Taipei couple sells home to travel the world with three kids for 256 days—the youngest just 1 year old!

▲ Lai Chi-wen and Lai Yu-ting from Kaohsiung travel the world with their three sons. (Photo / Sunny Backpacking ChroniclesAuthorized for use, applies to all below.)

Reported by Wang Y-e... (Reporter's name garbled in source)

In recent years, backpacking has become an increasingly popular way to travel. Despite requiring travelers to handle every aspect of their journey themselves, the romantic and unrestrained vibe it offers has led more and more people to bravely pick up their backpacks and venture into the unknown.Lai Chi-wen and Lai Yu-ting from Kaohsiung didn’t just pick up backpacks—they sold their home. After saving enough travel funds last September, they took a leave of absence from work and set off on a round-the-world trip with their three sons.This made their backpacking journey not only romantic and free-spirited, but also full of happiness and warmth.

▲ The Lai family of five in Italy’s Rainbow Village.

Lovers of backpacking, Lai Chi-wen and Lai Yu-ting have been together for five years and married. When their eldest son “Xiao Yu” was just six months old, the family of three spent 40 days traveling through six Southeast Asian countries.

From last September to this May when they returned to Taiwan, they completed another 256-day around-the-world journey, visiting 23 countries across four continents: Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. What was once a cozy family of three now includes two more sons—3-year-old “Xiao Yu” and 1-year-old “Xiao Duo.”

▲ Lai Chi-wen and Lai Yu-ting are passionate about backpacking.

Of course, the journey wasn’t always smooth—especially with three children in tow. Lai Chi-wen and Lai Yu-ting said they were once delayed at the U.S. border due to customs issues, causing them to miss their train and bus, leaving them stranded and forced to sleep at the station. But “at home you rely on your parents, abroad you rely on friends.” Fortunately, a fan friend living in Seattle came to the rescue, driving 250 kilometers from Seattle to Vancouver to pick up the family of five. The couple called it “a truly unforgettable memory!” Additionally, while trying to enter Israel from Egypt, they were once aiming to ask about bus schedules when they were pointed at by a sniper with a gun, scaring them into raising their hands and backing away.

▲ Delayed at U.S. customs and stranded sleeping at Vancouver Station.

But travel, like life, has its ups and downs. The family of five also collected many unforgettable beautiful memories: camping in the Rocky Mountains and embracing the grandeur of nature; self-driving through Iceland’s snowy landscapes to witness the splendor of a pristine world; playing Pokémon GO on the streets of Jerusalem and experiencing the magic of the holy city; riding camels in Egypt and enjoying the vast desert scenery; walking hand-in-hand with their children along the riverside in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and spending warm, cozy moments. These beautiful experiences are the most touching chapters of their round-the-world adventure.

▲ (Top) Lai Yu-ting and her son strolling hand-in-hand by the river in Ljubljana, Slovenia. / (Bottom) The family of five riding camels in Egypt’s sandy desert.

▲ Lai Chi-wen and Lai Yu-ting shared a kiss photo flash in Canada’s Rocky Mountains on May 20th.

The couple runs a joint fan page called “Sunny Backpacking Chronicles,” which has accumulated over 70,000 likes. Upon returning to Taiwan, they held several sharing sessions. The couple stated that traveling with three children is not easy, but life is full of challenges. They won’t let difficulties hold them back—just as they wouldn’t stop their kids from running for fear of falling. Next, the family plans to study abroad in Thailand, and in the future they aim to publish a book about their journeys to share their story with more people. And these five little and big backpackers will keep exploring!

▲ The family of five in a fjord town in Iceland—Seyðisfjörður.