A recently single mum has been backpacking around the world with her nine-year-old twins after being diagnosed with MS.

Lara Flanagan, from New South Wales, spent her savings on round-the-world tickets for her and her kids before selling their belongings – and her business – to help fund the trip of a lifetime.

And they’re living off no more than £60 a day.

After managing to gain control of her debilitating, degenerative condition via a special wholefood diet, Lara concluded that ‘life was too short’ and decided to jet off.

For the past nine months, the trio has travelled around the US, Costa Rica and Italy – taking odd jobs and getting by on various schemes and house-sitting programmes.

‘Being diagnosed with MS at just 41 was a real shocker,’ says Lara.

‘I’d not long been single and was busy trying to start a new life for me and the kids. To not be well physically and told I might end up in a wheelchair was devasting.

‘After a tough 12 months, I got the condition under control and realised life was too short. I wanted us to live and share something amazing together.’

She booked the tickets ‘on a complete whim’ after phoning a travel agent to discuss a short holiday and finding that the agency was having a sale on round-the-world tickets.

A few months later, the trio began their shoe-string adventure.

‘We’re living off just $100AUD (£60) a day which when I think about it is amazing,’ Lara says.

‘Back in Australia, you’d struggle to survive on that but we’re managing fine, even with my special dietary needs.

‘Before we left, I sold off most of what we owned, including my car. I even sold my cake-making business as I just didn’t feel connected to it anymore. It’s definitely been worth it.

Now everything we own fits into our backpacks and we find ways to live cheaply, such as house-sitting. It’s been really liberating.’
She says that initially her children struggled with the upheaval but have since settled into a rhythm.'

‘We prefer to really immerse ourselves in the local culture and don’t do a lot of traditional sight-seeing,’ she says.
‘Most days, we go for long walks and get lost exploring the area we’re in.

‘I’m always trailing behind the kids and even joke that wherever my twins go, I’ll follow them.’

Lara has been documenting their adventures in a series of photographs which show her seeing the world from behind her children.

While they’ve been travelling, Archie and Larissa have been enrolled in a distance learning programme but will soon be returning to school.
Lara says: ‘I’ll be really sad when our adventure comes to an end, but I know they’ll have a lifetime of memories.

‘They’ve learnt so much about life at such a young age because of what we’ve been doing this last year. I think they’ll be stronger, well-rounded kids because of this experience as they’ve been exposed to so many challenges and culture.’

Next up, they’re heading to Thailand and Cambodia before heading back to Australia. But that won’t be the end of their adventures.
‘I don’t think this will be the last of our travels,’ Lara says.

‘Larissa and Archie are already trying to convince me to buy a campervan once we’re home so we can travel Australia.

‘I’ve spent $32,000 (£19,500) on our globetrotting adventures so far, but I think it’s been worth every cent.
‘We’re so much happier living life like this.’

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