This is the story of a mom who travels full-time as a travel writer. She is a solo mother to a two-year-old child, whom she brings along on every trip. She believes a spontaneous lifestyle can be beneficial for kids, and that they don’t need as much rigid routine as we’ve been told.
I started traveling five years ago, and around two years ago I got pregnant with my first child. Her father is no longer in the picture—he never was. As someone born and raised in Malaysia, being a single mom is not widely accepted. People either treat you with pity or with judgment.
I always knew I wanted to be a mom, and I always knew I loved traveling. My job gave me flexibility, but it also required me to be on the move a lot as a travel writer. I knew I didn’t want to leave my daughter at home with my parents—I wanted her with me.
After giving birth, I rested for three months at my parents’ house to recover. Then I got my first assignment in Turkey. I packed the baby bag along with mine. My parents and friends tried to convince me not to go. My mother even offered to care for the baby while I worked. But I couldn’t do it. So, with my three-month-old daughter, I boarded a flight to Istanbul.
A Baby Becomes a Magnet for Kindness
What surprised me most about traveling with a baby was how people responded. Strangers wanted to help me—whether it was holding her for a moment, offering me a seat, or simply being kind. It started right in the airport.
When I landed in Turkey, I was picked up by my host family, who were overjoyed to see my newborn. They quickly adopted us as part of their family. The grandmother gave me childcare tips—translated by her daughter—and the mother even bought baby toys. We ended up staying with them for three months.
Where the Baby Goes, Community Follows
Everywhere I went with my daughter, a community—mostly women—would gather around us. Mothers and grandmothers invited us to dinners, offered advice, and sometimes carried my child so I could take a short break.
From Turkey, we traveled to Bali, where the locals welcomed us warmly. Our host family there treated us so well it was difficult to leave. After a short trip home to Malaysia to visit family, we set off again.
Since then, we’ve traveled to Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and India. People often assume it must be dangerous for a young woman to travel alone with a child. I won’t say there aren’t risks—I always take precautions and make sure I have a host family in every country—but my experience has shown me how kind strangers can be.
Many people bought us food, toys, or gifts, and sometimes even offered childcare. Of course, I never leave my daughter with complete strangers, but if a trusted host family offered to watch her while I rested, I accepted.
Adventure Over Routine
Our days are always full of activities. By nightfall, my daughter is usually exhausted—and so am I. Ever since she started walking and running, things have actually become easier, because she tires herself out. We don’t keep to strict nap times, so by 7:00 or 7:30 p.m. she’s fast asleep until morning. That gives me a few extra hours to work on my laptop.
I love that every day is a new adventure. I feel so lucky to introduce her to different cultures at such a young age. She has a diverse palate and is the least fussy eater I’ve ever met. She’s met children from all over the world, knows how to interact with people of different backgrounds, and I can already see her personality blossoming.
I’m not sure how long this lifestyle will last. I want her to have more stability once she starts school. Perhaps we can manage kindergarten in different countries, moving every couple of months. But when she begins primary school, I’ll want her to learn how to build and sustain friendships.
For now, though, we are embracing every day, every culture, and every adventure that comes our way.
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