Dunfermline family visited 28 countries in just five months

Jackson and Egla Ako set off in October 2023 to get away from cloudy and rainy Scotland and escape to a warmer climate.

Their trip lasted five months, which saw them cross the Sahara, drive the Middle East and explore Europe before coming back home.

They were joined on their road trip by their two-year-old daughter Jude and their pet cat and dog.

TRIP: Jackson and his family visited 28 countries in just five months. (Image: Jackson Ako) Speaking to the Press, Jackson recalls leaving his job as a barber and heading off on the journey of a lifetime.

He said: “We had a plan to go on long journey trips and we needed to go to a warm place.

“We had one dinner at an Italian restaurant and we decided to go within two months, we prepared, tidied everything, got a car for that and set off.

“I worked as a barber, so I quit my job and my wife had been on maternity leave."

The family headed to Mauritania before crossing into Western Sahara, travelling through Africa before finishing in Tunisia.

From there, they made their way across the water to Italy and explored the Balkan Countries and parts of the Middle East.

SIGHTSEEING: The family crossed into three different continents during their trip. (Image: Jackson Ako) Overall, the trio and their two pets touched down in 28 countries across three continents, making use of 11 ferries and seeing 63 cities along the way.

“It was perfect,” Jackson said. “When you want to head to some countries, you have to worry about safety but the reality is nice, especially Morocco and Western Sahara.

“It was very beautiful and safe, the atmosphere in these countries is just so different from here.

“You can drive and see every corner of the country, can search and explore every city and that’s what we did.

“In most countries, we went to the most beautiful places. It was fantastic, amazing, unforgettable.”

Their journey came to an end in March 2024 as they made their way back to the United Kingdom.

As special as the trip was, Jackson was ready to resettle back into his old life, having captured plenty memories to last a lifetime.

MEMORIES: Jackon and Egla's daughter Jude had visited 34 countries before she even turned four. (Image: Jackson Ako) However, they were hit with the typical Scottish weather the second they got off the ferry.

“When you’ve get back home even [having left just] for one day, you feel relaxed,” Jackson said. “I missed my neighbours, my home, my brother and my friends, all of them.

“You always miss home, it’s always nice to come back home.

“One thing was that I went from lying on a beach in Western Sahara with my daughter to coming back to Scotland in March and it’s still raining and cold.”

Reflecting on the trip, Jackson found it difficult to pinpoint one place that stood out the most.

He insisted he had a list of countries and cities he wanted to visit again, but he did manage to settle on one that was head and shoulders above the rest.

He added: “I’ve been to a lot of places on this planet but one place that is my favourite is Dakhla in Western Sahara.

“It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been in my life, it’s different and on another level.”