This blog is our daily journal from the road. These posts capture our days as they unfold while travelling long term as a family. They’re written in real time, without polish or hindsight, and reflect the small moments, routines, and rhythms of life on the move.
Longer reflections and feature stories live separately on our Stories page.
Day 52 - Last Full Day at Hygge Farm: Snakes, Noodles & Community Fires
Our final full day at Hygge Farm was packed with salted coffees, rock painting chaos, a surprise snake encounter at the quarry, and cooking dinner for 24 people. It ended around a fire, reflecting on community, slow travel and the routines we didn’t realise we’d grown to love.
Day 51 - Farm Life: Banana Trees, Banh Mi & Barely Any Sleep
A freezing night on the floor, digging trenches, hauling banana trees down a Vietnamese back road, kids with machetes, salted coffee wins and a sweaty sunset run through the rice fields. Farm life on Day 51 wore us out in the best possible way.
Day 50 - Sunset Runs, Septic Pipes & Settling Into Farm Life
Fifty days into our worldschooling adventure and we’re finding our rhythm on a Vietnamese farmstay. From digging septic trenches and sharing bánh mì breakfasts to a golden sunset run through backcountry roads, Day 50 was simple, social, and deeply grounding. The nights are rough, the showers are questionable, but the community vibe is real and we’re learning how to slow down.
Day 49 - Building a Farm in Vietnam: Trenches, Cold Showers & Community Living
Day 49 on the farm in rural Vietnam. From digging trenches for a new septic system and cold bucket showers to hammock chats, karaoke nights and a deeper conversation with the farm’s founder about his vision for local kids. Farm life is uncomfortable at times, but it’s slowly teaching us something important about community, resilience and slowing down.
Day 48 - Farmstay Life in Vietnam: Poop Scooping, Banana Trees & Bunkhouse Nights
After a rough night in a creaky bunkhouse, we were up at 7am for animal duties at our Vietnam farmstay. From scooping manure and chopping banana trees with a machete to sharing simple meals with travellers from Germany, Israel and France, Day 48 was slow, rainy and unexpectedly grounding. Farm life isn’t glamorous, but it’s real.
Day 47 - Goodbye Green Areca, Hello Farm Life
Day 47 was all about goodbyes, gelato surprises, and stepping into something completely different. We said farewell to Green Areka Villas after a beautiful stay, rode off with way too many bags, and arrived at a rural volunteer farmstay with bucket showers and bunk beds. From Vietnamese birthday kindness to boiling kettles for warm showers, it was a full day of contrasts.
Day 46 - A Vietnam Birthday to Remember: Emmett Turns One Year Older at VinWonders
From a surprise birthday setup on our bed to cake by the pool, roller coasters at VinWonders, dodgem car chaos, and a traditional Cao Lầu dinner in Hoi An. Emmett’s birthday abroad was different to home, but every bit as special.
Day 45 - Rainy Days, Roadside Shops & Market Finds in Vietnam
A rainy start couldn’t slow us down on Day 45. From indoor workouts and noodle breakfasts to the kids reopening their roadside shop, market shopping for Austria, pool time, and a relaxed family dinner, it turned into one of those unexpectedly great slow travel days.
Day 44 - Morning Runs, Kids’ Market Stalls & a Coconut Meltdown in Hoi An
A sleepy start turned into a family bike-and-run adventure, three solid hours of kid-run business at the front gate, cheap local eats, slow coffee in a garden oasis, and a dramatic coconut explosion on the tiles. One of those simple days that somehow felt full from start to finish.
Day 43 - The Kids Opened a Street Shop in Hoi An
What started as a relaxed morning by the pool turned into hours of confidence building, creativity and unexpected chaos as the kids opened their own street-side shop in Hoi An. From handmade multilingual signs to scooter key panic and elephant pants for the whole family, Day 43 was simple, funny and full of small moments that matter.
Day 42 - New Year’s Day in Hoi An: Bamboo Boats, Beach Waves & Budget Lessons
We started 2026 the right way, a sunrise run through rice fields, bamboo basket boats in the coconut forest, bodyboarding at the beach, and a few reminders about travel budgets and sensitive skin. A full, messy, beautiful first day of the year in Hoi An.
Day 41 - New Year’s Eve in Hoi An: Lanterns, Fireworks and a Quiet Family Reflection
Day 41 of our worldschooling adventure brought us to a lantern-lit New Year’s Eve in Hoi An. From poolside breakfasts and scooter rides to fireworks, flying toys, tailor-made shirts and early bedtime reflections, it was the perfect family way to close out 2025 and step into 2026.
Day 40 - Finding Our Feet in Hoi An: Space, Rice Paddies and a Proper Reset
We left Da Nang craving space and landed in the quiet rice paddies of Hoi An. After a false start with accommodation, we finally found a place that felt right. Bikes with backseat cushions, one of the best curries I’ve ever had, pool races at 24 degrees, and proper room for the kids to breathe. Day 40 felt like a reset in all the right ways.
Day 39 - Marble Mountains, Giant Buddha & Mid-Trip Grumps in Da Nang
Day 39 of our worldschooling adventure took us from a roadside breakfast cart to the caves of Marble Mountains and the towering Lady Buddha in Da Nang. A big day of exploring, mixed with tired kids, heavy luggage realities and one of those honest family reset moments.
Day 38 - A Hard Lesson About Hotels (And the Best Pizza in Da Nang)
A terrible hotel breakfast, a much-needed coffee cart reset, and a big realisation about what kind of accommodation actually works for our family. Day 38 in Da Nang taught us that freedom for the kids means peace of mind for us and ended with the best pizza we’ve had in a long time.
Day 37 - First Impressions of Da Nang – Coffee Wins, Beach Walks & Night Markets
Our first day in Da Nang brought big city views, disappointing hotel breakfast, the best street coffee in Vietnam, a $7 bakery feast, beach walks, juggling performers, night markets and rolled ice cream by the river. A full day of exploring, recovering and settling into life in this vibrant coastal city.
Day 36 - Boxing Day Goodbye: Leaving the Forest Hub for Neon Nights in Da Nang
Day 37 of our worldschooling adventure was a big one. After 20 unforgettable days at the forest hub, we packed up, said emotional goodbyes, survived flight delays, and landed in a neon-lit Da Nang just before midnight. From water pistol pool fights to airport drink vouchers and a surprise Brisbane encounter, it was a long but memorable Boxing Day travel day.
Day 35 - Christmas in Vietnam: Sick Bellies, Kem Beach & What Really Matters
Christmas on a tropical island wasn’t quite what we expected. Sick bellies, expensive taxi rides, clear blue water at Kem Beach, and a quiet night in. A different kind of Christmas and a reminder that family is what truly makes the day special.
Day 34 - Christmas Eve in the Tropics: Tacos, Secret Santa & A Late-Night Dash
Christmas Eve started with a sweaty tropical run and ended with tacos, Secret Santa laughs, and a sudden dash back to the room when not everyone was feeling their best. A simple, slightly chaotic, and very real Christmas Eve on the road.
Day 33 - Big Pools, Fast Toys & a Resort Day in Phu Quoc
A spontaneous day pass to Novotel turned into one of our favourite family days yet. Featuring underwater motor toys, big pools, beach time and market wandering. Day 33 was simple, social and seriously fun.