Nearly There.

Our 7 children, Plus their new friend, in the early days of our Central American Adventure in 2011 

Travel is in our blood. Exploring new places, meeting new people, get a taste of other cultures, enjoying nature, and loving life.

We are a couple that enjoys travelling. Throughout both of our lives we have been keen to travel. Hitchhiked to India, camping in Europe, cruising in the Caribbean, road trips in The United States of America and even a gap year in Central America with our seven children. When there is an opportunity to get away from our ordinary daily life – we are gone - even if it is only for one night.

Although we have been blessed with a cruise and oversea travels, we also enjoy wild camping. We often go away with our Tentbox, just for a night, in our own "back yard" (Co. Mayo, Ireland). Getting off the beaten path and finding a secluded spot where we can park up for the night, is what we love. As our children now are getting older, these opportunities, become more frequent

When money is tight it is about creating these opportunities to travel. There are so many hidden gems everywhere. It is by being curious and letting go of expectations that opens up new experiences. It is about being free and enjoy where we are and what we have got.

Years back, when our children were little ones, we went to Central America. We took the older kids out of school, sold most of our belongings and flew to Mexico.

Kevin had always wanted to live in Belize, so that's where we started. We rented a shack on the beach in Hopkins. That was our home for three months, while Kevin finished his thesis. The children aged 1, 3, 5, 5, 8, 11 and 14, quickly made friends, and we soon settled into a chill lifestyle. We bought an old 15-seater bus and slightly converted it, to suit our needs. We took the rear row of seats out to make room for all our luggage and a "shelf" bed above. We explored by going on short overnight trips all around Belize. Where possible we would find a cheap hostel but, most often we would sleep in the car.

When we left Belize to go into Guatemala, we were warned about all the dangers we would face. Basically, the kids would be kidnapped and sold for their organs. Throughout Central America we spent roughly a months in each country. Where possible we would rent locally and have that as a base and then explore the local culture, history and customs. Mayan culture and volcanoes were the most popular among the kids, but we visited coffee farms and chocolate museums as well. As the kids were homeschooled, we incorporated a lot of our experiences as learning opportunities. They were also involved in making travel videos, documenting our travels. Researching and voice over were perfect opportunities for them to be involved. As money ran out, we decided to settle in Panama. We stayed in a lovely colonial town where we rented a house and got well received by all. The kids joined a local baseball club, and Franciska joined the regional softball team. The older kids wanted to attend the local school, and they soon made good friends. We continued to explore and went on small trips, but we mainly integrated into the local community.

Our dream is to live semi full time on the road. We are close to retirement which will set us free to travel and enjoy the next phase of our life. We enjoy wild camping off the grid. We are slowly testing out set up and equipment to see what works and (more importantly) what doesn't. We are traveling in a car with a Tentbox, which is basically a tent on the roof of the car. There are pros and cons to be living out of a car versus e.g. campervan. We can easier navigate the narrow, windy roads that often leads to more secluded spots, it is easier to blend in, and it is cheaper. However, space in the boot is a premium and you will definitely need a good storage solution, in order to find what you need. We aim to optimize our gear, meaning that we bring all but only what we will need to be self-contained. 

We are looking forward to share our future adventures and keep you up to date with the practical and emotional aspects of our travels. Also, we would love to hear from you!