World Art – Santiago, Chile, Photo by Peacocks

You began your travels at an early age. You continued to travel until real life intervened – meaning fell in love, got married, bought a house, had children and worked for a living. It may not have happened in quite that order (for some) but the end result remained the same. Travel was relegated to family vacations and work-related trips to here or there. Regardless, a nagging little voice kept tapping you on the shoulder, “Take a year off. Travel. See the world. Bring the family. Just do it!” And, so it went for lisa Shusterman.

About The Author(s):

Yes, the family thought her mad – at first. Little did they know how sane an idea it would prove to be…

lisa Shusterman is a writer who, along with her husband Marty Greenwell and twin daughters, Siena and Avocet, set a course to places unknown. In lisa’s mind, when her daughters would be nine years old (the age she herself had started traveling), a yearlong journey around the world was a necessity. Yes, the family thought her mad – at first. Little did they know how sane an idea it would prove to be…

Swimming with Dolphins

In 2008, the Shusterman-Greenwell family embarked on a yearlong exploration of the world. They rented out their home, stored their cars, packed their bags and bid farewell to family and friends. But, I’m starting in the middle of the story so let me backtrack a bit. The real tale began in 2005 with the idea. Over the next 2.5 years, the groundwork was laid, lists after lists were compiled, decisions made, same decisions altered, sanity questioned and a dream was turning into a reality.

The Review:

Indeed, the Shusterman-Greenwell family did make their dream a reality and spent a year visiting 40 cities in 17 countries. Lisa has now written about their endeavor in Around the World in Easy Ways: A Guide to Planning Long-Term Travel With or Without Your Kids. It is a detailed account of their own planning strategies, the pitfalls, the positives, the unexpected. From money to schooling issues to “just going with the flow”, lisa has touched upon them all. (Okay, the only thing I found missing was traveling with pets. Kids are not pets. Nice try.)

Spanish Class

While reading this book, I did find certain topics/areas to be repetitive. At first, I found it a bit annoying. The more I read, the more I put myself in the same position of planning such an adventure. I came to realize that repetition is not a bad thing when so many issues need to be addressed. There is always some overlap between transportation and budget or accommodation and budget or food and budget or, well – you get the point. I finally accepted that each topic, as independent as they may appear, are still an integral part of the whole and some things just need repeating.

The book is also interspersed with entries from their original blog: One World – One Trip. All four family members contributed to the site while on the road. These additions definitely make Around the World in Easy Ways a family affair. Not only is it an informative book but also a fun read. I recommend it for anyone considering long-term travel with or without children. (Pets not included.)

Buy now: Around the World in Easy Ways: A Guide to Planning Long-Term Travel With or Without Your Kids

Editor’s notes: This article contains affiliate links. The book was also received compliments of the author for review.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. |
Around the World in Easy Ways: A Guide to Planning Long-Term Travel With or Without Your Kids. |
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Post categories: Book Reviews
Post tags: cultural experiences, family travel, long-term travel, Round the world, travel with kids, travel writing, trip planning