We sold everything to travel the world – our kids are educated by 'life experiences'

We sold everything to travel the world – our kids are educated by ‘life experiences’

A couple have saved around £24,000 by ditching the UK to travel the world with their children - while living out of two suitcases on a budget of just £30 a day. Ruth and Steven Rowe bought a one-way ticket to Sri Lanka back in 2023 and have been travelling ever since. They decided to embark upon their globe-trotting adventure after wanting more time with their two children before they started nursery and school. Ruth was also not a fan of the cold and wet British weather so the pair are now world-schooling their kids Aurora, four, and Atlas, three, in exotic locations instead. (Photo: Ruth Rowe/SWNS)

No plans to return to the UK

The family have already been to a 11 different countries, ticking off bucket-list destinations such as Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Indonesia. They stay four weeks at a time in Airbnbs and have also visited the likes of Thailand, Malaysia, Cyprus, USA, Colombia and Peru - all while saving around £12,000 a year. Ruth, 34, and Steven, 35, had been renting a barn conversion in the village of Eardisley, Herefordshire, and had both children during the Covid-19 pandemic. But they had always thought about travelling full-time so took off for an ambitious adventure. They currently have no plans to return and want to continue world schooling - while spending around £2,000 a month, compared to £3,000 back in the UK. (Photo: Ruth Rowe/SWNS)

'We sold pretty much everything'

Ruth said: "We had travelled before and for us it got to the stage where we were going to put the kids into nursery and it just didn't feel like the right time. We wanted more time with them as we know those early years are precious, so we thought, why not just do it? So we did. We sold pretty much everything we owned, which was an exhilarating experience - we mainly sold it through Facebook Marketplace and car boot sales. So our car, our furniture, everything but a couple of memory boxes with some of the children's things inside and a few clothes. We set off at the start with two big suitcases, a medium and a small one - and a stroller." (Photo: Ruth Rowe/SWNS)

Life experience over possessions

"Since then we've downsized to just two suitcases - it is really surprising how little you really need. Possessions don't make you happy, life experiences do. We bought a one way ticket to Sri Lanka not knowing if or when we were coming back and we haven't stopped since. We’ve been travelling full-time ever since, slow-exploring the world as a family, while my husband runs his coaching business remotely and we embrace world schooling on the road. It’s been beautiful, chaotic, challenging and incredibly freeing." The couple say their children are now educated through "life experiences" - whether that be picking up Spanish in Latin America or learning about volcanoes while hiking in Peru. (Photo: Ruth Rowe/SWNS)

No screen time for the children

Ruth says they allow the children no screen time at all which has taught them patience and creativity. "They thought the TV back home was a radio as we'd only use it for Spotify and we think that's allowed their imagination to flourish. I have just seen their confidence grow so much, and of course there's no way of really telling how they would have been at home, but they are just so open and talk to anyone - young and old. I will sit down and teach them some reading and phonics and writing - but we're not rigid with it and it's still very much about learning through playing. It wasn't a case of we hated the UK - we just love the world. But I was never a fan of the cold and rain so that is something I don't miss." (Photo: Ruth Rowe/SWNS)

Children are welcomed

"Also, we've found children aren't treated like nuisances like you find in some restaurants in the UK. They are welcomed in and looked after, lots of places have playgrounds to like to keep them entertained, that was a big difference to the UK too. Sri Lanka is just the most welcoming place we've ever been - people would invite us to eat in their homes and absolutely loved the kids. Costa Rica is beautiful with all the wildlife and jungle, Guatemala is underrated - it is also an incredible place and one of our favourites. The only thing I miss is friends and family - and also British chocolate." (Photo: Ruth Rowe/SWNS)

No massive culture shocks

The couple also support themselves financially via Steven's online coaching business - which he can still run wherever they are in the world. Steven said: "These environments have brought such positive developments so far in our children. Atlas was swimming independently at two. This way they get one-to-one without being part of the larger school system, which we have no issue with, we just see the benefits from doing it this way. We make sure the children are at the centre of what we do, we always research kids' clubs and activities wherever we stay. They are loving learning about all the wildlife too - we had iguanas and sloths outside our doors in Costa Rica. Aurora had surf lessons in Bali and will be sand boarding in the Peruvian desert, its magical for them. We use Airbnbs mainly but I've been working out of little cupboards in some places - it has been challenging at times but we're in a fortunate position." (Photo: Ruth Rowe/SWNS)