In June 2015, we decided we wanted to travel around the world. So we set out for an around the world trip, excited to share our love with one another and with the world. 

Where/How did you meet?

We met in an unconventional way…in Las Vegas. Scott was at a bachelor party and I was at a birthday party and hit it off! What happens in Vegas clearly doesn’t stay in Vegas.

First date?

We danced the night away at a Dave Matthews Concert at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL.

First trip away together?

The first year and a half of our relationship was spent in a long distance relationship, travelling between Chicago and Los Angeles to see one another. The first vacation we took together was to Playa Del Carmen in Mexico for New Years. We spent our days playing beach volleyball and our nights dancing at the downtown nightclubs.

Where inspired you to pack up and travel the world?

We had always talked about the idea of traveling the world, but it wasn’t until we listened to a Tim Ferriss and Rolf Potts podcast on “vagabonding” that we actually put action to the idea. We thought of the idea when we are old and grey, telling the story of our lives to our grandchildren, and we thought that if we don’t travel now, we’ll regret it for the rest of our lives. 20 years from now, would you rather say, “I almost travelled the world” or would you rather say, “I travelled the world?”

How do you decide where to go next?

Prior to leaving for our trip, we made an excel spreadsheet of dream destinations – one list for Scott, and one list for Collette. Luckily, most of our dream destinations lined up, but some differed. It’s rare for one of us to say “no” to a location because they all offer something special. In the beginning, we planned a great deal of our travels ahead of time, but after almost 10 months on the road, we now play a lot by ear, learning as we go. It’s important for us to make friends on the road and get people’s opinions on their favourite destinations. One of our favourite times on our around the world trip was when we made friends with an Australian couple in Bali and then visited them in Australia. We took a road trip from Sydney to their hometown of Southwest Rocks, a town on the east coast of Australia far away from the tourist traps.

For the full interview, featured on Hero & Leander, click here!