Do you ever feel like throwing away all responsibility and hitting the road? Really indulging in your inner Hunter S. Thompson or Kerouac, maybe without all the drugs?
Well a couple of Newfoundlanders did just that- in a less beatnik-smoky kind of way.
They decided it was time to live their lives. They sold their house, left their jobs and jumped on a plane.
Steven and Jessica Trickett both grew up in Newfoundland, attended Mun and graduated the same year but their paths never crossed while pitched on the island. They went to Western Canada to find careers and they met in Calgary.
After heading to Australia for their honeymoon last year, they returned home and decided to pack it up and travel the world.
“Before we left on this trip, we both had secure jobs for great companies. I am an accountant and was working in internal audit. Steven worked for an international consulting firm,” wrote Jessica in an e-mail to Tint of Ink. “We had always thought in the back of our minds that it would be a dream to travel around the world. We felt so rejuvenated and alive after spending that one-month touring around Australia. We didn’t miss home and we didn’t mind living from backpacks.”
Two months shy of their return to the freezing cold, the couple took the plunge and started their travels.
“That day was in March 2014 and it’s a day we’ll never forget. We haven’t looked back yet,” said Jessica. “Preparing for this trip in such a short amount of time brought some overwhelming moments, getting our house ready to sell, packing up our things, arrangements with work, but it was all worth it and we never let this discourage us.”
Both Steven and Jessica do not expect everyone to leave their jobs and sell their house, then live from country to country but they do encourage others to live their dream and seize the day. If you have the ability to live life to the fullest, you should grab it.
“Do it. No, seriously, if something is important to you, you can always find a way to make it happen. Don’t wait until it’s too late and don’t worry what other people think. We had fallen into the trap of feeling like we had to do what everyone else was doing. We had good jobs, a nice house, and new car. We were living the dream, as far as everyone else was concerned. But whose dream? It wasn’t ours,” said the world travelers.
Jessica said if anyone is interested in traveling the world, they should never let career aspirations or children hold them back.
“We don’t have children, so we can’t speak from experience of course, but we’ve met so many traveling families on the road who are doing exactly what we are doing. They might travel a little slower, but the experiences they are providing their children are priceless,” she said.
Jessica recognizes that something like traveling around the world is not financially easy but if you are truly passionate about travel, certain sacrifices can be made.
They sold their house, put their stuff in storage, discussed their jobs with their bosses, gave up their daily take out and have been wearing the same five shirts for the last six months.
Their adventure has taken them to so many exotic places- starting with a month in Newfoundland to visit friends and family. The couple hit up Dublin and spent just over two months in Europe. They flew to Nairobi, Kenya and did a 20-day camping trip through East Africa, finishing it off with a week in Cape Town. From there they went to Bangkok, Thailand and have been touring around South East Asia since November and they are currently touring Vietnam north to south.
“Overall, our time in Africa is the highlight for me. I also loved Slovenia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, but each place we’ve gone has something that I loved,” said the accountant. “For Steven, things involving adventure are up there for him, Shark Cage Diving in South Africa, as well as swimming in the Devil’s pool at Victoria Falls in Zambia. But there’s still time as Bali, Australia and Hawaii have a lot to offer.”
They haven’t just caught the sites or hit up a tour guide, the two of them are taking each destination for all it’s worth, swimming at the top of the world’s largest waterfalls and zip lining through the jungles of Northern Thailand are just a few of the many adventures they find themselves in.
Both had not traveled abroad very much before their honeymoon but they have always been adventurous and spontaneous. Throughout the trip they decided to not put any expectations on anywhere or anything, which allows for a lot of surprises along the way.
One of the most memorable places they seen was a place called Bled in Slovenia.
“This town is the definition of a hidden gem. Still relatively free from tourists, the place is immaculate with its pristine lake that is home to a church and café only. We spent three unforgettable days there and cannot wait to visit again, only next time we are going in the winter,” said Jessica.
Sarajevo in Bosnia & Herzegovina made a mark on their hearts and while having dinner with an older gentleman in Croatia, they will never forget managing to have a conversation, even though neither of them spoke the same language.
Don’t forget to follow along with Steven and Jessica on their blog, Facebook and Twitter.
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