Wiltshire couple visits 32 countries using just annual leave

Alex Stroud, 26, and her husband Scott, 32, who live with their two-year-old daughter Adelaide in Devizes, maximise their 25 days of annual leave to visit at least six countries a year.

Marketing manager Alex and her husband, a construction project manager, were itching to explore the world but did not want to give up their jobs.

Instead, they used annual leave, bank holidays and lieu days to travel to New Zealand, Las Vegas, Egypt, Japan, South Korea, Iceland, Singapore, Samoa and Latvia last year.

Alex explained the pair are able to build in trips away by booking time off around bank holidays and banking lieu days from working weekends.

Alex and Scott with their daughter (Image: SWNS)

She said: "We've visited 32 countries in six years. We only use our annual leave.

"Try booking around the holidays and be flexible with your dates.

“Work any extra days you can to get time back… I work weekends instead of during the week sometimes, I save them up for lieu days."

Alex believes this year people can get 52 days off to travel using just 27 days of annual leave.

The 26-year-old added: "We plan out a year's worth of holidays.

"Scott always has to have something booked.

"We try and visit several countries in one go."

Alex with her daughter (Image: SWNS)

The couple met six years ago and went on a few holidays before deciding to explore the world more.

"We'd never just have time off to chill”, said Alex.

"Neither of us had been the type of people to book time off to do nothing.

"Montenegro was one of our favourites. We went to Kotor and Tivat and it was so peaceful."

Since welcoming their daughter in 2021, the pair managed to keep travelling and the toddler has already visited 15 countries, including France, Slovenia and Belgium.

Alex says Adelaide is not “phased at all” by travelling and is now more aware of the world.

The Wiltshire pair have shared their top tips for getting the most out of their annual leave.

Alex sharing travel tips (Image: SWNS)

This includes advice on booking holidays and finding the best bargains.

Scott said: "One of the ways we manage to afford the holidays is by spreading out the costs. We book the flights one month, accommodation the next, and activities the month after.

"That way we spread it over a few months and a few different paydays and it doesn’t seem like one big chunk of money disappearing."