Travel Channel's Big Crazy Family Adventure Comes to Washington

Traveling from Kimberly, British Columbia to the Himalayas is no easy task. Add two kids and no planes to the equation and most people would panic -- but not the Kirkby family. Travel Channel's new series Big Crazy Family Adventure chronicles one brave family's 13,000-mile odyssey to the other side of the world, but there's a catch: they can only take boats, cars and trains but no planes. The old adage about the journey vs. the destination couldn't be more applicable than it is to this show. From the Ganges to the Pacific Ocean, the Potala Palace in Tibet to South Korea, Canadian couple Bruce Kirkby, Christine Pitkanen and their two sons Bodi (7) and Taj (3), traverse extreme changes in cultures and climates. FishbowlDC had the chance to catch up with the globetrotting family while they visited our nation's capital. Among other things, we discussed the unfair stigma behind traveling with children. "I feel like traveling with kids has an unnecessarily bad connotation or reputation," said Bruce, a wilderness guide, writer and award-winning photographer. "Like 'oh my god how did you survive?'" "The trick to traveling with kids, you're a family so once you get out the door and get that momentum, it's not too different from going to Disneyland for a few days," added Christine. "It's funny cause a lot of the places people take kids there are flashing lights and sugar, and you're like why are kids misbehaving?" continued Bruce. "Having them in Asia and India, it's surprisingly manageable -- they're eating pretty good food and able to get away to city parks." They even revealed a possible adventure route for a 2nd season. "Antartica!" exclaimed Bodi. "Christine and I were down with Bodi in Patagonia, and the one thing that's really amazing about South American culture is there is this great reverence for children and elders," said Bruce, discussing the potential North to South journey. "So, you take your kids there and they're immersed in this culture where they're respected and valued. And I think they pick up on that, so we'd love to take them back to South America." Whether or not you have a family, or simply love to travel, this show is more than worth getting into. While the network premiere of the series is set for Sunday, June 21, at 9 p.m., the series will also premiere online and on demand on 6/14 - one week before it premieres on air. The first episode is already available on their website, but just a warning: once you watch, you'll be hooked. Watch the trailer, courtesy of Travel Channel.

Fishbowl

Travel Channel's Big Crazy Family Adventure Comes to Washington

Boats, cars, trains and no planes.

Damon Marx

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Damon Marx