FAQs

The answers to some common questions

You’re Doing WHAT?!?!

Traveling around the world with our three kids, Theresa’s folks, and whoever else comes to join us along the way.

That’s Insane!

You’re probably right.

But we’ve been planning this in the abstract for ten years, with a budget and a savings account for seven, and pretty actively for a year.

What are you bringing with you?

Everyone has one backpack (Osprey with both wheels and backpack straps) and one day pack, appropriate to their size. Ben’s backpack weighed 42lbs when we started. Writing this 3 days in, some stuff is going overboard. Everyone has ~10 days worth of clothes (mixed and matched), two or three pairs of shoes a Kindle (with library card), a computer/tablet, a water bottle. Some of us brought stuffed animals. Between us we have playing cards, a med-kit, an in-sink washing thing, a chess/backgammon board.

How far in advance are you planning?

We have reservations for the first six weeks. Then we have a few anchor spots and dates (Sicily, Pulgia, Christmas, New Years, the Galapagos) booked also booked. We have a draft itinerary for the rest, but will have to play it by ear because we don’t know how the world will change and we don’t know how we’ll be feeling about the whole thing.

What did you do with your house/cars/stuff/lives?

We found an amazing relocating executive and his wife to rent the house. We sold the cars. Our tenants amazingly let us keep one bedroom as an “owners’ closet.” We put some other stuff in our friend Jon’s basement. We gave away eight pick-up trucks worth of stuff and took two loads to the dump.

We planned to totally quit our jobs, but a miracle offer came from the University of Louisville, so Ben is part-time and remote, while Theresa is totally unplugged. We’ll be back. Eventually.

I Have so many more questions

Respond to something as a comment. This website is kind of therapeutic, so we might respond. Or not.