Stephen

by Stephen 2 comments

This is Living – Whatever That May Be

Why bother?

This is the thought that came to my mind yesterday.

We were on hour 14 of a very long day.

We were packing and emptying out our home to make way for 5 college boys.

We dropped off Cookie (our cat) and packed away our important belongings.

The amount of work kept seeming to escalate.

And when you have children, it is often multiplied by a factor of 2 or maybe 5.

I’m not ready

These are the words my 6-year-old said yesterday.

Then she broke down and stated crying.

This was a mix of being overtired, over hungry and the fact that 12 hours earlier, she had to say goodbye to her cat and beloved friend.

While we packed the house the kids played with our neighbors and their very close friends.

Our daughter was realizing this would be the last of that for a year as well.

We packed up their beds, their toys and their rooms.

These are all difficult concepts to understand when you are 4 and 6.

Taking the Time to Listen

My wife has been much better than me on this one, I hate to admit.

I tend to want the kids to “toughen up” or I want to solve the problem by highlighting all the upcoming adventures.

Ostriches, Kangaroos and Balinese beach shacks.

My wife demonstrates the correct response…. A hug.

Maybe it is because deep down I have so much insecurity about the upcoming trip.

Am I ready for a year-long adventure with my family?

It’s OK

It’s OK and normal to be afraid!

And I guess I need to hear this from time to time as well.

It’s OK to be scared of financial ruin, of sickness, of the daily travel routine, of the response of your kids, friends or family.

The stress of moving, leaving your job, your routine, going into the unknown and in our case, even underdeveloped parts of the world has been giving me an ulcer lately.

My sleep has sucked and despite being off work for the past week I have been feeling quite the opposite of relaxed.

But, it’s OK.

The Alternative

When I look at the alternative things become clear.

The alternative is a complex idea actually.

Because the alternative I guess could be anything.

We didn’t have to leave the country to leave our jobs, but we did have to leave our jobs to leave the country.

And once you have done that (left your secure job) things become easier.

You realize that security, as comfortable and anxiety relieving as it is, does not always mean we are growing and experiencing.

So for me the alternative was to exist, which isn’t living, or to experience, and trust.

Having faith

If you ask anyone I know they will tell you how lucky I am.

That I have such an amazing wife that tolerates me.

They say this not because I am a mean abusive husband, but because I am a bit of a dreamer.

After my daughter said “I’m not ready”, the next sentence was “why did dad have to have this dream”.

My loving wife tried to cover this by saying “it is not just dad’s dream honey”, but I know the truth.

It is all my fault

Yes, I have to take the blame on this one.

This trip is my fault.

And I am OK with that.

If I have to take the blame of whatever comes of this “family gap year” I am willing to accept it.

Am I ready? Hell no!

Am I excited! Hell Yeah!

And if you asked me this 6 months ago, before we had this adventure on the horizon I would have said no to the second question.

Excited and not ready translates into living and growing.

And even if none of this matters in the end (at least that is what the Buddhists say), for me and our family, I am so glad to say we are choosing a road slightly less traveled.

Taking the leap of faith and trusting God, Allah, the Universe, karmic “bundles”, or whatever has created this lovely world to be explored.

That this adventure will take us places we could never have imagined.

That this year of living will be like a lotus flower – opening up – spreading its petals – breathing life into something that was dying.

Sitting here at the table, finishing breakfast with the kids, writing this blog post, talking about our coffee mugs… This is living, whatever that may be.

Book your tickets on Indie!

by Stephen 2 comments

How Much Does it Cost to Fly Around the World With Kids?

To fly around the world with a family of four, including taxes, with multiple stops in various directions, using airline miles only for a single flight back home cost us:

$11,561

* Again, we were able to use airline miles accrued through our Chase Ink Bold and Chase Sapphire (my wife’s card) to pay for our flight home. Besides this, we used no airline miles on our big flights.

If you take a look at our itinerary (also see below), I think this is actually a steal!

Her is a summary of our 6 flights

1. SanFrancisco(SFO) » CapeTown(CPT) 1 stop

SanFrancisco,SanFranciscoIntl(SFO)»Dubai,Dubai(DXB)

DEPART: 4:45pm Fri
ARRIVE: 7:20pm Sat

connectioninDubai,8hours30mins

Dubai,Dubai(DXB)»CapeTown,CapeTownIntl(CPT) Emirates

DEPART:,03:50amSun
ARRIVE: 11:40amSun

2. Durban(DUR) » Denpasar Bali(DPS) 2 stops

Durban,KingShakaIntl(DUR)»Johannesburg,O.R.TamboIntl(JNB)

SouthAfricanAirways SA550

DEPART: 12:00pm noon Thu
ARRIVE: 1:10pm Thu

connectioninJohannesburg,2hours5mins

Johannesburg,O.R.TamboIntl(JNB)»Doha,Doha(DOH)

QatarAirways

DEPART: 3:15pm Thu
ARRIVE: 11:55pm Thu

connectioninDoha,2hours15mins

Doha,Doha(DOH)»DenpasarBali,NgurahRai(DPS) QatarAirwaysQR962

DEPART: 02:10am Fri
ARRIVE: 5:10pm Fri

3. DenpasarBali(DPS) » Auckland(AKL) 1 stop

DenpasarBali,NgurahRai(DPS)»Brisbane,Brisbane(BNE) VirginAustraliaVA46

DEPART: 9:10pm Tue
ARRIVE: 4:55am Wed

connectioninBrisbane,1hour35mins

Brisbane,Brisbane(BNE)»Auckland,Auckland(AKL) VirginAustraliaVA152

DEPART: 6:30am Wed
ARRIVE: 12:35pm Wed

4. Christchurch(CHC) » Melbourne(MEL) nonstop

Christchurch,Christchurch(CHC)»Melbourne,Melbourne(MEL), VirginAustraliaVA101(OperatedbyVIRGINAUSTRALIANZ)

DEPART: 4:00pm Tue
ARRIVE: 5:50pm Tue

5. Brisbane(BNE) » Cairns(CNS) nonstop

Brisbane,Brisbane(BNE)»Cairns,Cairns(CNS), VirginAustraliaVA785

DEPART: 1:35pm Thu
ARRIVE: 4:05pm Thu

6. Cairns(CNS) » Bangkok(BKK) 2 stops

Cairns,Cairns(CNS)»Darwin,Darwin(DRW), QantasAirwaysQF1874

DEPART: 8:40pm Sun
ARRIVE: 10:45pm Sun

connectioninDarwin,7hours15mins

Darwin,Darwin(DRW)»KualaLumpur,KualaLumpurIntl(KUL), MalaysiaAirlinesMH144

DEPART: 6:00am Mon
ARRIVE: 9:20am Mon

connectioninKualaLumpur,5hours55mins

KualaLumpur,KualaLumpurIntl(KUL)»Bangkok,SuvarnabhumiIntl(BKK)

How did we do this?

We Used Indie!

Indie a subsidiary of AirTreks is an extremely underrated around the world travel planner by Bootsnall.

I will be writing a blog post about the process through Indie in the future, but if you are planning a multi-destination trip with children I honestly believe there is just no better way!

by Stephen

Hermanus South Africa

Hermanus was our second stop along the Western Cape and our South Africa family adventure traveling from Cape Town → Hermanus.

Hermanus is an upscale coastal town that has fancy hotels, fancy homes, beautiful sunset vistas and yes, you guessed it, whales!

You are more likely to see retired couples sipping wine along the bluffs of the whale trail than kids frolicking on the weekdays, but Hermanus is still an excellent destination for families.

Breakdown of costs for 2 nights and 2 full days for a family of 4 in Hermanus

Accommodations – $111 for 2 nights
Excursions – $153 (includes shark cage diving for dad)
Groceries – $87 (lasting 4 days)
Eating out – $23
Souvenirs – $10

Total: $384

Key Highlights of Hermanus for Families

What to do with Kids in Hermanus

The Whale Trail:

The whale trail is a 5 mile paved/packed dirt pathway that meanders along the cliff and is perfect for whale watching. The first day there I happened on it quite by accident when I woke up early to take a morning jog. Running just half of it (because I thought it ended although it was just a junction point) was an experience I will remember for life.

At sunrise I caught whales jumping, and feeding within large pods, it was absolutely spectacular. The backdrop of million-dollar homes nestled into the cliff sides and the cool ocean air was spectacular. We took the children there for a sunset stroll and covered about 1 mile in and headed back.

The best place to catch whales is a bit north of town and should not be missed. Here you will see the whales surfacing and feeding in large numbers right along the edge of the cliff. It is an area easily missed but is right across from a golf course about .5 miles north of the city center. You can walk there or take your car and park.

Shark Cage Diving:

I wanted to take the whole family on the shark diving tour but this ended up being impossible for 2 reasons. Our kids at ages 4 and 6 were too young and the cost would have been excessive.

The going rate for shark diving out of Hermanus is 1300 rand or about $130 US per person. Kids are 900 rands or $90 and are not allowed in the cage.

Hermanus is a great jump off point for shark cage diving because it is just 45 minutes up the road to Grabaii which is the launching point for the best great white shark cage diving experience in the world.

I booked through the information office which is the easiest way to go. It cost $15 US to add the transport to and from Grabaii. A small bus picked me up in the morning at 6 am loaded with tourists coming from Cape town. They had been 2 hours in the bus to my stop so I was pretty perky and they were pretty tired.

I would recommend that if you have kids that are 12 and older you take them diving, it is an experience of a lifetime and they will be super excited and be able to endure the time it takes to attract the sharks and also handle the ocean swell which can make even the strongest of stomachs seasick.

Ocean swimming and tide pool

You won’t read about this one in the guides books, but there is a very cool natural outdoor pool built out of concrete and rock along the whale trail inside the city. It is filled with Ocean water that naturally fills the pool at high tide. In winter it is downright cold, but this didn’t stop our kids from taking the plunge – luckily I had my wetsuit. It is filled with sea urchins and is shallow, the natural beauty is spectacular. I can imagine this would be better in the summer when it is hot outside, but either way, you should take the kids.

The playground and park.

Center of the city is a great outdoor playground that is excellent for kids of all ages. The kids can frolic and get their energy out and mom and dad can enjoy the grass, and push the kids on the swings while whale watching… How often can you say that?

Accommodations for families in Hermanus

We stayed at the Hermanus Esplanade which was a good deal. At $55 US per night, we were given an entire fisherman’s cottage for our family.

We had a nice refrigerator, stove, family room and two bathrooms.

What we didn’t have was wi-fi or a swimming pool. Not biggies but the backpacker’s hostel may be worth the look and it seems to me it may be just a bit better for families.

Our kids had a special hideout upstairs as well which allowed them to sleep in and us parents to have a private room downstairs. The only downside is we are here in August and there is no heat whatsoever, it was quite cold in the evenings. We improvised by firing up the hot plate and using it as a radiant heater, which I must say didn’t work that badly – just don’t tell the owners.

Kind of dangerous but cool!

Where to eat in Hermanus

There are a million places to eat in Hermanus and probably all of them are good. We rolled in at 8pm and found a Tapas bar that was open that ended up having great chicken fingers and chips for the kids and cold Castle beer and a nice glass of wine along with great atmosphere. There are tons of places to get burgers, ice cream, and snacks along the main strip.

by Stephen

Month by Month Guide to Planning Our Year Around The World Family Travel Adventure

Calling all space cadets

Blast Off: 7-8 Months Out – We Gave Ourselves The Green Light (Sort of)

After realizing we were both turning 37 and completing my 10’th year as a family practice Physician Assistant we decided it was time to do the unthinkable: Quit our nice paying, comfortable jobs, take our daughter out of her wonderful 1’st grade class and journey around the world.

It may have actually been a whim, but it is one that had been brewing in my (dear husband’s) mind for some time. What pushed us over the edge? It is hard to say, but it was a combination of job stagnation and maybe even more so life stagnation and the knowledge that the world is a big, beautiful and amazing place that was just dying to be explored.

We had already overcome so many obstacles over the last 7 years, now it was time to mix things up a bit… Everything seemed just a little too comfortable.

7 Months Out – I started really thinking about making a cool travel website

My Original Logo – Pretty cool I still think!

I decided I would use my domain name “4hourfamily.com” based on my other website 4hourlife.com. A month later I decided I wanted to separate myself from Tim Ferriss and changed the name to gapyearfamily. We are a family and we are taking a gap year so I thought it was specific enough.

I was running the other day and thought maybe Family Gone Rogue would be better but changing again sounded like way too much work.

We Hung a Map!

Nothing Fancy just a big plastic map of the world. Where is Cambodia? I hat to say that prior to planning this trip I don’t think I really could have told you. But now I can and thank God for big wall maps. Not that Google Maps is not also a God send but something physical and tangible (see below) still makes all the difference in the world.

I watched a really great Creative Live Video for free – It’s now $99 but you can see my notes from it here.

6 Months Out – We told our family

They laughed, they cried, they moaned and bemoaned and now they have just kind of accepted the fact. Would I say they are happy for us? Probably not (with the exception of my Dad and maybe my sister). Usually when I tell people what we are doing they just look confused, but that is OK, because so am I.

4.5 Months Out (March 23’rd 2014) We Purchased our Stack of Lonely Planet Guidebooks

I have to prefice this saying by this point we had really started to do a lot of on-line travel research. And I was extremely

I was lucky to have a 30% discount and we were able to score guidebooks for the following locations:

About two weeks before we took a huge stack of books out of the library as well. I argued with my wife about whether we actually need to have hard copies of these books but I am glad I lost the battle. They have really been invaluable when it came to organizing our trip.

I have to admit my procurement of some of the digital versions of some of these guidebooks involves some sketchy online tactics, check out this site if you want to, but I felt that for the price we paid Lonely Planet should just include the PDF as a free companion (there I go rationalizing again). Either way, we plan on ripping out the pages from the books and taking them with us as we travel. This was the inspiration that really started us going.

We Couch Surfed

You can read all about it here.

The only problem with couch surfing is that there is never a couch big enough to fit our entire family… so we decided to host instead.

This was extremely fun and props to my wife for taking the leap even though I was only home for one day of it.

Sofia our couchsurfer from Germany was full of kinder eggs, curiosity and caring. Our kids loved her and got the entire family excited about our upcoming adventure.

13 Weeks Out – We Rented Out Our Home

There is no doubt in my mind that renting our house out this time around was made a lot easier by the fact we had done it before. But this time my wife took the bull by the horns and found a great rental agency to screen and find our renters. We did some leg work as well and posted on Craigslist. When all was said and done we were able to rent our home and make about $150 extra (after paying the rental firm) per month. If you take into account our tax rebate it is closer to $350. Nice, and makes me wonder why we didn’t do this sooner.

Oh yeah, I didn’t tell you we rented it out to 5 college students. Pray for us!

12 Weeks Out – We Had a Garage Sale

We started going through all of our crap about 3 weeks before just to clear our minds, this helped but we need to sell a lot of kids toys and clothes as well as go in and get rid of a lot of the big and small useless things that had been weighing down on us for some time.

Wendy is a pro at this, so we were able to fee ourselves of a lot of good for somebody else stuff. We made about $400 bucks which probably didn’t justify the day and a half we spent putting on the garage sale, but this was less about the money and more about passing along our goods to those who actually (well maybe) could find some good use of it.

10 Weeks Out – I purchased a new laptop.

I am going to be going all digital nomad on this trip so I needed to upgrade my laptop. I actually really like my old HP TMT2 Convertable. But it weights close to 6 lbs and it dies after about 45 minutes on a good day. It is hot and just too bulky so I went on the hunt. I am typing on this Lenovo Yoga Pro 2 now and I really like it.

The screen resolution is it’s only fault. Not that it isn’t truly mouth dropping, but it doesn’t play nicely with my older versions of Photoshop and Audition. But I am still happy with it and it is going to be my machine for many years to come I am sure.

9 Weeks Out – We Bought Our Plane Tickets

We finally purchased our tickets through Indie. It came to $2,890 per person (after taxes and fees) to complete 3/4 of our trip. Starting in Santa Cruz, flying into Cape Town South Africa, then out of Durban South Africa after 5 weeks then into Bali Indonesia for 5 weeks then back out of Bali and into Auckland New Zealand for 5 weeks then into Melbourne Australia for 3 weeks up to Brisbane then out of Brisbane to Cairns for 1 week to enjoy Christmas and up to Bangkok. Here is a screenshot of our fees. My wife will be writing a detailed post of how we booked using Indie and just why we think it is the next best thing to ice cream.

8 Weeks Out – We Gave Notice at Work

Since we both work in the healthcare field and have patients that count on us. Especially because I have worked at my employer for over ten years we felt it best to give them plenty of notice. You may be able to do this in 2.

I had a much rougher day than I thought. Telling my patients and my boss left we exhausted and a bit overwhelmed I will have to admit. But then again, I love my job and my patients as dose Wendy. But, this was 1 part bitter sweet and 1 part kind of sad. Moving on is sometimes both wonderful, and hard to do!

I finally decided on theme design for our website

I was originally using the Genesis Magazine Pro Theme and I like the concept, but it just didn’t make sense. So after much deliberation I spent $89 to buy a year pass to Elegant Themes. Honestly I wish I had used them before. I am a Thesis owner, a Genesis owner and I have used Woo Themes, but I am loving the what Elegant Themes is doing and their designs are clean, fast and fun.

This is the “Explorable” theme. And although it isn’t perfect “exactly” I like the fact that we can geo-locate and the typography is pretty good all in all. I had to make a few CSS adjustments and I can’t seem to get the banner figured out, but I am going to be off to Fiverr to get that taken care of here in the next few weeks.

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If you are going to blog on the road

I would highly recommend you purchase a hosting plan through Bluehost, they are cheap and reliable. After this buy a domain for 11 bucks also through Bluehost and then pay $70 bucks to get a membership to Elegant themes. You can be out the door for around $100 and have a really professional looking WordPress website that is easy to manage. If you need any help drop me a line and I will be more than happy to give you a hand or load a template for you.

But the key is to do this heavy graphics stuff before you leave, while you have a decent internet connection. This will free you up to write on the road and focus more on content and a lot less on design.

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We Rented Out Van Go

The key to obtaining freedom on the road is obtaining freedom from your worldly possessions. We love our beloved Van-Go, but we chose to rent it out to a family friend for $360 a month. This covers our car payment and our insurance and we just added them onto the policy. Now that is an extra $360 in our pocket each month and we don’t have to store the van for the year… Awesome!

by Stephen

The Digital Nomadic Family – Which Tablet is Best for Kids and Travel?

Do the kids really need a brand new Kindle Fire HD?

Should You Purchase a Tablet Device for Each of Your Kids?

Technology has become so cheap and abundant that it is hard not to justify purchasing a tablet device for each member of the family.

Also, if your children need to use a device for school, Skype, reading or even for some long car ride amusement, if they don’t have their own, it will mean they are using yours.

If you are considering roadshchooling while traveling the decision becomes even harder.

As we all know, technology can be a very big distraction that can work against you and your child’s best interests.

On the other hand, it can be an invaluable tool to help unleash a child’s imagination and creative potential.

So this questions, the question of whether or not you should purchase a device for yourself, your kids, your partner’s or spouse and even your parents back home is a big one.

And if you do decide that this is something you want to do, what are your best options?

Here is some of what I have concluded while planning:

The Big Three: Google, Apple, and Amazon

Google Nexus Tablet

At less than US $200 this is a great option.

For the first time, Android devices are becoming an attractive for the digital nomadic family than an iPad running iOS.

The main reasons are price (there is a huge difference here) and compatibility.

I own an iPad and I love it, but it has limitations and some annoyances that Android devices have overcome. The touch screen on an Android tablet is now just as good as an iPad and the screens are crisp, responsive and just plain beautiful.

The Google Play app store is rocking and rolling and will soon overtake the Apple store in it’s vast selection of apps available for your entire family.

My only hiccup with the Nexus tab though is its lack of expandable storage in the form of an SD card slot. Honestly, had Google made this part of the tablet it would be in my mind a simple decision and this is where a Samsung Galaxy tab starts to pick up some leverage.

If you own my most recommended phone for traveling internationally (The Google Nexus Phone) then you will start to see the advantages of running all Android.

I will still have to say, that the Google Nexus tablet, is probably the very best choice for tablets if you are planning an around the world family experience and don’t already have an iPad or are part of the Apple infrastructure.

The iPad or iPad Mini

Had I been writing this blog post 1 year ago I think this would have been my number one choice. For kids, I would go with an iPad mini over the full-size iPad.

The advantages here are if you yourself own other Apple products (specifically the iPhone) you can link the iPad with your account and run apps on all your devices saving some money on redundant purchases.

Subscription apps like MeeGenius can be great for families and kiddies who like to read and why not spread the joy of a single low monthly $4.99 subscription plan across all of your devices?

If you have a Macintosh computer again the advantages become even more apparent and if you have family that are all Apple fans having the ability to talk very simply over FaceTime can be pretty great.

Although, remember things like FaceTime are not limited to Apple devices, if you are smart and downloaded Google Hangouts you can easily connect with anyone.

The problem with the iPad is its high price.

This really may be the only problem besides the fact that at some time you are going to have to download iTunes. Which, you may already know can be really slow and painful on a windows machine. If you are smart download this program (Syncios) and make life and your iPad even better.

The iPad does work well, and I love mine. It syncs (sometimes) my pictures automatically with iCloud and if you install third-party apps like Google Plus and let it upload your photos you will backed up at all times with absolutely no thought on your part.

The Apple store still has some advantages over the Android marketplace especially when it comes to apps for your kids and if you are a parent reading this chances are you are more likely to have an iPad yourself than a Google Nexus Tablet. So these may all be advantages, but when you compare price, features and possibly even durability the Google Nexus tab still looks better in my opinion even as an iPad owner myself.

The Kindle DX

The kindle is attractive for one big reason in my opinion – Kindle Free Time – Free Time Unlimited ($2.99 a month for one child, or $6.99 for a whole family with an Amazon Prime account, $4.99/9.99 without), you gain access to a massive library of hand-curated movies, television shows, and books that are constantly updated and require no extra effort from the parents to maintain or curate.

This is huge and it is what makes me want to bring one of these small and relatively inexpensive devices on the trip.

Amazon was very smart for making this “kid layer” for their kindle tablets and not allowing you to run this on another tab running the kindle reading software.

Also, since I am a prime member and will be using my sisters membership while we are overseas we will be able to wiggle this from our kids’ hands for a read ourselves from time to time.

Samsung Galaxy Tablets

I don’t know why but I haven’t given the Samsung tablets the time of day. They often have expandable storage and are fast, proficient tablets overall (at least they look that way) but I really wouldn’t place them on my table of options. Stick with one of the big three above.

Microsoft Surface Tablet

These keep getting faster, lighter and more versatile by the day. Would I buy one just yet? As an owner of a Zune that has long been put out of commission, my answer is no. For the money, an iPad is still the better, stronger and longer lasting option.

What about Chromebooks or a Cheap Windows Laptop?

This is becoming a more attractive option, I think there is a lot to be said for being able to create versus just “consume” media on a tablet. But when it comes down to portability, durability and ease of use for kids I would stick with a tablet device.

If your kids are 12 and over then at the current moment a laptop is probably a must, and in this case, a nice Windows Ultrabook is light on the pack and on the budget.

Of course, you could get that MacBook Air as well if you have the money.

Final Note – Our Digital Nomadic Family

On our trip, our digital stock seems a bit bloated but this is how it looks at the moment:

Stephen

Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro
iPad Air
Unlocked iPhone 4s
GoPro Hero 3
Canon Digital Rebel DSLR with a 25-260 telephoto lense and a cheap 50mm lens for shooting portraits.

Wendy

iPad mini
Old and heavy Acer Aspire One laptop.
Old but unblocked iPhone 4
Nikon FinePix XP70 (underwater and tough cam) from Costco

Layla (7 years old)

Has access to mom and dad’s iPad mini to download and read books. Does Splashmath and reading assignments as well as skype on our devices.
Has a small $50 digital Nikon Camera for shooting photos.

Lucca (4 years old)

He gets to share with the rest of us!

by Stephen

Money – How to Pay For Around The World Family Travel

More Americans are choosing to take time off from work to relax or re-examine their priorities, so they can return to work energized. Some companies offer formal sabbatical programs, but how can the average person take time off to evaluate their direction, explore their passions, and make time for the things that are really important?

Whether you’re disillusioned with your career, yearning to follow a dream, doing pre-retirement planning, or taking time out after a layoff, now is the time to step back and reboot.

But I always here the same thing: “I could never afford that”

“You must be Rich!”

Our story is a simple one that probably mirrors that of many middle-class families in America.

In 1995 my wife and I both graduated high school and moved away from home to attend college, we acquired debt, graduated from college, found decent jobs, started paying off our debt, got married, rented a one bedroom apartment, wen’t back to graduate school, acquired more debt, bought a flat screen tv and surround sound speakers, purchased a small townhouse with an affordable mortgage, moved to a nicer (and much more expensive) California location, sold our townhouse, had our first child, acquired a bigger mortgage and more debt to accommodate our growing family, bought a family van and acquired more debt, and then boom…. Our house lost all it’s value overnight, our jobs were threatened, our 401K’s decimated and my life was 100% actualized. This brings us to the year 2008!

I had become a slave to my lifestyle, and what made it worse? I had done it all with good intentions.

We have middle-class jobs

I am a family practice physician assistant practicing in a small rural clinic since 2004. My wife is a Registered Nurse who has been working full-time until the birth of our daughter in 2007 when she reduced her hours down to 20 per week.

Timeline to Travel

In 2007, I read a book that inspired me to look at my life differently. In 2008, after the financial crisis, we moved out of our home and I started a blog that would eventually become a small (yet profitable) online business.

In 2004 we purchased our first home and sold it for a small profit, then in 2007 we purchased our second home and hit a wall.

This changed our lives and fortunately instead of running with the bulls we changed our direction and became smarter.

We made sacrifices like moving out of our home and renting it to college students for a year, becoming lean as a family and most importantly I studied every financial book I could get my hands on to understand what went wrong.

I lost sleep for months not to mention when the market crashed so did the hospital I worked for.

But, I stand here today as a testament to what financial education and some hard work and faith in the process can accomplish.

Making work serve your interests instead of the other way around

I mentioned I started a profitable blog in 2008. This has been essential to what is making this trip possible. Writing online at first was an outlet but learning to make money online has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

It is about creating services and providing the right information to people who need it and out of this grows something spectacular. In my case it was a business which as a health care provider was something I didn’t even know was possible.

My online business now provides roughly $3000 of monthly income. Sometimes more and sometimes less. This is the income that we will use as we travel.

As a family practice PA I can make about $75,000 take home cash annually and this is after maximizing out our retirement accounts.

My wife, working part time can bring in about 30K as well. Over the past 5 years we have been able to build a nest egg, and with the online income store up a bit of liquid cash. We soon realized that the costs of living here in California are ridiculous. With a small amount of income and $50,00 in liquid assets we are making this dream of RTW travel a reality.

Debt Free

We are 100% debt free on this trip.

We rent out our house to completely cover our mortgage and make a very small $150 of monthly profit.
We rented out our family wagon to cover the monthly payment.
We paid off our school loans completely: My wife was Air-force ROTC and I was a National Health Service Corps Scholar, because of this our loans have been paid off by the government.
We resisted new purchases in preparation for our trip. My old clunker has 250k miles and we ride bikes everywhere.

We Look For Passive and Investment income

When I first read Robert Kiyosaki’s book Rich Dad Poor Dad I thought he was full of crap. But years later after I started my online business and went back and read his book about Cashflow Quadrants it became clear to me.

I gained a clear understanding of what it was I was working for (Earned Income) and I was able to find a better path.

You MUST BECOME FINANCIALLY EDUCATED if you really want to travel around the world with your family.

We as Americans are EXTREMELY WEALTHY when compared to the rest of the world. Honestly, I believe that with a little planning and the right kind of investing a family with a plan to travel around the globe can swing it.

It is nice to have some type of dedicated and slightly predictable passive or portfolio income stream while you do it. So you should plan for this. One way is to start today to get your financial education.

Becoming Financially Educated

Once you understand what types of income you can generate and the options that are available you can make goals. You may decide that owning a home is not worth the liability. So you could sell it if you own or rent and look to purchase a property as an investment and earn revenue from this. Make home ownership an ASSET!

You could start a side business using a skill you have to generate some income and grow it into a profit generating passive income stream like I have. But this requires dedication and a whole lot of persistence.

I have used Relay Rides for the past year and a half renting out an old truck we purchased as a junker in 2004. We have made over $3000 on this car renting it out over the last year!

I started 6 other web properties and have been able to see these grow into their own revenue generating businesses as well.

Once you are financially educated you can free yourself from the confines of job = money. This is a process for sure.

To be continued…

by Stephen

Into and Out of This World

Proceed to Takeoff

Today we pushed the purchase button on our RTW tickets through Indie.

It took us 5 hours to run through just about every scenario humanly imaginable. It was so much fun yet equal parts painful.

I can’t place into words the feeling I had the minute I knew it was real.

It’s not like I didn’t know we were going to take the trip over the last 6 months. But, transitioning from dreaming and talking, to deciding and planning, to researching and selling and renting and quitting… It is an amazing thing, a truly amazing journey.

Life, I am sure would be fine without this around the world trip.

We would go on with our daily routines and be more or less content with it. And you know what? That is perfectly OK.

This trip does not make our family any better or worse than any other family and the purpose isn’t to prove a point to anyone.

The World Out There

Ever since I was a kid I have been curious about everything.

If it exists I want to get my hands on it and try it out. I guess I would be defined as a Kinesthetic learner.

This holds true for everything from sports to computers to professions. I have existed for so long in my tiny little bubble I don’t even know what to expect.

And you know what? I don’t even care that I don’t know, all I do know is that it is different and interesting and beautiful and sometimes sad all at the same time.

Nobody can afford an around the world trip, and this is not an around the world trip. It is an into the world trip.

Out of our world and into the world.

These far off, distant lands that we are about to venture into have names, sure, but they are as meaningless as the names we have been given ourselves.

These locations and “world heritage spots” only become real once I can see with my own eyes, see that they exist, and with touch and smell and the pure joy of exposing our God given senses to all the amazing experiences the world has to offer.

It is proof that life is a glorious and beautiful place indeed.

by Stephen 3 comments

Notes From Creative Live – Stress Free BUDGET TRAVEL with Matt Kepnes from Nomadic Matt

How to Travel The World on a Shoestring Budget

Dwonload

DAY 1

I. Travel Anywhere on a Budget

media make travel look expensive—this is not true
luxury sells
it is possible to travel cheaply
travel like you live at home, travel like a local
everyone is afraid

II. Three Steps

Decide where you want to go. Have an actionable goal.
Decide how long you want to go for.
Start researching.
1. Google “what to do in X”
2. travel blogs
3. Lonely Planet, TripAdvisor, Wikivoyage
Make travel a priority. Work towards your goals. Don’t overthink it.
Book your flight. Then you’re stuck.

III. Financing

Track your expenses.
Categorize in to “wants” and “needs.”
Cut your “wants.”
Think of things as opportunity costs: the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen.
1. Retina MacBook Pro vs. plane ticket
2. new camera vs. the pictures you could take with the one you own
Cut the coffee. Cancel cable. Find a roommate. Sell your car.
Build a network on Couchsurfing to save money in the future.
Don’t give your savings to banks!
1. Global ATM Alliance
2. Charles Schwab (#1 bank you should go to)
3. Capital One
4. Fidelity
5. HSBC (secondary bank)
6. BankAmerica (worst case scenario)
If you’re living long-term somewhere, get a local bank card.
Avoid overseas fees on credit cards.
1. Capital One No Hassles Rewards Card (best one)
2. Chase Sapphire
3. United Mileage
4. Chase Ink (business)
5. American Express Platinum
6. stick with Mastercard or Visa
7. always have a backup bank card and credit card
Four ways to save money.
1. Don’t let them charge your purchases in local currency.
2. If they ask you, always choose US Dollars.
3. Never exchange money at airports.
4. Never use traveler’s checks.
5. Avoid random ATMs. Use bank ATMs.
Keep cash on hand for emergencies only. Look for exchanges in ethnic communities.
Use Currency (app) or xe.com for exchange rates.
Get Free Rewards with Travel Rewards Cards
1. Matt has 27 credit cards!
2. b. Ways to fake spending for high spending requirements.
  1. Pay your taxes.
  2. Amazon spending: give $1000 a month without a fee. Then have your friend give it back to you.
3. Sign up for cards with a spending requirement of $1000 or less.
4. Use PayPal or Amazon Payments to pay rent.
Notes of Caution
1. Don’t spend money just for the points.
2. Start out slow.
3. Don’t go overboard if you are about to make a big purchase.
4. Have a specific goal.
How to collect extra points.
1. Shop with partners: all points programs have online shopping partners.
  1. Evreward.com
2. Have your family give their points to you.
3. Sign up for airline and credit card newsletters. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook for special deals.
Make sure to get a no-fee bank card and a no-fee travel credit card.
Use awardwallet.com to manage points.
In some developing countries, using cash is better to avoid fees.
No fees, no fees, no fees!!!!!!

IV. Safety

[templatic_button link=”https://www.gapyearfamily.com/safety” size=”large” type=”info”] Keeping Safe with Kids [/templatic_button]

Use Common Sense

Don’t be flashy. Don’t make yourself a target.
Be healthily suspicious.
Avoid walking drunk (especially at night).
Watch out for scams. You can look them up online first to be prepared.
Watch out for con artists.
Ask locals for advice.
Ask other travelers for advice.

Protecting Your Stuff

Lock up your stuff.
Keep a piece of paper with three false PIN codes.
Keep a few notes of the lowest currency in your pocket. If you get mugged, bunch up the notes and offer it to the mugger. It’ll look like more money than it is, and it may save your life.

IV. Solo Female Traveling with Candace

Most people are nice and willing to help.
Staring, hissing, cat-calling can all be problems.
One idea: wear a fake wedding ring and say that you’re married.
Dress conservatively.
Know local cultural customs.
Book hostels that are in busy city centers, not quiet rural areas.
WikiTravel has tips for how to dress and stay safe.
Bangkok has good cheap salons, massages, manicures, etc.
A self-defense class is a good idea.
A can of aerosol spray (insect repellant, hairspray) is a good red pepper spray alternative.
Her one piece of advice is intuition. Trust your gut.
She trekked in Turkey and felt very welcome.

V. How to Make Friends Overseas

Couchsurfing, Couchsurfing, Couchsurfing!!!
1. go to groups, meetups, and events
Stay in hostels.
1. go to events, tours, etc.
2. talk to the people in your room
Use Meetup.com to find locals with similar interests.
Dine with locals: the Ghetto Gourmet and EatWith are good resources.
Say hello to strangers. Just take the leap.

VI. Dealing with Unsupportive Friends and Family

Don’t let other people’s fears discourage you.
Tell them: everywhere is unsafe, you can do this, lots of people travel solo, this makes you happy.
Stay connected online.
You can’t wait for your friends. JUST GO.

VIII. 5 Truths

You aren’t the first person to travel alone.
You made it this far.
You are just as capable.
You will make friends.
You can always go home.

IX. Essential Gear & Technology

[templatic_button link=”https://www.gapyearfamily.com/gear/” size=”large” type=”info”] Family Friendly Travel Gear [/templatic_button]

Packing cubes are a good idea.
Keep all your valuables (camera, computer, etc.) in daypack.
PacSafe is a metal mesh wrap for your backpack.
Take a lock to lock your daypack and extra tech gear in a locker.
Buy a subscription to Crashplan to back stuff up. Or look into Dropbox.
Protect yourself while you’re web browsing: use a VPN.
1. HotSpot Shield
2. Witopia?
3. Makes it look like you’re surfing from home, so you can use Netflix or other services that are country-specific.
Phones
1. Get an unlocked phone.
2. Or buy and toss local phones as you go.
You don’t need a lot of gear, you just need the right gear.

X. Choosing the right travel insurance.

Buy it. Not an option.
Look for coverage for: trip cancellation, hotel bookings, flights, all transportation, emergencies, strife in countries visited, legal expenses, financial protection, medical, etc.
Take pictures of the stuff you own.
Keep receipts for everything.
World Nomads (Matt uses them)
Insure My Trip
MedJet Assist (good for covering gear)
Clements

XI. Other Tips

Take multiple copies of your passport.
Go paperless with your billing.
Earth Class Mail will scan your mail.
Make sure you have the right vaccinations.
Call your credit card companies.
Give your parents all of your bank information.
Don’t over think everything. Don’t over plan. Go with the flow.

EXTRAS:

Contact about Philippines: asfersarm@gmail.com
Get a Nexus 5 with local SIM and use it for data.
Or maybe carry the iPhone and get a cheap local phone.
Someone suggested myfico.com for credit scores.
Maybe sign up for Coin to manage your cards.
Merrell barefoot shoes are good for traveling.
Check out www.TravelTheRoad.com for tips on photo gear and packing.

DAY 2

I. How to Book a Cheap Ticket

[templatic_button link=”https://www.gapyearfamily.com/fly/” size=”large” type=”info”] Around The World Travel with Kids [/templatic_button]

Be flexible with dates.
Fly to secondary airports.
Fly budget carriers – Here are some examples:
1. Norwegian – flight to Scandinavia for $400
2. RyanAir – Hubs now at London Stansted and Luton, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Nottingham, Glasgow Prestwick, Dublin, Shannon, Brussels, Frankfurt Hahn, Stockholm, Bergamo (nr. Milan), Rome and Girona (nr. Barcelona)
3. AirAsia – Internal and regional flights from hubs in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Bangkok and Jakarta
4. EasyJet – Hubs now at Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol, Belfast, Berlin Schönefeld, Dortmund, Geneva, Paris Orly
5. German Wings – To UK and rest of Europe from German
6. SAS
7. Tiger Airways – Low cost flights from Singapore Changi Airport to Southeast Asia
Try alternative routes – Go to a different city and then get a cheaper flight to your destination. Use connecting flights.
Join airline mailing lists or set up ALERTS!
- Kayak
- Airfare Watchdog
Search on airline sites.
All search engines are not equal.
1. Skyscanner #4
2. Momondo (good for international flights) #3
3. Google Flights #2
4. ITA Matrix
5. Kayak
6. Vayama (good for international flights out of the U.S.) #1
Look at round trips and one-way flights regardless of what you want.
Sometimes, prices will go up if an airline notices your search (they do this using cookies). So book on a different computer or using a VPN.
- Use incognito or private browsing modes.
RTW tickets
- Often not the best deal for families; use budget carriers instead
- Can be a good deal if you know where you’re going and have lots of airline points
Look into onward travel requirements for every country you visit: Onword Travel Hack

II. How to Book Cheap Accomodation

[templatic_button link=”https://www.gapyearfamily.com/sleep” size=”large” type=”info”] Booking Accommodations with Kids [/templatic_button]

Couch Surfing – www.couchsurfing.org

Find hosts to stay with in over 100,000 cities and connect with travelers from all over the world.

Couchsurfing pros: free, live like a local, interact with locals, kitchen access, take more than one traveler.
Couchsurfing cons: privacy, boring host, must trust people, not luxurious, be prepared for anything.

FREE Hospitality Networks:

Be Welcome: Step inside and invite travelers to your home, find hosts all over the world, and become part of our multicultural hospitality community. We are not-for-profit, open source, and exclusively run by members in a transparent and democratic way.
GlobalFreeloaders.com: is an online community, bringing people together to offer you free accommodation all over the world. Save money and make new friends whilst seeing the world from a local’s perspective!
Servas: it’s a different way to explore the world 14,000 Servas members in over 130 countries will welcome you into their homes Servas is an international travel network whose members want to promote peace and understanding through contact with people from other countries

Home Exchanges are a Good Option – If you own a home!

House Sitting

trustedhousesitters: TrustedHousesitters.com provides a simple solution to a very common problem: They connect home and pet owners who need a sitter with trustworthy people who want to housesit; reliable pet lovers and experienced home minders who are willing to live in your home and look after it while you’re away (usually for free).
mindmyhouse: Home owners join for free. House sitter memberships are the cheapest on the web at only US$20 or equivalent per year. Dual memberships are perfectly respectable.
Housecarers: Get help you with tips and guides on how to Land the housesit, and give yourself the best exposure to our high traffic dedicated House Sitting Site. They have been Securely Matching House Sitters since October 2000.

Apartment Rentals

Airbnb
Home Away
VRBO

Farm Stays

WWOOF: Italy, France, NZ
Helpx.net
workaway.info

Monastery or Convent Stays

Google monasterystay

Lighthouse Stays

Hostels, Hostels, Hostels

Hostelworld.com
Hostelbookers.com
Hostels.com

III. Saving Money at Any Destination

1. Travel like a local

2. Saving Money on Food

Don’t eat out for every meal.
BUT, food is an important part of travel and experiencing other cultures. Don’t avoid eating out altogether. Just do it smartly.
Shop at local markets.
Eat out during lunch, rather than dinner to save money.
Outdoor vendors
Street food
Skip tourist areas. Never eat at a place in a guidebook.
Explore side streets.
Ask a local, “where do you eat?”
Ask around at the hostel.
Carry a reusable water bottle.
Eat at the buffet.

3. Food Safety Tips

Use a Steripen to purify water.
Look for places where women, children, and old people eat.
Bring your own silverware.
Be smart about what you’re eating and where.
Use hand sanitizer.
Go when it’s busy.
Stay away from street produce in areas with bad water.

4. Saving Money on Local Transport

Take local buses, ferries, etc.
Never take a taxi.
Buy metro cards. Ask at the station or hostel for the best deal.
Car Sharing Services: Zipcar, Jayride, Gumtree, Getaround
Rent a bike. Check out Zilok.com and Sharegoods.com.

5. Saving Money on Inter-Destination Transport

Get train passes, especially if you’re going to Europe, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Australia (best deal).
If you look for specials online and book early, it may be cheaper.
Book on buses 3 months in advance.
Megabus, Naked Bus (NZ), Boltbus, etc.
Buses, budget airlines, hitchhiking.
Car relocation: drivenow.com, hittheroad.ca, autodriveaway

6. Saving Money on Activities

Get tourism cards. They will save you money if you want to do sightseeing.
Go to museums on free days.
Use discount cards: VIP Backpackers (Aus, NZ, Fiji), ISIC, IYTC, YHA, STA Travel
Visit local tourist offices.
Go on free walking tours.
Book via student websites like STA Travel.
For deals on activities in NZ: bookme.co.nz

IV. Finding Work & Living Overseas

It’s about getting a job, not a career. It’s about earning money to continue traveling, not building a resume.
Be flexible.

Search online job boards.

Council on International Educational Exchange Work Abroad Program
Alliances Abroad
BUNAC
InterExchange.
HelpX.net
Workaway.info

4. Contact expat groups before you leave.
5. Bring copies of your resume and professional certificates.
6. Get business cards!
7. Go to networking events.
8. Common jobs: English teacher, hostel worker, bartender, waiter, cruise ship crew, dive instructor, tour guide.

9. How to Teach English Overseas

a. To get a good-paying job, get a TEFL/CELTA degree.
b. Where to teach: public schools, private schools, language institutes, summer schools, business classes, international schools, private tutoring
c. Popular places: South Korea, Japan, the Middle East, Thailand, China, Mexico, Central Asia, Prague, Argentina, Ukraine
d. Look at DavesESLCafe website for salary expectations.

10. Guest Chat about Working Overseas

a. Teach in Thailand: ajarn.com
b. Be flexible, know a little about the culture, have no expectations.
c. Be patient, and take things slow.

You can live and work in Thailand on a tourist visa, just need to hop in and out of country.

Be wary of any company that asks you to pay a fee to get a job.

DavesESLcafe.com has a good forum for teaching English abroad.

For odd jobs and tasks: taskrabbit.com and elance.com

V. How to Plan Your Dream Trip, Step-by-Step

Decide where you’re going. Be specific.

Decide how long you are going to stay. Be specific.

Research your costs. Estimate total, then round up.

Find the right amount of money for your trip.

Do research.
Create a budget based on your priorities.
Add a cushion. (Add an extra 25% of your total budget.)
Think about how much you spend at home.
Start saving money.
Get a travel credit card.
Check for last-minute deals.
Book your flight.
Book your accommodation.
Plan your activities.
Sell your stuff.
Automate your bills.
Tell your credit card companies and banks that you’re leaving.
Pack light.
Just go!

Travel doesn’t need to be somewhere really far away, just somewhere different from your daily life. Try weekend trips! Explore your own city!

There is always time to travel.

There is no perfect time to travel. JUST GO.

Tomorrow, there will still be bills to pay. Tomorrow, there still won’t be enough money. Tomorrow, there will still be a wedding or a birthday party to miss. Tomorrow, there will still

be planning to do.

Stop making excuses. Start traveling.

The secret to traveling more is simply the desire to travel more.

Figure out your priorities. Figure out what you want to do. Then do it.

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” –Bill Bryson

EXTRAS

The rebroadcast will be at 4:15pm, 9:50pm, 3:35am, 9:15am pst.
Chat room user said: “Best VPN for the price is Private Internet Access. 1 year for only $39.99 USD.”
DD recommends: “Hotspot Shield and TunnelBear if you want something to try for free, and Witopia for paid access (which is what I use)”
Websites like Airbnb for food: cookening.com and feastly.com
Websites for learning languages: busuu.com and duolingo.com and memrise
Website for freelance tech jobs: guru.com
Website for photo-video jobs: personal-view.com
Shannon’s tips for working abroad: http://alittleadrift.com/how-to-work-and-travel-rtw/

by Stephen 1 comment

The Nine Qualities of Highly Successful Families

Strong, Healthy Families

From the early 1900’s, family studies focused mostly on the weaknesses within families.

Beginning in the 1960s, however, a few outlier scholars started trying to identify the traits healthy families have in common. Herbert Otto, of the University of Utah, made one of the first lists. It included: shared religious and moral values; consideration; common interests; love and happiness of children; working and playing together.

By 1989, there were enough of these lists that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services invited a dozen researchers to a conference in Washington, DC, and asked them to find common ground on this issue. As the organizers stated on the eve of the conference,

“Researchers, policy makers, and the media have focused considerable attention on how some families are failing. Much less attention has been paid to strong, healthy families, and the characteristics that make them successful.”

Each scientist in attendance had already published a list of the qualities successful families share. For the first time, though, organizers closely reviewed two dozen of these lists to see if they could establish consensus. According to them, it was remarkably easy. The master list contained nine items.

The Nine Qualities of Successful Families

Download | PDF

1. Communication

Family members talk to one another often, in a manner that’s honest, clear, and open, even when they disagree.

2. Encouragement of individuals

Strong families appreciate each member’s uniqueness while cultivating a sense of belonging to the whole.

3. Commitment to the family

Members of successful families make it clear to one another,and to the world, that their allegiance to their family is strong.

4. Religious/ spiritual well-being

Researchers concluded that a shared value system and moral code were common among highly functioning families. But they said these values were not contingent on membership in any denomination or frequent attendance at worship services.

5. Social connectedness

Successful families are not isolated; they are connected to the wider society, and they reach out to friends and neighbors in crisis.

6. Adaptability

Strong families are structured yet flexible, and they adjust their structure in response to stress.

7. Appreciativeness

People in strong families care deeply for one another, and they express their feelings often. Even if some members are not naturally expressive, they communicate their emotions by doing meaningful things for others.

8. Clear roles

Members of successful families are aware of their responsibilities to the group.

9. Time together

Members of strong families spend time together doing things they enjoy.

The conference results were pubslished in a study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services called: Identifying Successful Families: An Overview of Constructs and Selected Measure

While nothing specific came out of the project, it did coincide with (and perhaps help legitimize) a much more popular effort in this space, written by Stephen Covey:

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families

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