Abrams Family World Travel

London: From Greenwich Market to A Northwood Steakhouse

JAMIE likes to celebrate her birthday and this year was particularly special for her as it fell on 11-11-11. Last year there were just three of us (and Kobra sprouting in Jamie's belly) in Buenos Aires.

Back in London, she wanted to share the occasion with friends. So we arranged it - at Lomito, an Argentine steakhouse in Northwood, Middlesex, close to where we used to live.

First, though, we spent the day at Greenwich Market in south London. Neither of us had been there before. It was easy and relatively quick (though expensive at £8 per adult) to get to by train. Change on the Jubilee Line at Finchley Road for Canary Wharf, walk about 100m to take the Docklands Light Railway to Cutty Sark and the market is about 400m away.

It's a happening place. Zenchai loved it, too, because there were several stalls selling antique toy cars and he got to rummage through boxes trying to find a good deal. He ended up buying a couple of matchbox cars at £1 each and was satisfied with that.

Jamie went there for some vegan cupcakes. She'd read online about Ms Cupcake and thought they would make for a good dessert in the evening at the steakhouse. So we bought one each for everyone invited and a few extra.

They looked great even if they were a bit pricey at £2 each. But, to be honest, they were too sweet. If you need proof, even Zenchai couldn't finish his and what five-year-old turns away a pudding?

However, we did enjoy some Ethiopian nosh for lunch, though there wasn't really anywhere suitable to sit down and eat it, especially as it was so chilly (in the summer you can go to the nearby park). It wasn't what I'd call typical Ethiopian, though. There was so much else (foodwise) on offer that you'd be foolish not to revisit - next time we might try Brazilian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Carribean or Italian.

Aside from food, the market is great for arts, crafts, collectables and, as already mentioned, antiques. The stalls change on a daily basis. Check out their website for more details.

We headed back while it was still daylight with, amazingly, the London Underground running without a hitch. Then later in the evening, with Zenchai in bed, Jamie, Kobra and I spent the night with friends dining at a restaurant with a unique atmosphere.

After nearly a year in Brazil, it felt strange getting dressed up in trousers, shirt and shoes!

As for the food, even for non-meat-eaters like ourselves there was plenty to tickle our tastebuds, which is ironic given how I sometimes have a hard time finding something suitable in vegetarian establishments. The food matched the mood and setting. A great time was had and Jamie looked happy, which was the main thing. I won't mention her age, though!

 

 

World Travel: A Birthing Inspiration - Book Review

The birthing experience I shared with my wife for my second child in a remote eco village in Brazil would, I suspect, have been completely different had it not been for Veronika Sophia Robinson.

I trust wholeheartedly in her writing and what she has to say. Her words carry authority and integrity. They are delivered with knowledge, experience and sensitivity.

She is the editor and publisher of the superb magazine, The Mother, which is all about attachment parenting and raising children in an optimum way. Her book, The Birthkeepers, is specifically about freebirthing - giving birth the way nature had intended.

As she states in the subheading on the book's cover, Veronika writes about 'Reclaiming an Ancient Tradition'.

I had only a vague knowledge of freebirthing - from when Jamie had talked to me about it prior to the birth of Kobra. If I am honest, I had some initial concerns even if I was prepared to fully support my wife's choice. After all, I am from a generation that, largely due to television and media, has been taught that most women give birth on their backs in hospitals - and in great pain!

Since knowing Jamie, I have been educated to know it certainly doesn't have to be that way.

Jamie and I had contacted a respected midwife before we arrived in Piracanga. But, for whatever reason, as events unfolded, Jamie felt a preference to give birth by herself, alone.

That intuition was compounded when a package from England arrived a few days after Jamie had revealed to me her desire. It was a book. We didn't know precisely what it was about, but knew it had something to do with childbirth as it had come from Veronika.

It was all about freebirthing. I read it in next to no time, as did Jamie. The information was clear. And, most importantly, I connected with the function on every level. I felt secure and informed. I understood the role I needed to play.

Like Jamie, I found it empowering and inspiring. It was not just for prospective mums, but for dads-to-be also.

As Veronika says in the book's introduction, "I merely acted to remind them [women on unassisted birthing journeys] that they had everything within them they needed to birth their babies beautifully and gently into this world."

Jamie had a wonderful second birth, owed in large part to Veronika's guidance and mentoring. Her book magically arrived at a time when, due to various mishaps (infections etc), we were searching for direction and clarity. We're so grateful that it had.

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. 

 

World Travel: Avoiding Jet Lag

I have to admit that I rarely suffer from jet-lag, even when I travelled solo with Zenchai as a baby, taking the long flights to and from the UK to the US, or when I was a single adventurer trekking to and from Australia and New Zealand.

Now I also have to divulge that I do have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to easing my body through long-haul flights.

1. Jet Ease or No Jet-Lag Homoeopathic tablets - I first discovered these when I worked in a health food store in New Zealand and ever since then they have been a constant flying companion. I put Claude on to these as he normally suffers quite badly from jet-lag and I am happy to say they do the trick for him, too. They are simple to take (pop one in every couple of hours), not contraindicated with any other medications and safe for children to take.

2. Keep hydrated - Drink plenty of water before your flight and during your flight. As tempting as the free alcoholic beverages can be, avoid them (coffee and tea too). They dehydrate you, thus feeding your body's temptation to slip into jet-lagged state.

3. Move about - Get up and stretch throughout your flight (if you are drinking lots of water then you'll need the loo anyway!). Doing simple movements such as touching your toes, rotating all of your joints (ankles, knees, hips, wrists etc) and stretching your arms overhead are great ways to keep the body relaxed, stimulate your circulation and kick start your immune system. ( I even know one yogini that does handstands on her long flights!)

4. Pack your own food - Everyone knows how awful airplane food can be. It is best to avoid the lifeless, processed trays of garbage they pass around. We always pack a cache of supplies. Some ides are fresh fruit (apples, oranges, blueberries etc), nuts and seeds, rice cakes, sandwiches, fried rice, falafel, hummus, raw pizza (made in dehydrator) and the list could go on. Keep it simple and fresh. For those wondering, yes you can get most food items through airport security. I once even got lentil soup through. 

5. Know when to sleep or stay awake - sometimes the desire to sleep for an entire flight is too hard to say no to. I always try to stay awake on a flight if my final destination has me arriving in 'their' evening time. This means I am ready to sleep when everyone else is. If I am arriving somewhere in 'their' morning (like US to NZ) I sleep at least the majority of the flight. If I know I will need to sleep on a flight, I will stay up late the day before my departure.

6. Use aromatherapy essential oils - there are many ways to optimise your flying experience using therapeutic oils. Lavender is great for calming, relaxing and inducing sleep. While peppermint can recharge and re-energize you. I often use a synergistic blend for immune enhancement to help support my system to keep any bugs at bay. Remember almost all essential oils are antibacterial and antimicrobial, so placing a drop under your nose will purify the air you are breathing. 

Here are some random items that can come in handy to ensure you have a pleasant flight: eye-pillow/ eye-mask, socks, earplugs, Emergen-C (a powder sachet that is added to water, fab for rehydrating), Chamomilla homoeopathic liquid or tablets for babies and children (I used this religiously when Zenchai was a small babe to help keep him settled).

Wishing you a jet-lag-free journey! Let me know how you get on.

         

World Travel: Our Favourites - Cities, Beaches, Restaurants, Hotels...

These are our favourite places, restaurants, beaches, parks and hotels, locations we’ve travelled to over the years and have no trouble recommending. It’s a list we shall keep updated periodically as we continue our journey and explore.

Cities

1. Edinburgh, Scotland: Nice for walking, plenty to see, close to the coast, variety of restaurants, compact.

2. Lisbon, Portugal: Amazing architecture, lovely climate, great squares, economical and efficient public transport.

3. New York, USA: Bustling, huge, stimulating, never a shortage of places to go, eat and see. Lots of parks and play areas, excellent and affordable metro.

4. Venice, Italy:  Romantic, picturesque, walkable, trafficless and atmospheric.

5. Maastricht, Holland: Charming, tranquil, small, clean and safe with delightful squares and friendly people.

 

Beaches

1. Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica: Long stretches of sand without a person in sight or litter, stunning sunsets and perfect sea temperatures

2. Whale’s Tail, Costa Rica: Set in a National Park, with impressive caves you can walk through, great sand and warm seas

3. Los Frailes, Ecuador: Clear water, secluded, perfect waves, clean sand, sea temperature consistently good. All it’s missing is some shelter from the scorching sun and somewhere for refreshments (make sure you bring your own!)

4. Englishman’s Bay, Tobago: Long, intimate stretch of beautiful sandy beach with palm trees and clear green water, just where you’d imagine Robinson Crusoe making his base. There’s a shop and café on site also.

5. Playa del Carmen, Mexico: White, cool sand and crystal clear waters.

 

Restaurants

1. Napfenyes Etterem, Budapest: So good we ate there every day on our short stay, sometimes twice in a day. Great menu, nice staff. Almost too many delightful dishes, making our choice so much tougher (hence the reason we kept coming back) Rózsa u 39, District VII, Budapest 1077 +36-1-3135555. http://www.napfenyesetterem.hu/

2. Pure Food & Wine, Manhattan, New York: Somewhat pricey, but worth it, if only for the scrumptious desserts. Formal vegan restaurant with raw options. www.oneluckyduck.com 54 Irving Place New York, NY 10003-2314 Tel: (212) 477-1010

3. Terra, Lisbon, Portugal: Fabulous buffet spread when we visited over five years ago. Food is fresh and the ginger juice, though laced with sugar, so refreshing. www.restauranteterra.pt Príncipe Real, Rua da Palmeira 15, 1200-311 LISBOA, Portugal Tel: 213 421 407

4. Tiestos, Cuenca, Ecuador: Delicious food delivered in a large tagine (tiesto). The chef can make almost whatever you like and uses his ingredients so perfectly. A hit every time. Juan Jaramillo 7-34, City Centre, Cuenca, Ecuador

5. Buenos Aires Verde, Buenos Aires, Argentina: Outstanding organic vegetarian nosh, always beautifully presented, fresh and nutritious. Plenty of vegan and raw vegan options. Lovely setting, relaxed atmosphere and genuine staff. There is a menu in English. Try the salads, pizza, deserts and smoothies. Reasonably priced as well, especially when compared to most organic raw food/vegetarian restaurants. Gorriti 5657, Buenos Aires. http://www.bsasverde.com/index_en.html. Open Monday-Saturday 9am-0.30am.

 

Parks

1. El Retiro, Madrid, Spain: Outstanding and in the city centre (near Retiro subway). Has many jogging paths and exercise areas as well as a lake with boats, cycle routes and quieter, shaded areas to sit.

2. Munich Olympic Park, Germany: By the former Olympic stadium, these manicured grounds near the centre of the city were used for the 1972 Games. The park has a lake and river and is perfect for running, cycling, rollerblading or just strolling.

3. Central Park, New York: At the tip of Manhattan, the park has something for everyone in any season, Great for walking, running, playing sports, rollerblading or just to pass some time.

4. Ruislip Lido, Ruislip, England: Close to where we used to live on the west side of London, there’s a lake, a man-made sandy beach, extensive kids play area and path around the water for walking, cycling or running. Great in the mornings, when no-one is awake, the lido also backs on to Ruislip Woods, an expansive wooded area.

5. Cyber Park, Marrakech, Morocco: Clean, educational and close to the famous Medina. Closes around 5pm. It has a calm feel while also providing a great play area for children.

 

Hotels/hostals

1. Villa de las Aves, Uvita, Costa Rica: Fabulous two-floor house-type buildings with private jacuzzi, kitchens and a communal pool set in grounds surrounded by trees, animals and birds. With delightful owners, too - from Australia and UK, this is a spectacular place within reach of Costa Rica's great beaches. http://www.villasdelasaves.com/

2. Bahia Principe Tulum, Playa del Carmen: Mexico All-inclusive resort hotel close to crystal clear sea water and private white sandy beaches.

3. Mandala, Puerto Lopez, Ecuador: Immaculately decorated – has so much to offer, like a library, games room, restaurant, gardens and music room. http://www.hosteriamandala.info/

4. Hip Hotel, Maastricht, Holland: Super sleek, funky one-time apartments converted into themed hotel rooms at affordable prices. There’s secure parking also, but at a fee. http://www.st-martenslane.com/

5. Intercontinental, Chicago airport: Comfortable, tasteful and sheek. 5300 North River Road, Rosemont. Tel: (847) 544-5300

World Travel: Bugs, Parasites etc...How To Fight Back

Venturing to far-off countries and third-world nations carries its share of risks. So many people are terrified of catching this or that and, consequently, stay put.

When travelling you encounter climates and habitats you are not used to. Hygiene isn’t always first class. You experiment with local cuisine, sometimes off the street. And often you are fending off attacks from predators of the insect variety. It's easier to remain at home, right?

But we didn’t want to play life 'safe'. We knew before we conceived the idea of leaving England to explore the world - or what we could of it - that there were risks attached. And sure enough, on our first long stint abroad, in Ecuador, all three of us ended up with parasites.

These little critters are easily caught, especially by children, who play with everything, often picking up things with their hands and then sticking their fingers straight in their mouths.

Fact is, though, that a large percentage of people in the ‘cleaner’ western world are carrying parasites and probably don’t even know about it.

But we had very clear signs (I won't go into graphic detail) in Ecuador and immediately had ourselves checked out. The procedure was simple. You visit a chemist, receive a sample bottle and take it to one of many laboratories. The time from when we dropped off the samples to getting our test results was about two hours. In England, months later, when we had the same tests – to be sure we were parasite-free – the procedure was a matter of weeks (after the first samples had somehow got lost in the system).

How did we clean ourselves out? Firstly, we were offered and advised to take the pharmaceutical route, which is understandable given that parasites can be dangerous to hang on to.

But we opted to wait until returning to the UK, which was a matter of weeks, and then went for a more natural regime, MMS (Miracle Mineral Solution), and, for Zenchai (in addition to small doses of MMS), Cedar Bear Naturals parasite cleanse for children.

The jury is still out on whether MMS is legit or not. It is, effectively, Sodium Chlorite.

To become effective, it has to be mixed with citric acid, the ratio being 1:5 drops and can be taken with water or fruit juice (only apple, pineapple or grape).

When Sodium Chlorite is mixed with citric acid you get Chlorine Dioxide, which shouldn’t be confused with Chlorine – the two are chalk and cheese.

Jim Humble is the man who discovered MMS. He used it to cure himself and several others of malaria. Since then, he has used it to help people overcome many other viruses that we are told can only be eliminated by taking more powerful drugs.

Consequently, Humble’s work isn’t widely appreciated. He sells his product quite cheaply for starters and only via the internet, his premise being that he wants to help heal people rather than make tons of money. But the proof is in the pudding. And after taking MMS our results came back negative, showing that whatever bugs we had picked up in Ecuador had well and truly been zapped.

We still carry with us the MMS supply in case we come under attack again - one bottle can last a long time. And sometimes we take it as a matter of precaution, because just one drop can help even when you are feeling the onset of a cold.

There is plenty of information on MMS in the public domain and it’s up to each individual to conduct their own research.

 

World Travel: Clean Drinking Water Systems

If you are in warm countries or do a lot of exercise, it is particularly important to drink plenty of water.

But I know how easy it can be to forget and also in some, poorer countries you can never be sure how clean the water is.

So we invested in a gravity-fed water filter and it’s one of the best purchases we have made. Our choice was the Go Berkey Kit. We take it with us everywhere.

It comes in two parts – a stainless steel two-part container and a blue bottle for when you are on the move.

Both are easy to use. The blue bottle has a built-in filter and straw. No matter where I am - and provided I have access to water - I know I can get a drink and it helps cut down on having to purchase plastic bottled water, which has been shown to be unsafe.

The Berkey is a Sterasyl grade ceramic and contains pure silver. Bacteria cannot live on silver. The filter thus eliminates bacteria and many strands of parasites. It dramatically reduces pesticides and herbicides, heavy metals, toxins, flouride and chlorine.

I can take running water from almost any source and the filter immediately converts it to drinking water (don’t try it on salt water, though, as it will damage the filter. As a general rule, the muckier the water, the quicker you will have to replace the filter).

Carrying a bottle around makes it easier to ensure you are properly hydrated. Just seeing the bottle reminds you to take a swig and keep it topped up. Out of sight, out of mind.

In Florida and Trinidad and Tobago, where we were recently, it’s hot and humid. Your body loses moisture all day long. I exercise a lot, too. So it’s essential I drink frequently. Someone reminded me recently that for every 15 minutes we fail to consume water (except when we are sleeping, of course), our bodies age. Water is THAT important. It feeds our cells and is the main source for eliminating toxins.

I know the Berkey works because water in the US that comes from taps has always had a peculiar taste for me. But when I use the Berkey, my water tastes fine.

The Berkey system has been thoroughly tested and the filter is incredibly long-lasting (even if you are using it daily).

My only complaint is that when transporting the blue bottle, it often leaks (even with a tight lid) if maintained in a horizontal position. But given all the benefits, that’s something I can live with.

Fast facts (courtesy of the Hippocrates Health Institute via Pam Blue)

Water makes up 75 per cent of human bodyweight, 80 per cent of the brain, 90 per cent of blood and 96 per cent of our liver

A 5 per cent reduction in water intake can result in a 25-30 per cent loss of energy

Water helps in shifting fat

A person can lose on average 8-10 cups of water a day (without exercising)

In 37 per cent of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger

It is common to find trace amounts of nitrates, pesticides, heavy metals, radioactive compounds, petrochemicals and parasites coming from local water supplies. The toxins and free radicals in these waters are made more toxic by the addition of chlorine, which can aggravate the respiratory system, harden arteries and destroy protein

Hot showers increase the amount of contaminants that can be absorbed by our bodies because it opens our pores - cold showers are better

Traces of over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs have been found in the water in 24 major cities in the United States

A four-year study by the National Resources Defence Council, released in 1999, found that one-fifth of the sampled bottled waters contained known neurotoxins and carcinogens

Avoiding re-using plastic water bottles - studies show that they may leach DEHP (another probable human carcinogen) and better yet drink out of glass or stainless steel reusable containers

Abrams Family World Travel Tip: The Berkey filtration system is one of many on the market. It suits us because we are travelling. But others worth considering, in order of preference, are ambient air to water system, distilled, reverse osmosis and carbon activated/charcoal filters.