Minh Truong and his wife are not afraid to let their children “eat on the shore, sleep in the dust”, camping overnight in Y Ty when it is 2 degrees Celsius outside.
The most recent trip of Minh Truong’s family (36 years old) was to Sa Pa, Y Ty (Lao Cai) on December 3-5. On the trip, there are three members, especially children 2, 5, and 8 years old. These days, the North welcomes the cold air, the family still chooses to camp in the mountains more than 2,000 m above sea level, the night temperature drops to 2 degrees Celsius.
On this trip, he and his wife had to prepare carefully, bring more blankets, buy a lot of firewood from locals to light a fire within a radius of 5m to keep warm. Wherever there is wind, he stretches the canvas to keep warm. His wife and two young children slept in the cabin, while he and his eldest son slept in a tent on the roof. He shared that because the space is narrow, airtight and the body generates heat, his family has a warm night’s sleep, more than a night at a homestay if there is wind.
This may seem strange to many, but this is his family’s usual weekly trip. His three young children were taken by him and his wife to travel from the age of 2 months and together they went to most of the provinces from Quy Nhon back to the North. This year they have a long trip to Ha Giang (April 30 – May 1) and a month in Cao Bang as soon as Hanoi ends the distance in September. Before that, the furthest trip was to drive to Quang Binh, when the youngest son was only a few months old.
Mr. Truong shared that in the past, his family also traveled simply, mainly driving to the sea, staying at hotels and homestays. However, since Covid-19 appeared, they love camping, picnic near nature and the frequency of “eating by the shore, sleeping in the dust” is also more. They hardly build a route but follow inspiration, stopping when tired and resting where the locals suggest. Their preferred destinations are hills, high mountains, streams, and waterfalls for their children to enjoy, but not too far from residential areas. In addition, the children also have a picnic with many peers or participate in volunteer programs.
More than a year ago, he installed a roof tent on the car, which when stopped, can be opened as a place to rest. Recently, the Ford Everest was converted by him. Specifically, keeping the 2nd row of seats in the car to move all 5 people, the 3rd-row seats are removed and installed with additional storage boxes, 25 cm high above the floor. When stopping the car, fold the second row of seats to form a bed. The cabinets can be pulled out as outdoor seating. These crates can be removed from the vehicle within minutes. The renovation cost is about 100 million VND.
The vehicle has a rechargeable battery system used to light lights, fans (in summer), an electric stove, and a 50-liter water tank for washing hands and feet. In addition, the storage compartments are full of dishes, pots, and pans, gas stoves, kettles… During long trips, the family does not stay completely in the car but takes advantage of a lunch break in the resort. Schedule for extra water, battery charging, personal hygiene. During week-long trips, whole-month trips, families combine in homestays of local people.
Truong said that having a private “mobile home” helps his family save on rental costs, in addition to ensuring privacy and safety during Covid-19.
99% of family trips are together. Truong said that he and his wife rarely go alone unless meeting with friends or going to a place where environmental conditions are not suitable for young children. For example, earlier this year the family went hunting for frost together at the top of Phia Oac (Phia Den, Nguyen Binh, Cao Bang), but the temperature can adversely affect the health of young children, so the youngest child stays at home with his mother, and he and 2 grown children on the road.
He shared, letting children travel from a young age is also a way to practice independence, increase adaptability and discovery ability for children. For example, before each trip, two older children will collect their personal belongings. When going out, the children eat their own dishes prepared by their parents, do not ask for their own, and finish eating quickly to clean up. The older son can look after the two younger brothers and always knows to stay in the area where he can see his parents, calling for help when needed. He remembers the snow hunting trip in Phia Oac, the father and son had to leave at 2 am. When they arrived, the children were still active, enjoying the view, and finished the trip healthy.
Truong and his wife have been in the coffee business for 14 years and thanks to their passion for travel, they opened a camping equipment system and built a community of Camping Association – Camping Vietnam with more than 11,000 members. Freelancing also helps you have a lot of time. In the past, when the children went to school, they would take leave the next day for each three-day trip. When going out, in addition to leisure time, children must study and ensure homework. Currently, the eldest son is studying online, he can focus on studying right in the car or in people’s houses.
“I am always grateful and lucky to have my children by my side, accompanying me from childhood to adulthood,” Truong said, adding that family trips are always a strong link between members. . In particular, they believe that in any situation or environment, the children are easier to adapt and integrate. Next time, their destination may be Moc Chau (Son La), Ha Giang, Lai Chau… or anywhere, just go together. Follow (vnexpress)