'Some of the best lessons kids can be taught are not in a classroom'

A NORTHUMBERLAND family who bought a one-way ticket to Thailand are having the time of their lives on a “gap year”.

- By DANIEL HALL

Barney Thom, 35, and wife Poppy, 32, sold their house in Prudhoe and de-registered their children from school at the end of last year before setting off on the adventure of a lifetime.

After seeing in the New Year in Bangkok, they have since visited Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Malaysia, Guatemala and Colombia. Just over halfway through their gap year, and the family are getting to grips with Spanish in Cusco, Peru.

They have been documenting their adventures on Instagram, and hope to inspire other families that their lifestyle isn’t as unattainable as you might think.

Barney told The Chronicle: “We felt like life was so busy in England, we were barely present in each others’ lives.

“We wanted to jump off the constant conveyor belt of life and make some amazing memories together.

“We believe that some of the best lessons that kids can be taught are not in a classroom, but by sparking their curiosity in new surroundings.”