28 days later, 15 things I’ve learned along the way!
These are a few things I've learned about travelling as a family after being on the road for 28 days.
Less than 4 weeks to go
Hi everyone, sorry it’s been a while since I’ve last updated. We’ve been going a little crazy getting things ready. It’s crunch time less than 4 weeks to go. For those of you who have been following along, Easter weekend put a big detour sign for our plans. Everything was moving along when our friends, who were going to rent the house from us, had to back out. They wanted to renovate their home this year, and unfortunately, they did not get the permits to do this. So, detour ahead! […]
Three months to go! Planning update
I love this shirt! Some of the greatest stresses in life have to do with money and moving houses. Can I add a year-long journey to that list? After all, how many of us plan a weekend away. You look for a good deal, a place to stay, and then look for a few things to do. Imagine now multiplying that weekend by 52, and having all those days in between to figure out as well. It’s a full-time job! […]
Multiple Visits for Travel Vaccinations
They really have no idea! Look at them. Watching Netflix, no care in the world. After all, we've been warning them for days that we were going to have to get our travel vaccinations. Last week we reached that day. I want to say that we all took it like champs. Before I talk about all the vaccines we were inoculated with, I think all the kids deserve accolades for getting past these days. 1st place: Mateo Category: Bravery This was perhaps the most surprising winner of this category. After he was finished the first injection, he said "next" to my surprise. Mateo ran through the three needles, quickly, with a few tears. This is from a kid who got scared watching the new Mary Poppins movie because he "just couldn't handle it!" 1st place: Daniela Category: Most tears shed Daniela started crying from the moment she saw the first needle. With the help of her rainbow stuffy, and hugging her dad, she was able to get through all three needles. Lots of tears, but she did it. Before I give Marco his award, please note. This photo was taken about 5 minutes after his final needle. Trust me, he rivalled Daniela for the previous award. 1st place: Marco Award: 100-yard dash At the time of writing this, we've already received another vaccination. On the second go-around, Marco got so nervous that he ran away from the nurse, out of the office and down the plaza. Apparently, the first time around was pretty painful. So taking it like Champions, all our champs got a much-deserved reward! They got to go to Dollarama and get a treat of their choice. My champions [...]
So long, and thanks: A nod to Marie Kondo
Finishing off Step 2 While we’re gone, our family will be renting out our house to help make ends meet. When we do rent it out, we will be using the crawl space to keep all the things we own for the year. The last thing I want to do is rent out a storage unit to hold all the stuff we have. Who knew my solution would be as easy as watching some TV! If you haven’t had a chance to watch the Netflix show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, what are you waiting for? […]
What’s the plan?
Last week was a bit of a down week for me. Continually thinking about the trip, all the different things we have to do, all the money that is going to be spent, all of it is really draining. Most of us worry about money someway or another. Paying rent or mortgage takes a chunk of our pay cheques. Groceries are not getting any cheaper. Transportation costs don’t ever seem to go down. Let’s not even venture thinking about kids activities and schooling! So decided to be a little proactive this week and plan on how we are going to save a bit of money. […]
Burn Out
Over the past few months I’ve been writing about what Charo and I are up to. Yesterday, we were looking for backpacks for the kids and I didn’t want to be there. I think I’m getting burnt out from getting ready for our trip. […]
Time to purge
Just a few things to get rid of A few weeks ago, I wrote about the clothing we are going to pack for our trip. So what about the rest of our stuff? We can’t take everything! […]
Life Skills
I remember the day I turned 16. I just got out of school and to my surprise my brother pulled up in his car and told me to get in. It was odd that he showed up, but I never questioned it. I thought my lucky day, he never picks me up. Well, to my surprise he was taking me for my 365. That’s what a driver’s learners permit was called. I’ve been driving since. Driving is one of those skills you need in your life that make life easier, and a little more fun. What other skills do we learn along the way? How about riding a bike? I know I can. I have a memory of a white bike with training wheels with a little license plate on the front of it. Skating? To the dismay of my first Louie League hockey team that came when I was 26. I wanted to play hockey bad enough that I signed up to play goalie without knowing how to skate! And who could forget learning to swim? I can’t, cause it just happened! […]
The Clothing List
A few things taken to Burton Island in 2017. Not all of it our stuff :) A couple of weeks ago, I bought my backpack, and I knew I'd get a reaction to the size of it. After much debate, Charo and I decided to go for larger packs so we can lighten the load for the kids. A family member, Vero and a friend, Kathy, have both expressed to me that we should be going for the minimalist approach. Charo's sister can't believe we are going to fit our life in a bag that small for a year. Seventy litres is quite a bit of space, and I know the more I fill, the more I have to carry. I want to assure everyone that we are going to pack light(ish). So here it is, the clothing I'll be packing for our trip: 5 Short-Sleeve t-shirts2 pairs of shorts2 Long sleeve shirts (Charo wants 3)2 pairs of pants5 Pairs of socks5 Underwear1 Light fleece1 Rain jacket1 Long underwear2 swimsuits1 hat1 Pair of hiking shoes1 Pair of sandals1 Flip flops The kids' list will be identical to this, and Charo's list will just be adding a few bras. We are debating on a jacket as a few parts of South America will be dropping to single digits at night time. There are other things we will have in the pack, like toiletries, technology, and a couple of games for the kids. I still feel like we're overpacking. What should we cut down on? Thanks for reading and Happy Adventuring!