A little about you
I was born in Alsace, where I lived for most of my life, before moving to Franche-Comté 5 years ago to live with my boyfriend. In 2013, we went on an 8-month trip together across 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’re the happy parents of a little globetrotter! Since the beginning of my adventures, my travels, I’ve kept a blog, which allows me to share my discoveries, to keep a precious link with my family and, above all, to make wonderful encounters!
Why did you decide to become a globetrotter? How long have you been?
Travel is a family thing, and 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 to go hiking, and I followed them! Travelling must be something in my genes, maybe! 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 and 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’d 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?
The preparation is already part of the trip, it’s such an exciting part! Know that you’re leaving, prepare your bag or suitcase, do some research on the destination, but not too much to leave room for chance and surprise, and count 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 unsettling country. But what a revelation! People, no matter how complex, are authentic 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 tolerance, curiosity and wonder.
What are the biggest difficulties you’ve encountered?
Great difficulties, I thought a lot about it but nothing came to my mind! I had a few setbacks 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 has left its mark on me, except perhaps the pee room! Yes, as a girl what a pain! To remedy this, I’m going on a trip with a little accessory that allows me to pee standing up… sounds weird 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 from home, 17,000 km from the metropolis, we had to manage our daughter’s arrival alone. It was a great adventure that I don’t regret at all. It brought us much closer to dad and our loved ones too, because even when we were far away, they were there. Our organization had to resemble that of all future parents: set up a bedroom, provide enough clothes and equipment… We also sought to Limiting our ecological impact is not just a question of travel, but also of everyday life. We’ve opted for washable diapers, homemade wipes and wooden toys…
Do you manage to take time for yourself?
The killer question! lol Time is so precious, you realize that when your child arrives. Torn between the desire to spend all his time with him and the need to have a little freedom for himself and his couple! I also chose to breastfeed, so at first I didn’t have any time for myself at all. Now that my daughter is a little over two months old and breastfeeding is going well, I’m taking my time! We also take time out for family outings, and we’ll 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 environment, both natural and cultural, to continue to travel, to take in the sights, to see countries with the wonder of children, to meet the locals, to be respectful and to talk about their travels to inspire everyone to set off to 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/
