If you have come in contact with me anytime in the last year, have been following along with my blog, or even just read my About Me page, you will know that we are about to head off on a twelve month adventure of a life time. In just two more sleeps we will be getting on a plane, and not coming home for a year.
A gap year is daunting for a twenty-year-old just out of school with no responsibilities and their life in front of them. For a Gen X, forty-something couple, with kids, a house, cars, jobs etc it can be terrifying. Here are some things we’ve had to think about before we leave on our gap year that we would not have had to consider in our twenties.
The Kids
Our daughters, Bailey and MacKenzie, are 20 and 18 respectively. They are living in a world where kids stay at home and mooch off their parents until well into their twenties. We have been planning this gap year since they started high school, so it is no surprise to them that we are leaving them here alone to pay the mortgage and behave like adults.
I am sure they will make mistakes, just like I did living away from my parents at that age, but it will be a great learning curve for them, and they will thank me for it one day. They are both independent and resourceful, and I think they will quite like not having the parents to tell them what to do.
The House
Our kids are staying in our house for the year, but they are joining us for the first month in Europe. They are flying out of Adelaide and meeting us in Oslo, while we take the scenic route via Newcastle and Singapore. At least I know that if during that week I realise I have forgotten something, they can bring it to me.
While we are all away, we have a house sitter. Someone who still has never been to our house, met our pets, or learnt our routine. I know her vaguely, but both my kids know her better, and I am going on their recommendation. It is also possible that she will choose to stay for the rest of the year, helping my girls pay the “rent” and bills.
This means Simon and I need to “move out” so she has room in our bedroom for her stuff. The last week has been a flurry of sorting and packing. Everything is either packed in storage tubs or packing cubes. Trying to find a specific t-shirt I wanted today was an adventure.
Owning our home is great, but we really have to hope nothing breaks while we are away. Co-ordinating the replacement of the hot water system or air conditioning from somewhere remote is not something I want to think about. We also still have to factor rates, insurance and all those other costs that don’t go away just because we are!
The Cars
In the lead up to this trip all four of us have been sharing two cars. There was no point the kids buying cars for themselves, and then having extras while we were away on our gap year. So we have juggled, scheduled, car shared, anything to get through. Both the cars are around ten years old. We don’t get to travel for twelve months and have new cars, for obvious reasons!
One car is an Audi, and recently it broke down. Our mechanic said we need to sell it, because he is struggling to get parts for it that don’t cost the earth! So about a week ago we were looking around for a new(er) car. In the end we didn’t buy one, and we’ll just have to take the risk that it will last. Hopefully it doesn’t cost a big chunk of our travel money to fix in six months time!
The Jobs
Mine was simple – I quit! I was ready for a change, and probably would have done so even without this trip. I had committed to working full time while my kids were at high school so that we could send them to a private school, and I had fulfilled that commitment.
While I was an accountant, I worked for a transport and logistics company rather than an accounting firm. I enjoyed the variety in my job, no two days were ever the same. But it was hard work. It really was. I struggled with the office politics. My role as supervisor often meant my hands were tied, and I was in the middle between management and staff who had issues. Things just weren’t fair, and it was just business. I didn’t know how to fix it and I was done.
Simon is taking leave from his job. He has been in the same job for twenty-five years. His roles have changed, even the company he works for has changed a few times, but he’s always been in the same place doing basically the same thing.
In Australia we have a type of leave called long service leave. Basically it means that once you have been in your job for a number of years, you get an extra chunk of leave. The states vary, but here in South Australia it’s particularly generous. After each ten years of service you are entitled to thirteen weeks leave.
Simon has never taken his long service leave, so he has plenty of weeks available. We have also been saving some of his annual leave, so that covers a few more weeks. There will be a few weeks of unpaid leave, but it’s a good feeling to know we have income for most of our trip.
The Other Stuff
There has been so much boring “other stuff” to consider. Insurance for example. I have spent hours working it all out, and then making sure the kids can claim if there is an issue. The same with the utilities. Ringing all the gas, electricity, phone, internet companies to ensure the kids can deal with any issues took me almost another day! I don’t want to hear that hold music again for, well, at least a year! Then came the subscriptions, donations, memberships etc. More hold music!
Another consideration has been ageing parents and grandparents. Simon and I each have a living grandmother, both well into their nineties. We have had to come to terms with the possibility of missing their funerals. Our parents are also not getting any younger, and without us nearby to help out, could struggle. There will never be a good time to travel though if we think too much about this, and it is only going to get worse in the future unfortunately.
Communication has also been on my mind. We want the kids to be able to contact us whenever they need to. It is also important to us to be able to contact our extended family. FaceTime will be a godsend, even though I have had to give lessons to some. Particularly for our parents, it has been reassuring for them to know they can still easily speak with us without it costing a fortune.
But We Are Still Going!
It may have been a bit more to think about and organise our gap year, but we are going! There will never be a perfect time, so we are – as Nike says – just doing it! Someone once said to me most people would love to do what you are doing but they are not brave enough! I don’t know if I feel brave, but I do feel if we don’t grab this opportunity with two hands, we may not get it again.
We have worked hard, saved hard, and sacrificed for years to make this happen. I truely believe if you want to do this badly enough just go! We will live cheaper on the road than at home, and have experiences that will change us forever.
A lot of Preparation.. soon it will be too late to do anything more … then you can just focus on the amazing adventure ahead.
Yay ? Have a fabulous time.
Thanks Carol. Then I will have to start thinking more about the actual trip. What we are going to do and see, where we are going to go. I kind of have to first month planned, but even in that time there is some accommodation and travel still to be booked.
It’s a lot to think about, but it will definitely all be worth it. I don’t think you’ll find yourself looking back with any regrets in twelve month’s time.
Thanks LC. Yep, fairly sure we won’t regret it! Coming home again could be difficult if we are having too much fun 🙂
Inspiring! I am 57 and hoping to do this as soon as I renovate my house ready for rental…
Thanks Eric. Luckily for us our kids are staying in the house or we would have had to renovate too!
Give you joy of your travels! I think you are doing this exactly right. Old enough to appreciate the places you’ll visit, enough time and money to make it work, a fair bit of travel experience to avoid rookie mistakes, and – best of all – a plan to share the experience with those forced to stay at home.
The best bit may well be at the start, when you have your two adult children with you. Sounds like it will be a legendary family holiday. All too soon they will have jobs and relationships and commitments that will keep them busy. But for now, enjoy their company. That is the sweetest aspect of my own life: having kids that are more equals than dependents. Sharing a bottle of wine at dinner and talking grown-up stuff.
A lot of preparation but it sounds like an amazing trip! You’ll definitely have a blast. Also, I’m from South Australia too! 😀
Hi fellow South Aussie – great to see you off travelling the world too. I am sure we will have a ball.
I’m in my forties and looking to do this after retirement – unfortunately there’s too much at stake (job etc) to do it now. I really admire you guys for working towards a dream and then making it actually happen! Look forward to reading about your experiences…
Thanks Jill. I totally understand! To do this meant deciding it was more important than our future careers – at least we accepted we were putting certain aspects at risk. In our case it was worth it 🙂
Sounds fabulous! Well done both of you for taking the plunge – you won’t regret it! Great post. Enjoy!
Thank you. I don’t think there is any way we will regret it 🙂
Hello
Good for you guys! You are very brave and doing the right thing.
I am from Spain and over 40 years old. I am considering doing the same thing but the risk of not finding a job after it is putting some
doubts. I will decise in the comming weeks
In themeantime, I will follow you.enjoy it!
Ana
Thanks Ana. We are very lucky that my hubby will have a job to come home to, so that makes it feel a little less risky. I don’t know what I am going to do when we get home. I guess we will see!
Just connected with you on instagram and looking forward to following your adventures! What a cool thing you guys are doing. No doubt will be a trip of a lifetime! Enjoy!!
Thanks Dan. Will definitely be a trip of a lifetime.
Very cool. How inspiring! Have a blast?
Thank you Jacqueline
Hi there Josie. I just found your blog via Pinterest, so glad I did. My husband and I are about to do exactly what you have done, we are leaving our 20 and 21 year old kids at home in Adelaide and will wander the world for the next year, we leave on 16/4/18! This blog post has been helpful, we have spent so much time working out how to get a Schengen Visa, has not even considered adding the kids names onto the utilities accounts and insurance so they can deal with anything that comes up! Will add that to our prep list!
I will enjoy reading all your blog posts to get inspired for our travels.
Nice to see a mid life gap year being done well!
I will follow you on Instagram also, if our paths cross at some stage, maybe we can meet for a drink somewhere in this big wide world!
Safe travels 🙂
So great to hear I have been of help Heidi – it does sound like you are doing EXACTLY what we have done, down to being from the same city with kids nearly the same age! You are even leaving almost exactly one year after us – we left Oz on April 17th last year. Would love to keep in touch and maybe catch up if possible.
Delighted to read this so long after your planning and achieving a remarkable adventure. I certainly did not know you back then but have enjoyed all your recent postings and adventures so it was good to fill in the background.
Hoping to catch up with you at the BC convention in April 2020. Keep your spirits up as you prepare for that forthcoming adventure.
Very much looking forward to seeing you again there and thanks for this backgrounder.
Thanks Jan, I look forward to seeing you on the Gold Coast 🙂