Other Bloggers Family Lives Featuring Wanderlust And Wet Wipes

This week on Other Bloggers Family Lives I am featuring Emma who lives in the Middle East and writes about all of the travels her globetrotting family go on. 

So let's find out more about the family behind Wanderlust and Wet Wipes.

1.) Tell me a bit about yourself and your family?

I am Emma, closer-to-40-than-30, mum to two mostly adorable but mad and also very irritating young kids (affectionately called the things) aged 5 and 3. My husband is just as travel mad as me and we're currently expats on our current assignment out of the UK.

 I lived all over as a child - in the UK, US and Australia by the time I was 10, plus South America at 18 and 21. As a 'grown-up' I've lived in the US twice and in the Middle East and we have been on some epic holidays to some incredible places including Mexico, the US, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Bali and Europe. I started a family travel blog about 6 months ago to try and help others to find the balance between holidays that feel authentic to our passion for travel that works well with the kids too. 

2.) Where do you live?

We are British but we currently live in Doha, Qatar. Most people don't know where that is (the Middle East) unless they are football supporters (think World Cup 2022), but it has been in the news recently for diplomatic reasons so it has become more well known. I had no idea what to expect when we came here (I'd never even been to the region) but it has actually been a great experience. Thing's aren't always easy but you get that wherever you live to be honest. 

3.) What is your favourite thing to do as a family where you live?

I had to ask the kids about this too! It's hard to find fun things to do for everyone here, especially in the summer when it is too hot to do anything outside.  We love swimming so in the summer we go to the pool a lot and in the autumn / spring when the temperatures are more accommodating we head to the beach. It is certainly a far cry from the beach in Devon when I was a kid. 

4.) If you could live anywhere where would you?

Probably in Bali, but it really depends on any given day. If we have just been skiing I might say in the mountains somewhere and if we have been diving then I would say a beach location. I would imagine that when we retire we will move between the mountains and the sun / sea.

5.) Did you grow up close to where you live now and what are your favourite childhood memories of where you grew up?

I grew up in Devon, UK so I am pretty far away from there! I guess I could be further geographically but culturally it's a long, long way. I loved the town where I grew up (a place called Tavistock) and I love going back but I was never going to stay there (sorry mum). 

6.) Have you got any exciting family plans for the year ahead?

Most of our exciting plans centre around holidays, to be honest - I can't believe that it took me so long to realise that travel blogging might be my thing! So far we have had 3 weeks in the US and a weekend in Italy. We have 2 weeks in the UK soon too and are trying to plan a holiday over Christmas. Other big things this year is that my daughter is starting pre-school which is basically the same as big school here. For the first time ever I'll have 6 or 7 hours free 5 days a week.

7.) What is your favourite thing about family life?

I would say our foursome is pretty tight - possibly because we are on our own on this adventure, even though we actually have a closer community here than we ever had in London. We do almost everything together so if someone is missing we all feel it and I think that's how it should be. I love watching our kid's relationship with each other and with us develop and I love experiencing new adventures together. 

To find out more about Emma and her family visit her blog www.wanderlustandwetwipes.com

Don't forget to check out last weeks post featuring IsaBlog if you missed it.