Hi, I’m Mary!
I’m a full-time traveler and toddler-mom.
My goal is to help digital nomad families make the most out of this crazy but wonderful lifestyle.
my story
Back in 2022, we made the bold decision to leave our life in Chicago.
With my husband and daughter, we packed up our minivan with all our belongings, and hit the road.
Our first mission was to visit each state and national park in the USA!
Why Did I Start This Blog?
I want to inspire others to take the leap and start their own adventures.
Living life on the road has definitely been an adventure. Juggling parenting, our jobs, and exploring new places has presented its challenges, but we’ve learnt a lot along the way.
It was daunting at first, and it still can be at times, but I don’t regret our decision for a moment.
My goal is to share the lessons I learn along the way so others can benefit.
My background
I grew up in South Africa, where travel felt like a luxury reserved for the super wealthy.
With our currency being weak and flights expensive, my adventures began with posters of exotic beaches and stunning city skylines that I put on my walls.
Dreams turned into reality thanks to savings and a lot of support from my parents. I started my journey by working and traveling across the UK and Europe.
Later, I taught English in Korea to explore a different part of the world. Eventually, my path led me to the US for post-graduate studies, taking me to Chicago and New York. I ended up staying and making it my home.
Like many, the Covid pandemic rekindled my love for the outdoors. My future husband and I began exploring the natural beauty of the US together.
Why Did I Become a Digital Nomad?
I have a long bucket list, and I didn’t want to wait until retirement to start ticking off the items!
I’ve already visited some of the places from my childhood wall posters, but there are still many more to see.
Throughout most of my career, I’ve been fortunate to work online. When my husband got the opportunity to work remotely too, we decided it was the perfect time to pack up and start our adventure.
What’s Unique About Being a Digital Nomad Mom?
Life as a digital nomad mom is not one long Instagram reel—let’s put it that way!
I vividly remember our first visit to a national park with our toddler. She was about 18 months old when we went to White Sands National Park.
As soon as we got her out of the car, she plopped down in the sand in the parking lot and started digging. We wanted to take her on her first hike, but she refused to budge!
I guess it made sense from her perspective – why explore further when there’s perfectly good sand right in front of you?
My husband and I ended up taking turns exploring the park while the other played in the parking lot with her.
Another memorable moment was at Grand Teton National Park.
We had a lovely hike up to Inspiration Point, but just minutes after taking this beautiful photo on the right, our daughter had a diaper blowout.
We had to do a stealthy cleanup and diaper change behind some trees.
As my husband always says, “It’s all part of the experience.”
