Family move from south London to tropical paradise of Bali - where they live comfortably on just £1,000 a month
Hannah and Patrick Canavan and their three children in Bali
For many young London parents, the start of the day involves rushing their children to school after frantically putting breakfast on the table.
But Hannah and Patrick Canavan’s mornings tend to be more relaxing affairs, involving a trip to the beach or a jump in the pool after they left hectic London for a new life in Bali.
The family, originally from Croydon, took their children from deepest south London to a new life on the island - where the family are getting by very comfortably on £1,000 a month.
The family, from Croydon, have started a new life on the paradise island of Bali
Inspired by a backpacking and volunteering holiday in Thailand ten years ago, Hannah, 28, and Patrick, 31, took the plunge and left their traditional life in Caterham a month ago when they moved to the Indonesian island with their three children Esmae, six, Eira, five and Elfie, two.
Mr Canavan quit his busy personal trainer job and the family jetted off to Sanur, to begin an open-ended adventure - with the aim of eventually finding a charity they believe in to work for full-time.
The family were renting in London and left with £5,000 of savings.
Mrs Canavan is supporting the family’s lifestyle abroad by working online as a freelance travel and parenting writer. The couple also run a blog and YouTube channel.
“Patrick and I knew we wanted to do this for nearly eight years… going away means that we get to spend more quality time together and Patrick gets to spend time with the girls, which is important,” she said.
The family left the UK and fled the cold weather, rushing around and hectic life in London
“We left more than a month ago now, on Eira’s fifth birthday on 3rd October, she was really excited.”
“People think you have to be super rich to do this but it actually costs a lot less to live and explore here than it does just to live in London,” she added.
The family dreamed of their big move across the world for eight years
“Our rent here in Bali costs £300 per month and the house has a swimming pool and is five minutes from the beach.
"We will have lived for £1000 for the whole month, by eating local food and cooking at home on our one small gas hob ring.
“Lots of people could do this, but they don’t realise.”
Patrick Canavan with daughters Esmae, 6, Eira, 5, and Elfie, 2
An average day sees Mr Canavan take the three girls to the beach in the morning while his wife writes, before all spend the afternoon together relaxing or volunteering at charities.
“We have always lived a calm lifestyle, but now we take things really slowly,” Mrs Canavan said.
The couple already home-schooled their children and believe travel is a better education than what was on offer in London.
The family, who are also accompanied by Mrs Canavan’s mother Jayne Davies, 55, who “came along for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” after retiring, are not sure they will ever return to the capital.
They intend to spend a few more weeks in Bali before spending two months in Thailand and time in Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.
Mrs Canavan said: “We will re-group in a year and see where we are at.
“We will miss the people, but we don’t miss anything else about London. We don’t miss rushing around and the hectic lifestyle and the keeping up with the Joneses aspect of life, or the house cleaning - or the weather.”
She added: “We are not special - if we can do this, lots of people can.”
