It's one of those dreams that often remains just that, a dream. Sell everything, pack up and head out into the world. When kids come along, that dream just floats a little further beyond reach. In reality, could you keep moving in perpetuity? And what about the kids education? Their sense of stability? Opportunities for socialisation?
Maybe you're not looking to head off permanently, but would love to show the kids the world over the summer. Or you're thinking about taking a term off to explore our great Australian backyard? Maybe you just want to try a few more weekend road trips this year? Whatever you're dreaming, bringing the kids can pose a few extra hurdles.
These are the stories of the families who stared down all the question marks. These parents saw the world a classroom, found consistency in family and made a plan to travel. Their blogs and Instagram feeds are filled with really valuable insight into the myriad challenges and rewards encountered along the way (plus insight into how they earn an income, balance responsibilities and make perpetual travel work). For families with a dream to escape (if even for a weekend), this is the place to start.
This young French-Italian family sold their home in September 2017 and have been living life on the road since. From The Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Singapore to Thailand and Europe, their images are vivid and really fun – paired with warm, often revealing captions that journal their adventure. Follow Julien, Miki, Teo and Lia as they highlight our colourful world from the road.
First meeting as a pilot and flight attendant, Kiri and Lachlan initially experienced the transient life at work before settling down in Japan for four years. Now joined by young Riley, this wandering family are currently traipsing Australia in their dreamy vintage Kombi, Izzie. Their blog and Instagram documents their travels and is a great place to learn what it's really like living within the confines of a space-poor (all be it, beautiful) bus.
Chelsea and Matt's ordinary life came to a head around the same time that their lease in San Francisco was due to expire. Choosing to avoid the suburban grind for a little longer (while opportunely equipped with a full-time remote job), the couple, along with their one-year old Kai, took the plunge, sold everything and headed abroad. Their pragmatic and inspiring blog is an amazing resource for young families thinking of entering the world of slow travel or hoping to slip in a few more weekend adventures this year.
This truly intrepid family have been (literally) on the road since 2008. Getting around in a VW Bus, then a 31' Vintage Airstream and yet another VW today, these kids were born into the nomadic life. Exploring South and Central America and now back travelling across the states, this tribe may miss some of the comforts we've come to expect but what they've gained in experience is almost indescribable. Wrestling with the overwhelming rewards and challenges gleaned from this minimalist lifestyle, Nathan (Wand'rly Dad) is a true storyteller, conveying many of the little frustrations or beautiful moments we encounter daily in his expressive photo captions. These guys live a little rough, but they also offer a great window into the alternatives of slow living.