It has been 9 days since we decided to put our epic expedition on hold and leave Spain in the middle of the escalating covid-19 pandemic. We have now decided to wait out the storm in New Zealand.
*Update: We have been forced to accept that the situation in world is not not going to support a mission such as ours for a very, very long time due to the coronavirus pandemic. So, with a heavy heart we have decided to cancel the expedition and move on. Thanks for all your support!
For the past three years we have been traveling the world together. Partly to satisfy a desire to be free, to explore, to go on epic adventures together. But another reason for our nomadic lifestyle choice has always been a necessity due to visa restrictions. An ever present shadow.
In June 2019 we started hiking south from the North Cape in Norway heading for New Zealand. By the beginning of March 2020 we had walked over 5000 km into Spain. This is when the covid-19 outbreak suddenly begin to ramp up in Europe. The situation quickly spiral out of control and we make the difficult decision to put our multiyear expedition on hold.
We manage to get out of Spain just as the borders around the world begin to close. At first we return to family in Sweden with the intention to self isolate and then assess our options. But things continue to happen so fast! The stock market crashes. Airlines start cancelling flights. Borders continue to close. Scott is not allowed to stay in Sweden so with the global situation rapidly declining, we decide to go to New Zealand while we still can. It was really stressful and sad having to leave without a chance to properly visit with family and friends in order to protect them. But we felt that we were running out of time.
We made it to New Zealand just as the borders close here too.
We are currently self isolating in Christchurch supported by family and friends. New Zealand has a very proactive approach to fighting the outbreak. We hope that it will mean a less dramatic outcome here as the situation unfolds. Karma has more visa options here so we can at least buy more time together. For now.
As for the future…
Well, at the moment the future feels very uncertain. We still dream of continuing our nomadic hiking expedition in some form. But who knows when this is possible or even desirable to do. Not only from a logistical point of view but also morally and ethically in the aftermath of a global pandemic and possibly a financial recession or depression.
We have made a lot of friends along the way, both in real life and here on social media. We have really enjoyed sharing our journey with you all and will keep you updated on what is happening going forward. In the meantime. Take care of yourselves and each other.
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