Sadly, the first leg of our adventure has come to an end. After three short months on the road, we have hung up our hiking boots and have changed into our work clothes.
Wait, what? Yes, we are back home again in Indiana.
Don't worry, this isn't the end of our travels, we are just taking an extended break to spend time with family and friends through the holidays. In addition, we are working as much as we can to earn that buck.
We know these few months home are going to fly by which will be very bittersweet. We missed our family and friends dearly while we were away, but having the same daily routine is not something we longed for.
The first three months were incredible. Here's a look at how far we traveled. Luna, our wonderful Astro van, took us over 15,000 miles.
...and the national parks we visited (Canadian parks not shown)
As you can tell, we still have SO much to see, to experience, to fall in love with. Although we try not to plan too much, round two of traveling will take us to the south west part of country.
Before we begin our second leg, we'll be looking for recommendations for AR, TX, NM, AZ, & UT. Recommendations from friends/locals are always better than what the guide books/research tells us.
We are so excited to get back on the road and are envious of our vanlife friends that are waking up to new scenery each day.
Travel is tremendously important, not just for us, but for everyone. It pushes you out of your comfort zone, building your confidence. You develop cultural sensitivity which helps you communicate and network with others. It can also give you and your mind the time to think. Traveling is a great way to allow your mind to put the world into perspective.
We encourage anyone thinking about taking a big trip or traveling for an extended time to DO IT! You will not regret it. You may say, "I need to make money," or "I can't just leave my job". Here's our only advice to you:
You can always make money, but you cannot always make memories.
Money spent traveling is the best money we've ever spent. Traveling out of the country, across the country, or on an expensive trip isn't necessary to experience new things and make life-long memories. As the old phrase says, "You only live once."
Traveling has always been a part of us and we are determined to travel as much and as long as we can for our entire lives. We know there is so much to see across the US and across the world. We are dedicated to traveling, broadening our horizons, and always chasin' that traveling dream.
Where do you dream of traveling to? What are you doing to make it happen? Only you can make your travel dreams come true!
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