Ida Thunberg and her husband mostly live a normal small-town life in Värmland with their two sons Milo and Jack. However, the family has a great interest in travelling, which has led to many exciting trips together, including in Sweden and around Asia. Now they are planning perhaps the biggest trip ever, as they will be travelling around the world!
The family has recently sold their house in Värmland and is currently preparing for their big adventure. We took the opportunity to ask Ida about her experience of travelling with children and planning for the big trip. If you want to follow the family on their Around the World adventure, and if you want more tips on travelling with children, you can check out the family's blog. Travelling with children.
Table of contents
Can you tell us a bit about you and your family? What do you do when you are not travelling?
We are a very ordinary small town family! We live in the small mill town of Degerfors in Värmland, where Milo and Jack go to school and leisure centre. I work as a freelance journalist and Patrik is self-employed with assignments in a wide range of industries; when we are at home it is mostly in industry and when we travel he is a travel photographer.
Then we have travel as our biggest leisure interest, and it permeates much of our time, even when we are at home. We plan, read, watch travel programmes on TV and lots of other things. Milo and Jack have several leisure activities, with swimming and football being their main interests. We also like to do a lot of things at home, like being in the forest, camping and swimming. And we spend a lot of time with family and friends.
Where does your interest in travelling come from? Have you always travelled a lot and where was your first trip?
My first trip abroad (apart from Denmark) was to Rhodes when I was 18 years old. So I didn't grow up travelling abroad, on the contrary. But we camped a lot in Sweden and rented cabins, made lots of excursions and looked around a lot.
So I think my interest in travel comes from the fact that my mum and dad have always done a lot of things with us. Then I have "scaled up" it on my own far beyond the borders of Sweden. But they laid the foundation through their fixing and their curiosity, I'm pretty sure.
Can you tell us about three great destinations where you travelled with children?
Loved Thailand. We have had such nice long trips there with the children during their baby/toddler years so the country will always be in my heart. Especially the smaller islands that have given us a more personalised approach, like Koh Jum and Koh Phayam.
Laos. The island Don Khone in the archipelago called 4000 Islands was amazing. We cycled around this car-free island and on the neighbouring island of Don Det, we swam in the Mekong River and had such a great time.
Storforsen, Älvsbyn, Norrbotten, Sweden. An absolutely marvellous place. Milo and Jack and their cousins had a lovely day here, as did we parents, barbecuing on the rocks, jumping off cliffs and enjoying all the incredible views.
What are your top tips for travelling with children?
Setting is almost everything. It may sound a bit simple, but if we adults assume that everything will be fine - it usually is. If, on the other hand, we convey that we ourselves are nervous and anxious, and find it super boring to wait for buses and trains that never arrive ... well, then it will be super boring for the children too.
Have reasonable expectations. This really applies both with and without children. But I think that families with children in particular have a tendency to paint a fantastic picture in front of them that looks like the charter companies' advertising pictures. Instead, start from yourself and your children - what do you like, and what suits you? Choose those things, even if they don't match the charter brochures.
You are about to embark on a round-the-world trip. What does the itinerary look like?
Well, it's not quite nailed down... But for now, and with MAJOR reservation for changes: Dubai, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, the Caribbean islands, New York. We are scheduled to be away for nine months. Departure on 28 August, and we will probably come home at the end of May 2017.
How have you prepared for this trip?
Wow, it's in so many different ways! Financially, it's a constantly frugal lifestyle, at least when it comes to material things. And we plan the trip very, very carefully. I never watch TV; all my free time, except when I'm with the kids, is spent planning the trip. We read a lot about all possible destinations, we check distances, whether it's possible to travel by night train or night bus, and if so, what times and from where.
Then we are also preparing for Milo's schooling, checking out possible freelance jobs along the way, buying a new camera to be able to document very well for blogs and reports, and everything else. Milo will be in second grade the year we are away, and we will teach him ourselves in co-operation with his school and teachers. We will have some books, and an important part of the teaching will be that he himself writes stories about what he experiences that we send home to the school. And lots of reading of course!
In addition to the traditional teaching, we will practise a lot of English, ordering food ourselves, talking to new friends and so on. In general, we always try to focus on the children learning new things, and not least broadening their horizons in different ways. After all, the world is much bigger than Degerfors ... Little brother Jack would have attended the six-year kindergarten during this year and is therefore not obliged to attend school. But he will definitely come along anyway, and he will also "go to school" for the whole trip.
What are you most worried about for the trip and what are you most looking forward to?
That we will be away for a long time, and this from the perspective that we have our closest people - our parents and other family and friends - still at home in Sweden. That something happens to them while we are far away is by far the most worrying thing.
The thing I'm most looking forward to is the four of us being together, like 24 hours a day. It may sound a bit cheesy, but I really love being with my little family. And in everyday life at home in Sweden, there are many other things that demand attention, such as work, everything to do with the house and home, and all the children's activities. To be together all the time and also experience so many new things - it almost still feels unreal that it will actually happen.
Finally, a question we ask everyone we interview: What is your dream destination?
New Zealand. It's been that way for a very long time, so it feels amazing that we'll be landing there at the end of November and spending a couple of months there. We are planning to travel by camper van for a few weeks, and we would love to live and work on a farm somewhere.
Thank you Ida Thunberg for sharing your experiences and thoughts!
Lennart says:
Awesome to say the least!
09 July 2016 - 6:57
Fantasy dining says:
Oh how exciting! Some inspiration for us with a little 5 day old baby at home what we can do in the future?
09 July 2016 - 7:42
Cathinka says:
What an amazing adventure! Nice trip and lots of pictures I want to see?
09 July 2016 - 8:03
Ama de casa says:
What a wonderful dream trip they have in front of them! 🙂
09 July 2016 - 9:06
Goatfish says:
I admire these fresh people, who think well and take care of each other. What adventures await!
And being positive, not staring down at your shoes when there's a queue, but talking to your neighbour. Sort of. 😀
I wish the family a nice trip! 😀
09 July 2016 - 9:08
Mr Steve says:
Cool! To say the least. I think the fact that it is an ordinary family from little Degerfors that is embarking on this adventure makes it even cooler. Maybe it helps that Degerfors has a place in my heart, but then it is Stora Valla and the football team that has been with me since the days of Rekordmagasinet in the 60s. Also, in the 00s we had a holiday home 2 miles from Degerfors so it was "our town".
I like her travel tips "Attitude is almost everything" and "Have reasonable expectations". Probably because I think the mental is more crucial than the practical in life.
What would become of these children? What a fantastic upbringing. And what a great "school" Milo and Jack go to.
09 July 2016 - 9:30
Dryden - Traveller's Edition says:
Impressive!
09 July 2016 - 9:33
Comsi Comsa says:
What a journey they will have ahead of them, so absolutely wonderful for the most part.... Exciting....
Hugs ♥
09 July 2016 - 9:39
Maggan and Ingemar says:
It's great to see young people who put family first and not career. What wonderful memories those children will have in the future. I wish I had been 50 years younger, then I would have done what they will now do.
Good luck on your journey, I'm sure many people are jealous.
09 July 2016 - 14:17
admin says:
Fantasy Dining, oh is it true!!!? Congratulations to the new family member!!!
Steve, nice to hear about your relationship with Degerfors! 🙂
09 July 2016 - 16:16
BP says:
Find it absolutely wonderful to read this post. The right approach to travelling with children. Children need not be an obstacle but an asset as in this family.
Like Steve, I also think of football when I hear Degerfors.
09 July 2016 - 16:53
Matts Torebring says:
With the family at the centre, the commitment, the interest, the entrepreneurship to work their way forward is really impressive.
09 July 2016 - 17:09
The Thunberg family says:
Oh, only now I see all the comments here. We have been moving all day and now landed for the evening.
Thank you for your kind words, we are very happy!
What fun Steve! Yes, there is a lot of football in Degerfors! Both Milo and Jack play in the boys' team in Degerfors If ?
Again - Thanks for the comments, and thanks Helena and Peter for the nice contact. Great to be part of FreedomTravel!
09 July 2016 - 22:01
Elisabeth says:
Really interesting! The children will learn a lot!
09 July 2016 - 23:32
biggeros says:
How exciting it sounds and what a positive attitude you have towards most things. I would like to follow your journey. Good luck on your journey???
10 July 2016 - 13:57
admin says:
The Thunberg family, thank you so much for joining us as Guest of the Week! Good luck with the preparations and the trip!
10 July 2016 - 16:56
Marina says:
What an amazing adventure awaits!
10 July 2016 - 17:05
Sandra says:
New Zealand seems to be so heavenly nice! Hope everything goes well in November! So cool!
10 July 2016 - 17:29
Ditte says:
Awesome! And to do what you want and dream of. No obstacles that cannot be crossed. It is very much a question of prioritising where you choose to spend your "money". I think prioritising travel is important and we have always done it even with small children and until they became teenagers. However, we have not been away more than maybe six weeks at a time, but there have been many trips instead.
I follow the family's blog and have also followed their thoughts on the trip and think it is so cool.
Wishing them good luck.
10 July 2016 - 20:50
Mia's Mix says:
Great fun to read. Good luck on your long fantastic journey. We have always travelled with the children and as you say, it is important not to make a mess of things yourself. When our children were 9 months and 2 years and 8 months respectively, we went to New Zealand for 5 weeks. It was a wonderful adventure and my husband and I would love to go back. People are so friendly and help so much when you have children.
10 July 2016 - 21:13
Johanna Utterberg says:
What a cool and interesting read!!! 🙂
10 July 2016 - 23:46
The Thunberg family says:
Again, thank you for the lovely comments!
Ditte, it's inspiring to hear that you've "joined in" and travelled with your children up to their teens, and it's great that you've joined us along the way. You are so welcome to continue to follow along!
Mia's Mix - What fun!!! What role models! Fantastic that you made such a trip with such small children. But yes, travelling with children can actually be one of the easiest things there is - also 🙂
11 July 2016 - 23:51
Jenn - forever abroad says:
It will be so exciting to follow this - inspiring interview!!! 🙂
17 July 2016 - 21:27
Jenn - forever abroad says:
And by the way, New Zealand is SO good - how nice that you are planning to spend some more time there!
17 July 2016 - 21:28