It was just about a year ago that my wife, Heather, and I decided to hike the Te Araroa (TA), a 1860 mile (3000 km) trail through New Zealand. We are both very pragmatic and detailed people, so immediately a host of to-do’s flooded our minds as we entered into six months of preparation.
Category: Year Off Stories
Looking for Way of Life . . . . . The Amateur Traveler
‘I appreciate everyone’s circumstances are different, but my point is, if you want something to happen, you need to make it a reality. Happiness is not something that can be pursued, it must ensue.’ This amazing guest post is written by Diane Nicholson from The Lake District in the North West of England. I met…
How did my life benefit from my Year Off?
I believe that extended time away from work and the craziness of day-to-day life would benefit a lot of people. It most certainly was a benefit for me. In this post, I outline what I believe are the main areas of my life that changed for the better as a direct result of my Year…
The Story of How I Fell in Love During My Year Off
In August of 2016, my girlfriend, Alanna, and I were backpacking the Teton Crest Trail in Grand Teton National Park. We had been dating for 7 months by then, and she had flown out to meet me and spend two weeks with me exploring the state of Wyoming. I was five months into my year-long…
Q & A with Kurt Bradler: Living the Van Life
“It took me roughly 3 months to build the van. I traveled for the next 8 months before landing in Denver. I went through 22 states and 24,000 miles….. went all the way south to Key West, along the Gulf Coast, through Texas and into the Grand Canyon….. went as far west as Portland and…