Kevin Tiller

Amazingly, after so many months planning, the big day has arrived. I first agreed with Dawn to come just before last Xmas and decided in January this year to bring Kody with me. I was keen to bring one of the girls but only Kody was keen – I figure it will be a great learning experience for her. Then I pieced together the voluntary effort at the school in Vrindavan (after quite a lot of searching for something that seemed appropriate and in line with what we (or I) wanted. Then I put together the rest of the itinerary, but it’s not too fixed, and then finally all the other practical minutiae like visas, tickets, jabs, what to bring and what to leave etc. I did buy a new camera specifically that can be charged via USB.

So Saturday, up at 7.30am as Kody needed to leave approx 8.30am for Soccer at Kirrawee. It was good that Dawn and the other kids made the effort to come and watch. Then some chores at Miranda and Sushi for lunch, then home to finish packing and sorting out last minute emails and working out an easy way for Dawn to let me know when she’d be home to ring.

Then a final run at the beach and a swim in the fading light at 4.30pm (it is mid-winter), raining and cold but I really enjoyed it and as a last time for 6 weeks it was great .. perfect even.

We left for the airport approx 5.30pm, by car to Sutherland then train. Checked in and the kids had a quick bite of food and I had a coffee then said our goodbyes. Kody and the other girls were quite upset as we are a small and tight family. Made it to the plane ok but in the middle aisle so no views, but it was dark anyway so no great loss.

The trip feels like a “just crazy enough to work” idea – long, but not too long, planned, but not too much. We are taking the bare minimum of stuff, but hopefully got the basics covered. Definitely out of our comfort zone but hopefully will provide us with some rewarding experiences. I want my children to understand, really understand, what a privileged life they lead in Australia.

For me, a big part is to not take my mobile phone, I just want to feel away from it all.

My goals for the trip are:
1) to get home in one piece, safely.
2) a stretch goal is to enjoy it and want to do something else similar – and hopefully encourage the kids to come too.

ps I had a “to die for” number 1 haircut/buzz cut on the day we left (administered by the ever-loving Dawn). I know it’s usually short but this is VERY short.

During June-July 2012 I went to India for over 5 weeks with my 10yr old daughter, Kody. I did write quite an extensive travel diary, and I am in the process of typing it up and adding to this blog. You can read all the posts in chronological order here. For some of that time we were in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, helping out at a school. Feel free to check out some photos here:

• https://picasaweb.google.com/kevintiller/India2012Delhi
• https://picasaweb.google.com/kevintiller/India2012Jaipur
• https://picasaweb.google.com/kevintiller/India2012Vrindavan (incl school)
• https://picasaweb.google.com/kevintiller/India2012Rishikesh
• https://picasaweb.google.com/kevintiller/India2012Dharamsala
• https://picasaweb.google.com/kevintiller/India2012ManaliLehLadakh
• https://picasaweb.google.com/kevintiller/India2012DelhiAgra

Kody’s travel diary is online here.