8 Family Travelers, 8 Countries: Divided By Borders, United By Wanderlust
A person susceptible to ‘Wanderlust’ is not so much addicted to movement, as committed to transformation.
Pico Iyer
The one, who is committed to transforming, wouldn’t be held back ever, no matter how many curve-balls life throws at them, let alone becoming parents, that too out of their own choice to procreate. And as the legend has it, someday, they too shall pass on the legacy of a burning passion to their children, which they, in turn, shall treasure for their entire lives. This pretty much is the story- behind the scenes, of the life of many, who caught the travel bug early on, because they were born to parents with ‘itchy feet’.
I feel absolutely blessed to have had the opportunity to interact with 8 such inspiring families ( I found on Instagram, with their intriguing profile names:)) whose only life beyond ‘life otherwise’ is to traverse relentlessly through the uncharted, together with their little ones.
Come join me in conversation ( in no particular order) with these incredible set of travelers, who very candidly have opened up and poured their hearts out, sharing about their personal motivations, inspirations and journey to becoming ‘Semi-nomadic-family-travellers’.
They have very honestly put out the enablers and the advice, that one may seek, when intending to begin/continue to travel along with their children.
Meet the Parent Instagrammers
who travel with their kids not just to escape the ordinary life, but to live through experiences, that are extraordinary…
Travel with Kidsss
Filippa (28) Mikael (33) and Lova (1)|Stockholm, Sweden|19 Countries
We both are runners and had actually met each other in Transylvania, Romania while running in the mountains :). We have run 12 marathons in different countries. We have not only hiked volcanoes & waterfalls
Travel with Kidssstogether but have also, done river rafting and taken snorkeling tours, surfing lessons etc. individually – taking turns, while the other took care of Lova.
When Lova was 4 months, we did a road trip up north, in Sweden, where we hiked for a few days, followed by a couple of weeks long road trip, driving through 8-9 countries in Europe when she turned 6 months.
The most precious reward of traveling together is the ‘quality of time’. It does get tough sometimes. Unexpected things happen, where we have to stay calm and patient. But, it’s really wonderful when we get to slow down and see the world from her perspective. Travel has also helped us bond better, as partners in our relationship with each other, and also with our child.
According to UNICEF, “The first years of a child’s life, set the stage for all future growth”. And we think, that’s the biggest reason, why one should expose their little ones to whatever best they can.
Despite the fact that Lova may not remember these trips, we travel, because she gets to befriend kids and adults from other cultures, see, smell and feel new things. And above all, she gets to feel safe all the time being with us.
Travel Hacks
Lova’s sleep and food routine are of utmost importance. We travel during her nap times and always carry ‘prepared’ snacks/food for her as it’s difficult to get hold of, on travel days. We also go to places where she would be able to run around and enjoy herself
Travelling Next To
Lofoten, Norway sometime this year
Life Beyond Travel
Mikael – Project Manager at Stockholm’s schools and kindergartens. Running is his passion and his average weekly mileage is 50Kms. He also is a running coach. When he isn’t traveling or running, he loves to cook and has also worked as a chef in the past.
Filippa – Digital Designer. She has been volunteering in Tanzania, helping to raise funds for a local daycare center to build swings, paint the schoolyard, buy new toys, food, bookshelves etc. She has also trekked through the “Machame Route”, crossing over 4 climate zones form rainforest to glaciers and made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro over 4 days. She also loves photography.
Connect with “Travel with kidsss”
Europe Unbound
Rashmi (32), Vilas (37), Raghav (5) & Ira (2)|Amsterdam, Netherlands|20 Countries
Traveling as a family is a game of total commitment from both partners. If you wish to travel with your kids often, then you need to encourage them to be open to situations and routines. When you travel, don’t carry their world with you- don’t cushion their senses with familiarity – Let them experience the beauty of unknown places and everything new that the world has to offer.
Europe Unbound
The first time Vilas and I met, we talked mostly about traveling. Eight years since, and that is still what we do – talk about places we have been to and places we will go to. All these years we have been traveling relentlessly throughout India and Europe. One of the things that have become a custom for us now is celebrating every birthday and anniversary at a special destination. Raghav’s first birthday was celebrated on a cruise in Lakshwadeep and Ira’s first birthday in Croatia.
We love visiting different countries, each with its own rich and fascinating history. We also look for places which offer unique experiences for the kids, like hiking, camping,
The best thing about traveling with kids is that it lets you see the world from their perspective; a child who is just discovering the world around him, who is fascinated by the smallest things, finds joy in unexpected places. Exploring the world broadens their perspective and helps in their holistic development. By exposing them to different cultures and climates, we believe we are shaping future world citizen.
Travel Hacks
We plan all our trips well in advance. We prefer to travel light, makes transfers a lot easier. I like to pack clothes that can be layered so it can be modified to suit the weather. We make sure to carry a first aid kit and also a few basic medicines for the kids. I usually buy one new toy before every trip, to keep the kids engaged during flights. Wherever we go we stay at apartments and cook our own food. So before the day begins and later when it ends we can make sure that the kids have had at least two home cooked meals. Traveling as a vegetarian family can be challenging.
We don’t arm ourselves with gadgets to entertain the kids for long trips. Just some coloring equipment and a few toys do the trick. All ‘forbidden’ food at home (chips, fruit juices, chocolate biscuits) when allowed during travel becomes a great attraction for the kids.
We let our children pack their own bags for the travel. Both of them are in charge of their small suitcase at the airports and hotels. This gives them a sense of responsibility and involvement. We also talk to our children as much as we can during road trips, giving them information about the country we are traveling in.
It’s very important to prepare kids for a trip mentally. Talk to them beforehand. Involve the kids in the planning process, develop curiosity and share knowledge. Children are more intelligent and emotionally mature than we often give them credit for.
Travelling Next To
Denmark in May
Life Beyond Travel
Rashmi – ‘Stay-At-Home-Mum’. She is very passionate about the ‘written word’. Poetry is her soul food. She enjoys clicking candid moments of her kids, cooking and engaging in long conversations with Vilas about world history and different religions.
Vilas – Works in procurement and contracting. He loves photography, astrology, and anything related to numbers and pricing.
Connect With “Europe Unbound”
Our Amazing Travels
Valeria & Giuseppe ( 35+), Nicolò (9) & Alice (8)| Catania, Italy |25 Countries
We had a terrible experience with the loss of one of our daughters, Alice’s twin sister, Smeralda, and struggled with her for 4 years. Since then, we have learned to look at life little differently. T
Our Amazing Travelsoday more than ever, we appreciate and find joy in the smaller things. Travel is our therapy.
We made the first trip as a family to Bologna when Nicolò was still in the womb. Traveling together as a family has been beautiful at all times. We truly believe that life is too short to not enjoy it as much as possible. And what could be a better way of spending your money than on travel? No matter where you go, the important thing is to do it, and do it together. And most importantly kids who have had the fortune to travel will imbibe in them, the cultural learnings and experiences, that will help them in their future life.
Travel Hacks
When we travel with kids, we seek safety first, make travel and transfers as easy as possible and ensure that we combine both historical and fun interests. We do this with careful planning based on information from travelers network and internet.
We prefer to give up material things like expensive clothes, night outs, eating out, expensive cars and make savings for travel. We plan and organize our next trip as soon as we are back at home.
Travelling Next To
A cruise this summer to visit the Baltic capitals – Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Tallinn, St.Petersberg. Helsinki, Stockholm, Skagen.
Life Beyond Travel
Giuseppe – Manages farm business at an Olive trees property in the middle of Sicily, which we own together. He looks to cook, and is always the one cooking at home.
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Hungry Travellers
Anu (33) Pavan (33) and Kabir (2)|Bengaluru, India|4 Countries
In 2018 we decided to challenge ourselves to do #12months12trips. And it turned out to be the best decision ever. We learned so much that we vowed, to always go out of our comfort zone because that’s where the magic happens.
Hungry Travellers
Both of us love to travel and wanted to pass this on, to Kabir as well, while he was young. We took our first trip to Goa when he was just 3 months old because we desperately needed a break :). We were quite apprehensive about his routine and his response to the new environment. But children do surprise you, with their resilience and adaptability. We had such a wonderful trip, that it still remains one of our best trips together.
We are always, hungry for Food, Travel & Stories in equal measures :). When on the move, we love to indulge ourselves in local culture, experiences, adventures, offbeat places, on-foot explorations, kid-friendly activities, beaches
We are recreating Kabir’s childhood memories through our blog, Instagram page, and youtube videos. We hope he enjoys watching them. He absolutely loves being on the move and exploring with us. We just need to carry his favorite football and he is good to go anywhere.
Travel is our passion and pursuing it on a regular basis has been more rewarding. We like having our own home, and love the work we do, so quitting jobs to travel isn’t on our mind. Hats off to those, who are doing it. It’s incredible but really tough.
Travel Hacks
Take a stroller wherever you go. You will need it.
Try and stick to the kid’s routine as much as possible. Without sleep and food they become really cranky.
Carry your child’s favorite blanket, doll, anything that gives them comfort while sleeping.
We live very minimally and do not spend on anything material. Travel is our main expense, which we factor in our budgets, saving the rest.
Travelling Next To
Goa ( Anu would be out and about on an ‘All Girls Trip’ this summer. )
Life Beyond Travel
Anu – Dancer & Performing arts teacher for children.
Pavan – Restaurateur. He runs a chain called ‘Tadka Singh’.
Together, we also run the Hungry Travellers Cafe, a small travel cafe in Bengaluru.
Connect With “Hungry Travellers”
Blog|Instagram | Facebook| YouTube
Boxes on Tour
Monica (32), Marcin (37), Nela (2 )|Tychy, Poland|14 Countries
We don’t think we sacrifice anything by spending money on travel, as it’s truly a pleasure and the best investment in the future. It’s our only motivation to get out of bed in the morning and get to work, because we simply know, that we have to earn money to be able to buy flight tickets.
Boxes on Tour
We took the first trip together as a family, to Portugal, when Nela was 4 months old. When two people share similar interests there’s no way to stop them :). And parenthood couldn’t have ruined our travel passion. We wanted our “Little Princess” too, to see this beautiful world. We had no reservations before we went, as we felt very confident that we were doing the right thing.
People who travel inspire us the most.
This quote by Marc Anthony – “ Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life”, truly explains where we aim to reach on this journey of our wanderlust .
Unfortunately, we ain’t there yet. Just like half of the world, we too hope, that one day we would be courageous enough to quit our day jobs & travel full time. Until that happens, we just spend all leaves and holidays on travel.
Travel Hacks
We always carry the first aid kit and the sun cream. We make sure that we purchase travel insurance. We love going well prepared with the list of places and activities, because
Travelling Next to
Bali in April’19
Life Beyond Travel
We both work full-time between all our travels to earn money for the next adventure. During weekends, we love to take some short trips around our beautiful country, Poland
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Travel Mom Diary
Travel Couple ( 30+), Kid1 (6), Kid2 (2)|Toronto, Canada|6 Countries
My elder daughter buys a little souvenir from every place we go to and keeps thinking of ways to present about it to her class
Travel Mom Diary
We had travelled a lot before having kids and we didn’t want to stop once we had them. Of course, we wanted to test the waters at first. So, we did a mini trip, nearby, to Montreal after our first was born. Although it was difficult, as she ended up with cold & fever, yet we learned so much about how to be travel-ready with a little one. We have taken many national & international trips since then, and it just got so much easier with time.
We are way too interested in history and culture. We love taking a lot of pictures, because they speak a thousand words. The kids love flipping through travel pictures and always look forward to upcoming adventures. The elder one, truly appreciates her new travel experiences now knowing that she has been a part of it since day one. We have been considering hiring a photographer in the future.
Our kids go to school and we would like to give them the opportunity to build on friendships year after year. And also grow around their cousins and grandparents. As much as we love to travel, we wouldn’t ever quit everything and become nomads.
Travel Hacks
Main attractions, safety, weather conditions, healthcare system,
Planning ahead, prioritizing, being flexible and knowing exactly what we want to do are the biggest enablers. For e.g., If a place requires tickets, we buy them in advance to avoid line ups. If we need to skip something, it is not a big deal.
Travel can be an expensive affair, but there are many ways to get deals and make it a reality.
Travelling Next To
Banff (Canada) sometime this year. Italy, Morocco and Bermuda any time this year or next.
Life Beyond Travel
We both work full-time. When we are not busy with work and everyday commitments, we enjoy watching movies, hanging out with friends, and we also love trying out new restaurants. We are lucky to have the cuisines of the world right in our hometown.
Connect with “Travel Mom Diary”
Bindis and Bottles
Travel Couple ( 35+), Kid1 (3 ), Kid2 (1)|San Francisco, America|5 Countries
You will always get surprised at the development leaps your children have because of travel. I think parents are just scared because travel can be long and tiring. It tends to be worth it in the end, though.
Bindis and Bottles
We took our first trip when our kiddo was 8 months old. It was from SF to India, trial by fire with two massive 10+ hour flights and a
What really eases out our process is planning little carefully – making sure we can get out and walk at our destination (i.e. not always have to rely on a car), going when the weather is decent (at least above freezing J), having a hotel/place to stay that has a kitchen & finding parks and kid friendly museums.
We just hope we could blog more and we certainly want to make a photo book for every trip that we do – It has been on our minds since quite some time. “I love planes and trains!” is what my kids would
Travel Hacks
No matter what, we always pack more than we need. Because you will never know when you’ll need stuff (especially medicine).
We pick hotels in the mid-range that are nice and have good amenities. This helps save a lot of money.
Our older one has traveled 100,000+ miles and the younger one just crossed 30,000. They are both easy going but have a LOT of energy – they need to run around at the airport so we can survive those long haul flights. They’re not the best sleepers on planes, so we have to be prepared for extra emotions and comfort when their little bodies are discombobulated.
Travelling Next to
Maine, sometime this year.
Life Beyond Travel
We both work full-time.
Connect with “Bindis and Bottles”
Blog|Instagram|Facebook|Twitter
Kids Go Places
Travel Couple (30+), Kid1(9), Kid2(7)|GoldCoast, Australia|4 Countries
We live life for the now because who knows how long we have got. Every moment is precious and we have to make the most of every day especially while the kids are small(they grow up so quick). This family time and memories are absolutely invaluable and will play a vital role in shaping them up as adults they would be, in the future.
Kids Go Places
We felt ready when the kids were 4 & 6 to take them overseas & we started small-heading to New Zealand, which was so amazing, that we went back again the following year, before starting to take bigger trips to America, Japan & Singapore.
Queenstown NZ has such a special vibe and holds a special place in our hearts, because we got engaged there and it was our first destination as a family.
We book accommodation depending on the place. It may be super low budget or could be luxury. A view is usually most important to us & we often stay in accommodations, that are quintessential of its location. For instance,
We save hard. We sacrifice wherever we can. We travel according to the budget. There’s always somewhere one can go to suit the budget, whether it’s camping down the road or trekking across the globe. We would love to quit everything to become a nomadic family someday.
Travel Hacks
Have realistic expectations of your kids. Then you will have an awesome time, mostly. You won’t remember the tantrums & tears when you get home, but just the good times. So don’t hesitate, just do it!
Travelling Next To
Somewhere soon 🙂
Life Beyond Travel
Husband – Doctor in Clinical Psychology. Works at a hospital. Loves Photography and Videography.
Wife – Travel consultant for ‘Love Life Travel’ travel agency, Blogger & Journalist.
Connect with “Kids Go Places”
To Aspiring Family Travellers
Tell me, what’s running through your mind?
Do you feel absolutely taken aback reading their stories? Do you feel ignited somewhere deep inside? Are you already feeling the itch to plan your next travel?
Or do you just feel, a tad bit jealous, about how easy they make it look? – That every parent, very well, can aspire to be there, one day, if not already?
Well, I do feel all of it. And I do feel you.
Being a traveler and a storyteller, the best way I can give an outlet to my emotions is to stitch them both together and bring some inspiring stories from the road to you, while I also continue to be on the journey to discover the world along with my family.
And you? Where are you travelling to next ?
Go live the life you have always dreamt of, and take your kid along. It’s indeed always about now or never. What’s stopping you, is just YOU. Move out of the way of your own dreams of ‘Wanderlust’
Wishing you many more Happy Trails till we meet again.
Disclaimer: This post isn’t intended to promote the families featured here( however their whereabouts in the digital world is put up, for you to find them), but only to share real-life experiences & stories of real travelers. The content and images used here, belong to and have been shared solely by the respective families. They have been used with permission.
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Hello! I am Tanushree – A Digital Nomad Mom, Traveler, Travel & Lifestyle Blogger, Instagrammer, Freelance Writer, Photographer, Vegan Food Lover & A Minimalist. I believe in the eternal power of words & pictures, and love expressing myself, by weaving stories & narratives, inspired by real-life experiences. Let’s collaborate and support each other for the causes we truly stand for and wish to contribute to. Let’s explore. More about Me.
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