Bucket list dream: the Utah family giving it all up to travel the world

(KUTV) The bucket list: a wish list of the places you want to see and things you want to do before you die (aka "kick the bucket").

It's a list normally attempted later in life, but not for one young Utah couple. Garrett and Jessica Gee decided to start on their bucket list early in life, with their two young children in tow.

Now, that bucket list has become the journey of a lifetime.

"We just kind of realized that there's a lot of opportunities in the world and so it kind of became a game of just going for the adventure," said Garrett.

About a year ago, Garrett sold his tech company, Scan, to Snapchat. Garrett and Jessica, both in their early 20s, realized they were at a crossroads, not quite sure what to do next.

"We're really kind of lost right now as to where we want to raise our kids and where we want to set up shop," said Jessica.

Garrett added, "We were so unsure with what we wanted to do that we decided to just make the most of our opportunity and go travel the world."

Not wanting to be like Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in the movie "The Bucket List", the Gees decided now was the time to put their bucket list in motion, rather than later.

We caught up with the Gees, including their two toddlers, before they left in August.

"Garrett is a fish and wants to be in the water, and I'm kind of obsessed with the idea of Australia and New Zealand, so that was top on the list," said Jessica.

From Provo, Utah, the Gees went to the South Pacific visiting the islands of Tahiti, Hawaii, Fiji and Tonga.

Then they went to the land of the Kiwis, stopping in New Zealand. From there, they went down under. We caught up with them in Australia.

From bungee jumping in New Zealand to swimming with the whales in Tonga, the Gees have been busy checking the places off their bucket list.

"Words and pictures can't do it justice," said Jessica. "Our most epic part of the trip was first. You cannot beat being in the water with a humpback whale."

The Gees are spending time meeting real people and experiencing their lives.

"A lot of locals have been incredibly kind to us," said Garrett. "At most places we've gone somebody has invited us over for dinner at their house, our kids have been able to play with their kids; incredibly nice people at each of our stops."

They've had a few minor issues along the way: lost their luggage for five days, dental emergency with a cracked tooth, sick kids, temper tantrums and other parental concerns.

Overall, though, they're falling in love with the places they're visiting.

"Jessica loved New Zealand so much, she started looking into schools and everything," said Garrett.

But before they set out on their journey, they purged their belongings. The Gees sold 80 percent of their stuff, they said, and that has funded their entire trip. They won't have to touch their savings account.

They have one car filled with their stuff that they'll come back to.

"We've just got a few clothes, some pictures, some baby stuff that I didn't want to get rid of," said Jessica. "But that's pretty much it."

Their philosophy for the trip: Pack light. If it doesn't fit, it doesn't come.

"The more you pack, the more difficult life is," said Garrett. "And so you just learn that life is better when you have a little bit less."

From down under, their tropical journey continues in Asia with stops in Bali, Thailand and Cambodia.

They're documenting their trip along the way, through their blog, Instagram and YouTube accounts.

"At the very least, how cool that we'll have these memories together as a family?" said Garrett. "That's worst case scenario -- a cool adventure with our family."

For the Gees, their bucket list has been a reset button on life. They're learning to really love and live together as a family, no matter where in the world they are.

The Gees might come back to Utah for Christmas, but their ultimate plan is to travel around the entire world.

Where will they eventually end up? The globe's the limit.

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