Traveling is like riding on a mountain road. But among the ups and downs, there will always be those indelible memories that you carry with you all your life. The Press recounts the adventures, big or small, of fearless travellers. Today: a family who embarked on a world tour in the midst of a pandemic.
Posted at 11:30 a.m.
The idea was launched almost as a joke in April 2021: liquidate everything to go around the world with the children. To the great surprise of Dominique Proulx, 38, her husband, Pier-Olivier Monfette, 37, was enthusiastic about the project. “I was more expecting him to say, ‘You’re crazy!’ “, she laughs.
The house was sold in June. And in August, after quitting their jobs, the two parents flew off with their children Alice and Rafaël, aged 5 and 7, for a 10-month trip.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY FAMILY
The family, hiking in Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean
An aborted dream of building a house certainly provoked fate a little. Just like a need for freedom increased by the confinement of 2020.
The pandemic has challenged our life choices. We did not feel in control of our decisions, they were rather imposed on us. We thought we wanted to experience a lot of things, see the world…
Pier-Olivier Monfette, engineer
“The children were super excited, even if it meant that we were selling their toys,” adds Dominique Proulx, speech therapist. And since they are in primary school, we were able to educate them quite easily ourselves. »
A leap into the void
Unable to plan a precise itinerary with health restrictions, the family bought one-way tickets to Paris, booked three nights in a hotel, then took a big “leap into the void”.
It’s scary, but it’s really liberating not knowing where you’re going the next day. You just have to let go, which was a big challenge for me.
Dominique Proulx
After Paris, the family visited the Alps, then Greece, where they stayed for two months. Back in France, she visited the Loire, then set sail for Reunion, and Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, where she spent Christmas.
The Omicron variant then played the spoilsport. Borders have closed. Too bad for Indonesia, one of the objectives of the trip. After ten days in Dubai, the Monfette-Proulx headed for San Francisco instead. A long 16-hour flight during which… they caught COVID-19. “We stayed in isolation in a hotel room, with the children who wanted to climb the walls. But it could have been worse,” philosopher Dominique Proulx.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY FAMILY
French Polynesia was a big favorite for the Monfette-Proulx.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY FAMILY
The family rented a boat to explore the lagoon of Bora-Bora, French Polynesia, where they swam with stingrays.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY FAMILY
Exploring New Zealand in an RV was a highlight of the trip.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY FAMILY
Fun time on Cathedral Cove beach, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand
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The travelers then visited French Polynesia for more than a month: a big crush. “Snorkeling with sharks, rays and turtles was wonderful,” recalls Dominique Proulx. They also met a family in Bora-Bora that amazed them. “These people didn’t have much, but they welcomed us with open arms,” recalls Pier-Olivier Monfette. It was so pleasant as a human relationship. »
After a stint in New Caledonia, the relaxation of measures allowed the clan to learn to surf in Australia. The family was even able to go to New Zealand to conclude the epic, in May. “It was our candy country, specifies Dominique Proulx. Dropping off for the night in a motorhome, all alone in a setting that looks like a painting, you pinch yourself, you’re at the end of the world. »
A changed life
What do they bring back from the adventure? Beautiful life lessons, say both parents. “We quickly realized that it’s not the equipment that makes us happy, but the four of us being together, in good health, observes Pier-Olivier Monfette. That’s the basics, along with basic needs and education. »
The Monfette-Proulxes concede that the ecological footprint of their trip is heavy. They tried to limit it with direct flights and few purchases. But for children growing up in a society of overconsumption, “this trip will have more positive effects throughout a lifetime than immediate negative effects on the planet”, believes Pier-Olivier Monfette.
Since June, the family has been back in the Laurentians, where the children enjoyed the summer with their grandparents. Pier-Olivier Monfette has found a job. Dominique Proulx thinks to do it soon. And the couple are looking for a house. “The return is the pet peeve, recognizes Pier-Olivier Monfette. We apply the letting go learned during the trip. For the moment, we mainly have the feeling of having accomplished something. »
“We now feel that we have the choice to do what we want in our lives,” adds Dominique Proulx, who promises to realize his dream of writing and illustrating children’s books where it will be a question of… trips.