A New Sensation | Izabel Antle
Where My Carry-On
Takes Me
ARTICLE & PHOTO IZABEL ANTLE
NINE MONTHS AGO,
when I heard the word ‘nomad’,
the first thought that came
to mind was someone with a
scraggly beard trekking across
vast continents. A solo traveller,
on an journey of self-guided exploration and
adventure. A family of six travelling the world
definitely did not come to mind. Then one cold
winter day, my parents proposed to my three
sisters and I the idea that we should become
nomads.
Many questions came to mind that day. What
about school, friends, and home? Did I want
to go? My parents made it clear that this was a
family decision and each member of the family
needed to make up their mind on their own
terms. The vote to travel was unanimous.
The next month was a whirlwind. My sisters
and I finished our school semester while my
dad finished his work commitment. Then we
sold everything that was either unnecessary or
too large to fit into six backpacks. Finally, we
said our final goodbyes to our friends and our
community and boarded a plane to our first
destination: Mexico.
Looking back, eight months of full time travel
having gone by, I’ve realised one thing: leaving
is the hardest part. The first couple of weeks of
travel are scary and intense but after that initial
period of adjustment, the realisation that ‘this
is life now’ starts to kick in. You form a routine
and life slows down again.
WHO ARE WE?
We are just your average family… doing
something not so average. I have three happy
and energetic sisters (ages 9, 11 and 13) and
two hard-working and loving parents. We left
home seeking adventure, new experiences,
education, and to become closer to one
another. There is no end date on our journey.
The primary goals are that we all become
Issue 4, 2016 | The Travellist
51