Abrams Family World Travel

World Travel: Claude's Reflections On A Year On The Road - Part Two

AS we prepare to embark on the next stage of our travel – in January to Brazil – we hope Zenchai’s needs are going to be more fully supported.

We shall be on Brazil’s Bahia coast for five months and, of course, in April he is going to have a sibling, which is likely to throw a whole new set of issues into our family dynamic.

Not that Zenchai has been miserable by any standards. He has adapted incredibly well for someone who this year has visited 15 countries by aeroplane, car or boat, stayed in 42 destinations and had 54 changes of accommodation.

Whenever I look at our family photos, his beaming face reassures me that our journey has been worthwhile and nourishing.

At first, though, each change of location was met with behavioural issues. And on several occasions moving has caused him some sadness – in particular when we left Kukljica in Croatia and my uncle’s in Santeny, near Paris, during the summer.

Zenchai often talks fondly and excitedly about his experiences, though. He remembers the finer details, too. We talk about it often. We look through pictures and discuss the people he’s met and places we’ve visited along the way.

Has the travel been better or worse for him? That’s not a question I can answer, partly because all children are so unique and it’s much too early to tell how this will impact on him, positively or negatively. What benefits one child may hinder another. And don't our experiences, whether 'good' or 'bad', shape and make us? Often it's the hardship - and overcoming it - that builds character, although I should emphasize that we aren't seeking hardship.

Zenchai has grown in a different way by travelling than he would have had we stayed put in our old home outside of London. He doesn’t have the stability of a house and his own play room, but, whether we’re in a hotel, hostel, apartment or someone’s home, knows his parents will be there for him night and day.

Since leaving the UK, Zenchai has also spent nearly every day outdoors. He gets much more exercise than he used to. He complained about the walking at first, but now does 5km in hot conditions almost routinely (and he’s not especially fond of the heat). Just the other week we went on a hike over large rocks and through caves and he really loved the adventure. But there are moments, too, when he protests incessantly.

For sure, there have been moments when Jamie and I have asked ourselves, ‘Have we done the right thing?’ But those thoughts, I reckon, are only natural in moments of uncertainty.

What I’d add is that similar doubts often used to cross my mind when I was working in London and the idea of continuing to break my back for a big corporation and the possibility of not seeing the world was eating away at me.

As a family, we have become much closer. We’ve come to recognise each other’s faults and strong points because we see and deal with them (often) every day. But we also have more niggling and testing moments: as a threesome often in places where we have no outside support, there is little respite. That can prove demanding.

We have now learned more to create individual time for each other and this involves making sacrifices. It’s essential when travelling in this way. Initially, we used to do everything together. It’s more fun. No-one wants to miss out on anything. But now I reckon it’s much better to occasionally split the childcare duties and give each other a breather.

During September, when in West Palm Beach, Florida, I had three weeks when it was mostly just Zenchai and I.

To be honest, I was apprehensive beforehand about the prospect. I had never previously had to take care of him all day every day for more than a few days. The idea of doing it 24/7 seemed daunting. Zenchai and Jamie had also never been apart for long.

Though we butted heads several times – actually many if I’m honest – it was great fun. We did things together and made space for each other as well. We shared meal times and talked a lot (I probably did more listening). I got to learn all about trucks, too, because bed-time stories each day involved reading and looking at the adverts in a free trucking mag we’d picked up from a service station!

One of the main reasons for leaving my work, though, was to dedicate more time to Zenchai – to be there while he was growing up. It means a lot to me that Zenchai feels a part of a family and that Jamie and I are around as much as possible during his most formative years.

I don’t think he fully appreciates that now. Because he’s not in a school system, Zenchai doesn’t know it to be any different. This, for him, is normal. I’m fascinated to see what he will be like as a big brother and how we change as a family when we become a foursome.

That’s just one challenge that awaits us in 2011. I am certain there will be many more. But I prefer not to look too far into the future because the course of life can change in an instant. It also takes your eyes off the present moment, which is so precious. That’s something I’m still working on.

Having had most of this year mapped out from the beginning, it was always tempting when in a place we weren’t particularly enjoying to think about a destination ahead that we were savouring. I learned, though, that it also takes time to adapt to your surroundings and circumstances. What feels awkward and undesirable at first can, in time, feel the opposite – if you give it a chance and are open to the possibility.

For instance, when we first arrived in Vilcabamba, Ecuador (with great expectations), we looked at each other and thought, ‘Let’s get out of here’. But five weeks later we moved on, somewhat reluctantly.

The year was, for me, the beginning of a massive shift in lifestyle. I knew it would take time to unwind from having worked in a big city for over 20 years doing the same thing – and it has.

I said to myself at the start of the year that I wouldn’t work for the first 12 months and for much of the time I have been too absorbed in parenting and family life to think of anything else.

But I’ve found that I now regularly crave sinking my teeth into a project of some description and that is something I hope to act upon next year. It doesn’t mean I want out from the life I am leading. I just have a desire to add to it with something that gives me a sense of purpose and fulfilment in addition to and beyond sharing days and experiences with my wife and son.

I’m still adapting (which makes me wonder how people are supposed to recharge with just a two or three-week vacation) and getting the hang of travelling with a family. Maybe next year I’ll get to grips with it!

The same applies to languages. I haven’t progressed as much as I had hoped. My Spanish is still basic. My Croatian, though, improved. However, I feel more confident with languages (even Spanish) even if I’m not significantly more proficient.

I’m less concerned about not making any sense and follow the ethos of my best friend Bob Lesson, who just throws what words he knows together and somehow makes himself understood. Nowadays I’ll just have a try. This year I’m going to make a committed effort at Brazilian Portugese.

None of this matters, though, if you haven’t got your health and, physically, I still feel youthful except when Zenchai asks me to play a game with him that involves crawling on hands and knees for a sustained period. I get plenty of exercise and sunshine, though. We eat lots of fruits and vegetables – as much locally-grown and organic as possible. We’ve avoided fast food at all costs, even though it would have been infinitely cheaper.

Family life provides many joys, but also most of my anguish. It’s also always in the back of my mind that our travelling money will one day run dry and that I/we must discover a way of generating some income.

I’m still persevering at being a good father and husband and meeting the challenges of family life the way I aspire to. We are also pondering different career possibilities and, with a baby coming, what to do and where to go after we stop back in England from Brazil next July.

Travelling, however, continually throws me opportunities to better myself and succeed where before I have failed, often miserably. It’s a fantastic way – especially when moving slowly – to see and feel the world and meet new people.

I don’t foresee us travelling indefinitely, but haven’t yet discovered a place where I’d like to make roots. In a way that’s positive, because I still have destinations I would like to visit first, like India, Thailand, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand.

Perhaps that will come next.

World Travel: Claude's Reflections On A Year On The Road - Part One

I IMAGINED when I left full-time employment over a year ago that during the first 12 months travelling with my family – wife and four-year-old son - I’d have plenty of time on my hands.

Perhaps it was foolish to figure I’d have to myself a significant share of the hours I had spent at work and commuting.

It hasn’t worked out that way. In fact, I have less time for self-indulgence now than before. Life has been more challenging, too, but I expected that.

Working in London, I was coasting through each day, almost on auto-pilot, although there were aspects of the job (editor of Boxing News) and lifestyle that were demanding and stressful.

In terms of stress, I would say I feel about the same, but the type of stress is different. Anyone who thinks I’m living the perfect life, joyfully passing each day in a state of bliss, basking in sunshine, will probably find this blog somewhat surprising.

It would be easy for me to paint a rosy picture. My decision to trade in a relatively comfortable lifestyle for a global family exploration was regarded by some as brave and fantastic while others reacted as if I were stupid and/or insane.

I could easily permit my pride to prevent me admitting to any hardships or failings. But that would make the value of this article worthless. The truth is that it has felt like a much tougher 12 months than I had the previous year when working in London every day.

With most jobs I’ve had, the task has become easier through repetition and familiarity, but parenting and living on the road (which is now my job effectively) continually presents fresh trials and confrontations.

While there have been many times when I have felt utterly exasperated, I don’t regret for one second my decision to leave a secure occupation and sell our family home. I wouldn’t exchange the experiences I’ve had this year just for a regular wage and safe abode. My year, in fact, has whizzed by.

Although we’ve been back to London twice this year between trips, on our longer stints abroad I haven’t once yearned to be back in Britain or at my old job. We miss family and friends, of course, but during our travels have enjoyed some precious moments with family we haven’t easily been able to see when we were living in England. We’ve also made some great friends.

In today’s age, what with the internet, Skype and Facebook etc, staying in contact is made so much easier and more intimate. Talking to someone on Skype can almost seem like seeing them in person. It takes away the longing.

However, while it can at times be unsettling not knowing where ‘home’ is, it can also be exciting. We tend to think of ‘home’ as where we are as a family unit. A house is a house – a building – and not necessarily a home.

A greater concern for us has been finding ways of satisfying Zenchai’s developmental needs as he grows older, most specifically the desire to interact with other children.

In the earlier part of the year, when we were in Morocco and Ecuador, it wasn’t an issue. But recently Jamie and I have both felt a sense of yearning on Zenchai’s part to be around other children and no amount of time spent with us (in an adult world) can satisfy that.

It has been painful at times watching him play alone, knowing he desperately wants (child) company. It’s been equally heart-breaking seeing him unsuccessfully try to make inroads into a group of children who speak a foreign language to him. To some extent his confidence has taken a knock.

Initially, particularly when we were in Ecuador, he resisted trying to learn new languages. But he has now recognised how it can create opportunity. I found also that by speaking to him in Spanish or Croatian (or whatever language we need to be using), he has started to pick up words and phrases, too, while at the same time enabling me to improve my word skills as well.

The secret, as with almost anything – for children as well as adults, is to make it fun. Sometimes when we play games I use (my limited) Spanish only and invariably I have to find words and phrases that relate to cars and pirates (his latest fascination).

But just as Zenchai has started to make some inroads into Spanish while in Argentina, he is about to face even greater challenges. More on that in Part Two. 

World Travel: My Top 10 Memories Of 2010

1. Mornings in Kukljica, Croatia

Waking up, seeing the sun rise over a calm Adriatic Sea and taking a plunge with the water all to myself.

2. River Plate v Boca Juniors

The ultimate club football experience. A genuine grudge match in Argentina’s national stadium (in Buenos Aires) with colours, noises and celebrations I’ve never seen before.

3. Driving through Croatia

We spent two months there this summer. Although I’d spent many months during my childhood in my motherland, for some reason the true beauty escaped me – until we drove there and home this summer. It is truly the most stunning country in Europe (for me anyway).

4. Meeting new people and seeing family members

One of the real joys of travelling is the interesting people you meet and friends you make. I met some fascinating characters. But another huge pleasure was spending time with family, from Croatia to France to Florida to Buenos Aires, and introducing them to my family.

5. Views of Quito

Being the highest capital city in the world has some advantages. Although Quito is a vast concrete jungle, there are some superb vantage points. I loved discovering them to take in the spectacular sights.

6. Rock-climbing with Zenchai in Argentina

With temperatures in the 90s, Zenchai and I went into the rocks at Paseo de Mamagotes close to Capilla Del Monte. Wearing flip-flops, Zenchai wasn’t ideally equipped. Some of the rocks were slippery and when he slid early on, he wanted to turn back. But I convinced him to continue, pretending we were on a pirate treasure hunt, and he persevered. He loved it and so did I.

7. Introduction to Hillbilly golf

At a family gathering for Jamie’s mother in Toledo, Ohio in August, a bizarre game was unveiled. It involved what looked like mini-rugby posts but with an added bar on the top. The only other equipment required were six golf balls with rope going through them. The posts are placed about 20ft apart and teams toss the balls by the rope, aiming to hook them on to the posts. The higher the ball sticks, the better the score. Couldn’t believe how much fun it was.

8. Eating ripe, locally-grown watermelons

You may have gathered my favourite fruit is watermelon. It’s not only fantastic for hydrating and full of goodness, but so tasty when chilled. We had our best watermelons in Croatia and Argentina.

9. Hiking Cerro Uritorco

In Capilla Del Monte, Argentina, where we spent Christmas and New Year, one mountain overlooks the region. It's an impressive beast and hiking it one morning after Christmas was unforgettable not only for the views, but also the challenge and the stunning sense of tranquility and connecting with nature. 

10. Weekend in Icacos, Trinidad

What a special place, so peaceful, colourful and spectacularly photographic. Lake, beach, sunshine and, above all else, a sense of calm and silence I didn’t experience or find anywhere else on the island.

World Travel: What The Future Holds

"Where are you now?" and "Where is your next destination?"

Those are the two most common questions we get from friends, family and even strangers. The quickest way to reference where we are is on the left hand sidebar of our website or by going to either of our Facebook profile pages where it says current location.

Since the announcement of the growing sprout in my womb, the usual curiosity about where we are going and what we are doing has peaked.

As many of you already know we are presently in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Our immediate plan is to stay in our comfy apartment for another three weeks before heading off to another area of Argentina. We would like to visit Iguazu Falls, one of the most impressive waterfalls on the planet, but the 18-hour bus journey with a boisterous 4.5-year-old is slightly off-putting. There is also a lovely coastal area about 300km from Bs.As. that we might like to explore before ferrying to Uruguay.

We have roughly allocated six weeks to Argentina and another six weeks to Uruguay.

Our itinerary has us flying from Bs.As. at the end of January to Salvador, Brazil, in the Bahia province. From there we will make our way five hours south to an eco-village, where we would like to lay foundations until late June, well after the birth of our newest vagabonder.

From there, due to our flight restrictions, we have to fly back to Bs.As. where we will enjoy a few days before taking the mammoth flight back to London.

The question on everyone's mind is what will we do once we return to England. But so far we are just taking it one day at a time. We think we would like to have another Croatian summer and from there go the opposite way around the globe to visit Australasia.

So in a nutshell, for the more visual folks: Argentina - Uruguay - Argentina - Brazil - Argentina - UK - ???

All we can really say is watch this space!

Recoleta: How We Were Misconstrudeled

Admittedly, it wasn’t the best idea I ever came up with. We were walking down Avenida Santa Fe, which, towards the Recoleta end, is like Fifth Avenue in New York. As we passed a pastry shop, I noticed some apple strudel sitting invitingly in the window.

Knowing how much we (especially Zenchai) enjoy strudel, I suggested we go in for a snack.

So we sat at a table, ordered our food and devoured it. Then came the bill – a whopping 78 pesos (£13). I nearly fell off my chair. Is that the most expensive strudel in the world? There had to be a mistake.

After all, in Croatia in the summer, when we purchased strudel nearly each morning, it cost us 10 kuna (£1.19).

I didn’t check the price before ordering because, on the whole, food in Argentina hasn’t been too expensive. But I learned my lesson – again. Always check first!

To make matters worse, though, on the way home in a taxi, Zenchai was sick and up came his strudel. But he felt a lot better, which is the important thing.

The strudel episode came shortly after we’d visited the El Ateneo Bookstore (1860 Santa Fe – between Riobamba and Callao).

This is no ordinary bookstore. In fact, on one blog I read recently it was voted in the top 10 most stunning bookstores in the world. And it truly is impressive.

A renovated theatre, there is now a café on the stage and books on four levels, including downstairs. All the magnificent details, especially on the ceiling, have been left in tact.

We spent most of our time in the children’s section, but were asked by one member of staff not to read the books! Can you believe that? Who doesn’t read books in a bookstore?

It left a sour taste in our mouths. I wasn’t sure if it was because Zenchai was wearing his Brazil shirt. Whatever, we left fairly promptly afterwards – and still purchased a few books.

And we would still recommend anyone visiting Buenos Aires to make a stop here. But avoid the restaurant selling pastries a few shops along.

Ugljan/Pašman: Beach Spots

Ugljan

Sabuša: A 30-minute walk from the village centre, Sabuša has beautiful views of the Kornati islands and, because of the sandy base to the shallow water, it's a perfect spot for children. There are plenty of trees for shade on hot days, but no ameneties nearby. During August, you can pick from the many fig trees.

Zelena Punta: Large pine forest area opposite the marina that has numerous bays for swimming, some of which are sandy and shallow enough to stand. Depending on which way the wind blows, great places can be found for swimming all around the peninsula. Some, though, are rockier than others. We loved it here, although it can get busy.

Zavhr: This bay is on the other side of Zelena Punta. You'd need to walk for a few minutes, starting by the narrow street by the side of the tourist office to get there. Here the water, especially in the morning, is fabulously calm. There are some excellent swimming spots and a diving platform. It can also get wavy in the afternoons, though this is great for wind-surfers.

Kostanj: A sandy cove, intimately tucked away beyond the 15th Century church of St Jerome and a fair distance from the village centre, is sadly spoiled by littering. It's horribly dirty, which is a shame as there is potential for this to be an excellent beach location. The walk there, going through the pine forest, is attractive.

Jelenica: A smaller version of Sabusa with a sandy, shallow bay, which makes for plenty of fun for children. You can get there either from the main road passing by Kukljica or from Sabuša by walking further along the coastline.

Poljana:

By the basketball court: This seemed to be the best location in this tiny and quiet village. There is some sand, but it's mostly pebbles and rocks and the wind can gust a little. You can see the village of Preko in the distance. There's a large concrete base for bathers to lie down and car parking nearby.

Marina: Follow the coastline around (on the opposite side to the basketball court) and you'll find several pebbled beaches with clean water and nicely tucked away. But the coves are small.

Pašman

Pašman: Located across from the islet of Babac in the Pašman Channel, this village has two sandy beaches. One, close to the church and near a camping site, is bigger, tends to be busier and is less sheltered. On the other side is another beach spot, which we found to be excellent. The water is knee-deep for 20 metres and pure sand.

Mrljane: What this small, undeveloped village lacks in terms of restaurants and atmosphere it makes up for with a large swimming/play area. You can walk for about 100m out to sea before the water rises to chest height (for an average sized adult). Therefore, it's great for young children. It can get blustery, as the bay is quite open. There are trees lining the beach, offering some respite from the sun.

Neviđane: There's a tiny, but pretty sandy bay which is perfect for playing in rather than swimming. It gets really busy in high season, but the water is clean and warm. There are children's play areas with swings and slides - one of which is on the end of a pier and heads into the ocean.

Kukljica: Night Riding and Skinny Dipping

I HAVE no idea how the couple sitting quietly on a bench, enjoying an ice cream after dinner, must have felt. But out of the shadows in the calm waters I emerged, swimming towards the pier.

It was dark. You could see the city lights across the water in Zadar and the stars up above. I decided to take a late-night swim, my first.

Why it had taken me this long in life to experience such a pleasure I cannot explain. But better late than never.

It was admittedly unnerving at first. Jamie said the same when she followed me later. You can see NOTHING beneath you in the deep, dark water and it's eerily quiet and lonely.

Thoughts - not good ones - enter your mind. But I kept reminding myself these waters were safe. And they are.

My only genuine concern was finding the pier from which I started my swim. Lighting wasn't exactly great and I preferred not to step on to a sea urchin when getting out.

However, as far as swimming experiences go, that was only the beginning. The following day it got even better.

The water in the Adriatic had been so calm and warm, the air muggy and sun hot that taking a plunge had reached new levels of irresistibility during the day.

Best of all was stripping naked - skinny dipping. That was real freestyle swimming. It was done discreetly, of course.

But now I know how it feels all the time for Zenchai and why the little guy always grinning when in the ocean.

Preko: Amazing Views

FOR the most stunning views from Ugljan of the island and surrounding Dalmatian islands there is no better spot than the Sveti Mohovil (St Michael) fortress/castle. I can't believe I never came here when I first visited the island.

On a clear day, one can see as far as the Kornati National Park, many of the amazing 200 or so islands in the region and Italy. It's the highest point on the island of Ugljan (265m above sea level).

The fortress itself isn't much to look at. It used to be home to the Stipanov dynasty, who originated from Italy. Later it was ransacked by the English during the Holy War and then taken over by the Nazis in World War II.

There's now a satellite tower in the middle of it, but there is an impressive vantage point within the crumbling walls that doubles as a watch-out tower.

A large cross marks the location of the fortress and overlooks Preko. You can see for miles the vegetation, surrounding and distant villages, fig and olive trees and stone walls.

The fortress can be reached by car on a narrow road. You could even hire a mountain bike. If you choose to go on foot, be warned that the walk on a hot day is arduous.

Take water. It's closer to 3km from Preko than the 1km on the signs.

Kukljica: More Random Acts of Kindness

FOR days whenever passing the home of the Apricot Lady, we'd hoped to see her, to ask if her delicious apricots were for sale. But she'd suddenly gone into hiding.

Instead, we had to pass her tree, full of ripe-looking fruit, and just dream of what could be. However, one evening I had a stroke of luck. On the way to the village early in the evening as the sun was setting, I passed her home and there she was, tending to something in the front yard.

I stopped to chat and asked - in Croatian, of course - if her apricots were for sale, not forgetting to say how extraordinary the ones she'd given us were.

But, disappointingly, her answer was a kind 'no'. She said the apricots weren't ready, in spite of how they looked. We carried on chatting.

She told me how her apricots were 'real home-grown' and not what you'd often find in the market. You could taste the difference, I told her. We then cheerily said our goodbyes.

About an hour later, on my way back, I saw her sitting up front, doing some knitting. Her head was down, so I said nothing and passed by.

 But she called out to me. I turned around and she asked me to wait, before dashing inside. The excitement building inside me - more for Jamie and Zenchai than myself - I prayed she'd come out with some of those mouth-watering apricots.

I waited. In her arms were five large red tomatoes from her margnificent garden, lush with fruit and vegetables.

"How much?" I asked. "No. This is for you," she insisted, grinning from ear to ear. I thanked her and set off.

PS. Just in case you are wondering, Apricot Lady did not stack them on me like I was a market stall - that would be my other half.

Kukljica: Watermelon Eater

Daddy and I hurried along to the market so we could choose the best watermelon. My wing-mirrors were essential in helping us pick the juiciest and biggest one.  

 I just couldn't wait for it to be sliced. 

But, when I was given my first piece I chomped away like mad.

I had no control over myself. I kept munching, the watermelon rinds magically kept piling up on my plate, and I was licking my lips for more.

Really, I had no choice. I ate my Croatian watermelon in the only fashion possible - sloppy and drippy with the juice running everywhere. Maybe I really am the number one watermelon eater?