Before kids, before "us" we led very different paths.

 

I was a well traveled child, enjoying holidays all over the world every year. Emma was not, with frequent train journeys to Scotland forming her only holiday.

 

When we first met I had hardly touched public transport, having never even been on a bus whereas she didn't have a driving license and used them frequently.

 

It was how we met, that inspired our continual love for adventure.

 

I was fundraising for an expedition to be the first rowing boat to cross the Indian ocean, from Australia to Mauritius. To cut a long story short; we crossed successfully, got all the records and I proposed to Emma on the finish line....

 

Emma had supported and encouraged me from the moment we met and traveled the same emotional journey I did and, although I never again entered a country in such dramatic fashion; our love of exploration together had started.

 

Our travel at this point was still confined to the package holiday.

 

Where ever we were though we always found ourselves fleeing the confines of the hotel, in search of something more "real" to meet local people and explore local traditions.

 

Then before starting a family we wanted to do some real travel, soak up culture and learn more about the world outside of the holiday brochure (because as people without the experience of kids, we knew that would be impossible to do as parents!)

 

We chose a volunteering project in Iringa, Tanzania. Again a story for another time, but we loved our time there, we worked hard for a homeless children's charity, learnt so much and brought a little boy named Salmini back from the dead (honestly!)

 

What we came away with however, was that; travel, no matter how remote, no matter how arduous, no matter how far is totally possible, if not suitable, to be done with children.

 

Within 9 months of being home our son was born.

 

Parenthood taught us a great deal, but by the time our daughter came along, we knew that travel suited us as a family.

 

She had a flight booked before she was even born and by the age of 3 and 5 they had each taken over 20 flights and traveled to more than a dozen different countries.

 

Unintentionally we began preparing for a traveling lifestyle.

 

We were living in a semi-detached 3 bedroom family home at this time, close to local schools and with a beautiful garden, yet we weren't happy and fate tipped her hand.

 

We downsized considerably; to a caravan, and after more and more travel, I left my 9 - 5 behind a desk and we began our digital company BLOCS.

 

Soon, we were spending more time out the country than in.

 

So on the 7th of September 2019 we left England, having sold everything we owned, and with the only possessions remaining packed; headed for the Airport, bound for our new life and new adventures.