Planning Our Epic World Trip: Mapping Out the Adventure of a Lifetime

As we started planning our exciting year ahead, we quickly realized that the first crucial step was to define our “design principles” (what a consultant thing to do…). As each of us holds unique expectations for our world trip, it is crucial for us, as a couple, to openly discuss and align on our desired experiences. Over the years, we have discovered our unique approach to travel (see our travel philosophy here). Our design principles for the world trip serve as additional guideposts, shaping our journey and aiding in significant decisions, such as selecting the countries we will visit. Moreover, as we embark on our travels, we firmly believe that these principles will act as compasses, guiding us back to our path should external influences impact our intended course. Without further ado, let us present to you our guidelines:

• Focus on “exotic” countries. First and foremost, we were driven by our appetite for excitement. We made a conscious decision to focus on countries that offer thrilling and off-the-beaten-path experiences. This meant that highly developed countries like Canada, the US, Australia, and New Zealand were intentionally excluded from our itinerary as these are also great secure destinations where we could easily travel once we have children.
• Explore South America. As a continent we have yet to explore, South America excites us with its diverse landscapes, vibrant cultures, and rich history. Colombia and Peru have been on Laura’s bucket list for a long time and now we finally would have enough time to give these destination the attention they deserve. And it was shocking for us to realize that Brazil itself is almost as big as whole Europe… This is why we decided to allocate a significant portion of our trip to this captivating region, allowing us to immerse ourselves in this for us new part of the world.
• Best value for money. In addition, we were mindful of our budgetary constraints. Understanding that our financial resources need to sustain us for a whole year, we aimed to prioritize countries where our money would stretch the furthest. We sought out “cheap” countries, where the cost of living is relatively lower, enabling us to make the most of our resources and extend our travels for as long as possible.
• Dive experiences. Of course, we wanted to incorporate our shared passion for diving into our travel plans. We had heard so many good stories about the Philippines and Mexico being exceptional destinations for underwater exploration. So, these countries are a must-visit on our itinerary, as we yearn to explore the depths of the ocean again and witness the awe-inspiring beauty of Cenotes.
• Comfort and relaxation. While we appreciate the backpacking culture, we are in our 30s now and realize we would not feel comfortable anymore with the minimalist experience of sleeping in crowded hostel rooms with ten other travelers. Therefore, we aim to strike a balance between adventure and comfort. Of course it means that our budget has to be slightly bigger to accommodate our preferences. But it was clear to us from the beginning that this year will be our year – a year of “ease and enjoyment” – and we set a higher target for ourselves for savings to not have the constant stress of having to look for cheapest accommodations and transport means and could maybe even have the chance for small luxuries along the journey. Surely we won’t be able to maintain the same lifestyle as in Germany (or when travelling so far) and would need to monitor our budget. But a contrast too hard would probably mean additional mental stress and this we want to avoid. Thus, this design principle ensures that our travel experience will be enhanced by a touch of relaxation and comfort.
• Less is more. It is not our goal to check off as many countries as possible. The last what we want is to feel stressed by our tight schedule and always feel rushed. Therefore, we knew, we will plan to visit rather few countries to have enough time for flexibility to discover off-the-beaten-track destinations and hidden gems.

These principles have served as a compass, guiding us through the vast array of options and ensuring that our world trip would be a reflection of our deepest travel aspirations.