Zzzzzzzzzt! That’s the sound of a black fly circling my head a bit before making a direct landing upon my ear cavity and taking a look around as though it were an invitingly dark little cavern in which to beat out the Australian afternoon sun. I’ve taken to wearing a scarf over my face at…
Author: Five Backpacks Family
Not all who wander are lost — we are living nomadically, exploring, and wandering to learn about the world, its people, and ourselves.
Chris and Holly Santillo are not your regular authors.
They are the epitome of the Latin phrase “Mens sana in corpore sano,” which means “A healthy mind in a healthy body.”
Having strong backgrounds in Martial Arts with Chris being the founder and Head Instructor at Potomac Kempo in Alexandria, Virginia, and Holly being a Senior Instructor, they have managed to develop the principles of Martial Arts into a cohesive parenting methodology.
They believe that children (and parents) with broader horizons and an open mind can sow the seeds for future generations of confident, strong, and resilient adults.
Now, you can find them gliding through the Siberian steppes on the Trans-Siberian Railway, visiting the buzzing markets of Samarkand on the Silk Road, or wondering at the vastness of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. They have decided to live a nomadic life and explore the world with their three boys in order to bring back memories, ideas, experiences, and a fresh view on life.
Join their epic journey at www.FiveBackpacks.family, visit www.ResilienceParenting.info for more information on their book, and www.PotomacKempo.com to learn about their Martial Arts teachings.
The Santillo Family Travel Credo – Mapping Values to Keep on Track
Maybe you, too, have a Travel Credo. Or, perhaps you don’t need one because you have a better memory than I do. That is to say, perhaps you are able—day in and day out, country to country—to always keep in mind your travel-related goals and aspirations. Or, if you’re more like me than you want…
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Taking a couple of weeks to return home during our travels put into perspective a lot of details I love about the part of the world we left in April. For instance, I realize just what a beautiful place we have been inhabiting for the last several years. Also, I realize how grateful I am…
Being Lost in Australian Bush Fires – Learning To Read The Signs
I shouldn’t be here. It’s a dreadful feeling—I don’t belong here. It’s uncomfortable, it’s wrong, it’s dangerous. We woke this morning to find smoke from bush fires thickening the air like a foul yellowing fog. Buildings and trees and mountains are gone. In their place, creeps this silent monster that stings my eyes and throat,…
The Ultimate Water Filtration System – International Travel Tips
I spend most of my life looking for a place for my three young children to pee. Everybody seems to think that we humans need to drink more water. I only mostly convinced. Or maybe I resist adequate hydration because of the aforementioned bathroom searches that seem to subsume my days. In either case, Holly…