Don’t let being a single mum with a toddler put you off travelling the world.
That’s the message from single mum Sarah Noack, who’s been globetrotting with three-year-old Luana for two years and posting clips of her travels to Instagram (bysarahnoack), where she has 79,000 followers.
The 27-year-old, who has visited 20 countries with Luana, tells MailOnline Travel: ‘Travelling with a child is insanely rewarding if you choose to slow down and see the world through your child’s eyes.
‘During my travels, I’ve noticed that many parents struggle to fully enjoy travelling with their kids.
‘The desire to make the most of their time in a country often conflicts with their children’s needs, creating stress that the kids inevitably sense as well. This stress can lead to frustration for both the parents and the children, turning what should be a joyful experience into a challenging one.
‘However, I believe it doesn’t have to be this way. With the right mindset and a few practical strategies, families can create travel experiences that are enjoyable for everyone.’
For Sarah, ‘slowing down’ means ‘prioritising quality time over ticking off a list of attractions’ on her travels with Luana.
The mother fits playgrounds and play cafes into the pair’s itinerary to keep Luana entertained.
Single mum Sarah Noack has been globetrotting with three-year-old Luana for two years. LEFT: They’re pictured in Kuala Lumpur. RIGHT: Sarah and Luana in Bali, where she explains she always feels ‘very welcomed’
Meeting local people is another key part of travel for Sarah, who explains that she most often chooses to stay in guesthouses, rather than hotels or hostels.
The mother says: ‘I like that by booking a guesthouse, the money supports a local family directly instead of going to a big chain and I got invited to incredible events from staying in guesthouses, like a Buddhist festival in Sri Lanka.
‘You become part of a local family and learn a lot more about the culture that way.’
But Sarah explains that maximising sleep on long journeys is also a good way to keep a young traveller happy.
She tells MailOnline: ‘The sleeper buses in Vietnam were amazing and my daughter slept the entire journey!
‘You basically have your own bed and it’s very comfortable. She usually sleeps very well on these journeys and I’m always booking them for the night as her natural rhythm will make her fall asleep easily.’
Sarah and Luana are pictured here in the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan, one of 20 countries they’ve visited together
Sarah recommends ‘slowing down’ if you’re travelling with children. LEFT: Sarah and Luana at the 12 Apostles in Australia. RIGHT: The pair in the Himalayas in Nepal where the mother says she found locals to be ‘incredibly kind’
LEFT: Sarah and Luana in Lisbon in Portugal. RIGHT: Sarah and Luana in Santiago de Compostela in Spain
While the mother and daughter duo have travelled in Europe together, Sarah explains that she’s felt the safest in southeast Asia and prefers to avoid big cities as they can be ‘hectic and overwhelming’ with Luana.
The mother counts Nepal and Laos among her favourite destinations, revealing that both countries have a ‘special place in her heart’, adding: ‘I love places that offer lots of adventure and the locals in both Nepal and Laos were incredibly kind.’
Bali is another of her favourites as the local people ‘make me feel very welcome whenever I visit’.
But while the pair’s lifestyle may look idyllic on social media, it’s not without its challenges.
Sarah, who’s from Germany, reveals to MailOnline that ‘finding time for herself’ between ‘working, parenting and organising travel’ can be tricky.
The traveller says: ‘A typical day in our life looks like we’re outside on adventures the entire day and then get home tired, but that’s when I need to start working.
‘Since I work for myself it’s amazing, because I have no one telling me when to work. But it’s also hard to push myself to do it after a long day outside. Another challenge is not having any friends or family members nearby that would be there quickly to help when I’m sick or need help.’
Sarah adds that her family and friends do worry about her and Luana while they’re away but explains: ‘They’ve now watched us handle everything great for the past two years, so they trust that we’ll always come back happy and healthy.’
Want more from Sarah? Find her on Instagram here – @bysarahnoack. And TikTok here – @bysarahnoack. And check out her Solo Traveling with Kids ebook.
