For Audrey, 37 years old, this family world tour project was born in late 2022, during a holiday in the Canary Islands. Seeing her children, Timothé, 8, and Juliette, 6, become accomplices even though they usually argue constantly, she said to herself and her partner: why not stay away longer? Especially because on holiday she could finally take time to do everything with her children.
Finally she and her partner talked about it to the children and listened to their respective wishes:
“They wanted to stay in touch with their classes and didn’t want to sleep in dirty places, go hiking every day or change cities too often.”
In September 2023, just under a year later, the big departure takes place: 18 months of backpacking planned for a world tour for four!
It is difficult to commit to such a project without the approval of every family member, parent and child.
Not everyone likes long-term travel, losing routine or, for teenagers, distancing themselves from friends. And this is the first obstacle that some families may encounter.
So Catherine, 52, who left more than a year ago for a long sailing trip with her children aged 10 and 14, would like her trip to last longer, but the children are starting to complain about missing their friends. And then the question of school arises…
Read also: What is hell like? Has a flight with two kids
The difficulty of scholastic follow-up
In France, School is not compulsory, only education is… This means that it is not about not having a minimum amount of academic support during a long trip. There are various possible methods, starting from attending CNED courses, the regulated national distance learning courses.
On the part of Catherine, who is Swiss, it was the principal of her children’s school who provided all the necessary content for their lessons… But not the corrections! As a result, she learns with them, but he admits that sometimes it is Truly difficult. For several weeks she and her husband have been asking for help from a Swiss teacher who follows their children online for an hour a week.
“For me, keeping up with school is the worst part of a family trip. This gives rise to almost daily discussions, because the kids don’t necessarily want to follow the lessons, but they have to! »
Audrey, who has young children, is content for the moment with the math and French exercises found in the holiday notebooks. She also admits the difficulty of the task: neither she nor her partner are teachersand children sometimes resist.
An adventure full of learning
In addition to school, managing daily life can also take on a completely new aspect. On Illika, the sailboat Catherine’s family sails on, children are responsible : they help in navigation, but also in daily life, for example, cleaning the deck, helping with DIY (there are always some on the boat), cooking or washing the dishes… They have become extremely enterprising and Catherine’s entourage tells her that they are ripe.
“The main advantage is being able to share these special moments of discovery together. At the beginning of the trip we sailed in Europe, in the Canary Islands, in regions that I knew well and yet, rediscovering them as a family allowed me to experience and appreciate everything differently. Plus, by spending more time with them, we can get to know them better! »
Audrey noticed it too the positive impact this lifestyle has had on his children in a few months:
“They approach others more easily, they have learned English and can order food themselves, for example. They also take note of the value of money, of their condition in France. In general they have grown! »
The only negative point according to Audrey, the absence of a “valve” moment to recharge your batteries as a parent. Sometimes she would like to see her friends again for an evening.
Read also: How much does a solo trip around the world cost? 3 travelers testify
The thorny issue of the budget
It is difficult to give the exact budget that this type of trip costs (you have to take into account the type of trip, the composition of the family unit, etc.), but it is impossible to deny the cost, potentially unaffordable without significant savings or monthly income savings. There is an article in progress on the Tourdumondiste website budgets ranging from €12,000/year (for a bike trip for a family of 4)… to €45,000 for a backpacking trip for 4 people.
Travel budgets are often omitted the investment that a sailboat or even a converted truck costsalone, several tens (sometimes hundreds) of thousands of euros, to be invested even before financing everyday life on the road.
Audrey, who decided to travel by local transport, resigned herself to selling her house (which had increased in value thanks to the Covid period) to finance this dream. She details on her Instagram her expenses for her family of 4: €31 per day and per person in Thailand, €35 in Bali… more than 4,000 euros per month.
However, Audrey does not regret this investment in any way and concludes:
“Don’t listen to your fears. We have only one life, our children only one childhood. If you want to discover the world with them and you have the means, go for it! »
You can follow Audrey and her family’s adventures on their Instagram page
You can follow Catherine and her family on their website
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
