About mid-way through 2023, Mark and I had just finished our second international trip together. Both trips were a dream come true but we couldn’t help but wish that they were longer than 2 weeks each. Both trips, we were running around trying to squeeze everything into a tight schedule so we could both be back home for work and whatnot. We also realized how close we would be to the other countries that we wanted to visit but just didn’t have the time for. And flying internationally multiple times a year just wasn’t doable, not to mention how much that would cost. So that’s when we started our plan; the lease on our apartment ended in January, so we thought, why not spend the rent money on a place in a different country? Well, that was that; we decided to set off in January to see (almost) everything we have had on our bucket list.

By July, we started planning, and at first, it didn’t seem that hard, but that was my first mistake; planning took months. I was even still planning after we started the trip. We began with a document listing all the main things we had to hit, which included some of the Seven Wonders of the World, and landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Stonehenge. Then, we read articles on the most beautiful places in the world and things to see before you die. After compiling our very long list, we added everything to a map so we could visualize how far and how long this trip would be. We started to eliminate things from the list that were super far out of the way and might not have seemed worth it, and we got the list down to what we were satisfied with.

When the list was complete and we had all the countries and cities within those countries written out, we went city by city, finding everything we wanted to see and do there.

From restaurants to museums, to temples and parks, we searched for the best things we could find for each place. This determined how long we wanted or needed to stay there to enjoy the place while also experiencing everything on our list. Then, we created a map for every country and found the best ways to travel between each city and from country to country. After that was done, we delved into the fun part-finding out where to stay in all of these places. We decided to base our budget on what Mark was already paying for rent back home, so that became our budget, and for the most part, the trip followed it closely. However, every country differs in terms of expenses, but we did a great job sticking to it. This really put the cost of the trip into perspective, and we ultimately applied the same rule for everything else. Whatever amount we spent at home on food for a week, we aimed to spend that or less wherever we went, and so forth. Of course, there are experiences in these countries that we wouldn’t typically do in the U.S., so we had to budget for those as well, but since this is a trip of a lifetime, we won’t be missing out on much of anything.

If you ever plan a trip like this, you will notice the major cost difference between Asia and Europe, which is where most of our trip will take place. Planning all the places in Asia was very easy because it is so cheap there, so when we were planning Europe, we allocated some of the money we saved from Asia to Europe because it is not as cheap over there, lol. We also made sure everything we booked had free cancellation just in case our plans changed or we found somewhere else we would rather stay.

The first two months of the year, we had already decided to spend in the states. In January, we stayed in Denver, Colorado, to visit with our friends, attend a festival, and so Mark could ski. Then we spent February in Hawaii since we had never been, and we definitely believed we needed a month there to enjoy it fully. At the beginning of March, we finally went international, and this is when the trip really started, I think. All of our plans were in motion, and we were going by our list that we had made six months prior. So far, the trip has only had a few hiccups, but I definitely think the months of non-stop planning is why it has gone so smoothly.

We are incredibly appreciative to experience this journey of a lifetime. The excitement we have is unmatched so as we explore these new places I want to share every moment with others. I hope I can convey the beauty we experience ourselves, on this website so everyone can enjoy the magic of this adventure!