I’ve apologised for radio silence on this blog before. But this time, I’ve had a different reason than the previous computer game distraction.
I’ve been distracted with planning our big adventure. In 2011, the family Penguin will be embarking on a round the world trip. I’m taking leave from my work, we’re taking the boys out of school, and we’re going to travel around the world. We’re having a brief stop in Asia, spending the best part of six to eight months in Europe (and Africa and the middle east) before going across the Atlantic to the US, Canada, and possibly a bit of South America.
Although I’ve been totally public with this news for over a week now, I’ve hesitated before blogging it, as I know we are extraordinarily lucky to be able to afford to do this. Being in Australia, to start with, has insulated us from the global recession hitting the rest of the world. And as a well paid professional, it is much easier for us to be able to save up enough to do it than your average family.
A few people have commented on how expensive this all is. And it isn’t cheap. But I’ve read a few round the world travelling family blogs now, and by far the biggest expense is the foregone income. We’ll be spending more in the year away than we would at home, but not that much more. By travelling for a year, we’ll be able to do it slowly enough that we can catch public transport, instead of taxis… stay in places for a week or more that wouldn’t be available by the night etc. But not having income for a year… that’s something to save up for!
Now that we’re public with all of this, I’m hoping to resume blogging, both on our new travel blog, Around the world, and here with my usual random topics, although the blogosphere has become such a different place, that rejoining it may well be like starting blogging all over again.
crikey! That’s amazing. Shall subscribe to your new blog straight away.
Will subscribe immediately. Please let me know how your Germany plans are panning out!
oh, and which part of the middle east will you be visiting? We do have a spare room and lots of things for lads to do.
That sounds a fantastic trip, I’m so pleased for you!
Fantastic stuff Penguin. Great to see those with get up and go doing something as adventurous as this. I wish I had done it with our family – might have if my wife didn’t like the idea. I did it as a kid – as my father was an academic and went on sabbatical when I was 10. Raleigh North Carolina for 6 months, London for 3 and travelling in Europe for 3 months. Great memories that have lasted even till now – it was 1967.
So have a great time. There’s a bit of synchronicity going on here, because I came here from a comment you made on my blog over two years ago and this is the day after your last post!
I’m so glad I kept you in my feed reader, even though you’ve been quiet — this is really exciting! I wish I could do something like it; but I never could convince my spouse. I’ll have to live vacariously through you : )
If you visit Oregon, drop me a line…
Good luck – sounds exciting!
Oooh, so glad I saw this — the switch from bloglines to google readers totally discombobulated me and I hadn’t checked in for ages. I totally want to do this sometime.
And I’d love to see you while you’re in the states — we’re in the DC area, and would love to host you if you don’t mind sleeping on a blow-up mattress.
I like gutsy people and you seem to be one. I plan to follow your trip and live vicariously through your blogs.