GORV - Digital Magazine Issue #25 | Page 21

RV FEATURE Chloe Allen and family at Nature's Window, Kalbarri NP, WA. " "Are our kids too wild? asks Chloe. Now, don’t get me wrong: living on the road and experiencing all Australia has to offer is genuinely amazing and we wouldn’t change the decision we made to do this for anything. But there are a few realities that aren’t so great, which don’t get highlighted on social media (we are guilty of mostly showing the best bits, too). Living on the road for the past year, we have learned that the good outweighs the bad, and we are grateful for the life we are living. But the following are a few factors to keep in mind when hitting the road… IT’S NOT ONE BIG HOLIDAY I think this is the most common misconception. To be honest, I think we will need a holiday after this holiday, preferably kid-free! Even though we’re travelling through many places people go for holidays, there are still mundane chores to be done. The cooking, cleaning and washing don’t go away, and living in such a small space means it goes from spotless to looking chaotic quickly. YOU WON’T SUDDENLY BECOME AN INSTAGRAM FITNESS MODEL Damn. When we left on our trip, I thought we were going to be that picture-perfect, fit, hiking type of family. So wrong! We’ve done many walks and loads of exploring, but too many happy hours and enjoying lots off barbecues has resulted in lots of extra kilos. I mean, it’s obligatory to try out every town’s bakery right? I do think being the passenger in a car with kids should class as a full-body workout, with the amount of bending, twisting and stretching done to cater for the needs of the little people in the back. IT’S NOT A STRESS-FREE LIFE Living on the road doesn’t suddenly make you a super-chilled-out free spirit. You still have some stresses of everyday life. For me, the biggest stress about living on the road is the feeling of uncertainty. When will we next get work? When will I get a career? When will we buy a house? Are our kids too wild? / 21