Nathan Bransford - The Forums

I started dating Sarah (now my wife) nearly six years ago. On one of our first dates - at the Cowgirl Cafe in NYC - we talked about how we would love to travel around the world. Typically first date stuff I know, and as we were both fresh out of college, had little to no money and far too much to do at the time, we both knew it wasn't going to happen in short order. But the seed had been planted in our minds. We started by collecting our pocket change, taking $5 out of every bank withdrawl, and chipping in money when we sacrificed something else (for example walking home instead of taking a cab - $10 into the pot). We have also been clipping magazine articles, saving links, and writing down destination advice from our friends, family and acquintances. Now, a move to Vancouver Canada, a marraige, a cat, and five apartments later, we are getting ready to use those bit of advice and accumulated funds to hit the road on January 1, 2011. But here's the thing - and the reason I'm writing this post - this journey has already shaped our relationship and our lives, and we haven't even left yet. In a world prone to instant gratification and superficial attractions, sharing a long-term challenging goal has given Sarah and I a shared mission we both feel deeply passionate about. I'd like to share bits and pieces of this experience so perhaps you can follow the same route - maybe not towards a world trip but towards finding your own way to rise above the humdrum of daily life by committing to something ambitious and personally satisfying.

Both Sarah and I are writers. We have always done it in our own ways and for our own reasons and we didn't use to share our writing with each other very often. I suspect there was fear on both sides. Fear that the other would not enjoy our writing, fear that we wouldn't enjoy the others writing. Our writing time became a bit of cordoned-off, sacred personal space, not to be intruded on. But, in preparation for this trip, we have begun co-authoring a blog (http://travelthelongwayround.blogspot.com). We're writing about the planning of the trip, what the trip means to us, as well as the little trips we take before we depart for good. Writing together has been a bit of a revelation. Sarah's posts tend much more towards the emotional and evocative, while mine are much more factual and guidebook-y. Before I publish any of my posts, Sarah edits them and I edit hers. It's humbling, and has caused an arguement or two, but that's just part of the process. Overall, I'm learning about where her writing comes from and vice versa, a process I couldn't have imagined happening any other way.
We've also found that at heart, we are both travelers. And a traveler is not neccesarily the same person on the road as at home. Knowing that this massive trip is coming up has forced us to discuss what worries us about being on the road for a long time. And not just the difficulties of securing food and housing, but the deep-seated personal issues that come out when you are away from home for so long, tackling challenging, alien situations. I know I get flustered when there is no downtime, and Sarah has found out how much a stable home means to her. How do we accomodate this on the road? It's an on-going debate, but at a minimum we'll try not to pack everyday with activities and to have a base of operations we can call home for 3-4 days at a time. The point though, is that we have to talk about these things and as embarrassing as it can be, I'm glad Sarah knows I can get harried in big crowds and that I know she'll need to bring a stuffed animal with her to make any place feel like home.
The last thing I'd like to mention is that aiming for a long-term goal that both of us feel passionate about has shaped how we live our day-to-day lives. We try to keep this image in mind - an image of us exploring some far-off destination (in this case Sudeley Castle outside of London). It keeps some issues in perspective, like who left those dishes in the sink, and shapes how we make some larger decisions, such as should we buy a bigger TV or put the money into the trip fund? (It went into the trip fund). It's also helped us keep our jobs in perspective, as a means to an end as opposed to the end all and be all of our days. We have alot of ground to cover in the world, and keeping the adventure in view helps us keep from getting mired down.

I hope you are able to find a passion to pursue as we have and someone to share it with. It's been a pleasure for me to write this post and reflect on our many year process. I hope it brings you as much pleasure to read it. If you are interested in following along with the adventure, come check out our blog http://travelthelongwayround.blogspot.com. We'd love to hear from you.

Pictures! This was a fun break from writing-related content. Thanks for sharing and good luck on your travels!

I love travel and photos, and am so glad you posted a link to your awesome Blog. Your photos are fantastic!

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the post.

For a moment I Iost track and thought it was 2011 so when I visited your Blog I was like, "What? I thought they were leaving!"

Sounds really cool. Adventure traveling is NOT vacation although it can be at times. I'll read on to see where you guys plan on going. My wife and I have done our share of travel both on our own and together and yes, all decision making differences are magnified when you are stuck in a dark scary place and don't speak the language. We went to Peru last year for a couple months and realize in our "older" age we just want VACATION. A home and a baby on the way trounces that travel bug as well.

Here's a piece I wrote about my Backpack(I get all nostalgic after all we've been through)

http://thechinproject.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/packin/

Cheers

I thought this was a great post and your writing was wonderful, flow-y, just the way I like it. I defiantly felt as if you took me by the hand and showed me your adventure (showed, not told, but showed). I think you made a great point about how we all need adventure in our lives, and the fact that you’re deciding exactly what that adventure will be is more than a little inspiring.

Thanks Sophie! Glad you enjoyed the post. I especially appreciate the showing not telling comments as that's something I struggle with.

Your welcome :)