A year ago, we were standing in an airport with four suitcases, two excited children and no real idea what the next nine months would look like.
We’d rented out our house, left our jobs behind and booked a one-way flight to Latin America. At the time, we thought we were simply taking a career break to explore a part of the world we’d always dreamed of visiting.
We had no idea that journey would completely change the direction of our lives.
Now, just over a year later, we’re preparing for another one-way flight.
This time, we’re moving to New Zealand.
If you’ve recently discovered Travel Venture Four, or you’re wondering why our content is slowly evolving from Latin America to New Zealand, this is our story.
Don’t have time to read? Start here:
- We’re a family of four from the UK.
- In 2025, we spent nine months travelling across Latin America.
- We explored Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica and Colombia while documenting everything on Travel Venture Four.
- One day after returning home, my wife was offered a teaching job in New Zealand.
- We accepted.
- Now we’re selling our house, packing up our lives and moving to New Zealand in August 2026.
- This page will document our journey from leaving the UK to building a new life on the other side of the world.
Life Before Travel
Like many families, we were caught in the rhythm of everyday life. Work, school runs, mortgages and weekends that seemed to disappear far too quickly became our normal.
We weren’t unhappy, but we often found ourselves saying the same thing.
“Maybe one day.”
One day we’d travel more.
One day we’d spend more time together.
One day we’d stop talking about adventure and actually do it.
Eventually, we realised something.
One day only arrives when you decide to make it happen.
So that’s exactly what we did.
Nine Months Across Latin America
In August 2025, we packed everything we needed into four suitcases and boarded a one-way flight to Ecuador.
Over the following nine months, we travelled through Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica and Colombia, documenting our journey while building Travel Venture Four into the resource we’d wished we’d had before leaving home.
There were moments we’ll never forget. Watching the sunrise over the Andes, hiking through the Sacred Valley, exploring colourful Colombian towns, swimming beneath jungle waterfalls and slowly becoming more confident speaking Spanish together as a family.
There were also plenty of challenges.
Long overnight bus journeys. Altitude sickness. Balancing work while travelling. Trying to entertain two children during travel days that sometimes lasted more than twelve hours.
Looking back, we wouldn’t change any of it.
Those nine months gave us incredible memories, lifelong friendships and a completely different perspective on what life could look like.
Coming Home Was Harder Than We Expected
Returning to England wasn’t quite what we expected.
We thought we’d simply unpack our bags and slip back into normal life. Instead, it felt like we’d left part of ourselves behind.
After months of waking up somewhere new every few days, everyday routines suddenly felt unfamiliar. We’d spent almost a year living outside our comfort zone, and returning to the same routines we’d left behind wasn’t as easy as we’d imagined.
Like many long-term travellers, we also came home having invested our savings into experiences rather than possessions.
Financially, it meant starting again.
Emotionally, it left us asking an even bigger question.
What happens next?
Then Everything Changed
The answer came far sooner than we expected.
Just one day after arriving back in the UK, my wife Tania received a teaching job offer in New Zealand.
It was one of those moments that completely changes the direction of your life.
One minute we were talking about unpacking suitcases.
The next, we were researching visas, looking at flights, speaking to estate agents and trying to work out whether moving our family to the other side of the world was actually possible.
It wasn’t something we’d planned.
But sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you never see coming.
Why New Zealand?
People often ask why we chose New Zealand.
The truth is, it wasn’t about chasing sunshine or simply finding another beautiful country to explore.
We wanted a different lifestyle.
A place where our children could grow up surrounded by nature, where weekends were spent outdoors and where family life felt a little less rushed.
The more we researched New Zealand, the more it felt like somewhere we could build a future rather than simply enjoy a holiday.
Of course, we know moving abroad isn’t a fairy tale.
There will be challenges.
We’ll miss family and friends. We’ll have to build a new community, learn new systems and start from scratch in many ways.
But if travelling taught us anything, it’s that the biggest growth often happens just outside your comfort zone.
Also Read: Moving to New Zealand from the Uk Checklist
What Happens Next?
This is where Chapter Two begins.
Over the coming months, we’ll be documenting everything that comes with moving halfway around the world.
The excitement.
The uncertainty.
The wins.
The mistakes.
We’ll be sharing:
- Selling our house in the UK
- Getting our visas approved
- Packing our lives into four suitcases
- Flying to New Zealand
- Finding somewhere to live
- Starting new schools and jobs
- Our first impressions
- Cost of living updates
- Family travel guides
- Weekend adventures
- Honest lessons from building a new life abroad
Whether you’re planning a holiday, thinking about relocating yourself or simply curious about what it’s really like to start over in another country, we hope our experiences make your own journey a little easier.
This Isn't Goodbye to Latin America
Although our next chapter takes us to New Zealand, Latin America will always be a huge part of our story.
We’ll continue publishing the guides, itineraries, hotel reviews and travel tips we created during our nine months exploring Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica and Colombia. Those experiences shaped both our family and this website, and there’s still plenty more we want to share.
Travel Venture Four isn’t changing.
It’s simply growing into its next adventure.
Don’t Forget the Boring Stuff
Whether you’re renting a car, whale watching in Uvita, exploring national parks, or travelling between destinations, things don’t always go to plan.
We’ve used SafetyWing throughout our travels because it offers flexible travel insurance that’s designed for long-term travellers.
As a Travel Venture Four reader, use code TV4INSURANCE when you sign up to receive 8 weeks of complimentary electronic theft coverage (new Nomad Essential members only).
Our Journey So Far
August 2025
✈️ Left the UK to begin a nine-month adventure across Latin America.
August 2025 – May 2026
🌎 Travelled through Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica and Colombia while building Travel Venture Four.
May 2026
🏡 Returned to the UK after nine unforgettable months abroad.
May 2026
🎉 Tania accepted a teaching position in New Zealand.
June–July 2026
📦 Preparing for the move by securing visas, selling our house and packing up our lives.
August 2026
⏳ One-way flight to New Zealand.
Thanks for Following Our Journey
When we launched Travel Venture Four, the goal was simple.
We wanted somewhere to document one unforgettable family adventure.
Over time, it became much more than that.
It’s become a place where we can share honest travel advice, practical guides and the lessons we’ve learned while stepping outside our comfort zone. More than anything, we hope it encourages other families to realise that you don’t need every detail figured out before taking the first step.
Whether you’ve been following us since our first days in Ecuador or you’ve only just found us, thank you for being here.
We’re incredibly excited about what comes next.
We hope you’ll come along for the journey.
