We left home, sold our routines, and set off on a year of slow travel with our kids. Here's the complete, honest guide to planning your own family gap year. The money, the schooling, the logistics, and the parts nobody tells you about.

Vietnam was the first country on our family gap year, but it became much more than that. It was where the chaos, uncertainty and pressure of leaving home slowly gave way to routines, confidence and a completely different way of living. Somewhere between the scooters, morning coffees and slower days, this journey finally started to feel real.

People see the highlights of long-term travel first. The sunsets, the adventures and the freedom. What they don’t often see are the hard parts. The constant decision making, the exhaustion, the uncertainty and the emotional weight of living life on the move as a family of four. This is the honest side of travelling the world full-time with kids.

What is long-term family travel actually like for kids? From emotional days and worldschooling struggles to scooter rides, skiing, surfing and making friends around the world, this is the honest reality of how our children have experienced travelling full-time as a family.

From the quiet streets of Marrakech at sunrise to camel rides across the Sahara under a full moon, our three-day journey to Merzouga was exhausting, fascinating and unforgettable. We crossed the Atlas Mountains, explored ancient movie sets at Ait Benhaddou, stayed in a hotel overlooking the Valley of Roses and rode camels through the dunes as a family to watch the sun disappear behind the desert mountains.

Marrakesh was one of the most intense places we’ve visited so far. Chaotic souks, endless colour, crowded alleyways, roaming cats and sensory overload around every corner. We didn’t love it, but we’re really glad we experienced it.

Puglia quickly became one of our favourite regions in Italy. From the historic streets of Bari and Lecce to slow coastal life in San Foca and day trips to Alberobello, southern Italy gave us a glimpse into a lifestyle centred around food, family, community, and slowing down.

What worldschooling actually looks like day-to-day. A simple, relaxed routine, how we fit learning in, and what life is like travelling full-time with our kids.

Italy hasn’t been what we expected. From chaotic driving in Sicily to quiet, off-season coastal towns, this part of the trip has felt very different to the version of Italy we remembered. Travelling with kids has changed everything, and so has the reality of being here outside peak season.

Skiing was on our radar, but we never expected to do it in Europe. A chance invitation from a family in Austria completely reshaped our travel plans.

Learning to ski and snowboard as adults is hard enough. Doing it while helping your kids learn at the same time adds a whole new challenge. Here’s what we discovered during our month in the Austrian Alps.

After the chaos and colour of Vietnam, arriving in Vienna felt calm, elegant and surprisingly quiet. Here’s what our family noticed during our first days in Europe.

We spent 68 days travelling Vietnam as a family of four. Here’s where we went, what we loved, what we would recommend to other families, and the hard lessons we learned about accommodation, heat, and giving kids space to thrive.

One month into our family gap year. What surprised us, what felt hard, and what already feels worth it.