Mambukal Resort, Murcia, Negros Occidental: Two Months And Seven Falls On The Way

Mother's Day, and it feels good to be unexpectedly "home".

While we celebrate the family's rare togetherness over a more-than-the-ordinary lunch, I am reminded of my early expectant months three years ago and the adventures my hubby and I purposely got into — to take my mind of our unplanned pregnancy.

Back then we were light years away from being prepared, financially and emotionally.
 
Definitely not a walk in the park for a preggy hiker. First waterfalls.  

As if in protest against the universe's scheme, instead of spending our savings renting an apartment during my first trimester, we voyaged to the Visayas region of the Philippines for our last backpacking hurrah of the year (And in case you're wondering, we camped at my granma's house when we got back). The eleven-day trip witnessed us catching up with friends, weaving through urban jungles, marveling on historical structures, riding a motorcycle on rough roads, strolling along blinding white sands, and hiking semi-unforgiving trails. Morning sickness and heaps of hissy fits in between.

Hubby was ecstatic to see all these bats at the beginning of our trek.  

Out of all the intense activities we got caught in, our Mambukal Resort hike takes the Most Awesome Award. Or the Most Maniacal, depending on your outlook in life. Why so? Two words: Seven Waterfalls. You're probably shaking your head and/or rolling your eyes (I know my mom will if I tell her about this.) thinking, "You can't possibly have done that". Or, "Meh!". Again, depending on your outlook on life.

I did trek all the way to the seventh. Proudly, without falling like a log.

 Towards the sixth.

The jeep-plus-bus ride from Bacolod City to the resort didn't cause much pain in the preggy backpacker's arse. Okay, just a little discomfort in the bladder. But you see, that's the easy-breezy part. The anguish only began soon as we set off for the actual hike.

"Are we there yet?", a question asked every minute.

Parts of the trail were, hopefully still are, sheltered by trees. I called for respite a little too much every so often in the shadows, which our guide granted without protest even if it meant possibly missing out on more guiding gigs later in the afternoon. He knew I was two months on the way.

None of the falls in Mambukal are as mighty as Negros Oriental's Casaroro Falls, which we visited days prior, but they're still worth the half day. Seven Waterfalls may sound and look intimidating, but they actually aren't. The trek to each one doesn't require special climbing skills. Just patience. And that, I have a lot of even when I was pregnant.

He just couldn't resist.  

But even with all these words of assurance and encouragement, I know that not a lot of pregnant women will take such risk (Which is a wise move.). You know, I wasn't just feeling rebellious that time, but I'd like to see how far I can go as an expectant mother. Because what I did, using "ordinary" public transport and trekking relatively long distances, are nothing out of the ordinary for so many expectant moms in both big cities and quaint towns. I thought, if I conditioned myself not to be too picky/lazy/whiny in the early stage of my pregnancy, the following months will be much easier. 

And you know what? It worked. 

Happy Mother's Day, my fellow mums! It may be a man's world, but it would be nothing without a woman.

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Bagan Bound: A New Dimension Of Crazy

How I managed to keep my jaded brain somehow alert those twenty-nine hours is beyond me... What challenged my mortal body and wit: a couple of sleepless flights (wee hours layover in between), a quickie Yangon city tour, and a looong van ride to Bagan with a two year old sans the hubby. Sure I was in the company of Luna-loving, travel bloggers-turned-friends, but there's nothing like having your partner around to demand help from.

Luna asked "Bubba?" only once during our trip. In between the lines of her plea for milk.  

March this year, after a bit of prodding from fellow Filipino travel bloggers, I decided to join them in a seven-day Myanmar backpacking trip. Because internet in the country's notoriously known for being hair-pulling slow, I had to leave to the world wide web-dependent hubby in the Philippines. And because I can be quite annoying when I'm distant from my daughter (I have the tendency/skill to insert "I miss Luna" in every sentence I deliver!), I brought her with me.

It's our longest and craziest journey without her bubba, thus far.

  Dong of EscapeIslands.com babysitting Luna, who spread her flash cards in front of the boarding gate counter at NAIA Terminal 2.

As foretold, Luna began serving as a human gym equipment (what Ron of  FlipTravels.com calls her) for Dong who chased her around NAIA Terminal 2 even before our motley crew checked in. Dong also babysat her at the boarding gate. Aboard the Kuala Lumpur bound flight though, when he was able to sit peacefully with the others away from us, Luna started bugging "Monster Marky" of NomadicExperiences.com who was seated by the aisle beside me.

Window seat is Luna's seat.   

Luna dozed off halfway into the flight after watching cartoons on her laptop. May seem awesome since I had some down time the rest of the plane ride, but you see, she slept through the whole hoopla of our arrival at Kuala Lumpur's Low Cost Carrier Terminal. Which meant me walking through the valley of the shadow of the brain-dead (that is the lengthy covered walkway to the terminal building where sleep-deprived travelers trudge on) with a sixteen-kilo baby doll in my arms. Thanks to Monster Marky's help, I didn't have to pull Luna's Hello Kitty carry-on stroller while doing so.

Marky's pretty cute with a Hello Kitty bag, he should travel more often with it.

Luna sleeping on a bench in Kuala Lumpur's LCCT's Taste Of Asia branch.  

We exited the arrivals hall around midnight and met up with Ron who flew from Singapore and Robbie of TheTravelingDork.com who was then on a month-long backpacking trip. Our group grew to a whopping number of nine. At Taste Of Asia, we saw passengers slumbering on chairs. The restaurant staff, who were probably too sluggish themselves, did not make any effort to shoo them away so that's where we camped until our early morn check in for the Yangon-bound flight.

It's fortunate that I found a spot where Luna could lay on. It's unfortunate however, that I had to stay awake to make sure she doesn't roll off it.

"Lost in the Temple of Dum", Ron captioned this photo he took. Luna calls Dong, Dum.  

Apart from seeing Luna's saddest face (ever) under the care of Marky and helping Robbie come up with cash to buy a pristine US$100 note (cause old ones are not accepted in Myanmar), everything else that transpired after checking in our second flight until our landing in Yangon is a blur to me. I believe I switched on autopilot mode the minute we stepped in the surprisingly modern Yangon International Airport. 

Kaba Aye Pagoda, the first of many unplanned destinations. Photo by one of our travel mates Jerome of Balintataw.org

Hiring a van to take us all the way to Bagan was a unanimous decision — after some intense budget estimating. The "package" not only included a ride to the ancient city but also a short day trip around Yangon, plotted by a knowledgeable dictator guide we fondly called (behind his back) Moe Hitler. I was ecstatic that everyone agreed to this, because at that point, I knew I could easily pass out any second.

Luna loves walking barefoot. At the time Ron took this photo at Kaba Aye Pagoda however, our guide was carrying Luna around.  

Pushy he may be but our guide Moe voluntarily acted as Luna's nanny during our Kaba Aye Pagoda visit, during lunch, and during shopping . Ain't that a kind gesture? Or maybe he just didn't want her to slow down the pace of our military march tour? Whatever. At least I was given a few occasions to catch my breath, and to fully enjoy the company of my pals.

 Out of the countless dishes served, she chose to have saluyot (jute) soup for lunch.

The whole gang with Moe. From left: Dong, Monette, Ron, Moe, Me, Melo (Luna behind him), Jerome, Marky and Robbie.

Day one, I must say, went quite well even if it left me majorly bushed. Our plan of sleeping aboard the van (though I napped a bit on the van's floor for Luna took over my seat) to save on accommodation didn't happen because we reached New Bagan at one in the morning. Moe arranged the booking for us and we were more than thrilled to bunk in an airconditioned room.

Bagan Central Hotel marked the end of my twenty-nine-hour agony.

As early as the first day, I already learned my lesson: Backpacking with a two year-old at such pace without hubby is a kind of crazy I won't dive into again.


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Case Of The Missing Mermaid Ariel Carry On

Pandemonium around the belt. It was quite unsettling. And there's only one in Dili's teensy Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport. My daughter Luna and I stood in confusion while the hubby fought his way through the ferocious crowd to fish out our luggage. Everyone seemed to be in a rush even though there was no scheduled bus or train to catch. Prolly East Timorese who have been away far too long?

Luna's first ever stroller bag.  

Grabbing the luggage was only half the battle. Falling in line for the customs X-ray machine upon exit turned out to be a push and shove business. Hubby let us hang out in the sidelines while we waited for his turn. When he was about to toss our bags into the machine, Luna sprinted out of the arrivals hall.

I frantically chased after her, leaving the hubby to single-handedly deal with our belongings.

  The airport's lone belt. Luna drops a hard-to-get act on an airport ground staff.  

Outside the arrival hall, Luna got caught up in a blockade of local kids. It was as if a celebrity just got busted for sneaking out a building and is being attacked by fans. Except, her fans curiously touched her tresses and sweaty skin. I allowed her to bathe in the attention as I scanned the bevy of cab drivers for a piece of paper with the hubby's name on it.

It didn't take long for me to find Abilio, the driver sent by our homestay host. I waved at his direction, and he responded with the slightest of nods. He didn't budge. I tugged Luna away from the mob and warily approached him as the other drivers demanded to have a look at his handwritten welcome sign. They were wondering, perhaps, why he was chosen.

Abilio and Luna hit it off right away!  

Hubby appeared muddled when he finally emerged through the exit with a cart full of our luggage. We followed Abilio, who managed to carry Luna all the way to his cab with no single grunt of protest from her. The tot, we believe, has a third eye for finding souls that are fond of kids. If she likes someone, we like that someone without askance. And trusting Luna's gut has not failed us so far.

After piling our stuff in the trunk, we climbed in what felt like a conventional oven. The heat was more sweltering in this city than in Bali where we flew from. Our breaths were laborious throughout the ride which fortunately lasted less than fifteen minutes.

Lovely Dili home.
Meg, a volunteer for Academy of Swimming Education East Timor, was waiting for us by the gate of her rented bungalow. She replied to the hubby's online forum inquiry about cheap places to stay in Dili and offered hers. And that's how we found our home for nine days.

We were led to our spacious room at once. The air-conditioning was simply divine! We slumped into the mattress and laid still for what seemed like eternity... Until Meg knocked on our door and invited us for a dinner at the esplanade.

Stroller still with us while we were filling out our visa on arrival form.  

I realized that we were missing Luna's carry on bag when I was about to change her nappy. We immediately backtracked the day's events. It boarded the flight fo sho. And as evidenced by the snapshot above, we didn't leave it in the overhead bin.

So where could it be?

Our assumption: It was left on the X-ray machine's belt. This theory we failed to prove with facts because we didn't feel like traveling back to the airport just to look for it. Luckily, I didn't stash any valuables (which I sometimes do) in the bag. So we let it go with a tinge of heartbreak because it's Luna's first ever stroller bag. I hope the new owner loves it more than Luna did (she doesn't know who Ariel is) and that they were able to put its contents into good use.

And with that, case sort of closed.

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2013 Thus Far: The First Quarter

Three months down, many more moons to go.

2013's first quarter was a mixed bag of family huddles, waiting games, bittersweet reveries and whirlwind peregrinations. And oh, tons of toddler sobs. We stepped foot on six countries with a so-called scheme that's jotted on sand. Its course we paved as we went, depending on our temperament and the pennies in our pockets. 

The first quarter of the year we planned to settle down was intense, to say the least.

Ban Tajok Hmong Village, Xieng Khouang Province, Laos.
Here's the year thus far in chronological order... I think. May contain random shiznit.

Two days into 2013, we hired a car for only $5 a day in Sydney for our New South Wales-Queensland roadtrip. The catch? It should be delivered to the company's Brisbane Airport branch in five days.

Floorsurfed for two weeks in Queensland. At least the floor's carpeted.

Luna turned on the keyless ignition of a rented Holden Cruz (Thanks, rental company, for the free upgrade.).

The following three weeks (Two weeks of which, the hubby was in U.S. for a business trip.), we shacked in a Brisbane self contained studio on the seventh floor of a building full of frequently inebriated college students. On one of the nights during our stay, I was awoken by a fire alarm  and an evacuation announcement.

We were stuck for days in the same studio when ex-tropical cyclone Oswald barreled through southeast Queensland. Luna and I celebrated our first Australia Day indoors.

Attended a gorgeous Sydney wedding held in a 1900s sandstone manor.

Flew back to the Philippines to eat my mom's pinakbet again. Too much of it, actually.

Was invited to a sneak preview of the Philippine Travel Tour Expo 2013. Also attended the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2013 Presscon at The Manila Peninsula.

Had a much needed catch up with mom over vegan food, scraped dead skin, and Androids on mute in the luxurious The Farm At San Benito, Lipa City.

Celebrated hubby's birthday in Thunderbird Poro Point, San Fernando, La Union. The El Mundo Villa is the second most expensive room we booked ever (First placer is a simple double room in Rio De Janeiro during Carnival season.) and its WiFi sucked.

Backpacked with Luna and fellow Pinoy travel bloggers in Myanmar for almost a week. All of us were manhandled by our tour guide in Yangon, which only Luna enjoyed. Ron of Flip Travels is scarred for life.

Did a temple run in Bagan and witnessed one of the most stunning sunsets I've seen in my existence.

Visited Singapore and met up with my sister who I haven't seen in five months. Gorged on char siew and kaya toast like there's no tomorrow, lah!

Finally made it to Laos. Now I've completed all of Southeast Asia's countries! 

In a Vientiane hostel room, hubby and I endured two sleepless nights and collected a variety of furious next-door neighbors because we weaned Luna off the bottle.

Also in Vientiane, we saw an orange moon for the first time.

Luna said "I love you" (More like, awabyu.) back for the first time at some Vang Vieng restaurant.

Where we are now...

Currently checked in a dirt cheap hostel in Phonsavan, Xieng Khouang Province, Laos. Yesterday we visited the mysterious Plain Of Jars site and trudged in bomb craters. Day after tomorrow, we head back to Vang Vieng, then Vientiane.

We're flying out sooner than expected because we thwarted our own intents.

The "future" — spanning a mere three months — lies in the hands of a visa application.


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We're not running away, we're running towards adventure!

"We've only just Bagan.", Ron of Flip'n Travels playfully coined, referring to our whirlwind Myanmar jaunt. For me and my two-year-old daughter Luna, it was indeed a beginning — it was also our longest journey together without the hubby. Myanmar commenced another family backpacking trip with unknown destinations and an unplanned schedule.

Bagan. Where it all began.

Here We Go Again

Our round-the-world trip back in 2011-2012 garnered a bunch of raised eyebrows, mostly from our respective families and random conventional parents. Who in their right minds would travel around the world with a toddler? Well, first and foremost, we're a married couple who are not known for acting with our "right minds". Second, because the countdown to domesticity was pounding in our ears. Time is of the essence, and if we didn't chase our dream then, when will we?

So we followed our gut. And for 280 days, we saw the world from our chosen perspective.

Day by day we unveiled snapshots that depict our experiences, and this made non-believers somehow understand this once-in-a-lifetime journey. But now that we're doing it all over again, skeptics assume that our immature selves are simply running away.

But we're not running away. We're running towards adventure!

Towards spontaneity. Towards more learning. Towards freedom.

Plan B

We actually attempted to design our lives in a more ordinary fashion right after our round-the-world trip concluded. Yah know, I want to have a food processor. I want to tend my own herb garden. And I also want to build a cubby house for Luna. I looked forward to achieving these wants this 2013, the year we thought we're finally settling down.

When 2012 was about to end, however, I found myself restless. And compiling Pinay Travel Junkie's Year-Ender last December aggravated the situation. I knew I was not ready to be chained in one place. I confessed this to the hubby.

He confessed the same. And right then and there, we agreed to hit the road again.

Newborn Challenges

This trip, as mentioned earlier, started in Myanmar where Luna and I joined fellow Filipino travel bloggers. After six exhausting, action/dust-packed days (slash sleepless nights), we reunited with the hubby in Singapore where we visited my sister. Stayed there for two-and-a-half days, long enough to catch up on sleep and gorge on char siew and kaya toast.

Currently, I'm swearing in our dingy Vientiane hostel room because of its patchy in-room WiFi access. I already feel beaten up and a little uninspired, and this work obstacle is certainly driving me nuts. I also lack sleep yet again. Last night, for the first time, we didn't give Luna bottled milk. She's now two years and six months old, and we're making her slowly wean off the bottle. This shall prepare her for potty training. How the heck do we do that while constantly moving around? I don't know yet, but we'll eventually work that out.

Then there's this other uhm, issue, that surely requires a bit of planning. The hubby and I think it's time for a second bub. Luna seems to suggest it every time she steals a toddler from unknowing parents. I am terrified of being pregnant again, but if that's what it takes to have another adorable backpacking buddy, then I'll get my act together.

You Can Run But You Can't Hide 

You see, like "normal" folks, we're caught up in the same predicaments. We know there's no escaping them, so instead we deal with things differently. And during such process, we choose to have world heritage sites and national landmarks as our backdrop. That's where our adventure lies. And we're running towards that.

If there's one thing we'd like to run away from, that would be a closed mind. But even that follows as around.

How would you define travels? Were/are you running away or running towards something? 

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Dawn Of 2013: A Giveaway

Day two of 2013 found us driving interstate in Australia. We were merrily cruising in a supermini car that we hired for five bucks a day. Yes, five Aussie dollars. But under the condition that we drive it from Sydney to Brisbane within five days. A time frame that certainly is more than enough to cover a thousand kilometers.

Our supposed final destination was an "intentional community" in a peaceful bushland near hippie suburbs Mullumbimby and Byron Bay, where we planned to stay for a month. Though we're kicking off another year as a technically homeless family, hubby and I are thrilled at the idea of schooling (Or shall I say unschooling?) ourselves again in far-flung foreign lands. Never mind we spend all our earnings as we go, so long as we live in "the now". 

The long drive on the Pacific Highway made us fondly reminisce about how we traveled like it's the end of the world in 2012. Twelve countries. We're probably never gonna top that. But it doesn't matter because it ain't a goal of ours. What we do intend to accomplish this 2013 is to live in different places, in the Philippines and beyond, on longer periods. In a way it shall prepare us for normalcy. Next year, our daughter will start preschool education which will surely anchor us somewhere. Where exactly? We don't know.

I feel as though we've started counting down to the end of our carefree days. A prison with cells made of conventional rules and routines awaits around the corner. It saddens us quite bit, but who are we to whinge? For four years that the hubby and I have been together, all our memories revolved around travel. Packing and unpacking. Checking in and checkin out. Departure and arrival.

Like I said a while back, the universe spoiled us to bits. We really couldn't ask for anything more. Can hardly wait to know what 2013 got up its sleeve! And you know what? I'm spreading the good vibe around via a giveaway!

Left: Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2012 and 2013 bundle. Right: The Travel Blogging Calendar 2013, Women's. Can you spot the Pinay Travel Junkie?

Prizes at stake (one winner for each prize): 

Lonely Planet's Best In Travel 2012 and 2013 bundle. Jumpstart your 2013 reading about the best travel experiences the past year and for the year ahead!

Travel Blogging Calendar 2013, Women's. 24 fearless travel bloggers from around the world posed nearly naked (Okay, mostly the men.) and purred for the camera... For charity! All these sizzling hot snapshots are printed on a 2013 calendar (Thanks to Uprinting.), and all proceeds from the sales will be donated to Mitrata Nepal and VSO Bahaginan Philippines. If you don't win this one, please consider buying. $25 each.

Punchdrunk Panda's "Stamp Collector" SLR camera strap by Jennifer Horn. Get your travel groove on by embellishing your DSLR with this fun strap!

Punchdrunk Panda "Stamp Collector" SLR camera strap by Jennifer  Horn. DSLR not included.

What you gotta do... Just "like" a bunch of pages and share the news to others. Let Rafflecopter lead the way.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway
Open to Philippine residents. Contest will run from January 13 to January 31. Winners will be announced on February 1. Prizes will be sent within the month of February.

Good luck, fellow travel junkies! Now share us your travel plans for 2013.

This is my entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers' Blog Carnival "New Beginnings" for the month of January, hosted by Roj Braga of Adventuroj.

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Round-The-World Salon Sessions

It certainly ain't on a backpacker's itinerary... But hey, if you're on some long term trip, it's one of those unplanned stuff you just gotta do. Like, dental visits (though this could actually be on the to-do list if such job is cheaper overseas than in one's home country). Quite exciting, I must say. Could be horrifying as well if you'd like to experiment with an edgy 'do (since being on the road makes you feel that adventurous) and the hairstylist couldn't understand a single word you say.

Then you start a game of charades. And you lose if the hairstylist snips the wrong guess.


Luckily, our round-the-world salon sessions weren't the harrowing, hairy kind. Case in a point, the hubby's spontaneous shaving affair in Mexico City. We were on our way to Colonia Santa Maria La Riberia's Morisco Kiosk from our guesthouse when we caught sight of a humble, neighborhood barbershop. The lone barber seemed to have just awoken from a siesta. He dozily stood in response to our "Perdón?", accompanied by a cane, and slowly led hubby to his stool. We uttered "buzz buzz" while gesturing a shaving motion atop our heads.

He asked, "Todo?". "Si." I replied, followed by "Uno". Easy. Breezy. Cost, 40 MXN ($3).


As for my first haircut overseas, well, it went a bit rough. But nothing really traumatic. On day 214 of our round-the-world trip I finally decided to have a trim. My dry, unruly strands then cannot be combed anymore without a fight. So I headed to a nondescript salon, a block away from our hostel in Nazca, Peru to get rid of a few inches. I initially wanted to have my hair colored as well (I was, and still am, curious to see how I'd look like with those Latina blond highlights) but since that would be too complicated to explain, I ended up asking for a simple haircut. Okay, maybe not so simple because I requested for a V-cut.

My V-cut sign language clearly came across (and throwing in the phrase "menos un poco" helped). The problem, however, was the stylist's son who clung onto her thigh whilst sobbing all throughout the deed. True story. Cost, 7 PEN ($2.50).


Now for a rather uncommon 'do which I had done almost three weeks ago in Vietnam... The side shave. That one surprisingly worked out well. I arrived at the salon in Ho Chi Minh with parted hair, which I fixed myself earlier in our hostel. The staff speaks a bit of English and understood the word shave. They nodded in unison, though their faces spelled "What the heck are you thinking?!". Cost, 60,000 VND ($3) inclusive of tip.

Luna knew something insane was going on.
How about you fellow travel junkie, have you battled your way through that pesky language barrier for a snip?

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Parenting On The Road: A Housewife Without A House

"Hot dogs always seem better out than at home; so do French-fried potatoes; so do your children." ~ Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960
It was a dream we lived for 280 days that luckily did not end in tatters. But that's not to say I got out unscathed. In fact, I emerged battered and bruised. Our round-the-world trip left me slightly demented. Disorganized. And craving for a home. Any home.

Now the big BUT is, a ton of awesome memories outweighs the stinging scar. I'm mighty proud to have accomplished this epic journey not only as a backpacker, but also as a Filipina, as a wife, and as a first-time mom (who was never a fan of babies). And I am certain that the precious lessons which I managed to pick up whilst on the road, cannot be collected anywhere else.

I reckon long-term travel made me a better being.

Because a "superman" cannot wait. Praia Do Forte, Bahia, Brazil.
When we arrived two months ago in the Philippines, I was welcomed with congratulatory pats on the back. I savored the kudos, though I assume that only a fraction of my pals has a solid grasp of what parenting on the road entails. You see, my family didn't come from some grand vacation. We merely lived our life differently for nine months.

So how's it like to be a housewife without a house? Here's a quickie low-down, which will be discussed extensively in future posts. If uhm, future permits.

Settling Around

For 280 days, we crashed at in-laws' cribs, stayed for extensive periods in hostels and guesthouses, and Couchsurfed. Once we rented an artist's cabin by the beach (the only time we rented a house). We treated every place we stayed at as our home, not just a holiday accommodation.

Couchsurfing in the forest. Mullumbimby, New South Wales, Australia. Experienced living off solar energy and rain water.
I stashed our garments in closets, gadgets and toys in drawers, and groceries on shelves just so to make the room feel more personal. If there's enough space, I set up a work station and a play area for our daughter.

My So-Called Housekeeping

Yes, I did the usual mom chores, such as laundry. Not just to save cash, but also because I enjoy hand-washing clothes. I kid you not. Mind you there's actually heaps of time allocated for this, err, hobby of mine.


It didn't matter whether the hostel allowed it or not, and I hung clothes anywhere possible: Bathrooms rails, balconies, and even fences.

Kitchen Hopping

Nope, I ain't a good cook but I do whip up a dish once in a while. More often when we travel overseas, especially when I need an adobo fix. So whenever we look for accommodations online, we mostly choose the ones with a common kitchen.

Adobo cooked in a Santa Clara, California hotel room where we shacked for a month (accommodation courtesy of the hubby's employer).
We love dining out and trying munchies from different continents, but I also wanted to keep Luna familiar with the Pinoy taste. She must love patis.

Managing Belongings

Buy some, ditch some. That's how we rolled. Whenever we bought a souvenir, we let go of an item or two. And it was never an easy task. I shed a tear when I gave away some of Luna's first ever toys to street kids in Peru.

A trilobite we bought in a Moroccan fossils museum. One of the five. Plus a fossil plate. Gave up a bunch of shirts to make space for 'em.
Pinay Travel Junkie confession: I am very sentimental. More so now that I'm a mom. I kept Luna's shoes she first walked in (even if they don't fit no mo), her first doodles, and even nonsense gifts she received from strangers during the trip.

Keeping 'Em Healthy

There's no debate, health is our primary concern especially for Luna. Prior to the trip, we visited a "travel doctor" to get the necessary shots such as Hepa A and Yellow Fever vaccine (for parts of Africa).

Google translating a medicine's indication I copied off the bottle.
Then there's the other sicknesses like the common cold, cough and fever. Luna got sick every month. Every month. Self-medication may sound easy, breezy but when you're overseas it can be a gargantuan ordeal because of non-English speaking pharmacists and doctors.

Look Ma, No Yaya!

Can't say this enough: Parenting is a 24-hour task. Whenever we're on the road with the little one, we're constantly on our toes. One of us should always stay awake during an overnight bus/train/plane ride. The other one, slumbers but holds a barf bag, ready to be awoken anytime. We rarely eat peacefully because Luna loves playing with food (and running around restaurants). She also hated (and still hates) the stroller and baby carrier, so we take turns lugging her during hikes and climbs.

Me: "OMG Machu Picchu!". Hubby: "OMG Luna needs changing!".
Even during one of the highlights of our life's timeline, our long-awaited Machu Picchu trip, we had to come up with a makeshift nappy changing station because the toilets are situated light-years away.

The List Goes On

There's so much debris of thoughts swimming in my head which I'd like to verbalize, but due to your my short attention span, I'm parking my pen for now. Each part of this post requires deeper digging anyway, which could mean weeks of writing for a mom who's watching over a demanding toddler.

I kinda felt the urge to share this now even though I believe I have not arranged my points in an orderly manner, for I'm feeling mushy yet again... This coming weekend we'll be celebrating my second Mother's Day.

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280 RTW Days... And Why We're Home So Soon.

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family." ~ Anthony Brandt

It ended sooner than expected. Then again, who's really counting the days? Not us (but that counter on my sidebar is). And I bet my stenchy goat leather wallet from Morocco that you guys aren't counting either. You most definitely lost track of our trail weeks ago anyway. Or, since day 200.

Yes, at some point we intended (and attempted) to do a yearlong round-the-world trip, but nothing was concretely planned. Not the destinations, not even the dates. "Any way the wind blows" as that Queen song says.

We had the time of our lives, no doubt. And perhaps you're asking, why the heck did we fly home on day 280?

Aboard a connecting TAP flight from Lisbon, Portugal to Casablanca, Morocco. Contemplating about a conversation with an Israeli.
Let me take you back three months ago when we were thousands of feet above ground, on board a TAP flight en route from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil to Lisbon, Portugal. Hubby and I were close to tears, secretly laughing at a fellow passenger who looked like Santa Claus (beard and all) on a holiday (clad in board shorts). An Israeli woman in her fifties who was on the aisle seat beside Shervin interrupted us, "Your daughter is beautiful!".

Her remark sparked a lengthy and engaging conversation about the highs and lows of traveling with children. She's a grandma, and an occasional drifter. One of her statements hit me real hard: "If I was Luna's grandmother, I will be angry at you for being away."

I imagined my mom right that very moment. Spending her days taking care of dogs and watching soap operas... Without her two daughters who left the country to chase their dreams. Without her only grand daughter she's yearning to embrace, and smooch, and parade in front of the neighbors. It dawned on me that I got too caught up racing against time and ticking destinations off my travel bucket list. My remaining life may be short to see and experience the whole world, but my parents have fewer years left.

At Lisbon Portela Airport in Portugal, whilst waiting for our flight to Morocco, I seriously considered going home for the first time. After nine months of vagabonding around the world I thought to myself, I am still a Filipino through and through.

Clockwise from top left: Three Sisters rock formation (Australia), Golden Gate Bridge (U.S.A.), Machu Picchu (Peru), Chichen Itza (Mexico).

Clockwise from top left: Christ The Redeemer (Brazil), Sahara Desert (Morocco), Puerto Galera (Philippines), and uhm... Toast Box (Singapore)
Although our trip didn't last a year, I reckon we've achieved our goal of circumnavigating the Earth after meeting these four conditions I fished off the book Grounded: A Down To Earth Journey Around The World by Seth Stevenson:

1. Start and finish at the same place.
2. Cross all longitudinal meridians going in the same direction.
3. Cross the equator.
4. Cover at least twenty-five thousand miles - the length of a great circle around the Earth.

Another condition is to "touch two antipodal points", which for the life of me I can't seem to fathom, so I'm... Err... Ignoring that.

This is such an epic fulfillment for us (I just couldn't say it enough), not only because we had dreamt about it for years, but obviously because we did it with our one year old daughter Luna. So what's next after this? Definitely not purchasing a house yet. Perhaps a second RTW with another tot. But that could happen in the very distant future too. Okay, let me think about it and I'll get back to you.

Now excuse me while I catch up with family and eat this pinakbet like there's no tomorrow. Meanwhile, you could Google "antipodal points".

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