Julie is sitting at the dining table with Mona, her ten year old step daughter. It’s a school day and Mona is doing her lessons. A month or so ago, the family packed up in Paris and moved to Phuket. Today, they are doing a home-school evaluation to post back to France.

Most weekends are spent on Koh Lone where Julie’s husband is now manager of a boutique resort. Come Friday, Julie packs several bags for her and the kids to jump aboard Baan Mai’s longtail for a visit with dad.


The week bag

The two year old is at kindergarten during the week but there he is in Julie’s bag, a canvas tote carry-all. A towelling bib is the tell-tale sign that there’s a toddler in her life.

“ I try to get at least two hours out of an outfit for Tim, he needs so many clothes everyday,” says Julie, between spelling corrections with Mona.

A pack of Soft Wipes obviously belongs to the little one too. “They are for the whole family, but especially for him,” she points out. “We all look like Tim when we go eating Isaan food”.

Most items in the bag deal with travel and children. There is some Arnica tabs for monsieur when he falls (“I always, always have that in my bag,” says mum) and Camilia for his teething moments; a “smelling stick” for Julie on those queasy boat rides, mosquito repellent for the weekend trips and Mona’s travel sick pills because she goes “blah” a lot in cars, planes and on motorbikes.

Three passports

The kids have their own passports and the whole family were heading next day to Laos for a visit to Mona’s mum.

“Timmy is only two but he has his own stamps,” Julie says proudly. Actually, he turned two a few days ago. The cake is all gone but his new Lego lays between the door and the bag.

While in Vientiane, Julie will also check out the French school system. “I hear there is good French schooling in Laos and I want to see what we can do here on Phuket for all the French families,” she says, while thumbing a magazine plucked from her bag. The publication is packed with information for expats from France, which Julie uses as a lifeline for her own young family.

Country girl

Growing up in Bordeaux country, Julie admits she likes a simple life. Years on the move as a tour leader in Asia, some time in Chiang Mai, a year on Koh Yao Noi and a stint back in Paris before the sea change on Phuket, she is happiest with few possessions. There’s not that much in her bag really, but every French girl likes at least a little luxury.

“I have one nice lipstick – an Yves Saint Laurent – it was a special gift to myself,” she said.

“My husband grew up in Paris and loves the city life – but I prefer to be in the countryside or on a tropical island. That’s more exciting to me”.



- Kerrie Hall