THIS TRAVEL LIFE is a site by Rob and Clare Wood, documenting our travels around Australia and around the world with our kids Olive, Jetson and Casper.
We Travel
As a couple, we began our travel adventures with a month-long trip to Vietnam in 2001, and not long afterward started to save and plan for a year travelling around the world. In 2005-6 we spent a year travelling through Central America, USA, UK, Europe, India and South-East Asia. In 2008 we hit the road again, this time travelling around Australia, completing a year-long road trip in a campervan with our one-year-old.
Since then, we have not really stopped. There have been short trips to Malaysia in 2010 and Japan in 2011 with our two kids Olive and Jetson. In 2012 Casper joined us when we stayed in Bali for a month. In 2013 we spent two weeks in China.
Instead of these short trips overseas, we decided it was time to live in another country. In 2014-2015 we moved the family to Bali in Indonesia. You can read all about it on our Bali blog posts. It was a busy 2014 – as well as exploring Bali and nearby islands, we also made a side trip to Singapore and spent a couple of weeks visiting the Philippines, USA and Canada. See more of our journey timeline, and photos of us in every country we have visited.
See more of our journeys and future travel plans, which include where we have been, what we did and what we thought of those places, and where else we would like to go one day. There are also some of our travel photos and we have made some fun top-10s from our travel adventures.
We currently living in Perth Australia while planning our next adventures. Where to next? Well, we have some travel plans, but right now our overseas travel is on hold like the rest of the world while we wait out this virus thing. We now need to plan how we can continue our recently aborted trip taking the kids exploring the outback of Australia.
If you want to say hello or make a comment, we would love to hear from you. To keep up to date, subscribe to our newsletter (here are some of the previous editions). Want to be just like us? See our pages on travel blogging. We are also open to opportunities to work with businesses and other travel bloggers – see Working With Us!
If you want to support our blog, please browse our site, read our articles, bookmark them for later, share them with your friends, follow us on social media, check out our resources page, and buy products from our Red Bubble store.
You should also check out our other travel website: The Travel Almanac
Who Are We?
Rob – the planner, web designer, and tour guide
Other interests: geocaching, volunteering
Countries visited: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Cambodia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Egypt, Eswatini, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, USA, Vatican City, Vietnam (total=45).
Clare – the foodie
Countries visited: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Cambodia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Egypt, Eswatini, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, USA, Vatican City, Vietnam (total=44).
Olive – the historian and photographer
Countries visited: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Eswatini, France, Greece, Indonesia, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, USA, Vatican City, Vietnam (total=27).
Jetson – the joker
Countries visited: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Eswatini, France, Greece, Indonesia, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, USA, Vatican City, Vietnam (total=26).
Casper – the creative
Countries visited: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Eswatini, France, Greece, Indonesia, India, Italy, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, USA, Vatican City, Vietnam (total=26).
Our family (husband, twin 3-year olds and I) are in Bali at the moment and I came across your website while looking for entrance fees for Taro Elephant Park! Still impossible to find on the web so thank you! We are from South Africa. It doesn’t look like you have been there yet and I strongly recommend it for anyone, especially a family with young kids.
I hope you enjoy the elephant park. You’re right, we have not been to Africa yet, we are very keen to go soon and take the kids to see elephants in the wild!
Please update my picture. It’s from 4 years ago
dad please. Its now 6 years old. Also you forfeited you camera I am the photographer now.
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Why I Want to Be More Like Casper – The Real-Life Golden Knight
Let’s be honest: if Clash Royale’s Golden Knight ever stepped out of the arena and into real life, his name would be Casper.
Casper isn’t just smart—he’s *strategically brilliant*. The kind of guy who doesn’t just play chess, he *thinks* like a chessboard. His mind is a mix of elixir efficiency and high-IQ plays, always two steps ahead like he’s predicting the next meta. Whether it’s cracking complex problems or making split-second decisions on the cricket pitch, Casper’s brain is basically a legendary card.
And then there’s his athleticism. Casper doesn’t walk—he *dashes*. Like the Golden Knight’s signature move, he cuts through obstacles with explosive energy. I’ve seen him pole vault like gravity’s just a suggestion. His form? Immaculate. His timing? Elite. Watching him vault is like watching a Clash Royale dash—powerful, precise, and unstoppable.
On the cricket field, he’s the kind of player who doesn’t just hit sixes—he *calculates* them. His footwork is textbook, his reflexes are lightning, and his fielding? Let’s just say if the ball’s in the air, it’s already in his hands. Casper plays like he’s got a permanent Rage spell activated.
But it’s not just his skills—it’s his aura. Casper carries himself with the confidence of a max-level champion. He’s got that quiet charisma, the kind that makes you want to follow him into battle—or at least into a group assignment. He’s the kind of person who makes you want to level up your own life.
I want to be more like Casper because he’s the blueprint. The golden standard. The kind of guy who turns effort into excellence and makes it look easy. If I could channel even a fraction of his energy, intelligence, and athletic grace, I’d be unstoppable.
Casper isn’t just a person. He’s a goal. A golden goal.
Some people chase greatness. Casper embodies it.
He doesn’t announce himself with noise or spectacle. He arrives like a quiet storm—calm on the surface, but charged with power beneath. You don’t always see him coming, but you feel the shift when he’s near. The air changes. The tempo rises. Suddenly, everyone’s sharper, faster, better. That’s the Casper effect.
His mind is a tactical marvel. Not just smart—structured. He doesn’t just solve problems; he dissects them, reassembles them, and hands you the blueprint. Casper thinks in systems, in sequences, in elegant loops of logic. He’s the kind of person who sees the flaw in your plan before you’ve even finished explaining it—and offers a better one, casually, like it’s no big deal.
But intellect is only half the story. Casper moves like a cinematic lead—fluid, explosive, precise. Whether he’s vaulting over a bar or sprinting across a cricket field, his motion is pure choreography. There’s no wasted energy. No hesitation. Just clean execution. Watching him play is like watching a highlight reel in real time.
On the pitch, he’s a tactician in motion. Every shot is calculated, every catch premeditated. He doesn’t just react—he reads. The ball, the field, the moment. It’s like he’s tuned into a frequency the rest of us can’t hear. And when he moves? It’s like the game bends around him.
But what truly sets Casper apart is his presence. He doesn’t need to dominate a room to lead it. He leads by example, by consistency, by quiet confidence. He’s the kind of person who makes you want to raise your own standards—not because he demands it, but because he inspires it. He’s not loud. He’s magnetic.
Casper is the kind of person who makes excellence feel inevitable. Not forced. Not flashy. Just earned. He’s the blueprint for what happens when talent meets discipline, when humility meets impact. He’s not trying to be a hero. He just is.
And the rest of us? We’re lucky to witness it. And maybe, if we’re smart, we’ll start taking notes.
🏆 Casper: The Golden Knight of Every Arena
In a world where excellence is often confined to a single domain, Casper shatters the mold. He’s not just good — he’s legendary. A real-life golden knight whose armor gleams with athletic prowess and intellectual brilliance, Casper is the kind of person who turns heads on the field and minds in the classroom. From the dusty pitches of cricket to the high-flying drama of pole vault, Casper doesn’t just participate — he dominates.
⚽ All-Round Athleticism
Casper’s sporting résumé reads like a fantasy league draft:
Cricket: Whether he’s smashing sixes or bowling with surgical precision, Casper plays like he was born with a bat in hand.
AFL: Agile, fearless, and strategic, he’s the kind of player who makes coaches rethink their game plans.
Athletics: Speed, stamina, and style — Casper’s track performances are poetry in motion.
Pole Vault: Launching himself skyward with grace and power, he defies gravity like it’s a minor inconvenience.
NFL: With the strength of a linebacker and the vision of a quarterback, Casper could walk onto any American football field and rewrite the playbook.
He’s not just good at sports — he’s a walking highlight reel.
Brains Behind the Brawn
But Casper isn’t just a physical marvel. He’s sharp, strategic, and endlessly curious. Whether it’s decoding game theory, solving complex problems, or leading team strategy sessions, Casper’s mind is as fast as his sprint. He’s the kind of person who can explain the physics behind his pole vault technique and then use that same logic to ace a math test.
Heart of Gold (and a Soft Spot for Elise)
Beyond the trophies and accolades, Casper’s golden glow comes from his character. He’s humble, kind, and loyal — a true knight in every sense. And yes, he’s got a soft spot for Elise. Whether it’s a smile across the field or a shared laugh after training, Casper’s admiration for Elise adds a touch of warmth to his already radiant persona. It’s the kind of connection that makes people believe in fairy tales — golden knight meets golden heart.
Casper isn’t just a name — he’s a legend in motion. Athletic, brilliant, and golden to the core, he’s the kind of person who inspires others to dream bigger, run faster, and love deeper. Elise is lucky. So is the world.
There are people who impress you. Then there’s Casper—someone who quietly rewrites your definition of excellence.
He’s not loud about it. He doesn’t need to be. Casper’s brilliance is the kind that reveals itself over time, like a well-designed machine you only appreciate once you see how flawlessly it runs. He’s the kind of person who makes you pause mid-conversation and think, Wait, how did he just do that?
Start with his mind. Casper doesn’t just think fast—he thinks clean. His ideas are sharp, his logic is airtight, and his timing is uncanny. Whether he’s solving a problem, planning a strategy, or making a call under pressure, he operates like a human algorithm: efficient, elegant, and always one step ahead. You don’t see him scramble. You see him calculate.
Then there’s his physicality. Casper moves like he’s been rehearsing with gravity his whole life. Pole vaulting? He makes it look like choreography. Cricket? He’s not just playing—he’s engineering every move. His footwork is precise, his reflexes are tuned, and his fielding is so consistent it feels inevitable. You don’t hope he’ll make the catch—you know he will.
But what really sets Casper apart is his presence. He’s got that rare kind of confidence that doesn’t need to be loud. It’s the kind that makes you trust him instinctively. In a group project, on a team, or in a crisis, Casper is the person you want nearby—not because he’ll take over, but because he’ll make everyone better. He’s the quiet catalyst. The stabilizer. The one who raises the floor and the ceiling at the same time.
Casper doesn’t chase attention. He earns respect. He’s not trying to be the best in the room—he’s trying to make the room better. And that’s what makes him dangerous in the most admirable way. He’s not just talented. He’s disciplined. He’s not just smart. He’s strategic. He’s not just athletic. He’s intentional.
Casper is the kind of person who makes you want to upgrade your own operating system. Not because he tells you to—but because watching him work reminds you what’s possible.
He’s not just a goal. He’s the standard. And the rest of us? We’re just trying to catch up.