Questions? We've Got You.

Everything people ask us most, in one place. Have another question? Brand collab? Want to hire us for brand development or a website? Want custom artwork? Drop us a line or a DM.

Common Questions

Who are you two?

We're Dustin & Marie — an American and an Aussie who met on a beach in Bali and have been traveling the world full-time ever since. The longer story's on our About page.

What's "slow travel"?

We try to maximize our visa in each country we visit. Usually that looks like 2-3 months at a time. We go from city to city slowly. Instead of cramming five cities into seven days like a tourist, we stay put to find a rhythm, weeks at a time. Long enough to feel the place breathing – to have a favorite coffee spot and find the bars locals don't tell tourists about. Fewer places, more time, deeper experiences. Less rushing.

How often do you post fresh content?

Most of the time, at least one video a week, usually long-form, plus shorts & reels, new articles, travel guides, and travel artwork for your home or office along the way. YouTube. Facebook. Our Blog. Etsy. Instagram. TikTik.

How do you actually afford a full-time travel life?

Honestly? A mix. First, we cut nearly all of our expenses in the US and Australia. That helps.

We run Maverick360, a full-service marketing & branding agency Dustin started in 1999. Marie does contract graphic design work for a couple of Australian agencies through her company, lilelements design. She is a fantastic, seasoned packaging designer and event stylist.

Of course, we run this brand, Dustin & Marie with YouTube, travel guides, and our travel concierge Plan Your Escape service; and our sister "art brand" called Kitsune Design.

Someday, affiliate partnerships or sponsorships could help. Hint, hint.

Diversifying how we earn is what can make a location-independent life stable instead of scary.

Nope. Not really. Maybe someday. If we do, they'd be at no extra cost to you. We only ever point you toward things we actually use and trust.

What equipment do you use for creating your content?

We are both camera nerds. We were both former professional photographers in the wedding industry. Marie in Sydney and Dustin in Kansas City. So we are pretty picky about gear, but as travelers, we are also limited with space and weight.

Getting the most bang-for-the-buck, we film and photograph with the following:

  • Insta360 Luna Ultra Incredible 8k video & gimble packed into one camera.
  • Insta360 x6 8k 360° camera. Wow. It is also our snorkel action camera since it's waterproof, too. We have a 3 meter selfie stick for simulated drone shots.
  • DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Great little gimble video camera. Now it's a backup for our Luna Ultra.
  • Our iPhone 15 Pros (Adequate for photos and videos, only if you amp up the default settings to the pro settings.)
  • What next? We want a small DSLR camera but it's gotta be light and compact. Suggestions?

We typically buy the camera 'kit' with all the extra batteries, extenders, and such. We use the DJI mics and the Insta360 Pro mic. We used to have a DJI neo for our drone shots and another action camera. We consolidated. :)

Do you really meet up with people?

Heck yeah! We do, and it's one of our favorite things! We have met up with friends, or traveled with our friends, in Greece, Mexico, Vietnam, Japan, Bali, South Korea, Thailand, the United States, and Australia.

The list is growing! If our paths cross a country, we want to meet up! Come grab a drink with us. Where we're headed and how to get the details is on our Meet Up page.

Where are you right now?

Always moving! No plans to slow down. The rough plan for the next while lives on the Meet Up page; the surest way to catch us is The Golden Hour, where we share where we're actually landing.

Can you help me plan my own trip?

Yep. That's exactly what Plan Your Escape is, our 1:1 concierge service. We sit down with you, build a custom plan, and hand you the confidence to actually go. Real international travel, done with you.

It takes so much time to help people plan their epic adventures, so we have limited availability and a waiting list. Book us early!

Are you travel agents?

Nope. We do help people break free and plan. That's what Plan Your Escape is. It's our 1:1 concierge travel consulting service. We sit down with you, build a custom plan, and hand you the confidence to actually go. Real international travel, done with you.

It takes so much time to help people plan their epic adventures, so we have limited availability and a waiting list. Book us early!

But we do not book anything. We show you how, so you never need a travel agent.

What's The Golden Hour?

It's our monthly letter: postcards we don't post anywhere else, the food and drink spots we'd send you to, pro travel tips, and where we're headed next.

One email a month, no spam. Join here.

Fun fact: We call it The Golden Hour because we were both professional photographers in previous lives and we always loved the "golden hour" as the sun sets. Kind of fits our brand, no?

How do I get your free travel guides?

You give us your name and email, and you can download them to your hearts content. More are on the way! See the guides.

Do you do brand partnerships or collaborations?

We're open to the right ones. Reach out and tell us what you have in mind.

What's Kitsune Design Prints?

This is one of our other brands! We LOVE to make art and we are pretty proud of it. We have original downloadable art you can print and frame for your home or office. We've even had doctor's offices use our artwork to decorate.

It's really nice and we are pretty proud of it. It's one of the ways we fund life on the road.

Support us and buy a print or a bundle! Shop Kitsune Design or get directly from Etsy.

Who designed your logo, brand, and website?

We did it all! Do you like it?

Dustin has been designing websites and developing brands and logos for nearly 28 years. (tooting his horn – Dustin actually has a pretty crazy client list with global brands like Disney, Warner Bros, Paramount, Sony, Harley-Davidson, and so many more.)

Contact Maverick360 Brands, his company, for premium brand design and results-driven marketing strategy.