“They thought we were crazy”: a couple from S’pore quit their jobs to cross Asia and Europe with their 4-year-old daughter

SINGAPORE – Every time Mr. Ritesh Angural and his wife, Mrs. Nisha Hari Singh, both 38, drove their trusty 2002 Land Rover Defender through a land checkpoint and into a new country, their doe-eyed baby daughter , Arisha, asked: “Will I see snow here? »

Four months and six countries In Mr Ritesh and Ms Nisha’s epic mission for their family of three to travel from Singapore to Norway by land, Arisha’s wish came true – on her fourth birthday in June.

It started snowing in Ulaanbaatar for just one day of their 42-day stay in Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia.

“She was so stunned she didn’t know what to say,” Ms. Nisha said of her daughter’s reaction. “I remember her looking out the window and watching the snow fall and saying, ‘Mom…the grass is white.’ It was so, so special.

Arisha then celebrated her birthday at a Mongolian mansion with locals – who also gave her a Mongolian deel (a traditional tunic) – whom they befriended while repairing their converted campervan in the country.

Since February, the family has traveled more than 32,000 km across 17 countries and experienced temperatures ranging from -4°C in Cappadocia, Turkey, to 41°C in Don Det, Laos. They document their travels on their Instagram page @sabbatical.living.

From their starting point in Singapore, they traveled to countries like Cambodia and Afghanistan and were fascinated by the spectacular mountain views of Central Asia. They will end their odyssey at the North Cape in Norway, the northernmost point of continental Europe.

Although they were often impressed by the views that nature offered, what impressed Mr. Ritesh and Ms. Nisha the most was the hospitality and kindness of the people of the countries they passed through.

Mr Ritesh said he would never forget a Kazakh car mechanic named Rustam, who helped the family repair their camper van in his garage for almost a week. Rustam even invited them to dinners with his family, tasting the fish they caught and the vegetables they grew.

He then helped Singaporeans find a tool they needed to repair the car even after separation.

The mechanic went to Almaty airport to see if anyone could help him bring it to Mr. Ritesh and his family, who were in Tajikistan. A passenger agreed and the tool was eventually delivered to Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.

There, a local, intrigued by their unique-looking vehicle, let them stay for free in his accommodation.

Earlier, in Kyrgyzstan, a chance meeting with two women near a lake led to sharing tea in their camper van and a meal at a local guesthouse. The women then took the family to a scenic overlook in the mountains, where Arisha ran through fields of dandelions.

“I don’t remember doing anything like that to strangers,” Mr. Ritesh said. “These experiences in Central Asia taught us a lot about how we should be much more welcoming to guests returning home. »

Later in Iran, after their vehicle had to be towed due to engine problems, a family took them in for four days, including cooking them every meal and taking them to a local bazaar.

“After experiencing this level of hospitality for nothing in return, we couldn’t help but feel a bit of guilt as we have never extended such gestures of hospitality to travelers in Singapore.”

Giving up your job to fulfill a wish

The couple had left their jobs in Singapore to see the world.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and Mr Ritesh’s start-up – which was developing an app used to help people meet for sports – hit a roadblock, the couple began to reflect on their lives.

“We each made a list of five things we would regret if we didn’t accomplish them in the next 10 years,” said Ms. Nisha, who quit her job as a user experience (UX) designer. “Traveling the world was on both of our lists. »

When Arisha was less than a year old at the time, they eventually came up with a plan to make their wish come true by traveling overland.

Although it wasn’t easy to give up their careers, even temporarily, and they had concerns about financing the trip, the couple said they preferred to live without regrets.

“Our family and friends thought we were crazy,” Mr. Ritesh said.

They also wanted to travel with Arisha as much as possible before she started attending elementary school in 2027.

Ms. Nisha wanted this experience to help Arisha be curious and appreciate the world and people from all walks of life.

“We hope she grows up remembering the times she spent with people from different countries, religions and cultures, and that this will help her be more compassionate to the people around her.”

After saving for two years, they bought a Land Rover Defender in Malaysia in February 2023 and converted it into a campervan. Painted green, they named it Durian because it belonged to a durian picker who used it to forage for the fruit.

In addition to building a toilet inside and providing Durian with beds and a refrigerator, the couple equipped it with solar panels, which can harness the sun’s energy to produce electricity. The showstopper has proven to be a conversation starter and also attracts camera clicks from strangers.

In addition to spending about $90,000 to purchase the vehicle and fit it out, the couple also set aside about $60,000 for road expenses.

Their journey – which began on February 17 – got off to a bumpy start as two tires burst while the family was still in Malaysia and Durian had to be towed.

But after getting back on track, they headed north and spent nearly three months in Southeast Asia.

They then traveled to Central Asian countries like China, Mongolia and Uzbekistan, where they met friends and family along the way. They even ran into Indranee Rajah, a minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, at a bazaar in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in September.

But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.

One of the most difficult moments for the family was driving at the end of August on the Pamir Highway – known as the second highest international highway in the world, at 4,655 m above sea level.

During the journey, Durian faced a number of problems such as a broken driveshaft, stuck fuel pump, loose turbo hose, flat tire and almost overturned due to the poor road conditions . Ms. Nisha and Arisha were also suffering from altitude sickness and had to separate from Mr. Ritesh so they could quickly get to a low-altitude hospital.

“It was a very emotional experience for us because we had never been apart since we left Singapore and we were worried about each other on both sides,” Mr Ritesh said.

With the help of family and friends who accompanied them on the Pamir Highway, the family of three ended up in Murghab, Tajikistan, where Arisha received injections and drips to help her feel unwell .

Despite this, the couple said they felt that, overall, Arisha was the best of them who had adapted to the challenges and changing terrain.

“She lives every day with joy and excitement and often sings and dances in restaurants and random places, which opens us up to more interactions with locals,” Mr. Ritesh said.

With about three months until their trip ends in March, the family of three will visit countries including Serbia, Poland and Estonia.

Ms Nisha said she was already experiencing mixed feelings as she felt sad about giving up the freedom of traveling on the road, but she was also looking forward to the next stage of her life.

Acknowledging that the trip created memories for the family and brought them closer together, she said: “We also hope that this will also be a catalyst for us to continue to balance adventure with everyday life in our lives when we return to the house. »

It doesn’t matter if the grass outside is green or white.

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