A Family Adventure to Remember
In the fall of 2010, we started to think seriously about a vacation - a different kind of vacation. We wanted an adventure, a trip that would not only provide lasting memories but also a fantastic learning experience for our daughters, Teaghan and Rowan. Why not take a sabbatical from work, yank the girls out of school, and travel as far away from our Montreal winter as we could?
While we have traveled somewhat as a family, we had never experienced anything outside the usual 1-2 week window visiting family, camping or renting a cottage. We thought that this type of adventure would be a great way to instill in the girls a taste for travel, a desire to learn about different cultures, and an appreciation of the values that make us human no matter where we live. Of course, the girls were also thrilled about seeing and interacting with dolphins, penguins, koalas, and kangaroos!
By the fall of 2012, the sabbatical plans were in place, and we started to focus on locations in New Zealand and Australia. We researched the idea of home exchange and settled on a site that offered a huge selection of listings in that part of the world. Judy did a great job contacting potential home-exchange partners, and by early 2013 she had found us accommodations from February through June 2014. With the travel arrangements completed by the early fall 0f 2013, we were ready.
Our main goal in creating this blog is to create a lasting memory of our trip for our family and friends. Another important goal is to give the girls a platform they can use to stay in touch with their friends, classmates, and teachers. We will try to post regular "reports" on the flora and fauna, cultures & customs (Indigenous & European), and locations we visit so that Teaghan and Rowan can share their experiences with everyone at their school in Montreal. We invite you to follow us on our journey and stay in touch by sending us a message on either the Contact page or Comments page. Keep on the lookout for photos, videos, and blog postings detailing these adventures!
While we have traveled somewhat as a family, we had never experienced anything outside the usual 1-2 week window visiting family, camping or renting a cottage. We thought that this type of adventure would be a great way to instill in the girls a taste for travel, a desire to learn about different cultures, and an appreciation of the values that make us human no matter where we live. Of course, the girls were also thrilled about seeing and interacting with dolphins, penguins, koalas, and kangaroos!
By the fall of 2012, the sabbatical plans were in place, and we started to focus on locations in New Zealand and Australia. We researched the idea of home exchange and settled on a site that offered a huge selection of listings in that part of the world. Judy did a great job contacting potential home-exchange partners, and by early 2013 she had found us accommodations from February through June 2014. With the travel arrangements completed by the early fall 0f 2013, we were ready.
Our main goal in creating this blog is to create a lasting memory of our trip for our family and friends. Another important goal is to give the girls a platform they can use to stay in touch with their friends, classmates, and teachers. We will try to post regular "reports" on the flora and fauna, cultures & customs (Indigenous & European), and locations we visit so that Teaghan and Rowan can share their experiences with everyone at their school in Montreal. We invite you to follow us on our journey and stay in touch by sending us a message on either the Contact page or Comments page. Keep on the lookout for photos, videos, and blog postings detailing these adventures!