Embracing the Journey, One Adventure at a Time

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“Join Tanja, Patrick, and their teenage son Levi as they embark on an extraordinary nomadic adventure, transforming their dream of a life on the road into a reality. This inspiring family shares their experiences, challenges, and triumphs as they navigate the world together, embracing the freedom and wonder of a life less ordinary.”.

Background

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I grew up with my brother and parents. The first travel I can remember, I was 3 years old, was to Spain. In a propellor plain! Obviously, these were the early days of mass tourism. We were not a rich family, but our parents always managed to save up for the weeks of summer holidays. 

Most of the times we went camping though. We started out in the UK and had a glorious vacation in Cornwall and Devon. The year after, it rained for three weeks in a row. After that, my parent’s decided camping was fun, but only in good weather. We went to Italy, France and Spain from that moment on. Anywhere with a decent chance of sunshine, never the same place twice. My brother and I were not complaining. We loved the campsites, swimming in the Mediterranean and making friends with other kids.

I was around 14 years old when I read a book about survival, and it awoke feelings of adventures in the wild. As I already liked camping, I was now looking for more remote places to explore. A couple of years later I went to Swedish Lapland, hiking solo for weeks. I can really relate to Ryan Brubaker’s story, one of the other contributors here, when he talks about people saying they want to come with you on your next adventure, but seldom do. I should not stop you from going. I have returned to Scandinavia almost every autumn, the last few years to go canoeing. I love the wilderness and feel absolutely at home in the wild. But these are trips I do without my family.

What initially inspired your family's nomadic lifestyle?

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Before my wife and I were married, we had both travelled extensively. We have continued to do so together, even when our son was little. He was 10 months old on his first trip to Indonesia. As for most people I guess, the Covid pandemic changed our lives massively. Suddenly we were not able to go to our jobs and school anymore, but the three of us were cooped up at home. It is not that we don’t like our home, it is an awesome place. But being confined to the same space for so long, makes your mind wander. We reminded ourselves of all the places we had been to before and we missed them.

Was there a particular moment or event that solidified your family's decision to pursue this nomadic lifestyle?

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It was in the summer of 2021 when the world finally got back to normal and some countries were cautiously opening up their borders again, that we found ourselves on holiday on a gorgeous Greek island. Breathing sunshine and freedom. Breathing life! 

It was then that we jokingly said to each other: ‘We are so f$%^&cking good at going on holidays! We should do this permanently!’

As you started planning this nomadic adventure, how did you approach the process? Did you have a clear vision for the type of travel, the destinations you wanted to explore, or the overall duration of your journey?

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At first, we laughed. But as with many unconscious spoken words, it was apparent that this is what we wished for most: to be free and independent. We started making plans that same evening, deciding the best time to start our travels would be at the beginning of next summer as our son would finish primary school. 

For preparation, we listed all the ‘But what if… happens’ on one side of the page and the answers on another. And as you can imagine there were many things to address. From practical stuff like where to put the things we did not want to sell (e.g. a designer chair and important papers to my parents, a painting was adopted by friends), to schooling for our son (online), financial planning, insurance, how to stay connected to family and friends, to staying happy on the road. Making lots of lists. 

As for destinations, we wanted to start close to home in familiar surroundings. So, we had decided to rent a campervan for 3 months and extensively tour England, Wales and Scotland. We had also booked tickets to Singapore, with a return date 7 months in the future, planning to do a short flight to Bangkok and explore the north of Thailand, hop over to Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia. Nothing set in stone, just a mental outline of the trip. Mostly based on visa restrictions. Vietnam for instance was not handing out the 60-day e-visa at the time. Thailand gave us 40 days visa instead of the usual 30. So, we had to be flexible with schedules. 

Can you describe the moment when you set off on your nomadic journey?

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We set off on the first day of the summer school holidays in July 2022. We were stoked! We picked up the camper van and got underway, filled with joy that what we had planned for and anticipated for almost 9 months had become reality. From the moment we left, it all felt natural. 

Can you share with us how you get around from place to place? Do you rent a van in each new location or transport one that you own? 

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After our time in the UK, we returned the van and had around 10 days to see our families and friends again and re-pack. We did not have much with us in the camper, but the next part of our journey would be backpacking around Southeast Asia for 7 months, so even less was needed. We each had a hand-luggage sized backpack with just 3 sets of clothes, some electronics (laptop for schoolwork) and flip flops. In Asia public transport isn’t very expensive and usually can get you where you need to go. Private tourist coach buses, night trains, ferries are all pretty reliable and comfortable. 

We briefly returned home after that first year of travelling, staying in a hotel, before setting out on the next leg: nearly a year non-stop through Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Except for the latter, back to living 9 months in a camper van again!

What were some of the key challenges your family faced as you were adjusting to this new nomadic lifestyle in those early days?

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When we were travelling in the camper van, the lack of (personal) space was something to get used to. But since it was such a gorgeous summer in the UK, we were outside a lot, exploring nature or attractive villages or sightseeing, so it did not cause any problem. We learned to give each other physical and mental space, by doing things for ourselves. It helps that we switch between van life and living in hotels and apartments when we are backpacking. 

Home schooling our son was new for all of us. So, we had to learn what the best approach was, otherwise, the day would be filled with anything but schoolwork.

Eventually, my wife and I each chose the subjects we could teach our son best and helped our son make a weekly planning. By now he is used to online schooling and gets on mostly without our help. 

What are some of the most cherished, memorable moments from the first part of your nomadic journey?

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For me, the feeling of being utterly free. Enjoying each day as it comes. It is a misconception that you do not have to plan. At least, we as a family still need to.

Homework, getting groceries, where to go tomorrow are all things that need to be taken care off. We were in the UK during the summer holidays. During that time of the year, you just can’t show up at a campsite and expect them to have vacancies. 

Back to highlights, we attended the Yi Peng festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where we lit a sky lantern, together with thousands of others. The sky was filled with mini hot-air balloons. Pure magic. Simple things, like waking up in a wooden bungalow on a tiny island and running to the surf to take a dive. Experiencing the vastness of Australia. The uniqueness of Japan. My son says: ‘sitting in an overnight bus, looking at the stars with my headphones on’. 

How has your family dynamic evolved throughout your nomadic journey? Did you face any conflicts, and how did you resolve them? 

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Our son is becoming an adolescent, going through puberty. That means some things that were fun before, are now suddenly stupid. Like hiking or playing in the surf. He is focussing more on himself now, spending more time with online friends. And he should. It’s part of growing up and learning to be independent. So is challenging your parents. The main difference with other parents and kids going through puberty is that we don’t have the screaming and slamming of doors, as we don’t have a house! 

What were some of the most challenging aspects of traveling as a family? Did you ever question your decision or feel like returning to a more settled life? 

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From the start we have all agreed to be open about what we like and what we don’t like about our new lives. For instance, that means that we mostly visit countries with warmer climates or in the right season. Saves on luggage too. And we made a list of countries we would definitely want to visit. 

Our main responsibility is our son. As his parents, we chose this way of life, he did not. The consequence of this choice is that our son is growing up differently than his peers. The moment we detect he is better off living the way we were, we will plan accordingly. Maybe by staying somewhere he can attend an international school, or even going back home if that is what is best.

What were some of the most rewarding moments of your journey?

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Is there a better reward than having a happy wife and a happy son? Luckily, we have not experienced anything that can be described as hardship. We were hit by a car, nothing serious. We all got a cough and fever at some point. Just regular stuff basically.

How has this nomadic experience shaped your child's perspectives on the world? What are some of the unique lessons they have learned? 

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I asked him. He says that he has become a less picky eater. True. I think, I hope, he will see the value of what we have done later on in life. For now, what we do is all normal to him. 

How many countries have you travelled to so far and how long do you usually stay put for? 

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Since the start of our journey in 2022 we have been to 21. Most of them we had already visited on previous trips. In total we are nearing 60. How long we stay somewhere is dependent on visa restrictions. On our journey through Southeast Asia, we went to Thailand twice. That gave us time to stay 3 weeks in Chiang Mai, in the cooler season. Malaysia is very generous with its 90-day visa, so we stayed on a tranquil island for over 2 months. In Laos, we stayed 3 weeks in Luang Prabang. Vietnam is a large country and gave us only 30 days entry, so that part of the trip felt much more like regular travel, you can only stay somewhere for 3 days before you need to get going again. 

For those wanting to try their hand at nomadic travel - can you share any tips on how to stay financially viable while on the road? 

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This is an important topic. Let’s look at this in a wider perspective. How do you get the money to travel for an extended time in the first place? We realised we were too old to get adopted by a, preferably terminally ill, billionaire. Jokes aside, like most people we needed to earn the money through our jobs. We were lucky to have two decent incomes. But even with moderate pay you can achieve your goals.

You have to ask yourself what is important to you? Do you want that expensive car, or can you live with a second hand? Do you really need a new phone every year? How many subscriptions do you have? Do you buy lunch and overpriced coffees every day?

It really is just basic financial planning: write down your exact income and list every single payment you make throughout the month. From rent or mortgage to that coffee. 

Then the most important step: stop buying sh*t! Does that mean you have to live like a hermit? No, but once you know what you can potentially save each month, spending money on things you don’t actually need, feels like cheating on your travel goal and might help you to think twice. 

Remember, most of the stuff you buy, you don’t need once you are travelling. Designer outfit? 70-inch flatscreen? $300 sneakers? You get the point. To suppress buying impulses, the question we kept asking ourselves: was “does it fit in my hand luggage?”.

Once you have saved what you need for your trip, make a budget. There are many websites that can tell you how much travelling in the countries of your choice will cost. 

It gives you a lot of freedom and peace of mind if you don’t have to worry about money when you travel. But there is nothing wrong with earning some income while underway. Especially countries like Australia are very well suited for this. 

Some people can even make money from their socials or YouTube. If you do not already, it will take years to get into that niche. Renting out your house while away, will help you keeping costs down and you will have a place to return to.

Looking back, what are some of the most important things you would tell other families considering a nomadic lifestyle? What are some key things to keep in mind? 

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Do it! No doubt about it. You will never ever have the chance again to spend that much time as a family. Even if it’s just for 6 months or 1 year. 

To families that are considering a nomadic lifestyle, I would say to keep in mind that it is easier to go slow. Don’t look at it as a holiday. It is your life now. Stay put for a longer period of time if the place suits you all. Avoid looking at countries and places as things to tick off a list. It will give you the time to learn the language, meet locals; to do something useful in a community and finally start that hobby you did not have time for at home. 

We track our journey on the app Polarsteps, a great way to share your adventures with your family and friends. As our updates and stories got more elaborate, we thought maybe our adventures could be interesting and inspirational to others. We started to publish a magazine, TravelSome, that features the highlights of our journey in full-length articles, photos, links to videos, alternative routes or sites to visit, what we spend etc. We really got into it, because by now we have 6 issues covering the whole of Great Britain and 3 issues on Southeast Asia. They can be read in any order. We are working on the 200+ pages ‘The Big Lap Australia’ issue, which will be more of a guide than a magazine. New Zealand and Japan are hopefully out by the end of 2024. We sell these worldwide for $0.99 per issue on Apple Books and Google Play Books. If nothing else, we’ll have a professional memento of our journey!

Words of Wisdom 

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Everyone has dreams. A dream without action is just a wish. Dreams need action to become reality. One of the reasons to leave our home and start travelling as a family was the realisation that you really only have ‘the now’ to do something, to make a change. What’s has been and we don’t know what’s coming. My wife and I could have happily stayed in our jobs, making money and going on holidays around the world every couple of months. But that would mean our son would have to go to a regular high school and we would only see him at dinnertime. We did not want to withhold him the most valuable thing we have in this life: time. Time to spend together, making adventures and memories he (and we) will have with him for the rest of his life. 

There are 100 reasons to keep everything as it is. And 101 not to. It is that last one that tips the balance: GO! You can always return to how your life was before. You will get a new job, a new house. Within no time, everything will be as it always has been. Some people won’t even know you’ve been away!

To continue following our explorer Nomad Travel Family’s journey or simply want to reach out and say Hi, you can connect with them on the following accounts:

Email: nomadtravelfamily@outlook.com

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/travelsomemagazine 

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