Catching up with the Kiwi family (on the road with 8 kids)

Over two years ago, we first interviewed the Kiwi family about to embark on a round-the-world journey with eight kids, one grandpa, mom Rachael and dad Rob. Now that the end of their trip is in sight, we checked back in and asked this fascinating family to reflect on their journey and what they have learned so far.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced so far on your trip? How did you overcome this challenge?

Rob says the worst is fitting everyone into the six square metres of motorhome floor space all at once, everyone wanting to go in different directions, but no one being able to move anywhere! Overcome it? We just work out which person needs to move first to let the others shift too – and get the little kids in to bed ASAP! Older kids’ answer is that they do not have so much time for doing things like science and Latin – solution was for us to move at a slower pace, ensuring more “downtime” (and to smile that children WANTED to study more!) (Rachael) thinks our biggest problem has been inter-relational frictions that were present before leaving home and became accentuated with 24/7 contact. Solution is a work in progress.

Has anyone been bored? If so, how did you solve that?

That’s not a word in our vocabulary! In fact, when I asked the children one of them said, “Even when there is nothing to do at the end of the day there are still thoughts running round my head that need processing” This question did prompt the response that before we picked up cheap bikes in Holland, they had been missing riding……then the train of thought continued to….they also miss being able to disappear and climb trees like they could at home. IF someone does discover this word one day, I have a good list of jobs that will put them out of their misery! Also, I think in situations where there was potential for boredom (like four days on a train or 11 hours on a bus with only one 20 minute stop – or 21 hours on a bus), as parents we would anticipate the wiggles and ask questions about what we were seeing to engage the wrigglers. But, that said, we saw plenty of children throughout Asia taking long distance trips with no journals, no iPod to share, no card games – just the expectation that they will endure!

How does the bureaucracy compare to what you expected?

We knew Russian visas could be tricky. We did not know just HOW bad it would be or that it would take hours and hours to find out the information we needed. Once we had it, it was a piece of cake. Same with purchasing the motorhomes in Berlin. Another week was spent just trying to get the facts. Once we had the information, again, it was easy….but getting the info was not easy. (In case it helps anyone….it is impossible to purchase a vehicle in Germany unless you are an EU citizen or want to export it to another country and never ever return to Germany with it – finding that out took us a week!) In some Chinese train stations getting information about trains a couple of days away was also difficult – the information lady would only give info for the very next train about to leave! And all that in Chinese…so we had to find someone to translate the info for us (and in the end it was too hard and we took a bus!!!!!)

What is it like for your kids to play and interact with local kids?

It was funny to watch them in places where there was no English – somehow they all just made up games that seemed to involve lots of talking and running and heads together……I never knew *how* they communicated and I’m not sure if the little ones even realised the other kids did not understand their English, but they got on fabulously. In Germany, sometimes there would be other children at playgrounds and when they heard English they would want to try out their knowledge. Hello. What is your name? How old are you? Giggle. (and in German) “Oh she understood me.” And a new friend is made. In England we have not met many children – I think they’re all in school! One thing I had not thought about so much before we left, but which became apparent, was the fact that our tribe can be quite self-contained….sometimes they needed encouraging to invite other children to join their games – they don’t realise how intimidating they might be as a large group of foreign-speaking kids!

With so much experience traveling as a large family, what advice do you have to share with other travelers who want to take their large families on the road?

If you really want to do it, don’t be stopped! And go slowly – don’t try to cram too much in.

Where are you headed next?

Currently doing a road trip around England and Scotland….then off to France and Italy and not sure where. Mid-October need to be back in Germany to sell the motorhomes (anyone want to buy them?). Then we’ll don our packs again and hit the trains and busses – heading for Poland, Romania and last stop, Turkey. We’ll be home by the end of the year, having spent fifteen months on the road.

For more updates on the family, check out their blog.

Posted by | Comments Off on Catching up with the Kiwi family (on the road with 8 kids)  | July 21, 2009
Category: General

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