The problem with wanderlust is that the whole world appeals. Our family has about 80 answers to the question “what’s on your travel bucket list?” and indeed it’s much easier to list the places we do not want to visit.
This is of course a question of balancing cost, culture, weather, safety and reward.
The reality of this adventure is that we’re looking to live in and explore the countries we visit rather than just daisy-chain holidays together. This means slower land-based travel from base to base and only flying when necessary – much like Race Across the World, though more “meander” than race! To achieve our goal we’ll need to be spending months in countries rather than days or weeks.
It seems logical therefore to list our desired countries into continents and regions; and then plot a route between those over a macro timeline.
Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, the Middle East, North America, Oceania, South-east Asia; but with two young children we can rule out Antarctica; and North America and Scandinavia can cover off the Arctic.
We don’t want to go to the USA while it’s in its current turmoil, and Canada, Central and South America are too close for comfort given the Venezuela/Canada/Greenland thing.
China and Japan are a tough cultural hurdle to start with, and expensive; and similarly Africa would be a tough start, particularly with young children.
That leaves Europe, South-east Asia or Oceania as a starting point.
Europe would be culturally comfortable and a soft start, but expensive; and similarly Oceania would be familiar to get up and running.
So with the need to truly take a leap, explore different cultures, and not break the bank… South-east Asia will be the first leg.