We’re selling everything to travel the world!
Partiamo a giugno 2019 per un viaggio intorno al mondo di due anni
Carlotta Cerri
–
Fondatrice de La Tela
6 dicembre 2018·22 commenti
When we were in Canada for two months last summer, we had this crazy idea of changing our life around and traveling for a couple of years. When I wrote this post about it, deep inside I already knew that we were going to do it.
So yes, we’re currently selling EVERYTHING we own (we already sold the bed and are currently sleeping on a mattress on the floor… very Montessori ;-), we’re moving into an AirBnb apartment near Oliver and Emily’s school in March, and on the 24th of June we’re leaving Spain to travel the world.
It’s actually the first time that I write down this plan publicly, and… it terrifies me!
But that’s the thing about change: the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. When you think about a big change in your life, you need to shove the fear aside—all those “buts” and “what ifs”—and only think about the treasure, whatever it is.
So yes, we’re currently selling EVERYTHING we own (we already sold the bed and are currently sleeping on a mattress on the floor… very Montessori ;-), we’re moving into an AirBnb apartment near Oliver and Emily’s school in March, and on the 24th of June we’re leaving Spain to travel the world.
It’s actually the first time that I write down this plan publicly, and… it terrifies me!
But that’s the thing about change: the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. When you think about a big change in your life, you need to shove the fear aside—all those “buts” and “what ifs”—and only think about the treasure, whatever it is.
So, where are you going?
We decided to spend the first six months in Europe (because there‘s so much we don’t know and so many different cultures we’d like to experience), and in January 2020—what an amazing number to start an adventure!—we’ll take off to Asia.
And always following the sun, of course.
And always following the sun, of course.
Why are you selling everything?
When we were in Canada with only two big luggages and none of our everyday comforts, we didn’t miss anything. Sure, we’d have loved for every AirBnb to have our great blender to make smoothies or our climbing frame for Oliver and Emily to be the monkeys they are, but these are all things we can live without.
We only need a bunch of clothes, a couple of shoes, our passports and we’re good to go.
We only need a bunch of clothes, a couple of shoes, our passports and we’re good to go.
Is that all you’re taking?
Pretty much. And our foldable bikes and the kids’ Woom bikes. We realized in Canada that bikes take us almost anywhere and are way more convenient than any other way of transport. So we’ll attempt the bike life.
What about your dog?
This was a very hard decision and one we thought long and hard about. Colbie is not going to come with us, and we’re currently looking for a lovely family who will love her as much as we do.
I’d have never thought I’ll be one of those people who give up on their dogs (because I’m not a hypocrite and I recognize that’s what we’re doing), but she was the only “obstacle” keeping us from traveling the world. Sometimes you have to be willing to make hard decisions in life—it’ll be extremely sad for us and the kids to leave her and for her to see us go.
I’d have never thought I’ll be one of those people who give up on their dogs (because I’m not a hypocrite and I recognize that’s what we’re doing), but she was the only “obstacle” keeping us from traveling the world. Sometimes you have to be willing to make hard decisions in life—it’ll be extremely sad for us and the kids to leave her and for her to see us go.
And now I ask you, have you got more questions?
Ask away in the comments!
2021 update
It's fun to re-read these posts after two years and after experiencing a lot of world. Here are some thoughts:
- We couldn't always follow the sun because of Covid: we ended up in New Zealand and had to buy winter clothes (but the suitcases are always the same as we also sold a lot,, like the stroller, Emily's cloth nappies, etc)
- Even before we left, we realized that taking our bikes with us would mean having too many bags, and we left them. We traveled for three months in Europe with the kids' bikes, but in Paris, before heading to Asia, we sold them: we had to lighten up. The kids were sad, but they understood. We rented bikes for the whole family in many parts of the world, including a month in Hoi An, Vietnam, where they were our only means of transport.
- In the end we only did three months in Europe and then we started Asia!
- We have been living in Airbnb for two years and we're still loving it.
- Our dog Colbie is healthy and very happy with her new family. We pay all the expenses and they give her all the love, we couldn't have found a better place for her. We have agreed with the family that when we go back she will stay with them, but we'll visit.
Scritto da
Carlotta Cerri
– Fondatrice de La Tela
Sono la fondatrice de La Tela, creatrice del podcast Educare con calma e dal 2019 viaggio a tempo pieno con la mia famiglia Alex, Oliver ed Emily. Mi ritengo una visionaria pessimista: so come voglio cambiare l’educazione e che genitore ho scelto di essere, ma la maggior parte dei giorni mi sembra di scalare pareti di vetro. Ma forse proprio per questo so come aiutarti quando mi scrivi: perché ci passo anche io per quel disagio e ti dico le verità scomode con gentilezza e senza giudizio.
How much did the kids get to say about the decision and what you're taking with you? Like special toys or whatnot?
How did they react? Did you talk about the not so good sides as well? I love traveling, but I know, that it can sometimes be hard, to not have anything around me, that I am familiar with.
I'm curious to read about your adventures!
Now that we’re selling everything and it comes to his things (toys, books, bed etc) we explain that we can’t take it on our travel, and he simply says OK. He talks about going to Africa and Australia all the time, we just need to get Asia in the mix as we’ll probably start from there ;-)
I’ll be writing lots of posts about this new adventure, starting from the preparation :-)