Sisters, Jenny and Jessica Sutton quit their jobs to embark together on a seven-month, four-continent adventure of a lifetime. Right now, towards the end of their trip, they are beach hopping in Southeast Asia.

 What inspired you to go on this adventure together?

Our dad and grandma were two huge inspirations for us. They wanted to see the world, and our grandmother took us on our first trip to Europe. After they passed, we knew that we wanted to do some serious traveling. We planned on traveling around the world together, but we were waiting for a good time for us both to leave our jobs. This fall was perfect, as Jenny was ready to take a break from the money-draining and busy New York City, and Jessica was ready to leave her job in Missouri for another gig on the East Coast. 

Do you fight? How well do you get along under the pressure of long-term travel?

We have arguments from time to time, but for the most part we are very good travel partners. Everybody who travels together gets into arguments at least sometimes. When choosing a travel partner, it is important to be on the same budget and schedule. You also need to be able to communicate frustrations and annoyances. That's the great thing about traveling as sisters--we've already lived together and know we can quickly recover from any argument. We are also both very laid back and open-minded. We have things we want to do, but if plans change we go with the flow.

Do you have a clear plan or are you wingin’ it?

We actually have a pretty set plan. We both need to get back to the US to start work in July so we wanted to set a schedule to see as much as possible in the seven months we are away. Of course, not everything goes according to plan. Two weeks into the trip, Jenny fell off a top bunk and broke her arm so we had to switch some things around to make sure she healed enough before we took off on new adventures. 

We have also given some extra cushion days on each leg of the trip in case we want to make changes. People we meet along the way are always suggesting new destinations that we want to check out. It is great to hear first-hand from fellow travelers which places they loved or didn't love. Also details such as places to stay, cost of each place, and things to do are important factors when deciding which places are the best fit for what you want to experience. At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that expenses sometimes are not what you expect, so having an emergency fund is necessary. In our case, we learned that busing around Africa is not as easy as we thought, so we had to pay some extra money for flights and hotels. 

Did you have travel health insurance with Jenny broke her arm?

 Yes. The health care Jenny received was outstanding and only cost $300 for X-rays, consultations, and prescription medication. The great thing is that we can turn in those receipts upon return to the US and get a full refund from our insurance. Honestly, it's our experience that health care around the world is generally good and really cheap. Still, we bought the insurance in case of a major accident. 

Where specifically have you been so far and where are you going next?

So far we have been to Ecuador (where we visited the Amazon), Peru (where we visited Machu Picchu), Bolivia (including a three day tour of the Salt flats and Atacama desert), Chile and Argentina (where we hiked the W trek in Torres del Paine and explored Southern Patagonia), and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for Carnivale. We have also visited South Africa and went on a self-drive safari in Kruger National Park. We bused to Zimbabwe and Zambia to see Victoria Falls, and then got a tan on the remote beaches of Zanzibar, Tanzania. Next, we flew to Morocco to meet up with our mom and go on a camel tour of the Sahara desert. After that, we headed to Italy for some wine and sight-seeing. Finally, we flew to Southeast Asia to visit Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

It sounds like you are working through everyone's bucket lists! Macchu Picchu is on mine. Can you explain some logistics of visiting?   

Yay!! It was awesome. First, carefully choose the time of year to visit to avoid rainy season, which really hits in Jan and Feb but starts as early as December. We had rain, but it was still beautiful. Second, you can do it yourself or pay a tour company. The tours are honestly not much more expensive because the train to Macchu Picchu is such a huge portion of the cost. Trains can be booked online at PeruRail or IncaRail. The tours also include a guide, which I thought was really important. Whether you do it yourself or through a tour, I suggest that you either spend the night in Aguas Calientes (at the base of Macchu Picchu) so that you can do an early morning visit to avoid the crowds, or else do a one day return trip. There is nothing to see in Aguas Calientes and it is very overpriced, but there are early enough trains from either Cusco or Ollantaytambo to get you there by about 8am. Hope this helps!

So far, what has been your favorite experience?

Our favorite experience was our three-day tour through the Bolivian salt flats and Atacama desert. It was the most unique experience we have had so far. White salt stretched to the horizon in all directions and the land was so flat that we could see the curvature of the earth. We then went into the crater of a 17,000 foot volcano and drove around the vast empty expanse of the red desert.

 And worst?

Our worst experience was trying to travel by bus through Africa. There is not a backpacker community that is traveling by bus through the borders in Africa. Most people pay for very expensive safari tours that organize travel for them. We were trying to do it ourselves, and it was incredibly stressful. For example, at one border crossing into Zimbabwe we were afraid of getting left at the border in the middle of the night as hundreds of people tried to cross into the country. It was pretty nerve-wracking. Fortunately, we had extra funds to buy a plane ticket and avoid this nightmarish crossing into Tanzania.

Being two girls, have you ever felt in danger? 

We have not felt in danger. There were times and areas where we were more aware of risks like getting pick pocketed, but everywhere we have gone people have shown us great kindness, concern, and assistance.

Have you met anyone along the way who you know will become lifelong friends?

Yes! We have stayed in touch with many people. We even traveled with some folks for up to two weeks in South America and now in Asia. We have one traveler from Peru rejoining us in Vietnam! The people we have met is one of the best parts of the entire trip. 

Tell us one funny story from your trip.

There have been so many along the way, but the best is probably when we were traveling by bus through Bolivia. It was an overnight bus and around 9pm, Jenny said she really had to use the bathroom. We searched the bus to no avail, so a couple hours later she was forced to come up with a Plan B. Luckily it was a large bus so Jessica held up a towel and Jenny peed in a plastic ziplock bag. Feeling relieved, she threw the bag out the window and all we could do was laugh. Ten minutes later, the bus stopped for a bathroom break. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES!?

We learned to not drink or eat much before long rides, unless you know for sure there is a working bathroom on the bus… 

Let’s talk about money. Did you save up money or are you finding work along the way?

We had time to save because we had been planning our adventure for about two years, and our grandmother also left us some money when she passed away. This trip is definitely a tribute to her and our father, both of whom wanted to see the world.

 How did you create your budget?

We calculated almost everything out ahead of time. Our visas cost over $1000, our plane tickets about $4400 for about 10 flights around South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, including back to the states. (This also included an emergency same-day plane ticket to avoid the sketchy border crossing from Zambia to Tanzania.) We then had travel insurance, a daily budget of $25 each, and a separate fund for big "splurge trips", such as the Amazon, the safari, the W trek, the Sahara, Carnivale, Machu Picchu, the Salt Flats, and our three week trip in Morocco and Italy with my family, who was on vacation and so we spent more during this time. We created a separate fund for splurge trips because it was too hard for us to track our daily budget otherwise.

 How have you managed to stick to your low daily budget? 

We have been staying in hostel dorm rooms. We find hostels online at hostelworld.com or by word of mouth. We have some days we go over budget, and some days we go under budget. For example, hostel dorm beds in Bolivia were $6.50 a night, so we had plenty of money to eat and drink. In Patagonia, rooms are about $15 dollars a night, but then again, you are hiking for free and cooking, so you don't spend as much money on going out. We had already created a pretty accurate budget for "splurge trips" by researching costs to see Machu Picchu ($250 trip), Bolivia Salt Flats Tour ($190), and other tours. I'm glad we had a separate budget for this because these trips can be very expensive. Thus far, we have stayed very close to our overall budget.

What tips can you provide for someone interested in doing long-term travel like this?

First and foremost, make sure you are traveling with people you are comfortable with. These people will see you at your best and your worst. Having a similar budget has also been an advantage for us, since we are working with a daily budget and sometimes have to pick and choose activities we can afford. In our case, we have about $25/day to spend on food and lodging but separate funds for plane tickets and "splurge" trips. This was the easiest way for us to stick to our budget without overspending too early on.

It's also important to keep an open mind and be comfortable with change. Even if you think your plan is flawless, problems will arise and you don't want it to ruin your trip. This is an amazing experience, so make the best of it while you can!

What an inspiring trip! If you'd like to read more about Jessica and Jenny's experiences, check out their fantastic blog! twosuitcasehearts.wordpress.com 

Do you want to go on a trip like this, but need help planning? Contact me to schedule a consultation!