Lauren and Lucas Corbett followed the so-called American dream.
They earned college degrees and started careers. They built a big house and bought cars. They had two children.
But then, Lauren said, they started asking, “Is that all we have to do or is there more?”
A big jump in their real estate taxes helped answer that question.
“It felt silly to build this big house and use a fraction of it when there’s so much of the world to see,” said Lauren, who grew up in Bellevue. Lucas is a boy from South Omaha.
When they realized they could work remotely and live in an Airbnb anywhere in the world for about the same amount as their mortgage and utility payments, they sold the house and started their travels in November 2018.
People also read…
The 38 years have now been in more than 30 countries. They’ve stayed in oceanfront residences, been stranded for days by an airport workers’ strike in Portugal and toured Egypt’s pyramids almost alone during the pandemic, waking up every morning to a view of the river Nile.
“This is an invaluable experience,” said Lauren.
Lucas still remembers thinking, “Are we really doing this?” when they first left.
Now, they are in the middle of a trip that will take them to Hawaii, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Albania. After a summer in Plattsmouth, living in Lauren’s parents’ spacious basement, they’ll go to Hungary, Germany and who knows where else.
“Everybody I meet says, ‘It’s amazing.’ We wish we could do it,” Lucas said. “Well, you can if you really want to.”
It’s not easy, both admit. They spend a lot of time looking for flights, train tickets and the best places to stay. Lauren refers to the family as the “carrying crew” because they never check bags.
Lucas calls planning involved a mini job and his hobby.
“I always get a high from getting a deal,” he said.
Most of his journeys are based on those traits. They flew to Australia and Fiji, round trip for $530, which Lauren said was one of the most fun and exotic places they’ve visited. Her Christmas Market trip to Europe last year was $220 round trip from John F. Kennedy International Airport.
If it doesn’t fly on a large cash rate, use increased points on a credit card.
I often stay in a city for several weeks if the Airbnb host provides a monthly discount. He works during the day while children Annabelle, 10, and Hampton, 8, do their studies at home.
“Every afternoon we go into town and check on things,” Lucas said.
They spend much more time with each other than the usual family, in which the parents are working full time and then run to activities, and they like it that way. While children sometimes wish they were at home playing with their neighborhood friends, they also love the playgrounds found in Europe.
The Corbetts made friends along the way and arranged to meet up with other families on their travels. Many times, those friends will introduce you to locals in the area, which adds another layer to an experience.
“We have a better understanding that there are so many different cultures and beliefs and ways of doing things,” Lauren said. “I think we have changed because of that. In Spain, everyone takes a siesta every day. We should fully adopt this.”
Lauren wants to see as much of the world as possible, but said she likes to visit Paris and return to Spain at least once a year.
They only had a few major problems along the way, like when they rented a place in a bad part of Barcelona. They can move into a hotel, and Lucas said he now does a much better job of checking out a neighborhood before booking.
They have never been stolen.
While they can’t imagine ever getting tired of traveling, they know things could change.
“We’re like fooled,” Lauren said. “One day, something will happen and change our situation. For now, let’s just go.”
