Abrams Family World Travel

Pai: A Slice Of Relaxation

SEVEN hundred and sixty two stomach-churning bends later and I was in Pai, a hippy town three hours north of Chiang Mai.

I'd had my fill of sitting, scrunched up and sweating, at the back of a poorly-ventilated mini-van with a driver who, if I didn't know better, had been hired from Ecuador, where they all drive like they are late for dinner.

I should have known what was ahead when I saw the sick bags conveniently placed in front of every seat. But I survived. The discomfort was all worth it and for £3 I couldn't really complain. 

Pai is set amidst trees and sloping green, lush hills. From the balcony of my hotel room, I could see the beautiful landscape and hear the river flowing. This getaway was my birthday gift from Jamie and the kids - yes, time off. The children cried when I gathered my bags and dropped them off at the bus station. But Jamie had felt bad that almost every year my birthday passes as a non-event, so she wanted to do something special. 

Of course, I'd have liked to celebrate surrounded by my family. But being in Pai alone was not only different, but just what I needed.

I'd considered visiting one of the southern islands instead, but didn't fancy jumping on a jet again so soon after our recent escapade to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and, briefly, Bangkok. 

Full-time parenting is intense and so, too, is regular airline travel. I wanted/needed some reprieve. Pai hit the spot. It's laidback, has plenty to do (hiking, rafting, yoga, swimming, sightseeing etc), there are dozens of vegetarian/organic restaurants to lounge around in, massages to be had, a nice public pool (60baht/£1.10 entrance) and many nearby attractions.

At night there are street vendors selling tasty food and their handcrafted goods. It feels a little commercial, though in a far less intrusive way than other tourist towns I have visited.

Prices are more than reasonable, especially as I was visiting during the off-season when it's not swarming with visitors. I'd certainly consider coming again to Pai, but with the car sick-prone family (if I can get them here without them suffering on the journey) for a longer stay. The cost of renting is far less than in Chiang Mai.

The place reminds me of a cross between Vilcabamba, where we stayed in southern Ecuador, and Capilla Del Monte, the town outside of Cordoba, Argentina where we'd spent Christmas in 2010.

I didn't have enough time in three days to explore all this place has to offer (which is why I would like to return). The options are seemingly endless - adventure rafting, rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, zip line adventure, piranha fishing, elephant trekking, hot springs, waterfalls, Pai canyon, temples, cooking courses, markets, Muay Thai boxing, kung fu, tai chi, permaculture courses etc.

I was here to chill out, recharge my batteries and get a feel for the place or else I would have indulged more. I rented a bike (only 70b/£1.20) and cycled six undulating kilometres out of town to the hot springs for a nice soak, taking in some nice views and dodging elephant dung as I went.

The roads aren't especially busy. Most visitors tend to travel by moped and at certain times of day it can become a little congested, though, by comparison, Chiang Mai feels huge and noisy. 

After three days away, Chiang Mai was my next destination. This time I decided to take the local bus (cheaper but slower and longer). There is only one a day - leaving at noon. I got to the bus station early - and waited...and waited.

It did come, eventually. The bus was crammed. I looked for a seat. There were only a few. As I got closer, I realised someone had been sick there. I chose to give it a miss.

So I was back to square one, the mini-van. I got on the next one, grabbing the last available seat, probably the worst spot possible - right beside the driver. My long legs were squeezed into a tight space, shins pressed against the dashboard and my rucksack on my lap. I couldn't move my aching legs as I'd interefere with the driver changing gear. I held this position for the best part of three hours, desperate to get to Chiang Mai, counting down the kilometres as we travelled.

Oh how relieved I was to see the bus terminal in Chiang Mai and Jamie and the kids parked up, waiting. But like most rough journeys home, you feel like you need another break. 

 

 

Our First 12 months On The Road: Natural Travel Remedies

Whenever you travel, you expose yourself to health risks. Each country has its own strand of germs and frequently sitting on aeroplanes alone can make you vulnerable to bugs.

For children the risks are probably higher. Youngsters under five haven’t fully developed their immune systems.

Yet for most of 2010 we, as a family, were relatively illness-free. We picked up parasites while in Ecuador – and got rid of them – and all of us had colds after we arrived in Vilcabamba (Ecuador) last March and Buenos Aires in October.

It all seemed rather ironic at the time that we were walking around with noses streaming in the so-called Valley of Longevity like we had opened a mucus factory, yet were breathing in clean mountain air and surrounded by beautiful scenery.

But it’s possible also that whatever bugs got into our systems had done so in Quito, where it is polluted and the traffic heavy. Colds are not a sign of poor health, but an indication your immune system is functioning and eliminating invaders.

For colds we don’t take anything and let it run its course. For anything else we take homoeopathic remedies. We now travel with three kits from Helios: the nursery kit; travellers kit; pregnancy and birth kit. This provides a remedy for almost anything.

But for the parasites Jamie and I took MMS (Miracle Mineral Supplement) and it did the trick. Zenchai took a herbal parasite-cleanser for children. So we’ve been pretty fortunate.

Our first line of defence is always taking good care of ourselves – getting enough exercise, sleep, good food, sunshine and fresh air. We eat what we consider a healthy vegan diet – plenty of fruits, vegetables, greens, nuts and pulses. We try whenever possible to eat organically. Neither of us smokes or drinks alcohol either.

We try to maintain a high level of hygiene. We wash all our food before consuming it and cut the skin off if we know it's not organic. But sometimes it’s not enough and when eating out or, in some cases, from street stalls, you can never be certain how the food has been treated or prepared. For cases of diarrhoea or stomach pain, we always carry with us charcoal tablets. Also in our arsenal we have oil of oregano capsules, which act as natural antibiotics (as does eating garlic), plus probiotics for us and Zenchai (probiotics maintain healthy gut flora).

Possibly the worst health issue we had to deal with was an infection Zenchai had to his penis while in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador. The poor guy’s little Black and Decker was swollen like a balloon and he was in pain.

Naturally worried, we took him to a local doctor (this was the first time he had visited a doctor since his six-week baby check-up) and she prescribed him a steriod cream and antibiotics with the order that he not go into the ocean for a fortnight (which was the entire time we were on the coast).

Without being dismissive of the diagnosis, Jamie and I questioned whether to administer the prescription as we are naturally cautious regarding the over-use of antibiotics and steroids. Instead, we opted first for the natural remedy colloidal silver gel which we applied throughout the day and night. This had immediate results.

The penis episode was worrying and so, too, was a bout of vomiting and diarrhoea he had following a long bus trip from Canoa to Quito at the end of May. For several days he couldn't keep food down (we think it was almost certainly the parasites). But we stuck it out, made sure he was properly hydrated and, sure enough, he got well enough for us to travel back to London. In those moments, though, you do get concerned it could be something more serious.

Of the three of us, Zenchai also suffered most from mosquito attacks, especially in Ecuador. For whatever reason, they loved the taste of his blood and he was covered in bites at one stage even though we applied a citronella-based repellent. To help ease the discomfort, we used lavender essential oil and/or calendula homeopathic cream.

In Croatia, to a lesser degree, they got him again (although his bite count was reduced by the use of Mosquiten patches (a natural German product with the main ingredient being green tomatoes).

As we prepare to head to Brazil, where the climate is tropical, we are not only armed with mosquito nets, but also Neem, an essential oil more powerful than citronella and which works well with the latter for added protection.

Let's hope that does the trick.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Perhaps that will come next.

Vilcabamba - Children's Activities

Here are a few things we found while in Vilcabamba for children. There are many more activities like horseback riding, cycling or hiking, but these suited Zenchai's temperament and age best. 

Centro Cultural Comunitario 

This charming centre offers two creative classes for children of all ages. Both of these classes are a fantastic way to network with other parents (both local and foreign) and allow your child to dip into another culture by making new friends. You can find the Centro Cultural Comunitario on the road behind the Rendezvous Hostal along the river. 

Mondays at 3pm there is a ceramics class with Lee. For 25¢ your dumpling can smash, squeeze and sculpt clay for 2 hours. Plus occasionally Lee will take the children to dig for their own clay. Staying with your child is optional and you can always wander up into the interior of the building to read a book, so you can be nearby or just relish a couple of hours of 'you' time. 

Lee's chilled demeanour allows your babe the freedom to just get on with his/her own creative impulses or alternatively mould his/her clay in his example. Most of the time Zenchai just built mounds of clay and called them cars and Lee was very encouraging. 

Wednesday & Thursdays at 3pm there is Recyclable Arts with Omar. Omar is an Ecuadorian super-eco-warrior with the patience of a saint, attentiveness of an angel and artistic ingenuity. These classes are also for 2 hours each and the princely sum of 25¢ per class will be collected. Again, parental supervision is optional, but for smaller kiddies it is almost a necessity to stay to help with cutting etc. (this can be dependant on the project too). 

Each class is themed differently. Zenchai built a wind-chime with cuttings from plastic bottles, sticks and beads. In another class he made a piggy-bank with a plastic bottle and other items. These classes are really fun, informative and hands-on. Omar doesn't speak English, but he is very kind and gentle, so easy to understand (perfect for those wanting to learn a bit of Spanish too). 

Abrams Family Tip: Wear long sleeves/trousers and take natural bug repellant as the mozzies and small biting flies can be real a nuisance. 

La Piscina y Parque Zoologico 

Heading towards the outskirts of the village square, tucked alongside the river is a public swimming pool and small zoo. The swimming pool consists of small paddling pool, larger general pool and a splash pool that has a slide attached to it. During the week the pool is virtually empty. But if you want to mingle with the locals and have a more authentic experience then go at the weekends when the pool is absolutely heaving. Admission for an adult is $1 and 75¢ for children. 

The park also hosts a small zoo, which consists mainly of caged birds. As a family we aren't huge advocates of zoos, but at least this zoo did not have any large, sad looking mammals. 

Within the park grounds there are picnic areas and a play area with various climbing frames, swings and slides. Admission to the park and zoo are separate from the pool - I can't recall the exact amount, but it was pocket change. 

Vilcabamba Parque Central - Village Square 

At almost anytime of the day or night there are a variety of children playing in the square. This is a great place for your child to meet other children. Bring along a few play things, keeping in mind to bring something to share if an unexpected playmate appears. Splashing in the fountain is an unavoidable temptation as is running through the various little maze-like paths. 

Vilcabamba River 

There are many spots along the river where you can take your kiddie to play. Our favourite was the river area that runs adjacent to the piscina and zoo. There were many shallow spots in which to wade, splash or drop rocks into. You'll often see locals bathing and doing their laundry too. 

Abrams Family Travel Tip: It has been suggested to us that it might be a good idea to have your children checked for parasites before leaving the country, especially if your kiddies splashed about in water at lower, more tropical altitudes where there's a much higher rate of "catchable cooties". We'll have more about how to do this in another post.

Football Fever 

Just along from the zoo is a football pitch (basketball hoops too) where you can enjoy endless hours of playing football, practicing drills and dribbling. The pitch is concrete so wearing long bottoms to prevent scraped knees might be a good idea. 

Village Park - Next to the Coliseo - Indoor Sports Hall 

This park is almost rarely used (at least when we were there) during the week. On Sundays there are a fair few adults there playing volleyball and the like. The children's equipment is a bit dilapidated, but there is plenty of green space to run about - or in Zenchai's case plenty of space to find huge sticks to play with in the dirt.

Adjacent to the park is a very grassy football pitch and just beyond the field is an empty rodeo ring, which may be thrilling for a youngster.

The Coliseo is easily found as it is a rather large building with Olympc rings painted on the outside. It's about five blocks behind the church in the square.

Eating Out In Vilcabamba

In Vilcabamba there are a number of cafes and restaurants, but the following were particularly able to cater to our vegan diet. We sampled them while we were staying at the Rendezvous Hostal (we didn't have kitchen access until we moved to our lovely casita). 

For the best vegetarian/vegan almuerzo deal in town head to the road just behind the square (there is a blue building on the corner - horseback riding service) to Restaurant Vegetariano. It is a small family-run business with the restaurant inbuilt to the family home. The owner is extremely pleasant and her lunches are hard to beat when it comes to value for money. The daily almuerzo special consists of horchata or natural juice, soup, small side salad, main and a dessert, all for $3! Please note that her daily almuerzo is not always vegan-friendly, but she will happily make you a small, but tasty avocado sandwich with a side salad. Her lip-smacking food goes quickly, so if her sign is not out front then she is closed or has run out of food. Restaurant Vegetariano is closed on Saturdays. 

On the square itself there are two cafes of note Cafe Cosmos and Sambuca Cafe. You can usually spot Cosmos by all the gringos pouring out the door and into the outdoor seating. Norie and Richard are an American couple who are building an intentional community, where they source some of the ingredients for the menu. They have succulent superfood smoothies (my favourite is the Goji-Mojo minus the flax seed) and alluring juices. Vegan options on the menu are limited, but they are happy to veganize their existing menu options or whip-up something off the cuff. Nalassa (one of the vegan members of staff) is especially crafty in that way. She also created vegan-friendly chocolate bliss balls made that are super rich. The only down point to Cosmos is the slow service, but if you plan in advance and go when you are just marginally hungry by the time you are starving you should have your food. Cosmos is closed on Tuesdays. (Norie also sells organically produced panella from her land for 50¢. 

Directly across the square from Cosmos is the Mexican-owned Sambuca Cafe. Raul & Isamar, the purveyors, are just about the sweetest couple you'll meet in Vilcabamba - they both also speak impeccable English. Most of the ingredients come straight from their organic garden on the outskirts of town. You are always guaranteed a fresh meal. They are more than happy to adapt their menu to suit your eating needs and/or create something of your liking - raw or vegan. The tempeh sandwich and guacamole are particularly nice along with their pizzas (although these can be quite dear). Sambuca's menu offers a wide choice of drinkable goodness, too. Sambuca is closed on Wednesdays. 

Raul also mentioned that soon they would have a storefront to sell some of their produce from their organic garden. Their garden produces some of the finest veg. around (especially their basil). Depending on when you visit, you can always ask them if you can buy items out of their organic garden. Angel, their gardener, is a generous man offering up whatever is ripe, mature or ready to eat at ridiculously low prices. 

The more forgettable of our gastric sampling was El Jardin Escondido. Just down the road from Cafe Cosmos (heading away from the square) is El Jardin Escondido, a hostel with a restaurant. The food and the service was nothing to write home about.

Vilcabamba's Sunday Market Guide

What you need to know: 

 Vilcabamba has a fruit, vegetable and sundries market every Sunday morning from 6am in front of the bus terminal. Now, I have been told it is best to arrive around 6:30am in order to snap-up the organic stuff (I usually rolled-up around 7am and was fine). There are a few sellers that sell only organic items and it does go quickly. However, you'll also find that most of the other sellers' produce will be organic too - they can't really afford the pesticides and other yuckies. 

Who you should meet: 

 If you need a little something to kick your brain into motion stop to see Dennis and Maria. You can't miss them. Their table is covered with mounds of wheatgrass and a strong old fellah churning the manual juicer. They offer a palatable green juice with wheatgrass for the handsome price of $1. You can also speak to them about their green juice home delivery. (Dennis is from the US and Maria's English is good too.) 

Two stalls over from the green juice-givers are the super-affectionate Jose and his helper Yasu. Jose sells only organic items. He often has integral rice, lentils, spices, sea salt, quinoa and some of the most delectable greens - ever! If he has some of his 'Omega Greens' (apparently they have more omega in it than fish) available, buy them. They really are scrumptious with their fatty-looking leaves. (Jose speaks a little English, but I always practiced my Spanish and Yasu, from Japan, has great English, too.) 

 Usually just behind Jose and Yasu is Peter, the coconut man from Germany. He has stacks of coconuts that he'll pop open for you on the spot and even split it in half so you can have the flesh as well. There is no doubt that Peter is passionate about his coconuts. He tries to source organic coconuts and is quite intuitive at telling whether a coconut will have lots of water or lots of flesh. Depending on the size of your coconut, it will set you back between $1 - $1.50. 

Abrams Family Market Tips: take small change - most things are under $1, conserve the Earth by taking your own reusable bags / baskets; it is easy to get to know the sellers - they are always in the same place each week and plan on spending up to an hour there socialising. I always walked away from the market high on the knowledge I was buying local and mostly organic. 

My bags were filled with luscious food and my heart with the earthly connection to the glorious market people.   

PS. There is also a much larger, cheaper and authentically Ecuadorian market in the neighbouring village of Malacatos.

Getting Bugged?

 

Back home in England (yes, I still regard England as home) I often see people get freaked out at the sight of an insect invader in the home. But out here, in our rural and rustic home in the hills, we’ve learned to live alongside them.

Each day we are visited by ants, massive bumble bees, moths, dragonflies, grasshoppers, beetles, spiders, butterflies, mosquitoes and flies (no-see-ums).

The mosquitoes and flies bite, which has caused some frantic itching (see picture above), but we’ve managed to limit the casualty list by investing in a decent bug repellent and heal the wounds by rubbing in potable alcohol or peppermint oil.

However, with all the other bugs we just learn to live side by side. After all, they were here first!

Abrams Family Travelling Tip: Remember to pack a high quality citronella essential oil (a large bottle) during the rainy season for any destination that is mosquito/buggy-prone.