A Singapore family has drawn attention online after making an unusual decision: selling their home and car to fund a six-month overland journey across Asia with their two young children.
What began as a long-term dream has now become reality for Mr. Shahrom and Ms. Mastura, who recently set off in a customised Toyota Hilux camper with their two children. Their destination is Turkey, with the family expected to travel through around 10 countries along the way.
The family’s journey, which they document through their TikTok account @_fatstarfish, quickly attracted online attention after videos showed them packing away their belongings, saying goodbye to loved ones, and preparing for life on the road.
Years Of Planning Before Taking The Leap
While many online reacted with surprise at the couple’s decision to sell major assets, the trip was far from a sudden idea. Reports stated the family had spent years preparing and budgeting for the expedition.
The couple, longtime travel and camper enthusiasts, planned the journey progressively over a decade. Rather than treating it as an impulsive adventure, they carefully worked through finances, logistics, and long-term arrangements before committing.
Travelling Before Childhood Changes Everything
The timing of the trip also appears intentional. Their eldest child is expected to begin primary school in 2027, making this one of the last opportunities for extended family travel before school schedules take over.
Rather than treating the experience as a holiday, the family has reportedly incorporated learning into daily life. The children are being homeschooled during the journey and encouraged to document experiences through journaling while exploring new cultures, languages and environments.
Their route will take them through Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, China and several countries across Central Asia before eventually reaching Turkey.
Camper Build Finally Hits The Road
In their latest post, the family shared another update online showing what appeared to be their first official day camping after preparing the vehicle for the expedition.
The video offered a closer look at life inside the camper setup, with the children enjoying food while the adults worked through the routines of mobile living. One scene showed coffee being brewed inside the compact camper space — a small but telling moment after weeks of preparation and camper modifications.
The update also seemed to confirm that the Hilux camper build is finally complete and road-ready as the family begins settling into life across borders.
For now, the family appears to be taking things one stop at a time as their six-month journey officially begins.
Watch videos here to keep up with their journey:
@_fatstarfish We sold our house, Golden Honmoon and pack our worldly possessions into storage to buy a Toyota Hilux to travel overland to Turkiye. We have been planning this for a very long time. And finally it is happening. Come join us on our adventures and see how far we go. #overland #travel #toyotahilux #vanlife
@_fatstarfish Our first time camping as a family was a success. The kids just love the outdoors. Running around. Making up their own games. Just being kids. And the parents just love this kind of moments. And the view was just amazing. 🔥 Our rig so far had no issues and is actually very comfortable inside. Till our next post. Stay safe wherever you are. #overland #travel #toyotahilux #vanlife #truckcamper @PAHAT HILL
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