Hey Reader,
It’s officially April, which means we’re 4 months closer to the biggest leap our family’s ever made. Flights are booked. Lists are long. Todo list never ending and we have just started to redecorate to make the house a little more ready for renting.
Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes as we prep for long-term travel through South America.
Life Update: House vs Human Energy
We’ve started decluttering, which sounded manageable until we opened the kids’ wardrobes. How do small humans accumulate so much stuff?
Every box we pack, journey to the skip or charity feels like we’re moving one step closer to freedom and one step further into mild panic. But it’s happening, and it feels good to finally see the change.
We’ve also narrowed down our first few stops, and there’s a high chance our first month will include beaches, empanadas, and someone (me) butchering Spanish at a fruit market.
Packing, Planning, Parenting
This month I made a rule: If I wouldn’t wear it twice without shame, it’s not going in the backpack. That helped cut my clothes list in half. Plus i'm 6ft 3 man and my clothes are big, I'll be buying clothes over there.
Also started testing some gear we’ll rely on while on the move. This travel daypack from Trail Aspen is looking like a winner, fits my laptop, snacks, and an emotional support coffee flask. Tania approves.
Next up: testing shoes that won’t destroy my feet in 10,000 steps. If you’ve got recommendations, reply and send 'em my way!
Travel Tip of the Month
Build your “Departure Folder” now.
Digital or printed, keep copies of:
- Passports
- Travel insurance
- Flight confirmations
- Vaccination records
- Kids’ school letters (if needed for border crossings)
It’s boring admin, but it’ll save your butt more than once. Trust me.
Spanglish Corner
Phrase we’re practicing:
“¡Ten cuidado!” — Be careful!
Useful in playgrounds, markets, and when one of the kids inevitably tries to ride a suitcase.
We’re learning with TalkBox.Mom which keeps things fun and practical for the whole family (aka no boring grammar drills). Our kids are actually using phrases without prompting, which is kind of mind-blowing.
Stuff We’re Loving This Month
- Packing Cubes – I used to think these were a gimmick. Now I want to shake the hand of the genius who invented them. [Affiliate link]
- Spanish Phrase Posters – We’ve got ours on the fridge and by the bathroom sink. The kids love quizzing us. [TalkBox.Mom again, honestly we love it]
- Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki – Reading this minimalist book while tripping over Lego is... humbling. But inspiring.
What’s Next?
- Sorting travel insurance (yes, we’ll share what we go with)
- Getting the house ready to rent or leave behind
- Starting to map out The Big Pack 😬
If you’ve got any golden packing tips or Spanish-learning wins, hit reply, I read every email and love hearing what works for other families.
Thanks for being here and following along with our chaos-in-progress.
See you next month!
– Sean
For Team TravelventureFour
