Dudes on the Road

Having to face another winter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:10:00 +0000

Winter here in Quebec can be brutally cold and humid. We hosted an Norwegian girl for a year a few years ago and even she thought that winter here was incredible! And she lives in Tromso, which is near the Arctic Circle in Norway...

Why am I thinking of winter in august? Well, I'll be going back to work in a week, the trees are already turning yellow, the mornings are colder than they were just a few days ago and I can't wait to leave for our RTW trip.

Facing another winter is like facing my worst nightmare. I'm a summer person. I like the sun, the clear blue sky with just enough velvety clouds to bring some shade at the end of a hot and humid afternoon, when you sit down and grab a cold beer. I like walking barefoot in the grass. I like wearing thin clothes and listening to the birds. I like going to open markets to buy fruits and veggies. I like not having to wake up early to go to work. My favorite color is green, not white.

This coming winter also means that we will have only 6 or 7 months left to prepare for our RTW trip. And it scares the hell out of me. We have to renovate the house, box everything we want to keep and put them in a locker somewhere, sell our cars, sell our house, buy a camping car, make an appointment at the vet for Lulu for her multiple shots, give my notice at work, pack, try to make everything fit in the camper, find the perfect insurance company, take a closer look at our itinerary, try to make peace with my mother and the rest of the family - they really don't understand why we are leaving - and above all, keep a sense of stability for our kids. Like if we were a normal family.

Which we are not.

Oh, and we also have to try to make a living on the road somehow. We won't be out of money after 2 months, thanks to the upcoming buyers for the house and the cars, but money can run pretty fast if we're not careful. And our goal is to live on the roads for many years so, we will have to find ways to keep the bank account happy.

I guess our biggest challenge is not about leaving. It's about the ups and downs of preparing for this new life.

Traveling with our dog

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:15:00 +0000

Leaving for a RTW trip without Lulu? Out of the question! Call us stupid if you want but it was a sine qua non condition: traveling with our dog or stay. Of course, it implies a lot of compromises because a dog isn't welcome everywhere. OUR dog isn't welcome everywhere: she's a Rottweiler and as you may know, Rottweilers are considered fighting dogs...

So what does this decision means, really? It means that we will have to build up our itinerary according to where Lulu can go or not. It means that we will have to forget about traveling in Australia and New-Zeland and Scandinavia. It means that we will have to choose a mean of transport to suit our needs and the dog's needs: a camping-car. It means that sometimes, we will have to leave Lulu in the camping-car if we want to visit a museum or if we want to go to the restaurant. It means that we will have to watch her carefully when we'll be in the wilderness. It means that, in order to cross the ocean to go to Europe, Lulu will have to travel alone in a cage... It means that the budget will be a little bit higher than expected at first.

But it also means that we will have our best friend with us. And that alone is a pretty good reason to bring her with us. In fact, we predict that she will become the mascot of this trip! Everybody will want to meet her and play with her! Having a dog is like traveling with kids: people are often more open when they see the dog and how cute it is...!

A friend of mine told me that Lulu will be a good alarm-system and protection device during our trip. Sure, she can be very protective and she has an impresive physic. Good when you're in an unfriendly environment. But Lulu isn't coming with us to play a protective role. She's coming because she's part of the family. Period. I wouldn't even think of letting her here with a family member or a friend. She would have a nervous breakdown! We went to L.A. last year and had to let her with my brother. What a mistake! She did not eat for 3 days, did not want to go outside, ... She was on the verge of having a big breakdown. After that week, I promised myself that I would never leave her alone again.

We chose to have a dog, we agreed on having that responsability on our shoulders for as long as it would live. Traveling with Lulu is just taking our responsability towards our best friend...

Coming up: more about traveling around the world with a dog!

Interview with Kim from So Many Places

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:03:00 +0000

Finding someone with the same goal in life is very exciting! I recently stumbled upon this blog, So Many Places, and I was very happy to see that Yves and I weren't the only ones dreaming about selling everything to go on the roads.

Kim and Brian, from Oregon, are in the process of preparing for their RTW trip and I asked Kim a few questions about all this prep and what it involves.

1. First, a brief bio to help the readers know a little bit more about yourselves?

My husband, Brian, and I will be selling all of our things, quitting our jobs, and setting out to travel the world. We just recently sold our house and almost all of our possessions, moved into an apartment and signed a 10-month lease. We'll be leaving in June 2012.

My dream is to travel the world and write about it and Brian is up for the adventure. I know it sounds a little cheesy but there has been nothing more thrilling than working towards this dream. I really feel we are on the path we are supposed to be on.

2. What made you decide to quit the cubicle life and travel around the world?

I finally realized that no matter how successful I was in my career, a 9-5 job in a cubicle would never satisfy my intense desire for something more. I'd always dreamed of traveling and writing and I knew that if I didn't TRY to fulfill my dream I would always wonder "what if?" It has been hard giving up this nice life that Brian and I have. We aren't running away from anything here, we have a great, enjoyable life and we feel very blessed. But, what might life be like if we lived our dream? The pull to find out was too strong to deny (and that decision did not come easy. There were many, many panic attacks involved).

Brian and I always say that if the only thing we learn on our travels is that we had a wonderful life that we shouldn't have given up, that will be enough. Because, if we didn't travel, we would always wonder...

3. You are in the process of preparing for your RTW trip. Budgeting is a big part of the process and you recently sold your house to help you meet your financial goals. How would you describe this huge step, because you know now that it's for real?

This has been INSANE! First of all, the house sold much faster than we were anticipating (one day!) so I don't think we were emotionally prepared. It has been very hard. There have been a lot of tears shed and a lot of the questioning and wondering has kicked in. I wonder- are we crazy? What are we doing? Are we making a gigantic mistake?

But, let me tell you, deep down I KNOW that we are on the right track. I don't know where that confidence comes from but I can feel it, and so we move forward. I have found that, as we follow our dream, that inner voice gets louder and louder. It's so easy to hear and listen to it now, and that inner voice doesn't steer you wrong.

Finally, we are trying to allow ourselves to mourn. We knew we would have to give up a lot to follow this dream and the house is a huge sacrifice. We try to tell ourselves that "we are not our things." Owning a home and a bunch of nice things doesn't make us better or worse than anyone else. We should be able to stand alone and still be proud, when all else is stripped away. I think we can do that now in a way we could have never done before we embarked on this path.

4. Did you get bad reactions following your decision to sell everything and leave your friends and family to pursue your dream?

YES! All the time. My Mom has called me crazy numerous times. People at work think we are insane. What about retirement? What about your future? But there are just as many people out there that have said "go for it" and "live your dreams." I've found that sometimes people think that our decision is a rejection of their lifestyle and therefore a judgement. It isn't, but I understand how they might see it that way.

5. As a dog owner myself, i'm wondering why you won't bring your 2 dogs along with you?

The dogs are the absolute hardest part about this whole thing. We would bring them with us if we could- but how? I can't imagine dragging two big, old dogs around the globe. Do hostels allow dogs? It just doesn't seem possible. We are really praying that our family members will agree to watch the dogs while we are gone. This is a hurdle that hasn't been resolved yet and it could put a stop to everything. We love our dogs and would never leave them anywhere unless we knew they were being cared for in the same way we care for them. The truth is, they are resiliant, and we believe that if we leave them in the right place they won't even miss us and when we return home they'll look at us and wonder "who are those people?"

6. Your blog, So Many Places, is very candid, very honest about your feelings regarding what's ahead for you both. Was it the way you intended to blog or did it come naturally?

Nope, not at all. Initially I just thought it would be a blog about, you know, here is how you get Visas and here is the RTW route we selected. I've found my voice over time and I've realized that So Many Places isn't actually a travel blog, it's a blog about the process I'm going through to follow my dreams. The lens that I write through is travel-related, but the dream-following part resonates with anyone who has ever had a dream that won't die.

7. You're both nature lovers. What is THE place you want to see during your RTW trip?

So hard to answer! I can't wait to see the Patagonia region in Chile and to hike in Nepal. While Brian loves nature he also loves beer, and he can't wait to go to Germany and Belgum.

I'm also really excited by those places that I don't even know exist yet. I can't wait to be taken aback by all the places I never even dreamed of seeing.

8. Did you make a "bucket list" of must-see, must-do during the adventure or will you just "seize the day"?

Yes, I do have a list of things I really want to do while we are on the trip. For example, I want to learn to speak Spanish. I wrote a post about it, actually, here: http://www.so-many-places.com/2011/02/rtw-must-do-list/

9. Are you afraid of the "after"? How do you envision life after the adventure?

You know, it's weird, but I don't think about the "after" very often. I believe that I am on this path for a reason and so I try not to imagine how life will turn out because I want to be open to all of it. I like to believe that life might change in unexpected ways that I can't imagine. Is it crazy that I don't think about the after? Now I'm worried about it!

10. What is your biggest fear regarding this trip, if any?

I have a ton of fears! I'm terrified to quit my job and not have a paycheck. I'm scared that we might hate traveling! Can you image?!?! I'm scared that traveling will bring out the worst in me (I'm a homebody... without a home!). I'm scared about finding the right insurance. I'm scared that we won't find a good home for our dogs. Should I go on???? Lots of fears. But the greatest fear of all is never having the courage to follow through on this dream.

Thank you Kim!

You know you're leaving in less than a year when...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 14:13:00 +0000

I find the formula of "you know... when..." very funny. It allows for small gasps, winks and reflections on the spot.

Less than a year to organize everything and you know you are leaving in less than a year when...

- you're no longer counting in months or weeks but in days;
- you know you have less than 100 days of work;
- you love cross-checking the cells on the calendar;
- the coutdown widget has become your best friend;
- you're planning your visit to the doctor, the dentist with some guilty pleasure when you usually avoird them like the plague;
- you do spring cleaning of the house every 3 weeks;
- you watch every documentaries on tv and even the most boring one makes you sweat;
- you saliva in front of an atlas in the library;
- you think about what it's gonna cost you in vet expenses because you had the wonderful idea of traveling with you dog;
- you read and/or comment more than 20 blogs a day;
- you pick up all the pennies you find on the ground or in pockets and hide them in a teapot;
- you realize you still have to face another canadian winter;
- you wake up at night completely distraught at the idea of not being able to expect the unexpected;
- you're totally discourage by what's left to do before departure;
- you don't take any more long-term commitment...

...and you wait for "something" to happen...

The world according to Lulu

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:05:00 +0000

Finally! After months of waiting, my owners let me use the computer for the continuation of my adventures. I admit however that after the big announcement of our departure on the road planned for 2012 - less than a year - I needed to digest the news...

Here I am, very quiet trying to gobble the flies, when I surprised them discussing about travel, motor home, but also words such as vet, chip, ... To provide chills and thrills!

I have nothing against a drive, just to sniff what's happening elsewhere, but here we are talking about several thousand miles where, it seams, they EAT dogs!! One of my friends told me that on FB, a golden who knocked a lot of miles with his owners. (Yep, I'm on FaceBook...) Already, my breed may result in some funny - or scary - situations on the road, so I might as well... finish in the pot!

Fortunately, my owners will travel gradually. Canada and the US first, then Europe and then, the countries of dog-eating humans. I might make them change their mind by then?

Well, that's all good but I have only one question: what does it mean for me? I will have to pierce my skin how many times before leaving? My vet reassured me. An update of my vaccinations (including rabies), deworming about 40 days before departure (beurk!) and an electronic i.d. chip in the neck, the size of a grain of rice and I'll be ready to go! My owners will have a health certificate to prove to customs that i'm worthy to set paws in their country. Oh, I will also have my OWN passport! What do you think about that?

Good news: I checked with the embassy and I can go anywhere in North and South America, except for Mexico - no way I'll stay in quarantine! In Europe, I can visit all the countries, except the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Danemark, Iceland and Malta, but who wants to go to Malta anyway? Why can't I? I'm considered a fighting dog. Me, a fighting dog? RIDICULOUS! Well, I like a small show off occasionnally, but only to impress!

Impressive, hein?

I can even go to France! Yes, yes! From January 2012, it will be possible for gods like me, second class dogs as they call us, to enter the French territory. Second class dog... Pfff! Ok, ok, Vive la France! Long live the sausages! I heard they're great!

Oceania, we forget that, up to 3 months in quarantine, no thank you! Asia? Well... this is where I will use my power of persuasion to convince my owners to change their minds. Oh, no problem, they welcome me in Asia.

It's just that, you see, ending up in spring rolls...

Can you imagine this cute little face finishing up as a spring roll?

I'll see you soon!

345 days...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:41:00 +0000

Today, we approach a new chapter in our preparations. Indeed, we reach the 345 days before the big departure! Emotional moment if ever there was one, because we realize that time flies and we still have so much to do! On the other hand, emotion is even stronger because we know that in 345 days, we will ship to a new life, new scenery, new discoveries, to new friends even, as you never know, we may encounter on the road? 345 days ...

We approach it with great serenity because we are prepared for what lies ahead. So where are we today? Equipment is almost set. We made lists of what we need, just have to pack. Regarding means of transport, we looked at the options available to us and until now, our choice goes to the Rialta, a good compromise between living space and cost. We'll talk about it in a future post. As for work on the road, there is a very interesting option looming on the horizon but I'll say no more! It may strike hard so we keep the surprise for later ... sorry!

We will use the 345 days we have left to complete small projects on a daily basis. And to take advantage of our last months in Quebec. The idea of setting a date drives us to act. What we also recommend to all those of you who wish to undertake a project. Set a date, it embodies the things, it also puts them in perspective, and sometimes when doubt or panic sets in, it allows you to prepare effectively. And it allows us to appreciate every moment of the process.

For a journey must be determined before, during and after. After ... that's another story. For some, it is tinged with apprehension, while for others, the after emerges as a second long journey. In our case, however, the «before» is more difficult. Why? The wait to leave! We turn around, we look at the hours and days pass and we‘re near a nervous breakdown! We read other blogs and saliva on the idea of being where they are!

Fortunately, we will finally have time to talk to you more often. And to read! Aside from the usual friends, we discovered other travelers like us, who share this passion for the world. You will have a list of our favorite bloggers. You know some and you may discover new ones. ... Since the beginning of this adventure that will take us where? - it is not clear yet-, we found one thing: the community of travelers is one who stands, who help each other, which is curious, friendly, cheerful, informed, cultured, lively, funny, passionate. When the project began, there were only two of us and now ... Your presence helps a lot.

Many thought we were two old fools! Old fools like us, there are many! You kind words, your comments give us the sacred fire, lead us to continue our journey, reassure and comfort us in our decision. We all live vicariously through the blogs of one and the other, knowing that one day it will be up to us to motivate someone, somewhere...

Welcome!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:55:00 +0000

For our english-speaking friends among the travel community, we decided to create an english version of our french blog Destination Terre. We hope that you'll find this one as interesting as the other!

Of course, you'll see many differences between the two. We like to experiment a little and what fun is it to create the exact same blog?! So that's why we decided to change the layout, the colors, ... The posts will be different too; we will talk about our big RTW project but sometimes with a different point of view. Again, let's be creative!

By the way, please be indulgent with us, our english is not quite perfect yet but we are working on it!

The other reason why we decided to create an english version on our blog is that, in less than a year, we'll be on the road for... ever! and we would love to share our stories with you guys in the US. So this blog was an obvious thing to do to be able to talk with you and interact with you.

Give us a few days to get things in order here and come back as often as you'll feel like it! You'll always be welcome here!

See you soon!