Daily Inspiration: Meet Robyn Dirk

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robyn Dirk.

Hi Robyn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story is about the power of perseverance. I have been deeply in love with travel for as long as I can remember. While studying at university, my plans were disrupted by a horrible accident that left me with a lifelong chronic pain condition. After years of rehabilitation, I finally achieved my dream of traveling to Western Europe. That’s where my love affair with travel took off. That initial spark has fueled my love for travel to this day. It is who I am to the core and what motivates me internally. Exploring new destinations and learning about new cultures continuously excite me. My personal goal is to travel to 50 countries by 50. So far, I have traveled to over 40 countries, married in Italy, lived in 3 countries, and been to 5 7 continents. My life has been full of surprises. I have shifted careers twice, taught abroad, married the love of my life, and adopted a rescue dog. Naturally, my travel obsession seeped deeper into my life. Stuck at home during the pandemic, my husband and I created our travel website, Two Empty Passports, to share our experience, knowledge, and love for exploring this gorgeous world with others. Most recently, following two difficult years with my health and a new chronic illness, my husband and I took a year-long sabbatical to heal, reenergize, and travel around Mexico and Central America with our dog. This experience has illuminated new possibilities for my future and reminded me just how resilient I can be.

Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Is there such a thing as a smooth road? I’m sure we experienced the usual struggles of anyone building a new website. We knew nothing about creating a website and have been learning as we go. Thankfully, we found some fantastic courses to teach and guide us. But I suppose those struggles don’t quite compare to my real-life obstacles. As mentioned, I have multiple health conditions, including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and POTS. Learning to live and adapt my lifestyle with numerous chronic illnesses and pain is an ongoing process. Although our sabbatical had its ups and downs, it was an exciting adventure that allowed me time to rest, recharge, and start shaping the new phase of my journey.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Our travel website, Two Empty Passports, aims to help people plan their dream vacations and explore this beautiful world. After visiting 40 countries together, we are travel experts. Sharing our experience and knowledge, travel tips, and resources made sense to ease the travel planning process. We specialize in road trip itineraries and destination guides focusing on slow travel. We encourage others to take time to explore each destination to appreciate all that it has to offer. What sets us apart from other travel blogs is that we incorporate my experience of traveling with chronic pain, fatigue, and reduced mobility into each of our posts. When researching a destination, finding the exact information I need to plan a successful trip that works with my physical limitations and specific mobility needs can be complex. I want to make finding this information easier for other people who travel with chronic pain, fatigue, or reduced mobility. Whether you live with chronic pain or not, we understand that not everyone loves to research or plan their vacations. So, we plan to expand and offer custom travel planning services. We are super excited about that, so keep an eye out!

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Perseverance and determination. I would not be where I am today if I just gave up on my life dreams because of my chronic pain conditions. Life is not easy, and it’s important to find your passion. My husband and travel are mine. Travel has allowed me to grow, see the world, and gain experiences I never thought possible. And I am determined to reach my goal of 50 by 50 and exceed it!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://twoemptypassports.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2emptypassports/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twoemptypassports
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/2emptypassports

Image Credits
Robyn Dirk, Two Empty Passports