Thanks for writing such an inspirational post. I’m 26, and along with my partner and our toddler we’re doing everything we can to save up enough money for a round the world trip in around 18 months time. I only hope our dreams come true and we’re able to save enough money.

I’ll certainly be bookmarking your site, I can see there is going to be a lot good reading here for me

I just saw this as we are still traveling on our family world tour that we began in 2006 and I DO always wonder what happens to families when they finish.

Funny, but I’m always a little sad when people end their RTW trips and miss reading the updates. There IS a great connection between RTW’ers & we feel very close to your family because we started the same year, went to some of the same places & we both did it with a little blond girl!

We decided to do ours in an open ended way and think more families will be doing that now that so many of us can work and school ANY where. We live large on just 25K a year, so travel the world for MUCH less than living at home.

We’ve really loved adding immersing deeply in other cultures/countries to our travels, through participating in local schools,life and festivals. There is really no better or easier way to learn other languages/literature/cultures which tomorrow’s global citizens will need.

We’re not tech guru’s like you, but totally geekless, yet travel 2.0/3.0 has had a HUGE impact on our travels, life & our daughter’s education.

Tech & the economy has changed everything. By the end of the decade 60% of all schools will be virtual & this change (& others related) already has made a BIG change in travel,education,work and RTW trips. It’s a VERY different world than it was in 2006, and I think the exponential changes will continue.

It’ll be interesting to see where things are in 2013 & we STILL plan to be on the road as there is so much to see, learn and experience & we adore the travel lifestyle and freedom. Hopefully, this time we will be able to meet in person!

There is nothing quite as fun as listening to kids who have been on RTW trips gab, play & compare notes!

I don’t think I really realised how much our trip has changed us until now – over a year later.
Sure, on our return we knew we’d done something amazing and hoped that we wouldn’t forget that, but now as I look at my children -so much more adaptable, confident, accepting and worldly wise than their peers. I think how empowered we adults still feel – the fear factor well and truly in check.

It sounds as though you have the same feeling Tom, and I commend you for taking the lead, to spend time with your family while they want to spend it with you and to live for now as well as retirement.

We are with you – moving to Spain in 2010 to redress the work life balance and keep doing all the things with the girls that we started in other places than this.

Take care, keep in touch
Love CRFS xxxx

You know I don’t think I realised how much this trip has changed us UNTIL now, over a year after our return.

Sure, when we were there and when we just got back we knew we’d done something amazing, but it’s now that I look at the girls and realise how mature they are, how confident they are, how accepting and worldly-wise they are, compared to their peers. I know how empowered I feel and, just like you Tom, the ‘fear’ is much more manageable.

Well done for making the change again, spending time with the kids while they want to spend it with you, and making work work for you!

Love to Anne and the rest
Rachel x

I do feel as if we are in a special group of extended travelers and I love meeting others who are in that same league, dare I say, a league of extraordinary travelers.

I am sure there will be more posts from the others. Dax has applied to college and I think his essays could be modified a little to be blog posts. Anne has started a similar post 4 or 5 times and McKane claims to be too busy with school.

“go far, stay long and see deep” isreali saying

I am encouraged that the trip still “lives” on 2 years later as reminiscing is still part of our daily routine. Our family will NEVER be the same again and we are grateful for every day we had together, and experiencing the very big, but shrinking world.

The most immediate delight I am experiencing is in meeting with people here in Canada who have come from places afar, like the Indian lady from Goa who sold me shoes at the local department store or our neighbour from Laos… the joy and kinship in discussing familiar spots with them.

Now financially equivalent to church mice, we feel we are living life head on and wouldn’t change a thing!

We are so glad to hear from you and the other world travelling families.
Thanks for the update Tom.
Kim