Why We’re Leaving Home for a Year of Family Travel

Welcome to WanderLearn: Our Family’s Big Adventure Begins

If you’re new here — hi!

We’re a British family of five, and we’re about to begin a year-long (maybe longer) slow travel adventure across the world. We’re not influencers, we’re not millionaires, and we’re not escaping a glamorous life. We’re just a regular family who got tired of the daily grind and decided to do something a bit wild.

This blog is our place to share the reality behind our journey — the highs, the hiccups, and everything in between.

 

Why We Are Choosing Long-Term Family Travel

We’ve always dreamed of travel, but it wasn’t until the post-pandemic haze that we started seriously asking: what if we actually did it? What if we stopped saving all the good stuff for “one day” and made family travel our right now?

We wanted:

• More time together that wasn’t rushed or scheduled to the minute.
• Freedom from the routine of packed lunches, laundry piles, and grey skies.
• A way to teach our kids through worldschooling — learning through cultures, nature, language, and life itself.
• A slower, more connected life. It wasn’t about escaping, but about choosing something different — a family gap year with purpose.

It’s also worth remembering that worldschooling doesn’t have to mean packing up for months on end. It can be as simple as your two-week summer holiday with the kids. Whether you're spending a weekend in the countryside or a fortnight exploring a new culture, there are endless opportunities to turn travel into meaningful, immersive learning experiences, no matter how long you're away or where you go.

How We Are Funding Our Family Travel (Hint: No Trust Fund Here)

One of the most common questions we get is: “How are you affording this?” Let’s be clear — we don’t have loads of money. We’re not living off investments, inheritance, or luxury brand sponsorships.

Here’s how we’re making it work:

• Renting out our house to cover part of our costs
• Working remotely on flexible projects
• Choosing affordable destinations like Southeast Asia where our money stretches further
• Travelling slowly and living simply

This isn’t a luxury round-the-world trip. It’s a carefully budgeted, purpose-led adventure — with Wi-Fi-dependent work days, local buses, and a lot of packed snacks.

What We Are Looking Forward To on the Road

There are SO many things we’re excited about as a worldschooling family:

• Sunrises in Bali
• Cooking classes in Thailand
• Elephant conservation projects
• Waterfalls in the Philippines
• Street food, jungle walks, scooter rides
• Exploring the world with our kids, not just dragging them along
• Watching them learn confidence, adaptability, and curiosity
• Having more time — time to play, to connect, to learn as we go

We’re especially excited to document this through WanderLearn, not just for memories, but to help other families realise that big travel dreams are possible — even on a small budget.

What Will We Miss While Travelling

Choosing adventure means saying goodbye to some comforts:

• Our family and friends, familiar routines (as chaotic as they were)
• Rugby training and match days (huge for some of us!)
• Our dog — her name is Hershey, and she’s going to be spoiled rotten with grandparents while we’re away

There’ll be tears. There already have been. This choice isn’t easy — but it feels right. And that’s enough.

What We are Organising

Right now behind the Facebook highlights and dreamy pictures is a ton of admin:

• Visas, vaccinations, and flight searches
• Travel insurance and emergency plans
• Creating our homeschool curriculum
• Managing our online businesses
• Packing (and re-packing)
• Saying goodbye, over and over again
• Building the WanderLearn blog and community as we go It’s a messy mix of excitement and exhaustion — but it’s ours.

Why WanderLearn?

WanderLearn is more than a blog name. It’s a philosophy. We believe the world is a classroom. That learning doesn’t need desks, uniforms, or bells. That wonder and wisdom grow best when we slow down and stay curious. So we’re inviting you to follow along — whether you’re dreaming of your own adventure, planning a future family gap year, or just need a bit of sunshine and honesty in your scroll.

What is Next?

We take off soon — first stop: Sri Lanka and then . . . beyond (what this space for more destinations).

We’ll be sharing updates, resources, behind-the-scenes posts, and ways your family can wander + learn too — whether you’re travelling the world or exploring your own backyard.

If you've made it this far, thank you. We're just a normal family doing something a little bit brave, a little bit crazy, and hopefully — a whole lot meaningful.

Let the WanderLearn journey begin. 🌏✨ – Andy, Clare Oliver, Savannah, Maddie - The WanderLearn Family