Now THAT'S a holiday photo album: Couple who sold everything they own to travel share 15 jaw

Release time：2024-05-21 15:55:00 Source：International Identities news portal

Blonde beaches, infinity pools and bathtubs full of roses.

Step inside the world of Ruan Griessel and Lee-Chazelle Oberholzer, who tied the knot on April 27 last year and have been non-stop travelling ever since. 

The couple, from Pretoria in South Africa, sold everything they own to travel full-time and have been documenting their journey through jaw-dropping photography online, amassing millions of views and 79,170 followers on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

With their permission, MailOnline Travel has picked out 15 of their pictures that are guaranteed to spark your wanderlust.

The reason they photograph their travels? They said: 'It's our way of fully experiencing it, as we capture these memories that we can look back on 50 years from now. It's also a reminder of how far we've come.' 

Ruan, 28, and Lee-Chazelle, 23, sold everything they own to travel together full-time and now post jaw-dropping photography online. Here they are pictured at the breathtaking Villa Cella Bella in Ubud, Bali 

On the left, the happy couple are shown enjoying the pool at Cretya Ubud, a day club and restaurant in Bali. In the image on the right, Ruan is pictured holding Lee-Chazelle up on a surfboard. The unique shot was captured at Siargao Island in the Philippines

The couple told MailOnline Travel their photography is a 'reminder of how far we've come'. Here they're pictured on Lombok Island, Indonesia

They go to great lengths to get the perfect shot, using a combination of photography equipment, including drones, the Sony A7iii camera, various lenses and GoPro models, and their trusted tripod, which they named Stan. 

Sharing the highs of travelling as a couple, they said: 'We get to experience the most beautiful destinations in the world together, taste some of the most amazing food together and create unforgettable memories together that we'll remember forever.

'Travelling together has also brought us much closer together as a married couple because all of a sudden everything around us is strange and new and the only familiarity we had was each other.'

While they aren't based in a 'singular' place, the pair spend most of their time in Bali between travelling. 

The dramatic cliff-lined road to Bali's Pantai Batu Barak beach occupies the background of the photo on the left. The image on the right shows them enjoying Amara Bangkok's luxurious rooftop infinity pool

The two are pictured on the left at Leopard Valley Eco Retreat, two hours away from Cape Town, South Africa. In the picture on the right, they stand at Soi Rommanee, a short and colourful street in Phuket 

On the left, Ruan is pictured twirling Lee-Chazelle around Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The pair said: 'Travelling together has brought us much closer together.' They're pictured on the right at Diamonds Thudufushi in the Maldives

Some of their favourite places they've captured are the Maldives, Bali and The Philippines. 

But the Maldives archipelago comes out on top. 

They said: 'There's just something magical about the Maldives that we just can't quite explain. The marine life, the people, the food, the turquoise waters and everything in between. Being in the Maldives brought a feeling of peace to us that we just haven't experienced anywhere else before.'

One destination that surprised them is Gili Trawangan, one of three Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok, an island in Indonesia. 

The couple said: 'We weren't expecting it to be so amazing. Gili Trawangan is by far the best place we've ever been to snorkel with sea turtles.'

While some may think their life is a never-ending honeymoon, the pair say a lot of work goes into creating their content.

In the picture on the left, the pair walk hand in hand while exploring Bali's lush green forests. On the right, they're pictured beside a 'flower bath' at the Magic Hills resort in Bali

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the pair stopped to take a photo beside this eye-catching wall of flowers (pictured left). On the right, they're shown in a rock pool in Uluwatu, Bali. The couple wrote in an accompanying Instagram caption: 'It was filled with tiny sharp rocks, but it was so worth it'

The couple told MailOnline Travel that through their photographs they get to 'create unforgettable memories together'. They're pictured here at the colourful Naithon beach, Phuket, Thailand

Alongside their travel photography, Ruan works as an online fitness coach, and Lee-Chazelle makes a passive income through her dress rental business. They also create content for brands and hotels and sell online products such as travel guides.

They said: 'On social media, it might look like we are living the life and just having fun but the truth is there is so much planning and work that goes into the content we create. We don't have off days or weekends or public holidays - every day is a work day for us.'

They added: 'With all the unforgettable highs, there has also been a lot of lows. Missing flights, sleeping on cold airport floors, getting scammed, getting in a bike accident, and the list goes on.'

But the secret to success, they claim, is to communicate openly and prioritise spending time with each other. 

They added: 'Don't let your life partner turn into just a business partner.'

For more from Ruan and Lee-Chazelle, visit their Instagram (@once_upon_a_plane_), TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@once_upon_a_plane) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/channel). Or find their website at onceuponaplane.com.

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