Abrams Family World Travel

World Travel: Our Favourites - Three Years On

AT the end of our first year of travel, we posted a blog about our favourite spots - places, restaurants, beaches, parks and hotels, locations we’ve travelled to (including before our journey began) and have no trouble recommending. Now that over three years have passed since we started our adventure, we thought it would be a good time for an update.

Places

1. Vancouver, Canada: This city on North America's west coast offers a bit of everything. It ticked a lot of boxes for us. Nearby there's snow and beach for starters. There's an excellent public transport system, a fantastic range of organic/healthy produce, lots to do and see socially, the people are friendly, there's a large alternative schooling community, it's relatively safe and, for Canada, the weather is on the mild side. The only downside was the cost of property and renting. Otherwise, we really loved it - a lot!

2. Napier, New Zealand: Known as the 'Art Deco Capital of the World', this town on the north island is incredibly pretty. There's ocean, stunning surrounding mountains, hiking trails, wonderful rivers, clean parks, loads to do and see, little, if any, traffic, clean air and not lacking anything that we'd want in a big city.

3. Kukljica, Croatia: This little village on the island of Ugljan, across the water by ferry from Zadar, is a magical place for us. It's where I spent much of my childhood during the hot summer months. The Adriatic Sea is gorgeously salty and blue. The village has charm and lots of beautiful, though mostly rocky, bathing spots. It's wonderful during the hot season, but can be harshly cold in the winter.

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

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

 

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 (not built by Crusoe, by the way).

5. Piracanga, Bahia, Brazil: We stayed here for more than 10 months in 2011. We lived practically on the doorstep of miles of vacant sandy beach. The ocean here, while often quite strong, was nearly always the perfect temperature and the sand ideal although we did have to lookout for troublesome little flees. www.piracanga.com

 

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. Jamie can't wait to get back there. 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 seven 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. KL City Park, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Bang on the doorstep of the Petronas Towers and an enormous shopping centre is a large fountain which backs on to a great park. Whether it's jogging, walking, kids play or splashing in water, this park has it all. It's where I infamously smashed up my shins doing box jumps on marble columns (I slipped!) We spent countless hours there with our kids in the second-to-none children's play area. 

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Bosques de Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina: We stayed just a few blocks from this park. I went running there a lot (it can get busy) and Zenchai and I hired bicycles. We also went there for days out in the sun, just to play about on the grass. It's a huge park with beautiful gardens and monuments as well as a lake in the middle where you can rent paddleboats to calmly take in the scenery and relax. 

 

Sites/Experiences

1. Iguazu Falls, Argentina: Truly breathtaking, immense natural wonder on the Brazilian and Argentine border. Well worth the ridiculously long bus journey from Buenos Aires and wait for the lashing rain to subside.

2. Milford Sounds, New Zealand: Spectacular scenery on the South Island, visions I can't imagine you'd find anywhere else all in one place - mountains, lakes, hills...every corner turned delivered something special.

3. Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia: Down Under's answer to the Grand Canyon. Impressive views, walks and cable rides.

4. El Zapato/Cajon Dam, Capilla Del Monte, Argentina: This site took us by surprise. We were on a walk, looking for the dam and stumbled upon an immense mountainscape that looked like something from 'The Land Of The Giants'.

5. Superclassico Football - River Plate v Boca Juniors: A truly memorable occasion for any footy fan - the biggest rivalry in the Argentine league. Whether it's at the River Plate Stadium, where the 1978 World Cup final took place, or Boca's smaller, but more cauldron-like ground, this is an unmissable fixture, more so for the bristling atmosphere than the football. 

 

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

 

Children's Activities

1. Parkour, Vancouver: Of all the activities we have introduced Zenchai to, this was the best. He couldn't get enough. What kid wouldn't want to run, tumble, climb, crash, jump and generally have heaps of fun exploring movement? http://www.originsparkour.com/

2. Wall Climbing, Kuala Lumpur: We took Zenchai along to the largest indoor climbing facility in Asia - and it is huge. It's all supervised and, while a little daunting, children get the chance to scale some enormous walls and grow in confidence. 

3. River Play, Piracanga, Brazil: During our stint at an eco village, we lived close to a river, which was perfect for children. Zenchai learned both to kayak and swim here in addition to spending countless hours just playing.

4. Children's Museum, Buenos Aires: Although the cost of entry wasn't low, it was worth it. Children got to role play and dress up to their heart's content. Zenchai used to beg me to take him here. 

5. Waterfall, Chiang Mai, Thailand: This northern Thai city is surrounded by waterfalls of various sizes. We found one on a Sunday afternoon and the kids loved it so much we couldn't tear them away. 

Melbourne: World Vegan Day

IT seemed only fitting that we should attend World Vegan Day. After all, we are all vegans, it was Jamie's birthday, the event was happening (for the 10th year running) in Melbourne (at Princes Park) and the sun was shining on a perfect day.

Although the journey (by public transport) required us to take the train, bus (because of maintainence works) and then tram, it was well worth it.

We shared the day out with our friends, who have three boys. There were activities for children, like min-golf, table tennis, toy racing cars, mini-skittles and a park play area. There was also live music, speed dating, workshops and talks. But best of all was the food. If I'm honest, that's the reason we decided to attend.

Arriving around lunchtime (of course), we surveyed the options. Jamie went for the burger and I opted for a curry feast, which was delicious, and Zenchai and Kobra just pinched from us what they liked. We found a spot on the grass and all tucked in. 

There were many other options, ranging from gourmet raw to wraps to salads to juice bars to cup cakes to raw food deserts to pizza. But the biggest queue of all was for vegan ice cream. The line never shortened and, for that reason, we never bothered to join it.

There were many other stalls, non-food-related, focusing on cruelty to animals, like horse riding over jumps and whale fishing. There were stalls selling vegan cosmetics and chocolate. 

Australia does well in so far as promoting vegan products and lifestyle. Regular supermarkets have lots of options (although groceries are expensive here). 

We headed home, satisfied but with a little space in our bellies reserved for the cake Jamie had made for herself (she's a cake-making fanatic - and genius - and had been planning this one for weeks), using organic chick peas, apple sauce, dark chocolate, coconut milk, cashews, maple syrup, cherries etc.

But we had to wait a little longer. With the temperature perfect and sun starting to descend, we first headed to the beach to let the kids expend more energy digging holes and running about in the (cold) ocean.

Then, needing to refuel, we all made a good attempt at polishing off that cake!

 

 

 

 

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. 

Asia: Five Days, Four Cities, Three Flights, Two Children, An Overpriced Durian and No Almond Butter!

WE were all relieved to get back to our apartment in Chiang Mai after four days away and time spent in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok.

Zenchai was going stir crazy on the aeroplane back to Thailand. We had a five-hour layover in Bangkok after our Air Asia flight had been cancelled. Tired, hungry and cooped up, Zenchai gave us a testing experience. Kobra slept most of the way. Aeroplanes just aren't designed for young children.

We stopped in Kuala Lumpur the first night as we couldn't get a connecting flight that day on to Singapore.

KL airport is a long way from the city centre. But we elected to use the train instead of taxi or bus or coach (as we'd done in the past). It's far cheaper, more efficient and comfortable. The trains are fast and slick, like in Germany. It made travelling a far more pleasant experience.

Kobra attracted a lot of attention from travellers, many of whom had their picture taken with her like she was some kind of celebrity. It bordered on the ridiculous. 

Zenchai looked on, unamused. He doesn't like the attention he gets in Asia - all the touching without first asking drives him crazy, often quite literally. He is also protective of his little sister.

Anyhow, by the time we arrived in KL city centre, checked-in to our hotel and dropped off our luggage, it was time to head out again. We had a family appointment - a play date for Zenchai with his second cousin at a playcentre in Bangsar Village shopping mall. He had been looking forward to it for ages. Z and his cousin ran around for hours. Money well spent. Zenchai also received a belated birthday gift - a Monster Truck book, which he loved. Afterwards we went for a Banana Leaf dinner after which it was time to head back to the hotel (by train) and then get up in the morning for our mid-day flight to Singapore.

Getting to KL airport was quicker than heading into the city when we arrived. On the train we met a nice English/French-Moroccan family with a young boy. Zenchai wasn't too sociable at first, but later warmed up a bit. 

At KL airport we checked in, grabbed a bite to eat at our favourite veggie Indian restaurant and then waited for our plane to depart. Zenchai amused himself by driving around luggage trollies.

I had been to Singapore before, but it was the first time for Jamie and the kids. As we were about to land, the captain made an interesting announcement, warning against bringing into the country knuckle-dusters, swords, guns and numb chucks! What sort of people go to Singapore, I wondered?

Then, of course, he reminded everyone about the stiff penalty for drug-smuggling - mandatory death sentence. They may as well have added raw almond butter to the list (more on that later).

I had an exam to sit in Singapore, but squeezing in any last-minute revision wasn't easy with a family in tow. Hours after arriving and nursing a deltoid injury, I headed to Reebok Crossfit Enduro for a workout. Some 90 power cleans later my shoulders somehow felt better. Jamie and the kids amused themselves at a park nearby and then in the gym while they waited. Zenchai got creative with all the equipment.

All hungry, we went in search of food. We didn't find eating in Singapore very easy. It's all Chinese, mostly fried, high on meat and starchy carbs and laced with msg. We settled for some veggie soup. Zenchai had a juice and some rice. Then it was off to bed - late - after a long walk in the still-ultra humid conditions.

The next morning I had to wake up Zenchai from a deep sleep. He had a training appointment at 9am at Crossfit. We caught a train and walked the rest of the way. He did some running around and lifting. On the way home, he felt proud - and didn't stop talking about it.

We were all hungry by the time we met up with Jamie and Kobra. But then we made our worst purchase of the weekend. Seeking out durian, I bought a 2kgs one, noticing a sign that said $10 per kilo. I asked "how much?" and the reply came "$14". But it turned out to be "$40" and not "14". By then I had already eaten it. That's a whopping £20 for a durian!! 

To make matters worse, Jamie didn't even like it. 

If it took Jamie and I hours to get over the shock, at least the kids weren't fussed. We decided to seek out a play centre. The hotel gave us directions - by train, bus and then on foot.

We found it - eventually. First, though, we stopped at an upscale restaurant called The Living Cafe that was right up Jamie's street - lots of delicious raw food desserts, but at near-jaw-dropping prices.

We each had a slice and then headed off into the heat on foot with only approximate directions. Of course, half a mile down the road Zenchai decided he needed the toilet (No. 2) and there was nowhere to go and no cab to be found to take us quickly where we wanted to go.

In spotless Singapore, we had to find some bushes and be as discreet as possible! Anyone with children knows these things happen. 

Onwards we marched, sweat dripping and Jamie and I taking turns carrying Kobra. We passed a doggie day care resort only for Zenchai to remark that Kobra needed to go there for some brushing up - because her hair "was messy like a dog's". 

Finally, we tracked down Fidgets Play Centre at Turf City, a huge shopping complex. Although it wasn't cheap, it was worth it. We hardly saw Zenchai, who in quick time was running around and playing with other kids. Kobra enjoyed it as well. Parents usually take a seat, grab a coffee, read a magazine and let the kids run wild. There are TV cameras to help you locate or observe your child. It was, for want of a better word, mayhem. But this was a Saturday afternoon.

The highlight for Zenchai was getting his face painted - as The Joker! The other children gathered round as Zenchai underwent his makeover. He said he really liked the woman painting him, because she reminded him of his grandmother in England.

"She spoke exactly like grandmere and was the same size," he said. 

But for someone not wanting attention, Zenchai sure attracted a lot of glances, particularly on the train on the way back to our hotel and a shopping mall at Clementi Station, where we stopped for dinner. As soon as he returned to the hotel, he had me wipe off the paint. 

The next morning for breakfast we set off to Little India, where Zenchai polished off a Masala Dosai. He'd missed them since leaving Kuala Lumpur. We found a place which offered quality food for excellent prices.

On the way back to our hotel on foot we passed a giant supermarket - the type that sold absolutely everything. If the durian was our purchasing disaster of the weekend, buying some clippers to cut Zenchai's hair was the greatest deal. For the equivalent of a few haircuts (£7.50), I came out of the store with a fine electrical appliance.

I left Jamie and the kids at a playground while I returned to the hotel to prepare for my test. I met up with them later and we headed off into the Arab quarter for some dinner. More disappointment: no falafel; moussaka that was plain and didn't have the advertised chick peas; ran out of pita bread; inflated prices etc. 

The night wasn't over. We went to bed, but at 2.30am while everyone was fast asleep, I tiptoed around the room to get dressed and went around the corner from our hotel to watch England's exit on penalties (again) from the Euro 2012 against Italy. 

It was around 5am when I returned to sleep. Singapore was still pretty busy. I took Zenchai out for some coconut water and flesh for breakfast and then strolled with the kids around the block while Jamie did the packing.

Little did I know I was wondering through a red light district. Prostitutes were all over the pavement and they swarmed over Kobra, pulling at her little cheeks and trying to take her away from me for a cuddle. Quickly, I got her out of there. Zenchai reacted angrily when they tried approaching him. Too much attention for the kids. It was time to head out of town.

Jamie had finished packing. We walked to the train station and then headed to the airport, let the children play for a while at the many excellent kids' facilities, got some food and checked in.

We flew to Bangkok airport, which was busy, and had time to kill. Although the clouds gathering outside looked stormy, I suggested we head into the sprawling city by train for some food. First we checked in and it was laughable to see the line of passengers at the next kiosk heading to Chennai, India - all with flat screen TVs!

It took about 40 minutes in and 40 minutes out by train. It was raining so hard that we couldn't really go anywhere. We purchased some food (but could find nowhere to eat it) and turned around. By then the trains were packed. That was our experience of Bangkok. 

By the time we reached the airport again it was nearly time to board. We scoffed down our food and headed through security, which is where the raw almond butter (mentioned earlier) comes in.

We'd bought a nice, big jar in Kuala Lumpur, because we can't find it in Chiang Mai. But security in Singapore deemed it a liquid and said we couldn't bring it through.

We'd carried it in our hand luggage from Kuala Lumpur, so thought nothing of doing the same from Singapore to Chiang Mai.

I could see the fury on Jamie's face when the security man, doing his job, of course, wouldn't back down.

"Don't mess with my almond butter!" told the story of my wife's painful expression. But he took it from us and, without waiting for us to go out of sight, dropped it into a bin. Ouch!!

"Do you realise how expensive that is?" said Jamie. 

That was the final straw to what was becoming an arduous journey. It was late when the plane touched down in Chiang Mai. Zenchai had shuffled in his seat like he'd dropped a jar of ants down his shorts. We were relieved to get off the plane. 

Our car was in the car park. We located it (eventually), paid 1,000 baht (£20) and headed home. 

As we drove, listening to Cat Stevens for about the 1,000th time, I remarked how great it was to live so close to the airport - about 10 minutes. Getting to the apartment was effortless, which is more than can be said for the rest of our adventure. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chiang Mai: Organic Abundance

AFTER talking to several fellow long-term travellers, I realised we are not the only ones who place quality of food high on the agenda.

We believe that the food we eat is the first and most important step towards being healthy and, ultimately, happy. A poor diet can make you sick, which can dramatically effect the quality of your life. A healthy diet (I realise that what is considered healthy is still a matter for debate) will make or keep you well and provide the platform from which to enjoy life. So we regard searching out organic food, even if it is possibly more expensive, as a worthwhile investment. 

In Brazil last year, we had to trek more than an hour each way along a beach to gather food - and not even organic food, although there was a weekly produce delivery almost to our doorstep that was great. In Chiang Mai, however, we are literally (above) within a stone's throw of an abundant organic market by the university.

It opens every Wednesday and Saturday and is best to arrive early. I go around 6am and the range of fresh vegetables is great - not to mention the smell of the herbs as you walk around.

There is fruit also, but mostly mango, banana, lychee - at least at this time of year. And there is cooked food being served and sold. On the street outside the market there are other traders offering oranges, pineapple, melons, jackfruit etc.

I usually take with me two large bags and fill them. I get broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, greens, avocados, bananas, lychee, passion fruit, celery, green beans, cucumber and sunflower sprouts - enough to last from one market day to the other. The cost: 480 baht (just under £10).

The four avocados - pretty decent sized ones - came to 44 baht (less than £1). 

I've not yet seen large watermelons or durian. I get these elsewhere. As an example of cost, I recently purchased 10 coconuts, a 4kg watermelon and 3kg durian for £9. 

Thus far, though, the university market is the best I have discovered in Chiang Mai, although I haven't explored them all - or, to be honest, even scratched the surface. 

There are a few other organic regular stops for us. The Doi Kham Royal Project (on Suthep and Canal Road junction), Rimpeng Supermarket (near the airport and Central Airport Plaza and more costly) and Baan Suan Pak, where I can buy packs of tempeh for just over 50 pence each.

Living in Chiang Mai has its pros and cons, but the fresh, organic produce available is definitely one of the major positives. 

 

Chiang Mai: Why Birthdays Are Great

I LOVE birthdays in our family and not for the obvious reasons.

It's because my wife makes and invents great cakes. They're not ordinary cakes. Her recipes are delicious and I'm always encouraging her to produce a book. She uses healthy ingredients - or as healthy as can be for cake-making - and so I can indulge happily without any feelings of guilt or concerns about eating the 'wrong' stuff.

In fact, we encourage our kids to eat Jamie's cakes, which are full of protein, fruits, healthy fats and no cholesterol. She uses goji berries, cashew nuts, coconut cream and butter, dates (instead of sugar), strawberries, pumpkin seeds, spirulina, nuts etc.

For Zenchai's sixth birthday, she produced one of her finest. Zenchai asked for strawberry, vanilla and chocolate and that's precisely what he got. 

Nothing was cooked. And yet it looked - and tasted - like a dream. One of the best ever. The cake lasted more than two days. We had some for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Before Zenchai's birthday was over, Jamie was asking me what cake I would like for my birthday (two months down the road) - she's hinting at a durian one, by the way.

That's either devotion or obsession. Jamie likes to eat her own cakes, but possibly not as much as she enjoys making them. 

Zenchai genuinely enjoyed his day. Last year it was in Brazil and, the year before, Ecuador. But he told me the day after that he'd like to spend his next birthday in Thailand. We indulged him in all the things he enjoyed. We took him to his favourite restaurant for lunch - Punpun - where he wanted potato naan and a fresh coconut/cinnamon smoothie. He played all day with his new toys, we took a trip to feed some giraffes at the Night Safari and then topped things off at The Centre Of The Universe, an outdoor salt water swimming complex.

After that, we returned home, as it was dark, cooked Zenchai his favourite mashed potatoes, read him some stories and put him to bed. 

 

Chiang Mai: Living With An Addict

YES, that's right - my wife is an addict.

You should see her face when I bring back durian and suggest we share it. Or when the day is nearly over and she hasn't had any. 

Just the other day she even asked if one could get addicted to durian. Of course you can. And she is. 

Before we came to Asia, Jamie wasn't even keen on the fruit - or the smell of it. They say it smells like hell, but tastes like heaven. But now she eats and caresses every bite like it's going to make her look 15 years younger. And perhaps it will. Durian is supposed to be great for the skin and also is rich in minerals, vitamins and is cholesterol free (though high in fat for a fruit).

Luckily for us, durian is everywhere at the moment and not expensive. Trucks line the roads, filled to the brim with the large, prickly, green fruit. 

I have a dealer I tend to visit each day. He starts choosing the durian as he sees my car advance towards his truck and gives me a grin, like he knows exactly what I am after (and he's right).

He taps his stock with a stick, almost like he is playing the drums, listening to the sound to tell which one is ripe. Then, while holding the durian with one hand and wearing a glove (to protect against the thorny shell), he cuts a small part open so I can feel it. Usually, it's always soft - soft enough for me, anyway - though Jamie occasionally complains I've not done a good enough selection job. 

The durian doesn't last long once it's inside the house. Even Kobra laps it up - if mum spares her a piece. And Kobra usually gets it everywhere else too, smearing it over her face, hands and arms. I think Jamie's jealous of that part. 

That's what it's like living with a durian-addict. I have to be supportive. The withdrawals can more hellish than the odour. So I keep feeding it to my wife and pray the season lasts for as long as we're in Chiang Mai. 

 

Kuala Lumpur: Breakfast Tales

WE aren't the kind of family that eats the usual eggs, bacon, sausage and toast breakfast. Nor do either of my children know what Cocoa Krispies, Frosted Flakes or even Weetabix are.

We seem to fall into a routine breakfast that is location-dependant. In Croatia it was heaping large amounts of watermelon. In Argentina we had fruit salads with tahini-honey dressing and bee pollen.

Brazil brought us chia seed/banana pancakes at first before we evolved to mouth-watering chocolate pudding with homemade granola. In India we all loved a good masala dosai and in England Zenchai always started his day with his grandmere's homemade bread followed by a (vegan) protein shake (we use the Sunwarrior brand). 

Since being in Kuala Lumpur our accomodation has been diverse, sometimes having a kitchen and sometimes not. When we didn't have a kitchen we ate masala dosai or fruits, then when we had a well-appointed kitchen, I made granola and smoothies (almost every store-bought variety of cereal is sugar-coated or well overpriced). Now we have a kitchen, but it is pretty lame. 

When we lived back London I used to make a scrummy, nutritious chia seed pudding. Zenchai used to lap it up. So I pulled out all the stops and created a travelling rendiditon of it. Fortunately, the stores here have a huge variety of health foods, so it was pretty easy.

However, I haven't used chia seeds even though they sell them here. Instead, I use Thai sweet basil seeds (we have some leftover from our last trip here), which react the same as chia.

Kuala Lumpur Breakfast of Champions:

2-4 TBS Thai sweet basil seeds or chia seeds

water or nut milk (enough to cover the seeds)

1/4 - 1/2 C coconut milk (depending on how coconutty you like it)

splash vanilla essence

dribble maple syrup or honey (optional)

one chopped banana

2-4 dates

chopped brazil nuts

dried mulberries

goji berries

Here is the skinny:

Pour the water or nut milk over the seeds, add the vanilla and maple syrup. Stir until well combined. Then add the coconut milk, stir well and place in fridge for 5-10 minutes. While the seed mixture is in fridge you can chop the banana, brazil nuts and dates. When the fridge time is up, add the remaining goodies. Spoon into mouth. Smile, it tastes naughty but it is packed with nutrition.

 

World Travel: Nuts For Coconuts

WHAT I missed most when back in England recently - and since leaving the tropics - is access to fresh coconuts.

They now sell packaged coconut water in western cities, but it's not the same as cracking one open straight from the tree, drinking the water and scooping out the flesh.

The packaged water doesn't taste quite the same, despite claims it is 100 per cent coconut water.

But there can be no denying the high nutritional and medicinal value of the coconut, partially processed or otherwise.

Although coconuts here in India so far haven't been up to quite the same standard we had a plentiful access to in Brazil last year, on hot days - and it's around a constant 34 degrees this time of year in Kerala - it's the best thing to drink to rehydrate.

In Piracanga, Brazil, Zenchai and I often used to set off in the morning with a wheelbarrow and return about 30 minutes later with it loaded with delicious coconuts. I'd cut them down and he'd push the barrow. 

Browsing a newspaper just the other day made me realise how special this nut is. I came across an advert for coconuts, listing its many qualities.

Coconuts are natural, packed with vitamins and minerals, have more potassium than most sports energy drinks and contain natural sugars.

The most amazing endorsement for coconut water, though, is the fact that during the Pacific War (1941-45) coconut water was used regularly, taken directly from the nut for emergency plasma transfusions on wounded soldiers!

With a blender, you can mix the flesh and water to make coconut milk, which has less fat than animal milk and no cholesterol. Coconut milk is used widely here in southern India in cooking as well as drinks (smoothies etc).

We often used the flesh to make puddings - which is a great way to ensure children get a regular intake of quality food. 

The flesh can also be eaten raw. Generally, the older the coconut the thicker the pulp, but less tasty the water. Sometimes you can find coconuts with perfect tasting water and nice flesh, too.

Luckily, our children love both the flesh and water. And here in southern India it's also ridiculously cheap - just R20 (about 35 pence).

 

World Travel: Jackfruit Trumps All Others

WE love Jackfruit. All of us - including Kobra! 

Officially, it's the biggest tree fruit in the world, weighing up to 36kgs and growing to 3ft. We couldn't get enough of its sweet bubblegum flavour when we were living last year in Brazil. 

It's a seasonal fruit in the tropics - prickly on the outside and incredibly sticky inside it's like glue. But the trouble you need to go to in order to devour this fruit is well worth it.

An important tip: oil the knife and your fingers well before cutting and eating. And when it comes to cleaning, use oil and not water - otherwise you will be scrubbing for a long time.

Also worth considering is there are two types of jackfruit - one being sweet and the other milder and firmer in texture.

While we prefer eating it straight after cutting it open, jackfruit can also be cooked and has a chicken-like texture. It's also nutritious - low in cholesterol, a good source of fibre and vitamin C. The large seeds can also be used - boiled, crushed and mixed in a food processor to make hummus. 

Here in Kerala, India, we are in the heart of jackfruit country. This is where the fruit originated. I was walking back from Varkala town a few days ago when I noticed some sliced jackfruit on the roadside.

I didn't want to eat fruit exposed to traffic, so asked the gentleman nearby if he was selling whole ones. He walked me to his garden, showed me a large tree and asked me to pick one, which I did.

He hacked it down and it fell with a thud. Wiping away the sticky milk-like substance that comes from the stem, he put the 'beast' in a sturdy bag and charged me R70 (about £1). 

It took about four-five days to ripen and then went soft very quickly. When we cut it open it was already over-ripe in areas. Luckily, there was still plenty to go around.

Indians might consider me an exception, because they joke that most visitors from the west have never before seen a jackfruit and wouldn't know what to do with it. They say that when tourists eat bananas, they remove the skin and eat the fruit. So when tourists slice open a jackfruit, Indians like to tease that Europeans peel off and throw away the fruit and eat the seed!