Before travel entered our lives, we were stuck in a rut. We had been together for nearly a decade and even though we still loved each other, we were beginning to drift apart. Work had taken over our lives and our biggest excitement on the weekend was deciding what movie to see and where we were going to eat dinner.
When we did eat out, we were that couple you see staring off in silence eavesdropping on other people’s conversations because we didn’t have anything to say to each other. We didn’t have any hobbies and life was boring. I remember my parents asking me once what we did on our days off.
Table of Contents
Getting out of a Rut in Life
I didn’t have an answer for them because we didn’t do anything. We were going through the motions of life instead of living life. We spent too much time at work and too little time on ourselves and if something didn’t change, we would lose each other.
“Get out there and travel, it doesn’t have to be for a year or 6 months, all you need is a few weeks to try something new. It can inspire and enrich your life like you never thought possible. I know it has for us.”
How Travel Saved our Marriage
It was when I was at work asking people where I should go on my next vacation a colleague, Lana said, “you have to go to Thailand.”
At this point in our lives, we had never been anywhere, and Thailand wasn’t very appealing to us. We were thinking more along the lines of a beach in Mexico or a cruise to the Bahamas.
She pressed the subject though and brought in photos the next day to show me how beautiful it was and how we could stay on a beach hut for a few dollars a night. I was intrigued.
Off to Thailand
She told me that we had to go for at least a month and we had to try rock climbing in Raleigh.
We had to eat Green Curry Chicken on Khao San Road and I had to bring a journal to write about my day and draw pictures of the dramatic sunsets.
In a sense, Lana started my writing career.
To this day, I still don’t know how she talked us out of our two-week vacation to Mexico and sent us on a 5-week odyssey to Thailand, but she did and it was the best thing that ever happened to us.
In Thailand, we tried things that we never thought possible.
We went rock climbing in Raleigh just like she told us, we took hikes through the jungle, swam in waterfalls and tried sea kayaking through a mangrove forest.
We were introduced to a culture that at that point, we had only seen in the movies. We saw Monks walking in the streets and visited pagodas housing giant Buddhas. Exposed to New Cultures and Loving it!
Thailand was a Dream
We felt like we were reborn.
And even though it took some adjustment to learn to talk to one another again and be with each other every day for 35 days, we rediscovered the reason we fell in love in the first place.
We both loved to try new things and we realized that we had the same interests and enjoyed the same types of activities.
When we first met we had dreams and hopes and were active and vibrant people, but over the years we lost that energy and were stuck in a rut.
We were depressed and things were starting to fall apart. We didn’t inspire one another anymore.
Thailand changed all that.
It had awoken something in us both that had been dormant for years….Passion
When you are on the road, you can be someone else.
Travel gives you permission to do something crazy that you would never dream of doing at home, like white water rafting or jumping out of a plane.
When you come home you can take the parts of that person you became while traveling and put it into your every day life.
Taking our Adventures Home!
Adventures in Ontario – Home
When we returned home after that first trip to Thailand, we were inspired to keep the adventure going.
We signed up for rock climbing lessons and took up scuba diving and snowboarding.
Our lives were changing right before our eyes, it was becoming exciting again and best of all, we were doing it together.
Instead of going to the movies each weekend to escape our monotonous lives, we wrote our own story and went camping or mountain biking. Suddenly when we went to dinner, we had a lot to talk about.
Travel Can Transform You
You’ll be amazed at how many opportunities will fall into your lap when you travel.
By seeing the world and being exposed to new things, your life will open up to new opportunities.
With your, new found confidence and optimism people will want to be around you because you have a story to tell and something to say.
Travel will bring you success.
Ordinary people can live extraordinary lives. With every risk that you take in life, something extraordinary comes out of it.
We are living proof. If two regular people like us can live our dreams anyone can.
The reason we put up articles and videos showing us facing our fears is that we want everyone to know that we all have fears. We are all afraid of of change and facing life’s challenges.
But if you do face them head-on, life will reward you.
We want to give people the courage to follow through on their life’s dreams.
We have received so many emails and comments from people telling us that they talked their spouse into going on an adventure after seeing that we travel as a couple.
Or they saw an article talking about how terrified we were about doing something but we did it anyway and it inspired them to go out there and face their fears too.
That is the greatest reward for us.
Whenever we reach someone, we know we are doing our job and it motivates us to continue to share our story.
We feel that everyone has the right to live the best life possible and instead of following all the naysayers, we want to inspire everyone to live their dreams.
We were in a fog for so long and woke up just a few years ago.
So get out there and travel, it doesn’t have to be for a year or 6 months, all you need is a few weeks to try something new.
It can inspire and enrich your life like you never thought possible. I know it has for us.
Hi there
I was wondering if you guys have kids? It would be great to know that it’s possible to have this kind of lifestyle with kids.
Awwww- this made me emotional. Thanks so much for your open and honest words. I travel in a camper with my husband most of the year and it is NOT easy at times. But on the other hand, it’s definitely made us stronger as a couple. Life is definitely a journey, however you choose to spend it. Be safe both x
Thanks for sharing your story. Will definetely be sharing this post. My husband was a non-traveller before I met him and Thailand was our first overseas trip together for our honeymoon.
Loved reading this, honest and open but uplifting too.
Thanks for sharing your story! I find it very inspirational. My husband and I have created a plan to make travel, world exploration, and being cultural nomads our lifestyle. We have increased our exploring, both globally and locally, and developed a 4 year plan to be leave our jobs and be full time travelers. And you are so right that it has made us closer and given us something in common again. What a wonderful way to put spark back into a relationship.
Thanks for sharing your story. We have also started travelling more in recent years and only just discovered you on you tube. Looking forward to watching more of your adventures to motivate us.
What an incredible story! I’m very happy that you guys were able to break out of the 9 to 5 rut and really live life the way you wanted. I also identify with it a little bit because my girlfriend and I met traveling and in many ways our “dates” were travels.
I hope this isn’t an insensitive question, but about how old were you guys when you embarked on this journey?
Dave and Deb, I stumbled on your site as I was looking for a place in Paris for my mother, daughter and myself. Thank you so much for your frankness about your relationship and how you found each other, more about travel/traveling, and, I suspect, so many other things through your openness to grow and desire for something different. After being with my husband for 15 years, unfortunately, he didn’t want to start a new adventure with me and explore another 15+ years. However, as a result, the gift is that he gave me opportunity to re-connect with travel, which has been a passion for over 25 years. I am now on a 6-month European journey, which I’m 4-months into. Having a great time being solo (with some little family time here and there.) And, if I’m meant to be with someone, I will meet them while traveling and that will be part of “our” lives or we won’t be with one another. So thank you for your inspiration. Deborah
I’m impressed in your story Dave, You have a good competence how to make your honeymoon seem special for your couple. Its amazing 🙂
Thank You for sharing your amazing story. ? Julie
Travel is the area that I like and always travel in the free time.
Just found this article, and I must say it’s really inspiring! I have that same travel passion, so I can relate 🙂
Thanks for sharing your story. Will definetely be sharing this post. My husband was a non-traveller before I met him and Thailand was our first overseas trip together for our honeymoon. We didn’t just stay on the beach but were in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Seeing my husband enjoying himself, being adventurous (he rode a scooter in Phuket to the outskirts of the city), and just watching him really live in the moment and seeing travel like I do was very endearing. Travel really can bring any couple closer.
I really love your story, it doesn’t mean I’m Thai But I’m the one that want to travel around the world.
your story inspired me to go out 🙂
So glad we could inspire you to go out and see the world too!
Wow, great story, I hopefully you and your girlfriend have a long and happy relationship too!
It’s a romantic, wonderful story 🙂 i wish have a love story like you 🙂
Aw, thank you very much! We were lucky to be able to find a second chance in our relationship.
I just found your amazing blog via twitter! I have spent some time browsing through, and this one is my favorite so far. Specifically, because I can relate. My husband and I are living/teaching in South Korea. I 120% agree that travel and living abroad makes your marriage stronger. You relay on each other, inspire each other, and encourage each other. You fuel the passion. You fuel the desire in each other to seek more adventure, and to learn more about each culture. Thank you for all of your posts that I feel everyone can find something they relate to. You’ve got a new reader in me!
Thank you so much, that is very kind of you. I love hearing about other people who travel/live together. It is possible! Glad to hear that you have been thriving as well. Travel is definitely a test on the relationship, but if you can survive it, you have a good chance of surviving anything. I love the way you say fuel the passion, fuel the desire and seek more adventure. That is exactly how we feel too. Nice to meet you!
I just found your amazing blog via twitter! I have spent some time browsing through, and this one is my favorite so far. Specifically, because I can relate. My husband and I are living/teaching in South Korea. I 120% agree that travel and living abroad makes your marriage stronger. You relay on each other, inspire each other, and encourage each other. You fuel the passion. You fuel the desire in each other to seek more adventure, and to learn more about each culture. Thank you for all of your posts that I feel everyone can find something they relate to. You’ve got a new reader in me!
Inspiring stuff guys 🙂
Gives hope to the rest of us! Ha 🙂
Thanks Jeff, yes, there is always hope indeed.
Very inspiring. Thank’s for sharing!
Thank you:)
Thanks for sharing this. You have certainly lived an exciting life since you started traveling. I love seeing people who’ve made it together as a couple. It’s something that is missing in todays world. Where have all the long term relationships gone?
Thanks Teresa, I think that we have been very lucky to have met at a young age. We grew together and we’ve always communicated…even when things weren’t great. Today things seem to be tougher for people to meet each other. At least that is what we hear.
Very inspiring. I didn’t know this story
Thank you!
Way to go. It’s courageous to put it all out there. A lot of people don’t want to admit that life hasn’t all been rosy, but it’s nice to see that everyone struggles and overcomes.
Thanks Janice, we try to let people know that everyone has struggles in life. It’s easy to look from the outside and think that everything is perfect, but in reality life and relationships are always ongoing and you constantly have to work at it.
I love this post. So many people think that marriage isn’t work and give up. But if you can get through the hard times, you come out richer in the end. I’m glad that you found travel to put the excitement back in to your marriage. Congratulations.
You are so right. You have to constantly work at marriage. i think a lot of people think that once the work starts, you have to end the relationship. That’s where the fun begins. The honeymoon stage is one thing, everything is perfect in the beginning, but if you can get through the hurdles once the initial euphoria wears off, your relationship will be so much stronger.
Thank you, we are so lucky to have grown together over the years. Travel was a big part of us inspiring each other and keeping the relationship fresh.
Hey this is a really inspiring blog! I’m definitely envious of you two, travelling the world and really making the most of the time we have. I look forward to reading more about your adventures and hope one day I’m telling my own stories like this 🙂
Thank you! I hope that you have the opportunity to tell your own stories as well. If it is something you want to do, you should definitely pursue it.
It definitely helps to have a like minded partner while you are out there. Solo is not so bad but it is much better to be sharing adventures. Congratulations!
Thanks Jonathan. We do love sharing our adventures and we admire those who go solo too.
It definitely helps to have a like minded partner while you are out there. Solo is no so bad but much better to be sharing adventures. Congratulations!
Thank you. I believe that if you don’t have someone to travel with, Solo is amazing (Although we’ve never travelled solo because we’ve been together since we were 20!) Traveling with someone can be tough, so the right partner makes all the difference. We’re lucky that we are very compatible on the road, it could have easily gone in the other direction when we first started traveling. But instead, we found that travel brought out the best in us and our relationship.
I love this line – with every risk that you take in life, something extraordinary comes out of it! me and my wife are planning do the same i.e. travel more, try new adventures and develop a deeper bond. I guess it takes a great journey to get to really know your partner. Very inspiring to see a couple rekindle romance. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Leo, all the best to you and your wife. You are right, travel brings people together and you will hopefully come out of it with a stronger relationship as well. As long as you are willing to work through the hard times, it makes for a far more meaningful relationship. We could have easily gone on the way we were for years but eventually we probably would have went our separate ways. We feel that you have to keep working on a relationship forever.
Thank you for sharing your story. It really serves as a great reminder that you have to get out there and explore and find new adventures TOGETHER. Its like anything if you do the same thing over and over again, things are bound to go stale. I love this post:)
Thank you kelly. You are so right, life if meant to be a challenge. YOu have to keep challenging yourself and each other to keep things exciting.
A great post to inspire anyone, married or single, to move out of and beyond the rut they might find themselves in.
Thanks Nancie. We found that travel really re-ignited our relationship and it has kept us inspired and inseparable for over a decade. It’s the gift that keeps on giving:)
wow, great story. I’m happy for you. 🙂
Thank you Shey 🙂
Fantastic post you guys. I’m going to make my girlfriend read it today! Was great meeting you at TBEX. Stay in touch!
Thanks Matt, hopefully you and your girlfriend have a long and happy relationship too!
Such a beautiful story – I love it.
People always talk about travel in the context of ‘discovering the world’ and ‘discovering themselves’. It’s so nice to hear a tale about how travel helped you ‘discover each other’.
Thanks so much Turtle. You are right, I haven’t heard a lot of stories about reconnecting through travel. So many people make travel a solo voyage of self discovery. That is great and amazing too, but yes, it can also heal and help relationships.
I LOVE this. Seriously. Good for you two on taking Lana’s wonderful advice and getting yourselves out there. There’s so much of the world to see, and I think people can underestimate the effects that travel can have on you. It really does have the power to change your life for the better.
We were lucky Tom. We didn’t realize that it would change us so much, we were just lucky that we were open to trying something different. Who knows how life would have turned out had we simply gone to Mexico to sit on a beach. And you are right, until you have experienced that life changing moment, it’s impossible to describe just how profound travel can be to a person who hasn’t experienced it. Now that we are open to new experiences all the time, we have many of those Wow moments and “I Get it” moments and those moments where we just understand that there is more to life and the world than our precious little time here. It’s helped us to enjoy each day and never take each other for granted. (albeit, we’re not perfect and we still have off days and still complain but we are aware that we shouldn’t live that way and snap ourselves out of it ASAP) 🙂
Yes, we really do have Lana to thank. She had such a love for Thailand that it was contagious. I think she even inspired me unwittingly to start writing. I loved how excited she was over travel and I wanted others to feel that same excitement that we did too. So we started writing emails and updates home every week and kept travel notes in our journals. I always remembered how her energy rubbed off on us, so we worked hard to make our energy run off on others.
Really great story and something that rings true. Thanks for sharing and giving me some inspiration.
“Ordinary people can live extraordinary lives.” – I love this quote!
Hi Paul, I’m glad we could inspire! I remember some of the crew saying to us while we were filming our story in Thailand that they were inspired to go home and work harder on their relationship, that’s an amazing feeling to know that our little story can make a bit of a difference.
Having fun around the world.
Hi Noida, yes we are. That’s the plan, have as much fun as we can.
Thanks so much for sharing this story with us. It’s such an inspiring one! Expedia chose well, picking you two as one of their “Find Yours” focuses. 🙂 Keep doing what you’re doing!
Thank you Amanda, We felt very honoured that they chose our story. And we are so happy to tell it and hopefully inspire others to work on their relationships too.
AWW! You guys are just so cute. I know that travel has definitely saved Shaun and I. We had been childhood sweethearts for so long that we started falling into just going through the movements.
Your post made me smile. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks Erica, it is so wonderful to see other couples given a second chance to travel. It is easy to get too comfortable with one another and fall into a rut. Travel challenges a relationship and each other, keeping life fresh.
what a wonderful story and so inspiring!
Thanks so much, we appreciate you taking the time to hear our story:)
A wonderful post. Your personal example puts into words something I’ve felt, and tried to explain to others but have had trouble expressing completely.
Thanks Alex. I’m glad we could convey what you were already thinking.
This is so inspiring!
Thanks for the comment. We appreciate it and glad that you find it inspiring.
This is very inspiring! Thank you for sharing your story!
Cheers Heidi and thank you.
I whole-hardheartedly agree with you about travel changing your world and outlook on life. So glad it was able to fire up your marriage again. Thanks for sharing your story!
Thank you Sarah, travel can definitely fire up people’s lives single or couples, it only makes life more exciting for everyone.
Thank you so much for sharing! I feel like I’m in a rut right now, but I guess nothing is permanent. I can not imagine you two ever being boring! This was definitely my inspiration for the day!
Glad we could inspire Abby. I think we will always go through ups and downs and feel stuck in a rut again. Now, we have the strength and courage to do something drastic when it happens again. And I know you will too!
You are simply gorgeous. I am sure that after a journey like this one you reveal new dimensions of adventure; discover new, deeper layers of mutual feelings and feel reborn. If it is anything to go by the photos, I could just say that you were made for each other and you really have that figured out!
Thank you Tamara, what a wonderful comment. I love how you describe adventure – discovering new deeper layers of mutual feelings. That is exactly what happened. We came to the realization that we both love doing the same things and that we were both more exciting than we ever thought we could be.
What a wonderful post. You guys seem so great together, it’s hard to imagine you having nothing to talk about. So glad you guys discovered your passion TOGETHER!
Aw, thanks Laurel. Believe it or not, about a decade ago, we ran out of words. Now you can’t shut us up!
Such a great story, that video did make me cry! Where is Lana right now? I want to give her a hug! Kevin and I can also attest to travel helping to improve our communication and giving us adventures for which we are equally enthusiastic–so thanks for sharing your story! And it was really great to meet you both this weekend!
Hi Cassie, I have kept in touch with Lana over the years. She went on to be Stunt Coordinator for “Lost” so she was living in Hawaii for a few years. We exchanged emails last year and she is back in Canada now doing exciting and wonderful things herself:)
Hi Cassie, Lana went on to become a stunt woman. She was the stunt coordinator for the TV series Lost. Now she’s back in Toronto and when we are home next, we are definitely going to have a coffee with her. We’ve told her how she changed our life.
What a wonderful story! I hope this inspires other couples to get out there and travel because it really is such a life-changing experience. It’s great to be able to share those experiences with someone you care about too 🙂
We do too! That was a reason we decided to share our story. Everyone always tells us what a great couple we are and we wanted others to know that even the best most put together couples, have hard times too. It’s how they deal with them that makes the relationship stronger.
You are the true definition of a perfect couple. In this era where staying together can be so hard you have just showed that it can actually be done.
Thank you Brooke. We agree with you that in this era, so many people give up. We’re far from the perfect couple, but we really do communicate well. We have some passionate fights, but then again, we are passionate people so all emotions are very heightened:) It really can be done, I hope that we can inspire people to work a little harder at their relationships before giving up too soon.
Aw you two! Very inspiring through and through. Thanks for sharing this story (Pat even enjoyed reading it over my shoulder). 😀
Ha, thanks! It’s always good to hear when someone enjoys reading over the shoulder 🙂 Dave and I do that to each other all the time. I saw them show that on an episode of Modern Family recently, Cam was reading over Mitch’s shoulder while he read the paper. I think it’s such a couple’s thing to do.
I’m so happy to hear that travel has saved your relationship!
I think in the 9-5 work world, many relationships are destroyed through the monotony of day to day “wage slavery”.
You two should feel blessed that you had the means and opportunity to break free and rediscover each other.
Thanks again for the great post :^)
Thanks Jenna, you are right. I believe it is difficult to break out of the monotony of the working world and yes, we are very lucky that we had jobs that allowed us to travel and gave us the freedom to pursue our dreams. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
With the amount of adventure you have now, it’s hard to believe you guys were leading monotonous lives! We have to constantly question the status quo and remember that life is short… You are an inspiration to everyone!
Ha, great to hear that you think that. Yes, once upon a time, we worked too hard and watched a lot of TV. Adventure definitely changed our lives.
Great story, guys! Mary and I met after being in marriages that were similar to what you describe– lifeless and routine. Finding a partner you can share adventures with is truly the greatest gift I can imagine in this life, and neither of us will ever be the same. So great to read how you guys got started all those years ago…
Thanks Breat.You and Mary are definitely living an extraordinary life. Congratulations on searching for what you wanted and needed until you found it. I do believe that there is a time when you have to give up on working on a relationship that doesn’t fit but I do also think that a lot of people give up too easily as well. Seeing the way the two of you are working and traveling together, I can tell that your previous marriages weren’t meant to be. So glad you found each other.
Great to learn a little more about the back story… we have a somewhat similar story. Back in 2004 we were also “in a rut” and moving in opposite directions. Nicole accepted an exchange program in Penang, Malaysia and I followed her. It was our first trip to Asia, so it was a really big deal. Without getting into the details, that trip changed our life is so many ways. It opened our eyes to a world filled with adventure and has motivated us to live life every day.
Great story Cam Lucky you followed Nicole, imagine if you never took the chance. It is the risks in life that allow for huge pay offs and it’s clear that you made the right decision.
What a fantastic – and inspiring – post! It’s so easy to become complacent in life and relationships, and I agree that travel is a great way to break out of that. It certainly keeps the two of us close as we try to navigate everything. 🙂
Thanks Christy, It does indeed and you two have managed to live a very exciting life while in a relationship. All the travelling couples out there are a true inspiration. It is wonderful to see so many of us these days!
I think we can all agree that new travel adventures like this often change the way we think about life, as well as others around us. You two are the perfect example of this.
Loved the Expedia commercial too! I really hope it inspires others to get out there and push their own limits. 🙂
Thanks Matthew, travel really does change a person. we are not the same people we were a decade ago and we have travel to thank for that.
Hi Deb & Dave.. So true travel can change your life… my husband and I felt the same way.. we had been married 10 years and had desperately tried for children with no luck, so work became out focus… and we too were drifting apart. We thought, since we are unable to have kids, what are we working so hard for?.. We decided to kick our boring life in the pants, and went to Oktoberfest in Germany, followed by a trip through Austria & into Italy. We had never dreamed of being so adventurous, we were so out of our element.. and we had a fantastic time… our lives changed forever.. Our daughter is now 4 and we can’t wait to show her what is outside of the box! Cheers to all your travels – I love reading about them!
Hi Pam, What an incredible story. Isn’t that amazing how the story turned out. Once you stopped trying so hard, everything fell into place. Congratulations on your beautiful daughter and on your life of adventure. You are an inspiration to all! Can’t wait to see what life has in store for you next!
What a touching story. I had a similar experience, but without the relationship. I realised I hadn’t really had any hobbies since I’d left uni and life wasn’t particularly fulfilling. When I met people there weren’t many new things too say. When I decided to make my life more interesting – initially by training for my first marathon and then by planning a big adventure and starting my blog – life got one helluva lot more interesting!
You took the words out of my mouth. I remember thinking, I have nothing interesting to say. Congratulations on your marathong and I can’t wait to hear what your next adventure is! Let us know what your blog is too!
I would think that a long trip like that is the perfect way to both determine if the person is right for you or re-kindle what you once had. Great story.
You are right. I think if a couple can last together on a long trip, they are made for each other.
Thanks for sharing this story with us. I’m so glad for you guys that you found a way to reconnect and get your lives back on the right path. Travel is such an amazing thing, I really wish more people would just go for it and take a trip that they never thought they would go on. It’s different for everyone, but I think everyone can benefit in some way big or small from traveling.
Thanks Ali. You are so right, travel is different for everyone, just as life is different for everyone. It’s keeping things exciting and challenging that makes it so much fun.
What an inspirational post 🙂 Great stuff guys, awesome to hear how much of a difference travel has made to your lives!
Thanks Laurence, I think that we can all attest, travel certainly changes lives.
I 100% agree that traveling changes people – for example I’ve become more tolerant towards other people. While traveling one can truly focus on oneself (even when traveling as a couple) and then on others. Having the possibility of traveling gives us perspective, broadens our horizons and opens our hearts. I’m so glad to hear that your relationship became so much stronger because of this, and keep up on entertaining us with amazing stories and photos!
Beautifully said Joseph. I agree, if more people travelled in the world, there would be less hatred and wars. When you meet people from a different culture, you realize that we are all the same. We just want to live our lives, love our families and strive for happiness. Travel makes the world a smaller place. Thanks for sharing.
Great post and great advice, guys! Perhaps there would be less divorce if people took more chances and tried travelling together to ‘re-discover’ each other.
I agree with you Andrea, I think that everyone would be happier if they took more chances in life and stopped worrying about what society thinks they should do.
Well said. Everyone has to remember why they got married in the first place. I always say, you wouldn’t go to the troubles of getting married if you didnt’ love each other, so why are so many people so quick to divorce when things get tough? Taking a chance and mixing things up is a lot more fulfilling and less expensive than a quick divorce. More people should give it a try before they throw in the towel.
What a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to change your life and that travel has the power to transform how you see the world. Here’s to many more adventures for you both!
That is definitely what we wanted to convey. When we were in our twenties, we thought that it was too late to do anything, now that we are older, we realize that you have a new opportunity each day to change something that you don’t like about your life. It’s a beautiful thing.
Thank you rachel, and here’s to more adventures to you too.
Thanks for sharing Dave and Deb! We have a similar story and were ready for divorce in 2007. We hung on and moved to Italy and began traveling regularly, which literally changed our lives. Through travel we’ve learned patience and the art of compromise. And we also rediscovered each other. We push each other to do things the other might not ever do. Because of it, we celebrated 10 years of marriage earlier this year.
Wonderful story Jennifer. Meeting the two of you, it is hard to imagine that you were on the verge of divorce in 2007, but I understand how easy it is to get lost in the stresses of everyday life. It is having the courage to do something drastic like you did to bring each other closer together again. Congratulations on rediscovering your love and passion and living a fulfilled life today.
You guys are so cute. I love the video you made!
Thanks Christy! Cheers.
Looking at you as you are now, it’s really hard to imagine a bored (and probably boring LOL!) couple.
Hopefully, more and more people after reading your story will think “oh… at least we should try”. Travel therapy and eyes-opening might not work for everyone, but as long as one doesn’t try, he will never know.
That is a great point Simon. We say, that people should at least give something a try before they right it off as not for them. But if you don’t try, you will never know. Well said!
You guys. Love it. This is my fave line “Instead of going to the movies each weekend to escape our monotonous lives, we wrote our own story and went camping or mountain biking. Suddenly when we went to dinner, we had a lot to talk about.”
And getting out of your comfort zone, well, we could talk foreva…
xoxo
T
Thanks Trish. I love your Expedia Story too. Travel really can transform a life and you also prove that every day.
It’s amazing what travel can do to your life. It was the opposite effect on my marriage. It took going to SE Asia with my ex (our first real overseas trip) to realize I needed to be on my own. This might sound sad, but as my yoga teacher said the other day, everything changes.. Travel changed me and opened me up to possibilities I never conceived of. it set me free to live the life I deserve to live.
I was glad to know this and move on from a relationship that was doing neither of us good. Thank you for writing this post and reminding me, and I hope others read it to seek the truth of their lives! It’s out there and travel is a conduit to do that. 🙂
That is a great point Jeanie. Travel is all about finding what is right. Dave and I knew we were right for each other, we just realized that we lost something. You and your partner probably realized that deep down something was wrong and travel made you realize that too. I don’t try to pretend that travel will heal every broken relationsip, but I do think that it will help you sort out what you need in your life. When all the distractions of home are gone, you can truly feel what you need. I’ve met you many times and can see how happy and fulfilled you are and I bet your ex is feeling the same way. Congratulations on follwoing your dream.
What an inspiring post! I felt quite depressed in my late teens/ early 20’s and I know that my life/travels abroad were the reason I was able to find meaning again in my life.
That is awesome Samuel. A great adventure can definitely turn around depression. It’s almost impossible to not snap out of a funk when travelling. Even if the travel is stressful it is still very exciting.
Oh my gosh, I love you both so much. This post was absolutely beautiful. It is amazing how travel can WAKE YOU UP. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story and for being so inspiring to all of us.
Thank you D. Well said! Travel can wake you up. too many of us sleepwalk through life!
What a great read! We have a similar kind of story, I suppose, though we hadn’t been together a decade quite yet. But we look back now and it is a whole different world to us. This has been the best thing we have ever done and I loved reading your whole story here about how you two got started and made this great life! Here’s to ten more years! 🙂
Hi Jess, it never matters how long you’ve been together as long as you keep working at it. We see so many relationships fail after just a short time and we say to ourselves, if only they tried a little harder. They were great together! Congratulations on working on your relationship and making it wonderful. Agreed, here’s to another decade and more!
I can absolutely, positively relate to this post since I have been married for almost 15 years. Life & work tends to leave no time for building a better relationship.
And then we travel. Everything is left behind, life is excting and we remember why we fell in love in the first place. It’s the best therapy 🙂
Great post!
Beautifully said and I agree, travel is the best therapy.
I love this! My husband and I have been married almost a year, and we’ve spent the whole time traveling and living as expats. I think it’s the best way we could have started our marriage–we’ve been forced to live outside of our comfort zones and we’ve become really good at facing our fears. Traveling has set the whole stage for our marriage and our life, and I am so grateful!
Andrea, congratulations. I agree, I think it is the best way to start a marriage. You’ll have such a strong bond and foundation, you’ll be able to face anything in the future. Congratulations.
Loved this post and loved the Expedia video. I just want to hug you both! You’re an inspiration =)
Thanks Angie, big hug right back at you.
Loved this and the video for Expedia. So great that you guys shared your story this way and I hope it inspires more couples to reconnect through travel, too!
Thanks Kim, I hope that more couples start try to reconnect too. I hate the statistics lately on divorce. Marriage is beautiful and it can be so much fun! I hope more people give it a try:)
Wow, although I’d put together parts of your story from various posts I’d read I had no idea that you went from such an extreme. As someone else said, hard to imagine you guys like that, except……I know what it’s like when, basically, you’re too tired from working 9 to 5 to do anything much on the weekend! Being to sort of folk you are, of course, you must have given your very best to your jobs, which didn’t leave much energy at the end of the day.
I’m extremely glad, as a fan, that you found your paths. Your posts are always fascinating, but this one is special. Yep, I had a lump in my throat too. And you succeed beautifully in your aim to inspire, and you do it simply by doing it, not by sounding preachy about it.
You are so right Linda, We put a lot of effort into our jobs. Dave especially worked very hard and we barely saw one another. It was whenever we travelled that we reconnected and were reminded that we are really great together. Thank you so much for your kind words. I appreciate everything.
Congratulations on discovering your passion – I know I am still looking and it is difficult to find. I am looking forward to see what travel inspires me to do and excited to also be sharing it with a loved one, too.
Thanks Dave, it was the best feeling in our life to finally find our passion. Now that we found it, we never want to let it go
Love this, guys! We’re just gearing up to go travelling again, and getting caught up a bit in all of the hassles of planning, organizing and so on. So nice to have some inspiration! Thanks do much!
Glad we could help. I know how you feel, we even need to be reminded to this day to sit back and smell the roses. I think that is the challenge of life, you have to keep reminding yourself not to get too caught up in the little things and to keep the romance alive and to make sure that you dont’ take each other for granted. It’s so easy to fall back into a rut. Even when we’re travelling full time, we have to keep saying “stop, relax and enjoy”
I really enjoyed reading this and loved the video from Saturday night. Isn’t it amazing what one decision can do to transform one’s life? Good for y’all; keep up your amazing adventures. I was pleased to have met you both, although briefly, at TBEX. I found y’all to be engaging and fun. It was a pleasure.
Thank you Leah. I agree, one tiny decision can change a life I’m so glad that we made that choice. Who knows where we’d be today.
Wow. I kind of cry at a lot of things, so don’t get too weirded out, but this definitely made me tear up. It’s a beautiful love story, and absolutely inspiring. It’s exactly how I feel about travel, and why I have made it so central to my life. So happy for you guys.. thank you for sharing!
Thank you Susan. Don’t worry, I cry easily too. even a touching commercial can tear mea up.
This post is very inspiring! I hope to get married soon and travel together.:)
Yay! All the best to you and your soon to be husband. Let us know how the travels go!
Thanks for sharing your story. Will definetely be sharing this post. My husband was a non-traveller before I met him and Thailand was our first overseas trip together for our honeymoon. We didn’t just stay on the beach but were in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Seeing my husband enjoying himself, being adventurous (he rode a scooter in Phuket to the outskirts of the city), and just watching him really live in the moment and seeing travel like I do was very endearing. Travel really can bring any couple closer.
That is wonderful Desi. It’s amazing to hear how Thailand changed so many lives. It’s a magical place.
Love this quote “Ordinary people can live extraordinary lives.”
That’s exactly my belief, and why I’ve encouraged other travelers I’ve met since 2007 to begin a blog, especially if they are on a long term, RTW trip kind of adventure.
There are so many amazing stories out there, happening every day, to regular travelers. Hopefully we’ll continue to see more of them online, which I’m convinced will continue to encourage non-travelers to take risks and head abroad into the unknown.
I agree Dave. Everyone has the potential to live extraordinary lives and inspire others. I agree, that travel blogs have the potential to change people’s lives. They were one of the first things we looked to when searching for inspiration.
Whoa! If this isn’t the travel manifesto! This post is very inspiring, hopefully more people reading this will start traveling 😉
Thanks Angela, we hope that more people travel too. I can’t imagine our life without travel now.
I had no idea, incredible story though. I know it’s work to stay together but you guys are certainly showing it can be done.
Thanks Aygnelina. That is one of the reasons we decided to share. We want to show people that everyone goes through tough times. If you love someone, it’s worth putting the work into a relationship. And it’s definitely worth the pay off. 🙂
Dave and Deb! Incredible story, and genuine proof about the way travel teaches us, helps us to grow, and most importantly like you mentioned, helps us to pursue the life and passions that were intended for us. It’s been great to watch The PlanetD grow into one of the best couple and adventure travel blogs online. Though I’m not married yet, I hope to be in the future, and I hope to continue traveling, exploring and eating – just like what you guys are living out!
Thanks so much Mark. I hope that when you marry you too find someone to share your life with. When we started this blog, it was with couples in mind. We had so many friends at home that lived separate lives. They had different hobbies and even took separate vacations with the guys and girls. We want to inspire people to know that you can have a lot of fun with your spouse and since we’ve started traveling full time, we are running into more and more couples that have chosen to travel together and live their lives together. That makes us very happy.
This made me cry, “we rediscovered the reason we fell in love in the first place”. What an awesome couple!
Thanks so much. Dave makes me cry every time I hear him say that as well:)
This shed some tears, Dave & Deb. What a beautiful post. I could see the love you truly feel for each other when I met you at TBEX this weekend. You guys inspire me in more ways than one and dream that I can find a partner with whom I can share a nomadic life with as well.
Keep doing what you do — this blog and your stories are changing lives as well!
Hugs,
Maria Alexandra
Thank you so much. It was wonderful meeting you too! Your energy is contagious and we love it. I know that you will find someone that you can travel the world with, when you want something, you will get it.
That is too sweet! My husband can get a little too routine sometimes but nothing a little kick in the arse can’t fix 😉
You said it Tiffany. I think we all can get a little bit stuck in the routine and sometimes a good kick in the arse is exactly what we need!
You guys are one of the greatest couples I know (and I know a lot of great couples) so it’s hard to imagine you were in a rut! But now you’re not just a great couple, you are Canada’s Adventure Couple and there is certainly something to be said for that 🙂
Thanks Liz, it goes to show, anyone can be in a rut and with a little work and effort, they can get out of it too:)
You owe Lana a drink!
Your stories are inspiring. Hoping that by raising my kids immersed in travel, they’ll always have adventure in their lives.
I agree Corinne. What is so awesome is that we’ve talked to Lana since. She went on to be stunt co-ordinator for the TV series Lost in Hawaii and we lost touch. But she came back to Toronto a couple of years ago and sent us an email. We made sure to tell her how much she changed our lives and hopefully the next time we are home, we will be able to catch up with her in person.