Every couple seems to have their own fun “thing”– whether it’s shared hobbies, inside jokes, or crazy traditions.
For Rob and Joli Switzer, a couple who was once in a long-distance relationship which kept them 8,000+ mi or 13,000+ kms apart -- their adorable tradition was to take stunning “dipkiss” photos as they met halfway and traveled together all over the world. Rob is from the USA and Joli is from the Philippines.
Just a few months ago, they got married and then shared the “dipkiss” photos online. To their surprise, the photos they collected over the years quickly went viral. They even became a beacon of hope for other long-distance couples.
The newlyweds are continuing their travel tradition on their Instagram page, @dipkisstravels.
They’ve been considered as #relationshipgoals and #travelgoals by many, but the couple insists that their hobby is one that anyone can do, as long as you put your mind to it.
“Everybody has something which they want to spend their money on...(gadgets, clothes, jewelry, cars, home stuff, etc.) Luckily, we both just love spending the majority of our hard-earned money on traveling," the couple writes in their blog, dipkisstravels.com
Rob and Joli recognize that not everyone can travel like them. But for those who love to explore, the couple encourages them to discover at least one new place every year, whether it's miles away or in their own backyards.
"Our friends and family know that we try to live very frugally in our everyday lives—so that we can splurge what we save on our trips." The couple adds, “if you’ve ever heard that quote 'Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer' – we strongly believe in that. Material things fade away but memories last forever.”
From the looks of these newly-released photos, it seems like they'll both keep making memories and continue their tradition, even now that they're happily married and living together in the USA.
We wish them a lifetime of happiness and adventures as they explore the world—one dipkiss photo at a time!
More info: Instagram
Just a few months ago, they shared the “dipkiss” photos they collected over the years. To their surprise, the photos quickly went viral.
Their travels have taken them to different places all over the world, including the USA, Russia, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the Philippines. The newlyweds are continuing their travel tradition on their Instagram page, @dipkisstravels
Mexico City, Mexico
According to the Switzers, "we tried different ideas for poses and the 'dipkiss' ended up being the one that was both romantic and playful, while making people smile as they took the photo for us.” The couple says most of their photos were either taken by strangers or by propping their camera on benches.
Palawan, Philippines
“As the collection started to grow, it turned into a beautiful snapshot of all the trips we'd experienced together. We even showcased our collection at our wedding."
White House, Washington, DC
“We love that travel is a humbling experience that teaches you so much about different people and cultures; and in the process, it also helps you reflect about yourself and your own culture.”
The Maldives
"There is so much amazing diversity in this planet yet at the same time, we are all the same at our very core. "
Harbin, China
“Since meeting each other, we’ve tweaked our lifestyle to be more focused on spending our money on experiences, and less on material things,” the couple states on their blog, www.dipkisstravels.com
Four Corners USA (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah & Colorado)
"When we're tempted to buy something extravagant, we usually think to ourselves, 'Would I rather buy that or a plane ticket?' Obviously, the plane ticket wins a majority of the time!"
Coron, Palawan, Philippines
During their long-distance romance, the couple agreed to explore different places instead of always visiting each other's hometowns. "We did go to each others' hometowns, too. But we figured we'd change it up and go to somewhere we haven't been to whenever we can."
Catholic University, Washington, DC
Regarding their hobby, the couple said, "there’s plenty of travel planning, visa applications, and work scheduling involved. We both had full time jobs the whole time we dated. So we saved every bit of our money and only used our paid time off to see each other. "
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The main challenges the couple had to overcome were "nights spent apart, long waits between visits, and the difficulty of coordinating daily phone calls." They said they were tempted to give up a few times in the beginning but eventually they found their groove.
Xochimilco, Mexico
"We would talk at least twice a day. Our time zones were usually 12-13 hours apart – so the best time to talk for us was when one of us was waking up, while the other was going to bed. "
Obidos, Portugal
The couple writes on their blog: "We think a lot of people are inspired by our story since a lot of them can relate to it. Many of them may have had to overcome their own challenges for the ones they love. In our case, our main challenge was physical distance, for others, it might be illness, cultural or religious differences, or other conflicts. "
El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
Aside from their hometowns, some of their favorite destinations are: Hawaii, Kyoto, Italy, Maldives, Greek islands, Cambodia and Disney World.
Rockefeller Center, New York City
“We hope to inspire others and help them see the world through our photos and our adventures.”
Kyoto, Japan
Rob has been to 6 continents, 49 U.S. states and almost 50 countries, while Joli is at 5 continents, 26 U.S. states and almost 30 countries. Together, they've been to 15.
Granada, Spain
Rob is a country boy originally from a small town in Northeastern Pennsylvania, USA. Joli is an island girl from the suburbs of Manila, Philippines.
They met at a meetup party for travelers in the Philippines in 2010. They kept in touch online and started a long distance relationship in 2013.
Times Square, New York City
The couple exclaims, “if you’ve ever heard that quote “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer” – we strongly believe in that. Material things fade away but memories last forever.”
San Francisco, California
After visiting 15 countries together, Rob proposed to Joli at the Red Square in Moscow, Russia in 2016.
The couple got married last June 2017 in Rob's hometown in Pennsylvania, USA and Joli has moved from Manila, Philippines to settle down in Maryland, USA.