What started as a trip around New Zealand in 2022 for an Aussie-Kiwi couple has now turned into a world adventure, with their 10-year-old son having already visited 49 countries.
Kirianna, from New Zealand, and her Aussie husband Lachlan Poole live a life that many of us can only dream of – they spend their time travelling to different countries in a Kombi they bought for $74,000 and a restored caravan.
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“Our world trip really began in 2022, when we left Australia and headed to New Zealand as a family,” Ms Poole told news.com.au.
“By then, we’d already spent around four years travelling around Australia in our Kombi with a side tent. I honestly thought my camping days were over as I was due to have our third baby Elsie.
“But just after I had Elsie, Lachlan found our vintage caravan that would fit us all — and he started restoring it during my early post-partum weeks.”
Before baby Elise was four weeks old, the family moved in.
“We had a new plan: take our little home on wheels and travel through my homeland, New Zealand.”
‘Nothing stopping us’
Ms Poole said what then started as a year-long trip around NZ quickly became something much bigger.
“We realised that if we could get the Kombi and caravan onto a ship to NZ, that there was really nothing stopping us from continuing on to other countries.”
And that’s exactly what they did.
Ms Poole said they had a good shipping agent, became comfortable with roll-on-roll-off (RORO) shipping, and “suddenly the world felt a lot more accessible”.
“There wasn’t some perfectly mapped-out plan. We actually never have anything in solid stone, we just let it happen and wait until we arrive. Of course we book a spot on a boat and then work everything else out along the way.”
She said it’s been a huge part of the fun and teaches their children – Riley, 10, Alba, 7, and Elise, 4 – to give anything a go.
Riley alone has visited 49 countries, with his first international trip to Japan at just three weeks old.
But the first country they hit as a family of five travelling in the Kombi and camping was New Zealand.
Given most of their time is spent abroad, the kids are all enrolled with Euka – an Aussie online education and homeschooling provider for students from Kindergarten to Year 12.
“It gives us peace of mind knowing they have a solid curriculum and a supportive community around them, while still allowing us the flexibility to educate them wherever we happen to be,” Ms Poole said.
“They learn so much outside the classroom too which coincides with Euka’s program.
“Geography isn’t just something they read about — they’re standing in different countries, they’re learning about cultures, history, nature and people simply by living it.”
How do they afford to travel the world?
One of the biggest questions the couple get asked is how they can afford to travel the world and ship their Kombi and van, which can cost around $6000-$8000 each time.
“It certainly isn’t the cheapest way to travel, but we try to look at the bigger picture,” she said.
“If you compare it with a traditional family holiday – accommodation, hire cars, activities and then hiring or buying equipment in each destination – the costs aren’t always as far apart as people might imagine.
“We take all our own gear with us: surfboards, fishing rods, bikes, camping equipment and everything the kids need.”
She said it’s definitely a “privilege” to be able to do what they do, and they’re “very conscious of that”.
“We are simply trying to build a lifestyle around the things that matter most to us.”
Ms Poole, who is an author and former flight attendant for Virgin Australia, said her husband’s job as a pilot for a Japanese airline contributes significantly to their lifestyle.
“It obviously comes with perks such as discounted travel and things like that,” she said, adding that his role allows him the flexibility to travel.
“But aviation can also mean being away for a lot of the moments that make up family life,” Ms Poole said.
“That made us think about how we could make the most of the time we do have together, rather than simply accepting that being apart was just part of the job.”
She explained that her husband usually flies back to work for around two or four weeks, adding there’s a balance between his work and their travels.
“A lot of the time we will go with him back to Japan. I also work on a few things of my own. I’ve written two books – The Slow Road Cookbook and The Slow Road: The Complete Guide to Van Life in New Zealand – and we have a website where we share our experiences and sell some of our own gear.”
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She said one popular item is their butterfly camp chairs they made purely for themselves back in 2017.
“People kept asking where they could get them, and eventually we realised there was an opportunity to make them available to other people too,” she said.
“So although it might look from the outside like we’re permanently on holiday, there’s definitely a lot of work happening behind the scenes.”
‘Not always straightforward’
They’re currently onto their fifth country in the Kombi as a family.
“Most recently crossing from Seattle Washington state to Vancouver, Canada. We actually never know if we will be accepted until we hit a border. We always celebrate,” Ms Poole said.
She said it’s not always straightforward, but for the most part, it’s relatively seamless.
“The worst part is probably dealing with stolen items and the worrying about damage but so far she is still in good condition,” she said.
So far, Zion National Park in Utah is one of her favourite locations.
“Which is funny, because we never actually thought we’d make it to the USA. It wasn’t on the original agenda at all,” she explained.
“We discovered that because of the age of the Kombi and caravan, they were eligible to be brought into the country, so suddenly the USA became a possibility.
“So Zion and Joshua Tree both felt like such an achievement because just getting there in a vintage Kombi was a feat in itself. Those hot hills were crazy.”
Ms Poole said when they finally arrived, she remembers thinking, “This is actually crazy cool”.
“There are those moments when you’re travelling where you stop and realise how incredibly lucky you are to be experiencing something together as a family. That was definitely one of them.”
Kombi and van have a one-year visa
Ms Poole explained their Kombi and caravan generally have a one-year visa in each country, so wherever possible, they try to make the most of that time.
“We’re not rushing through places,” she said.
“That’s one of the biggest differences between travelling this way and going on a holiday.
“We can slow down, stay somewhere longer if we love it, leave somewhere sooner if it isn’t quite right, and actually feel like we’re living and becoming a part of a community, rather than simply visiting as tourists.”
Biggest challenges
Ms Poole said space is probably the most obvious challenge.
“Five people living in a Kombi can get pretty cosy. Our children are at the age where they bicker and are loud. But they have the most amazing bond,” she said.
“We check in with them if they want to go home and the answer is always we are happy here.”
“There are breakdowns, maintenance and always something unexpected to fix. Lockie is always covered in oil,” she added.
If there is one thing she does miss, it’s having time to herself.
“When you’re together constantly, it can sometimes feel overwhelming, but there’s nothing a walk can’t fix.”
Ms Poole said she’s had to learn that needing a little personal space doesn’t mean you don’t love being together.
“It’s just part of living so closely as a family. Even the difficult moments become part of the story.”
You can follow their journey under the handle theslowroad_ on Instagram.