How many of you are traveling full time with a family?

[gypsymama]

We set off in January for at least a year on the road. I'm curious to know how many of you might be traveling full time with kids, and how you're finding it?

[mongrel]

WOW!!  A year on the road!!  How do you just do that. 

[gypsymama]

WOW!!  A year on the road!!  How do you just do that. 

You pack up and leave with what you already have even if its a 25 year old caravan (see for sale section, lol) and hope to upgrade on the road. Find yourself some work on the road to fund the adventure, take the kids out of school and JUST DO IT! 

[fishfinder]

over 14 years now

[gypsymama]

over 14 years now

Full time on the road for 14 years? Awesome. Any advice for the newbies?

[firefox]

we'll be on the road departing about July/August this year. We have 2 kids (8 & 10) and plan to be on the road until at least FEB 2015 maybe longer...
Plan is to do a extended figure 8 around australia. Hence why i am building a new caravan..
JD

[gypsymama]

we'll be on the road departing about July/August this year. We have 2 kids (8 & 10) and plan to be on the road until at least FEB 2015 maybe longer...
Plan is to do a extended figure 8 around australia. Hence why i am building a new caravan..
JD

Oops... we're trying to get out of the caravan and into a camper, lol. Husband would like a bus - I'm not keen - too restrictive. A really nice off road caravan like a Kedron is the dream but thats an "if we win lotto" type dream! Do you pan to work your way around too?

[firefox]

Hi gypsymama,
Yeah we've had the small campers and we plan to do a serious loop, staying at many places, so for a short time. So we want something that is very quick and totally painless to setup.
The new van is great from a cost standpoint, but i do think for the average family probably a little $$.. We should end up about 40K cheaper then a family kedron..

I don't know if you would call it working. We are keeping some of our businesses, and plan to just "manage" them whilst working on our new cool project..  So i suppose you could say we are working but it's not really, we don't need to stop somewhere for work for a period of time.. We can do the trip as a number 1 and work is a number 2 priority.. Well kids schooling is in there somewhere..

I've spoken to alot of people that are travelling and stop somewhere for about a month in a region or longer and work and then move on. Another family seem to stop and can work for about 4 weeks straight and thats enough to allow them to not work for 3 months..

If that all makes sense.

[gypsymama]

Totally makes sense. We're three weeks off finishing my first 12 week stint - was too long in my opinion. Won't stop any longer than 8 weeks next time. We're also finding it profitable to fly James to Canberra from wherever to do a couple of weeks and then meet up with us again, believe it or not. Great that you can manage your businesses on the road!

[mongrel]

Wow!!  Hat's off to you guys!!  Sounds like a great adventure!!

[DannyG]

Full time on the road for 14 years? Awesome. Any advice for the newbies?

I can assure you he doesn't live off the fish he catches

[fishfinder]

I can assure you he doesn't live off the fish he catches

but i do eat the emu

[Taz64]

I'm so envious of all you guys.  My cousins have just set off to do the same thing.  They call it their Leyland Brothers tour with a different family.

[Patt31]

we are 2 months in on our 12 months full time on the road. living in our cape yokamper 4yr odds girl is loving it. been old now currently exploring vic heading west real soon especially if this cramp weather keeps persisting

just do it 

[_Gecko_]

We have been on the road for a bit over 2 months now and am looking to start with 2 years and see if we like the lifestyle and keep it going.
On the travels though we have met some awesome families doing the same.
One family that really stood out had 6 kids with them, all home schooled on the road and the best mannered kids i think i have ever met.
They were just doing it in a tent and what was once someones dirtbike riding camping trailer!
So it can be done and done well.
Keep us informed of your travels!
(I know i am well over due for my write up....)
Gecko

[mongrel]

Way to go guys!!

How do you fund it all??

[cruisindub]

....and do you find any restrictions at all?
Are you free camping at all?
How would you say it costs having kids as opposed to without?

Thanks for all genuine and sincere replies in advance.

[Kit_e_kat9]

My parents took we girls on a trip around Oz back in the early 80's.  We were on the road for over 2 months.  We did it in a tents with a stubbie Landcruiser.   The only thing I think would be different if we ever did it again now, is that the olds now need creature comforts ... but back in those days we had an absolute blast. 

As for schooling, our teachers put together a pack of work for us .. don't think we touched it though ... learning on the road is fun and easy. 
There is:
history - it's everywhere you go
maths - how far to the next place kids?
english - both written and reading (signs and the reading of them whether they be road or NP)
map reading skills - something you don't get in school
orienteering - walking on tracks through NP's etc
being in and seeing so many different places
people skills - everyone needs those
cooking skills - how to use a camp oven after lighting a fire

Your kids are going to love it.  Pity they won't remember it all. 

I just wish I had the opportunity (and willing partner) to do it all again now because you see it with different eyes as an adult.

Kit_e

[Nay-DMAX]

We would love to do some extended travelling but a mortgage and the fact I dont want to get rid of my horses and other animals limits us a bit we dont have kids but if we went would want to take our dogs even though it limits the places you can go they are our family.  Maybe one day, enjoy your time on the road good on you

[gypsymama]

We rehomed our animals, some temporarily, and still pay the mortgage so have to find work every few weeks ;-)

[Nay-DMAX]

We rehomed our animals, some temporarily, and still pay the mortgage so have to find work every few weeks ;-)

Good on you there is hope for us yet