I believe that travel broadens the mind. It expands your horizons and shows you how people live in other parts of the world. It allows you to try local food, shopping, experiences and cultures. You can see different landscapes, incredible cities and fascinating local history. You can check out the wildlife, try a local delicacy, learn a few words of the local language.

But it also gives you time with your family. Away from the pressures and stresses of the daily work and school grind, you actually spend time together. You experience those things together.

And if you think travel broadens your mind, imagine what it does for your children’s young minds. My children have grown up in subtropical Brisbane where nature is abundant but no building is older than 150 years. Imagine their astonishment when we went to England and I told them the pub they were having lunch in was 500 years old. Or this castle that we were scrambling around was built 700 years before Captain Cook even thought about travelling to Australia. Minds. Blown.

In fact their favourite thing about going abroad is how it differs from their home country. They have questions about it, they are interested and engaged. They learn a lot without even knowing it. They are curious, they want to explore. And it’s fun! Seeing the world through your children’s eyes also makes it new and fresh for you.

Obviously travelling is a little different with your family. Gone are the days of travelling light. And you probably won’t want to backpack through a remote country staying in youth hostels. More likely you’ll want to stay in nice hotels with your home comforts and eat in decent restaurants. And absolutely you can! You can travel like this and still see exactly the same things as those backpackers.

Don’t let kids put you off travelling, let it drive you on to show your kids the world. Yes it has its challenges, but the rewards are so worth it. If going to a far flung place on the other side of the world is too much, explore your home country. Load up the car and try a long weekend up the coast. Hop on a train and go to a city you haven’t been to before. Or try a cruise and see if you like that.

And maybe you don’t have kids but you still want to travel comfortably. That was me too! It’s perfectly acceptable to travel this way. I hope my destination guides inspire you to try a new place!

So to answer the original question…should I travel with my kids? I say YES. The only question should be where to start!