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It’s that time of the year we look back and add a few more lines to the ‘lessons learned’ page. Remember, anything you dream can become reality. It’s up to you to make it happen.

With no further introductions, here’s how we took a sabbatical in 2018. And if we could, you can too.

The “Why”

After more than 10 years focusing on our careers, we felt the need for a major change.

Everything was the same: the long commute to the office, going out with friends after work, shopping on weekends. We watched documentaries with places I had never heard of. Our biggest dream was to reach Machu Picchu someday, but after checking the travel agencies’ price for 2 weeks in Peru, we thought we won’t get there soon.

Time passed. The dream was still there. Until one evening, when i said “Why can’t we just cross South America on our own? Others can.” Something just clicked.

How

The idea slowly turned into a plan, as every evening I was reading travel blogs, documenting, comparing airplane ticket prices, writing down on paper the first itinerary draft and budget calculations for South America. We became aware of how much money goes on everything in our lives we don’t really need, so we cut the unnecessary expenses off.

What about the jobs, you would ask. Well, even if no one thought it was feasible, the company where we work agreed on a 3-months leave (2 months unpaid leave + regular days off).

The excitement reached its peak in January 2018 when, after more than half a year of preparations, we realized that … we are really leaving. 🙂

Here are the highlights of our 2018. Hopefully, you will find a place or two to add on your travel list for the future.

Portugal: chillin’ at the end of Europe, at Cabo da Roca. Best way to say goodbye to Europe for a while.

Brazil : walked among 275 waterfalls in the tropical rainforest at Iguazu

Argentina : faced the Patagonian ice cap, third largest in the world after Antarctica and Greenland!

Chile: watched the Milky Way from the driest desert in the world, Atacama

Bolivia: reached 5000 meters of altitude, then crossed 12 000 square miles of salt covered by water at Uyuni

Peru: walked on the footsteps of the Incas at Machu Picchu

Spain: welcomed us with sunny days, great architecture and an unforgettable food decadence

Slovenia: landed in Bled, the most dreamy, hidden spot of Europe!

Romania: returned home, re-discovered the capital Bucharest for a few months, then went to the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve

Ended the year by going castle hunting in Transylvania!

Our advice after 2018 is just to be present, do what you love, keep learning, dream big. These are the best gifts you can give to yourself, that will last forever.

Happy new year, travel fellows, wherever you are!

In January 2018 we booked one-way tickets, took our backpacks and left cozy old Europe, for (hopefully) the greatest adventure of our lives: South America. If you like our story, don’t forget to spread the word!

South America in 2.5 months – all you have to know to do it yourself

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Happy travels and stay safe!