Round-the-world trip with family

Hello, It's magical! Simply put... There's really no adjustment period because it's a project we've been waiting for so long that when the big day arrives, everything is lived with such intensity... a leap into the unknown... incredibly exhilarating! The first country feels like a vacation. The end brings back familiar memories: the post-travel blues... but then, another new country awaits us to discover! And that's when you feel like a true round-the-world traveler!!! Maybe that's the adaptation you were talking about... Living together as a family non-stop, often with little personal space, inevitably leads to conflicts. Even though we all love each other and are thrilled to share such an adventure, there are bound to be some heated moments. However, we've learned to manage them—not to avoid them, but to let them pass and not dwell on the silly things we might have said :-) And the upsides are so numerous. Beyond the travel itself and everything it brings, experiencing such an adventure as a family teaches us so much about our children. We see them differently: their fears, of course, but also their strengths, their open-mindedness and open-heartedness, their curiosity... And it's wonderful to watch them grow! Day by day! They add a fundamental dimension to the adventure with their perspective, their understanding, and their interpretation of what we're living. What a joy to spend an evening reminiscing about what we experienced in this or that country... our encounters, our visits, our meals (!)... And to stay on topic... well! No advice here except the usual clichés about traveling with kids—safety, food, school... but I think those are obvious things every parent knows 🙂 ...but if you have questions about specific countries, we can share our experience. As for lessons, I’ll refrain... We’ve talked to many round-the-world travelers and met others along the way... And we know there are as many kinds of round-the-world trips as there are travelers! What brings us together is the taste for breaking free from our daily routine and savoring the delights of wide-open spaces and days that never repeat themselves! Actually, there’s enough material to write a book... but the best thing is to live it! If you want to get a glimpse into the intimacy of a round-the-world trip, we’re opening up our road book on our site... http://les5ailleurs.jimdo.com/carnets-de-voyage/road-book-les5ailleurs-autour-du-monde/

Sweet dreams... The adventure begins the day you decide to live it!

Thierry

Hi there, You’ll find loads of tips and blog recommendations for family world tours here.

We haven't left yet, but we're actively preparing: www.par4cheminsavelo.fr. Departure in 42 days!

For the daily routine, we're planning to organize school time twice a day for 1 hour each for our son, who will finish his first grade and start second grade. Mostly, we want to take our time to enjoy, discover, and live our chosen freedom for 15 months!!! Then, the school of travel is enough in itself—that’s why we’re going for a lighter curriculum, focusing only on French and a bit of math!

Guillaume

Hi Thierry, thanks for your reply! Actually, I kind of "know" you already since I’ve read quite a bit of your blog—it’s really well done, packed with info, and it already makes us feel like we’re on the road a little... though 5 more months still feels like forever!

We’re heading to Ubud soon. I’ve more or less figured out our accommodation, but yours sounded really great—do you remember the rate? I tried finding it on their website but came up empty.

Wishing you all the best! Lestouicatsenasie Celine

Hi Guillaume, 41 days—WOW, can’t wait for the countdown!!! For us, it’s still far off, but actually so close! I checked out your blog—it’s really well done. Ours is pretty basic; I’m struggling to get into it.

Maybe we’ll see each other since we’ll be in Southeast Asia for 10 months starting in September. I have a former coworker who got back last July—the Cycloglobtrotters. Maybe you know them?

Thanks for your reply! As for school, we’ve got a 4th grader and an 8th grader. We’re lucky both schools are really supportive. Like you, we’ll prioritize French and math for Sacha (4th grade) and a bit more for Titouan (8th grade), but travel remains the priority!

See you soon, maybe!

Hi and thanks for the tip, Marie Claude, All the best, Celine

Oh yes, I know the Cycloglobtrotters. We followed their journey from the start! What’s the address of your blog? Good luck with the prep! Guillaume

Hi there! So, we're touicats.blogspot.com, but don't expect anything fancy. I couldn't find your dates for Asia—could you give me a rough idea of your itinerary? All the best! Céline & Co

We might be able to cross paths... We’ll be in Asia between December and May. Here’s a link to our route page: http://www.par4cheminsavelo.fr/notre-chemin/ with an interactive slideshow. Looking forward to it! From the Cyclofamily, Guillaume

Hi, even if it's a bit dated, you can still find some ideas and practical answers on our site. quoide9surlaplanete.fr Two families traveling around the world for 1 year in 2007. Regarding "structured" days, it's still important to keep a regular routine for the kids (CNED homeschooling or similar) so they don’t feel lost and don’t think their parents have gone crazy!!

Wow! No need for advice or lectures—you’ll find your own rhythm. It’s so much easier when you’re leaving than when you’re coming back! We landed two weeks ago after eight months as a family… and the return has been tough for us, not at all for the kids.

Before we left, I was worried about school (4th grade, 6th grade, and 9th grade) and health issues. In the end, we barely did any schoolwork—we prioritized discovery, and so what if we missed the curriculum! After a week back, the kids don’t seem too lost or unsettled… We’ll see what the first grades look like, but I’m not (no longer) worried about that. And for health issues, we had some, but we handled them easily on the spot… even the five rabies shots in Asia after a monkey bite! We needed a doctor, an osteopath, and a dentist, and we found help every time.

To avoid a lot of trouble, we followed the rule of “do as the locals do.” If locals eat at that restaurant, we can too; if they don’t swim there, neither do we, etc.

We’re coming back more united than ever—almost fused together—completely amazed, broke, overflowing with emotions… and ready to leave again! Don’t hesitate if you have any (totally understandable) concerns… Cécile

How wonderful to have such a fresh and positive "experience feedback"!!

We’re also about to leave (hi Céline!!) and are just as excited. I’m a bit worried about the kids, though—they’re really attached to their friends and leaving them for a year is tough. I almost feel guilty for putting them through this, but I know it’ll be amazing for them, for us. I just wish I could find the right words for my 10-year-old daughter, who’s feeling a little panicky...

Anyway, can’t wait—thanks, Cécile!

Cécile (!)

Hi Cécile, In my opinion, at 10 years old, you should inspire her with all the highlights that drove you into this adventure... the opportunities to be amazed are countless ;), no matter what your daughter's interests are... and the worries she might have at 10, you won’t have trouble finding solutions for her: if it’s "I’ll miss my friends..." then the internet is a worldwide revolution with no borders... :) Thierry

It’s totally normal to feel worried... My second child developed eczema two months before we left, even though he’d never had it before. I gave him Gelsemium 15CH granules, and we had an "anxiety dinner" where everyone shared what was freaking them out. Once things are clearly said, it’s easier to find the right words to reassure everyone.

And for friends... The oldest stayed in touch with his buddies via Facebook. For the other two, we arranged Skype calls with their friends’ parents whenever they were feeling down. My youngest, still in elementary school, kept in touch with his class by email the whole trip.

On the other hand, since we’ve been back, our house hasn’t stopped being packed with their friends... The return has been super easy for them.

Enjoy the journey... Cecile

hi,

The (one-way) tickets are booked, and we're leaving on January 1st—just a few months after you, so you’ll already be seasoned travelers by the time we arrive. I don’t think we need to worry too much; the "travel rhythm" kicks in really fast.

Personally, after a few days of every trip, our kids settle in with the same joys and tantrums...🙂.

see ya, boris

hello,

Love your site! I’ve started reading it and picking up some ideas. For us, departure is still a ways off (January 1st), but prep’s already underway with vaccines and the other "joys" of paperwork.

On another note, how did you personally handle malaria prevention? I’ve got a meet-up with a tropical-medicine specialist to get a second opinion besides the Air France center, and I’d love to hear your take.

Later, and keep up the great work! 🙂

boris

hi,

I saw you’d started on the vaccines—we’ve just finished the 3rd booster and only have typhoid left… not the most fun time. 😕

It’s totally normal for kids to have worries. My daughter, who’s already traveled a lot with us, has some (about the length of the trip, her friends, etc.). There’ll probably be some rough patches during the trip, but a little Skype or whatever and I’m sure it’ll pass.

later,

boris

It’s normal that she’s worried—she’s old enough to understand and imagine the future (so she can picture herself without her friends for a year). But in your case, you’re lucky because you’re traveling with two kids (who are also close in age), so they’ll be able to keep each other company and will be even closer when you get back! On our end, our 7-year-old son is going alone, so we’ll have to find the right approach and pace to make sure he doesn’t get bored, since he doesn’t necessarily share the same interests as us (so yes, I sometimes feel guilty about taking him far from his friends).

But you can also tell yourself one thing: for them, coming back will be a breeze because they’ll be so happy to see their friends again. Plus, with the internet, staying in touch is so easy now!

Hi Boris,

For us, we take Malarone as a curative, not preventative because it’s too much of a hassle. But we’re *super* careful with prevention—long clothing as soon as night falls, mosquito nets, and Anti Brum Forte, a mosquito repellent I’d already tried in Cambodia. We’ll bring a few mosquito coils at the start of the trip, and then we’ll see what sprays and other stuff we can find locally. See you soon, Celine