A little bit about us

Emmie is five and in kindergarten, and I’m a little bit older. We live in Sydney, near the beach and it’s just the two of us. I work full time in communications – the pr kind, not the technical kind…I am hopeless at technology (inlcuding figuring out how to blog).

I backpacked and travelled around quite a bit before Emmie was born – my last big trip was roughing it through Mongolia, and at the time I swore I would never be a resort or package deal traveller. I love the challenge and adventure of exploring less travelled paths, having to think on my feet and going where many haven’t – I also love paying a couple of dollars to stay in a beach shack on a pristine beach, away from the tourist tribe, feeling like I know the secret.

Fast forward to becoming a mum and holidays changing from challenging backpacking to lazing around resorts, kids clubs and annual trips to Disneyland, and I discovered that I really enjoy this type of holidaying too. But it’s adventuring that I love, and I’d been waiting til Emmie got older for us to try it. In the meantime we visited friends in Barbados, Denver and Singapore, snorkelled at the Great Barrier Reef, travelled to Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra – plus our obsessive trips to Fiji and Disneyland California.

I had saved some money to renovate our kitchen and I was driving my friends mad with being unable to make a decision. I just couldn’t commit. And then I realised, I couldn’t commit because I didn’t want to spend the money on something that would possibly make me happy for a few weeks or so, but didn’t have any meaning.

I was tired of the school and work routine that was the same every day and mostly operational and task driven. I wanted to be happy and share meaningful experiences with Em. I knew that our happiest moments had been when we were holidaying together. These are the things she remembers and talks about over and over again – she wouldn’t care what our kitchen looked like.

A few months ago I met up with an old colleague for a coffee and a chat. She asked me when I am at my happiest – and I told her that it was when I was travelling, and when I’m with Emmie. She then asked me why I wasn’t doing it, and what would I need to do to make traveling happen as a bigger commitment.

And I realised, this was it. There actually wasn’t anything stopping me except me.

And I started planning for a year on the road together in South East Asia. We leave in January 2016.

I’ve completed the long distance education application for Emmie’s schooling and I’ve briefed her principal – who was very supportive! I’ve planned out renting the house out, I’m ready to leave my job in a few months. I’m slowly but surely clearing out the house and selling what I can.

And we’re going to Borneo next week to see how we will handle a micro-version of our schedule.

I will let you know how we go xox