Overland with Kids

Like most, we’ve had a pretty busy year with one thing and another. Earlier in 2009, we met some fellow overlanders who have now become firm friends - some who have since left on their travels and some like us, about to leave during early 2010. We had our first couchsurfers from Spain during Spring. We have since met and/or became acquainted with people who have provided us lots of tips, guidance and expertise for which we are very grateful.  We are still learning and progressing but little achievements for us this year included:

Having Land Rover kitted out ready for travel. Click here for more information

Raising nearly £2K for charity

Spending 7.5 weeks on summer shakedown trip abroad. Click here for more information including detailed trip report with photos we have just downloaded

Progressing Andrew’s Australian visa application to the point of obtaining WA sponsorship

Building an extension on our house

As the year progressed, we also learned that

Our eldest daughter (Kayleigh) needs a serious spine operation to sort her now problematic curvature - but since this time we also learned that any operation is unlikely to occur anytime soon (not within the next 1-2 years).  So we are free to travel and Kayleigh is coping fine at present. 

Our youngest - little boy AJ - needs a minor operation to correct a deteriorating hearing problem which has been developing over time - should occur in next couple of months - and needs to happen before we leave

Andrew’s Australian visa will take another two years to process due to DIAC changes so we can’t depend on him getting it as we had planned

Preparation involved in getting ready, planning, packing up house, jobs and children’s schools in favour of travel is expensive, daunting, scary, worrying, exhilerating, exciting and is alot of hard work all at the same time.

And, just to be sure we are getting into the Christmas spirit -

We have justed started and completed our first serious run of placing our lives on eBay, raising almost £1,000 so far (but it’s been hard work!) and half it’s been spent already on Christmas pressies, bills etc.

Anne and Jessica caught swine flu which they are just now recovering from.

To finish off, we met Bevhelee from Landyzone (Lee, Helen, Bev and 2 dogs) while in France during summer and again in last couple of weeks while they were visiting UK. They leave for Oz via Africa early 2010 with Land Rover (pictured), trailer and 2 roof tents. We also had contact from Mattias and Lorienne Hagstrom who live in Sweden and have been giving us some tips on Norway’s cold weather in April and who have a website called www.mattiashagstrom.com - please have a look - some fantastic photos - one of which posted on http://mattiashagstrom.blogspot.com/search/label/Family  we think is really great which shows their daughter Rhiannon - attached to the back of their Land Rover (pictured) - brilliant! how cool!  and which is what we leave you with.  Except of course a photo of our own two ragamuffins and our two grandchildren just after decorating the Christmas tree (pictured). Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year! All the best and have a hooley!    

Diary (Blog)