves pricey to us have joined us on the journey to share a slice of life and unforgettable reminiscences:

• My dad and mom and sister Emilie along with her boyfriend Johan (France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany);
• Karla, Guido and Stefan (Israel, Palestine and Jordan);
• Marilyne, Paul and household (Italy, Slovenia and Croatia).

A complete lot of conferences

Each amongst native populations and travellers, there are at all times people who find themselves open to change and beneficiant to share their inspiring tales. New friendships have been made. Our world tour was additionally marked by significant encounters with 28 fantastic households who, like us, additionally selected that 12 months to make the leap and journey all over the world. It was an incredible alternative for us to fulfill them, and a few of them even on many events, in as many as 4 completely different international locations! Expensive FAMs, you’re additionally amongst our highlights! In chronological order:

• Lucie, Mathieu, Vagabond Household (India, Cambodia);
• Chloé, Mère-ados en cavale (Thailand);
• Clémence, Cédric, All In Household (Thailand);
• Delphine, Nicolas, 4 O Tour du monde (Thailand);
• Aurore and Nico (Thailand);
• Sylvain, Julie, Katpaksaks (Thailand);
• Amélie, Fred, Coqs Of the World (Thailand);
• Vanessa, Benoit (Thailand);
• Richard, Annie, Des allers simples (Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia);
• Maxime, Yan, 3cycle (Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore);
• Carlo and household (Thailand);
• Céline and Jérôme (Thailand);
• Céline, Arnaud, Les Marjoc, La Parenthèse Enchantée (Thailand);
• Gwladys, Arnaud, de Pornic autour du monde (Thailand);
• Séverine and Julien (Cambodia);
• Josiane, Nicolas, Les Pas Perdus autour du monde (Vietnam);
• Julie, Hugo, laviesurplay (Sri Lanka, Hong Kong);
• Stéphanie and Thomas (Philippines);
• Marine and Loïc (New Zealand);
• Leila, Nico, Par 4 chemins – Nos escapades autour du monde en famille (New Zealand);
• Céline, Raphael, Nous deux autour du monde (Japan and Indonesia);
• Céline, David, Une Vie Mille Aventures (Japan);
• Charles, Tonia, VNTC 360 Ouest (Indonesia);
• Émilie and Matthieu (Malaysia);
• Geneviève, David, Et si on partait (Indonesia);
• Léa, Patrick, Sparks and Bloom (Spain).

Additionally value mentioning are a number of encounters as stunning as they’re wonderful, which we can’t categorize however which have additionally contributed to some moments of happiness. It was an actual pleasure to have you ever on our path!

• Zainul, our tremendous driver in India;
• Maxime and Laura (India);
• Rachel and Maxime (Cambodia);
• Nyein, our tremendous driver in Myanmar;
• Gilles, Aventure de vie (Myanmar);
• Pleasure and Andrew (New Zealand);
• Anthony, the well-known French journey influencer, French Adventurer (Greece);
• Drew Binsky, the well-known American journey vlogger that we met in Sri Lanka and who propelled us on the world stage by producing a video about us!

Sadly, I can’t point out the numerous different locals and vacationers I met all through the journey. We even have a particular thought for you! Whether or not you’ve given us a number of days or only some minutes of your time, we’re grateful!

Our favorites

Since our return, the query we have now been requested repeatedly is “what’s your favourite nation?” The reply is right here, in addition to many others, within the type of rankings. Moreover the primary 4 solutions that are private, the next ones are introduced to you by mutual settlement between Jessica and me.

They talked about us

Within the press, we appeared on the quilt of two Quebec newspapers. First in Le Soleil, a day by day newspaper with a big readership within the Quebec Metropolis space, then after our return in Beauport Categorical, a weekly newspaper in our district.

Earlier than the massive departure, we appeared in an article in Tripili together with 12 different travelling households. Throughout our journey, we met 5 of them!

Additionally, earlier than departure, an article on Milesopedia, the French-speaking reference in bank card loyalty packages, describes how we used bank cards to offer us with luxurious at a low value. Should you reside in Canada, I like to recommend that you just be part of the Milesopedia neighborhood, which is just essentially the most wonderful French-speaking neighborhood on social networks! You’ll find numerous recommendations on the best way to save in your subsequent journeys!

I’ll shut by telling you about Drew Binsky, who travels the world in quest of video reporting alternatives. By probability, whereas we have been in Sri Lanka, we met this highly regarded traveller. When he discovered that we have been dwelling a household journey all over the world, he determined to introduce us to the entire world with a phenomenal video about us. Due to him, we obtained a number of encouragement from everywhere in the world, stunning encounters have been made, and one particular person even spontaneously acknowledged us in Fiji.

A return to sedentary life

After a protracted 12 months of learning math and French on a pill, whether or not on a seashore, on a ferry, on a aircraft or in a resort room, and continuously listening to Mother and Dad’s determined sighs, Mateo and Luka are completely happy to be again on faculty benches. In reality, they’re fairly completely happy to be reunited with their previous classmates and to make new mates! As anticipated, they’ve tailored very effectively to the normal lifestyle.

For Jessica, the return can be a clean one. She supposed to proceed to do what she does finest, which is to handle her household and our residence, within the pursuit of a contented household life! Two weeks after the beginning of the college 12 months, when she went to select up the boys from faculty, the daycare director approached her and provided her a part-time job as an educator, which she graciously accepted. Her pursuit of household happiness due to this fact continues with the privilege of having fun with the presence of the boys of their faculty, along with an sudden extra revenue. It’s a brand new starting!

As for me, two weeks after the top of the journey, I returned to my job as an IT marketing consultant inside the identical firm as earlier than I left. My adaptation was additionally very speedy, and I used to be capable of regain my skilled instincts nearly immediately. I have to admit that the truth that I needed to maintain my brains busy in the course of the journey helped me so much. Furthermore, when you’ve got an organization and need to optimize your online business processes by way of IT options, let me know! My colleagues at CMI Group and I can be happy to help you in propelling your online business to the subsequent stage!

A sequel for the Wonderlusters?

I can guarantee you; we won’t cease travelling!

With these 15 extra months of expertise, I’ll proceed to share suggestions and tips with you thru weblog posts. As well as, I’ll maintain including to the Wonderlusters Fb web page with future journeys.

Luka (our youngest son) is a visionary and this journey all over the world has given him nice ambitions for the longer term. He’s already speaking about his subsequent world journey! His plan is to deliver Mother and his brother Mateo with him for a 3-year journey to go to much more international locations. Nevertheless, he permits me to affix them of their journey below the situation that solely he and his mother determine on every little thing. I don’t perceive why….

Anyway, you’ve each cause to maintain following the Wonderlusters!

A giant thanks!

Lastly, I wish to thank YOU. Sure, YOU who’s studying, who adopted us on Fb, on Instagram or on our weblog. Thanks for collaborating in our nice household journey.

Amongst you, there may be household, mates, shut or distant acquaintances who observe us assiduously! However there may be additionally a crowd that we have no idea, that we have now by no means met and that we couldn’t acknowledge in actual life, and but who know us by way of our images and who encourage us in our quest for amazement, by sending us likes, feedback or personal messages. Be assured that every of your digital gestures of encouragement, praise and gratitude touches us deeply.

And eventually, to those that prayed for us from the start to the top of our journey, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks! For it’s because of your prayers that He who is ready to do immeasurably greater than all we ask or think about, has protected, renewed and remodeled us. To Him alone be glory. Ephesians 3:20-21

Via our sharing, we additionally wished to encourage you and encourage you to go and see how issues are going elsewhere, to be able to even be amazed by the character and the folks, their cultures, histories and religions.

Right now, we’re satisfied that our journey is an actual supply of inspiration for many individuals.

So, on behalf of the Wonderlusters, thanks!

Self-examination and conclusion of Half 1

I couldn’t full this self-assessment with out providing you with somewhat examination of conscience.

As you may think about, we’re now not the identical after such a visit. I have to admit that earlier than we returned, Jessica and I have been afraid of falling into unhappiness, monotony, boredom, nostalgia. It’s due to this fact proper that we’re fairly often requested the next query: “So, is it tough to return?” From there, 4 choices are normally provided to our interlocutor:

1. Both we pull out the good again kick to interrupt his neck and save him ache;
2. Both we hug him tightly, crying scorching tears to make him uncomfortable and hoping to see him disappear from our lives;
3. Both we fake to be hypocrites by saying “it’s all proper!”, earlier than shortly altering matter as a result of we all know that in actuality, our journey didn’t curiosity him, as he could also be obsessed by the cult of his ego and materialistic dogma;
4. Both we inform him the reality.

The reality is that we actually really feel good, as a result of we have now no good cause to complain.

We now have seen individuals who, due to lack of sources, are content material to easily eat, shelter and gown, however who lack nothing, and for whom a easy gesture means so much. We now have seen crowds of people that reside in corrupt to the bone regimes however who, by way of neighborhood, work and mutual assist, are worthy of the life they’re given. We now have seen crowds of individuals for whom sacrifice is an honor, and for whom giving is extra essential than receiving. Due to this fact, we give ourselves the responsibility to not complain.

Along with feeling fulfilled by the satisfaction of getting achieved the objectives we had set for ourselves, we returned with a brand new mindset, a remodeled perspective and a tenfold enhance in motivation. This journey has completely revitalized us and has led us to be happy and contented by our lives right now.

And if there may be one important factor that we discovered from our expertise, it’s that our happiness should not rely on the place we reside, our dwelling situations, or our occupations, however slightly on the perspective we select to undertake relating to the hardships of our life.

To proceed, I now invite you to learn the organizational abstract of our world tour, the place I share with you every little thing about our flights, visas, automotive leases, lodging, images and Journey Hacking!

To navigate to the opposite sections of our abstract: