I’m finally getting round to developing a travel blog. Something many people have mentioned over the years from my early South American, Asian and African adventures. Keen travellers before kids, we have tried to keep the adventuring going. Now that they are all getting a bit bigger and we are fully immersed in the chaos of work life, school and extra curricular activities, the wanderlust has not ended, in fact as we’ve emerged out of the drowning in nappy phases and the children take an interest in the world I think it is increasing.
I’m Laurie, mum of 3 and work in mental health. Always an explorer, in my early university days (I’m still in my university days- that is another story) I volunteered in various projects in Argentina, various parts of Africa and China. After getting married to Jonny, we honeymooned in Cuba before moving to Brazil for the first 6 months of married life. Since then most of our family adventures have been Europe based, with some USA, Caribbean and Middle East thrown in!
The three little adventurers are:
Miss 10- with a love of travel and music. She is a big West End and Broadway fan. Continually singing, always got her head stuck in a book, and keen to find out more. A good surfer, she loves to be in the waves and on a beach. Not a fan of heights, so planes and skyscrapers are not her go to, but she still goes for it nonetheless.
Miss 6 – an adventurer like her Mum. She loves to explore, very interested in animals and conservation. She wants to get to a jungle and is determined in everything she puts her mind too. She loves new destinations but can struggle with unexpected changes, and is not a fan of too many loud noises and definitely not queues! We apologise if we are near you in a queue.
Mr 5 – the baby boy but definitely not a baby anyway he says. He is a performer, Lego mastermind and wants to be the Greatest Showman. Frequently singing, very adaptable and just goes with it all. He does however not appreciate being left out in any way! And sometimes his wee legs won’t work anymore!
We are based in Belfast in Northern Ireland, but also spend a lot of time in the North Coast of Ireland. We love to travel worldwide as well as days out closer to home. So the blog will be a mixture of capturing both of those. We are a normal working family, trying to do it all on a budget, and making the most of the time we have off with the kids.
The blog is a work in progress. We would love to hear from you, we are open to collaborations and connecting with us. Contact us via here.
Why screen free adventures?
Personally and professionally I’m fed up with screens- with the over reliance on them. (The irony is not lost that I’m recording all of this on a screen). I worry about the impact of too much screen time on our next generation. Work makes me very concerned. I’ve disconnected my children from them, and we are adventuring and exploring all this world has to give us.
So this blog is recording our family travel adventures. We are a normal working family, juggling and balancing, often far too many balls. We’ve been on a journey to declutter our lives a bit. Seeking out experiences and not things. I want our children to see the beauty, reality, poverty and hope that our world has to offer. In the midst of the busy, the chaos, I’m holding on to our screen free adventures and explorations. Come and join us.
