Key Highlights of a Wonderful Family Trip Around the World

Our family of four travelled around the world for 444 days, from May 29, 2018 to August 17, 2019: 50 countries, 56 flights and 213 cities, with carry-on bags only. This first part of our three-part report covers the human side of the trip: the highlights, one special moment per country, the people we met, our favorite places, and what the journey changed for us.

The other two parts cover the organization (flights, visas, car rentals, accommodation, Travel Hacking) and the full costs, with plenty of figures to help you plan your own big trip.

This article is part 1 of the three-part report on our round-the-world trip:

• Part 1: Key highlights of a wonderful family trip around the world
• Part 2: Organizational summary of our round-the-world trip
• Part 3: Financial report on our family trip around the world

Our Family World Trip in Numbers

• 444 days of travel;
• 50 countries visited;
• 56 flights;
• 9 visas required;
• 33 rental cars;
• 181 places where we stayed;
• 213 cities visited, including 39 capitals, not counting the many villages and sites outside cities;
• 120 UNESCO World Heritage Sites;
• 50% expensive countries, 50% countries considered cheap;
• 95,000 km covered by plane;
• 57,000 km travelled on land, by car, on foot or by other means of transport;
• 152,000 camera shutter releases (an average of 342 per day);
• 91,240.84 CAD (68,555.74 USD) spent for our family of 4;
• Pro-rated over 365 days: 75,006.00 CAD (56,357.35 USD), or 18,751.00 CAD (14,088.96 USD) per person;
• 2 health problems: a broken wrist for Mateo and gastritis for Jessica (plus one or two bouts of diarrhea);
• 1 single setback: we had to stay 2 extra nights in Santorini because of strong winds.

Our expenses were tallied in Canadian dollars. US-dollar equivalents use the exchange rate of October 4, 2019: 1 USD = 1.3309 CAD.

We travelled exclusively with carry-on baggage and practised Travel Hacking, which let us stay regularly, and completely free of charge, in luxury hotels and relax in airport lounges.

We designed our itinerary to enjoy as many experiences as possible in the best possible climate while keeping time differences small. So strictly speaking, it wasn’t a “round-the-world” trip (even though I often call it one), but rather a return trip to the other side of the world with many stopovers.

444 Days of Wonder

We lived 444 days (14 and a half months) of discovery, pleasure and wonder.

City, sea, mountain, forest, desert: we walked through amazing landscapes, each as exceptional as the last.

Castles, palaces, cathedrals, temples, fortresses, mosques, ruins: we visited impressive places steeped in history.

Architecture, sculpture, painting, music: we appreciated art like never before.

Proboscis monkeys, orangutans, tarsiers, vultures, elephants, giant bats, snakes, koalas, camels: we saw countless animals in the wild.

Pizza, sushi, paella, fish & chips, tandoori chicken, falafel, pho, couscous, dim sum, goulash, pad thai: we ate wonderful food prepared by locals with local ingredients.

Crocodiles, scorpions, tarantulas, silkworms, crickets, ants and other flying or crawling insects: we also dared to eat some unusual creatures. Not for lack of choice, but because it’s part of the journey too!

From India to the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Fiji, we saw as much poverty as wealth, exotic cultures and traditions, chaos and highly organized societies.

Plane, car, camper, ferry, train, bus, subway, tram, taxi, Uber/Grab, tuk-tuk, scooter, bicycle, cable car, horse, donkey, and even helicopter (Vanuatu) and hot air balloon (Turkey): we used just about every means of transport imaginable.

Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Judaism, Sunni and Shia Islam, Hinduism, Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism, Confucianism, atheism, esotericism: we visited some of the most sacred places of each religion and watched how people live their faith.

Did We Reach Our Goals?

Before we left, we had several goals.

We needed to escape our daily routine and our comfort zone: we lived like nomads, each day different from the one before. It became our way of life.

We intended to detach ourselves from our material possessions: we travelled with only 4 suitcases of 8 kg each. But we came back full of memories, in our heads and in photos.

We wanted to enjoy our children as much as possible and build strong family ties: living together 24 hours a day for 444 days wasn’t always easy, but we overcame every difficulty together. Our relationships have never been so close, and we feel more ready than ever to face whatever the future holds.

We want to pass on the values of selflessness and humanity to Mateo and Luka, and equip them to succeed without being conformist, in a society where being different is often seen as a failure. We believe they grew far more during this year than they would have at school. They faced the world’s different realities and saw scenes they could never have seen in Quebec. We watched them grow and flourish: they became more thoughtful, mature and responsible. These boys make us proud.

That said, Mateo and Luka probably didn’t enjoy this adventure as much as Jessica and I did. At their age, we don’t think they realize yet how valuable this experience was, but we have no doubt they will as they get older, and that they’ll thank us for it. We see this trip as an investment in their lives. Only the future will tell if it pays off, but we believe it will!

Travel is one of our greatest passions. For years, we had taken one “big” family trip a year, lasting about a month on average. In a way, this trip satisfied our thirst for discovery by putting us 15 years ahead on our goal of exploring the world.

As Christians, we felt the need to let ourselves be guided by God. We took part in services with brothers and sisters in faith in about ten countries. We were very curious about all religions and beliefs, and our faith in God grew considerably stronger.

This experience allowed us to question ourselves and focus on what matters most to us. Tolerance, openness, positivity, empathy, sharing, caring and minimalism are values we will keep working on.

We wanted to come out of it collectively more human, intellectually enriched, emotionally transformed and spiritually better equipped. Today we can say: mission accomplished!

One Special Moment in Each of the 50 Countries

Here is one moment from each of the 50 countries that we will always remember:

• Standing in awe of the ice chunks on Diamond Beach in Iceland.
• Fulfilling Jessica’s childhood dream of seeing Buckingham Palace in London, England.
• Soaking up the festive atmosphere of Cardiff in Wales.
• Admiring the sea from the ramparts of Saint-Malo in France.
• Eating French fries on the main square of Antwerp in Belgium.
• Having an ice cream by the canals of Utrecht in the Netherlands.
• Walking along the Corniche in Luxembourg.
• Watching people swim in the crystal-clear water of the Rhine in Basel, Switzerland.
• Touring the beautiful castles of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Germany.
• Enjoying a panoramic view from the heights of Vaduz Castle in Liechtenstein.
• Taking a boat tour on Lake Hallstatt in Austria.
• Having the strange feeling of living in the communist era in Bratislava, Slovakia.
• Seeing Budapest’s parliament sparkle at night in Hungary.
• Falling for the beauty of Krakow’s main market square in Poland.
• Drinking the water of the thermal springs in the heart of Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic.
• Contemplating the interiors of Sofia’s Orthodox churches in Bulgaria.
• Flying in a hot air balloon over Cappadocia in Turkey.
• Marvelling at the Santorini caldera in Greece.
• Swimming in the warm Mediterranean at Ayia Napa, Cyprus.
• Walking among the impressive Roman ruins of Baalbek in Lebanon.
• Floating in the Dead Sea in Israel.
• Observing the religious fervor at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Palestine.
• Sleeping and eating Bedouin-style in Wadi Rum, Jordan.
• Going up to the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
• Watching torrential rain fall on the sand dunes in Oman.
• Witnessing the permanent, controlled chaos of Varanasi in India.
• Taking part in the lantern festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
• Spending a whole day on a boat on Inle Lake in Myanmar.
• Touring the temples of Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
• Tasting pho in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
• Crossing the tea plantations between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka.
• Watching El Nido’s extraordinary sunsets in the Philippines.
• Admiring Uluru change color in Australia.
• Stepping into the world of The Lord of the Rings at Hobbiton in New Zealand.
• Taking a helicopter tour over Port Vila, Vanuatu.
• Being greeted with a warm “Bula!” by everyone we passed in Nadi, Fiji.
• Savoring Kobe beef in Kobe, Japan.
• Touring the street food stalls of Taipei in Taiwan.
• Crossing Hong Kong Island on the historic tram.
• Living like millionaires in a sumptuous suite at the JW Marriott in Macau.
• Watching proboscis monkeys in Bako National Park, Malaysia.
• Walking through the rice fields of Munduk, on Bali, Indonesia.
• Tasting every variety of durian during durian season in Singapore.
• Strolling through the narrow blue alleys of Chefchaouen in Morocco.
• Riding the vaporetto on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.
• Touring Ljubljana, Slovenia, by tourist train.
• Admiring the waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia.
• Watching flamenco under the arches of the Plaza de España in Seville, Spain.
• Seeing 3 countries, 2 continents, a sea and an ocean from the top of the Rock of Gibraltar.
• Walking the walls of the Moorish Castle in Sintra, Portugal.

2026 update: The Government of Canada now advises against all travel to Myanmar (source) and to Lebanon (source). Check your own government’s advisory before planning a visit.

A few notes on this list:

• Hong Kong, Macau and Gibraltar are not officially countries, but non-sovereign territories.
• Israel and Palestine are two states recognized by the United Nations.
• I did not include the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a partially recognized state, as is Taiwan.
• Canada is not included in the list.

Reunions With Family and Friends

On this trip, we gave priority to people. It was a chance to reconnect with family and friends, and we planned our itinerary accordingly. I admit we probably wouldn’t have gone to Lebanon, Sri Lanka or Vanuatu otherwise, and it would have been a real loss: these countries are so beautiful! Here are the people we visited:

• Isis (England);
• Nicolas, Charlène and family (France);
• Ernest and Nicole (France);
• Edith and David (France);
• Pascal and Delphine (France);
• Almut (Germany);
• Itzia and Philipp (Germany);
• Mirella and the whole Aoun family (Lebanon);
• Vaibhav, Sangeeta and their extended family (India);
• Mai, Duc, family and grandparents (Vietnam);
• Mr and Mrs Ky (Thailand);
• Nipuna, Jayomi and family (Sri Lanka);
• Shailja, Bikram and family (Australia);
• Iris, Morsen and family (Vanuatu);
• Ing, Jason and family (Japan);
• Joeva (Japan);
• David (Taiwan);
• Aunt Martine (France);
• Mrs Houtmann (France);
• Mr and Mrs Seng (France);
• Maria and Manuel (Spain);
• Hector, Susana and family (Spain);
• Steven and Nadeen (Portugal);
• Rachel (France).

People dear to us also joined us along the way to share a slice of life and unforgettable memories:

• My parents and my sister Emilie with her boyfriend Johan (France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany);
• Karla, Guido and Stefan (Israel, Palestine and Jordan);
• Marilyne, Paul and family (Italy, Slovenia and Croatia).

Meeting Other Travelling Families

Among locals and travellers alike, there are always people open to sharing their inspiring stories, and new friendships were born. Our trip was also marked by meaningful encounters with 28 wonderful families who, like us, chose that year to take the plunge and travel around the world. We were lucky to meet them, some of them several times, in up to 4 different countries! Dear traveling families, you are among our highlights too! In chronological order:

• Lucie, Mathieu, Vagabond Family (India, Cambodia);
• Chloé, Mère-ados en cavale (Thailand);
• Clémence, Cédric, All In Family (Thailand);
• Delphine, Nicolas, 4 O Tour du monde (Thailand);
• Aurore and Nico (Thailand);
• Sylvain, Julie, Katpaksaks (Thailand);
• Amélie, Fred, Coqs Of the World (Thailand);
• Vanessa, Benoit (Thailand);
• Richard, Annie, Des allers simples (Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia);
• Maxime, Yan, 3cycle (Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore);
• Carlo and family (Thailand);
• Céline and Jérôme (Thailand);
• Céline, Arnaud, Les Marjoc, La Parenthèse Enchantée (Thailand);
• Gwladys, Arnaud, de Pornic autour du monde (Thailand);
• Séverine and Julien (Cambodia);
• Josiane, Nicolas, Les Pas Perdus autour du monde (Vietnam);
• Julie, Hugo, laviesurplay (Sri Lanka, Hong Kong);
• Stéphanie and Thomas (Philippines);
• Marine and Loïc (New Zealand);
• Leila, Nico, Par 4 chemins – Nos escapades autour du monde en famille (New Zealand);
• Céline, Raphael, Nous deux autour du monde (Japan and Indonesia);
• Céline, David, Une Vie Mille Aventures (Japan);
• Charles, Tonia, VNTC 360 Ouest (Indonesia);
• Émilie and Matthieu (Malaysia);
• Geneviève, David, Et si on partait (Indonesia);
• Léa, Patrick, Sparks and Bloom (Spain).

We also want to mention several surprising and wonderful encounters that don’t fit any category but gave us moments of happiness. It was a real pleasure to cross paths with you!

• Zainul, our super driver in India;
• Maxime and Laura (India);
• Rachel and Maxime (Cambodia);
• Nyein, our super driver in Myanmar;
• Gilles, Aventure de vie (Myanmar);
• Joy and Andrew (New Zealand);
• Anthony, the well-known French travel influencer French Adventurer (Greece);
• Drew Binsky, the well-known American travel vlogger we met in Sri Lanka, who put us on the world stage with a video about us!

Unfortunately, I can’t name the countless other locals and travellers we met along the way, but we think of you too! Whether you gave us several days or just a few minutes of your time, we are grateful.

Our Favorite Countries and Places

Since we got back, the question we hear most is “what’s your favorite country?” Here is the answer, along with many others, in the form of top 5 lists. The first 4 lists are personal; the others were agreed on by Jessica and me.

Poly’s Favorite Countries

1. Turkey, for the landscapes, history, culture, people, food… and hot air balloons!
2. Iceland, because it’s the most beautiful country in the world. Period.
3. Japan, for the change of scenery, the extraordinary culture, the excellent food, the way society is organized and the integrity of the people.
4. The Philippines, for the heavenly beaches, the kindness of the people, the tranquility and the sun.
5. Sri Lanka, for its green landscapes, tea estates, unique history and rich culture.

Jessica’s Favorite Countries

1. Iceland, because we were amazed wherever we looked.
2. England, for the “so British” culture, the way people behave and the beautiful English countryside.
3. Japan, for the cleanliness, the culture of respect, the extraordinary architecture and the best food.
4. Australia, for the beautiful nature, the quality of life, the laid-back people and the fresh air.
5. Turkey, for the diversity of its landscapes, the architecture, the climate, the good food and the people’s service.

Mateo’s Favorite Countries

1. Israel, because he loved floating in the Dead Sea.
2. Japan, because he loves sushi so much.
3. Cyprus, because he jumped off a 20-meter cliff into the sea.
4. Macau, because he’ll always remember the slides at the JW Marriott water park.
5. Fiji, because he saw flying fish on the surface of the lagoon.

Luka’s Favorite Countries

1. Malaysia, because of the beautiful skyscrapers and the shopping malls everywhere.
2. Japan, because it was so clean everywhere.
3. Vietnam, because he loved his grandmother-in-law’s cooking.
4. Morocco, because he loved the sandy desert.
5. Fiji, because the people are so kind.

The Most Beautiful Landscapes

1. Iceland, for its otherworldly landscapes everywhere: waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, fjords, mountains, icebergs, hot springs. Iceland scores 10/10, with a 90% amazement rate.
2. New Zealand, with a score of 3/10, still comes second. It looks like Iceland, only much more diluted.
3. Austria, for its lakes and mountains.
4. Turkey, for the diversity of its landscapes.
5. Sri Lanka, for its tea plantations as far as the eye can see and its magnificent beaches.

The Most Beautiful Beaches

1. Lio Beach, Malcapuya Beach, Nacpan Beach and more, Philippines. Philippine beaches could have filled our top 5 on their own: it was the “beach destination” of our journey.
2. Silent Beach, Tangalle, Sri Lanka.
3. Natadola Beach, Viti Levu, Fiji.
4. Prokopios Beach, Naxos, Greece.
5. Nissi Beach, Ayia Napa, Cyprus.

A Real Change of Scenery

1. India, for its cultural and religious diversity and its rich history.
2. Japan, for its unique and homogeneous culture. It’s the only country where we had trouble communicating.
3. Myanmar, because it feels like going back in time, away from Western influences.
4. Oman, for its extraordinary historical and traditional cultural heritage.
5. Turkey, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

The Best Big Cities

1. London: eclecticism, energy and free museums!
2. Tokyo: 9 days in the megalopolis of megalopolises were definitely not enough.
3. Singapore: wealth, cleanliness and food.
4. Hong Kong: the city of skyscrapers, a crossroads of Asia.
5. Kuala Lumpur: modernity, tranquility and quality of life.

The Best Small Towns

1. Salzburg, Austria, for its architecture, its magical atmosphere, and because it’s Mozart’s city.
2. Utrecht, Netherlands, for its youth, energy and infrastructure.
3. Krakow, Poland, for its beauty and tranquility.
4. Chefchaouen, Morocco, to get lost in its blue alleys.
5. Rovinj, Croatia, because we could spend days walking around.

Wonders Not to Be Missed

1. Walking along the Santorini caldera between Oia, Imerovigli and Fira, Greece.
2. Contemplating the temples of Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
3. Sleeping under the stars in Wadi Rum, Jordan.
4. Discovering the ruins of Baalbek, Lebanon.
5. Driving the Great Ocean Road, Australia.

The Most Memorable Events

1. A hot air balloon ride in Göreme, Cappadocia, Turkey.
2. The lantern festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
3. Visiting Japan during cherry blossom season.
4. Eating beef in Kobe, Japan.
5. Attending a service at Hillsong Church, Sydney, Australia.

The Oddest Experiences

1. The “giraffe women” of the Kayan people in Myanmar.
2. Naypyidaw, the ghost capital of Myanmar.
3. The Kama Sutra temples of Khajuraho, India.
4. The proboscis monkeys of Borneo, Malaysia.
5. The cows roaming freely all over India.

The Most Memorable Sunsets

1. Nacpan Beach, El Nido, Philippines.
2. Oia, Santorini, Greece.
3. Off the coast of Byblos, Lebanon.
4. On the beach in Haifa, Israel.
5. U Bein Bridge, Mandalay, Myanmar.

For Lovers of Ancient History

1. Baalbek, Lebanon: the most impressive Roman ruins in the world (in our opinion).
2. Jerusalem, Palestine: the most sacred place in the world.
3. Varanasi, India: on the banks of the Ganges, the most sacred place for Hindus.
4. Ephesus, Turkey: one of the most important Greek cities of Asia Minor.
5. Athens, Greece: one of the oldest cities in the world and the capital of ancient Greece.

Where We Want to Go Back

1. Japan, because even after 3 weeks, we feel like we’ve seen nothing.
2. Turkey, because we loved Istanbul and Cappadocia so much.
3. Austria, for its quality of life, art and nature.
4. Greece, to discover all the other islands.
5. Australia, to travel the whole country.

Where We Ate Best

1. Japan: sushi, ramen, Kobe beef.
2. France: pastries, cheeses, wines.
3. Vietnam: pho, banh xeo, nems.
4. Singapore: hawker centers and durian.
5. Lebanon: mezze, falafel, shish taouk, shawarma.

The Weirdest Food

1. Scorpions, tarantulas, silkworms, crickets and ants in Cambodia.
2. Balut, a fertilized duck egg with the embryo inside, in the Philippines.
3. Fugu sashimi, a poisonous fish, in Japan.
4. Century egg, aged for several months, in Myanmar.
5. Crocodile in the Philippines.

Where We Could Live and Work

In these places, we appreciated the quality of life, safety and services.

1. Gold Coast, Australia.
2. Vienna, Austria.
3. Utrecht, Netherlands.
4. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
5. Singapore.

Where We Could Retire 6 Months a Year

In these places, we liked the low cost of living, the tranquility and the kindness of the people.

1. The Greek islands.
2. Andalusia, Spain.
3. The Philippine islands.
4. The Fiji Islands.
5. Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The Kindest People

1. Fiji.
2. Japan.
3. The Philippines.
4. The Netherlands.
5. Croatia.

Places We Still Dream Of

1. Iran, for its history, its culture and the beauty of its landscapes.
2. Madagascar, for its plant and animal diversity.
3. Papua New Guinea, for its cultural diversity.
4. Syria, for its rich history.
5. South Korea, for its culture and cuisine.
6. Norway, for its landscapes.
7. Egypt, for its rich history.

In the Media

We made the front page of two Quebec newspapers: first Le Soleil, a daily with a large readership in the Quebec City area, then, after our return, Beauport Express, the weekly newspaper of our district.

Before we left, we were featured in an article on Tripili along with 12 other travelling families. During our trip, we met 5 of them!

Also before our departure, an article on Milesopedia, the French-language reference on credit card loyalty programs, described how we used credit cards to travel in luxury at low cost. If you live in Canada, I recommend joining the Milesopedia community, the most helpful French-speaking community I know on social media. You’ll find lots of tips to save on your next trips!

Finally, a word about Drew Binsky, who travels the world making video reports. By chance, we met this very popular traveller in Sri Lanka. When he learned we were on a family trip around the world, he decided to introduce us to the world with a lovely video about us. Thanks to him, we received a lot of encouragement from all over the world, made wonderful connections, and someone even recognized us spontaneously in Fiji.

Back Home: Returning to Everyday Life

After a long year of studying math and French on a tablet, on beaches, ferries, planes and in hotel rooms, to the sound of Mom and Dad’s desperate sighs, Mateo and Luka were happy to be back at school. Above all, they were happy to see their old classmates and make new friends! As expected, they adapted very well to a settled way of life.

For Jessica, the return was smooth too. She intended to keep doing what she does best: taking care of our family and our home. Two weeks after the start of the school year, as she was picking up the boys, the school daycare director offered her a part-time job as an educator, which she gladly accepted. So she gets to be near the boys at school, with an unexpected extra income on top. A new beginning!

As for me, two weeks after the end of the trip, I went back to my job as an IT consultant with the same company as before, CMI Group (part of Cofomo since 2023). I got back into the swing of things almost instantly; keeping my brain busy during the trip certainly helped.

What’s Next for the Wonderlusters?

Rest assured: we will not stop travelling!

With these 15 extra months of experience, I will keep sharing tips and tricks here on the blog. I will also keep sharing our future trips on the Wonderlusters Facebook page.

Luka, our youngest, is a visionary, and this trip has given him big ambitions. He’s already talking about his next world trip! His plan is to take Mom and his brother Mateo on a 3-year journey to see even more countries. He’ll let me come along, on one condition: only he and his mom get to decide everything. I can’t imagine why…

Either way, you have every reason to keep following the Wonderlusters!

A Big Thank You!

Finally, I would like to thank YOU. Yes, you who are reading this, who followed us on Facebook, on Instagram or on our blog. Thank you for being part of our great family adventure.

Among you are family, friends and acquaintances, close or distant, who followed us faithfully. But there are also many people we have never met and wouldn’t recognize in real life, who know us through our photos and encouraged our quest for wonder with likes, comments and private messages. Every one of your virtual gestures of encouragement, praise and gratitude touched us deeply.

And finally, to those who prayed for us from the beginning to the end of our journey: thank you, thank you, thank you! It is thanks to your prayers that He who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine protected, renewed and transformed us. To Him alone be the glory. Ephesians 3:20-21.

Through our posts, we also wanted to inspire you to go and see how life is elsewhere, so that you too can be amazed by nature and by people, their cultures, histories and religions.

Today, we are convinced that our journey has inspired many people.

So, on behalf of the Wonderlusters, thank you!

Is It Hard to Come Home? Conclusion of Part 1

I couldn’t finish this report without a little soul-searching.

As you can imagine, you’re no longer the same after a trip like this. I admit that before coming home, Jessica and I were afraid of sinking into sadness, monotony, boredom and nostalgia. So it’s no surprise that we’re very often asked: “So, is it hard to be back?” At that point, we usually have 4 options:

1. Pull off a spinning back kick to break the person’s neck and spare them any suffering;
2. Hug them tightly, crying hot tears, to make them uncomfortable and hope they disappear from our lives;
3. Play the hypocrite and say “it’s all good!”, then quickly change the subject, knowing our trip didn’t really interest them, absorbed as they may be by the cult of the ego and materialistic dogma;
4. Tell them the truth.

The truth is that we feel really good, because we have no good reason to complain.

We met people who, for lack of means, simply make do with food, shelter and clothing, yet lack nothing, and for whom a simple gesture means a lot. We saw crowds of people living under regimes corrupt to the bone who, through community, work and mutual support, live their lives with dignity. We saw crowds of people for whom sacrifice is an honor, and for whom giving matters more than receiving. So we make it our duty not to complain.

Beyond the satisfaction of having reached the goals we set ourselves, we came back with a new mindset, a transformed perspective and ten times the motivation. This journey totally revitalized us, and today we are content with our lives.

And if there is one essential thing we learned from this experience, it is that our happiness must not depend on where we live, our living conditions or our occupations, but on the attitude we choose to adopt in the face of life’s hardships.

To continue, I invite you to read part 2, the organizational summary of our world trip, where I share everything about our flights, visas, car rentals, accommodation, photos and Travel Hacking! The costs are detailed in part 3, the financial report.

All three parts of our report:

• Part 1: Key highlights of a wonderful family trip around the world
• Part 2: Organizational summary of our round-the-world trip
• Part 3: Financial report on our family trip around the world