We are not alone
Travelling the world with two toddlers
It’s been a long time but I am finally getting back to this blog. I am sorry for the wait. I hope you enjoy this first post back which kind of explains why I’ve been silent for so long.
When we told our friends and family THE plan, it felt like something new, almost ground-breaking. We've heard of some families doing it but it still seemed like a new concept. The families we've heard of seemed so far removed from us, both geographically and socially, with their big social media followings and out-of-reach experiences. I wouldn't say we were unique in our decision but... I haven't met anyone else who decided to abandon everything and travel the world with their children. That is until Peter and I have done exacty that.
We've sold, gave away, and recycled most of our belongings. The little that was remaining fit into one 3x2.5m locker. We've sold our house and our car. We've quit our jobs and bought a one-way ticket to Singapore. The plan is to spend just over a year travelling around South-East Asia and Australia/New Zealand. Two suitcases, two rucksacks, and two toddlers... what can go wrong? I have a couple of friends who have travelled around the world for a year but I don't know of anyone who has done it as a family.
Well, it turns out we are not the only ones. We are FAR from being the only ones.
Since arriving in South-East Asia we have met and made friends with a few other families with similar age children to ours. In fact, nearly every time we strike up a conversation with another English-speaking family, they are also travelling for a prolonged time. Some families are semi-nomadic, spending a few months each year on the move. Some have taken an extended leave from work. Others have put their lives on hold for a year or two before returning back to normality. Often they are not even certain where in the world they want to set up camp. But in every location we have met people that have abandoned the usual 9-5pm, packed up their bags, and left.
This makes me feel better about our decision. I'll be honest it makes me feel less crazy. We found a community around the world that surrounds and binds us with an invisible net. The more we travel, the more we tug at the strings of this net and connect with each other.
And it's a whole new way of connecting. When we cross paths with another family, we might only have a couple of days in the same location or a shared ride from the airport before our paths diverge. You learn to connect quickly getting essential questions out of the way without much pre-amble. Like why are you on the move? When are you planning to come back? How can you afford it? How do you manage naps and what are your plans for schooling? In normal life I would skirt around such direct questions till I get to know the other person a little better but here, on the road, there is no time. I feel I've gotten better at talking, opening up, and welcoming other people into my life which is a big step for an introvert.
Talking to all these families also makes me wonder what is actually normal life? What a lot of people around the world consider/accept/follow normality clearly is not working for everyone. Some people thrive in the routine: work, daycare, and connecting with family and friends in the evenings and at weekends. It's stable and safe but rushed and stressful at the same time. It's easier and harder at the same time. Not everyone has a choice about it either. But a lot of us are looking for an alternative. Have always been looking for something different. Even if it's just for a year.
We will be back.
I am not advocating one way of life over another. Just trying to explain why we have done it. And trying to get a glimpse along the way into how others are doing it. We are all just trying to figure out this thing called Life.
What does this all mean for my blog?
I haven't been writing much in the last few months. I've been taking the time to recharge. I needed time to spend with my family and re-connect with myself before I wanted to write again. It feels like I was on an extended holiday from myself and everything else.
Now I feel ready to look inside and start writing again this, quite personal at times, blog. I am keen to share my experiences in parenting, fitness, and exploring the world where I don't always get things right. In fact, often it feels like everything is going wrong, and I just have to laugh or cry a bit. Putting this on paper helps me to process everything, to remember better, and I hope it can also help others. I've had some really lovely feedback from a few of you who have started running again because of my blog. Thank you for sharing that with me, it really helps me to keep writing.
And yes, I will post more on running.
I will keep writing because it helps me and hopefully you. Or, at the very least, entertains you.
The only difference is that now my posts will come out on a monthly basis. We move around quite a lot and look after our kids full-time, so I only have snatches of time to write. Sometimes during naps, most often at night when everyone is asleep. At the same time I am also working on other creative projects like our YouTube channel and Instagram, and planning to start a website on what it's like to travel as a family. This is why I will only post here once a month. Maybe once I get better at my time management (read: once my kids learn to play by themselves without calling me every other minute), I'll be able to post more often.
Thank you to everyone who has followed my blog so far. I hope you will keep reading my rumblings. And if you think they can help another human, please share the post with them!
Daria x
PS please check out my other channels if you want to follow our travels and what it's like to be on the road with two toddlers :)