Planning

Though this particular year has been on our radar for the past 5 years or so, in the fall of 2021 we really dug in to the planning of our trip. We hired a RTW trip designer who was incredibly helpful in laying out our path and suggesting various tours, stops, and cities to visit. His suggested itinerary was complete in February, so the “bones” were in place for us to build our path.

Meanwhile, we were meeting with school leaders to understand what it would mean for our kids to not be present for 5 months. How would we insure that they could return to the classroom mid-year without being far behind? How do we teach a classical curriculum without a trunk full of books and materials? How will our daughter transition to middle school late, but smoothly?

And then there’s our sweet dog Rev, a 75lb hound mix that we adopted race weekend of 2021. Who in the world would take care of our guy for that long? Amazingly, our dear friends who had just bought a house behind us were going to need a place to live while construction took place on their remodel. What a gift that Rev, who had been thru shelters in at least a couple of states, would get to stay in the comfort of the place he has grown to know as home, with a sweet family loving on him. A huge blessing, indeed.

I have to admit that as much as I romanticized the idea of this trip, the actual planning felt daunting. How do you even begin to pack for 5 people to travel for this long?? Thankfully, there are a surprising amount of adventurers out there who have done this far longer than we plan to that have posted a wealth of info and tips.

I spent months purchasing items that I expected would help us stay organized, and new cotton-free clothing for the kids. We ordered thousands of dollars worth of shoes, backpacks, and gear in search of the “perfect” item that would last us for the duration of our travels and prove to be flexible for various weather conditions. I was so grateful for all the help I had to return the multitude of boxes and packages that had to be sent back.

Charlie handled all the prep for travel insurance, budgeting, keeping our phones connected, and global rescue services. We pray we won’t need to utilize those, but it brings me a sense of calm to know that we have options in case we need them.

With so many hours put in ahead of time, you would think that we would be able to leave with a secure itinerary and all accommodations booked. Hah! This trip will be a work in progress as we go, but that will suit us just fine.