What Makes us Travel
Today marks the beginning of something special in the online travel community. Meet Plan Go is taking place in 13 cities across the United States and Canada and we are lucky enough to be a part of the panel of speakers at the Toronto Event.
Meet Plan Go is about inspiring people to travel and live their dreams.
As we lead up to the event and work on our introduction speech we began to think about why exactly we chose a path of uncertainty.
What makes two people that had successful and glamorous (at least when looking in from the outside) careers throw it all away to travel the world?
Time for a little background on Dave and Deb
It was a time long ago in a suburb far away from the lives we live today.
Dave was a marketing major in College and I had aspirations of singing on Broadway.
We met at a bar…We had the same cowboy boots and it was love at first site.
We had never been overly conventional in our lives. When we graduated from college, it wasn’t long until we sold all our belongings (for the first time) and moved to the West Coast of Canada. Vancouver had beckoned. We packed a guitar and two suitcases and flew off to a new life without a job or a plan.
And we couldn’t be more excited!
It was here, in Vancouver that we fell into the film business. Things were booming in British Columbia at the time, The X Files, Jumanji and Rumble in the Bronx were shooting in town (just to name a few) and productions were desperate for people to work on their movies.
-
History was made.
Naturally, we both started working in movies. We were now a part of Hollywood. We were hobnobbing with the big boys. We went to wrap parties and we even saw Pulp Fiction with Robin Williams. He stood in line with us and everything (along with 5 or 6 other people from the movie) But we could never be friends.
We learned quickly that as exciting and glamorous as the life seemed to people on the outside, for the lowly production assistant and grip (our jobs at the time) it was just long hours, decent pay and very little prestige.
The only thing we had was bragging rights.
Deb working on Urban Legends
-
We lasted in BC for 3 years, and then our vagabond hearts led us back to Toronto. We could never stand still, even in the early days.
The change did us good. It wasn’t long until Dave worked his way up the ranks to become a Rigging Gaffer, (one of the heads of the lighting department) and I became a make-up artist – the cushiest job on set.
We worked long and hard and made very good money.
We had the dream life. We were a couple that genuinely loved each other, we had no kids, no mortgage and we were just starting to take off our in careers.
-
-
So we took a trip to Thailand in 2000.
It wasn’t an easy decision. We had just begun working steadily and we had just started to see the money come in. How can a person leave for over a month when their careers are just starting to take off? We should have been by the phone waiting for the offers to come in.
I repeat, we have never been conventional. It didn’t look like the best career move. I turned down a movie and Dave made himself unavailable for calls at a peak period in the Toronto film industry. We didn’t have a plan, it just seemed like it was the right time. If we didn’t go now, we might never go.
That was the trip that changed our lives.
Dave climbing for the 1st time
Five short weeks was all it took. Our hearts and minds were opened up to an entirely new way of living. We had heard that to truly change, a person needs 40 days. Many a pilgrimage is based on this theory. In 40 days great things can happen. It is long enough to rid you of your worldly ties and actually make an impact on the way that you think.
Our 40 Days had a huge impact on our lives.
When we came back from Thailand, it was like we had a renewed sense of energy about us. It was merely one day after we landed in Toronto that Dave received a phone call that changed the course of his career, he was offered a key position on Mariah Carey’s film Glitter. (don’t laugh, it was expected to be huge!) -he want on to work on over 30 films! Dave Bouskill IMDB.com and it was a week later that I was hired at a studio that I would end up working at for almost a decade.
Once we allowed ourselves to be open to new possibilities, life gave them to us. Every time we took a risk to live our dream of travel, we came home refreshed and ready for new opportunities. And new and better opportunities always presented themselves right after a long travel. We started to feel that if we didn’t go away, we would become stuck in a rut.
Seasoned Backpackers
When people stay in a routine, they don’t allow room in their lives for new and exciting possibilities. The more you are open to change, the more the universe rewards you. Even Swami Jee told us that.
We followed this routine for the next 7 years. Life was good for awhile, but then it became just that…routine.
I have never heard of anyone regretting going away, but I have always heard of people regretting not taking a chance.
In time, our jobs weren’t fulfilling anymore. They had become routine. We felt as if our wings had been clipped. I felt stuck behind my make-up brushes. I wanted to be like the actor spreading my wings, not the person standing in the background watching them soar. Dave was doing well as a Rigging Gaffer, but it was no longer a challenge. He wanted to call the shots and be more creative.
Writing and Photography filled those voids.
We felt guilty about our frustrations because for anyone living on the outside looking in, we had it made. We worked for a few months of the year and then we travelled for a few months in the winter. How could we not be satisfied? But we felt as if we were straddling two worlds and belonging in neither.
The more we travelled, the more we felt at home on the road. It was our home in Canada that started to feel foreign to us.
We knew we had to make a change.
It was time to step out from the shadows and live our dreams. We had always been artists. Dave was a drummer in a band when we met and I was singing in shows. Over the years, we stifled our creativity and dreams of greatness to make money with respectable jobs. We buried our ambitions and ignored them as best we could. After all, we had good jobs right?
Wrong.
We feel completely alive when travelling. We love the rush of witnessing a famous attraction that we have read about, we are pumped when we summit a mountain or finish a trek and we are awed when we witness an incredible act of nature or a stunning landscape. Our experiences around the world are sensational and we wished that everyone could share in them.
That is why we felt compelled to start the blog. When we started traveling, we didn’t blog about it. We didn’t even email our friends and families. We would phone home from and international phone booth every once in a while to let them know that we were O.K.
But back in the early days, we always said to each other “if only our families could witness what we are seeing right now”
And today, they can.
We have never made such little money. And yet, we have never been happier. We are finally living our purpose. And now, our families and closest friends are getting the chance to experience and witness what we are seeing. They are given a glimpse into our lives and they are free to choose if they want to go out and try a life of travel first hand.
If they don’t, that is fine. but at least we have been able to show a few people some snapshots and moments from around this fascinating planet we call earth.
Comments
22 Responses to What Makes us Travel
Leave a Reply
Posts
- The Colorful Windows of Suzdal, Russia on May 24, 2013 by Jonathan Irish - 1 Comment
- Sunrise Beauty in Barossa Valley on May 23, 2013 by debndave - 1 Comment
- Pinspiration for Inspiration on May 20, 2013 by debndave - 5 Comments
- Travel to Tonga on May 18, 2013 by debndave - 10 Comments
- Honesty, Fear and Triumph – Dear Reader on May 27, 2011 by debndave - 166 Comments
- Petra by Night in Photos on May 4, 2011 by debndave - 161 Comments
- How Travel Saved our Marriage and Transformed Our Lives on June 18, 2012 by debndave - 147 Comments
- So You Want to Be a Pro Blogger in The Travel Business on November 14, 2011 by debndave - 142 Comments
See Our Travel Photos!!!
As Seen On
Get Inspired!
Media and Appearances
Archives
Partner with Us
ThePlanetD is one of the top travel blogs on the Internet. We work with brands and tourism boards to help bridge the gap between the corporation and consumer. To find out how you can work with us, visit our Media/Advertise page.Write for Us
Travel Resources
Connect with Us
Log in -
Development by MWL Development -
Designed by Gabfire Themes
Google+
What a great story you guys! Thanks for sharing it. You’re an inspiration to follow your hearts and dreams and to not be afraid of the unknown! Thank you!
.-= Alison´s last blog ..Grand Manan Island- New Brunswick- Canada =-.
Thanks for sharing the story of how you ended up where you are today! Like you, we used to have jobs that everyone else thought were great and that we should stick with for the rest of our lives. But, they didn’t challenge us – that’s where travel and pursuing more creative outlets came in. Isn’t it amazing how a simple trip to Thailand can change one’s perspective completely??
Have a great time at Meet, Plan, Go! tonight!
.-= Audrey´s last blog ..Panorama of the Week- Berlin- Where German Wine Meets Contemporary Art =-.
Pingback: Fresh From Twitter
I love hearing about what people did before they started traveling because everyone has a different story. But in the end if you’re not feeling fulfilled with where you are it’s important to have the courage to go for your dreams (as cheesy as that sounds). Glad you took that chance, one trip is usually all it really takes.
.-= Alouise´s last blog ..Behind The Trip- Seattle =-.
Beautiful! We can relate!
Funny, I also just wrote a post about why we travel and why we love it. The last five years of non-stop travel as a family has been the happiest of my life and feels so magical most of the time.
Thanks for sharing your story and enjoy yourself at meet plan and go.
.-= soultravelers3´s last blog ..8 Reasons For a Family World Trip =-.
By the way, I was an actress for 20 years and made a few in Vancouver.
Makes me wonder if we ever met & how interesting that creative types tend to love to travel. We just met an actress friend ( from Toronto but I know her from SF) in Barcelona and will meet some LA acting friends in France next summer. Hubs was a creative director before our open ended tour, and we too love the creative aspects of travel and travel blogging ( writing, photography, Youtube viral videos).
I’m not surprised that you two have “never been overly conventional in our lives”. I bet that is quite common for most long term travelers and digital nomads. The “think differently” dreamer mentality, eh?
.-= soultravelers3´s last blog ..8 Reasons For a Family World Trip =-.
Hey there! Great story! I look forward to meeting you both at Meet Plan Go tonight!
Melanie
.-= Melanie´s last blog ..Sep 9- Things to do in Paris for Romance – Some great romantic vacation ideas to add to your Paris France Travel Guide =-.
What an awesome life you 2 have lived this far! Keep on with the beautiful adventures!!!
.-= Andi´s last blog ..Guest Post- My Favorite Photo China =-.
Wow – what a beautiful story! I think it’s as interesting as many of the movies I’ve seen…and it sounds like you two are a match made in heaven – I’m sure you’ll have many, many happy years together, traveling the globe and finding adventure in your lives.
BIG HUGS to you both!
.-= Trisha Miller´s last blog ..Travel Writing- Syndication With a Twist =-.
Fabulous story! And I love the picture of the two of you in front of the Eiffel Tower.
.-= JoAnna´s last blog ..Visiting Hubbell Trading Post =-.
It was so great to hear how it all began for you guys. Especially loved that you had the same cowboy boots. My boy and I had the same favourite H.P. Lovecraft story (one of the lesser known ones) so I knew it was love
You guys really are an inspiration. To go out there and do what makes you happy even though it doesn’t pay as well. I hope I have the guts to do that.
What a great story! I have been following you guys for a really long time but it’s nice to read about your ‘Why’.
.-= Amy @ The Q Family´s last blog ..Atlanta With Kids- Geckos at Fernbank Museum =-.
Thanks guys. I really enjoyed your post on what makes you two travel. I can really relate to your comments that you really “Feel alive” when you are travelling. I used to do alot of travelling, not so much now so living vicariously through other people’s travel stories & my happy memories ! Good to see you living your purpose & enjoying it !
Awesome story. I’m glad I’m not the only one that doesn’t quite fit into the normal way of doing things. Your post is just what I needed because as of Friday morning I am on an indefinite North American road trip. I feel better knowing people can take the chances and still be great.
All the best,
Wayne
http://www.wayneontheroad.com
You should sell the rights of this story to some Holywood producer and make money to allow you to continue to follow your dream. Hinestly, this is the kind of life stories you see in the movies!
.-= Merav | AllWays Car Rental NZ´s last blog ..10 Free Things to See and Do in Christchurch =-.
Awww. What a wonderful post. Might have just had a little cry
And here I thought you just travelled because it was A HECK OF A LOT OF FUN. 
It’s because we both travel that we know each other. And for that alone, I’m very thankful.
Thanks for sharing your story – you’ve both lived pretty exciting lives, it’s great that you share the same passion for travel.
And I love the Eiffel Tower photo!
.-= Matt´s last blog ..New Zealand’s Top 5 Backpacking Destinations =-.
Nice post! I believe memories are what makes this life special, not money or high-flying careers. Thank you for sharing your memories with the rest of us
.-= Sunee´s last blog ..Travellers x2- Whale Watching Weekend =-.
wow great pics……..
I would like to thank the author for his marvelous efforts.
Great fun reading your blog. Thanks for taking time to write it.I like to admire the way you explain the topic.
.-= PILGRIMAGE TOUR PACKAGE´s last blog ..Jai Mata Di =-.
Thank you for sharing it is always great to hear about other peoples decisions, reasons for travelling and the choices/sacrifices they have made to follow their personal dream.
I hear what you are saying about never had so little money, I finished two highly paid careers both in the services as a well qualified and carrying a decent rank, refusing a commission and then running a large public house.
I did not market or push my own particular ‘blog’ it was just out there, a journal for friends and family, I lived off my savings, sales of photographs and a rare article sale for over two years.
Travelling like so many is a way of life for me, I cannot imagine living any other way. Right now I am house sitting and it is driving me up the wall!
I enjoyed reading this, an inspiring piece and yet more confirmation that there are so many great people within our travel blogging community
Thanks Iain. I am going to have to go over and reread this myself for my own inspiration at the moment:) Every time we have been on the road for a long time we start to feel travel fatigue; I am going through that right now, but I know that I wouldn’t want any other lifestyle.
Pingback: Confessions of a Travel Addict: Dave & Deb | The Expert Vagabond