route we would take and where we would spend the night .
We speak a few languages and that comes in really handy when travelling . Locals are the best tour guides . They can tell you the great spots you simply have to visit – those hidden gems are always worth it – and which roads might be impassable during rainy seasons . A smile is the best way to start a conversation , in every country , everywhere in the world . And because we were both extremely happy doing what we did , it wasn ’ t that difficult to smile all the time .
For our next trip , we also have some rough directions , but the current situations in , say , Ukraine , Ethiopia or Myanmar will call for even more flexibility . It can all change very quickly . Two months after we crossed Syria on Caroline ’ s first trip , the war broke out and the borders closed . Syria has been a definite nogo but is slowly starting to open up again , albeit with a lot of restrictions . But even when we cannot cross countries on our wish list , there is so much left to be explored .
ON THE PEGS // PAGE 42