Sweet Adventure · our travel route
Our route, one stop at a time.
Choose a country to explore the published stages, stops and stories from our journey so far.
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Our route through
Lines show the order of our stops, not calculated road routes.
Every stop has a story
The route shows the places.
We tell the stories that stay.
A beginning among skyscrapers, four days at sea and an island to slow down on. Three memories from our journey around the world together.
USA · New York ·
The moment
it all began.
Standing in Times Square, it finally sank in: this was our world trip. No more “one day”. We were really doing it.
Read how it began
For a few days, we explored the city that never sleeps. We went up the Empire State Building, watched the Yankees play and wandered through New York with no rush.
One of our favourite moments was the simplest: picking up a bagel and having breakfast in Central Park. Walking the High Line gave us another perspective on Manhattan.
We took the Staten Island Ferry, which was free at the time, to see the skyline and the Statue of Liberty from the water. We didn’t visit Liberty Island itself – we were there for the views from the boat.
But that moment in Times Square will always be our beginning. We couldn’t have wished for a better start.
Indonesia · Komodo · 4 days on board
One small boat.
So much to remember.
Dolphins alongside the boat, the view from Padar Island and nights rocking on the waves. In the end, though, the hardest part was saying goodbye to the people on board.
Maldives · Dhiffushi · 6 days of island life
Sea views.
And time for us.
A local island rather than a resort. Six relaxed days, a room with a sea view and beautiful coral reefs. A little break within our world trip.
Our island story
The flight from Sri Lanka was relatively short for us, so we took the opportunity to visit Dhiffushi: an inhabited local island rather than a resort.
Our room looked straight out over the sea towards a resort island opposite. Breakfast and dinner were included. For five days, we could relax and simply enjoy being together.
On this predominantly Muslim island, we dressed modestly away from the designated swimming beach. At the beach, that incredibly beautiful water was waiting for us. The coral reefs were the highlight of our snorkelling trips.
We arrived by public ferry. It took longer, but cost less. That suited the week perfectly: less rushing, more time at sea.
This little escape was absolutely worth it for us. We’d go back in a heartbeat.
Not every moment can be marked on a map. Some simply stay with us.
Lessons from the road · an honest look back
Would we travel the same route again?
We wouldn’t make every decision the same way today. In some places, we’d allow more time; in others, we’d start differently. And some places we’d choose again without hesitation.
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Where we’d have stayed longer
More time for Hawaii.
USA · Big IslandWe loved Big Island, even though it wasn’t quite the Hawaii we’d pictured from films and photographs. At the time, we saved money by skipping a flight to another island. That’s the decision we regret now.
We’d definitely come back. This time, we’d leave more time to explore other islands too.
Next timePlan another island into the trip, including the time and budget for an extra flight and accommodation.
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What we’d plan differently
Choose the place first.
Australia · Travel & work
Then look for work.Before leaving Germany, we were already worried about finding work in Australia. That meant work shaped our plans more than we’d want it to today. Once we arrived, we discovered more possibilities than we’d expected.
Now, we’d first find somewhere we felt at home and look for work there, rather than letting a job alone decide where we went.
What we learnedLeave room to be flexible and set aside savings for the job search. Work isn’t guaranteed, and it isn’t equally easy to find everywhere.
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What we’d do exactly the same way
Gili Air was our kind of pace.
Indonesia · Gili AirGili Air or Gili Trawangan? We thought about it for ages. In the end, we stayed only on Gili Air, and we were so glad we did.
The peace, the lack of cars and exploring everything on foot felt just right. Gili Air became our favourite island in Indonesia. We didn’t feel we were missing anything.
What we’d choose againStay somewhere that feels right, rather than squeezing in another stop just to tick it off.
This is our personal look back, not a perfect route for everyone. Perhaps it’ll help you plan the trip that feels right for you.
Turn our experience into your own plan
You don’t need all the answers.
Just somewhere to start.
What does a world trip cost? What needs organising before you leave? And what really belongs in your bag? Here’s where our experiences can help with your own preparations.
Travelling together.
Our experience, your adventure.
01 / Our travel budget at a glance
Where our travel budget goes.
The largest spending categories and all remaining expenses add up to 100%. Rounded to one decimal place.
Excludes buying our car in Australia; running costs are included. Based on expenses assigned to a stage and country.
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Explore our travel costsFrom a dream to a plan.
The next step towards preparing your own adventure.
Travel planning · Coming soonLess luggage.
More freedom.
A look at what we pack for our travels.
Packing list · Coming soonStill wondering about something?
Your questions.
Our experiences.
Perhaps you’re planning your own trip, or simply wondering how to explore our route. Here are a few answers.
How do I find your stops in a particular country?
Choose a country we’ve visited on the interactive map, either on the world map itself or using the country buttons above it. Then select a stage and explore our stops in order.
“Share selection” gives you a link to the route you’ve selected, so you can return to a particular stop later or share it with someone else.
Does the map show your future destinations too?
The map shows published stages that have already started and stops whose arrival date has been reached. It’s a look at our journey so far, rather than a complete plan of our future destinations.
Would you recommend following your exact route?
Use it as inspiration, but adapt it to your interests, time and budget. We’d make some different decisions ourselves now, such as allowing time for another island in Hawaii.
On Gili Air, on the other hand, simply staying put was exactly right for us. It’s not the number of stops that makes a trip special, but the places and experiences that suit you.
What does the budget chart on this page include?
The chart shows the percentage breakdown of recorded expenses assigned to a stage and country. It excludes our car purchase in Australia, so that one large purchase doesn’t dominate the picture.
Running costs for the car are included. The three largest categories and all other expenses add up to 100%. Income is not deducted.
Where can I find photos and stories from your stops?
If we’ve shared public travel updates for a stop, you’ll find them at that location on the map under “Our moments from this place”. There isn’t an update for every stop yet.
We’ve also gathered selected experiences in the stories section. Expand a story to read our memories or open the full travel article.
Sweet Adventure · Still on the road
Our journey continues.
Where will yours take you?
Thanks for coming along for part of the journey. Stay with us, or tell us where you’re heading next.
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