A little about you
I was born in Alsace, where I lived for most of my life, before moving 5 years ago to Franche-Comté to live with my boyfriend. In 2013, we went on an 8-month trip together through Asia and Oceania. Then in 2014, on our return, we decided to settle in New Caledonia. We’ve been there since January 2015, and since June we’ve been the happy parents of a little globetrotter! Since the start of my adventures, my travels, I’ve been keeping a blog, which allows me to share my discoveries, keep a precious link with my family and, above all, meet new people!
Why did you decide to become a globetrotter? How long have you been a globetrotter?
Travelling is a family thing, for as long as I can remember we’ve been going on vacation every year with my parents, if not twice a year. I moved around a lot with my grandparents too, they were members of the French federation of popular sports, which includes walking. So they traveled a lot for hiking, and I followed them! Travelling must be something in my genes perhaps! ah ah
On a more serious note, until 2013, I used to go on vacation a lot, for short periods, but after some professional setbacks, my boyfriend and I decided to leave everything behind to travel the world! What a wonderful idea! Since then we’ve been living in perfect harmony with our desires.
Which countries have you visited?
Since 2013, I’ve been lucky enough to have spent time in India, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Australia, Turkey, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Canada. Before that, I had already traveled to Morocco, Kenya, the USA and Tunisia, to name but a few, and a lot of Europe, where it’s so easy to get around! Soon, I’ll be off to discover Japan, a country where modernity meets tradition, and I can’t wait!
What is the typical preparation before each departure?
Preparing is already part of the trip, it’s such an exciting part! Knowing you’re going, packing your bag or suitcase, doing some research on the destination, but not too much to leave room for chance and surprise, and counting down the days until departure. I make sure I’m well equipped, especially if I’m going hiking or walking a lot, and I try to find good addresses and responsible activities. I pay particular attention to eco-tourism and responsible travel, so before each departure, I prepare myself as well as possible so as not to leave a major impact behind me.
If you had to settle in one country, what would it be?
I dream of living in India! I fell in love with this country, where I spent almost 3 months between 2013 and 2014. I never thought I’d feel so at home in such a complex and disturbing country. But what a revelation! The people, however complex, are genuine and so interesting. I don’t know if I could handle living there full-time or even working there, but I’d love to give it a try. Especially with our daughter, to give her a wonderful adventure and instill in her a sense of tolerance, curiosity and wonder.
What are the greatest difficulties you’ve encountered?
Great difficulties, I thought about it a lot, but nothing came to mind! I’ve encountered pitfalls like everyone else, missed trains, bad encounters, a swallowed credit card and no more money, shabby and overpriced hotels… but nothing too bad! Nothing insurmountable or that left a mark on me, except perhaps the pee rooms! Yes, as a girl, what a hassle! To remedy this, I’m going on a trip with a little accessory that allows me to pee standing up… it sounds strange but what a comfort! We’ve certainly been very lucky.
You recently became a mother. How did you organize yourself to deal with the arrival of your child?
Having become a mother far away from my family, 17,000 km from mainland France, we had to manage the arrival of our daughter on our own. A great adventure that I don’t regret at all, it brought us much closer to dad and our loved ones too, because even far away they were there. Our organization had to resemble that of all future parents: set up a bedroom, plan enough clothes and equipment… We also tried to limit our ecological impact, as it’s not just a question of travel but also of everyday life. So we opted for washable diapers, homemade wipes, wooden toys…
Do you manage to take time for yourself?
The killer question! lol Time is so precious, as we realize when our child arrives. I’m torn between wanting to spend all my time with him and needing a little freedom for myself and my partner! I also chose to breastfeed, so at first I didn’t have any time for myself at all. But now that my daughter is a little over two months old and breastfeeding is going well, I’m taking some time! We also take time to go out as a family, and will soon be going away for the weekend!
What advice would you give to other globetrotters?
Not to forget to have fun, not just to post photos on social networks, to respect their natural and cultural environment, to keep on traveling, to take in the sights, to see the countries with the wonder of children, to meet the locals, to be respectful and to talk about their travels to inspire everyone to go and meet others! I would also advise them to always be vigilant, to follow their intuition and to prepare their trip well beforehand (financially, insurance…).
The last word…
Two quotes I love:
“Every adventure begins with the word yes!
“When nothing is planned, everything is possible!”
You can follow his adventures on his blog: http://www.schuldisworld.com/
