How it all started
In 2014, we found ourselves at a cross road in our lives, I was loosing interest and motivation in my work, I could tell Joe was getting bored with retirement, our big 10 year project of building our dream home was pretty much done.
We were both ready for a drastic change of lifestyle we just didn’t know what. After months of searching and thinking about all sorts of different options.
I came across a Video about a German couple that had originally left for an 18 month road trip through Africa and was still on the road 23 years later. At first I thought, wow what a cool way to live your life, but not much more. A few days later I couln’t stop thinking about it.
I shared it with Joe and said, are you in? Let’s do it, he said. That’s all it took, from that point on we started planning.
That’s when we discovered a new word that would open the doors to a whole new world:
Overlanding
“Overlanding is self-reliant overland travel to remote destinations where the journey is the principal goal. Typically, but not exclusively, it is accomplished with mechanized off-road capable transport (from bicycles to trucks) where the principal form of lodging is camping, often lasting for extended lenghts of time (months to years) and spanning international borders.“
Since Joe was already retired, I quit my job!
We put our dream home for sale, sold and gave everything we owned and registered for the OVERLAND EXPO in Asheville NC in September 2014. We took a bunch of classes, met wonderful people but mostly we got inspired and it confirmed that we were not crazy.
Our house sold in January 2015 and we put a deposit on an Overland vehicle, our new home on wheels, an XPCamper (now called Nimbl).
There was no turning back!
After 10 wonderful years of country living, it was time to pursue another dream: traveling the world!
It’s all about living your dreams!
5 years on the road
After selling our house in Canada, we based ourselves out of Florida, to get everything ready for the big trip.
After a year an a half of preparation, we left Florida on May 5, 2015. Our first journey took us through the Americas, driving, with as many detours as possible, the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina from 2015 to 2020.
18 countries including side trips to the San Blas Islands, the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon, Easter Island and our grand finale, South Georgia Island and Antartica.
During these 5 years on the road, we also discovered the meaning of slow travel, which is what we identify with the most if you have to give a name to our style of travel.
And then the Corona virus Pandemic
In March 2020, when the Covid-19 Pandemic hit, we were in Brazil, we cut our South American journey short and shipped our truck camper back to the US.
Even before Silver was out of the shipping container we had a buyer. We took a last road trip with Silver, our trusted steed, but this time in the US, with our three grand children, driving from Florida to Colorado visiting National Parks along the way, to deliver Silver to it’s new owner.
We traded our overland vehicle for 2 carryons
In 2020, we traded our truck camper for two carryon suitcases and flew to Turkey where we stayed three months before moving on to Egypt for an additional three months …
In 2021, we traveled to no less than 16 countries during the pandemic. From Northern Africa to Europe and Asia.
We spent most of 2022 in Southeast Asia.
The first half of 2023 was all about discovering other parts of Asia, and in the second half we made it to Oceania, our 7th continent!
Let’s see where 2024 takes us …
About Joe
Joe
Back in my day if you lived in Philadelphia USA, you either got drafted or joined the military… I joined, USAF SPSq MWDS.
After a 37 year career in law enforment I needed the next chapter in my life to be more mellow, I knew I was on the right track when my friends offered me a bag of “locally grown herb” as a retirement gift!
When Josée came up with the idea of traveling full time I didn’t hesitate to embrace the change.
Little did I know that a Nomadic Lifestyle would open up a whole world that I barely knew existed.
Life on the road has opened my eyes to the true meaning of human kindness, making a happier and gentler person out of me.
Life is good 💙
About Josée
Josée
I was 12 years old when I traveled abroad for the first time, a summer in Spain was certainly the highlight of my year.
But I got the travel bug after a 3 month European road trip with my bff when I was just 21.
All I could think about while growing up in Quebec, Canada was my next adventure.
At 29 I had the opportunity to move to Miami and so glad I did because not only did I have a wonderful career in the Hospitality Industry, I met Joe.
25 years of property, hospitality and city management in the US and Canada, combine with a passion for change, logistics, adventure and travel turned out to be the perfect preparation for a Nomadic Lifestyle.
Travel has always been the one thing throughout my life that I could never get enough of, being able to fulfill a lifelong dream of traveling the world with the man I love has made me the happiest I have ever been.
I love my life 💜
Hey you guys. Just popped on your website. This is Tom from the Mekong river trip. I never got to say goodbye to both of you in Pak Benk, Laos. Really enjoyed speaking with the both you. Continued save journeys. Will continue to follow your adventures. Living the dream.
Hey Tom,
Great to hear from you. We also enjoyed our chat on the slow boat. Our return was quite different we had to take the public boat that was packed to the gills haha! Quite the experience.
We are now housesitting on the beautiful island of Koh Samui in Southern Thailand until the end of April.
Life is good!
Cheers!
J&J
Dear Joe and Josee, I’d love to interview you about your overlanding life (even though you are having to take a coronavirus shutdown break…) for a university research study I’m doing. I’ve followed you a long while on social media, and can see how much great experience you have, plus my husband Richard Lister told me all about you while he was writing his BBC piece on overlanding. If you’re happy for me to send me more detail, I’ll email you more about the study. With best wishes for your good health! Philippa Thomas
Hi Philippa,
We would be happy to answer your questions. You can send the info at josee_parsons@hotmail.com now that we have plenty of time being in quarantine in Florida. Greetings to you and Richard and hope you’re staying healthy and comfortable in the UK.
Regards
J&J
hello,
what are those camp chairs i see in a lot of your pics?
http://www.kermitchair.com pricey but worth the investment!
You two Joes, we lost track of you almost a year ago! Denise is off tomorrow 9AM for Montreal, staying with another phcy classmate who with about 6 others, Al phcst will do the Danube Cruise next October. The old man here stays as my stability is gone.
Joe, you OKed Mel’s prospective man, I know. We’ll, guess what, at 9:30 AM last Xmas Eve, Mel gave birth to Felix Evin Villeneuve. He is really something, is starting to walk. Mother tongue, French, papa’s English. If we get can, we will send you a pic of this kid.
Big news at BSL. The three BIG houses on Belcourt, 1st built by the Texan DDS, before we bought 52 Belle Plage.Alan Carpenter (died 6 months ago, too much Coos Lite a& cigarettes) told us that the owner kept changing his mind. The 2nd house was built just as the road curved to the left and started to climb to ward’s BP. The 3rd house was the best built flat shoreline. I think it was built before you left! Anyway, the owner was somehow connected to the DDS and the hairdressers in the house closest to BP. The owner of the middle house lives in Ottawa and had a protection system on it connected to an alarm in his Ottawa home and a camera. About 2 AM, the alarm goes and he sees a figure leaving the house with empty can – immediately phoned the BSF station but the house burned to the ground. The insurance on the house has not been paid. About 2 months ago early afternoon, someone living on Belcourt saw smoke coming from the big house to the west, owned by the DDS, alerted the FD who responded and could not save it. Left, went back and put the truck away. After midnight the neighbor closest to the easter house was awaken by flames next door and the heat, raised the alarm, but the place was burned out. The fire had somehow been set much earlier and did not really get going until it was too late. Why, certainly not insurance so so me know one has a grudge. The PQ fire Marshall has an ongoing investigation. Son Len, the OFD Captain now 5 years says it will eventually be solved.
Jean Lacroix, my very good friend just a year ago went to the Maniwaki Hospital to have a hernia fixed. He was full of C, weather was terrible, much snow, we could not get to see him altho Bob Archambau did. We got to the large service for him. I still am grieving.
Enough you two, you are enjoying your wonderful decision. Paul Asseline & Joanne took the month long tour of China earlier this year and after Xmas will go down to the Caribean.
Enough for this time,
Best wishes from the Barlett clan.
Don
.
Hi Joe & Josee,
We met Alicia & Paul (fellow Australians) in southern Ecuador yesterday. Alicia mentioned you were in Colombia, heading slowly South and suggested we may meet you since we’re in Ecuador heading slowly North.
We are always on the lookout for fellow overlanders.
I love your story – it sounds a little like our own back in 2005.
Yasha (& Juergen)
From dare2go
Hi Yasha,
We really enjoyed the time we spent with Paul, Alicia and the kids! We have our grandchildren with us until mid August and we will be extending our visa for another 3 months in Colombia and would love meeting you so keep in touch, I sent you a friend request on Facebook!
Cheers!
J&J
Kelli and I met you at our little pizza shop (Post Alley Pizza) in Seattle. So glad to see your living your dream and sharing it with us.
Keep on trucking,
Marc.
Hi Marc! Yes we remember your pizza shop! Seattle was a great stop on our journey! Choosing a Nomadic lifestyle is the best decision we ever made. Thanks for your comments!
J&J
Bonjour Josée, j’ai su que toi et ton conjoint étaient en voyage autour du monde. Bravo et profitez en au maximum. C’est ton frère qui m’a donné de tes nouvelles.
Salut Yvon! Contente de lire ton message! J’espère que tu portes bien. Oui effectivement nous avons entrepris une grande aventure et nous apprécions chaque moment! C’est la liberté totale! Cheers! Joséee
Hi Joe! Tell us something about your experience in Guatemala. I met you in Dos Mundos at Monterrico, Guatemala.
I ended up buying Marc’s XP1 demo because I didn’t want to wait a year for a new one. Picked it up in Sept 2015 and planning on Alaska in August 2016 after doing a lot of back road fishing in the Sierras first.
My truck was probably there in the shop when you picked yours up.
On to new adventures. I found a really neat little d cell powered transfer pump for moving diesel from the Rotopax into the stove and heater container. Also got one for DEF. They were about $ 10 on Jet.com
Hi Greg! Hope you are enjoying your XP as much as we are. Thanks for the tip about the pump. We have been in Baja for over a month free camping on beautiful beaches. We will be ferrying to mainland Mexico in a couple of weeks.
Joe – We met you at your Lake Louise campsite in Banff National Park. We enjoyed your life story and your future travel aspirations to travel down to Patagonia. You have already been to so many places but are top number one recommendation is anywhere in the Eastern Sierra’s. As residents for well over 20 years in Bishop, CA we know you can’t go wrong. Some of the more non-traditional places to visit our Keough Hot Springs, Spark Plug Mine, June Lake, and Bodie in CA. In nearby Esmeralda County, Nevada the ghost town of Gold Point, Fish Lake Valley Hotsprings, and just about anywhere off a paved road. If you are coming through Idaho considering the City of Rocks National Monument and nothing beats the Tetons. Good luck on your adventures. Lynn Oliver and Cheryl Seath, two geologists waiting to retire.
Joe – Met you in Safeway parking lot in Terrace B.C. Just really hope you make it to Telegraph Creek as it is well worth the side trip. One of the items about Telegraph Creek is that when they built the Alaska Highway in 1942 they brought equipment into Telegraph Creek, took it to Dease Lake and barged it up Dease Lake and then made the rest of the trip into the Yukon to start building the highway from the center also. Lots of history in that area. Also think of going into Atlin when you get to the Yukon (turn at Jakes Corner). Anyway good talking to you and have a safe journey. Floyd Wickie Terrace BC.