6 Years on the Road: What Full-Time Travel Has Taught Us
This month marks six years since we swapped a house full of stuff for a home on wheels. Six years of sunsets in places we couldn’t have dreamed of, countless kilometres, a few breakdowns and broken bones, a lot of laughs, and more lessons than we ever expected.
When we set off, we thought this would be a two year adventure around Oz. Instead, it’s become our way of life. Here are the biggest lessons 6 years on the road has taught us.
1. Patience (and then some)
On the road, things go wrong. Tyres blow. Keys get lost. Weather cancels your plans. What we’ve learned is that fighting it doesn’t help – patience does.
Travel has slowed us down in the best way. We’ve learned to take a deep breath, change the plan, and trust that the road always has something else waiting around the corner.
2. Gratitude for the Simple Things
When you live full-time in a caravan, you learn to appreciate the small wins. Sunshine after days of rain can feel like pure gold when you’ve been cooped up in a tiny space together. Seeing the bitumen again after hundreds of kilometres of corrugated dirt is enough to make you cheer. And at the end of a long travel day, nothing beats a cold drink in hand and a family walk to stretch the legs and reset together.
But it’s not just the little comforts. Watching Jasper grow up surrounded by nature, meeting people from every corner of the country, and experiencing landscapes that take your breath away – these are the gifts that keep us grateful every single day.
3. Less Stuff, More Life
When we first packed up, saying goodbye to “stuff” was hard. These days, it feels like freedom. The fewer things we own, the lighter we feel.
We’ve realised it’s not about how much you can carry but how much you can experience. Trading clutter for sunsets, gadgets for campfires, and shopping sprees for national park hikes has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.
4. Resilience When Things Get Tough
Travel isn’t all picture perfect coastlines and beachside camps. Sometimes it’s flat tyres in the rain, sand up to the wheel arches, or storms that shake the van all night.
But those are the moments that build resilience. We’ve learned how to problem-solve together, lean on each other’s strengths, and even laugh (eventually) at the setbacks. Jasper often reminds us: “It’s just another adventure.” And he’s usually right.
5. Connection Matters Most
The places are incredible, but the people we’ve met along the way are what make this lifestyle truly special. From fellow travellers who become lifelong friends, to locals who share their stories and favourite spots – the connections we’ve made on the road have shaped our journey.
And of course, the connection within our own little family has grown stronger. Living small means living close, and that’s something we’ll always treasure.
6. The Road is the Best Teacher
More than anything, six years on the road has shown us that life isn’t about waiting for the “right time”, it’s about jumping in, embracing the unknown, and letting the journey teach you along the way.
It’s taught us patience, resilience, gratitude, and the joy of simplicity. But more than that, it’s given us a life full of moments we wouldn’t trade for anything.
What About You?
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or your own big lap, travel has a way of teaching us what we most need to learn. We’d love to know: what’s the biggest lesson travel has taught you?
Read more about our journey and how we got started here.
