Confidences of travelers | A long break on the other side of the world

Traveling is like driving on a mountain road. But among the ups and downs, there will always be those indelible memories that you carry with you throughout your life. The Press tells the adventures, big and small, of travelers who are not afraid of anything. Today: a couple in their thirties who have been traveling for almost a year.

The sun has recently risen in Australia when Aurélie Tisseur and Olivier Grignon sit down in front of their screen to talk to The Press of their “great adventure”.

They are currently between Sydney, where they spent a month, and Melbourne, their next destination.

To find accommodation in the land of kangaroos, the couple relies on animal care (pet sitting). Homeowners give them the keys to their house for free; in exchange, they take care of their dog or cat. “It’s very popular in Australia,” says Aurélie Tisseur, who finds this practice “terrific, because it [leur] allows [se] feel at home.”

Because they left their real home almost a year ago already. On February 3, 2023, the two Montrealers flew to Thailand for the start of a great journey that took them to Taiwan, Vietnam, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and now Australia.

Live differently

This long journey “is somewhat the consequence of [leur] life which, until that moment, was very much focused on performance, work, following the path laid out,” explains Aurélie Tisseur.

The milestone of thirty and “its share of questions” then the death of Olivier Grignon’s father instilled in them “the deep desire to take the time to live”.

“How about we leave?” How about we take a break? », proposed the young man to his partner of 11 years during a meal at a restaurant.

A one-year trip: the project was tempting, but was it feasible?

The lovers discussed it with Marie-Chantal Labelle, president of Routes du monde, an agency specializing in adventure travel. This friend of Olivier’s father helped them draw up a fictitious itinerary and estimate a budget.

“We came away from this meeting saying to ourselves: finally, it’s possible,” says Aurélie Tisseur, specifying that their budget is between $100 and $200 per day.

They put their apartment up for rent, notified their employers, and then, a few months later, they were in Bangkok, Thailand, where they had booked five nights in a hotel.

From there, they let themselves be guided by their desires and their senses. “All of our destination choices were extremely motivated by food,” reveals the young woman. They researched regional dishes and made sure to taste them, says her partner. In this regard, the flavors of India particularly seduced their taste buds. “India is an incredible culinary adventure! », exclaims Aurélie Tisseur.

Significant experiences

In addition to the food, it was the experiences that helped chart the couple’s journey. “We wanted to experience things rather than just see things,” explains the traveler. “We didn’t just want to check off cities or UNESCO sites,” adds her partner.

What were their notable experiences? The choice is very difficult, admits the couple. “We feel like we’re asking parents to choose their favorite child,” says Aurélie Tisseur, laughing.

In India, they hiked for five days in the Himalayas with two local guides on a winding route mostly used by pilgrims. With sparkling eyes, the traveler talks about the chai sipped around the fire illuminating their camp, the feasts prepared by their guides, the isolated villages… “It was truly a magical experience! »

In Japan, the lovers visited the island of Naoshima by bike, renowned for its many “grandiose” museums and open-air works of art. “This is the time in our lives when we really understood to what extent we can be moved by art,” confides Aurélie Tisseur.

It was also on two wheels that the couple explored the east coast of Taiwan. A journey which lasted a little over a week and during which the travelers took the time to stop in the villages and meet the people. Was language a barrier? “People are really quick with Google Translate,” laughs Olivier Grignon.

Curiosity and discoveries

As they soon reach the milestone of 365 days abroad, are the two travelers beginning to take stock of their adventure? “I think we don’t yet understand everything that this has brought us [mais] The key word that comes up a lot in our discussions is “curiosity”. It increased our curiosity about people, about the world,” answers Aurélie Tisseur.

They also discovered different life models as well as passions: photography for him, writing for her. The young woman also recounts their adventures through Instagram publications. The couple even dreams of creating a book upon their return.