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Sellers Round-the-World Trip

December 2022 - May 2023
A 148-day adventure by Heather, Brian, Katie & Maddie Read more
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  • 34footprints
  • 13countries
  • 148days
  • 580photos
  • 52videos
  • 51.8kmiles
  • 44.8kmiles
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  • Sellers Round-the-World Trip
    Day 1

    Leaving home…

    December 30, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    For those of you who don’t know, we’ve decided to make a massive change in our family life that starts tomorrow!

     After a very rough year with losing both our moms 6 weeks apart, we just wanted to do something different together. So I quit my job. We bought travel backpacks. We pulled the kids out of school. And tomorrow we leave on a 6 month round-the-world trip…together.

    We’ll spend New Years in Costa Rica, then move on to Ecuador (after changing plans from Peru due to civil unrest), exotic Los Angeles (for a quick stop to visit family and friends), Australia, Thailand, Nepal, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, and overland through Europe until we head home mid-June.

    So as we quickly wrap up packing our small-but-what-on-earth-did-we-put-in-here-heavy(?!!!) bags - we are numb, excited, sad, questioning our decisions, and yet also realizing it is so right for us. We’ll miss our dogs. We’ll miss our friends. We’ll miss our home. But we want the kids to understand that life has so much more beauty than what we’ve all experienced - between Covid and losing our cherished loved ones.

    So come along for this journey with us as we explore the world together! It should be fun - Brian’s camera bag literally weighs more than his ginormous travel backpack - so there’s that! I anticipate there should be some amazing pictures/videos being created in the coming months!

    Here’s to new experiences, the unknown and unexpected, and a very happy 2023 for everyone.

    We fly from DC to Costa Rica tomorrow and should be at the base of arenal volcano by New Years!

    Let the trip begin! You’ll hear from us soon! ❤️

    Love,
    Heather, Brian, maddie and Katie    Read more

  • Sellers Round-the-World Trip
    1
    Day 2

    IAD to SJO

    December 31, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    After waking up at 4:15 AM, we’re finally off! 😁🚀

    More from Costa Rica!

  • Sellers Round-the-World Trip
    Day 2

    SJO MADNESS

    December 31, 2022 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Well, the girls’ first introduction to a less-than-smooth airport experience went… about how we expected! Tough after a long flight on no sleep or food, but they’re troopers and are doing a GREAT job.

    Oh, and WE’RE IN COSTA RICA! Looking forward to some of that Pura Vida stuff. 😎    Read more

  • Sellers Round-the-World Trip
    Day 3

    Cafe con Vista

    January 1, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    Is “cafe con vista” a real term? I have no idea.

    But with the views at the Arenal Springs Resort, it should be…

  • Sellers Round-the-World Trip
    11
    Day 4

    La fortuna - hot springs and sleep

    January 2, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 70 °F

    Happy New Year everyone!

    We’re a few days in on our trip and I keep thinking we MUST have jet leg (I slept right through very loud fireworks on New Year’s Eve - for about 16 hours straight yesterday and there may be some evidence of me taking another several hour nap today). However Costa Rica is only 1 hour behind Virginia! I think we’re starting to relax a bit!

    The hotel where we are staying is a bit of a treat - warm, natural hot springs feed into a pool with swim up bar! We have had our share of Shirley temples and yummy drinks. It’s been raining in a way only found in the movies or in this case, Costa Rica - and the lush landscape is just breathtaking.

    Tonight we ventured into la fortuna town and watched some of the best live music, had some amazing arroz con pollo, and some yummy helado afterwards. There was also a very cute dog trying to get our scraps, who reminded us of one of our dogs we’re already missing back home (thank you Auntie GIGi for taking such good care of them!!).

    Have a wonderful evening and hope everyone is off to a great 2023. I feel my eyes getting heavy again and don’t think it will be tough to drift off here soon to the sound of rain on the roof and nighttime sounds surrounding our bungalow.

    Next week we’ll be headed to some Spanish school and a weeklong home stay in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.

    Before then we’re hoping to do some more relaxing, maybe some zip lining, and hoping to hike up around the base of arenal volcano - problem is it’s been so cloudy we haven’t seen the volcano yet! Our bungalow has a direct view but all we see are clouds! Either way it’s all amazing and we’ll take it as it comes! Pura vida!    Read more

  • Sellers Round-the-World Trip
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    Day 5

    Volcano! 😲

    January 3, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Hey Peeps - Brian here… So we’d heard that our resort sits at the base of a massive volcano (it’s kinda why we came here), but it had been hiding behind clouds ever since we got here.

    Until Tuesday.

    I’d been waking up early each day to check and see if our “volcano view bungalow” would show anything during the early-morning golden hours, but after three days of nada, I wasn’t expecting much.

    So I was shocked - speechless, actually, which is an uncommon feeling for me - when I pulled back the drapes and saw… Volcán Arenal.

    It was majestic.

    We quickly changed our plans for the day to include a hike around the volcano (unfortunately not to the top of it - they stopped doing that a long time ago) and got some good exercise and learned about how the volcano has shaped the land and the history of this area.

    Then it was “Katie Day,” and she chose to challenge her fears and have us all go on a zip-lining tour. She came into the tour VERY afraid of zipping along at 45 mph a couple hundred feet off the jungle floor… but she did it 9 times and LOVED it. 💪🏻 She then followed it up with a 135-foot rappel down a cliff side. 😲

    Heather and I were SO proud of her for facing her fears, and of Maddie for being nothing but loving, supportive, and encouraging the entire time (not to mention brave in her own right). 🥰

    We met an awesome couple in their 20s on the zip line tour, and they told the girls how cool Heather and I are… so we love them now. 🤣

    We wrapped up the day with some well-deserved volcanic-spring pool time, and a couple fun beverages to boot. Heather’s and mine were more fun than the girls’.

    Today was more chill, with the girls enjoying the pools and me working on photos and a video for my YouTube channel.

    Hope you’re all well, and we’ll chat soon! Pura Vida!    Read more

  • Sellers Round-the-World Trip
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    Day 10

    Costa Rican Homestay Begins!

    January 8, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 77 °F

    After a week of being spoiled and truly vacationing, this evening we begin our “world school” experience! After a five hour drive where we saw the largest crocodile in a river I never plan to set foot ANYWHERE near, we arrived in Quepos, Costa Rica (town near Manuel Antonio National Park) for a week long homestay with Señora Francisca and Señor Joaquin, a family who has had experience with students and tourists staying with them for almost 15 years. They have a schnauzer pincher mix dog (think pincher face with a teeny little body) named Pekis and orange tabby named Bardo. Girls are happy since they already miss our dogs and gerbils.

    Tomorrow morning, the girls and I will venture on the local bus and start a week of Spanish school. Monday-Friday, the girls will take a 2 hour class together and then I will take a 2 hr medical Spanish class during that time as well. Brian, I’m sure, will be off either creating or editing a video and photos. Speaking of which, today he posted a great video about NYC and our trip there a few weeks ago on YouTube. You can look up Brian Sellers and check out his latest!

    I’m not going to lie - it’s crazy hot and for us spoiled Americans, it’s going to be difficult to adjust to no AC here. Fans are blowing at max speed! However the family is so nice. We just ate an amazing pasta dinner thanks to Francisca and Katie finally ate after 3 days of barely eating anything due to a tummy bug. She even said “this is amazing” when we couldn’t get her to eat anything at the resort.

    After dinner, of course we had to play a good old-fashioned-traditional game of Taco, Cat, Goat, cheese, pizza with the German woman who is volunteering here in Costs Rica for a year and staying at the same house. Meanwhile, without any hesitation, the skies unleashed a ferocious downpour only seen in Hollywood movies or Costa Rica.

    Maddie just walked by me and said “I love it here” so I’ll take that as one point for the parents! Here comes that crazy rain again…hope we don’t have that on our way to school tomorrow…but you know what? If we do then we’ll figure it out together. Pura Vida!

    We’ll let you know how Spanish school goes!

    Good night all!
    Heather, Brian, Maddie and Katie    Read more

  • Sellers Round-the-World Trip
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    Day 13

    Happy 14th Anniversary from Quepos!

    January 11, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 81 °F

    We’re into our 3rd day here in Quepos, Costa Rica at our wonderful homestay with Francisca and Joaquin and taking classes at the Manuel Antonio Spanish school. It also happens to be our 14th wedding anniversary today 🥰 so guess what - we’re going to some salsa/Latin dance class tonight with teacher from our Spanish school! 😎

    It’s been a wonderful albeit challenging week. The homestay is an amazing experience and Francisca’s generosity, kindness, and cooking are phenomenal! It’s just either crazy hot both inside and outside, interspersed with crazy downpours of rain! We’re never sure whether to have bathing suits/sunglasses/sunscreen or raincoats. Pura Vida!

    The kids have gotten to experience so many new things here between learning Spanish for 2 hours every day (at a beautiful outdoor classroom); experiencing traditional Costa Rican food; traveling on the local bus daily to school; seeing monkeys walk along telephone wires literally just over our heads; and learning about the culture and money. But I think so far the most “memorable” moment has been related to Bardo, the caring but “loco” cat (as Francisca calls him).

    Around 2 AM yesterday, Katie came into our room next door saying she was having trouble sleeping without much elaboration. I assumed in my tired state that it was the heat and just being in a new place.

    Oh but I was so wrong. 😳

    First let me say, it turns out Bardo the crazy but caring cat, is named (we believe by her kids) after Bart Simpson - the cartoon character - very appropriate given the cat’s personality. Apparently around 1:30 AM on said evening, Maddie used the restroom and while she went into the bathroom at the end of the hall, Bardo snuck into their room and jumped on Katie’s bottom bunk.

    Bardo then proceeded to meow loudly and rub himself along Katie’s entire body for about 10 minutes, with Maddie trying to shoo him away. Katie of course woke up. Bardo continued to meow and jump between Katie’s bed and under the bed with the kids half liking this game and half trying to get the crazy cat out. After 15 minutes, Bardo suddenly sprinted out of the room.

    Katie then comes in to our room then around 2 AM as I mentioned - but guess who else decided to join us in bed. Yep - you guessed it - BARDO, who meowed and RAN around the bed and flopped down next to me.

    Did I mention I was tired? In my tired state, I had just enough time to think “oh that’s probably ok if…”and then Bardo suddenly launched himself at my leg, which was under the sheets (very tempting I’m sure) and lovingly attacked and bit it. Not hard but very speedy and like I said, his personality matches Bart Simpson well. I yelled “OUCH!” and before I knew it Bardo disappeared.

    In the morning, Bardo was waiting for us right outside our door. Happy, meowing, and rubbing up along our legs like nothing had happened. Ay caramba!

    So girls are in class right now. I’m up next - learning medical terminology in Spanish. It’ll be fun - the teacher and I are going to pretend like he’s sick and I have to ask questions and do an assessment.

    After class we’re headed to a new local beach (water is SO warm here) and we’ll let you know how dance class goes! Fun way to spend our 14th anniversary! Brian and I are looking forward to it!! (Not sure about anyone else but they’ll be troopers!)

    I’m off to Spanish class now!

    Pura Vida! Hope you are all doing well midweek! ❤️    Read more

  • Sellers Round-the-World Trip
    Day 17

    Goodbye Costa Rica!

    January 15, 2023 in Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 82 °F

    This week has been one of the most beautiful albeit challenging experiences we’ve had as a family. Last night as Maddie and I went out to the local market, she said “I love it here. I don’t want to leave.” Ah what that does to a mama’s heart who questioned whether a homestay would be too challenging and different. ❤️ I’m actually almost teary eyed thinking about leaving Quepos, Costa Rica and our new Costa Rican family to head to Ecuador.

    In one week:
    — the girls have learned to easily navigate themselves on the public bus and can get themselves to and from our homestay to the bus station and all the way to Manuel Antonio Spanish school.

    — we have truly embraced the meaning behind “Pura Vida” (it’s good/pure life) 💕

    — the girls have opened their minds and have given their all with an intensive kid’s Spanish class while I had to laugh my way through mistakes I made trying to have conversations in Spanish with my Spanish teacher who became a fake hospice patient and family for my learning enjoyment.

    — Brian got to thoroughly enjoy being out taking video and photos in this stunning landscape.

    — we have experienced the BEST home cooked Costa Rican food gracias a Francisca(!!) - lucky us. As the kids have said, “Sorry mom - but when you try, it just isn’t the same” - uh yes I agree!

    — we got to learn first hand about the beautifully diverse wildlife here - from two toed blond nocturnal, omnivorous sloths versus three toes grey vegetarian diurnal sloth, to VERY loud red macaws, monkeys everywhere overhead, to iguanas eating flowers in trees at the beach overhead(never expected to see that!)

    - we have learned that we LOVE seeing this through the eyes of our children: the mind expanding experiences, the beauty, and even the hardship - because from hardship there is growth. We have seen so much and I’m so grateful.

    — !! I have learned that packing and doing laundry for 4 is way stinkin harder than when I travelled independently or when it was just Brian and I. Home/worldschooling books, sheer volume of technology/chargers, masks and JUST SO MUCH stuff. It’s ridiculous. I’ve done laundry 3 times this week. Francisca saw me and said “la Vida de una mama” - we both smiled and sighed. It’s beautiful and exhausting.

    Thank you Costa Rica. Sad to leave but on to Ecuador!!! Time to pull out our pants and jackets!

    Pura Vida!!    Read more

  • Sellers Round-the-World Trip
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    Day 20

    Hi from Ecuador, South America!

    January 18, 2023 in Ecuador ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    Hi everyone! We arrived in Quito, Ecuador about 3 days ago at midnight via Panama. We were exhausted! However, Brian and I watched the flight status to see exactly when we were crossing over the equator with bated breath since neither of us have ever travelled to the Southern Hemisphere. So exciting!

    Here’s the thing, while writing this, a light bulb just went off - I just realized that when I was a little kid, I went to Bali, Indonesia, and I literally JUST NOW looked at a world map and guess what - Southern Hemisphere! 🤣 Neither of us had been to South America before so who cares, I’m still excited!!

    I’m not going to lie - Quito was a bit much for us. 😳

    Traveling together as a family is a unique experience. We are learning that we just can’t push too much and this is especially the case in a big city with an altitude around 9,000 ft. Walking up 3 steps made us winded like we had just sprinted a mile. I, in particular, dealt with a throbbing headache on day 1. While walking around, when we were two blocks (SO close!) to the historical center of Quito with is a UNESCO heritage site, I could tell some of us were on the verge of tears.

    I later heard “Mom, I want to go back to Costa Rica - I don’t want to see anymore drunk men. I don’t like it here”. We will see so much during these 6 months - we just needed to go back to the hotel and relax.

    While there have been challenges (a couple of letdowns occurring here including with me), we did two really amazing things in Quito. We did go to the Equator or “el Mitad del Mundo,” where we jumped back and forth between Northern and Southern Hemisphere. That was fun as you can see from pictures and Katie’s video that we included. 😂 We also went on a cable car up to 13,000 feet which gave us a panoramic view of all of Quito! Stunning!

    Yesterday we hopped in a transport and are now in Baños del Aqua Santo or Baños, which is a town nestled in a valley with mountains and the largest (dormant) volcano in Ecuador just outside our window. It’s quieter here (I hear chickens rather than buses and horns outside my window). I feel my shoulders relaxing and that I can breathe a bit better (less stress and lower altitude)! There are apparently hot springs 5 minutes away which we’ll learn about TODAY and we’ll be headed to a very high swing on top of one of previously noted mountains nearby. We are also going to be starting our studies of the Galápagos - because we’ll be there in just under two weeks. Jenny, Brian’s sis, is meeting us there and we can’t wait!

    Goodbye all - hope you are having a great week. You’ll hear from us soon!! ❤️    Read more

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