Mike and Anne Howard left on their honeymoon in 2012 and have been exploring the world ever since. Using Anne's background as a national magazine editor and Mike's as a marketing executive and photographer, they created HoneyTrek.com to chronicle their journey across 38 countries and what has become “The World's Longest Honeymoon.”
Their story, writing, photography, and videos have been featured in acclaimed publications such as Condé Nast Traveler, Los Angeles Times, BBC Travel, Daily Mail, Huffington Post, CBS and dozens of other international publications. The latest breaking news? They are heading to Antarctica with Quark Expeditions and will be the first couple to honeymoon all seven continents! Before they depart, we had to ask these record-breaking travelers a few questions.
What made you decide to take a honeymoon around the world?
While dreaming about where to honeymoon, our list of destinations was running off the page. Then we thought, to celebrate our new life together “why don't we travel to all of these countries? We've got some money saved, we're healthy, we don't have kids...will there ever be a better time to explore the world? So we quit our jobs, rented our apartment, and set out on our around-the-world honeymoon and our new nomadic lives.
Where have you been so far?
South America: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador
Africa: South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya
Asia: Nepal, China, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines and Indonesia
Oceania: Australia and New Zealand
North America: USA, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Cuba, and Jamaica
Europe: Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, England, France, Switzerland, Norway and Turkey
What were your most memorable moments?
We honestly have a lifetime worth of memories from these four years of traveling together but here are 5 that really resonate with us:
- Watching the Northern Lights from the Arctic Circle in Norway, during our sea expedition from Bergen to the border of Russia. We could hardly sleep were so excited watching the bursts of color and swirls across the sky and illuminated fjords.
- Having a cheetah jump on top of our open-roof safari vehicle in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. She was scouting the grassland for food, but of course we thought she was eyeing us up for lunch. Watch this video and tell us if your heart is in your throat when the Cheetah walks inches from Anne's head
- Teaching English in a tribal Red Tzao village outside of Sapa, Vietnam during the week of their New Year. The students thanked us with invitations to pre-Tet dinners, sacrificial rituals, and a very exclusive New Year's spirit cleansing ceremony. To be accepted into this tribal community during one of the most familial and celebrated times of the year was unforgettable.
- Getting pulled out of our car by a band of elderly Peruvians to join their traditional dance party. They had us all holding hands doing a communal jig, drinking homemade brew out of a shared mug, playing tunes on exotic instruments well into the evening.
Ice hiking Perito Moreno Glacier was like entering another world. The weather went from sunny to a blizzard within a half mile of our hike and we could feel the raw power of this growing glacier. Navigating deep crevasses, blue ice caves, and ever-changing landscape left us awe-struck.
What makes travel so valuable?
One of the reasons we decided to travel so extensively, is that we knew we would be creating memories, life-lessons, laughs, and friends that would be with us for the rest of our lives. We didn't want to push that into the distant and unpredictable years of retirement. There isn't a day that goes by when we don't think about a funny moment, beautiful place, interesting encounter, or insightful conversation from the trip. Travel doesn't just inform you about the world...but about yourself, where you come from, and who you want to be.
What is the best part about traveling with the one you love?
Exploring the world, seeing awe-inspiring sights, discovering other cultures and trying new things will give you memories and learning experiences for 10 lifetimes together. No one could possibly understand the magnitude and intricacies of what you've seen, except you have one very special person who gets it completely. It bonds you like no other.How do feel about honeymooning your seventh continent?
Antarctica is on every adventurer's bucket list, but to us, this expedition feels like the crowning moment of our 4-year journey. It is quite possibly the most precious place on the planet and we are humbled to explore it with Quark Expeditions. We can't wait to hike on glaciers, waddle with penguins, geek-out with environmental specialists, stand-up paddleboard between icebergs, and take the polar plunge!If you would like to follow Mike & Anne on their never-ending journey you can connect with them here:
