The woman who sold everything to travel the world with her baby

Today's audience caller episode is one I’ve been so excited to share. Riana is a travel blogger (http://teaspoonofadventure.com) who, after having her daughter in early 2025, did something most new parents run far from: instead of taking a typical parental leave, she and her husband sold almost everything they owned and spent nine months slow-traveling through Canada, France, the UK, and Spain—with a five-month-old baby and their dog in tow. At first glance, this is a trip story. But really, it's a story about permission. Permission to build a life that doesn't fit the mold, permission for a dad to take 15 months of paternity leave when most take a few weeks, and permission to feel the FOMO and the exhaustion of new parenthood while still choosing adventure over fear. We get into everything: how her husband's paternity leave became the centerpiece of the plan, the family pushback (“you’re taking my grandbaby away!”), and how they kept relationships close despite being thousands of miles apart. Riana also opens up about money in a way most people never do. She breaks down the full cost of the trip, exactly how much her travel blog earns per month, and where they blew way past their budget. My favorite part of this conversation is when we get into the "vacation vs. trip" debate and how Riana found unexpected joy in the parts of travel she never would've chosen for herself before becoming a mom. If you're a parent, a soon-to-be parent, or just someone who's ever wondered "could I actually do this with a baby?”—this one's for you. Here’s that article from the Huffington Post: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vacation-or-trip-a-helpful-guide-for-parents_b_7789310 Sponsors: Magnetic Me: New customers get 15% off sitewide at https://www.magneticme.com Quince: Go to https://www.Quince.com/REALSTUFF for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Labcorp OnDemand: Visit https://www.OnDemand.Labcorp.com/realstuff and use code "realstuff" to save up to 15% on select tests. Spindrift: Visit https://www.drinkspindrift.com and use code "lucie" for 15% off. Alaya Naturals: Visit https://www.alayanaturals.com/realstuff and enter code REALSTUFF at checkout for 20% off your order. Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story. I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone. Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod Find Lucie here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/ Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe Executive Producer: Cloud10 Produced by Dear Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices