Another couple who helped us imagine what a different kind of life could look like was Nick and Mathilde.
They made the decision to step away from conventional routines and take their lives in an entirely different direction –
exploring the world together in their overland vehicle, Albatross.
But what drew us to their story wasn’t simply the places they traveled or the miles they covered.
It was their willingness to show what life on the road really looks like.
The beautiful landscapes and unforgettable experiences were there, of course. But so were the breakdowns, difficult
days, uncertainty, changing plans and all those moments when traveling the world looks considerably less glamorous
than it does in a photograph.
And we appreciated that honesty.
Their philosophy is such a simple idea, but there is something incredibly powerful behind it.
We get one life. But within that life, there can be many different chapters – and we don’t necessarily have to follow the path we once imagined for ourselves.
For Kristi and me, that message resonates deeply.
After decades of building careers, running a business and living a fairly conventional life, we eventually reached a point where we began asking ourselves what we wanted the next chapter to look like.
Travelers like Nick and Mathilde helped remind us that choosing something different was possible.
You could slow down. You could choose the longer road. You could accept a little uncertainty. You could value experiences and human connection over simply reaching the next destination.
And perhaps most importantly, you could turn the distant dream of traveling the world into an actual life.
Nick and Mathilde, thank you. Thank you for sharing not only the beautiful horizons, but also the challenges,
breakdowns, lessons and triumphs that come with choosing an unconventional life on the road.
By sharing the reality behind the adventure, you’ve helped make long-term overland travel feel a little less mysterious – and a little more possible – for people like us who once wondered whether we could actually do it.
Sometimes changing your life doesn’t mean abandoning the life you had. It simply means being brave enough to begin the next version of it.
And today, as YOLA carries us farther around the world, we understand those words perhaps more than ever:
YOU ONLY LIVE ADVENTURE
