Ashley Campbell: Seven People and One Extraordinary Trip Around the World

Key takeaways

• Big dreams are funded by small, consistent choices. The Campbells saved a little at a time for roughly seventeen years and made everyday decisions — like buying store-brand chips — with their dream in mind.
• You don't need a bucket list. Their goal wasn't famous sites; it was to go somewhere new, be curious, meet people, and experience diverse cultures — which also kept the trip affordable.
• Plan around the cheapest next leg. Starting in Morocco and choosing destinations by the lowest fare to the next city made a year of travel feasible for a family of seven.
• Travel slow and keep kids rested and fed. With zero rigid expectations, even teenagers handled new foods and constant pivots with an adventurous spirit.
• International travel can cost far less than people assume. Much of the price of group, school, or church trips is tour guides, buses, and comfort — independent travel strips that away.
• A simple tool can open doors. Their packed basketball and pump led to instant connections with local teens, which often turned into invitations into homes and restaurants.
• The world is more hospitable than the headlines suggest. Strangers welcomed them in every country, and the kids came home quicker to spot false narratives about other places, faiths, and people.
• Photography can keep you present, not pull you away. Ashley uses her camera to slow down and notice detail — taking one intentional shot instead of thirty.