World Travel: Five Moments To Savour In 2011

  

  

BIRTH OF KOBRA  

 

I feel privileged to have been present – and actively so – when both my children were born. I caught Zenchai. But with Kobra it was slightly different.

 

Although Jamie gave birth to her in the toilet, as she did for Zenchai, she had been in labour mostly by herself for roughly 45 minutes – no more. It was pouring with rain outside the Brazilian beach home where we were living and pitched black.

 

Our midwife arrived in the nick of time and by chance, with Jamie on her knees and ready for Kobra’s arrival. It was a magical feeling and occasion.

 

 

 

  

 

 LIVING ON LIGHT FOR 21 DAYS

 

The idea of going without food for three weeks and both food and water for the first seven of them seemed ludicrous. But I had the most extraordinary time by myself - thinking, feeling, being and without hardly any stress in the most beautiful, natural surroundings in Serra Grande, Bahia, Brazil.

 

Although I lost a lot of weight and strength, I gained so much in terms of perspective, understanding, direction, strength of mind and peace.

 

 

VISITING THE AWESOME IGUAZU FALLS 

 

I’d been saying almost from the time we arrived in Argentina that I wanted to go to Iguazu. I’d seen the photos and felt it was too far to go to not see in person.

 

Because Jamie was becoming more heavily pregnant, I opted to go alone. I took a 16-hour bus ride there and was greeted upon my arrival with a thunderstorm which raged for hours.

 

I got soaked, but the rain soon passed and what I witnessed was absolutely immense. A speedboat journey into the falls was the undoubted highlight of the visit. The same day I headed back to Buenos Aires by bus – taking 18 hours – but it was worth it!

 

 

 

WATCHING ZENCHAI LEARN TO SWIM AND KAYAK BY HIMSELF 

 

Zenchai can be ambivalent towards water. Some days I couldn't get him out of the ocean or river and on others it was painful trying to encourage him to take a dip. He's an extremist after all.

 

In spite of this, we spent many hours together splashing around. It wasn't until late into our eight-month stay in Piracanga, Bahia that Zenchai took an interest in kayaking. Around the same time his swimming seemed to blossom.

 

I don't know if, overall, his confidence was soaring, but after I'd made several failed attempts to teach him to kayak, a few days later I saw him paddling up and down the river like a pro all by himself.

 

And then a matter of days later when Zenchai and I were down by the river alone, he'd made his way across without me. Inexplicably, he jumped in when the tide was rising and current strong.

 

I heard him shout for help, saying his feet couldn't touch the ground, but instead of going under, he was thrashing his arms, freestyle, and staying afloat. I didn't want to panic him by rushing, so walked towards him as quickly as I could. He continued swimming until I arrived. Proud moment.

 

SEEING AND HEARING MY CHILD SPEAK A FOREIGN LANGUAGE 

  

This is nothing new. Children learn to speak new languages all the time. But when I saw and heard it with my own eyes and ears it still felt wonderful.

 

Zenchai spent only three months in a Brazilian school, but he also mixed a lot with native-speaking children.

 

Everyone kept saying when we arrived that he'd be speaking Portuguese in no time, but I couldn't imagine it.

 

However, he transitioned amazingly well and by the time we left Brazil he was singing in Portuguese and using his new language when playing by himself.

Comments

[jerseys form China]

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[NFL jerseys]

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[NFL jerseys]

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