The Barba Family
at Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia, 2019

A vivid life is our goal! We are a family of four taking a year to travel the world. We will eat, see, and experience as much as we can while we “worldschool” as a family. It’s already an amazing adventure!

JOIN OUR VIVID JOURNEY

  • Follow us to share in our family stories and learn how to see more of the world yourself!
  • Feel like you’re there with gorgeous photos of both familiar and unique places across the globe!
  • Get inspired by our regional cuisine favorites, restaurant reviews, and cross-cultural foodie discoveries!
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, 2005 (PBarba)

Recent Posts

  • Singapore
    We fell in love with this crossroads city: the gardens, the cultures, the FOOD!
  • Traveling the World vs. Vacation
    You will not be relaxed, refreshed, or rested, but you will be made whole in ways you never expected.
  • New Zealand North Island
    Boats, Hobbits, Volcanoes, and Beauty….the North Island of New Zealand has it all.
  • Can you help Gwyn?
    I’m far from my goal because our travels mean I can only sell online. Would you please help?
  • Puerto Varas and Santiago, Chile
    Chile was modern, comfortable and has a coastline and volcanoes that stretch on for thousands of miles.  I feel like we only touched the tip of what South America has to offer and I know that we will be back to explore more in years to come.
  • How to Plan a Trip Around the World
    This is a continuation of a former post (click here) that talked more about the years of pre-planning for our “Trip Around the World”.  Now we will focus on the actual details of planning and how we approached our journey.  Many of these tips apply to “normal” vacations, so even if you don’t think you’ll do a long-term trip, read on!

The VIVID DREAM

Favorite things on past travels (Scotland, Italy, England, Thailand, Croatia, California)

From July 2022 through July 2023 our family will be traveling the world!  Pete will be on “sabbatical” from his job as a doctor and medical leader.  Kate, Gwyn, and Drew will continue their homeschool journey, but this time with Dad as a professor and the world as our 6th grade classroom.

We will travel by plane, car, bus, boat, and foot.  The whole “sailing around the world” story is a myth based on a short-lived version of The Dream that started on a Napa wine tasting tour…and ended with modern pirate stories and ocean crossings.  Nope and nope.

What will we DO? Explore Vivid Earth! We know from our previous travels that we are all lovers of nature, food, and the arts. Our family is passionate about beautiful places and wildlife, so our photography and outdoor adventures will be a big focus. Drew’s goal is to document sunsets, and we all look forward to up-close looks at wildlife like penguins, elephants, and reindeer! We also plan to explore each region through its food, such as discovering the many global variations of pocket food (dumplings, empanadas, pita sandwich, tacos, etc). Gwyn’s personal mission to find the best hot chocolate out there! Finally, we believe that arts are a window into new cultures, and it’s something we really enjoy. We will seek out street performers, world-class museums, and as much theater and dance as we can. We will also explore middle school math…..because we have to. (Because its awesome! -Pete)


About Us

We’re a “normal” family… that dreams big!

What kind of people leave their lives to travel for a year?!?

Brave? Crazy? You decide!

Highlighted Posts

  • Puerto Varas and Santiago, Chile

    Chile was modern, comfortable and has a coastline and volcanoes that stretch on for thousands of miles.  I feel like we only touched the tip of what South America has to offer and I know that we will be back to explore more in years to come.

    READ MORE

  • How to Plan a Trip Around the World

    This is a continuation of a former post (click here) that talked more about the years of pre-planning for our “Trip Around the World”.  Now we will focus on the actual details of planning and how we approached our journey.  Many of these tips apply to “normal” vacations, so even if you don’t think you’ll…

    READ MORE