Monthly Interview: On the Road with Kids

 » Travelling is moving forward; This is what we want to teach to our children  »

David V., 34 years old, Surgeon Dentist of profession and initiator of cultural projects in the city where he resides, has travel runs in his veins. With his wife Anne-Lyse -Also in the medical community- They seize every opportunity to go on adventure at the wheel of their Land Rover, accompanied by their 4 young children from 3 to 9 years old.  In their luggage: the equipment to camp! 2 roof tents to stop where they want, and a communicative passion of globe-trotter… Meet Sebastian.

HomeCamper: How did you get this desire to travel, in the roadtrip mode?

S.V.: At the beginning, we were more hotels and holidays well organized! And then when the children were born, we wondered what we wanted to pass on to them. And this is where an old childhood dream pops up: to conquer Europe in 4×4! As soon as the children were old enough, we started our project. Now, as soon as the holidays are announced, we choose a destination together and it’s adventure time! It’s a wonderful experience, a school of life incomparable: stop in breathtaking beauty places, meet the inhabitants and share with them warm moments, live with our children at the rhythm of nature… We deeply feel that we are living a unique adventure away from our daily comforts.

HC: Traveling like you do with young children, isn’t it a little complicated?

S.V.: Not at all, it’s a question of mindset and then of course, suitable equipment. Our goal is to educate them from an early age, to respect nature, to the taste of adventure and action so that they want to discover the world and move forward too.  To live such experiences with family are very in demand. It is for them, today, something natural and at the same time privileged.

For the equipment, we chose the material on the criteria of safety and simplicity, so that our travels are a pleasure for the whole family. For example, to sleep we opted for two roof tents « Overland ». It’s convenient and very comfortable. Easy to unfold, a mattress always ready, no animals to disturb us when we are a little into the wild and no humidity, either. The only drawback is that this way of camping sometimes faces prejudices, especially in certain regions of France; This is much more in the Nordic countries manners. This is probably also why these are our favorite destinations.

HC: What is your best memory of travelling with your children?

S.V.: Without hesitation: our getaway to Harris and Lewis in the islands Hebrides, in the north of Scotland. First, because we found sublime landscapes and very hospitable people.

And also, because our 4 years old son, Benjamin, was able to realize his dream: when we were in the area, for several days, he wanted to see a sheep… During one of our camping stop at the inhabitant, we arrived at a farm where a young weakened sheep needed care. Benjamin was able to give him the bottle every morning and cuddle it whenever he wanted throughout our stay. It is a simple anecdote but will remain for him a beautiful memory of childhood, and for the whole family a precious moment.

HC: You are a member of the HomeCamper community. What do you think of this online service?

S.V.: I discovered HomeCamper in 2016, the year it was launched. I think it is a nice initiative and a very practical tool for all those who have the taste of the trip, whether they are camping-car, van, 4×4 or whatever…  It allows you to travel without having to plan your vacation in advance or worry about where you are going to stop. And that’s really freedom!

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