Wandering Footsteps: Wandering the World One Step at a Time » A travel journal following a family on their overland trip around the world.

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  • Welcome to Wandering Footsteps, the travel journal of a nomadic family on an overland trip around the world. With thirty years of travel experience, a round-the-world trip already under our belt, a newly-converted bus, and a new baby in tow, this journey is bound to be interesting! Join us in our global wanderings - we've saved an extra seat just for you!

    - Brittany, Bruno, and Phoenix

Posted in North America,The AmericasTags: ,

I’m writing this post from my new bed inside our big blue bus in Mexico.  For anyone following Wandering Footsteps recently, you know this is a big deal!  We have been working non-stop for over two months on converting a bus into an RV, and as of March 26th, we’ve moved in!

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  • Jennifer J - My cousin Brittany! I love you so much. I just caught up on your lovely website and you made me laugh ou loud so many times!!! You and Bruno are doing an INCREDIBLE fast job on the bus and it is gorgeous. Bruno is so talented! Have fun growing into it. I am so envious (in a good way), as I am in heavy pring cleaning and such here (house… ball and chain?). I love your blog Brittany, your authenticness shines through each tale on the road. xoReplyCancel

  • amir - Yes, they can handle the weight, trust me. They get screwed into the doors and drawers and it helps if its solid wood ofcourse. I am confident it will do the trick for you.

    I cant find the exact ones we have, but its made by this company here. They also have new ones which instead of using screws uses 3m tape, I wouldn’t go that route.

    https://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-Magnetic-Cabinet-Locks/dp/B004GCJMLG/ref=sr_1_9_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1491526964&sr=8-9&keywords=child%2Block&th=1ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Hi Amir! Just seeing this now (I didn’t get an email notification about your reply), and that’s a great idea! I actually stumbled upon this a few days ago during research and feel it’s the next logical step for us to take. At the very least we can try it because it doesn’t involve cutting any holes into the front façade of the doors, which is what Bruno is contemplating doing right now!! Thanks a bunch! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • amir - what you need for the cabinets and drawers is baby/child locks. plenty of different types available on amazon. they also have a disable feature and can be activated ONLY while you’re in transit. and a magnet pops them open from the outside when you stop after travel.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Hey Amir! I thought of child-proof locks but Bruno was worried they wouldn’t be strong enough for all the weight we’re carrying in the kitchen. We’ll have to look at a few different models, especially since our cabinets don’t have much to latch onto on the sides or tops of the cabinets. In retrospect I should have chosen a less beautiful but more functional kitchen. Ah well, you live, you learn!ReplyCancel

      • Brittany - Do you have a link for the lock you’re describing, btw?ReplyCancel

  • Leslie Brown - Well, you sure fooled me. When I saw that bus full of seats, I figured it would take at least 6 months before you could get in to spend the first night. You two have done a marvelous job so far. Be proud of your great effort.
    Love GrampaReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Wow, what an encouraging comment! I just read it to Bruno because he’s having trouble kick-starting the project here in Mexico. I think he’s exhausted and is reaching his limit. But these comments definitely give him a bit of pep in his step! Keep ’em coming! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Elizabeth S - What fabulous work you have both been doing! Not to worry; you will soon both grow into Big Blue’s size. As with everything, however, there are always plusses and minusses.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Thank you, and yes, I totally agree! Love will come with time, I’m sure, and with every plus there is a minus.ReplyCancel

  • Molly McCarron - Oh my gosh-how far are south are you guys going? I’m so jealous! Your bus looks fabulous! You probably won’t find any down there but I would take a sneak peak at some RV places and have a looky-loo at the interior cabinets, or you could get child-proof drawer and cabinet locks. They may solve your problem. I have the best stainless steel cleaner. It’s the bomb (link below) but I know those flat sinks are a pain. Your bus does look luxurious! I’m so happy for you guys. I hope you are going to Cancun!

    https://www.amazon.com/EZ-Brite-Stainless-Chrome-Cleaner/dp/B003ONKGKO/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1491289828&sr=1-1&keywords=ez+briteReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Hey Molly!! Thanks so much for your tips! Do you use that stainless steel cleaner every time you use the sink? I couldn’t believe when I read the directions for our sink and it said to wipe it dry after every use! I mean, like, WHO does that?!?
      So, our plan this spring is actually not to go any further than Ensenada, Baja. We’ll have to save the further south thing for next year. Still a lot of bus work to do and then we need to register it as an RV in Arizona and head up to Canada for the summer. Exciting Mexican adventures await us NEXT winter!
      P.S. I can’t believe what happened with your contractor! That’s absolutely crap – any way to catch up to him and get your money back?ReplyCancel

      • Molly McCarron - Hi Brittany,

        We actually use it on our stainless steel pans and it works on our porcelain sink too! We just had an amazing resolution with our contractor. He agreed to give us all our money back! Woo-woo! I guess he realized I was gonna fight to the death (in court) and there was no way he was going to win. If you ever come back here I will show you what we have done. I love your blog and I have finally signed up. Keep up the good work! Give a kiss to Justin Trudeau for me when you get up there, okay? LolzReplyCancel

Posted in North America,The AmericasTags: ,

Dear Totoyaya, this morning, you left us. We sold you, our beloved home-on-wheels of nineteen years.  The vehicle that had transported Bruno for 400,000km around the world, had brought him to me, and had taken me along for the ride these past almost-five years – you were gone. This letter of thanks and love is for you.

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  • Chad Wiley - So due to some unfortunate circumstances this vehicle was rolled in Nashville TN. I’m a cruiser lover and purchased this as you see here. While having other intentions with the vehicle, my wife promptly informed me that the vehicle has a new destiny. She fell in love with the truck and we are going to bring it back to life. Totoyaya will live on. I will keep you guys posted of the progress.ReplyCancel

  • Rcs - Oh lala… this was definitely a tough moment for both you and Bruno.
    But alas, Big Blue, with time and new travel experiences, will fill the void. With the work you have already given her, she is becoming your and Bruno’s new creation.
    A very nice tribute and capsule of your feelings and emotions.ReplyCancel

  • Totoyaya - My new driver will need some time to learn about my quirks and “features”. He had that smile for the next 3 days of our trip, even while he slept in the back, what a weirdo!

    So far so good B&B, I shall complain if he ever mistreats me. I hope Big Blue is treating you good!ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - It is SO good to hear from you, Totoyaya, and even better to hear that your new owner is treating you well! Don’t worry – you will really like him. He’s a nice guy (even if he’s a bit tall) and he has roots in a couple countries you’ve visited and loved, so you guys have a few things in common!
      Please be as good to him as you’ve been to us!
      We miss you and think of you every day! Big Blue is nothing compared to you!
      Yours,
      BBReplyCancel

  • Remy - Salut totoyaya , bonjour Big Blue Bus . Ce n’est pas une page qui se tourne mais un nouveau livre qui s’ouvre … Bon vent à vous les BB et le BBB . Et encore merci totoyaya.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Tu as tout a fait raison grand frere! Quelle sagesse!

      De BB et BBB 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Elizabeth S - What a heart-warming, poignant tribute to Totoyaya. I couldn’t stop the tears from coming and she wasn’t even mine. Knowing how much she meant to you both and reading about her for the past nearly-five years, traveling along with her in Morocco, as well as having her at our home last summer, she was ‘family’. Hope we get to hear aboit her future adventures.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Yes, if anyone got to see how much we loved her, it was you! I am so grateful we got to share a piece of the road together before we let her go so that you could see how special she was! Now we’ll have to share the road again, just with two totally different vehicles!ReplyCancel

  • Sabine - I actually cried a little, reading this post. What an amazing journey the three of you have had together. Your blog is so inspiring, especially for people like me in a humdrum corporate cubicle, who use their break time to check out your blog and dream of a different life.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Thank you so much, Sabine. She really has been so much to us… alas, it’s time to create new memories, right? We are really grateful to hear your heartfelt words and it is such an honor to provide you some armchair travel! Many, many thanks!ReplyCancel

Posted in North America,The AmericasTags:

Sometimes, you just hit a wall. It’s been exactly two months since we bought our big blue bus, and almost as many weeks that we’ve been working ten hour days, seven days a week. At some point, the body and mind just give up. This is our story of that time.

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  • Leslie Brown - sooner or later, we all hit the wall, it starts to get better soon after that..
    Love, GrampaReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Wise words from a wise man. You’re totally right, and that’s exactly what happened. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Molly McCarron - It looks awesome so far guys! I do hope you come back to L.A. because I want to see it. Bruno is so crafty! You are so lucky-my husband is the exact opposite!ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Molly!! I must have conjured you up because I thought of you this week and wondered how your own renos were going!! Finished? (No thanks to your hubby, I guess, haha!) Thanks for saying hi!
      P.S. I seriously plan to get around to some blog design changes you suggested, but it’ll have to wait until after this conversion thingy!ReplyCancel

      • Molly McCarron - They are still going on Brittany. It’s nearly done. We had a contractor take our money and walk off the job. He put a hole in our roof and didn’t cover it during our heavy rains. Yay! We have someone else finishing it though. Thank god you have Bruno-You are blessed!ReplyCancel

  • ESears - So happy to see how much you’ve accomplished so far. It’s great that you are learning these new skills, Brittany. Bruno’s work is so impressive!ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - I didn’t know he was capable of such polished work! He’s a pretty impressive catch, no?ReplyCancel

Posted in North America,The AmericasTags:

The bus conversion work we’ve recently shown off on the blog wasn’t done alone. For the past four weeks, we’ve had the help of two young strapping strangers we found through an organization called Help Exchange, or HelpX. Read on to learn about the organization, the volunteers we welcomed, and our thoughts on the experience.

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  • Rcs - I’m. Sure these two fine young gents, different in their own ways, will read this blog entry and have much to think about.
    Your perspectives are very precise and analytical.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - It was very interesting to get to know these fellows that I may never have otherwise met. A fascinating cultural experience for me (and maybe for them, too, since admittedly we are pretty unique ourselves!)ReplyCancel