You might have noticed that this family love their holidays and over the next few years plan many more. We want the girls to share our passion for travel and adventure, to see for themselves how others live and experience different cultures and customs. We are due to move house in February and are planning to have a huge map on our kitchen wall where we can plan and record our travels together:
We want to share the world with them but for now here’s 10 big adventures on our family bucket list:
1. Dog sledging in Lapland
We have always fancied flying across the snow in a sleigh drawn by husky dogs. We almost did it in Canada but ran out of money. What better place to do it though than lapland. I can just imagine the smiles and giggles on the girls faces. Of course seeing Santa and the reindeer would be super amazing too. The perfect family adventure that they will never forget and would make us the best parents ever!
2. Snorkelling in the Maldives
Husband and I have been fortunate to holiday in the Maldives three times already and if we could afford it would visit all of the islnds. It really is paradise. From the sea plane to the warm turquoise water, the perfect sandy beaches and underwater paradise, we have made some amazing memories. We have swam in the shallows with turtles, sharks and manta rays, have seen millions of brightly coloured fish and even more diving. Not just for couples and honeymooners, it would be a dream to share it all with the girls.
3. A glass bottom boat tour of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Well to be honest both husband and I are experienced divers and would love to dive it but Poppy wants to snorkel and take a glass bottomed boat. She already has a map on her bedroom wall and would love to see the coral reef for herself. We actually have friends out there who we would love to catch up with and of course explore as much of the country as possible whilst there. We know its a long flight but that wouldn’t phase us.
4.Experiencing the Magic of Disney World in Florida.
How excited would these girls be when faced with the magic of Disney World? They really are little princesses who believe in everything to do with magic, fairies and pixie dust. Of course there is so much more than the Magic Kingdom to see and I know they would love it all. We took Poppy to Disneyland in LA when she was just 8 months old, Husband and I went to Disneyland in Paris before children and I have been to Disney World in Florida as a teenager. It would be so much more amazing to do it all together now.
5. Visiting the Orangutan Sanctuary in Borneo
Having spent time in Borneo and Malaysia before children, we unfortunately never actually made it here despite wanting to. It would be pretty special to share it with the girls though. We all adore animals and nature so seeing Orang-utans up close would be a dream come true. The biggest girls adore the National Geographic Kids so would be excited to try and take photos just like the posters inside it as would Mummy and Daddy. Oh how I want to go now!
6.Swimming with dolphins in the Caribbean
Husband and I adore the Caribbean and know the girls would too. With so many islands there really is something for everyone and again they are not just for honeymooners. The girls are so happy at the beach and would be amazed by the beautiful colours of the water. We can imagine their eyes lighting up at seeing dolphins in the wild and trying new things like snorkelling, kayaking or windsurfing. We would be very keen to see more than just the beaches though and explore the islands properly.
7. Spot monkeys, turtles and elephants in Sri Lanka.
The lush tropical rainforests, turquoise waters and natural wildlife in Sri Lanka have always appealed to us so we would love to take the girls and share these experiences with them. Friends of ours have been and told us how amazing it was seeing the elephants in the wild at the elephant corridor and how sometimes you can help baby turtles make it to the water. Adventures the whole family would never ever forget.
8. Skiing in the Austrian Alps
Husband and I can both ski and have all the gear already. We haven’t yet taken the girls but are keen to change this. They have barely seen snow so would be overwhelmed with excitement. We can already imagine how fearless Poppy and Daisy would be. Rosie would be slightly less confident but would throw herself into it and enjoy it immensely. Definitely one of those adventures we want to do sooner rather than later.
9. A Canadian Road trip or two
Poppy was born in Canada and we lived out there until she was one. We would love to take her back there to see it for herself. We would be keen to repeat a road trip we did from Alberta to Vancouver Island, take her to the mountains (Bamff, lake louise and Jasper) and even to make it to Niagra Falls which we missed last time due to unforeseen circumstances. Canada is huge and these places are all in completely different directions so we might have to do a few trips or a combination of fly/drives.
!0. Spot the Big 5 on an African Safari
Husband has done this already but its something I have always wanted to do myself. With their love of animals and appreciation of nature, this holiday would provide unforgettable memories and teach the girls so much about animals in the wild. I am not quite sure who would enjoy this more…them or me!
There are so many other experiences we want to share and places we want to explore. The world is a big place and life is short so we want to make the most of it:
Where would you like to go with your family and which of these should we do first?
Karen x