Interview with Travel

Interview with Travel -

family As a follow up to last week Guest Post on traveling with children, this week I interviewed the James, the family over behind the wide wide world what it's like to travel with the family and how that affects the family relationship. I have a chance to meet in January, when they were in Bangkok. I had been following her blog for a while and the dynamics of the family was traveling intrigue excite me the opportunity-. They are a wonderful and friendly family. Craig and Dani, the parents, are warm, friendly and very intelligent and have communicated that. Their children, Connor and Caroline With this introduction, here are the questions I said to them:

Nomadic Matt: Do you have reservations with the family travel
[Craig] We made. We knew that this trip would mean that we would go for long distances, only to see each other 24/7. This can make any relationship in question. But we also saw the opportunity - the opportunity to spend time with our children before they leave us. I think we all agree that we got along better than we could have hoped

[Dani] I agree. - I think that we have grown closer as a result of this trip. Over long lunches and dinners, day after day, night after night, spill things only from your children. We have learned so much about their lives as a result of our time together. And I think we all for the people to see each other more clearly what we are. Extended travel as a family can sometimes be difficult, but for us it was really worth it.

How did you get the idea and plan this trip?
[Craig] This trip was from an ongoing conversation that Dani and I had to. We knew that in June 08, our two children would change schools. Caroline wanted high school to enter; Conor (11 years) would be from the middle school position. We knew that if we would ever do anything out of the ordinary, that was the year to do it.

The first idea I suggested, was to live in Australia one year. I have friends there, and I found that we could enroll for a modest amount of money our children in the Australian public school. Dani did not say no, but she was not enthusiastic about the idea. She thought would live in Australia for similar living in the US So we have tried to expand our thinking.

One day we found a Canadian family that Carlson, a round the world trip took over in 01. We read their website, emailed them then. Five years after Carlson returned home, they were all doing well and looking at her travel around the world a life changing experience.

One day Dani came in my office running (I work from home) and told me to turn Oprah. Dani watches rare daytime TV, but it happened on this day to have. When I voted, I saw why Dani was so excited. Oprah was doing a satellite interview with the Andrus Family of Atlanta, Georgia, from the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.

I immediately went to her blog, six in the world, and read every word. I think this is the moment when I knew our family also could make around the world trip.

We spent a lot of time talking about where we go, what we would do, what life would be like on the road. We had a very open discussion about our expectations - and our concerns. The more we talked to think of it, the more we wanted to do it, and the more we thought we could do it. We knew it was a challenge that there will be good days and not so good days.

Nevertheless, we all knew that it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

What did your friends and family think?
[Dani] Telling our families was, without doubt, the most difficult part. For our parents, the idea was so far from their realm of experience. They had no way to understand what we were doing. Nevertheless, when they got over the initial shock, our families have supportive

One of the things that surprised us the most -. Something we never predicted and did not expect - is the wide range of reactions from our friends and family.

We have casual friends, who have accepted our journey as their "cause" Send us to stop information on all our itinerary. And we have good friends, will do everything to avoid even recognize that we are going to be away for a year.

to mention studiously avoided our trip a family in our neighborhood, either Craig or me. But they pumped our kids for information on every corner. But honestly, for most people, it's out of sight, out of mind. We will not exist until we are back at home

[Craig] It reminds me of something, John W. Gardner once said: "At a certain point in your life. you learn that people are neither for you or against you -. they think about themselves "

on the other side we have also surprised by the number of people who have reached us from the offering encouragement and advice. Several other people [including Nomadic Matt, we are proud to say] found us on the internet and was very helpful.

There really seems to be a different spirit among travelers. It's refreshing to talk to people who prefer to share information than to hoard.

What life on the road has been like?
[Craig] Life on the road has been like living at home, just different. for a year while traveling seems so exotic, and sometimes it is. But one still has to find a place to sleep, to eat, and every day to do something. But the difference is the excitement of constant change, amazing places and the opportunity to meet interesting people.

[Dani] There is a strange experience a large site like Machu Picchu in the morning to see and then your kids in the afternoon teach home. There are challenges, moving your life in a new city or a new country every few days. But the opportunity to see the world, the challenges of making compared pale.

What unexpected things did travel as a family that brought you along the way?
[Dani] Every day brings something unexpected. A sight. A tone. A new person or experience. We have come to expect the unexpected. However, the best surprise was the possibility of a real appreciation for the people to win our children win. , It was wonderful to see

I think some of the best surprises - and most unexpected lesson - have come from the people we met. We are fortunate, a few great people to meet - with other travelers and locals. Another important lesson was the way we welcomed everywhere we traveled. The people have treated us very well, and I think our children have learned to be not afraid of the world, other people and other cultures.

Did you think to do for other people traveling with children?
[Craig] If really a person or family wants to travel the world to take the time off, they can use our one way to do it. It may take some creativity. It may take some compromise. But it can be done. But the first step is really want to do it.

Looking for other families to travel the world, I discovered a Kiwi family of ten (ten!), The currently traveling through Asia as part of a multi- year travel adventure. They saved for this trip, pinching pennies for years. But family travel was her dream - and they worked together to achieve it. You have to respect and admire.

Every day I acutely am aware how fragile everything is. As we traveled this year, there are two thoughts that I keep coming back to back.

First, I have a new appreciation for what is possible, for what can do a family together. I have nothing but admiration and respect for the many families that are out to live because their lives on their own terms. That's what I strive for.

Secondly, I am deeply grateful for my wife and my children, for their spirit of adventure, for their willingness to take a leap of faith in the world. I hope they never lose their sense of wonder, their willingness to break from the pack, and their ability to confront their fears, take a risk and move forward.

This trip is the best thing we've ever done. I can not wait to see what happens next

And of course I wanted to know what the children, Conor (11) and Caroline (14) intended, .:

Have you excited so long to go? Were you excited to travel with your family?
[ Caroline] I had mixed feelings about so long trips. I was excited by the idea, but I was also afraid. Also, I did not want to miss my friends and my first year of high school. And I was about 24/7 to be concerned with my family. But I have to stay in touch with friends via Skype, Google video chat and Facebook in a position. And we got all together and grew closer.

[Conor] I was excited to travel and see the world. I knew it was a special occasion, some do not get to do many other people do. I missed my friends, but it was worth it. The hardest time has been around holidays like Christmas. That's when I miss a normal life.

What's the coolest thing you have done? What was the worst?
[Caroline] We have to do a lot of cool things. I liked zip-lining in Ecuador really, swimming in the Galapagos sea lions, and taking care of elephants in Thailand. I liked traveling in New Zealand, Australia and Japan. The worst thing we did was to drive a really dirty semi cama bus through northern Argentina. It was horrible.

[Conor] The Galapagos were great. I liked living on a boat and travel from island to island. I also liked all the adventure sports in New Zealand, especially Zorbing. And it was really cool, one mile long toboggan ride from the top of the Great Wall. There were not too many bad things. I suppose the worst thing was all the time we spent waiting in airports or train or bus stations.

Are you glad you did? Do you want to travel in the future or has had this experience she travels hate?
[Caroline] Now that we're almost done, I'm really glad we did this. I feel like I've done something that will ever do, very few people. I think that I travel in the future, but probably not long for this. One day, I want to return to Thailand to work with the elephants in the Elephant Nature Park near Chiang Mai.

[Conor] I'm really glad that we also this. I'll be glad to get home, but we have been able to see and so much to do. In future, however, I do not think I will for this long journey. I think I'll take more trips, but for shorter periods. There is so much to see in the world, you can spend your time exploring.

After reading her blog and follow them around the world on wide Wide World.

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