Our Year in Review: Van Living, Chasing Landscapes, and Seeking Balance [2019]

*Our Year in Review 2019 | Diana Southern and Ian Norman, North to South
Our Year in Review 2019 | Diana Southern and Ian Norman, North to South

This final year of the decade was a successful year of finding balance for us, both in our adventures and in our personal lives. We spent a majority of the year focused on two things: the van and photography.

Ups and downs both played a part in our 2019 story, and that forced us to reprioritize what to focus on this year, but we pressed onward and made it through with a better understanding of ourselves and a new perspective to accompany us into the new year.

With the new decade now upon us, it’s time for a look back to appreciate all the great memories we made in 2019!

Continue reading “Our Year in Review: Van Living, Chasing Landscapes, and Seeking Balance [2019]”

How to Fly from the U.S. to Europe for Under $200 [Budget Travel Secrets]

How to Fly from the U.S. to Europe for Under $200 dollars
How to Fly from the U.S. to Europe for Under $200 dollars

Updated: January 2020

I used to expect to pay over $1000 for round-trip tickets to Europe. Now I’d never pay over $500. And one-way tickets for $200 or less are more common than you’d think. When we started traveling full time, our frugal beginner’s travel budget forced us to find the cheapest method to fly to Europe. And now I’m sharing it with you.

Traveling on the cheap from the U.S. to Europe is quite simple, really. It involves just three things:

  • a flexible travel schedule
  • packing light
  • my new favorite airline
Continue reading “How to Fly from the U.S. to Europe for Under $200 [Budget Travel Secrets]”

Our Year in Review: New Heights, New Wheels, and a Refreshed Photography Focus [2018]

Our Year in Review 2018
Our Year in Review 2018

Our first year of married life was filled with all sorts of new adventures! Photography, fitness, and furry friends all played key roles in our lives this year. A few spontaneous travel decisions made our year more interesting, and some very important bucket list achievements left us feeling pretty accomplished in 2018.

Without further adieu, let’s get started on our favorite post of the year: the annual recap of our lives and adventures of 2018!

Continue reading “Our Year in Review: New Heights, New Wheels, and a Refreshed Photography Focus [2018]”

Our Year in Review: Our First Home and Saying ‘I Do’ [2017]

Our Year in Review 2017

Our Year in Review 2017

To say this year flew by would be an understatement, but what a wonderful year we had! Juggling travel with wedding planning was no easy feat. Though planning for our September wedding was our biggest priority this year, we still managed to squeeze in several adventures — adding a few more countries to our “visited” list and even purchasing our first home.

Join us for a look back on our biggest moments and ventures of 2017!  Continue reading “Our Year in Review: Our First Home and Saying ‘I Do’ [2017]”

Our Year in Review: Backpacking, Campervanning and Getting Engaged [2016]

North to South's Year in Review: 2016

North to South's Year in Review: 2016

Our third year of full-time travel was unquestionably a favorite for us both. We really settled in to our digital nomad lifestyle this year, visiting 13 new countries, managing the sales of our first (and second) photography product while continuing along our nomadic path, and we even got engaged!

Take a look with us, as we reflect on our happiest and most important moments of 2016!  Continue reading “Our Year in Review: Backpacking, Campervanning and Getting Engaged [2016]”

[VIDEO] Our Road Less Traveled Life

Our Road Less Traveled Life

Exciting news! Last month in Seattle, we dedicated a lot of time to putting together this short promo video for North to South. Click the play button above to watch our video about our journey to a “road less traveled life,” and let us know what you think!

If you find our video inspiring, help spread the word! (Our video is on Facebook, too.)

Thanks for watching, sharing, and following. Happy travels!

Our Year in Review: An Epic 50-State Quest + Matching Our Old Income [2015]

North to South: Our Year in Review -- The Epic 50-State Quest + Matching Our Previous Income (2015)

North to South: Our Year in Review -- The Epic 50-State Quest + Matching Our Previous Income (2015)

Wow, 2015, you really outdid yourself. It’s amazing how much Ian and I accomplished in just one year’s time, continuing to build on and cross-promote our online business endeavors. We knew we had it in us, but this year we proved to ourselves that if we really stick with focusing on projects we believe in, great success will eventually come!

Have a look with us, as we review our major milestones and accomplishments in 2015!  Continue reading “Our Year in Review: An Epic 50-State Quest + Matching Our Old Income [2015]”

10 More Reasons I’ll Never Regret Quitting My Job to Travel

10 More Reasons I'll Never Regret Quitting My Job to Travel

10 More Reasons I'll Never Regret Quitting My Job to Travel

Last year I reflected on Ian’s and my decision to quit our jobs, kiss our ‘normal’ lives goodbye, and embrace the unknown as traveling entrepreneurs. The outcome of that reflection was 10 Reasons I’ll Never Regret Quitting My Job to Travel. Since then, we’ve collected another year’s worth of destinations, travel experiences, and business experiments which have all contributed to our ongoing happiness and success as nomadic business partners. This lifestyle has also resulted in positive health and happiness effects on me as an individual. So now, another year older (and wiser), I can add even more reasons to our original list.

After 1 year and 10 months of nomadic bliss — gosh, has it only been that long? — below are 10 additional reasons I’ll never regret taking the leap! Continue reading “10 More Reasons I’ll Never Regret Quitting My Job to Travel”

8 Simple Ways to Prepare Yourself NOW for a Full-Time Traveling Future

8 Simple Ways to Prepare Yourself NOW for a Full-Time Traveling Future

8 Simple Ways to Prepare Yourself NOW for a Full-Time Traveling Future

Dying to hit the road full-time but not quite ready to take the leap? Here are some easy ways to prepare yourself NOW — in your everyday life — for a future of full-time travel.

Some will take time, some you can finish in a few hours, but each will get you a BIG step closer to the day you can call it quits!  Continue reading “8 Simple Ways to Prepare Yourself NOW for a Full-Time Traveling Future”

Announcing North to South’s New Traveling Couples Interview Series

North to South's Interview Series with Full-Time Traveling Couples

North to South's Interview Series with Full-Time Traveling Couples

We’ve got something new and exciting scheduled for the next few months on North to South. It’s your chance to get an honest look at the lives of full-time traveling couples.

You’re Invited — to Meet Some Inspiring Traveling Couples!

WHAT: A series of interviews on North to South

WHEN: Starting next week — Monday, July 20th — with a new interview every 1-2 weeks

WITH WHOM: Real couples who quit their jobs to travel the world

FROM WHERE: America — to start — and later we’ll chat with some from other countries.

WHY: To inspire you (our readers), educate you about the full-time travel lifestyle, and provide realistic examples of what “the leap” looks like for real people  Continue reading “Announcing North to South’s New Traveling Couples Interview Series”