Couples who Travel and Blogg: Clo & Clem

A few months ago, as I was watching one of the most beautiful sunsets in Montenegro, something happened. I looked around me, and noticed I was surrounded by couples. They looked genuinely happy, and suddenly, I felt lonely. I started wondering if I would have enjoyed this moment more if someone had been with me… And then, for a short moment, I envied them. Because no matter how many times you can count a travel anecdote later on, it will generally never make up for what’s it’s been like in real life.  Even though solo travel is great, maybe one day, I too will prefer going on adventures with the person I love?  And to get a taste of what this experience can be like, nothing is better than to follow online couples of fellow bloggers/travelers. I decided to launch a little series to introduce you to some of my favorites.

Clo & Clem: The off-the-beaten track adventurers

In 2009, Clo and Clem know each other for only two weeks but they are sure of one thing: they are both meant to travel. Five years later, they decide to undertake their very first RTW trip, but with a little twist: they will NOT take the plane at any moment of the experience. When I ask them why, the couple answers: “Nowadays, it is so simple to take dozens of planes, cross countries and then go back home with a feeling of accomplishment. In our opinion, the final destination doesn’t really matter, what interests us is the journey to actually get there”.

Clo and Clem tell me about the first part of their journey, from their quiet home, in French Brittany, to overwhelming Bombay. “Living this adventure without taking any plane allowed us to discover off-the-beaten track countries on the way, especially in Central Asia. We would have never decided to go there at first but it became one of our best traveling memories”. To live this experience to the fullest, Clo and Clem decide to make their RTW trip last at least three years. “Discovering the world takes time, we knew one year would not be enough. We said three; keeping in mind that it could be a lot longer than that. We’ve been traveling for two years now and we’ve only discovered fifteen countries, staying up two to three months in the ones we really liked.”

What amazes me about Clo and Clem is their unconventional taste in travel. When asked how the two last years impacted their view on traveling, they both are on the same page: “As time goes by, we are not very enthusiastic when it comes to visiting touristy spots anymore. We do go there when it is a very interesting or beautiful place but it’s a tiny part of our trip. What we like above all is to soak up the atmosphere of the country we’re in and to discover different ways of life on the road. We like to get lost in unexpected places, we enjoy going to the market and try all the different fruits we can find. We appreciate meeting locals, interacting with them without speaking the same language. But visiting yet another temple is not that exciting to us anymore.”

Though they agree on what their trip should be like, Clo and Clem also admit that traveling together is not always fun and easy. A few months ago, they went through a rough patch and almost fell apart. When they got to Sri Lanka, they had just landed a major contract with the online travel company Expedia, and had to visit touristic places in order to promote the country in one of their videos. Clo explains “I was extremely happy to finally be able to earn money through our travel videos but Clem did not share the same enthusiasm. He didn’t see any interest in traveling anymore, if it meant going from one touristic spot to the other. We decided to write an article about the challenges of traveling as a couple on the blog because we only had been talking about our good experiences so far. We realized that it is just as important to talk about sensitive topics, to prepare other couples to the troubles they may face while traveling together but also for them to know that they’re not alone.”

Through dialogue and with the support of their followers, family and friends, the adventurers eventually came back to a rhythm that fit them both. Overcoming this difficult period actually brought them closer and taught them how to communicate, open up and better express their feelings. And if the adventure changed their life as a couple, it also revolutionized who they were as individuals. “This journey gave me confidence and trust. We’ve met many inspiring people along the way and it’s reassuring to realize that actually 99% of people want to do well. Traveling taught me to be more patient, because when you travel by land (or by boat) you don’t reach the other side of the world in a matter of a few hours” says Clo. Clem adds: “Traveling also taught us that there’s another life than the one we’re told to live, a life of social and professional success. I learnt that we need to stop fearing the future, because the present is what matters most.”

You can follow Clo and Clem on their (amazing!) youtube channel, blog and facebook.

Feeling inspired to hit the road with your partner soon? To read more about couple who blog and travel check in next week as we introduce you to Savi and Vid from the blog Bruised Passports.

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This post was written by Elisa Fourt.

Elisa Fourt was part of the Travelettes team from 2015 to 2017.  Elisa usually describes herself as a world citizen. She has lived, studied, worked and traveled in more than 60 countries throughout her life and she loves to share her passion for the world with others. When she is not planning her next trip or writing about the last one, Elisa likes to help people in need and get involved in various not-for-profit projects. She currently works for a NGO in the Middle-East. Follow her on Instagram @lisou.me