Hi mums,
Over the next few months I’ll be finalising my seperation which includes selling the main family home. I’ll go and rent something until I decide what I want to buy.
With my cash in the bank, I’d like to take 3-months long service leave and take my 10-year old either on a half lap of Australia or an international trip during term 2 next year.
Keep in mind that I married very young and have never done any sort of extended travel either here or OS other than short 2-week holidays.
If I choose the Aussie trip, I need to outlay some pretty big costs such as a 4x4 vehicle and camper or caravan. Plus the cost of fuel and other on-road expenses. I’d free-camp
as much as possible and I’m very good at budgeting but everything is getting really expensive. But I’d have something I can use for future trips and weekends away.
If I choose the European adventure, the outlay is less but we are very far away and the travel can be hectic in a strange place.
Has anyone done these sort of trips and can share their advice? I’m looking for bang for buck while also taking a much needed break and acknowledging the fresh start.
4 Replies
If you will have enough cash to buy another home I would do that straight away, then save for your holiday. We did Ireland, Scotland, London, Paris, Amsterdam and loved it. Took about 6 weeks, the UK was less stressful as its very similar to here as far as travel, language, road rules and just in general food, laws etc. We hired cars and drove around Ireland and the North Coast 500 which was absolutely brilliant I want to go back and do it. Loved the history, the old buildings, castles it was amazing. Paris and Amsterdam was a bit less enjoyable because it was so overcrowded but if you managed to get a guided tour to show you all the sites with local knowledge then it probably would be a bit better. Our trip cost us about 20k for both of us around 4 years ago so pre covid, costs would be different now.
Decide which you really want to do, then choose that one and organise your trip around what you feel comfortable doing. If you've only one chance, then do what you want.
Just remember Having a camper might be great but you've git to insure, register & store it. We looked at buying one but the cost of owning outweighed the savings.
Getting around UK & the continent is easy compared to Australia. Public transport is so much better & driving in UK is not too bad. Scotland is incredible. I recommend a stop over in Singapore if you pass through.
There are tour groups as well, some cater to families looking for an adventure (they don't all do the whistle stop tourist attractions any more as that's not popular).
Australia also has amazing places. Tassie. Must do Tassie if you choose Australia!! Plus Great ocean road.
Enjoy a few places rather than rip through a lot of them, ticking boxes on a list of attractions. Parks in London & Paris are where you'll see real life happening & are free.
I always travel overseas with my kids alone. We love it. Start off with a small trip first for a trial to somewhere like Bali. Get a feel for it. The difference with the lap is, that you have the assets still at the end of the trip and it’s an amazing experience. Either one would be amazing though.
First thing is what can you get permission for? A term off school and not seeing his kid for 12 weeks? Going overseas long term?
He might say yes no thinking it’ll never happen and then say no once you’ve outlaid. Be careful.
All in order, I would go overseas. Asia or South America so it’s cheaper for the long term stay and traveling around and you can afford laundry and restaurant food daily, with a 3-5 day stopover in whichever other cities in the world you want to visit, staying in hotels and doing the tourist things. Because that cost will floor you.