Abrams Family World Travel

Ubud: Renting A Home

HAVING now found a place to stay for the remainder of our time in Bali, we are wiser than we were before our arrival. We did as we have done in most new locations and checked into a hotel for a few days (five in this case), the idea being to give ourselves time to see (house-wise) what was on offer.

Prior to arriving in Ubud, we searched online to see what was available and with anyone we knew living in town (we had some friends here). Most, if not all, online options, particularly short-term, were too expensive.

We thought five days would be sufficient to score a home. But, as ever, not everything went to plan. We followed our leads, the main one being to check the large notice boards (try outside most of the health food shops and restaurants/cafes: Bali Buddha, a local and popular cafe; Down To Earth; Alchemy, a raw food joint; Kafe and the public library). We made some inquiries and then waited for return calls or positive responses.

Nothing much happened, though. People in the property market told us that nothing much within walking distance of the town centre was available for what a low-budget family like ourselves desired.

If you have money - and many visitors who come here do - then there is plenty around. Ubud caters well for the wealthy. You can have stunning views, tranquility and a swimming pool. 

But with our five-day hotel stay rapidly reaching an end and no house or villa to stay in, we had to reassess.

We wanted a home that was clean, safe, with a kitchen (to self-cater) and some space for the kids to play. Too much to ask for? 

We booked a few more days in a hotel (but a different one, which meant re-packing and lugging our stuff literally across the street) and opted to rent a car, the idea being that with more mobility we could conduct a search further afield.

Finding a car was relatively easy (several phone calls) and cheap - only £5 per day - but you get what you pay for. When was the last time you drove a car with a choke? And our Suzuki rattled as it drove and felt like the wheels would fall off every time I hit one of the many pot-holes along the road!

With wheels, we cast our net wider and finally had some success when inquiring about an ad we saw posted at a hair salon near Sopa, another cafe where we like to eat. The two-floor house in a quiet neighbourhood was about 4km from the centre, where it can be too noisy.

We checked it out, liked the place and the price (around £10 per day, including water and electricity) and concluded the deal. 

For anyone on a tight budget heading to Ubud, I'd recommend hiring a vehicle (or motorcycle if you don't have children) and heading away from the centre of town. There you get much more for your money. 

Phuket: Quick Dose Of Beach Life

HOW good it felt to be back by the ocean again. We stopped in Phuket for a day to break up our journey from Chiang Mai to Bali. We're glad we did.

The kids played outdoors practically the whole time, but there was a price to pay. The sun was scorching. For the first time ever, Zenchai got mildly sun-burned. In fact, we all did - and it didn't take long. Be warned.

It is said that Phuket has two seasons: hot and wet; and bloody hot! Officially, it was rainy season and our hotel was practically deserted. We had a few trickles of rain, but it was mostly sunny.

We didn't surface until late in the day as we had left Chiang Mai on an overnight flight and arrived in the ealy hours of the morning. We were all tired.

But after breakfast the kids were in the pool, which they had all to themselves. Zenchai swam and entertained himself by making boats from banana leaves and banana flowers, make-believing they were pirate ships.

It felt good to be back by the coast again, even if it was only for a day. 

I took an exploratory walk, to see what the neighbourhood had to offer, which wasn't a great deal.

I noticed, though, from the moment we landed that everything in Phuket is about three times the price it is in Chiang Mai.

Getting a taxi after midnight, when we landed, cost us 400b (£8), the taxi drivers insisting the journey was 15 minutes when it was actually five! But what can you do when there was no alternative?

The next day, as I searched for food and fruit for snacking for our kids, I again noticed the inflated prices - and no fruit shops in sight!

We were staying close to the airport, so the rest of the island, particularly where it is busier, is likely to be different. 

However, the light at the end of this proverbial tunnel I was walking was the golden 
beach. It was about a 15-minute walk from our hotel and the ocean was a beautiful warm temperature and the sand nice underfoot - not too sticky and no glass or sharp objects to be found.

We went there late in the day, around 5pm, when the sun wasn't as fierce - or so we thought. It was still hot even as we played in the water.

Kobra made friends with an older local boy while Zenchai was busy building castles and moats. Eventually, the boy, who barely spoke English, joined Zenchai and they all played together, digging, running races etc. 

They played until the sun went down and it was time to eat. The beach is lined with restaurants and we didn't know which one to choose. We picked one in the end and the food was nice even if the experience was spoiled by insects dive-bombing our table. 

In the dark, we headed back to the hotel, showered up, packed our bags again in readiness for rising at 4am for our flight and hit the sack. 

Kuala Lumpur: Living Out Of A Box And The Rent Game

DON'T believe everything you hear and read: "Asia is cheap"; "Renting in Kuala Lumpur is easy".

Sure, there are parts of Asia which aren't costly at all, like parts of India, where we visited in January. And you can find places to stay in KL without difficulty - if you're prepared to commit to a one or two-year contract or live in the middle of nowhere, without easy access to public transport or stay in accommodation that isn't clean or safe. There are some compromises we don't want to make.

We've been in Malaysia two weeks, searching hard for a place to make home for a while, beginning in Penang and now Kuala Lumpur, and we've not yet seen an apartment!

Agents don't seem to respond to emails and one never even showed for our appointment. Most, though, seem to give up the moment you say you want to rent for only five or six months. How many times have I heard the words "you won't get anything for that price on a short-term let"?

The prices are, by Asian standards, almost through the roof. There are deals to be had, but you have to really look deeply to find them. However, the cost of renting here is in many places comparable with back home in the UK, somewhere I consider really expensive.

We've been advised to look instead for serviced apartments, but most are too small for the price and a family. Plus their idea of a kitchen is a microwave oven. And they are not cheap either.

On the positive side we sometimes can eat out - and well - for as little as £2 for the whole family and travelling a long way across the city by train doesn't set me back much more than £1. However, you also have to be disciplined living in a city where shops are everywhere and beckoning you to spend, spend and spend. But accommodation is always the big cost for the family traveller and we haven't been able to score any cheap digs so far.

We are soldiering on, but moving from hotel/guesthouse to hotel/guesthouse is tough work. Living often in a small, square room with two children full of energy and often sharing bathrooms with other tenants has its many challenges. We're tired of the thin walls where we can hear our neighbour's music at midnight and having to walk through smokey common rooms. We want our own space - and fast! We want to be able to eat in instead of out all the time. 

Living out of our rucksacks isn't simple either. It's okay for a few days, but we've been at it solidly for weeks now and off-and-on for months.

KL has a lot going for it, especially for kids. We like the city, though we are not really city people. The public transport (train) system is excellent. The city is mostly clean and feels safe, although there are always reports of muggings and robberies etc.

Our time here is definitely temporary, though we want to begin enjoying it more and that's proving hard when nearly all our time is consumed by research and making phone calls.

Living on the road may sound exotic to some, but at times like this it's as testing and exhausting as any paid job I've had. 

 

 

World Travel: Pack To Basics

ON every trip so far we have packed too much. No matter how hard we attempt to cut back, we always carry items that never get used.

Even after two years on the road, we are still learning and now we are on a strict mission to be more minimalist. Ahead of our journey to Asia, we deliberated whether to continue travelling with large suitcases or explore alternatives. We decided on the latter.

Suitcases are big and often cumbersome, especially if your final destination is in the sticks and/or involves carting your luggage across rugged terrain (as has happened with us several times). And often, because of the shape and size of a suitcase, passenger and bag frequently get separated.

So, following a little research, we opted for a large duffel bag (on wheels) and a big, rugged rucksack that we had purchased some years earlier for a visit to Costa Rica. That would be our checked luggage and each of us would have a small rucksack.

Jamie is the master-packer in our family. A few days ahead of our departure for India, we laid out what we wanted to take with us and then tried to see how much space it would use up.

There are pros and cons with duffel bags and suitcases, of course. Suitcases are more durable and secure. And when we travelled with suitcases, we often packed our clothes in vacuum-seal bags, which protected the clothing, enabled you to utilise space better and made it easier to find your items. With rucksacks and duffel bags, rooting through to find your clothes is harder and messier. 

Flying with Emirates Airlines (via Dubai), we were each allowed 30kgs of checked luggage. Jamie felt quite proud that our load was 15.5kgs and 18.5kgs - well under the limit.

And we managed just fine. Jamie, carrying Kobra in a sling, wheeled the large duffel bag and carried a rucksack, Zenchai pulled his own bag and I took the rest - my rucksack (with computer etc), carry-on food items and the big rucksack.

Getting all the bags in a car was much easier than with suitcases. Often on previous journeys we would have one suitcase in the boot (trunk for American readers) and one inside or, as I recall on one taxi adventure in Ecuador, our second suitcase hanging precariously out of an open boot.

The journey to India, with children in tow and given the time of our arrival and layover, was potentially awkward, but we handled it rather well. Leaving London at 1.30pm, we arrived in Dubai at midnight and had four hours to kill before going onwards to Trivandrum in India.

None of us (except for Kobra) slept until our final flight - and only after about an hour into it. And when we did, we crashed out, only to be woken a few hours later by the landing on Indian soil.

Immediately upon disembarking we felt the heat…and then the commotion. We were handed landing papers at the airport that took a while to complete, by when the queue had grown to almost ridiculous proportions.

We waited in line patiently and all tired, wondering if there were any special privileges for families with young children. And after lining up for, say, 20 minutes, someone finally took us out of the line and to the front.

All in all, it was a fairly painless experience. Emirates is an excellent airline with comfortable seats (for economy), friendly and helpful staff and a first class entertainment system. Dubai airport is almost like a Las Vegas casino - vast and full of lights and shops. I felt quite proud to have not been tempted to spend a penny.

As for India, it is still early days. Although there is the lingering smell of spices in the air and the noise is constant (in towns), the people are unbelievably friendly and welcoming (though many, I suspect, in order to get your business). And where we are, in the south in rather touristic Varkala Beach, it's so nice to be back in the sun and by the sea again, where the kids can be outside playing so freely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

World Travel: Lessons Learned from Our First Year

We most definitely live and learn travelling the way we do. Mistakes are inevitable, but also invaluable.

That's why every 'bad' experience we've had has effectively been a blessing. It also doesn't harm to learn from what others have been through. Therefore, we thought we'd share with you what information we think has been priceless or helpful from our first 12 months travelling - advice that would most certainly have shortened our learning curve had we known in advance. 

 

Travelling with the sun

Both Claude and I relish the sunshine. So when we mapped out our itinerary to London, we knew that we wanted to follow the sun and be in places during their summers. However, what we did not consider was how our pursuit of warmth would also empty our pockets more quickly.

While it has been fantastic enjoying over a year of summer-like conditions, it has also meant travelling to places during peak season. Had we thought more deeply about travelling with the sun, we could have timed our arrivals into certain cities/areas just before or after the high season.

Something else that did not cross our minds was how travelling with the sun would effect Zenchai's socialisation with other children. By continuously landing in places during summer time, schools have almost always been closed.

When in small villages, like Kukljica in Croatia, this was not so much a problem as potential playmates by the sea were abundant. But in large cities like Buenos Aires, where children weren't roaming freely, this meant lonely playtimes for Zenchai.

Have at least the first night's stay booked

When you arrive in a new location try to have the first night's accommodation pre-booked. Sometimes there's a temptation to take a chance and see what you can find by wondering around - and that's understandable if you're not sure you want to stay. But we've found this rather stressful, especially if you discover the city or town you intend to stay in is fully booked. It's a real pain, particularly if you have children, to go from one hotel/hostel to another, hoping something is available. Going through Europe by car last summer we found ourselves on a few occasions - tired from a long day of driving - cruising down dimly-lit streets in the middle of the night and knocking on doors to find accommodation. Now we check online with tripadvisor and hostelworld and always read reviews, too. It narrows the choice and you discover feedback on whether a place is noisy, a party hostel, has a kitchen, internet etc. 

Challenge of staying with people

On both Claude's and my top ten memories of 2010 was meeting and staying with friends and family. Those moments of union with loved ones have definitely left a huge impression on our hearts.

However, at times those stays didn't always go without a hitch in the sense that we both have felt uncomfortable in instances where our destiny was out of our control. Being reliant on transport, food or basic necessities has at times made us feel powerless, which can create friction for us.

We have learned that we are far more comfortable in other people's spaces if we are able to cater to our basic familial needs and not having to completely pass the buck to those who host us.

Clothing, toys, books etc

With each leg of our trip we have realised our tendency to over-pack, especially clothing, toys for Zenchai and books. This overindulgence created many anxious moments while we waited in queues at the airport to check our luggage.

Would our bags be overweight - again? This is something we are continually refining and with the impending arrival of our newest family member it is also something we need to perfect sooner rather than later.

Suitcases vs Rucksacks

At the moment we are travelling with two suitcases. My monster pink case and Claude's more sensibly-sized case. However, we have encountered many situations where having a rucksack each would have made for smoother travel.

Manage your money smartly

Travellers cheques used to be the only way to carry large amounts of currency when travelling. Not anymore. In Ecuador, travellers cheques were practically useless. Claude had to go from one bank to another to find someone willing to cash them. We haven't used them since. We opted for the FairFX card. It's simple to top up and all you require is an ATM machine to get your cash. FairFX offer you the option of having your money in pounds, dollars or Euros but don't charge for currency conversions or withdrawals (however, banks in certain countries, like Argentina and Uruguay, do impose a fee per transaction - roughly £3, which adds up). It's also worth noting - and checking - before travelling which credit cards certain countries prefer. For instance, Visa is the favoured card in Argentina. And in some countries, like Ecuador, credit card transactions are minimal, so you need access to cash. Do your homework.

Buy fruit and veg locally 

We do our best to purchase fruit and veg from local markets. The produce tends to be fresher, cheaper and local. It also helps keep them in business. In Marrakech, for instance, the difference in price between the markets and supermarket chains was ridiculous. If you're on a tight budget, it is definitely worth considering.

Check your dates!

Twice we turned up in Buenos Aires on days when the city had practically closed down. Once was a national holiday and on another occasion it was the Census. When you need access to shops - particularly for food - you don't want to be caught out. So before travelling or nailing down your dates, it's worth confirming your arrival dates don't coincide with a public holiday. Don't rely on the travel agent to tell you. 

Driving on slower roads

Tolls in France and most of Europe are really expensive. We couldn't believe last summer how much the cost of driving in Europe had escalated. We came off the toll roads in France, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia several times and, guess what? The experience was much more pleasurable: you get to see the real countryside and villages. You see so much more than when bombing up and down motorways, which tend to always look the same. Though it was much slower, going on the A roads is a lot cheaper. If you're not in a hurry, we'd certainly recommend it. 

Have a sick bag when on public transport

We had several incidents - in coaches, cars, taxis, ferries, aeroplanes - when a sick bag was required and we didn't have anything at the ready. In Ecuador, the taxis and public buses were awful in terms of smooth riding. Zenchai sometimes would throw up within minutes! Some plane rides are rough also. It's just better to be equipped and have plastic/paper bags easily at hand. You won't be sorry. 

Always check pots and pans when renting

It's easy when renting an apartment to look the place over, sign on the dotted line and part with your cash without looking in the cupboards to see what they have provided. Check the details. Make sure the accommodation offers what is being advertised. We got caught out in Cuenca last year when the kitchen didn't even have any gas for the burner! We also had to beg for dishes, chopping boards, knives etc - items you'd think would be standard. Don't assume kitchens are fully equipped. 

Have a camera on hand and spare battery charged

Do you ever find that when you leave behind your camera a photo opportunity presents itself? We do. So we decided that the golden rule is always take the camera - just in case. Better to have it and not use it than to have a once-in-a-lifetime moment pass you by. Charge your spare battery also. We do it almost immediately whenever one of our batteries dies. Having photographic memories is priceless. Be organised. 

Divide and conquer 

Doing everything as a family can be tiring and absorbing. Sometimes we, as parents, need a break - from partners, being parents and children. We learned to split the responsibilities. We still do things together, but, more now than before, also take turns in looking after Zenchai and going on excursions with him. It's made a significant difference and can really help restore some sanity and reduce the demands of being a close-knit family. 

Carry snacks and a pen

With young children - and pregnant women - you can't go far without having snacks. If, like us, your dietary requirements mean you prefer not to rely on junk food and sweets etc, it's essential to do some shopping in advance and get stocked up in case of any emergencies. Kids can quickly become a handful if they get over-hungry, so we try always to remember to pack fruit and snacks or make the effort to find out where there is a food source nearby. A pen can also come in handy. You never know when you may have to jot down some important information. So keep one tucked away in your bag or pocket at all times. 

Do your research when eating out

When eating out, we make sure we've done some investigating first. We use the Happy Cow and Vegan backpackers websites a lot. They are excellent for details on where to eat vegan around the world. We also have our travel guidebooks, that make recommendations. However, don't always trust the information. We've gone searching for restaurants with great reviews on Happy Cow only to find they no longer exist. That's why it's always useful to have a back-up plan. Similarly, guide books are usually a year or so out of date by the time you buy it. Prices can change. We learned the hard way that it pays to check the prices before sitting down. Usually, restaurants will display their menu and prices in the window. 

Buy watermelons whole

There's a good way to check if a watermelon is ripe: put it to your ear and tap it. If it sounds hollow then it's ready for consumption. But sometimes shops and small grocers will sell large watermelons in halves or slices. This can result in a melon sitting out for a while. We had one case in San Marcos Sierras, Argentina, where it was hot and we bought a half watermelon. By the time we sat down to eat it (about 30 minutes after the purchase), it had virtually turned to alcohol. The best way to avoid this is buy them whole or watch them cut a whole one open if you want slices. 

 

World Travel: Items We're Glad We Didn't Leave Behind

Packing for a long-term trip requires careful planning. The inclination is always to take much more than you really need. But here are the items, in no particular order, we found invaluable on our travels last year.

Macbook Pro

Although Jamie is pregnant, this is her little baby. She treats it with love and affection. It's superb for anything creative, has bags of memory and starts quickly. Being slim and sleek in design makes it easier to carry than most large laptops, too. It's also more sturdily built. Macbook Pros aren't cheap, but they are worth it. We use ours not just for writing blogs, researching online and managing our travels, but also to stay in touch via Skype, Facebook and email. 

  Scottevest 

The ultimate travel jacket, especially when going through airports. There are dozens of pockets (22, in fact) of various sizes. I can carry his camera, books, money, passport, items of clothing, snacks etc comfortably. For those who have phones and ipods or even ipads, you could easily add these as well. The sleeves detach for warm weather and is good to wear in light showers. Going through airport security, I just remove the jacket instead of having to place all his items into trays. It's comfortable and cool enough to wear on the plane as well, meaning you have easy access to all your gadgets. 

Keen Men's Newport H2 waterproof sandal 

 I have had these for several years. I bought them in the US. For the last year I wore them almost every day and everywhere. I've hiked and run in them, gone through salt water seas and oceans, and yet they are nearly as good today as they were when purchased. The Keens don't smell either like same sandals tend to with prolonged use. 

Fitmag Exercise Bands 

If you love to exercise or just want to stay in shape, there are plenty of ways to do so, even when travelling. I carry my resistance bands on every trip (easy to pack) and use them almost daily. Mine were made by fitmag (the pro+ range costing around £20), but there are plenty of brands on the market. The point is, if you are used to weights and need an alternative, these chords or bands are the answer. They offer a multitude of different exercises and travel well (a bag is supplied). My only gripe is that one of the bands snapped when using it. But I've still managed fine with the others. 

Memory Stick

As we have two laptops, this is an essential gadget for sending copy from one machine to another, especially if you are in a location where you can't get an internet connection. Sticks with a greater memory are invaluable also for saving and backing up photos. 

Berkey Water filter bottle 

Although we have mixed feelings about the Travel Berkey water filter system we purchased, the Sport Berkey bottle (price around $28 US) has been an excellent purchase. We take it everywhere with us and, because you can fill it with water from any running water source, the savings on buying water has been considerable. The bottle is a constant travel companion, although it does need regular cleaning and the filter requires changing after a while. 

Platypus Sunscreen shirt for Zenchai

This was a birthday gift for Zenchai several years ago. Made in Australia and from nylon and lycra, it protects him from the sun and was bought specifically for that reason. This means you don't have to plaster him in sunscreen all over. The top is comfortable and durable, too.

Garmin Sat Nav 

We purchased a Garmin Nuvi 1490 GPS system last (British) summer, shortly before leaving for Europe by road on our way to Croatia. I wasn't sold on the idea at first. I'm an avid map-reader, but at the end of the trip I admitted it was a God-send. In some countries road signs are impossible to read. The Garmin eliminated a lot of stress. We updated to include US maps for when we went to Florida last September and October and I used it extensively. Our model gave the speed, notified us of speed limits and speed cameras etc. The only hiccup we had was when driving to London from Croatia and going through Italy, where the Garmin seemed to lose track of where it was. In some locations, especially when driving up or down mountains, the Garmin can't find a signal. Overall, it was invaluable. 

Ridesafer Children's Travel Vest

We bought this item to save us carrying around the world a child's car seat. We put it on Zenchai and buckle him in to the car seat belts. It provides good comfort and is easily transportable. In countries where using seat belts isn't considered essential (like Morocco and South America), the travel vest is really handy. There are down sides: it can get hot to wear in humid climates and can be a pain to buckle and unbuckle when on short and frequent-stop journeys; sometimes Zenchai, when restless, would mess with the buckles (which is a worry) and, without the elevation of a car seat, he'd struggle to see out of the windows clearly. But for the sake of your child's safety, those are inconveniences worth tolerating. 

Floats for Zenchai

A cheap buy in Kukljica, Croatia (about £2), but very useful. Some more expensive types are difficult to get on. Ours are easily inflated in seconds and slip on. They kept Zenchai afloat in pools and rough seas. 

Norelco Philips electric razor

The cheapest shaving option is probably disposable wet blades that can be bought from chemists or supermarkets. But my face is sensitive to these. He uses the Norelco, which we got for around £40. It gives a close shave, is easy to clean (can be washed under a hot tap) and charges quickly, so can be used without the chord plugged in. It's durable also. Mine has survived several drops and fallen to pieces. But it worked perfectly when reassembled. 

Red Marmot hooded rain jacket

We bought this all-season jacket in New York for Jamie a few years ago prior to a trip to Costa Rica. It's proved useful ever since for wherever we have travelled. It's lightweight, easy to pack, waterproof, breathable and comfortable. 

Olympus Stylus 400 

You can't go on a long journey like this without a camera. Although our silver Olympus is a seven-year-old digital point-and-shoot purchased on ebay, it's withstood knocks and drops and still taken some impressive photos. We're looking for a new model, because the Olympus, perhaps with old age, isn't performing quite as well with indoor pictures as it used to. But for durability it's stood the test of time and it's a nice size for carrying around and remaining discreet. We've had it on beaches, by rivers, up mountains and in hot, cold and humid climates without a thing going wrong. 

Compression bags

These can either be vacuum-sealed or done manually, by pressing all the air out with hands and knees. What then happens is that all the air is sucked out, leaving the compression bag half as large as it was originally. It's helped us to fit all our clothes and (beach) towels into our cases, leaving space for all our other items. They are easy to pack and unpack and you'll be astonished how much space it can save. 

 

Capilla Del Monte: Hiking Uritorco

The stunning Cerro Utorico mountain had stared at us since we arrived (we could see it from the porch of our apartment) and I wanted to hike to its summit. I waited for the cloudless days to pass, to avoid the climb in extreme heat as daily temperatures neared 40 degrees, but the sun over Christmas is relentless.

Then, with days running out on our stay, finally a storm arrives and I decide, regardless of the weather, I will make my ascent the next morning. I make my preparations: walking shoes; water (it is recommended you have 2 litres); sandwiches (avocado, tomato, tahini and lettuce); fruits (grapefruit , apple and two oranges); sunblock. I'd also recommend a change of shirt and towel (especially if you go in summer).

I rise at 6am, then quietly (as Jamie and Zenchai slept) ate some watermelon (to hydrate), wash and put on some clothes. I then have a fruit salad before setting off as the sun rises. The streets are quiet, almost deserted as I head towards Utorico.

The walk from the centre of town to base camp is 3km. The hike to the top is 5,548m. Estimated time up is 4hrs and down 3hrs. Slowly, I head through town then, following signs, find base camp after crossing a dried-out river bed.

Base camp is also a restaurant. To advance up the mountain, one must pay 40 pesos and complete a form with your details. You are requested to start coming down at 3pm. 

Grab a stick on your way. This is useful going up and down for providing stability. 

The path signs are clearly marked. Stick to them, but be sure to stop and look around. Take in the surroundings, breath in the clean air, feel the solitude and peace. Take photos, but bear in mind the views get much better as you go higher. 

It is a fantastic workout. I hear my heart pounding. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who's not in reasonable condition. With an estimated three hours to go to the top, my shirt is ringing wet and my head dripping with sweat. But, to be honest, I am loving it!

I walk alone until halfway when, taking in more amazing views of Capilla, am joined by three wild dogs. I call them Guardians of Uritorco. They stick with me the rest of the way, stopping when I stop and walking whenever I continue. One always stays behind me and two lead the way, as though they are guiding me safely to the peak. I hope they are not after food as a reward, what with me being vegan. 

I could hear the dogs panting until we reach the cross that marks Uritorco's roof. We make it and it is worth it. 

I walk around, looking in awe from every direction and then find a spot to sit down and have my lunch in silence, just gazing out over the mountain's edge. All I can hear is nature - the birds, wind, insects and, of course, the dogs.

Then it is time to go down. This is the hardest part. The paths are rocky and jagged. It's easy to twist an ankle and fall - and you wouldn't want to do that. Take it easy. Enjoy the walk. 

Finally at the bottom, my feet and knees are aching. I look behind me, bid farewell to the impressive Uritorco and head back into town. By 2pm I am back at our apartment. Time for a nice dip in the pool!

 

World Travel: 11 Months On The Road - Packing for Pregnancy, Birth & Breastfeeding

I have a beautiful hot pink four-wheel roller suitcase. It is actually too big for what I need alone, at least in regards to my clothing and footwear. But I didn't purchase this bountiful box on wheels just for my attire. The majority of the contents of my suitcase are taken up by what I call my 'emergency stash of supplies': homeopathic kits; vitamins; herbs and herbal creams for sickness/injury; chemical-free shampoos; conditioners; soaps and lotions; essential oils and any other health and well-being thing that I think might be hard to come by while travelling.

Packing accoutrements for this 11-month itinerary was relatively painless, especially as I knew whilst I was packing that I was pregnant. Some might think that growing a bump might complicate the thread-packing process, but actually it simplified it.

Prior to this trip I felt like I had already mastered the art of light packing - for a lady anyway! Generally, one medium travel compression sac (think vacuum-seal bag minus the need for a hoover) holds all my garments and one small travel compression sac carries the overflow, such as knickers, socks, bathing suits and scarf. This not only neatly compartmentalises my things, but also keeps it fresh-smelling and safe from anything that might leak from my toiletry bag or emergency stash stuffs.

My packing protocols are:

1) Know the climate I am packing for

2) Colour co-ordinate my clothing

3) Be realistic and then ruthless

One of my best tips for packing lightly is to colour co-ordinate your clothing. This means taking only two or three complimentary colours of garb, so that way they can be mixed, matched, layered and interchanged, giving you the feel that you have more clothing options than you do. It also prevents you from looking like you are wearing the same thing in every photo.

Next, lay out everything in categories (bottoms in one section, tank tops in another etc.) that you want to pile into your suitcase. Before even attempting to put any of it into your bag, get ruthless by trying to cut your selection by half. Do you really need two black pairs of trousers or three white tops? When in doubt, call in a friend, lover or discerning pet and have them use some tough love.

That is normally how I would fill my compression sacs. But this time was a little different given my new potential for growth. Basically, I did not put anything into my pile that I could not wear for my entire pregnancy or after the birth and for breastfeeding. That in itself really cut down my choices. I knew that we would only be travelling with the sun, so that eliminated the need for packing for more than one climate. I also know my tendency to be cold, even in warmer temperatures, so I took that into my decision-making process.

Here is the crux of what I packed for my 11 months of travel for pregnancy, post-birth and breastfeeding:

Trousers: 1 black, 1 brown and 1 purple pair of yoga bottoms (they are all slightly different cuts and I really didn't need to bring the purple pair, but while I travel lightly I am still female). Note that I did not pack any jeans. Although I could have brought a maternity pair along, I decided, given the weight of jeans and the climates that we would be in, they could be left back in my mother-in-law's loft.

Tops: 2 very lightweight long-sleeve tops, 2 T-shirts, 4 tank tops/vests (all are quite long in the midriff, which can cover an expanding belly)

Dresses: all in the baby doll or flowing styles - perfect for growing bump and breasts  (2 long, 3 short)

Tidbits:1 pair of shorts (low-waist and elastic), 1 cardigan, 1 rain jacket, 3 bikinis (okay, I went a bit crazy here, they are just tiny takes so can be justified)

Footwear: Vibrams (these serve as my sneakers, not great in rain, though), Teva sandals (mine are a bit more dressy than their classic version and priceless in comfort for long walks) and flip-flops (for the beach)

Actually, I don't think I have any proper maternity clothing items with me. Going on how I filled-out during my first pregnancy, I just brought sensible items that can be adapted as I expand in the midriff. Plus, almost all of my dresses and tops are breastfeeding-friendly already!

Remember, if you have forgotten an article of clothing, you can always pick one up during your travels. We place more packing importance on our odd-ball organicky type of things than quantity of get-ups.

Do you have any amazing packing tips you would like to share?