Wild Northerner Magazine Fall 2016 | Page 30

“We are good co-travellers because we are so different, we just balance each other out,” Lauren said. “We are the same in that we are easy going with how things unfold. We don't travel by itinerary, we just let things play out, and it usually ends up so much better than anything we could have planned. When Deeks and I travel together we have a joke that only one of us is allowed to be ‘off’ at a time. It's just a thing that naturally seems to happen. If one of us is breaking down, the other carries the load for awhile. It's pretty cool.”

The sisters started their epic journeys around the world when they were 16 (Danika) and 17 (Lauren). They traveled to Haiti in 2005 and lived with locals, hiked, visited beaches and absorbed as much culture as they could handle. They take annual trips each September, usually involving canoeing or hiking or both, long distances. This year they stayed in a tree house in Costa Rica. They also take advantage of any fee time they get during the course of a year and take mini journeys. They are both registered nurses and take positions that allow them flexibility to suit their adventurous lifestyles.

Both of them ski, snowboard, surf, long board, cycle, yoga, and have trained in boxing and sprinting. They have had no shortage of wild experiences. Lauren, 29, has paddled major rivers, including a 35-day long trek on the Missinaibi. She has been in caves, hiked deserts in Australia and snorkelled with sea turtles.

Danika, 27, bought a van for $50 and drove it from Las Vegas to Mexico, and back to Canada. She has lived on quinoa and wild papaya, showered in waterfalls and rock climbed all over.

“Lauren is my anchor,” Danika said. “She knows me. She supplements my deficiencies and she champions my accomplishments. She is by far the most hilarious person I know. She grounds me. Travel and all that comes with it, and is what I live for, ; and Lauren is my security when I am away from the ease of familiarity for long periods of time.