Dani and I met while traveling—both of us had booked an incredible 56-day overland camping tour through Oasis Overland. We traveled over 10,000 miles (15,000 kilometers) across Africa, passing through eight countries, camping under the stars, and spotting wildlife on countless safaris. It was the kind of trip that changes you, and in ways we didn’t realize at the time, it set the course for our future.
We were both on separate career-break, around-the-world trips (with other people—a story for another time), living as full-time travelers. For me, it was also part-time travel blogging.
Spending nearly 24/7 together for two months, our entire group formed a close bond. Of course, some friendships were stronger than others, but sharing such an intense, life-changing experience meant we all left with connections that felt deeper than ordinary friendships.
But for Dani and me, it was different.
As the trip went on, we found ourselves gravitating toward each other. We’d seek out more time together, and most nights, we’d be the last two still awake by the campfire—talking, laughing, drinking boxed wine, not quite ready to say goodnight.
It wasn’t until the last day of the trip that we finally admitted what we both already knew: there was something more between us. But with separate flights booked and lives waiting for us on different continents, we assumed that was the end of it.
We made no plans to stay in touch. Separately, and secretly, we felt devestated.
But slowly, we found excuses. A shared photo here, a question about the trip there. The conversations got longer, the check-ins more frequent. Eventually, we weren’t just talking about the trip—we were talking about life, about what was next.
When we both moved back home—me to Minneapolis, Dani to Sydney—we were both single again. And this time, we didn’t just talk. I flew to Sydney. Dani visited Minneapolis. Then, for New Year’s, we met halfway in Hawaii.
By then, we already knew.
I always joke that Dani technically offered to move to Minneapolis first (which she did), but my decision to move to Sydney was an easy one. The weather, the lifestyle, the promise of more adventures—I was ready.
After I moved in 2015, we started our next chapter together. We spent the first few years exploring Australia, visiting wine regions, camping up and down the East Coast in our camper van, and taking off on weekend adventures whenever we could. I proposed in a tent after a day of hiking, and she said yes! We got married in 2018 with lovely family ceremonies in both of our home countries.
Then, in 2019, we started our biggest adventure yet—becoming parents. Remi was born that year, and right from the start, she traveled alongside us. Trips back to the U.S., camping, hiking, weekend getaways—she was our new companion in the journey.
A few years later, a new role at Dani’s company took us to Louisville, Kentucky, and eventually to where we are now in Atlanta. In 2023, we welcomed our second baby, Arlo, into the world. Through every move and every stage of life, one thing hasn’t changed: we’ve continued to travel, near and far, with our kids in tow (with the exception of COVID lockdowns, of course).
And now, ten years after that first adventure, we’re still chasing new experiences—this time as a family of four. What started as two solo travelers crossing paths on an overland truck in Africa has turned into a life of love, adventure, and a whole lot of flexibility.
Travel shaped the way we found each other, the way we built our relationship, and the way we’re raising our kids. It taught us how to embrace uncertainty, how to find home wherever we are, and how to live boldly—even when life looks different than we imagined.
This blog is my way of capturing it all—the places we’ve been, the lessons we’ve learned, and the adventures still ahead. If you’re curious about our early days of full-time travel, how we make travel work as a family, or our favorite trips with little ones, I’m excited to share it all with you.