About Us
When two over-forty adventurers decide to sell everything and travel around-the-world, it makes for an interesting story! So far, Lisa Chavis and Cheryl MacDonald have traveled to 4 continents, 30 countries and over 200 cities. Their goal is to write and volunteer around the world, sharing their stories and fun. Come along for a laugh to see the world! Remember, it’s never too late to Live Your Dream!
CONTACT: Cheryl@whatboundaries.com
Cheryl and Lisa decided their lives weren’t nearly exciting enough, so they sold all possessions that wouldn’t fit in a large backback and took off around the world.
Traveler, adventurer, writer, photographer, SCUBA diver, volunteer, and overall lover-of-life! In a nutshell, that’s a good description of either of them at any one moment.
They’re about as different as angel food cake and Key Lime pie, but somehow the combination seems to work. One prefers 5-star while the other is partial to dive bars, but it’s been 18 months, 4 continents, 29 countries, and more gooey desserts than either of them cares to remember — and they’re still going strong!
Backpacking for thirteen weeks and eleven countries throughout Europe, volunteering for ten weeks of diving in the Mexican jungle to protect the coral reef, three months in Africa photographing and studying up-close the Big 5 on game reserves, riding camels through the Sahara desert, diving the pristine waters of Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia…and as for what’s ahead??? There is an awful lot to see out there!
From Cheryl & Lisa…
Come with us as we explore the world – volunteering, blogging, eating and drinking ourselves silly and laughing our way through strange lands! You can find us on Twitter and on our Facebook fan page! We’d love to hear from you!
WATCH VIDEO!
We’re back in Florida right now, promoting our book What Boundaries? Live Your Dream! A humorous account of two women in their forties who take on Europe with an overpacked rucksack and a purple octopus named Priscilla.
Our goal? To help anyone who’s looking to find the courage and motivation to live their own dreams! As Helen Keller said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”
Together let’s live our dreams!!
17 Comments to “About Us”
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By Scribetrotter, July 2, 2009 @ 8:17 am
Hello Ladies, I just found you via Twitter and came to explore… we’ve followed similar paths. I did the same at 43 – only differences was I did it alone. I was gone three years and it was brilliant! Good on you for the courage to do this – this will be one of the high points of your life. So, will follow you on Twitter (I’m ‘womanontheroad’) and you can find me hanging around my website (built with women like you in mind, by the way). Looking forward to reading you!
By jen laceda, July 8, 2009 @ 10:07 am
Please teach me how to live this dream! I do not enjoy my hospital job any longer, but don’t have the guts to quit because of all the “responsibilities” attached, such as mortgage, kids (well, 1 daughter), and all other material stuff our family can’t let go (tv, computer, camera, video cams, car, etc.) I give you full props for doing what you are doing!
By whatboundaries, July 8, 2009 @ 2:04 pm
Hi Jen!
Best of luck to you and your future travels!! Lisa
It took a HUGE leap of faith to put the house up for sale and sell our stuff, believe me. But we kept the video cam, cameras, and computers because they were handy to have while traveling.
Shedding so much “stuff” was so liberating, it was unbelievable! We saw lots of mothers and daughters traveling together through hostels all over Europe and it was an incredible bonding experience for them both. I’m a pharmacist and leaving my safe, secure and COMFORTABLE world was excruciating (but for only a few days) then the euphoria set in and hasn’t gone away yet!
By Ohad, July 13, 2009 @ 9:22 pm
Go Cheryl & Lisa!
I hope your journey takes you to Israel one day, and I hope I’ll still be here by then! Best of luck and love the blog! Ohad the dive instructor.
By Eva Gill, September 15, 2009 @ 11:02 am
Hello, Ladies!
Just discovered you through a #traveltuesday on twitter. We are putting together a round the world walkabout tour. We’ll be homeschooling our kiddos on the road, and plan for about a year and a half away.
Fun website, I’ll have to spend a little more time here!
Cheers~
Eva
By Marc, November 3, 2009 @ 6:45 pm
Wow, you two are AMAZING! I just found your site via Twitter & can’t wait to read more.
My wife & I (not quite 40 yet, but close) just took our first extended world trip this past year with our kids – and like you, we’re hungry for more!
I’m looking forward to reading more on the site and in your book – congratulations, and keep it coming!
-Marc
By Dee Andrews, November 4, 2009 @ 11:04 am
I am just “home” from a similar experience with my husband and two daughters, ages 7 and 10. While we didn’t travel RTW (perhaps in a year or two,) we sold our house, cars, stuff and moved to Spain for a year. We traveled extensively for 3 months on the front and back ends and then spent 6 months in one Spanish town while our daughters went to school.
It was such an exciting idea that we were motivated to make it happen. Selling all of our stuff was soooo freeing! Now that I’m “back” and have a house and mortgage again, I’m really wondering if we shouldn’t chuck it all again. Re-entry, I suppose! If you’re considering it, do it! It was an amazing experience for our family. Read all about it on my travel weblog, http://www.travelandtravails.com.
Will be digging into your blog for ideas for our next adventures.
By Tim Lucey, February 17, 2010 @ 2:09 pm
I’m working with you at HMSA at the moment, and I want to buy your book and ask you guys to sign it before you leave here. I’m in Purchasing, Room 544 — Sharon knows where I am. Can I see you before you leave?
Thanks, –TIM.
By Alexandria, February 18, 2010 @ 11:13 am
Wow-you two are amazing and I love what you are doing! I am so flattered that you took a look at my WWOOF-ing travels on my blog and hope to always have you as readers…because you have a new one yourself! I do not think I will be in Hawaii soon, but it is on my list of farms to experience. I have soo much I would like to talk to you about. Do you have Skype??
By Tim Lucey, February 28, 2010 @ 2:52 pm
I’ve been reading your book all weekend, and it’s excellent. You guys are very brave to walk away from an establish life and career and head out to see the world. I was wondering, since you sold everything and are gone much of the time, how do you deal with such things as medical insurance, income taxes, retirement savings, and so forth? I’m just wondering how you can “unplug” from everyday life and still have income and a few other financial needs taken care of. Enjoy your time on Maui! Aloha, –TIM.
By Sidney Wilson, March 13, 2010 @ 10:08 am
Hi Cheryl and Lisa!
My name is Sidney Wilson I am Colette Wilson’s daughter. My mom gave me your book some time last holiday season,I didn’t start reading your book until this month and I have to say that I AM OBSESSED!! Now I am checking your website all the time and looking at your pictures and telling all my friends about you guys. I have been wanting to do the same thing for awhile and telling my parents that school and just working a normal job aren’t for me, Reading your book makes my dreams more alive and real! I’m proud of you guys and I wish I could have met you when you were still in Washington! I’d love the opportunity to hook up with you guys sometime or get advice from you guys, so keep me updated with your progress and adventures!
TakeCare&GoodLuck!!
Love,Sid
By Res, March 31, 2010 @ 3:30 am
Hi Cheryl and Lisa,
You guys are awesome!! living your life to the fullest! I am wishing you more fantastic adventures to come! =)
Could you please please please email me back? I got sincere questions about the dragon fruit farm you are wwoofing on.
Res
By aldo, September 9, 2010 @ 4:44 am
Hey, I work with the CheapOair travel blog (cheapoair.typepad.com) and we’re interested in having you guest blog for us. Please contact me if you’re interested. Thanks! Aldo.
By Lesli, October 3, 2011 @ 6:10 am
Aloha Ladies,
I am looking into work exchange through wwoofer. I am 58 years young and ready for a simple adventure in Nature. Do you believe it is possible at this age to do wwoofing?
By Ismael Protasewich, October 8, 2011 @ 9:31 am
nicely written post
By whatboundaries, October 10, 2011 @ 7:46 am
Hello Lesli! I believe that the only constraints age puts on us are those we put on ourselves! I am sure that you will have a marvelous experience WWOOFING! The only thing I would suggest, and I would suggest this to anyone asking about WWOOFING, is to make sure you understand what is expected of you. The WWOOF website has some basic information but more importantly provides a contact name and email of the host so that you can ask questions. I would ask what the living conditions are (our first stop they handed us a tent and a pillow), what is provided as far as food (one stop we had McDonalds Cheeseburgers twice a day) and I would ask what the job will be. I suggest this because we worked on one farm where we had to move 4 tons of fertilizer in 50lb bags. We managed just fine, but being 41 and 45 did not stop our host from treating us just like the 21 year old young man who shared our time on the farm.
Many farms will have such a variety of work that there will always be something for everyone to enjoy. I hope you go for it!
Cheryl
By Jessica Green, Merritt Island FL, October 19, 2011 @ 11:10 am
Hi! Thank you so much for your stories last night. I think you both inspired a lot of people! I wanted to make sure you had the inexpensive & hear-in-the-right-place volunteer organization I can personally recommend: http://www.sci-ivs.org/new/ . I also wanted to know if you had a specific Thai Tesol organization in mind from our chat. I worry that so many are schools that are happy to teach you but fall down when it comes down to job placement.
Thanks! Jessica