It took Colin Ross Mukri a few days to digest the fact that he has won the chance to live anywhere in the world for a year, without having to pay for rent. That’s understandable, considering he has just been presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The creative director and songwriter from Tawau, Sabah is one of 12 people who were selected for the Live Anywhere on Airbnb programme. Winners were chosen from a pool of over 314,000 applicants from around the world.
“It took me a few days to really understand how big a deal this was and I think I’m still wrapping my mind around it. My wife and I do, however, believe that this is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity that we cannot pass up on,” Colin, 30, says in an exclusive email interview.
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Colin, who is currently based in South Carolina in the United States, will be sharing this experience with his wife Meg and their daughters Charlotte and Liv.
The young family plans to stay in Alaska (in the US), Scotland, Denmark, Germany, Malta, Bali (Indonesia), Australia and New Zealand.
“These plans are held loosely as we have to be flexible and vigilant on various travel restrictions in each place but you can follow along on our YouTube Channel to find out where we actually end up,” he says.
As part of the prize, Colin and his family get to live exclusively in listings on Airbnb for approximately one year. The company will cover the cost of accommodations and provide an allowance for transportation for the duration of the programme.
On his end, Colin would need to make all the necessary travel arrangements for the trips.
Slow and steady
This is actually the second time that Colin and his family will lead a nomadic life. Back in 2017, the couple travelled with their eldest daughter Charlotte to Iceland, Italy, Egypt, Kenya, Thailand and of course, Colin’s home state in Malaysia.
Colin is able to do this as he works remotely. The couple also sets aside some money each month to fund their nomadic experiences back then.
“Living somewhere else for a month each year sounds like something only the rich can do, doesn’t it? Well, I’m not rich by any means and I’m just putting aside what I can afford, and it may take me a year, or three to finally make it happen,” he shares.
According to Colin, longer trips are better as you would be able to fully immerse yourself in a more enriching travel experience.
“After planning dozens of weekend trips, or nine-day vacations, sprinting across cities to see landmarks, and rushing to every popular food destination for many years, I grew tired of exploring fast.
“Although travelling longer may cost slightly more, I think the pace will actually be more rewarding, more satisfactory, and you may end up actually getting to know people along the way and have stories to share – not just Instagram posts,” he says.
Coincidentally, during the trip both of Colin’s daughters will celebrate their birthdays.
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“Charlotte will soon turn five and Liv will be three. We have learned that the best way for them to be great travellers is to just... travel!
“I think another perk of slow travel is that it’s more conducive for young families. We’re not experts by any means, so we hope this is just the beginning for us and that we can give more insight (to our followers) after and during this trip,” he shares.
Staying safe
Of course, the present situation is vastly different compared to 2017. The travel landscape has been greatly disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The question then is, how feasible is it to actually travel around the world amid the pandemic?
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On his part, Colin is taking all the necessary health and safety measures to keep his family safe during this trip.
“We are fortunate to have been vaccinated, so that automatically raises our confidence to travel safely.
“The biggest challenge will be to study each country’s fast-changing travel (regulations and) restrictions. Social distancing and the wearing of masks will of course be a top priority for us,” he says.
Colin adds that people need to travel responsibly during these uncertain times.
“The safety and health of other people is at stake when you travel, not just yours. You need to adhere to general safety guidelines and travel requirements. Get vaccinated before you travel, choose to social distance and always be willing to quarantine if need be,” he says.
Sabah is where the heart is
Colin is also taking the opportunity to return to his hometown in Tawau, if travel restrictions have eased. He’s looking forward to spending precious time with family and friends in Malaysia.
“Growing up in Sabah made me a lot of who I am today. We were a middle-class family that enjoyed simple pleasures like gathering in big groups to share a meal which I still do here in the US, pre-Covid-19 days of course,” he says.
Colin, who is the youngest of three siblings, relocated to the US to further his studies when he was 19. Although he has lived in the US for the past 11 years, Colin stresses that his roots are still firmly planted in Sabah.
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Looking back, Colin credits his adventurous streak to spending time in the great Malaysian outdoors during his formative years.
“We were an adventurous family – I hiked up to Laban Rata at Mount Kinabalu when I was nine, and snorkelled in Sipadan and Kapalai (islands) many times as a kid,” he says.
Of course, the subject of food is also brought up when Colin gushes about life back in Sabah.
“I loved getting to eat wonton mee and dim sum for breakfast, roti canai or nasi kandar for lunch, ‘yum cha’ with my dad in the afternoon, having a home-cooked meal for dinner and probably going out for food again around 9pm,” he says.
But the best thing about Sabah, he says, is the people.
“Sabahan hospitality is deeply embedded in me by my family and I’m very proud of that,” he shares.
That warm hospitality is something that Colin hopes to experience in other parts of the world during his “live anywhere” adventure. He also hopes to spend quality time with his family.
“I’m looking forward to building a lifetime of memories with my family. As a creative, I’m excited to document it through photo and film which I hope will inspire my family for generations to come.
“As a dad, I simply love getting to take my family on such an exciting adventure. And as a Malaysian... it’s time to eat!” he concludes.
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