It has been exactly two years since Kristin and I left California on a flight to Guatemala. It was the beginning of our world journey, the realization of a lifelong dream, and the start of our long life together.
Danny and Kristin in the evening of our first day in Guatemala. We went on a sunset hike around San Pedro with our wonderful host
Ann.
In our 730 days of traveling, we visited 30 countries on over 1000 rides on a bus, tram, trolley, subway, taxi, car, train, gondola, horse, bike, boat and plane. You can visit our page of
travel statistics,
travel itinerary, and
publications to learn more.
Backcountry skiing, overlooking the ocean near Tromso, Norway in May 2011.
A lot of people asked how can we afford such a trip. In total, we spent less than $35k. We were able to save up that money while I was making $30k/year working at UC Davis while Kristin was a student. We traveled cheaply because we skimped on comfort, we walked and took local buses, we camped a lot, we cooked all of our meals, we didn't drink alcohol or pay for expensive tours, and so on.
Most importantly, we were able to do this because of the incredible support of our friends and family. It would have been nearly impossible without you. We spent over 300 nights with friends and family, plus 50 nights with
couchsurfing hosts. These experiences deeply enriched our journey, increased the educational aspect, and strengthened bonds around the world. Others lent support through emails, sending packages, receiving our mail, visiting us, and sending positive thoughts our way.
Hiking in Yosemite, California - September 2011.
And what did we learn in two years? Well, that is the topic of another blog post. But I can tell you that I've learned how lucky I am to have Kristin. I have an ocean of gratitude for everything that she has taught me, all of her patience and support, and her constant love.
We're not done traveling in the sense that we're still homeless, unemployed, and moving around every few days. We're happy to spend this time visiting more friends and family, but also
looking for jobs. Right now we're on a farm in southern Oregon with our cousins Cindy and Drew. I'll keep you posted on our next steps, and hopefully catch up on past adventures.
