Let Go of Perfect

So now that we are at it again - traveling the world and taking in whatever each day provides, there is finally some time to reflect. It seems strange in a way to talk about reflecting as we are only a month  into our travels so far, but there is a lot that we learned on our last great adventure five years ago that fortunately we don't have to relearn.

Probably the most important lesson is to let go of perfect. Of course, there is a lot of perfect - the perfect sunset, meal, or rich interaction with someone from the other side of the world ... But these moments can't be forced and trying to do so usually results in disappointment, sometimes because we all have different ideas of what perfect is, but usually because the perfect in traveling comes from the unknown and the unexpected. So the best approach to achieve perfect is to not pursue it - just let the magic happen... whenever, whatever and wherever, or perhaps even not at all. We learned that lesson early in our last RTW trip and it served us well then and it continues to serve us well now. Taking away the pursuit of perfection removes the blinders and, surprisingly, allows us to achieve it.

Now there may exist in a guidebook somewhere that 'to achieve perfection in Sweden one must picnic along some out of the way nature reserve and then wander off to meet some relaxing milk cows off in the pasture. Have one member of your group volunteer to say hello and when said cows do not respond, be sure to honour them with a flowing arm dance'. It might say that, but it's doubtful, largely because I doubt anyone else would define the perfect moment in this way (though we all thought it was pretty funny) and the cows had a memorable day (for at least a minute). But you can't manufacture moments like this - how do you teach the cows to stay put? - cows milk production might drop, farmers would get pissed and the odd tourist would likely take it too far and start twerking all across the Swedish countryside. So the guidebooks and travel writers stick to the predicable - "eat here, drive there, lie in hammock, drink this, take pictures at sunset/rise here..." and flocks of tourists and travelers will try to recreate those perfect moments, and most will believe they will have done so (and that's ok too) But for us, we'll rely on good old spontaneity, adventure and letting the perfect moments just happen ... or not.

 - Bernie

10 Best Things About Rarotonga

   

    1)    The amazingly friendly people
    2)    They don’t practice cannibalism ... anymore
    3)    The men are SO huge (arms the size of my legs) which in itself is not a reason to like a place, but given the first 2 reasons - it’s a good thing!

Yeah - Karen took this picture...

    4)    All the coconut you can eat. More than you can shake a grass skirt at.

Just another nut.

    5)    The fact you can get on the wrong bus in totally the opposite direction you want and still get to where you’re going (hint: no bus numbers - just “clockwise” and “anti-clockwise”)

Pic from the bus (how does she hang on??)

    6)    If you miss the said bus, there is always the back of someone’s truck (sort of the same as #1)

Mima's favourite mode of travel

    7)    Your back yard is an amazing natural aquarium - sooo many fish, and at the end of the day - they’re yummy
    8)    The nicest stray dogs in the world
    9)    The police ride scooters
    10)     The only country out of 26 we’ve traveled to that has a departure tax. $110 for Karen and I, but the kids are free ... So we’re sending them home and staying.
    11)     The  amazingly friendly people... : )

Do you think she is laughing at me?

See, more coconuts! Of course, Bernie took this photo.

Japan - a Visit With an Old Friend

Well it has been about 3 weeks since we left Japan and we have visited Singapore since then and are currently in Australia. Still, I find my mind wandering back to the land of the rising sun every once in a while as our visit there was for me, in many ways, like visiting with an old friend.

Though I lived in Japan over 20 years ago, it was great to be back amongst so much that was familiar. From people's mannerisms, to fragments of language, to the food - it all came back to me with vivid clarity. Well OK, the language did not come to me with any clarity, but I did find myself remembering phrases that I never would have remembered out of the context of being there. In some cases I knew to use the phrase but needed to ask what it meant again - I just remembered to say it. Strange what gets stored in some unused corner of our memories. It was fun to eat Okonomiyaki with the family and especially to have it in Hiroshima - famous for their take on this Japanese dish. And I will always get a kick out of the politeness of the Japanese people who make "sorry" Canadians seem brash.

We went to some sites that I had experienced when I lived there, but it was especially fun to go back to Kurume -  the town I lived and worked so many years ago. We even checked out the old apartment - not much back then and pretty much the same now, but the kids enjoyed seeing where I lived. We also checked out the Dojo where I studied Kudo - the art of Japanese archery. I didn't see my sensei, but I was glad to hear he was still around and active in the dojo.

I don't really miss living there, it was an important part of my life at the time, but I also remember being ready to leave when I did. Japan had given me some great lessons and opened my mind to worlds beyond what I had known. That in itself was an incredible gift and likely one of the keys to our Four in the World journey decision.

In the end, like other old and good friends, Japan will always have an important place in my heart and in who I am. And again, like with friends, I will need to make sure I nurture that relationship to keep it fresh.

A Tale of Two Countries

The Tale of Two Countries...

Twenty-one years ago I traveled for a spell after living overseas and my travels took me to many wonderful places. Two specific countries I traveled to on that particular journey we have traveled to on this trip as well. And while it is one thing to experience a country for the first time, it is quite another to revisit a place after so many years - complete with faded memories and impressions. In Nepal and China this second experience cannot be further apart in terms of changes I’ve seen and impressions they have left on me.

Nepal, for most intents and purposes, would have ranked twenty-one years ago as one of my favourites. That did not change. The people are genuine and always quick with a smile, the towns and cities are chaotic and colourful, and the mountain experience is always exhilarating. China on the other hand I remember to be rewarding, but it was also incredibly hard traveling. It wore me down. The people were harsh, not overly friendly toward us and suspicious of foreigners. Many towns in China in 1990 seemed drab and desperate.

Happy playing - as kids should be.

In Nepal what struck me most on this trip was how little things had changed. Over two decades ago I had the impression that Nepal would go places. Granted, as a country it probably has little the rest of the world needs. But the people were so resourceful; able to deliver whatever travelers desired. Surely this could be extended to other areas like textile manufacturing and at the time this seemed to be happening. In the area of tourism they seemed progressive. On treks you saw a clear system of organization and even attention to being environmentally friendlier like incentives for locals to use less wood and more gas in cooking - the cost passed on to the trekkers.

A Nepalese bus...half full

I always wanted to return to Nepal partly to experience the magic of before, and also out curiosity. How had Nepal faired? Well, the magic is still there, but as a country Nepal has not faired too well. Since my last visit Nepal has gone through years of political instability and violence. The optimism that was evident then has lost it’s shine. The place felt pretty much the same as it did twenty years ago and maybe even had taken a few steps back. Sure there were more teahouses in the Langtang valley where we trekked bringing it on par with some of the more popular routes, but Kathmandu was more polluted, poor, and barely hanging on. Even electricity is regular rationed in the nation’s capital. The general feeling of optimism has been replaced with skepticism typical of places that have long ago seen better times (and the better times of Nepal where never really that good). Now often western tourists tout the places that haven’t changed - that town or country that time seems to have forgotten. I don’t really subscribe to that sentiment if it means people who can’t attain even their basic needs and whose rights are woefully neglected. Nepal, and especially Kathmandu, are like that.

China, on the other hand, is not. Given the above description about China twenty years ago, I do wonder how it made it onto our itinerary for the Four-eign the World trip? It could be that Mima or Mattias circled it on the map, but it also had something to do with the fact that we wanted to see what all the hype was about. Was life in China really on par with all the growth and changes we had been hearing? Well, whereas Nepal felt as if I was back there twenty years ago, China was totally unfamiliar to me. The same cities and spots I had been to were completely unrecognizable outside of a few key landmarks in Beijing. Major infrastructure projects are everywhere as building cranes proliferate both urban and rural landscapes. It seems as though apartment complexes are being built for 1.4 billion people to simultaneously move out of the Hutongs and villages and take up residence.

Shanghai skyline and smog

Xian - symbols of old and new

Even the people have changed - they are somehow softer, friendlier, ...they wear brighter clothes (though the fashionista side of me tells me they have some work to do here...). Sure, in lineups they push as well as they ever did, but they are different from what I remember. They are no longer the communists fearing the evil westerner. In fact, they have embraced more aspects of capitalism than I could ever had imagined possible in a short twenty years. I’ll ignore the ramifications (especially environmental) of this incredible growth, and China’s human rights record will still be questionable for a while yet. However, there are livable cities being built, food in the markets, and happy and fed children going to school.

15 seconds of protest and ???

If Nepal felt like time stood still and even slipped backwards, the contrast of China is one of a whole nation having been transported on their high speed trains. For different reasons, I will continue to think, maybe worry, and wonder about both.

From Point A to Point B

One thing is for certain. When you travel around the world, you're going to see a lot of how the world gets around.

It amazes me on a daily basis the diverse and innovative ways that people use to get from point A to point B. Of course there are all of the usual means of transportation, but even they are not so usual when you see and experience them first hand. Many of these adaptations are subtle - like the taxi meter that runs just a little bit faster than it should, or more obvious - the bus seats that recline further than they should (I've never slept pinned at the knees before).

Note the message on the top of the window... hmmm?

The fun part is all of the transportation that is so different from what you see at home. From incredibly user friendly, high tech and efficient bus systems in Paris to cattle and horse drawn wagons sharing the busy road with every other vehicle. Whole neighbourhoods pile into and onto the truck, van, wagon/ tractor. Everywhere is a seat, or bed for those longer hauls. Livestock is welcome. Seatbelts have long been removed and used for roadside repairs. The horn is a tool for communication and not just a way to tell someone off. Bicycles are still the best way to travel in some regions and in Africa people walk.

Count them - there are six!

The best seats.

The smile tops it all.

Gone is the notion that motorbikes are for the the lone easy rider. Forget doubling. Without alteration 100 cc skooters have seats for six, can be mounted to a comfortable side car for four, pull trailers for people or whatever, carry 60 chickens or four pigs to market or be loaded with any household item you could possibly imagine. Best if the rider has a passenger that can hang onto the said item, though that is not a requirement. We've seen motorbikes hauling everything from artwork to beds to 20 foot ladders on the busiest of streets in Saigon. Surprisingly, (not really) they can also serve as the mobile kitchen/playpen/family wagon. Oh yeah, they can be offered as taxis to families of four traveling around the world with their backpacks. Granted not on one motorbike (silly) but two... The price was good, but we declined.

Definitely a message here.

Not as common as it used to be.

We've also needed to swallow any notion we have of western safety standards or we would never have left the airport terminal. I can't wait when we get back to Canada and Mima has to sit in a booster seat... that is going to go over well I'm sure. Seatbelts are rare, as are simple notions like passing lanes, driver certification, directions of travel, stopping at red lights (if they exist) or structural integrity (wow, that rust is really strong when reinforced with twine and cowshit). However, we aren't quite ready yet to completely ignore safety. We research bus company reputations, avoid boats retired as worthy fishing vessels just to be used for tourists, actually look to see where the life jackets are and have avoided renting the one motorbike for four.

As we marvel at all of these ways of getting around, we also use them. A quick inventory of modes we have enjoyed/ endured so far include (in no particular order):

• planes (10 so far)
• trains
• automobiles (driven on the left side, right side, from the right side on the right side ...)
• sailboat (thanks GBs, John and Tinushi)
• cable cars
• escalators and elevators (What? ... we don't have them in Rossland)
• tuktuks in Bangkok, Ao Nang, and Siem Reap (no they aren't the same)
• metros above and below ground
• London Eye ferris wheel (does this count? Thanks Granny Bird)
• luxury buses (Turkey - attendants with drinks, snacks, blankies; individual TVs; wifi enroute)
• buses from hell (Egypt - love the videos; Tanzania - 12 hours, one stop, no WC; Cambodia - the above mentioned reclining seats)
• skooters (ridden and rented)
• ATVs
• ferries (Greece - large luxurious; Thailand - not so large nor luxurious)
• fishing boats (large and small)
• bicycles
• kayaks
• camels
• elephants
• back of pick-ups
• safari Land Cruiser
• horses (thanks Auntie Chris, Geronomo, and Marina)
• taxis (from London taxis to
• our legs and feet (the best!!)

Seven months or so into our trip and we think we have seen a lot, but are looking for even more ways the world can show us their transportation ingenuity.

The easy way to get around.

The Challenges of Travelling

Well, I can't believe it has been almost five months since we left home and four and a half since we left Canada. Time in one hand seems to be flying by, but when we stop to think about where we have gone and the things we have done and seen, five months doesn't seem to fit.

Daily we count ourselves as being fortunate and the kids hear all the time from other travelers how lucky they are. Yet, there have been challenges and it wouldn't be traveling if it was all smooth sailing. Below is a list (in no particular order) of some of the "best" moments that come to mind:

• Being scrubbed down by another man in a Turkish bath - a large hairy man at that.
• Playing hopscotch down the back stairs of the Citadel in Cairo attesting to the serious lack of nearby public latrines.
• Stepping out of the car in France, in the dark, looking for a place to pitch the tent, only to realize too late I was standing in a good thick patch of stinging nettle - in shorts and sandals of course.
• Having breakfast to the sound of the hostel staff snoring on the bench, couch, or where ever... in the common area. I guess their work includes room and board, but when the rooms are booked...
• Getting dropped off in "Kafacek" (as we instructed the bus driver to do) as the sun was going down, hoping to catch a minibus ("there are many, many buses") to our destination. No mini buses and the town of "Kafecek" we learned afterward means junction. As we walked along the highway in the middle of nowhere, Mima said "I thought this is what we were going to do all the time". I guess we could have prepped her better ... : )
• Subjecting ourselves and our kids to a secure and enclosed waiting area for the ferry from Egypt to Jordan with hundreds of people, of which most are men and almost all smoke. We felt like bad parents - compounded by the fact the ferry kept getting delayed (by six hours). Hack!!
• Enduring the night bus to the Red Sea trying to manage some sort of sleep in between police check points while being bombarded by bad Egyptian movies cranked at full volume (regardless of the language barrier, I'm sure there is no plot).
• Trying to get the proper coffee buzz off Nescafe.

I'm sure there will be more challenges and we will do our best to take face them with a positive attitude. As Mattias said when we got dropped at the junction, "we're really in our traveler's groove now" and he looked for a spot to pitch the tent.

Happy Halloween!

Well the festive candy haul was a little different here on the coast of Turkey at Olympos.

The scariest part was likely the feet in this photo - luckily you can't smell them when viewing over the internet (at least not yet). The "Smelly Feet" song sure comes up often during our travels. You'd be happy to know that this particular pair did get a good soak in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea right after this photo.

Of course we couldn't find any Jack-o-Lanterns here either so we decided instead to eat chocolate around the "fire breathing rocks" of Chimerae. No kidding, these fires have been burning for thousands of years and though the photo might look like we're just huddled around the campfire, there is no wood burning here, just natural methane seeping out from somewhere deep in the earth. Legend (Homer) has it that it comes from the fire breathing beast (Chimerae) that was beaten and driven deep into the earth. In celebration of this the Lycian people would light torches and hold sporting events with these lit torches. Many believe that this is the origin of the Olympic flame.

 

After watching the fire burn into nightfall we hiked back to Olympos in the dark making sure to include going past tombs of the ancient necropolis for an added spooky effect. Not the same as the North American event, but we figured it was a pretty good alternative.

The Search for the Ever Elusive Pita

There are certain things I associate with a country and for the most part, these associations have rung true. Like Crepes in France, fresh Pretzls in Germany, Strudl in Austria... So you'd think that Greece would not let me down when I tried to find Pita. In a way she didn't let me down, there was pita available at most restaurants and certainly at every Gyro stand. But whenever I tried to find fresh pita in the grocery store, there was none to be found.

Lunches are generally picnic affairs and we try to vary things a bit and often try to inject as much of the local staples as possible, so I thought pita at lunch would be a nice change up when in Greece. At first we found NO pita in the grocery stores we went to. Bakery's too. None, zilch, nada, nichts, kanenas... Now these were not always little stores - even the large ones where they had everything else - Greek and otherwise. "Where are the Pita?"we would ask. We usually got a shrug and the best we got was a 10 pack in the frozen section. Now the frozen 10'r was an improvement, but it still wasn't the same.

Often with will and determination there is a happy resolve to these kinds of quests, but alas, I must admit defeat. We never did find a source of the fresh pita. Perhaps all of the Gyro stands have the market cornered? Maybe Greeks don't eat it? Maybe you can only get frozen imported from... Canada? Whatever the case, we never did track fresh pita down and will have to make this a priority should we ever find ourselves in Greece again. I hate to think we were simply missing something obvious - though that is a possibility as well. I will have to resign myself to the fact that the frozen 10 pita were pretty good (once they thawed) and the ones from the Gyro stands and restaurants were great.

Fresh Pita - Where are you?

Quarterly update

Amazingly we are, to the day, three months out! This is one quarter of the way through our trip so we decided it was time to reflect on the many adventures we have had so far. We are doing this as a family, so some of the comments may include more than one response if we have differing thoughts.


Iceland
Best attraction: Minke whale, geyser, natural hotsprings
Best food: homemade soup
Biggest challenge: staying awake the first day; sleeping during daylight

England
Best attraction: salcombe sailing, Oliver, crabbing
Best food: Salcombe ice cream
Biggest challenge: Saying goodbye to the car

France
Best attraction: classic hike in Pyranees, Eiffel tower, Puy du Fou, Chateau Breze , Lascaux caves (so many...)
Best food: pan au chocolat, Camembert, mussels
Biggest challenge: finding camping in the middle of the night in Moisac(they lock the gates); kids biggest challenge was talking the parents into letting them have a pan au chocolat
every day

Spain
Best attractions: FC Barcelona museum; hiking in Picos de Europa, aqueduct in Segovia
Best food:we camped and cooked our own food mostly so we are not sure what we missed...
Biggest challenge: parking (anywhere in Spain), getting away from the cigarette smoke

Portugal
Best attractions: uncle Paddy and playing in the waves, archaeological site Citinia de Briteiros
Best food: BBQ fish, rice bowl with egg, vegetarian platter
Biggest challenge: getting info from Tourist info about anything other than the specific town we were in.

Germany
Best attraction: FC Koln game, riding Marina and Geronimo (auntie Chris' horses), hiking the steepest vineyard in Europe
Best food: pretzels, Daddy's birthday cake, Chris' pumpkin soup
Biggest challenge: beating Michy at footie (Mattias), none for the rest of us

Austria
Best attraction: Crown jewels in Vienna, meeting all the family, hike on the Hohewand with the petting zoo and zip line
Best food: sacher torte, heurigan food
Biggest challenges: getting cold milk, finding a happy Austrian in Vienna

Slovenia
Best attraction: Skojan caves, Vintgar gorge
Best food:Slovenian pub fare in Bled
Biggest Challenge: staying dry

Croatia
Best attraction: Plitvice Lakes, old city Dubrovnik
Best food: seafood risotto, ice cream/ gelato in Croatia
Biggest challenge: finding an easy route to Greece

Greece
Best attraction: black sand beach, Santorini; quads, old streets of Rhodes, Zeus' temple
Best food: halva, olives
Biggest challenge: finding fresh pita in the stores, not stepping in land mines (dog poo), finding legit TI offices

And there you have it....some of the best, not really much to complain about, and lots of yummy food.

My How Travelling Has Changed

Karen and I were lucky enough to have traveled for extended periods in Europe and Asia in our younger years, before we knew each other, but roughly around the same time - 20 years ago. Now I know some of you math whizzes are saying "That can't be. That would have been when they were 9 and 12". But alas, too be truthful, we are a little older than that ...

Well traveling 20 years ago seems in many ways to be similar. No we didn't have kids with us then, but the jist of it is the same - travel within a budget, eat where the locals eat, sponge where you can, plan as you go and be ready to be spontaneous. Though we haven't stayed in a lot of hostels, we have hit a few and they are good to make us feel a little bit younger again as we chat with the other travelers about whatever - usually good places and bad, how long we've been on the road, countries visited ... Just like 20 years ago. Granted it does get weird when we share some anecdote from our travels 20 years ago and the looks around the room tell you that the other travelers weren't even a twinkle in their mothers eye back then, let alone been born (Talking about shooting digital versus film usually has the same effect). Mattias and Emilia are closer to their ages than we are... by about double.

Where it starts to get different is when you factor in the technology that just didn't exist when we traveled 20 years ago. Almost all the travelers we meet travel with technology, usually some sort of netbook or laptop and that is where a bulk of their planning is done. Mattias and Mima use the gadgets we have for everything from music to math. Even most of their books are electronic. Where we used to have a guidebook or two as a starting point, people now use the web (though you still will see the guidebooks around but even the guidebooks themselves are available electronically).

Internet and wireless are key selling points for places to stay and merchants rely on the internet to get the word out. Ratings on TripAdvisor and similar sites can make or break an establishment. Travelers check these and base a lot of decisions on that information. More and more people book in advance, or at least they do in the places we've traveled so far. We used to just get to a place and start asking around of other travelers or maybe start with some of the guidebook recommendations. It usually took a little while but I must admit I'm glad the kids don't have to be part of big searches for a place to stay as I seem to recall doing.

Even places when you do book with will send you a google map link to give directions to their place, have panoramic views of their rooms, and even have computers on hand to use. I also talking hostels here - not fancy pants hotels and so far it seems more common than not.

It changes things in terms of planning and perhaps lessens the sense of surprise when you get to a place (that can be good or bad). Maybe some spontaneity is lost and certainly there are those who don't use it for this reason. For us we have used it and more since we are no longer camping (though campgrounds featured the technology as well). Spontaneity is often there with kids and traveling, but the kind that we were accustomed to in our 20's is not necessarily the kind that Mattias and Emilia would enjoy.

We'll see how true this difference of traveling with technology will hold as we venture beyond Europe, but so far - it's working for us.

I FEEL sLOVEnia

Cheesy slogan I know, but it's not mine - really! It's the national slogan all over travel stuff here. Sort of like BC's "You Gotta Be Here" or "Best Place on Earth" or Alberta's ...??? (hmmm, can't seem to recall that one...) Anyway, I liked the Slovenia cheesy one 'cause it played on the words like our Four - eign blog title (get it? Four-eign, Four IN, Foreign) ... yeah, I know... anyway...

I think I am starting to feel Slovenia even though we have only been here a few days though I'm not sure all my feelings are what the PR guys had in mind. Sure I have felt amazing hospitality and friendliness (contrast to the stoic - read grumpy - Austrians especially in Wien) and taste buds rejoicing (similar to Austria), but I have also felt some other feelings.

I feel sore muscles from the 6 hour hike we did up into Triglev Park. Great hike into the alpine of some fantastic mountain country and culture. Something we are realizing more and more that we gravitate to. I suppose it doesn't have to be be alpine per se, but anywhere where it is clear people are more in touch with their surroundings. I love it. I feel it. I feel Slovenia... hmmm they may be onto something.

Today I felt wet. From the rain. Soaking through my tried and true (but not so effective anymore) MEC rain coat. Luckily, we never really had this feeling much at all over the past 2 and a half months. Actually not at all. We've been lucky and so it was with surprise and and fair degree of discomfort that I recalled all the other times I felt this feeling in the mountains and, to be honest, I can't say I felt the sLOVEnia in that. No Love, just wet. Too bad.

So tomorrow we are off to feel some love in Ljubljana. In a prison cell turned into a hostel- or so they tell us. It's called the Hostel Celica so I hope it is better than my impression of the car by the same name. I think the kids are excited. We'll see if they feel the sLOVEnia.

Bernie

I Survived the Mona Lisa Mosh Pit

This post could also be titled "When in Paris Do As The Non-Parisians Do".

Either one would work and if printed on a T-shirt would sell like Eifel Tower souvenirs in this fine French city - crazy.

I think I know what Mona Lisa is smiling at after I witnessed (and admittedly was part of) the nutty spectacle of amateur paparazzi going after the easy target. She must be amused because it was pretty funny and actually pretty fun. Now I know that going to one of the world's most famous museums and viewing serious and priceless art is not normally "fun" in a ha ha funny way, but there definitely was an air or giddiness as we joined the scrum to get a view of Leonardo da Vinci's work. Yes it felt more like a rock concert than an art museum, but this was an centuries old icon we were seeing, one we had seen thousands of times over and in countless ways (including bad candy bar commercials), but never in real life. We were all already familiar with her, yet suddenly here she was, in the open with only a thick piece of glass, and wooden barrier, a rope, 3 meters of space filled with throngs of other adoring and curious fans. Replacing the lighter over the head from rock concerts of the past were cell phone cameras, digital SLRs and mini camcorders of people from around the world. If Coke is the most internationally recognizable product and logo, then Mona Lisa has to be a close second.

The Louvre has many amazing pieces of art to view and to see with the time and weight that one wishes. The Mona Lisa isn't one of them, but if you put the right hat on, going to see her sure is fun.

Family - Far and Wide

Ahhh - there is something to be said for family in far away places that meet you with open arms and where the hugs are held just a little bit longer.

We have been lucky since leaving Iceland to first spend time with Grandpa B and Granny Bird, a great dinner with Bruce and Mona (Grandpa B's cousin),

soon followed by Michael, Jackie and Josh in France (some connection Karen has tried to explain but I really need the family tree for reference), sister Chris (no - not a nun) and HW from Germany who drove days and many kilometers to meet us in Portugal, and Paddy (again need the family tree), Raquel, and Tiego who taught us the finer details about Portuguese cuisine. Our adventures become that much richer when we are able to share it with family directly as we travel (and indirectly through this blog). Looking forward to seeing the nephews in Trier and catching up with the Hofmann and Vaverka clans in Austria. After Austria it will be longer spell before we see friends and family again so we are being thankful for it now. Always great to get emails and comments on the blog for those of you on some other part of the world.

Being with family and friends seems to make events that much more memorable as well. Perhaps it is because we can fill in details for each other when our memory fails us, but I think there is more to it than that. Those extra connections made during the experience seem to heighten our awareness of them. Little tidbits of history or background help make things more solid. Sometimes it is the smiles and the laughter that set the event stronger in our minds. Whatever the case, it is great when we can connect with family and happy we have each other when we just have the four of us.

On Eating France

We are in Spain now and the French must be happy about that. Like many before us, we soon were determined to devour France and even had the appetite to do it. Our objectives were innocent enough to begin with - enjoy the scenery, visit the odd church, try some French language.., but we soon followed the lead of Michael, Jackie, and Josh and when in France do as the French do (in this case do as the Brits living in France do).

Mattias and Emila were to corner and conquer the Pan au Chocolat market while Karen and I focused on the sea food, particularly the mussels. Who can say "non" to all of the good food? Gallettes and crepes became part of regular take even when back into camping mode. Great cheeses and nice wine were staple food items and sooo easy on the budget.

One often hears that the French take their food very seriously and we would have to concur. The dent we made into the food supply should have them worried and though they may be happy about us leaving, we will be back soon as we swing back through France on our way to the Weisskircher enclave near Trier. We will be back and we will be bringing our appetites with us again. The Spanish are trying their best to fix that, but when it comes to food - my money is on the French. Of course, we have only been in Spain a couple of days, and are happy to prove ourselves wrong.

What Good Luck, What Bad Luck

I remember a story book I had as a child by the above title. It basically ran through the turn of events of a guy that gets to go on an airplane (good luck), the airplane is going to crash (bad luck), luckily there is a parachute (good), hole in the chute (bad), falling toward a hay stack (good), pitch fork in the hay... anyway, you get the idea.

Well today was the bad luck portion of the trip so far (luckily we have not had it alternating like in my childhood story book). We had left this morning from Talknafjordur on our way to a 3 hour ferry that would take us to Snaefellsnes. "Good Luck" all the way up to and on the ferry - easy peasy... until. Until just as we drove onto the ferry and I was gathering my belongings did I remember my coat. Or should I say remember the coat I forgot ... hanging on the hook in the cookhouse (bad luck), an hour away (bad luck), with my wallet in the pocket (bad luck), and my credit cards in my wallet (bad luck) and cars already loaded in tight behind me (bad).

So luckily the Icelanders operating the vessel know English and I quickly explained the pickle I was in. They found the drivers of the cars behind us and moved those cars out of the way so I could drive off, Karen shoved a credit card at me in case mine were gone while she grabbed a few things she thought she and the kids might need. We loosely arranged plans to meet at the destination about 10 hours later (there is another ferry at 7:00 pm) while the boat pulled away.

A speedy trip back to the campsite and my jacket was right where I left it. After considering myself lucky I am now realizing that bone headed gaps may not be considered bad luck, but my jacket being exactly as I left it likely is considered good luck. So I guess the good luck continues!!

Karen and the kids should be at the destination as I write this and I have been for a run, hotspring bath, and composing this blog entry on some remaining time of internet (from our campsite from last night). As my mother always says, "If this is the worse thing to happen to you, then you are lucky." I guess I am - no pitch fork.

Fire, Ice, Waterfalls, Puffins and ... Moby Dick?

Amidst the adventure of traveling there is always the quirkiness that is mixed in and Iceland is no exception. We popped into a remote farm restaurant on our way back from the bird viewing cliffs on the far western fjord. We were cold and wind weary and looking forward to something hot but more importantly something Icelandic. Alas, the only things on the menu were sandwiches or burgers and "France" fries. Even in the campgrounds we have been staying where it has been mostly Icelanders there is the unmistakable smell of weiners and burgers around dinner time. Am I the only one who likes pickled herring here? Well, at least I can find that.

Speaking of quirky, hope this doesn't get a rise out of too many of you, but here is a museum we passed in Husavik - the whale watching capital of Europe. No - I wasn't to keen on going in, Karen seemed uninterested, Mattias laughed and Mima ran in the other direction.

When Did It All Begin?

Well, that is a good question isn't it? Perhaps the urge to venture out and explore the world came from our parents - historically and on both sides there is the vagabond spirit. It certainly existed for us individually in our 20 somethings as we traveled and lived in other parts of the world. And our first few months together put our travel skills to the test when Karen agreed to go North with me and six of my buddies to hike the Chilkoot Trail. Karen and I stayed longer and hiked 10 days in the Kluane as well as paddling rivers in the Yukon. The Spirit of Adventure has guided us all along.

Mattias and Emilia are already used to this spirit and they too embrace it. Multiday wilderness canoe trips have been the general theme, still they also have had great experiences in Europe and other parts of N. America. They are excited, though we all wonder out loud at times if we really know what we are getting into? As we busily hammer away at our jobs and other commitments, there seems little (and getting less!!) time to actually plan this thing. It could be one of the greatest exercises in winging it.

So what is there to plan anyway? Well, we won't leave it all to chance and definitely don't care to subject ourselves to gross misadventure. We've been busily getting vaccinations, committing to flights and our general itinerary, purchasing equipment... I suppose each of these may be topics of further posts - we'll see.