About TurtlesTravel Blog
Traveling like turtles, slowly and deliberately, we’ve wandered together since 2004. With no cure for an insatiable wanderlust and an undeniable need to live life to the fullest, TurtlesTravel blog is a place to reflect on newly-discovered places, people and ideas. We hope it will serve as a place for like-minded people to meet, explore and be inspired.
Heather Tamara
Travel is a longtime obsession. My first international trip was to the Bahamas when I was two! Believe it or not, I have vague memories of the aqua blue water, white sand, warm sun and bright colors of clothing and paint. I remember looking at fish through the bottom of a glass-bottom boat, and splashing in the hotel pool wearing water wings.
First trip abroad..The Bahamas, 1972
The next big trip was as a teenager on year-long high school exchange to Japan my senior year. What a wonderful way to be introduced to another culture at a relatively young age. I became and remain a total believer in total immersion in every way you can manage it. I attended a public Japanese high school, and lived with several amazing families. I got a great head-start on the language that would become my college major, and insight into my own personality that would have taken many more years to gain (if ever). I have been back to Japan several times, and maintain close ties with my friends and pseudo-family there.
The next phase was multiple visits to the Caribbean, Venezuela and Central America. I spent a couple of years back and forth to Venezuela, so I’ve seen most of its corners on my own. I traveled partly on the barter system then, trading translation services (even Spanish to Japanese once!) and English lessons for hotel nights and meals. It’s here that I became a certified diver, and developed a love for being beneath the sea rather than always on the surface. As with Japan, I have great friends and family there with whom I remain in close contact.
Deciding to travel with a partner rather than on my own was not difficult, but I did give it a lot of thought. Couples and groups seem less approachable, and in all of my solo travels, many of my favorite moments were with people who took me under their wing because I was alone. With two, it takes extra effort to reach out to people. That being said, it is wonderful to have someone there to share experiences with as they happen, and for a woman traveling alone, a companion does open up some opportunities less safe to undertake alone. Donny and I had been traveling together for work and pleasure for several years, and had done a few trial international trips before setting off on our first “RTW.”
This blog began to keep friends and family in touch with where we are and what we’re doing. It continues to serve as a supplement to (sometimes replacement for) my ever-faulty memory. It has also evolved into a place to continue writing, and reflect on newly-discovered places, people and ideas. We hope it will become a place for like-minded people to meet, explore and be inspired.
Donny
When I was nine, I wrote in a school essay that “travel the world” was what I wanted to do when I grew up. I guess it’s just fulfilling my destiny to see it happen.
The first time I really stretched my wings as an adult was when I moved to Salt Lake City to work for the winter Olympics. Driving from Atlanta to Utah was a complete eye opener. After spending nearly a year in Utah, I returned to Georgia but never really unpacked my bags. That is when I got started working in the Mobile Marketing field. Since then, I’ve driven to 47 of the lower 48 states; I still need to get to N. Dakota!
Whether it’s been working or traveling I’ve pretty much had my life in the bag I’m carrying. I have large appetite for learning about new cultures, cuisines and landscapes. Here’s one of my favorite quotes…
Plenty sits still, Hunger is a wanderer. ~Zulu proverb
Since we’ve both been working in the field of Mobile Marketing for a number of years, our situation is somewhat less complicated than many others wanting to travel for extended periods. Working on a contract basis, there is no company to sever ties with, no leave of absence to arrange, and no boss to bow out on. Being out on the road for months at a time for work also helped teach us how few possessions you really need. Traveling light is the way to go on a trip and in life. We cherish every moment of life’s journey.
This is Awesome. I’m actually going to be doing the same thing very soon! 🙂
Safe travels!
Shanna
http://sasharaephoto.blogspot.com/
Yeah.. me too. I read this blog and inspired me to give try my self traveling around the world. When you two visiting Bali again someday, please come and try our Gili Fast Boat services in Kuta.
I have been amazed at the pictures and the writings. Kepp them coming. Be safe!
Glad you are enjoying! Hope you guys are all doing great!
Heather,
How wonderful! H, P ,Hannah and Noah ( now 6′-5″) have just read this w amazement. You are very clever to have chosen this life…you only live once. H and I were in Cambodia and Vietnam this summer. Unbelievable ( I wd recommend you read the Brinkley book called Cambodia’s Curse. A great explanation of the reason they are in the stone age while Vietnam pulls ahead.) Lots of Love,
H, P, H, N of RSD
SO nice to hear from you guys!! I can and can’t believe Noah is so tall. I remember (sorry to embarrass) carrying him around the Cape and trying not to drip chowder on his newborn head! And the big egg on my shin from your low coffee table trying to close windows in the apartment when it stormed the night he was born! We are in the Komodo Islands Natl Park area….indonesia now. The blog is behind, but will catch up eventually. Stay well and in touch!
Hi Heather and Donny,
Great site. I had to crack up when Donny mentioned that the only US State he still needed was North Dakota. That was my last as well, had to drive 400 miles (rt=800) out of my way the year I was turning 40. I did it for my fourth graders and an opportunity to say that “I hit 50 by 40”! Too fun. I’m a little dissappointed you don’t have Turkey anywhere on your itinerary. At any rate, keep having a blast!
Thanks for the note. We actually need Alaska too but most likely won’t be driving up there! Maybe a flight connection in ND heading to Alaska? We’ve been waiting on Europe for monetary reasons but Turkey is high on the list. One day, one day.
“Travel the world” is a great outlook on life!
My family is traveling around the world for a year, (4 girls, 2 parents) so we are fulfilling that whether they like it or not! It has been an amazing experience – Europe and SE Asia have been beautiful and eye-opening.
And yes – travel light! One bag holds 5 people, and the other 2 hold medication, another person, laundry, and stuff – somehow you always end up with that somehow! But they are so small you would think we are all infants…
I will be amazed if we ever get to sorting out photos into digestable pieces.
Anyway, good luck on all of your travels!
Best,
Lillian
http://www.oneworld4girls.wordpress.com
Thanks for visiting, Lillian! I was just taking a look at your blog. It looks like an amazing trip, and it seems you’ve been to a lot of the places we went on our trip last year (we just came home a few weeks ago!). It’s fun to read your observations. So far, they seem quite similar to ours! Safe travels!
Tamara
Loved the Birth of the Nomad story
Wonderful! What a spirit and follow through! Lovely. Will become your disciple!!
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog. We hope you enjoy it!
Thanks
Wow! great website!
Thanks for stopping by! We’re glad you liked it!
Yep… I know what you mean! 😀
Thank you for visiting our blog! We’re glad you stopped by and had a look around!
Wow! Good for you,traveling all over the world. Heather, I love the picture of you at 2 in the Bahamas: the origination of your wanderlust! 🙂
Thanks for having a look around. The Bahamas definitely had a big impact on HT. I think there’s some seawater in her blood.
i wonder what kind of work you do. i just can’t afford to travel the world. at least for now. your life seems so exciting! into the wild, it is! i get chills when i view all them pics of places youve visited.
keep on travelin’. be praying for your safety always.
Thanks for your comment. It’s always nice to know there are people out there reading. We both work in the field of marketing, specifically mobile/experiential marketing. Basically, it means we spend our time going from city to city putting on events for a particular client so people can be introduced to their products or services. We work on a contract basis, so between contracts we are free to travel (although we stop getting paid!). While we’re “on tour” for work, we have almost no expenses, so it’s a good time to save up for the next journey!
Enjoyed your blog…not the life for everyone but good for you that you enjoy this life so much!
Thanks Gail! Hope you enjoyed taking a look around.
Hi guys, Love the blog, Kind Regards, Si
ps. We would love to invite you to TheDepartureboard’s Most Travelled Club, details here: http://www.thedepartureboard.com/can-you-become-thedepartureboards-most-travelled-you-might-win-prizes A great opportunity to promote your site as well!
Donny, I just want you to know that I have a picture of my dad standing next to the North Dakota welcome sign. It was his 50th state…
Very cool Serah! I’m STILL stuck at 48. I can’t wait to see Alaska and North Dakota, maybe on the same trip. 😉
Hugs from Madeira! Happy memories of times spent in your company! How’s the genealogy going? From one McMaster to another!!!!!!!
Liz! Happy 2014! Glad to hear you’re doing well. Madeira sounds like a dream. We’re trying to keep warm and dreaming of our next escape. Genealogy is going well. Just had a distant cousin in Canada asking about Careys actually… We also visited Nantucket last week while on Cape Cod and saw a graveyard with some distant relatives on my maternal side. Still plugging away. Hope to catch up more soon. Still at the same email?
Thank you for sharing.great thoughts….
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