From England to Australia without taking a plane

Martha & Dora

They are two sisters with the somewhat crazy project of traveling from England, their native country, to Australia without flying, by land and sea. I contributed to their journey in Crete in April 2025. We met again in Istanbul, and I've been following their adventures since. I must admit I was a little skeptical, even a little worried; the countries they would have to cross aren't the easiest, especially for young women.

They are two bright sisters who share a wonderful bond. If I remember correctly, they have unconventional parents.

It was no coincidence that we ended up in Malaysia at the same time. I joined them on one of the Parhentian Islands where they were volunteering at a hostel. Coordinating our schedules was complicated, but we eventually shared a meal.

Still as smiling and fresh as ever, the miles they've traveled don't show on them.

They ask about my background, comparing my junior experience to theirs. Then I fire off the questions. Yes, they didn't fly as planned. They had to change their route because Azerbaijan closed its border. They went through Russia instead, where they had to fill out a mountain of paperwork, but once that was done, everything went smoothly.

Their favorites: Greece, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Laos, the national parks of Thailand, and China. A big, exotic country, but where the people are always incredibly kind.

They had some unfortunate experiences with men, but nothing serious; we were lucky. It has to be said that they were well-prepared; you can read their advice on their Instagram page.

Still heading for Australia? Of course, but the final leg is complicated because there's no ferry to the country. We need to find a private sailor, probably on a sailboat, to take us there. There are websites for this purpose, and a possibility is emerging.

In Turkey, Marta fell in love with a Frenchman who's following a similar path to theirs. He was here three days ago; it would have been nice if you'd met him. He left early because he found a sailboat to Australia.

But between you two, you haven't had any tensions at times, have you? Traveling as a couple isn't always easy. Sure, we've had some good arguments, but we're used to it; we've always had them, it's part of our family life.

Speaking of family life, their parents came to visit them in Laos, a lovely moment. I was with them to celebrate Dora's birthday; another one happened, so they're now two years older. They plan to spend six months in Australia; they have work permits. And after that?

Dora is thinking about a PhD in ecology, Martha about returning to social work, maybe even moving to Orléans in France where her boyfriend lives, not far from where my son settled. I have a feeling we'll see each other again…