Above photo by:  Laura Haney Gabrielson

We are a small, ordinary, middle class family traveling for a year and exploring the world one region at a time.

MJ:

MJ was born and raised in western Queensland and attended boarding school for about seven(ty) years before obtaining a Bachelor of Teaching at the University of Southern Queensland.

He then taught in primary (elementary) schools in the Wide Bay region for several years, quickly racking up transfer points to enable relocation to Brisbane where he taught for the next few years.

While taking a break from teaching, he solo cycled the BNT in Australia for 100 days (LINKED HERE) just to get outside for a while. He had his sister drop him off in Healsville, VIC with his bicycle and gear and provisions, then was left to cycle somewhat north along bush trails, through national parks and on quiet country roads.

After surviving that experience, he ended up in California (on the reluctantly good advice of his sister) where he looked around a bit and got a degree in physiotherapy (physical therapy). He met a girl while studying, married her, and moved to Colorado to bunker down and join middle America for a decade.  Having lived in one place for longer than he ever had, it was an easy decision to make a change and mix life up again.

PJ:

Starting life with a habit of doing things the hard way, PJ was born early. This coincided with a notable blizzard. She danced her way through high school then worked at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where she built confidence and independence, setting the stage for her following decade.

She enjoyed her time at Ohio University, where she created many fond memories. After graduating, she applied for internships in the Denver area, as well as the Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland won on round one, but Colorado was always on the radar.

Being independent, PJ moved to California to be near the beach. She got some cats, ran some marathons, and fell in love with Yosemite. After meeting an amazing international styled gent in SoCal, she insisted on moving to Colorado to be near the mountains.

She leapt up the career ladder in healthcare and mastered middle management.  A few years ago, she was faced with a health scare which made her realize traveling should not wait until retirement like her original plan. This is when the plotting began to pack it up and travel for a year.

She likes to bake and do yoga, but not at the same time.  She prefers dark beers and milk chocolate, and enjoys hanging out with her family away from the buzz of cities and crowds.

AJ:

AJ is a kid who is an excellent dancer and acts just like his mother (poor MJ). He loves making his own comic books, playing with friends, and is learning to master the Rubik’s cube. He enjoys swimming and reading DogMan books.

Questions?  Check out our FAQ page.