Leaving your daily life behind you and hitting the open road is a dream many Australians have. Forgetting the stresses of work, no longer dealing with traffic and deadlines and responsibilities…if only it were that simple.
For one Aussie family couple, it really is that simple!
Tracy and Rob Morris, aka The Blonde Nomads, made the decision 6 years ago to do exactly this – and they’ve never regretted it!
Tracy said she and Rob had always had a love of the outdoors, but like most people, had grown up to do the adult thing – careers, marriage and a mortgage. As their workloads increased and their responsibilities piled up, they found they had less and less time to escape the city even for short breaks; and so the decision was made.
“We were finding that everyday life was getting us down. Rob was working long hours, was living in a constant state of stress, and we were hardly seeing each other or spending time together as a family,” Tracy said. “It really was no way to live.”
“We sold our house and jumped in a Jayco caravan, and then quite simply, we took off!”
“Of course packing up your life and hitting the road is not a decision we took lightly. Because we have always had a love of travel, we had already been working on the Blonde Nomads with our website and social media, so we decided to take it further to allow us to work while we travelled,” Tracy said.
And so Rob and Tracy hit the road with their 2 toddlers Marli 4, and Ziggy, 2, spending weeks at a time in some of Australia’s most remote locations. Tracy, who has a marketing degree, said she and Rob really pushed the Blonde Nomads as a brand, getting in sponsorships and building their followers. Their key focus had always been to inspire others to embrace the benefits of spending time in nature.
Both Tracy and Rob’s kids have spent their early years living in a caravan and exploring the great outdoors. They said they generally travel with no set plan, stopping where they feel like and staying as long as they like.
“It’s such a great life for children to be outdoors” Tracy said.
“Our kids have grown up exploring and learning in nature. They get to see animals in their natural habitat. They both love fishing, having grown up with a rod in their hands. They both know how to build a fire, they know all the names of the trees. They love the beach and swimming – we are always chasing the sun and the ocean so spend a lot of time on the coast!” Tracy said.
“We get to spend so much time together as a family, which is something we will cherish always.”
Living together 24/7 in a caravan with two children is an amazing journey – but Rob said it can get a bit too much sometimes! Like everyone else, living on top of each other comes with its own challenges and they need their own space at times, but they always make it work.
These days with the children getting older (Marli is now 6 and Ziggy is 4), they need to consider schooling options and so far have found a balance of homeschooling as well as stopping for longer periods to place Marli into mainstream school. This also gives them some time to catch up and work on their blog.
The Blonde Nomads website, blog and social media is aimed at encouraging and inspiring Aussies to get outdoors and enjoy nature and is full of colourful images and videos from their adventures as well as informative travel tips.
“There’s nothing better than waking up in the bush, enjoying the peace and quiet, listening to the birds, and sitting under a tree to eat your breakfast,” Rob said.
“We have travelled through most of Australia, though it’s still on our list to get right to the tip of Cape York in far north Queensland.”
“We also love Western Australia! Some of our best memories are from the West. We loved visiting the Dampier Peninsula, Lucky Bay, Exmouth and of course travelling through the Kimberley is amazing. These are all definitely places we will get back to again one day”.
The Blonde Nomads lifestyle might not be for everybody…but then again, maybe it’s right for some!
Rob and Tracy can’t speak highly enough of being in nature, travelling and exploring; and especially taking children out too. They’re never too young to go camping and travelling, and they will thank you when they’re older, Rob says.
“We know we are fortunate for what we have achieved, and it wasn’t something we just woke up one morning and decided to do. But our theory is that you have to take the plunge and go for it – jump and the universe will catch you!”
“We encourage everyone to get out there, whether it’s for a month, a weekend, or just a day trip to the beach. Get outside, switch off from technology and enjoy the fresh air – you won’t regret it!”
“There’s plenty of opportunities for travel that a lot of people may not realise. You can travel to towns and work there for a while before moving on. If you have a trade, you can pick up odd jobs that way, or there’s helping on farms or fruit picking. There are even opportunities for housesitting or pet sitting that give you a chance to travel and experience another world.”
“We have met so many amazing people on our travels, from other families living the nomad life, to couples taking holidays, to seniors doing the long-awaited big lap. There is a real sense of community out there on the road and It’s all part of the experience!” Rob said.
If you’re looking for inspiration. Follow the Blonde Nomads on social media @theblondenomads and read their blogs theblondenomads.com.au. Who knows, one day it could be you living the nomad life!
