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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Just travelled around the world with my kids

37 replies

Sturl · 17/10/2009 18:03

Hi,
Im a single dad of 2 young kids. I'm not long back in the UK from a round the world trip just me and the kids.
To cut a huge story short I did a blog before and during our travels. In it i detailed what we did, how we did it and how we coped on a small budget.
We only had 10 weeks so couldn't do everything but you will see we did a heck of a lot.

All in all we visited Russia, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Borneo, Singapore, Japan and the USA. Much of the trip was done using local transport. During the trip we learned so much so if anyone is considering such a trip or needs advice please see my blog or feel free to ask.

thesummerholidayofalifetime.blogspot.com/

Obviously the blog starts from the most recent post - which is the end of the holiday. So you will have to click on July for all the planning/visa etc info...

OP posts:
ssd · 17/10/2009 18:05

so? we went to Butlins

top that

EccentricaGallumbats · 17/10/2009 18:06

how lovely. i've never been anywhere. i plan to without my children when i have persuaded them to leave home.

Original poster
Sturl · 17/10/2009 18:07

I can't top that unfortunately but can match it - We're going to Pontins next week

OP posts:
ssd · 17/10/2009 18:10

canImarryyou

you sound fab!

have a great time next week

stuffitllllama · 17/10/2009 18:10

well done sturl, what a fab experience for them, am sure the tips will be helpful for adventurous types

you can go and have a lie down now

ps it does look a little bit self congratulatory but, why not -- it's a big deal

anyhow will check out your vietnam section!

stuffitllllama · 17/10/2009 18:18

have just had a look, it's fun!

ScaryFucker · 17/10/2009 18:21

no-one likes a show-off

ssd · 17/10/2009 18:35

you're just jealous sameasme

sarah293 · 17/10/2009 18:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Lilyloooohhhh · 17/10/2009 18:39

Wow good on you am sure your blog will be really helpful to others thinking of a planning a trip away with two young children on their own!!!
Not sure why you getting the snidy comments!

ScaryFucker · 17/10/2009 18:43

yes, I am sure the unsolicited details of this fabulous trip will be really helpful to all the ladies on here, who are currently poleaxed by the credit crunch and couldn't afford a daytrip, never mind a round-the-world-jobby

and to anyone who writes me off as just jealous, I am not

because I have done this

I just wouldn't brag about it, unless I was specifically asked by friends/family, not complete strangers on t'internet

weird, if you ask me, how some people feel like they haven't really done anything unless they record it in minute detail for people they have never met to marvel over !

MrsBadger · 17/10/2009 19:14

scary he is just boosting his google ranking

dont; sweat it

I may have to blog about how to take a 20mo on a narrowboat

Original poster
Sturl · 17/10/2009 19:16

I did a blog of our journey for several reasons. The main reason was for the family and friends back home who could keep up with us. The Blog is pretty much written in that context. Another reason was so that when my children are older they have not only pictures/video but also a written journal.

Planning the trip took months and it was a huge learning curve, I made mistakes, some of which meant i ended up losing money. Throughout the whole trip there were things which went well, and things which didn't. There were things i did which i wouldn't have done had i known exactly what it was and there were things i felt privileged to have done.

This board is for Travel Advice/Tips which by its very definition means people post advice and tips on their travels. All my tips and advice are nicely wrapped up in a blog which was written in real time.
There is no arrogance about it, i posted my blog so that anyone wishing to undertake such a journey, or even a trip to any of the countries we visited could get advice, from Visa's, to travel, to money and what to do with kids.

If everyone on the net were to follow your ethos of not sharing anything unless asked then the internet would be an empty place and indeed this very website would not exist.

I fully appreciate that many people are suffering due to the recession but to refrain from passing advice on the basis that it may offend someone or does not cater to the masses is rather naive. Its very probable that those who visit this forum are looking for the type of advice i posted.

I will reiterate that the whole trip was done on a shoe string, much of our time was spent sleeping in hostels and traveling on public transport whilst utilising the budget airlines across Asia.

Since you claim to have also undertaken such a trip I think a great idea would be for you to read some of what i wrote and perhaps share what you found worked different or better. That can only be a positive for this forum and for those looking to either do what (we) did or to travel to any of the countries (we) did.

Have a great weekend.

OP posts:
pagwatch · 17/10/2009 19:16

I may well be going to B&Q tomorrow. But it is not entirely certain so I am trying not to get my hopes up.
Afterwards I may have a piece of cake.

Original poster
Sturl · 17/10/2009 19:16

There are no adverts on my blog. I have nothing to gain from sharing it.

OP posts:
ScaryFucker · 17/10/2009 19:18

"cater to the masses"

I rest my case...

perdu · 17/10/2009 19:19

I am married with three children and have just finished a week of full time work, housework and keeping DH happy!

Am I not amazing?

ImSoNotTelling · 17/10/2009 19:43

SF

perdu link to your blog please?

stuffitllllama · 17/10/2009 19:47

sf i read a bit, he seems v normal, v v v normal indeed

MrsBadger · 17/10/2009 19:47

actually, Sturl, I think the ethos of MN is very much that you give advice when asked.

'This board is for Travel Advice/Tips which by its very definition means people post advice and tips on their travels'

Mostly it means people post asking for advice and tips on travel.
And wonderful MNers give it to them.

Are you planning on hanging around on MN? Becoming part of the community? I think we might have an opening for a resident longhaul-with-kids-on-a-shoesting guru...

witcheseve · 17/10/2009 19:50

Can I be so bold to ask how much it cost in all. Also how did you get 10 weeks off work or are you self employed, were school happy for the DC's to be off that length if time or are they too young or HE.

Not being snipey. Showed this briefly to DD and she was curious as she may do something similar herself instead of a gap year.

sunmonkey · 17/10/2009 19:58

I think it sounds really interesting and will definitely take a look. When I was a child, my Mum decided to take us (three kids) traveling too (yes also on a shoe string). We didn't visit loads of countries like you, we lived on a boat for three years. It was an amazing experience and though she struggled as a single Mum for many years these were undoubtedly the best memories of my childhood. Cannot believe some of the negative comments on here about you wanting to share your experiences!?

ScaryFucker · 17/10/2009 20:00

not actually normal to be so attention-seeking

IMHO

I am sure lots of grateful people who needed his advice would disagree with me

forgive me if I can't be arsed to read your blog

you see, I didn't ask for it...

never mind, will just hide thread

pagwatch · 17/10/2009 20:06

sunmonkey
i think the negativity arises from the advice being unsolicited. And the OP seemingly having no historic or current link with MN.

If a MNer posted this I would probably be more interested IYSWIM

I could spontaneously post advice/blog about my life experience of dealing with ASD - chasing support etc. I prefer to contribute on the SN board and provide info/suggestions when requested.

I too would be interested in having OP as a resource but not so interestedin reading his blog.It just seems a bit - look at how resourceful and clever I am.

I don't post my experiences with DS2 because I feel that any parent currently overwhelmed bytheir child and feeling sad/inadequate /useless ( as I often used to) would not really wantto be greeted by
" I just got my son excellent provision, I cook all his food from scratch and now he is doing brilliantly"
Does that make sense

stuffitllllama · 17/10/2009 20:20

Yes I see the other side. I suppose that because we've done various travelling things with children I'm more inclined to be sympathetic to op. I think it's an awkward, not knowing the form sort of abruptness, rather than anything else.

Actually there's a hideous "gap year with the children" regular feature in the Telegraph at the moment which I'm finding ghastly, I think it's written by a yummy mummy, but this blog is written in a very approachable way. As in, this was great, but I screwed up that, but the other turned out ok, and so on.