I created the “Travellers’ Tales” section to give my readers and other travellers an opportunity to talk about their travels. Today I would like to introduce you to Dawn, a family travel blogger based in Canada. She blogs at 5 Lost Together .
I would love to hear about your travels too. Go to “Travellers’ Tales” , fill in the quick questionnaire and email it to me with your blog links.
I’m Dawn, a Canadian travel blogger and mother of 3 kids. Our family motto is to travel now with our kids and not wait for retirement. We look for any opportunity to travel and have backpacked, sailed and lived overseas with our kids. We are currently living in Melbourne, Australia. Since I was young I devoured National Geographic magazines and dreamed of visiting far flung places. I have been lucky enough to have turned that into reality and have visited over 50 countries. Come along with us at “5 Lost Together” to read about traveling with kids and life as an expat.
The one that comes to mind was when I was about 10 and we went to Jamaica and I can remember climbing Dunn’s River Falls and it was better than any playground. I remember coming home with my hair in braids and feeling like I had seen the world.
Our last major holiday was a month spent backpacking in southern India.
The best part of the trip was connecting to local people through the home stays we stayed in. At first I was a bit nervous staying in someone’s home and having to interact every evening. However, this allowed us to learn so much more about the culture and people and to form true friendships. Not to mention we got to eat delicious, home cooked, authentic meals every day. It was wonderful for our kids to interact with Indian children.
I have 3! One was our honeymoon in French Polynesia, which is one of the most beautiful places on earth. It was such a treat to stay in an over water bungalow and be able to drop right into the turquoise water from our room. The second was a two-month long overland trip through Africa. Traveling overland allowed us to see places very few tourists get to see and the two-month trip allowed us to bond with our fellow travellers, whom we still keep in touch with today. The rawness of Africa really touched me and certainly put the world in perspective for me. The third was an extended trip where our family spent five months sailing around the Bahamas on a small sailboat. This was a fantastic bonding experience for our family and it allowed us to slow down and really focus on what is important. It also taught us how little we truly need to be happy and the power of living a more self-sufficient life.
I absolutely love Bali. Yes, it is quite touristy, but there is a certain magic there that is hard to explain. The culture is so incredibly rich and the local’s spirituality is so deep. Combine that with beautiful beaches, volcanoes, lush rice fields and delicious food and it is one of my favourite destinations.
Get away from the large developed tourist areas and walk around smaller villages to truly experience Bali. If you are lucky, you might get to experience a festival or procession on the streets.
My husband and three kids are the best travel companions. To see different countries and cultures through your kids’ eyes is amazing. They pick up on the most interesting things and it is truly magical to see the effect of travel on them.
A guidebook. Even though the world has gone digital, I still like having a paper guidebook when traveling. I started traveling with Lonely Planets and they are still my favourite. There is just something secure about having a book to tell me where to stay or where to eat.
Be flexible. It is good to have a plan, but it is the spontaneous events that form the best travel memories. Allow yourself to wander off the path sometimes, talk to strangers and keep an open mind.
Such a hard decision because there are many places I want to go. I would really like to visit Bhutan or Tibet.
Our blog is 5 Lost Together.
You can visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/5losttogether
and our Instagram on www.instagram.com/5losttogether
Thank you, Dawn, for sharing your fascinating travels with us!
I would love to hear about your travels too. Go to “Travellers’ Tales”, fill in the quick questionnaire and email it to me with your blog links.
Who will I feature next? I’ve got an exciting line-up ahead. Make sure you subscribe to the free newsletter so you don’t miss out on some exciting travel tales
Sara Essop is a travel blogger and writer based in South Africa. She writes about family travel and experiences around the world. Although she has been to 50 countries thus far, she especially loves showcasing her beautiful country and is a certified South Africa Specialist.
These travels of yours sound so idyllic. Awwww Jamaica - that must have been sweet! On my bucket list that one.
I agree, Melissa. Dawn's family adventures do sound amazing. 🙂
Se manfique! I used to devour the National Geographic magazines too
Was great reading about them. going to check out their facebook & insta now
There's nothing like National Geographic and Lonely Planet to inspire a life of travel and wanderlust 🙂