• My mom always wanted grandkids, but my siblings and I all had them later in our lives.
• Now that she's an older grandparent, she has less energy to play with her grandkids.
• I had my kids at the perfect time for me, and I have no regrets.

When my partner and I found out I was pregnant with our first child, I couldn't wait to tell my mom. After all, it was the news she had been wanting to hear for years.

My mom has always loved children, and as a mother of four herself, she had hoped that one of her kids would give her a grandchild to love sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, my siblings and I were all late to the parental party, and Mom had to wait a long time before it eventually happened.

My oldest sister was the first sibling to have a child at age 40. By then, Mom was 64 and still full of energy. She took on the role of 'Nana' with zest. However, my sister's family lives in South Africa, and I think Mom was dying for more grandchildren closer to home in Australia.

When I got pregnant, I knew life was about to change

Three years later, when I was 29, I unexpectedly got pregnant. I remember feeling overwhelmed at first and a little daunted about how much my life was about to change, but I also felt ready to settle down. I'd been with my partner for eight years at that point, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, so starting a family wasn't that much of a leap.

I was also happy about the fact that the baby was due just after my 30th birthday. I'd always wanted the focus of my 20s to be on my career and travel. I'd ticked both of those boxes — working as a news reporter at various points in my 20s and traveling the globe for three years satiating my travel bug. Looking back, I think I might have resented it later if I hadn't achieved those goals before having children.

My parents were so excited, and my mom flew down to help after I gave birth

Around the 12-week mark of my pregnancy, my parents flew down from the Gold Coast in Queensland to Melbourne, where my partner and I lived. I'd printed off a photo of myself as a toddler and written a note saying, "Version two: coming soon." Naturally, Mom was over the moon. "I can't believe my baby is having a baby," she said, hugging me tight.

When our son was born six months later, she was incredible. She flew down and stayed with my husband and me for seven weeks while we adjusted to parenthood. It was a special time and I'm so grateful for her support.

My parents are older grandparents, but I had kids at the right time for me

After the birth of our son, my other siblings ended up giving Mom more grandchildren — she now has seven in total. While she loves them all dearly, she struggles to keep up with them physically, especially the younger ones. She's now 76 and often says she wishes we hadn't waited to have kids so late because now she's an older grandparent.

Being an older grandparent means Mom doesn't have the energy she once had. She loves spending time with our kids and will happily read a book to our toddler or play chess with our nine-year-old son. But she can no longer leap around in the pool with them or hike up mountains with us, and at times, that does make me sad.

Everyone has a different idea of how they want their life to look, and for me, 30 was the right time to become a mother. Instead of focusing on the fact that my parents are getting older and the limitations their age places on them as grandparents, I'm trying to enjoy the time we do have together. The most important thing to me is to make memories that will sustain us for the long haul. We will cherish those forever.

• My husband and I are both from hardworking families, and we both used to work a lot.
• After having our third child, our priorities changed, and we now both work 4-day workweeks.
• We have less money but more time to spend with our family, and we're happier.

I first met my husband Sam when he was 24 and I was 21. Back then, he worked six days a week. At the time, he had his own remedial massage business on the Gold Coast, in Australia, and he believed that as a young business owner, he had to put in long hours to succeed.

Sam was raised in a hardworking, middle-income Australian family. His dad worked for the government, and his mom worked in retail. They taught Sam about the importance of having a strong work ethic, budgeting, and investing wisely.

I was also raised in a family of hard workers. For as long as I can remember, my dad worked 12-hour days, five days a week, as an agricultural spare parts salesman, while my mom worked part-time in advertising to help support our family of six.

As soon as I could, I started working and got a job at the age of 14 at our local ice cream shop to earn my own money. I continued working throughout school and while I was at university. Before I'd even graduated, I'd already lined up an internship at the local newspaper.

We traveled together for years and worked full-time when we returned home

In our 20s, Sam and I traveled for several years and did odd jobs while overseas. When we returned to Australia in 2013, we were pretty broke, so we started working full-time again and trying to fill up the coffers, so to speak.

I got a job as a print journalist at a newspaper in Melbourne then started my own copywriting business, while Sam opened a remedial massage and myotherapy clinic in Melbourne (he'd closed the Gold Coast business in 2011 when we went travelling).

It was during the pandemic that our priorities really shifted. When the 2020 lockdowns began in Melbourne, Sam had to close his clinic, while I continued working from home as a copywriter. He homeschooled our kids. I took over as the main breadwinner for the family.

I was working extremely long hours, and while it was financially lucrative, deep down, I knew our family life was suffering. By that stage, we had two children, and I felt like I was missing out on quality time with them.

By late 2021, the pandemic lockdowns had stopped, and life was pretty much back to normal. Sam and I were both working full-time again. Then, I became pregnant with our third child. She was born in August 2022.

We knew something had to change and decided it was our work schedules

Around Christmastime that year, we chatted about what was important to us. We decided we'd rather have less money if it meant having more time with our three children, who were then 7, 4, and four months old.

So, in 2023, we made some big changes. When I went back to work after maternity leave, I cut my hours back to four days a week, and my husband also cut his work hours back to four days a week. Having our own businesses meant we could dictate our own rosters, so we were extremely lucky in that regard.

We're still both only working four days each week, and our system is working really well for us. My husband and I tend to tag-team with the kids. One or the other of us will take care of our youngest (who only goes to day care three days a week) in the mornings and then work in the afternoon. We also take turns doing school pick-ups, so our kids know that either mommy or daddy will always be at the school gate waiting for them at the end of the day.

Rather than paying for childcare, which is expensive, we get to be the ones to take them to extracurricular activities and birthday parties, do homework with them, and watch their swimming lessons or dance recitals. Those moments are invaluable to us.

Working four days a week means my husband and I have had to adjust our spending habits quite a lot. We've felt the cost-of-living pressures in the past couple of years and have had to learn to budget better. But we believe it's worth it.

We know we'll probably never have the flashiest house or the best cars. But what we will have are plenty of memories with our children while they're still young and want to spend time with us. For us, those memories are worth their weight in gold.

• My husband and I lived in Canada in our 20s, and we brought our young kids there a decade later.
• Our children were 4 years old and 8 months old, so they don't remember any of the overseas trip.
• With two young kids, we had to skip or adjust a lot of the activities we'd planned or hoped to do.

My husband and I lived in Canada in our 20s, and couldn't wait to return a decade later.

Some of our happiest memories were of living in Banff in the Rockies, meeting other young people, going on epic outdoors adventures, and exploring Canada's national parks.

This time around, though, we had our 4-year-old and 8-month-old kids to take with us. On our overseas adventure, we planned to visit my brother in Vancouver for his 50th birthday and road trip across British Columbia and Alberta.

After our grueling 17-hour flight from Melbourne, Australia, to Vancouver, we hit the ground running. In total, we spent 10 days exploring Banff National Park in an RV and went on a road trip throughout Hope and other parts of Canada.

We had great moments along the way but we learned some tough lessons, too.

We couldn't do the same things we used to

On our first trip to Banff, we had zero responsibility. This time, we had two little people to care for — and they came first.

I realized pretty quickly that having young children hindered us from doing some of the things we used to love in the area.

Before we arrived, I had naïve visions of being able to go on epic hikes with the kids strapped to our backs. In reality, they didn't want to traipse up a mountain (on my back or otherwise).

Instead, we took short walks with a stroller and made lots of stops along the way to look at butterflies, pick flowers, and eat snacks.

One night, our housemates kindly offered to look after the kids, so my husband and I snuck away for a cocktail at the restaurant I'd worked at a decade earlier.

Two sips in, they called to say our baby girl wouldn't stop crying, so we rushed back to their place as fast as we could. All in all, having young kids meant we had a very different kind of travel experience.

Next time, we'll wait until our kids are older to travel overseas

Banff wasn't quite the same the second time around, largely because we were in a new stage in life with different priorities: our young kids.

Looking back, it would've been better to wait until our children were both older to take them overseas.

I'd hoped that our 4-year-old son would at least remember this trip, but he's now 9 and a lot of those memories have faded. Sometimes I'll ask him about Vancouver or a particular lake we visited in Canada, and he'll just give me a blank stare.

He was just a little too young to appreciate the privilege (and expense) of traveling to another country. I'm confident if we took him overseas today, he'd remember it far better, as I still recall trips I took abroad with my family when I was around his age.

We now have three children and our youngest is a toddler. So, at this time, we're just focusing on exploring our backyard and taking domestic vacations in Australia.

In a few years, though, we'd like to take the kids on another overseas expedition — ideally one they'll remember.

• My mom and I have always been close.
• However, I didn't realize how much I still needed her until I had my own kids.
• Becoming a mother helped me understand her unconditional love for me.

I've always loved my mom dearly, but after I had kids, I found I felt even closer to her. I never thought that having a baby would change my relationship with my own mother, but it did.

Growing up, my mom was the warm, fun, cuddly sort of mom who was always heavily interested in us four kids. We always knew we were loved fiercely and unconditionally.

I vividly recall lying in bed as a child, waiting for her to come and say goodnight. She would appear at my bedside and smother me in hundreds of kisses while I giggled and said, "Stop, Momma."

When I was little, life was always a great adventure with my mom. There were spontaneous trips to the drive-in movies. Fun family barbecues and mud flights at the local lake.

I didn't realize how much I still needed my mom

In my 20s, I wanted to stretch my wings, so I moved overseas from Australia to Canada, and then to London. I didn't see my mom for several years, and while I missed her, I was busy doing my own thing and seeing the world.

When I returned to Australia at 29 and had my first child at age 30, she offered to come and help. I was living in Melbourne then, so she flew down from the Gold Coast, where I grew up, and stayed with my husband and me for seven weeks.

I realized during that time just how much I still needed her. Navigating parenthood for the first time really does rock your world, but having someone to support you who has walked that road before makes a world of difference.

In those first few weeks after our son was born, mom was a powerhouse of energy. She cooked us meals, rocked my son to sleep, and counseled me when I cried about my post-childbirth body.

When I felt completely shattered from sleep deprivation and like I couldn't cope, she would take the baby out for a walk and tell me to catch up on some sleep. On days that I needed cheering up, she'd say, "Get dressed, honey. I'm taking you to lunch."

I remember watching her burping my son over her knee one morning in our little flat, and feeling like I was seeing her through fresh eyes, almost as if for the first time. Suddenly, I felt like I understood her better.

Having my own child helped me understood her unconditional love for me

I could finally relate to the boundless love that comes with becoming a parent. My husband always says my mom is my greatest ally and will defend me to the death, even when I'm clearly in the wrong. Finally, I got it. She loved me unconditionally, just like I loved my son.

I thought about the many sacrifices mom had made for me and my siblings so that we could have a better life. Growing up, she never blew money on herself. She didn't wear name-brand clothes or have the flashiest furniture or cars. But somehow, she and my dad always found money for us kids, whether we needed it for orthodontics, acne treatments, or our many hobbies.

When it was finally time for Mom to head home and I was driving her to the airport, I felt terrified. I didn't know how I would manage without her.

"I don't want you to go," I said, tears streaming down my cheeks as I hugged her goodbye. "It's time, honey. I'm only a phone call away. You'll be OK," she said, and then she was gone.

Mom was right, of course. I was OK in the end. She'd held my hand through one of the most life-changing experiences there is, and she'd helped me find my way. Just as she did when I was a child.

• So far, I've traveled through Africa to Zimbabwe, South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt.
• Seeing Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe was unreal, and I was impressed by Egypt's many landmarks.
• South Africa's Cape Town has great shops and restaurants and I loved the liveliness of Morocco.

The African continent is teeming with unique travel experiences.

There's something for just about any traveler, whether you want to go on an African safari, savor first-class food and wine, see diverse landscapes, laze on stunning beaches, or marvel at ancient civilizations.

My African bucket list is extensive, but I've already ticked off Zimbabwe, South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt. All four countries were vastly different but charming in their own way.

Here's what I enjoyed most about each.

Zimbabwe has a lot of natural beauty.

If you're looking for safaris, game lodges, exotic foods, and breathtaking natural beauty, Zimbabwe is the place.

The highlight of our trip was seeing Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is one of the most spectacular waterfalls on the planet and is said to be the world's largest sheet of falling water.

There are few places more Insta-worthy, particularly if you catch a rainbow — we saw a double one over the falls.

I also really loved Imire: Rhino and Wildlife Conservation, located about two hours from the capital of Harare. There, we went on a game drive and encountered plenty of African wildlife. Then, we had a delicious lunch in the game park overlooking an animal-studded waterhole.

It felt like pure magic.

We found a lot to do in South Africa.

Cape Town, one of South Africa's capitals, didn't disappoint with its spectacular coastal views, a top-notch foodie scene, and great shopping options.

A highlight of our trip was riding on the cableway up to Table Mountain — our gondola had a offers 360-degree panorama of the city.

We spent a whole day walking around the V&A Waterfront and spent a lot of money at its wonderful shops and restaurants.

From there, you can also catch a ferry to Robben Island, which was once a prison for political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela during apartheid, but is now a museum.

The road trip from Cape Town to Knysna — which included a section of the Garden Route, a breathtaking stretch along the coast — was also absolutely stunning. We were lucky enough to stay with family in Knysna who had a beautiful, secluded property on the side of a hill, complete with access to a private beach.

Morocco was like nowhere else I've ever been.

I felt like I was in a movie the moment I arrived in Marrakesh

Donkey-drawn carriages cruised up and down laneways while snake charmers, folk dancers, and trinket vendors vied for my attention.

I enjoyed the delightful chaos and quickly fell in love with the vibrant colors, mouthwatering food, and rugged landscape of this North African country.

The standout for me was our three-day tour from Marrakesh to the Sahara Desert. We journeyed across the Atlas Mountains and explored ancient kasbahs along the way, then eventually rode camels into the desert.

On our final night, we ate chicken tagine (a traditional Moroccan dish with a spiced sauce) under the stars, then slept in a Berber desert camp.

There's incredible history in Egypt.

In the land of the pharaohs, I marveled at millennia-old colossal monuments like the Pyramid of Giza, the Great Sphinx of Giza, and the Abu Simbel temples.

The outstanding engineering capabilities of the Egyptians have to be seen to be believed.

The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities is also a must-see if you're in Cairo. It houses the world's largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including the mask of Tutankhamun and his sarcophagus.

• Leonie Pendergast is 90 and still works full-time.
• She and her family own a few businesses, including the cuckoo clock shop she works in.
• She attributes her longevity to staying busy, never drinking or smoking, and small portions.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Leonie Pendergast, a 90-year-old businesswoman from Omeo, Australia. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm 90 years old and still work full-time in our family's business, a cuckoo clock shop called Omeo Clocks and Glass. I love meeting people and looking after the shop. I firmly believe that as you get older, provided you're still healthy enough, you're much better off doing something. Once you sit down at my age, it's all over.

My husband's family were pioneers in Omeo, Australia, where we live. According to the 2021 Census, it's a small town with a population of 411 people.

My work keeps me busy

My daughter Deb and her husband built the first section of our original shop, the Omeo German Cuckoo Clock Shop. However, Omeo was too quiet for a young couple, so they moved on, and I took over. I had spent 26 years working at the original shop location.

In the meantime, my husband, our son, and I bought another business, Omeo Rural and Hardware Supplies. My husband Tony, who is 88, still works at the hardware shop and drives our truck every day.

After 26 years, I sold the original building where our shop was located. When my daughter moved back to town during the pandemic, I wasn't really enjoying retirement, so she and her partner ended up reopening the cuckoo clock shop at new premises on a smaller scale, and I've been working here for the past three years.

I love meeting people — that's the main thing. We have interesting stock, too. We sell Christmas decorations and cuckoo clocks, which are unique.

I usually work from 10 a.m. until 4:30 or 5 p.m. I do everything in the shop, and my dog, Ivy, a Maltese Shih Tzu mix, keeps me company. I also spend time washing the tea towels for our family's bakery a few doors down.

I don't drink or smoke, and I stay active

When it comes to longevity, I think a lot of it comes down to genetics, but there are two things I've never done — drink alcohol or smoke. Growing up, my parents owned pubs, and we lived on-site, so by the time I was 17, I'd seen enough people drinking to last me a lifetime. It didn't interest me at all.

I also think it's important to stay active. You don't sit down if you're running a business like this one. I took even more steps in the other shop location because I had a flight of stairs to climb.

We still live on our own

Tony and I still live independently together in our own home. I have a hot dinner on the table every night when he comes home after work. Our diet is fairly plain. I always make myself an egg on toast or an omelet for breakfast. Ivy and I share a pie or sandwich for lunch, and it's always meat and vegetables or a salad for dinner. We always have small portions.

My faith grounds me, even through hard times

I'm Catholic and I believe religious faith does give you grounding. We've experienced many hardships, including bushfires that have displaced us for up to 10 days at a time. But faith gives you something to hang on to when things go wrong.

Looking back on my life, I'm happy with what I've achieved, but I would have liked to further my education. I left school the week before I turned 14. Back then, you couldn't go online and do a university degree or add to your education like you can nowadays.

Overall, I'd say my husband and I are very blessed. We have a new great-granddaughter who is due soon, and we're having a quiet Christmas because we'll be busy with the baby. Tony and I both have some health problems, but we do what our health allows us to do.

• I spent eight years living in Melbourne, which ranks among the best cities to live in.
• I loved Melbourne's diversity, cuisine, green spaces, and incredible shopping scene.
• But I struggled with its unpredictable weather and our high cost of living there.

I grew up on the Gold Coast on Australia's east coast and loved it.

But after living overseas for three years in Canada and London, my husband and I wanted to settle somewhere new when we returned to Australia.

Eventually, we moved to Melbourne in the southeastern state of Victoria. Melbourne consistently ranks among the world's top cities to live in based on things like healthcare, infrastructure, culture, and education.

Although I loved a lot about my life in Melbourne, it wasn't a perfect place for my family. Here's what I loved about living there — plus, a few parts I didn't care for.

Its cultural diversity has many perks

Melbourne is known for being one of the most multicultural cities in the world, and with that comes a whole lot of perks. I think the best one is the diversity of the food.

You can find just about any cuisine in Melbourne. If you want to eat Ethiopian cuisine one night, Afghani the next, and Cambodian the night after that, it's all there on your doorstep.

The city is surrounded by top-notch wineries, too, so it's also easy to access mind-blowing libations.

Its arts and sports scenes are outstanding

Melbourne is home to so many different galleries and theaters that it feels like the city has something for everyone.

In my opinion, its arts offerings are second to none. You could watch an opera, ballet, world-class comedy show, and live jazz performance all in one week.

Likewise, if you're into sports, Melbourne is the place to be. The city hosts many world-class sporting events, from the Australian Open to major cricket matches.

Melbourne has so much great shopping

Its central business district is filled with hidden laneway boutiques, historic arcades, and quirky stores you'll find nowhere else.

If you want to visit mainstream and big-name stores, Melbourne's bigger shopping centers have everything you need. Plus, there are open-air markets and farmers markets in most municipalities.

The inner fashionista in me also loved the city's secondhand-shopping scene. When we lived in Melbourne, I'd often spend weekends taking myself to one of the area's many vintage markets in search of treasures.

The green parks and leisure opportunities feel endless

Melbourne is dotted with beautiful parks in the heart of the central business district and surrounding areas.

I always enjoyed wandering the tree-lined pathways through the Fitzroy Gardens or walking around the Royal Botanic Gardens.

It felt special to be able to reconnect with nature amid the buzz of the cityscape.

On the other hand, I could never get used to the weather

Melbourne is known for its unpredictable climate — so much so that its frequent "four seasons in one day" even inspired a song.

It's not uncommon to experience drastic weather changes in the span of 24 hours — a warm, sunny morning could turn into a cloudy, cold, and windy afternoon.

One year, we had our heater running right up until mid-November — only a few weeks out from summer in Melbourne.

The urban sprawl took its toll on us

Living in Melbourne, we had to get used to driving long distances across the huge city. The Greater Melbourne area is over 3,800 square miles — for context, that's about 12 ½ New York Citys.

Many of its suburbs are pretty spaced out, and it can be time-consuming to visit friends and family just a few neighborhoods over.

Our house was on the south side and my sister lived in a leafy inner suburb called Elwood. A trip to see her and my niece often took us up to an hour in the car, so each visit felt like quite a time commitment.

We often struggled with the cost of living

Melbourne is not as expensive as Sydney, but I still found its cost of living to be quite high.

It's one of Australia's most expensive cities and placed in the top 50 most expensive cities in the world, based on Numbeo's most recent cost of living index.

Melbourne is also among the least affordable cities in the world for housing, based on Demographia's latest report assessing housing affordability in 94 major markets.

Although the property values dropped slightly earlier this year, the homes are still unaffordable for many.

We couldn't afford a home in Melbourne unless we moved far from the city center and deep into the suburbs, which wasn't our ideal location.

We enjoyed living in Melbourne — but it wasn't right for us in the long term

I'm so glad we had our time in Melbourne. We had two of our three kids there, met incredible people, and made lasting memories.

However, it wasn't right for us in the long run. We ended up moving to the small town of Bright, located in the foothills of the Australian Alps.

I miss the food, culture, and shopping in Melbourne, but life is a lot easier and cheaper for us in our small town.

• After visiting over 50 countries, I've learned which spots are great for escaping the cold winter.
• The Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, is a great sunny spot for outdoor activities.
• I loved getting to experience the rich history and great beaches in Cape Town, South Africa.

Though many people take their big trips in the summer, the winter is a great time for a grand escape. I've always been someone who needs sunshine and warmth in my bones, so when winter rolls around each year, I plan a sun-soaked getaway to escape the cold.

I've traveled to more than 50 countries and have come across a few destinations offering a winning combination of stunning scenery, memorable experiences, and warm weather.

Here are four places I'd recommend checking out in the winter months.

The Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, is sunny practically all year round.

With beautiful beaches and plenty of theme parks, the Gold Coast in Australia's Queensland is filled with things to do.

The Gold Coast has a sub-tropical climate with about 300 days of sunshine a year, so you're likely to encounter optimal weather for outdoor activities.

My favorite activity here was walking the trail from Tallebudgera Creek to Burleigh Heads, which goes through Burleigh Head National Park. I witnessed plenty of scenic ocean views along the way and often stopped to watch the surfers catch a wave.

If you have any interest in monkeys, Ubud in Bali, Indonesia, is the place to go.

If chill island vibes, monkey spottings, and melodious insect cacophonies appeal to you, Ubud is the place to go.

One of the top attractions is the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, home to more than 1,200 monkeys. You can explore ancient temples and meet the local long-tailed macaques in their natural habitat.

Just make sure you follow the rules and don't take any food or water bottles with you. I learned that lesson the hard way when one enormous monkey leaped on my backpack, giving me the fright of my life.

Another highlight for me was sitting on our veranda at the Green Field Hotel while overlooking the rice fields at sunrise and listening to the cricket orchestra.

My 8-year-old son and I sat out there one morning for about two hours while everyone else was asleep, chatting and enjoying the sounds of nature around us.

For a nice, easy nature hike, check out Campuhan Ridge Walk. I loved the scenery and took my 4-year-old with me. At one point, we stopped for a rest on the trail, and I looked up to find the biggest spider I'd ever seen lurking right above us — so keep your eyes peeled.

Bonito, Brazil, is an incredible snorkeling destination.

Bonito, which means "beautiful" in Portuguese, lives up to its name. The town is in the southern region of the Brazilian Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland. We stopped here on our way from Rio de Janeiro to Bolivia and fell in love with this hidden paradise.

Surrounded by lush forests, Bonito has amazing crystal-clear rivers where you can spot an abundance of fish while snorkeling.

During our trip, a massive thunderstorm rolled in above us when we were snorkeling. Watching the fish dart around underwater as raindrops landed on my back was such an awe-inspiring experience.

I loved exploring wineries and beaches in Cape Town, South Africa.

When it comes to epic coastal scenery, warm people, delicious food, and historical sites, Cape Town delivers.

One of our favorite spots was Groot Constantia, the oldest wine estate in South Africa. We had a mouth-watering lunch and did a wine tasting before learning about the history of Cape farmers at the Manor House Museum and walking through the grounds.

Cape Town's sun-soaked beaches were also postcard-perfect. The water can be pretty chilly, however, even in the summer. I only dipped a toe in, but if you enjoy a little cold-water therapy, feel free to dive right in.

• My extended family went to Bali and stayed at luxurious hotels with perks and one simpler one.
• The more basic hotel that cost less and had fewer perks was our favorite — it felt more authentic.
• I've realized that my family doesn't need all the bells and whistles to have a great vacation.

In 2022, my entire extended family decided to head to Bali for Christmas. The group of 18 of us consisted of five different families from across the globe.

Choosing the right accommodation for such a massive party was tricky, and everyone had differing opinions about where we should stay.

We ended up mixing it up and staying at three different locations — but one was a clear favorite for my family.

We started with the fancier resorts, which were amazing but didn't feel special

Our first stop was the Bali Mandira Beach Resort and Spa, which came highly recommended by our friends.

It's a short drive from the Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport and has great reviews, averaging about 4.6 stars on Google.

Bali Mandira has everything you could want in a family-friendly resort: a kids' club, mind-blowing buffet breakfast, multiple swimming pools (including one for toddlers), a waterslide, and a swim-up bar for the adults.

As we checked into the resort, we were greeted by friendly staff offering virgin cocktails and refreshing hand towels.

The next few days were very relaxing. We floated in the kid-friendly pool, drank our fair share of cocktails at the swim-up bar, ate ourselves silly at the buffet, and sampled a few of the local restaurants nearby.

The resort felt peaceful with sprawling, immaculately tended gardens, yet it was still close to the action. We could step outside and explore the markets around Legian, then retreat back into the Bali Mandira oasis.

Next, we headed to the five-star Holiday Inn Resort Bali Nusa Dua, which overlooks Benoa Bay. Again, its reviews were exceptional — it has an average of about 4.6 stars on Google.

It had plenty of facilities for the little ones and the kids' club was pretty amazing with a slide, climbing wall, costumes, arts and crafts, computer zone, ball pit, and photo booth.

But after a few days, we started to feel like we were missing out on experiencing the real Bali. After all, the Holiday Inn is a chain resort. Chains are supposed to provide reliable, consistent experiences, not necessarily localized ones.

Both resorts felt quite Westernized, which I know many travelers enjoy. But for us, the many all-inclusive comforts and easy seclusion made us feel like we could've been back home in Australia rather than in Indonesia.

Our final stop was our favorite

After five days, we were well and truly ready for a change of scenery, so we headed to Green Field Hotel and Restaurant in Ubud.

This quaint three-star hotel ended up being our favorite of the trip, which came as a bit of a surprise as it was also the cheapest.

Our spacious double room had gold paint, mosquito nets, and ornate wooden furniture — it definitely felt more Balinese. The hotel was also perfect location-wise.

We were a 10-minute walk from Ubud's famous Monkey Forest, and the hotel offered a free shuttle service around town. This was super handy for so many of our family members, who ranged in age from four months to 78 years old.

There wasn't a swim-up bar or kids' club, but the hotel had two swimming pools, with one overlooking nearby rice paddies. We found it magical to float in a pool surrounded by a cacophony of insects with the fields nearby.

We've realized that, sometimes, simple is best

Although our accommodation in Ubud didn't have the same bells and whistles as the other resorts, our children loved it.

We made lasting memories sitting on the veranda listening to the insects at sunrise, watching locals tend to the rice paddies, and chatting with the friendly staff.

For some travelers, a massive, Westernized resort that feels comfortably like home can be more appealing. But we've realized our little family prefers places where we can immerse ourselves in some local culture over luxurious ones where you hardly need to leave the property.