Announcing Our Epic 2016 Travel Plans!

This month marks 3 years since Tristan and I returned from living and traveling abroad. It’s incredible how fast that time has gone by, it really hasn’t felt like it’s been that long! We regularly reminisce about our time teaching in Korea and backpacking through Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Aside from getting married last fall, that period of time has been the highlight of our lives. We challenged ourselves daily, experienced incredible cultures and sites, and grew as individuals and as a couple. So I guess it shouldn’t really come as a surprise when I say that we’ve been itching to get back on the road for an extended period of time for a while now.

Well, we finally decided to stop talking about ‘if’ and ‘when’ we’d go on another big adventure and have set a date for our next big trip. Because talking hypothetically never gets things accomplished…

So, where are we headed?!?

We are so, so, SO incredibly excited to share that we’re going on an EPIC road trip around the United States for 3-months next summer!

Maybe it’s in our DNA as Canadians, but Tristan and I love a great road trip. We’ve driven the Mae Hong Son Loop in Thailand, the eastern coast of Australia from Cairns to Sydney, and explored New Zealand’s South Island for 2-weeks in a campervan. We love being on the open road and having the freedom to transport ourselves from place to place.

We’re still in the initial planning stages, but our idea is to start in Toronto, drive south along the eastern states, travel west across the southern states, then up the west coast along the Pacific coast highway, and then back to Toronto across the northern bordering states. Essentially, we’ll be making a poorly-drawn rectangle of the USA.

The summer of 2016 sounds like a long way away (and in my mind it is! I just want to get on the road right now!) but a trip like this requires time to plan and time to save money. We’re looking to get some sponsorship for our road trip but we can’t rely on just that to make this trip happen.

Since March, we’ve both been contributing $500 each to a separate savings account. Ideally we’ll then have around $15,000 by the time we’re ready to get on the road next summer. I’ll admit, it hasn’t been easy to put $500 aside each month. I often look in the cracks of our couch for spare change, but I usually just find chip crumbs. Tristan has been working steadily as a teacher but I haven’t had consistent work for over a year now. I’ve been hustling each month to pick up various freelance gigs but I’m likely going to have to get a part-time job to make my contributions. It also means cutting down on spending in all areas of our lives. But you gotta do what you gotta do to make some things happen. And we want to make this road trip happen.

Start Investing For Your Dream Trip Now!

We often get told from readers how money usually holds them back from travelling. But that doesn’t have to be the case! If you were to put a set amount of money into an investment account every month for a few years, it would grow and then you’d be able to go on that trip you’ve been dreaming of! But you have to make the initially commitment. I have some friends who even ask their employer to deduct this amount of money from their paycheck and have it deposited directly into their investment account. This way they don’t see that money to begin with and adjust their spending habits accordingly.

So what are you waiting for? If you’re Canadian and need a little help, check out wealthsimple.com. They’re an online investment management company that offers simple and low-fee investment accounts. You’ll have access to a certified investment adviser who’ll help you invest and watch your money grow.

Just imagine a year, or two, or five from now. You’re soaking up the sounds, smells, and sights of that destination you’ve been dreaming of for years. For Tristan and I, it’ll be a good portion of the USA. Where will it be for you? Let us know in the comments below and share your dream destination on Twitter using the hashtag #10KTRIP. But be warned, you might get really itchy feet reading where everyone wants to go!

Have you traveled through the USA? Please let us know the cities, activities, and experiences we shouldn’t miss during our road trip in the comments below! We need help planning our next great adventure!

 This post was partly sponsored by Wealthsimple.