ABOUT US
Hey there!
I’m Courtney and my partner is Paul. We’re a Canadian-born couple who broke the conventional 9-5 mold, sold 95% of our stuff, and now we’re traveling full time in search of a new home.
I worked in childcare for over 20 years, and now I’m a full-time traveler. I will forever be a ‘big kid at heart’. Luckily, Paul knows a thing or two about computers. We believe in lifelong learning and I’m brand new to building a website, so bear with me while I learn as I go.
The idea behind this blog is to stay connected to friends, family, and our new friends that we meet along the way, whether it’s through our travel stories, our love of photography, or random tips about random things.
With distance and possibly an ocean dividing us, hopefully this will give everyone some insight into what we’re up to and maybe inspire others along the way.
Find out how our story began here…
Courtney & Paul
Fun Facts about Courtney
Favourite…
Food: Chocolate (+1,000,000…)
Animals: Turtles, horses, and elephants
Hobby: Playing hockey
Place: Anywhere in, on, or near water.
Experiences…
Best: Volunteering with sea turtles in Mexico
Worst: Food poisoning from Cuban street food
Most Awkward: Bee sting on my butt when ‘nature called’
Sketchy: Riding a rickety tuk tuk through the streets in Thailand
Life-changing: My first solo trip when I was 21.
Travel History
Longest backpacking trip: The West Coast Trail; BC, Canada
Longest time without sleep: More than 48 hours
Countries visited: 16 countries on 5 continents
Fun Facts about Paul
Favourite…
Foods: Home-made bread & peanut butter
Time of Day: ‘Coffee o’clock’
Hobby: Playing Chess
Place: The Mountains
Experiences…
Best: Snorkeling with whale sharks in Mexico
Worst: Nearly getting robbed in Chile
Most Awkward: Bottle-feeding a lamb at home for 8 weeks
Sketchy: Dodging farm animals and massive potholes on a motorcycle
Life-changing: Trip to Dingle Peninsula, Ireland
Travel History
Tallest mountain climbed: Mount Temple, 11,627ft; Alberta, Canada
Longest drive in 1 day: 2119 km from Toronto, ON to Melbourne, FL
Countries visited: 15 countries on 4 continents
Our Journey
Love blossomed after Date 3.
Booked our flight to Mexico
Our love of travel and instant connection trumped any normal, rational thinking.
Our winter getaway to Mexico was the perfect way to either build a closer bond or...drive each crazy.
Booked one-way tickets to Rome!
Turns out, the trip to Mexico was WAY better than we could've imagined.
Quit my job, sold 95% of our stuff, and moved out of our homes
It was a hectic time as we prepared to move away from Canada, but we survived
After a 30 day delay, we said our final goodbyes, and rode Paul's motorycle through the Canadian Rockies before leaving Canada.
After a wild motorcycle ride through Italy, Palazzolo Acreide was our first stop in Sicily to hunt for properties
Our search for a home continued in Castelbuono in the Madonie Mountains.
We found land in Castelbuono to build our new home in this magical place.
Our brief stint in North Macedonia was a unique look into mountain life in a small village
Canada/Albania
As a 40th birthday gift, Courtney returned to Canada while Paul fixed his broken motorcycle!
During our third visit to Castelbuono, we attended some festivals, and explored some new hikes and beaches.
South Africa
An epic 3 month road trip from the North to South: Safaris, stunning beaches, and amazing people!