Last night, Ish and I had the pleasure to be a part of a panel at the annual Meet, Plan, Go event in Toronto. The evening takes place simultaneously (more or less) in Toronto, Boston, New York City, South Florida, Chicago, Austin, Mineappolis, Seattle, San Francisco and San Diego.

MPG Janice

A great chance to catch up with @solotraveler Janice Waugh

The interest in the idea of taking a “career break” and heading out to see the world was clearly a popular idea for Torontonians. It was the first  of the cities to completely sell out!

The evening was emceed by Janice Waugh (@solotraveler) and organized with help from the lovely Tracey Nesbitt (@soloandsocial). The evening kicked off with a great tip-filled keynote from Evelyn Hannon (@journeywoman) who enlightened the group with tips including how to keep your money safe and your ankles iced (condoms!) on the road.

Journeywoman

Evelyn Hannon, @journeywoman – photo by Alicia Taggio

Next up was a panel discussion. And along with Ish and I, the phenomenal Ayngelina Brogan (Bacon is Magic ) and Kailey Lockhart ( Vegablonding off the Beaten Track ) shared stories of travel adventures that kept the audience smiling.

good times on the panel

good times on the panel – photo by Alicia Taggio

Then it was time for round table sessions where the audience members and panelists/speakers/guest experts had a chance to talk in more detail about the nitty gritty of issues like safety and insurance, planning an itinerary and traveling as a family.

group chat

photo by Alicia Taggio

All in all it was a fantastic night filled with the energy and buzz of people preparing to live their dreams of seeing the world and we were thrilled to be a part of it.

big screen boys

They couldn’t join us (school night!) but the Globetrotting Kids were there in spirit.

I’d encourage anyone who is contemplating a career break (no matter how long) to take a peek at the sites above for inspiration and practical ideas.

Big thanks to all who attended for making it a great night.

And a special thanks to Alicia Taggio (@Taggio) for sharing her pictures of the event.

Ish and Heather

Sharing our story – photo by Alicia Taggio