The original plan was to cover 20 countries in 20 months. The best-laid plans often go astray, especially those made prior to the unexpected emergence of COVID.
No one knows that better than Chris and Marianne Fisher, who began a worldwide odyssey in January of 2020 from their native England only to run right border shutdowns and an eventual need to reverse their route.
The Fishers expected to be finished their intended TREAD The Globe (Travel Responsibly Eat Adventure and Dive) tour in their Fiat Ducato, a 19.52 foot commercial vehicle-turned-camper Trudy, but they含羞草研究社檙e still on the road. In fact, the tour has taken on a completely different life, and may continue indefinitely as they explore new horizons.
The Fishers took time out to chat with Black Press Media while visiting their aunt Julia Barton, in Chemainus, B.C. while on the Vancouver Island leg of their revamped tour.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 like a yo-yo, we keep coming back,含羞草研究社� laughed Chris, 52. 含羞草研究社淚 love Chemainus, everything about it is nice. It含羞草研究社檚 got a really lovely feel and people are very friendly. It含羞草研究社檚 a welcoming, nice place.含羞草研究社�
And that含羞草研究社檚 saying something considering the abundance of places the Fishers have already visited in Europe, Central America, the United States and Canada so far.
The Fishers have become YouTube sensations since the start of their trip. Their videos have surpassed 13 million views and they have 89,000 subscribers.
A series of circumstances led to their decision to sell everything and make this trip 10 years or so ahead of the usual retirement age.
含羞草研究社淥ur friends were retiring and dying or not reaching retirement,含羞草研究社� Marianne said.
含羞草研究社淨uite a few of our friends went within a year and Marianne donated a kidney to a friend,含羞草研究社� Chris elaborated.含羞草研究社淚 had a bit of a panic that I wasn含羞草研究社檛 going to make it to retirement. We all want to make it to retirement to do what we want to do.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淵ou think, 含羞草研究社業 don含羞草研究社檛 want to be one of those people,含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 said Marianne. 含羞草研究社淚f I have something to do, I want to do it. I want to be on my death bed saying I actually put my head under freezing cold water in the Arctic Ocean and took on challenges.含羞草研究社�
They made that quick dip in the Arctic Ocean and everything else they含羞草研究社檝e done to date has been entirely worthwhile.
含羞草研究社淲ho gets to say they drove from the Georgia-Russia border to Vancouver Island via Alaska?含羞草研究社� queried Marianne.
Marianne was a hospital administrator and Chris含羞草研究社� last job was the head of catering at two large hospitals. They both left their jobs and sold many of their possessions while keeping their house and renting it out.
They also bought the camper van. An 18-year-old vehicle with 40,000 miles under its belt upon purchase, it has now logged another 70,000.
The trip began in earnest on January 5, 2020 at Telford in Shropshire, England.
含羞草研究社淲e cut a ribbon, we got filmed by the BBC and we drove off into the sunset before COVID,含羞草研究社� said Chris.
Everything went well the first three months through France, Italy, Austria, Slovenia until they hit Turkey. That含羞草研究社檚 when the full impact of COVID became apparent.
含羞草研究社淲e were only supposed to be in Turkey three weeks,含羞草研究社� noted Chris. 含羞草研究社淲e were there 18 months.含羞草研究社�
But the people made it all more bearable.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e found the countries that have the least will give you the most,含羞草研究社� said Chris.
With changing circumstances, including the Russian conflict with Ukraine, the trip literally turned in another direction once the Fishers could get moving again.
They shifted from Istanbul taking the camper van back to the United Kingdom for a couple of weeks and then shipping it to Charleston, South Carolina. They eventually arrived in B.C. after traversing through Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Colorado and other states along the way.
They then headed north to Alaska via the Dempster Highway through the Northwest Territories and the Yukon to the Arctic Ocean and back to Chemainus.
Chris has been taking extensive videos of all their experiences on YouTube where they have paid sponsorships helping to pay the bills.
含羞草研究社淚 think it含羞草研究社檚 been a real test of everything,含羞草研究社� said Chris. 含羞草研究社淵ou don含羞草研究社檛 know where you含羞草研究社檙e going to sleep, where you含羞草研究社檙e going to get water from. I prefer to stay in the more remote places. It含羞草研究社檚 been fascinating to see. Travelling like this you get another perspective on a country.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 put high expectations on many things,含羞草研究社� offered Marianne. 含羞草研究社淚 find it leads to a much better experience. I always go with a fresh open mind.含羞草研究社�
The final chapter is a long way from being written. Chris intends to write a book someday.
The Fishers are going to tour a bit more of B.C. next and into Alberta before heading south, likely as far as Mexico, then ship the van to Melbourne, Australia. After a brief sabbatical back in England, extensive travels Down Under and probably into New Zealand will follow 含羞草研究社� unless the plan changes.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檇 say we含羞草研究社檝e got about two years to go on this one,含羞草研究社� said Chris. 含羞草研究社淭he world situation is constantly changing. It含羞草研究社檚 like a game of chess. You just have to make sure you don含羞草研究社檛 get check-mated.含羞草研究社�
You can follow the Fishers under Tread The Globe on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and .
don.bodger@chemainusvalleycourier.ca
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