This adorable lip sync vacation video was inspired by Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard

YouTube / The Trek

In 2016, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard broke the internet by hilariously lip-syncing their way through Toto’s “Africa” while they were vacationing in Africa. The ensuing video went viral and, while the couple was later fined by the Serengeti police for dancing with the wild animals, most people online saw the incident as yet another example of why their marriage was true relationship goals.

The popular Hollywood couple works hard to maintain their sweet and funny marriage and their exploits have earned them fans and followers. Is it surprising, considering the awesomeness of the video below?

In fact, their “Africa” video inspired one creative group of friends to memorialize their own vacation this summer.

Knoxville, Tennessee, friends Heather Reece, Tiffany and Jeremy Bartlett and Lydia and Brian Williams were planning a backpacking adventure along the Wonderland Trail in Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington, when they decided to take a page from Bell and Shepard’s travelogue and create a video of their own travels.

The hardest part of making the music video was deciding which song to use to set the tone for their trip. After a lot of discussion, they settled on Lydia’s recommendation, “Break My Stride” by Matthew Wilder. They brought along a selfie stick and tripod that could be packed with their gear and Jeremy printed out song lyrics for everyone to study on the flight to Washington.

The seasoned backpackers have known each other since 2012 and have hiked together before, but this was their longest consecutive hike. They spent eight days on the Wonderland Trail and made time each day to film scenes of the flora and fauna — not to mention their mad singing and dancing skills — for the video. When they got back to Tennessee, Heather compiled and edited all of their video footage from the trip into one magnificent montage of their summer vacation!

“We got together the next night and had a little viewing party,” Tiffany says. “It was an instant hit with all of the group!”

The dedication at the end of the video is a hat tip to the helpful advice they received from Eric, an employee at REI in Seattle. “He was incredibly passionate about the trail,” she says. “We thought that he would enjoy the video.”

We’re sure Eric agrees that the group’s efforts rivals Bell and Shepard’s video for humor and inspiration. What a great way to remember a once in a lifetime summer vacation!

Entertainment, Travel

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About the Author
Kristina Wright
Kristina Wright lives in Virginia with her husband, their two sons and several pets. Her work has appeared in a variety of places, including Mom.me, BookBub, Washington Post, USA Today, Narratively, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, and more. She loves reading thrillers, going to movies, baking bread and planning family trips where everyone has fun and no one complains. Oh, and she really, really loves coffee. You can find her at the nearest coffee shop or on Twitter @kristinawright.

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