Desaru Family Adventure : Sprint Triathlon, EV Road Trip & Beach Memories

Our Desaru trip was filled with unexpected moments from our first long distance EV road trip and rainy weather to sudden fever that changed some of our plans. While our eldest had to miss the Kids Sprint Triathlon after falling sick, daddy proudly completed his first ever Sprint Triathlon, ticking off one of his bucket list goals. Despite everything not going according to plan, we slowed down, embraced the changes, spent time at the beach, and returned home with memories and new lessons for our next adventure.

Day 1 – Our First EV Road Trip to Desaru.

Set off on our first family road trip in an electric vehicle. Learned how EV charging works and planned charging stops along the journey. Arrived safely in Johor, checked into an AirBnB with a slide in the living room, super kids friendly, the kids had a blast just staying in the AirBnB. We had dinner at the Chinese restaurant downstairs, excited for the race weekend ahead.

Day 2 – Plans Changed, Family Came First.

Our eldest woke up feeling unwell and had to withdraw from the Kids Sprint Triathlon she had been looking forward to. I was also down with a headache, so we rested together in the hotel while Daddy took the other three kids to enjoy the beach. Ordered dinner in and had an early night, hoping everyone would recover for the next day and no one else get sick.

Day 3 – Race Day & A Perfect Beach Afternoon.

Daddy completed his first Sprint Triathlon under the rough sea conditions, he swam 750m, followed by a 20km cycle and 5km run. The kids and I woke up feeling much better and rushed to the finish line but arrived just three minutes after Daddy crossed it! Celebrated together over breakfast before exploring the event village, where the kids enjoyed games and activities. Returned to the finish line for family photos before spending the afternoon by the pool and beach.

Although the weather was cool with on and off rain, the beach was calm, breezy and surprisingly perfect. We spent over six hours outdoors, pool, beach, building sandcastles, playing in the waves and simply enjoying nature together.

Day 4 – A Relaxed Journey Home.

Slept in without an alarm, enjoyed breakfast, packed up and headed home. Completed our return journey in the EV with much more confidence, learning how driving speed affects battery efficiency and we manage to drive home from Desaru without charging at all.

Expect the unexpected. Kids can fall sick even after months of looking forward to an event. Having a flexible mindset makes it much easier to adapt.

Pack a small medicine kit. Basic medications and a thermometer can make a huge difference when travelling with children. Don't let the weather stop you. We had on and off rain throughout the weekend, but still managed to enjoy the beach, festival and outdoor activities.

If you're driving an EV, plan your charging stops. This was our first long distance EV road trip, and we learned that maintaining a steady speed (around 120 km/h worked well for us) helped improve battery efficiency and reduced the need for frequent charging.

The best memories aren't always the perfectly planned ones. Some of our favourite moments came after our plans changed from spending hours at the beach to simply slowing down and enjoying time together.