Everything we are asked most often about our relationship, our world tour and the way we travel

We are Matthieu and Sebastien, a Swiss gay couple based in Lausanne. We met in 2016, and we are currently doing a one-year world tour across more than ten countries on two continents.

We have been together since October 2016. It all started in Lausanne, after months of almost-crossing paths before we finally met in person.

On a dating app. We texted for months without managing to meet, then finally saw each other one evening in October 2016 in Lausanne. You can find the full story on our Our Story page.

We prefer to keep that part private. What we can say is that our commitment was never built on an official document. It grew day by day through trust, communication, and the team mindset that has kept us together since day one.

There is no secret, but there are a few principles we apply every day. We talk a lot, we put both tension and love into words, and we say "I love you" often, without waiting for a special occasion. We work as a team: supporting each other, pushing each other upward, celebrating each other's successes without jealousy. And when one of us struggles, the other one steps in.

The idea matured over time. Matthieu mentioned it from time to time as a dream, then at one point Sebastien started to feel a form of professional fatigue. The conversation changed, we picked a date, and the trip became real. We did not want to be among the people who postpone their dreams to a later that never comes.

One year. Roughly 360 days on the road. We always say "one year", never a precise number of months, because what matters is the time scale, not the countdown.

Our itinerary covers more than ten countries on two continents: the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Taiwan, Peru and Colombia, with a few stopovers along the way. We chose these destinations by combining our personal wishes and prioritizing enough time in each country rather than collecting passport stamps.

We started several months in advance: defining the route, finding long-stay travel insurance adapted to Swiss residents, choosing essential gear (backpacks, water filter, technical clothing), organizing our banking setup, and building a detailed budget spreadsheet. We also prepared the return before leaving, because that part is often forgotten.

Without giving a precise number, we can say that traveling for one year as a couple in Southeast Asia and Latin America with our style (more hotel than hostel, a few memorable experiences, no extreme deprivation) represents a significant investment that must be prepared in advance.

With savings we planned ahead of this project. We are not sponsored. This journey is first and foremost a personal project that we chose to fund ourselves, which gives us complete editorial freedom over what we share and how we share it.

It depends a lot on the country. In some destinations, we never think about it; in others, we naturally adapt our gestures to what is socially accepted locally. It is not fear, it is respect for the cultures welcoming us. We always remain ourselves, simply with context awareness.

With lucidity and discretion when needed. We read ahead before arriving, avoid public displays in places or contexts where it could create problems, and choose accommodations where we know we are safe. We have never given up a destination for this reason, but we adapt how we are present there.

Very few, and mostly curious looks rather than direct hostility. Most encounters we have are warm, interested, and kind. We believe part of the fear people can feel before leaving is often larger than what reality looks like on the ground, as long as you are prepared.

We are not activists in the strict militant sense, but we will always defend this cause when it is attacked. Not only because it is our own life, but because it is simply a just cause: no one should be afraid to love who they love, regardless of sex, skin color, religion, or origin.

By combining our personal wishes, then negotiating compromises. We try to stay long enough in each country to leave with more than a collection of cliches. We like alternating nature and cities, culture and downtime, adventure and comfort.

Mostly in hotels. We like coming back to our own room after an intense day, having our own space and rhythm, and being able to recover properly. We are not against hostels in principle, but that is not our default way of traveling.

Sebastien speaks French, English, and Spanish, which covers a large part of our itinerary. Matthieu speaks French and English, has some German basics, and when it comes to Spanish, his Duolingo lessons currently allow him to order milk with confidence. The rest will come, hopefully.

It is simple: Matthieu cooks, Sebastien does the dishes. It is an unspoken deal we never negotiated and no one ever questioned. Matthieu has a talent for turning three ingredients from a local market into something delicious. Sebastien has the talent to clean up afterward without complaining. Everyone has their specialty.

This is probably the question we have managed mentally the most since the beginning of the trip. Short answer: we always ask for a double bed. Long answer: in some countries there can be a tiny moment of hesitation at reception, and we learned to go through it with a natural smile and zero justification. Most of the time, nobody blinks. And when someone does, our smile stays exactly the same.

Because we love writing, taking photos, and telling stories. Because documenting a trip is part of how we live it. And because we know, as readers ourselves, how much a sincere story can help others prepare their own trip or simply dream.

We are active on three main channels: Instagram (@matthieuandsebastien) for our day-to-day in photos, reels, and stories; TikTok (@matthieuandsebastien) for more spontaneous video formats; and this website for longer content, deeper stories, and everything that deserves more than a few seconds of attention. We read all messages and try to answer as much as we can.