2018 Road Trip

I’m about to do two things I never thought I’d do:

  1. Live in a caravan
  2. Homeschool the kids

Six weeks ago we watched Che’s school performance that was largely inspired by Alison Lester’s picture book Are We There Yet? That night Daniel commented on how great that journey would be; a big lap around Australia and a whole lot of time to slow down, connect and see this wondrous country of ours.

And much to his surprise I, aka Miss Homebody, said: “Yes, let’s do it.”

So we’re doing it. Just like that.

I’m usually one to fret about big decisions and life change but this time, I’m strangely content with the opportunity that lies before us. Content and excited by everything that we’ll experience – the challenge and the confrontation, the slowing down and the new discoveries.

Now feels like the very best time. And I know, on an intuitive level, that if we don’t do it now we’ll never do it. Why? Because we have primary-school aged kids who are excited about the journey and keen to learn on the road. We don’t have a mortgage and, therefore, can literally pack up and head off. And interestingly, now that Marigold is here and all the seats at our table are full, it feels like I can leave my nest and start exploring; I’ve had my babies, it’s time to show them this great land.

Apparently, the hardest thing about travelling Australia is making the decision to go. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, there is a to-do list as long as the house that needs to be researched, considered and ticked off.

We need to find a 7-seater vehicle that can tow a caravan and we need to find a caravan that’s practical for a year-long journey with four kids. The concept of a vintage caravan is a lovely one but they’re generally quite heavy and usually without the amenities required for free-camping in isolated areas. And so we’re shoulder deep in research about light-weight caravans with a toilet and shower and a decent-sized fridge. We need a practical home-on-the-road that will allow us to live comfortably albeit simply.

As we explore our options I stand in the middle of my lounge-room and consider just how much stuff we need to purge, sell, give away and store. And this, my friends, is surprisingly confronting. Because I think we live simply and yet we’re about to take simple living to a whole new level.

We’ll essentially be living in a tiny house where the weight of everything is crucial. And so everything – every single thing – that we take with us needs to be considered and, ideally, needs to have multiple uses. My head is spinning.

Over the next few months I’ll be chatting about our research and our plans. And then we’ll be off.

All we know is that from here we’ll head north.

Photo: Tim Coulson

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Showing 34 comments
  • Lisa
    Reply

    How exciting for you all, part of the fun is also in the planning. It is food for thought – have dreamed about doing something similar, we have 2 more years before our daughter goes to high school. I look forward to reading about your planning and preparation.

  • Wendy
    Reply

    How absolutely wonderful – good for you! Have the most amazing time – I can’t wait to travel with you!

  • Ronnie
    Reply

    YES!!!
    Ronnie xo

  • Kathy
    Reply

    Sounds like an amazing opportunity. I’ve just started following a blog called Proud Aussie Adventures – Mum to 3 and new to home schooling as of 1-2 months. Have a look on their FB and blog and maybe reach out about some tips now they are 2 months ish into their journey. What they should have brought, left behind etc.

  • Trish
    Reply

    We did it for 10 weeks with twin 5 yr olds – best time of our lives.
    We free-camped a lot , make sure your van has 2 batteries and solar panel to recharge them.
    We have a caravan hire business (and some sales) and have seen so many families do the big lap.

    • Jodi
      Reply

      Oh, might contact you for a caravan chat x

  • Joelle
    Reply

    Oh how very exciting!!! Can’t wait to hear about all the plans and adventures!

  • Gemma
    Reply

    hells yes! that sounds amazing! cannot wait to read all about both your plans and the travel 🙂 Excitement!

  • Maxabella
    Reply

    I’m so excited for you all!!!

    • Jodi
      Reply

      Eeeeeeep!

  • Kate
    Reply

    Have you looked at ‘one day we should’? They are on fb and instagram, doing a similar thing with 3 small children. They have lots of info about costs, setting up their van, good and bad camping etc. I think they would be a very useful resource.

    • Jodi
      Reply

      There is a plethora of info online from families travelling Oz…it’s very inspiring and incredibly helpful! I’ll check them out x

  • Lucy
    Reply

    Ah this is our dream too and I only re-read that book last week to our older two. Looking forward to reading all about it!

  • Lisa
    Reply

    Keen to read along. Sounds like an awesome adventure. We plan on doing it but not till our girls are in upper Primary.

  • Chloe
    Reply

    love this! I teach Year 2 and we have just finished a unit on Are We There Yet? What a fabulous journey for you all, will look forward to your photos as always.

  • Edien Mar
    Reply

    I’m so happy for you!
    I really wish I could do something like that. The best for you and your lovely family .
    I hope to read you again soon.
    A big kiss from Portugal

  • Lotus
    Reply

    Oh how awesome! My family did this when I was 3 and 4 around Australia is a camper and tents. It was the best childhood experience for all of us. A bit stressful at time for the parents but for us kids we still all talk about it.
    I’m planning to take my girl on a road trip next year to give her these amazing memories xx

  • Anna
    Reply

    What an absolutely amazing opportunity for you and for your kids. It’s such a great idea in this day and age. I would love to do this with my family. I can’t wait to ‘travel’ with you.

  • Rach
    Reply

    ERMERGERD I AM SO EXCITED!

    This is on our to-do list too; I will be reading with great joy and taking mental notes!

    Can’t wait to ride along.

    xxRach

  • Katherine
    Reply

    Some great friends of ours did a year-long-homeschooling-round-Oz trip last year with their three kids… they’re based on the coast too and are currently trying to sell the Land Rover that took them around the country and through the outback. I’m sure even if their car doesn’t suit you (not sure if it’s a 7 seater), they’d have plenty of helpful tips! I do know they used a camper trailer, which from what I gather is much friendlier to tow in the outback. Not sure if they’ve already sold that but it wouldn’t hurt to check!

  • Elizabeth
    Reply

    Oh my goodness! What an exciting adventure for your family! I’ve had this dream before, but I don’t think it’s something this homebody will ever pursue. So, I’m excited to follow along on your journey–I do hope you share it with us!

  • Tara
    Reply

    Wow! Can’t wait to hear all about your journey!! What an exciting new chapter for you!

  • TG
    Reply

    How wonderful! You have reignited my long-held dream of doing this exact same thing – I look forward to following your adventures!

  • Sarah
    Reply

    I love the book Vantastic by Kate Ulman, it’s very inspiring and also has some practical tips in it too about everything from setting off to getting home.
    Your plan sounds exciting – a good mixture of a bit daunting would be thrown in there too I imagine. I think you’ll all have a great time!
    Sarah x

  • Natalie
    Reply

    yay! Samesies! I had our third child in a September, and we’re leaving on our big lap in February. We get people asking us if we’re crazy, and people saying that they ‘wish they could do it’. You’re so right, the hardest part is committing then after that things start to fall in to place. Once we had decided we had a caravan and a car within a week and started to sell our belongings! I look forward to following your adventure and perhaps crossing paths on the road somewhere x

  • Bethany
    Reply

    Although we have never traveled for a year road-schooling, we have traveled often during our homeschool years. Four years ago we traveled the Southwest US for 6 weeks, and we still talk about it. Some of our family’s favorite memories have happened in our travels together. There will be chaos and exhaustion of a different kind at times, but you will never regret it. Your family will treasure it so. So excited for you!

  • Nicola
    Reply

    I can’t wait to read all about it and see your beautiful country from up north in the States!

  • Amy
    Reply

    I love the idea of ‘taking simple to a whole new level.’ Can’t wait to read along and watch the adventure unfold. Sometimes, the planning is the best part of all.

    Amy

  • Lucy
    Reply

    Hi Jodi, so excited to hear about your gypsy plans – how wonderful! I am interested to hear further on your thoughts.

    This may sound familiar. My husband and I (and our little family) have been thinking about doing something drastic, too. The truth is that we can’t afford to live in Sydney with our growing family. Well, we can… but it’s a struggle, and we’re tried of trying to ‘keep up’ when we could have more fulfilling days elsewhere (even though people may call us irresponsible for doing so!). So, we too are pondering getting out of the rat race; travelling somewhere with more space, more nature for adventures, less time worrying about everyone else and more time honing in on our own family values.

    The question that troubles me is, ‘what next’? Does this question play on your mind too? Do you know what will happen after a year, or you’ll just see what happens? I’m such a planner – the big unknown is scary!

    • Jodi
      Reply

      Hi Lucy,
      You’ve asked this on a day when I’m full of doubt and worry. There’s so much unknown to these plans and we’ll quite literally be pouring all our savings into this adventure….which is mighty scary. Today I’m not even 100% sure if we’ll do it. As to what will happen after a year of travel? I have no idea. I’m a planner too…..and a fearful one….so the only thing I can offer you is empathy. And I suppose we’ve got to take the leap, at some stage don’t we?

      • Lucy
        Reply

        I’m sorry to hear you’ve had a doubtful day – I understand, some days I have to push our future plans from my mind as I just don’t have the energy to entertain those thoughts. In saying that, some days I am so excited that all I want to do is research, and plan, and dream. Much like yourself, we would be investing everything we’ve been working towards (financially) for this change. And again, much like yourself, I feel a huge weight toward my children in providing the best for them… and money can help there, but it certainly isn’t everything, not even close. I know we are not our children, but I have to think – if my parents escaped the race when I was younger, and were more relaxed, happier, and had more time for me, I would love that. If your parents packed up and took you on a once-in-a-lifetime voyage around the country, how amazing would that be? That’s something they’ll take with them for the rest of their lives.

        It’s so hard, especially when it comes to saying goodbye to a life that you’ve worked hard for. But trials make us what we are. And life is for filling. We’re not here long – it’s easy to get caught up in the nitty-gritty and the numbers. If we zoom out, though, I think the answer on what our next move should be becomes clear.

        • Jodi
          Reply

          A lovely response. I’ll mull over these words for the rest of the day. Thank you! x

  • Gail
    Reply

    Just do it… We have four children and we did a six-month, camper trailer, around Australia trip in 2012 when our boys were aged 10, 8, 6 and 4 and it was absolutely the most life-changing experience ever. I cannot emphasise that enough. Both good days on the road and bad. This trip has changed our boys irrevocably and they still talk about it today. It has definitely shaped their outlook on our country, our history, our Indigenous Australians, our climate, our unique flora and fauna… and closer to home, our little family unit. Just do it….

  • Victoria Tiedemann
    Reply

    LOVE these decisions. They sound like they’ll be really hard (and as a homeschooling mom for several years now, it is indeed), but you guys are going to do what you can regardless of decisions and changes and such. Keep up the great work.

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