It always amazes me, when I travel how much can change in one week. Every sense is awakened; all the sites, smells, sounds and even tastes are so different from home. I find it takes about one week to adjust to the newness before one can fully appreciate its goodness.
Take bugs for example, when I left Vernon it was winter in Canada, very rare to see a bug in the middle of winter. Now two weeks in Costa Rica and I’m sure I have seen every insect God has created! I think the most annoying though are those teeny tiny ants, so small you almost don’t see them until you get really close but then you see them everywhere. Next, are the regular ants but at least you can see these ones and they always seem to have a purpose. I’m most scared of the flying ants though, and why are there so many different types of one insect anyway? The problem with bugs are, if you see a lot of them then you spend the next few hours thinking something is crawling on you or you wake in the middle of the night sure there is something sharing the bed with you. Sand flies are super annoying since when they bite you don’t actually see them so you have no chance to slap yourself silly trying to kill them, rather you wake up with itchy little bites on your feet and legs. But on the positive side I have yet to see a mosquito here!
The first Gecko you see on vacation is always a thrill and you run to get your camera to snap a photo of it. By week 2, they are as common as snowflakes in a Canadian winter. Except snowflakes don’t chirp at you from the ceiling in the middle of the night like gecko’s do!! The iguana’s are interesting and I like that they are big so there is no missing them. We have one living on the rock steps between our house and the restaurant (75 steps in total but who’s counting?) She’s always there and close behind is her baby iguana. I shouldn’t make assumptions and maybe it’s a male but babies are usually with their mama aren’t they? Now spiders are one insect I could do without unless their main source of food is those teeny tiny ants then I may become a fan, but if not they belong outside not lurking in dark closets!! Scorpions, although very dangerous looking are actually quite easy to catch, just ask JC, as he caught one tonight in a cereal box and then picked up the box with the scorpion in it before it crawled out and threw it over the wall of our bathroom into the jungle….I should have caught that on video!! But I think the worst insect of all is the cockroach, even the name is nasty! I haven’t seen any big ones here, not like the ones in Australia that are on steroids and make me run and scream like a little girl. Nope, the ones here are small, still icky but almost acceptable. And what's with those little dust bugs? they resemble a fuzz ball (or belly button lint) but if you look real close it has legs and moves ever so slowly.
The sounds this close to the jungle are like a symphony and of course God is conducting which is why it all sounds so amazing and in perfect harmony. Add in the crashing ocean waves on shore, the odd bark from a dog, a rooster crow, the birds filling the air with their singing and some howler monkey’s in the distance and you’ve really got an orchestra to enjoy.
The people we’ve met have been from around the globe, Argentina, Israel, Peru, Chile, Sweden, Germany, Scotland, Turkey, lot’s of Canadians (Toronto, Nova Scotia, Vancouver, Montreal, Abbotsford) and a few Americans (Colorado, Georgia, New York, Minnesota). When you first arrive you’re the newbie, don’t know where anything is, where to stay, where to eat and have white skin but now 2 weeks later we are the ones giving directions and suggestions to newcomers. Even the cashiers at the Super Ronny Grocery Store are getting to know us, oh and we have a tan now. I guess this is an obvious transition but interesting just the same. Today is a perfect example; JC & I were walking along the dusty road from Santa Teresa to Mal Pais where we need to book a rental car for the day we leave. Now when I say dusty I’m not talking about a little poof when someone drives by, oh no it’s more like a thick fog that turns all the palm trees on the side of the road from green to grey, and where people write messages on their vehicles in the thick coat of dust.
Anyway, on the way we met up with a couple walking towards us so we stopped to ask them how much further to Mal Pais? We got talking, they’re from Abbotsford, and they asked us if we knew of any good places to stay since they had just arrived. So we told them about Gumbo Limbo and tonight we had a really nice conversation with them around our pool, they’ll be staying here for the rest of the week!! Of course they are grateful to have found such a nice spot and we’re happy to have the company! Jen has skied at Silver Star and went to OUC in Kelowna. Ryan’s dad was a guest speaker at our church a few months back. “small world” is spoken a lot while travelling as everyone agrees how ironic it is to meet someone from so close to home when you are thousands of miles away.
Another example of ‘meant to be’ or chance, which in Hebrew we found out means “with God’s help or hand”, is where we decided to stop for lunch. Walking back to Santa Teresa we decided to trek along the beach instead of the dusty road, good call. We checked out one restaurant but something was telling us to keep going. Next, we came across a beach side restaurant and cabina’s called Habaners. It looked nice so we stopped. We were right; our waitress was from Montreal and was a French immersion teacher who also worked a season up at Silver Star in the Silver Lode Hotel. The man that owns it is from Israel and his wife was from New York, they have 2 girls ages 9 & 7 who want to meet Landon & Tianna. His wife also wants to read Landon’s book, Spirit Wolf. We’ve arranged to come back in a few days so the kids can play and swim in the pool together.
Anyway, on the way we met up with a couple walking towards us so we stopped to ask them how much further to Mal Pais? We got talking, they’re from Abbotsford, and they asked us if we knew of any good places to stay since they had just arrived. So we told them about Gumbo Limbo and tonight we had a really nice conversation with them around our pool, they’ll be staying here for the rest of the week!! Of course they are grateful to have found such a nice spot and we’re happy to have the company! Jen has skied at Silver Star and went to OUC in Kelowna. Ryan’s dad was a guest speaker at our church a few months back. “small world” is spoken a lot while travelling as everyone agrees how ironic it is to meet someone from so close to home when you are thousands of miles away.
Another example of ‘meant to be’ or chance, which in Hebrew we found out means “with God’s help or hand”, is where we decided to stop for lunch. Walking back to Santa Teresa we decided to trek along the beach instead of the dusty road, good call. We checked out one restaurant but something was telling us to keep going. Next, we came across a beach side restaurant and cabina’s called Habaners. It looked nice so we stopped. We were right; our waitress was from Montreal and was a French immersion teacher who also worked a season up at Silver Star in the Silver Lode Hotel. The man that owns it is from Israel and his wife was from New York, they have 2 girls ages 9 & 7 who want to meet Landon & Tianna. His wife also wants to read Landon’s book, Spirit Wolf. We’ve arranged to come back in a few days so the kids can play and swim in the pool together.
Eating in a foreign country is always interesting and sometimes challenging. You want to experience authentic food (since this is one reason why we travel) so you try not to order something you could easily get back home. Now comes the challenge….what exactly are you ordering….has it been prepared hygienically…..is it being cooked properly???? I have had food poisoning before, while travelling through Austria with my Dad and I have never forgotten the experience so I am always uneasy when it comes to ordering from places I don’t know (especially chicken). Anyway, out of all the countries I’ve been to and the hundreds of meals eaten I am happy to report it only happened once! So I will continue to trust so I can continue to enjoy deliciously different food. Sometimes you are just so hungry that even though you saw numerous flies land on the food being prepared, you eat it anyway and hope for the best! Your standards are automatically lowered when it comes to food unless you want to starve yourself. Saying a prayer just before you consume your meal helps, I am sure of it!!!
Respecting mother nature is key to safe travel. When you’ve heard that the sun is more intense than back home listen to the warning and take precautions!! Although personally I’m not a huge fan of sunscreen unless I know I will be out in the sun all day like we were when we went surfing. Sadly, Landon has had to learn this lesson the hard way as now he’s in so much pain with his sun burned lips, it hurts me to see him hurting.
This area is affected by Red Tide (Red Tide is caused by a rapid population growth of microscopic plankton. These microscopic plankton release toxins that have severe affects on marine life and humans) and some days are worse than others (more on this in another post).
And, we are in awe, witnessing the gorgeous sunset’s each and every night and will try not to take this for granted like we do, unintentionally, with so many things back home!
Everything is different in this corner of the world, for example washing dishes in Central and South America goes like this.....wet the dishes, turn off the water, scrub the dishes with a strong soap that you dip your sponge into(it's in a dish similar to a margarine container), rinse the dishes. We've done dishes in 3 countries now without the use of hot water. Water is a HUGE commodity and is to be used very sparingly. When you shower, get wet, shut off the water, wash hair, body, shave etc. without the water running, then rinse when done. At Gumbo Limbo we had hot showers when we had water!!! Oh and you never flush toilet paper it always goes into the basket. Insects are all part of life here (adding cockroaches to the list) which I am trying really hard to just accept. I'll never be scared of another spider back home again!
Another huge difference between traveling in 2012 compared to being a tourist in the early 90's is the communication with home. Back then I would mail a few postcards and have one very expensive phone call home during a 3 month absence. We had to use a travel agent as there was no internet to do it yourself. Bringing reading material was heavy and bulky but there was no other choice if you wanted to read a book. Now, with a click on the keyboard of our laptop we can have a skype call with our parents, email friends and family, kids can keep up to date with friends via Facebook, we are arranging the majority of our travel plans ourselves online, we're reading books on an E-Reader and rather than a journal I'm writing our experiences on a Blog. These words were not even invented yet when I travelled in my 20's!!
Growing, adjusting, going with the flow, winging it, flexibility are all words I would describe someone crazy enough to do what we are doing! If you have any control issues at all, like where you sleep, what you eat, expecting people to speak your language or knowing where you're going and having things in your control then I would not recommend a trip such as this. Although it's been great for our family we've all definitely had to learn to relax and let go and lean on God's strength. He is truly taking care of every detail for us.
And, we are in awe, witnessing the gorgeous sunset’s each and every night and will try not to take this for granted like we do, unintentionally, with so many things back home!
Everything is different in this corner of the world, for example washing dishes in Central and South America goes like this.....wet the dishes, turn off the water, scrub the dishes with a strong soap that you dip your sponge into(it's in a dish similar to a margarine container), rinse the dishes. We've done dishes in 3 countries now without the use of hot water. Water is a HUGE commodity and is to be used very sparingly. When you shower, get wet, shut off the water, wash hair, body, shave etc. without the water running, then rinse when done. At Gumbo Limbo we had hot showers when we had water!!! Oh and you never flush toilet paper it always goes into the basket. Insects are all part of life here (adding cockroaches to the list) which I am trying really hard to just accept. I'll never be scared of another spider back home again!
Another huge difference between traveling in 2012 compared to being a tourist in the early 90's is the communication with home. Back then I would mail a few postcards and have one very expensive phone call home during a 3 month absence. We had to use a travel agent as there was no internet to do it yourself. Bringing reading material was heavy and bulky but there was no other choice if you wanted to read a book. Now, with a click on the keyboard of our laptop we can have a skype call with our parents, email friends and family, kids can keep up to date with friends via Facebook, we are arranging the majority of our travel plans ourselves online, we're reading books on an E-Reader and rather than a journal I'm writing our experiences on a Blog. These words were not even invented yet when I travelled in my 20's!!
Growing, adjusting, going with the flow, winging it, flexibility are all words I would describe someone crazy enough to do what we are doing! If you have any control issues at all, like where you sleep, what you eat, expecting people to speak your language or knowing where you're going and having things in your control then I would not recommend a trip such as this. Although it's been great for our family we've all definitely had to learn to relax and let go and lean on God's strength. He is truly taking care of every detail for us.
Two and a half months of spending 24/7 together and I’m happy to report that we still like each other. We are blessed to be seeing and experiencing new things daily and to be safe and healthy. Even the countries we were warned about being so dangerous have proven to be the opposite and we’ve met only friendly people, never once feeling threatened. The language can be challenging but somehow JC has the patience to keep trying even when it’s clear they have no idea what he is saying. By the way, jokes in English are really hard to translate or explain to someone who only knows a little English.
Landon & Tianna are great travelers and are really amazing how they manage to cope with everything being so different from home. Strange places, food (how much rice, chicken and potatoes is too much?), people, & language barriers don’t seem to bother them. Tianna is coping especially well and is the ultimate optimist when things aren’t looking like they are going so well. During the 2nd week of this trip I told her that at each moment I ask myself, "are we safe, are we healthy, are we too hot or too cold, do we have enough food to eat, then we're doing okay and all is fine." Now she uses this technique on me anytime she sees me 'having a moment.' One of our goals when we were planning this trip was to stay in places long enough to truly learn about the area, the people, the culture etc. and although we have managed to do this we're finding it's harder to leave once we've made these connections. Especially for Landon who gets very attached to people, places and animals. Shorter stays would probably be easier on him since good-byes are very difficult for him.
Thanks to the contacts we made through our friends at Vernon Alliance Church, Couch Surfing and the Rotary Club we are below budget in accommodation costs! However, we realize that all the money we are saving today will be spent in no time in overly priced Europe!! I haven’t quite comprehended what it means to travel for a year but we have a year to figure it out. I find what works best for me is, other than making immediate travel arrangements; I try to live in the moment. I get overwhelmed if I think too far ahead. I have to admit the biggest challenge thus far is keeping the kids on a schedule with their schoolwork. It’s hard to do when there is so much to see and do and when we do have down time they would rather check their Facebook than hit the books. I guess I can’t really blame them but for some reason I think it’s my responsibility to ensure their school work get’s done?! My hat goes off to all the teachers out there, not an easy task and like I said to Landon today as he was wrestling with Tianna on the bed during their lessons, “act like you would if you were in school”, “this is how I do act”, he replied ……arrrrgggghhh I give up!!
When we went back for her to try it on the all female staff were so friendly and nice not only to Tianna but Landon as well. The next thing we knew Landon was playing his guitar in the store for all these pretty Ethiopian girls in their 20’s. They took some pictures together, they were video taping him with their phones, other people came in to see what was going on and the girls were hugging and kissing him on the cheek. We think they thought he was Justin Bieber. Tianna bought the dress.
IN TRANSIT
I don’t normally write about airports since anywhere in the world they are pretty much all the same….check in counters….luggage drop off……security…immigration….etc. etc. well the airport in Ethiopia is different. Everyone was so friendly starting with the policeman Jeff in Uganda, check in staff for Ethiopia Airlines, and security who let us drink our wine right then and there rather than dump it out.
Something we hadn't seen before was a designated area in the airport for the Muslims to pray.
At the Ethiopia Duty Free shop Tianna spotted a dress she had to have. Pardon? Tianna does not wear dresses and she has two in her pack. We even left the store but she continued to talk about this dress she liked. Finally I caved, “alright I said but you have to buy it with your own money.”
Something we hadn't seen before was a designated area in the airport for the Muslims to pray.
At the Ethiopia Duty Free shop Tianna spotted a dress she had to have. Pardon? Tianna does not wear dresses and she has two in her pack. We even left the store but she continued to talk about this dress she liked. Finally I caved, “alright I said but you have to buy it with your own money.”
