Seth Benjamin

Seth Benjamin

Born May 25, 2013 at 21:35

Weight: 8lbs 1oz.

Height: 21.75 inches

Allow me to introduce the youngest little mister in the Jansen clan, my sweet nephew. 

Mama, Pops and baby are all doing well. And I am absolutely smitten.

Seth Benjamin, you don't know me yet, but you will. 

Your auntie loves you more than you can imagine. 

Welcome to the world, sweet one. 

Fabric Obsession

I cannot stop buying cloth souvenirs. It is awesome and terrible. I make it sound like I have bought a lot, which I haven't, but what I have purchased has been cloth of some sort.

I was hoping to buy a painting for our home, some carvings, and maybe some other interesting things, but I haven't. 

Cloth packs well and it is nice to have things that pack well when you are carrying everything on your back. 

Another factor is that African artwork is my favourite. I am not a huge fan of the paintings I have seen in both South America and South East Asia -- they just aren't my style. And I haven't loved any of the wood carvings we have happened upon. 

In Peru I purchased a tablecloth. Same with Ecuador where I also picked up some yarn, a hammock, and a Christmas ornament. In Scotland I bought a blanket. In Laos I got a small cloth ornament. In Cambodia a scarf. And I have now bought a blanket and a scarf in Indonesia. Oh, and I finally found some fabric!

All fabric! 

We saw this awesome mirror I wanted to buy, but who wants to carry a mirror around the world with them? Same goes for pottery etc. 

It is true, we have sent boxes of things home on two separate occasions, but they were when we left South America and when we arrived in Bangkok so we had been carrying whatever we sent home for a while. 

We have three weeks left and then I have three in Australia. Here is to hoping I find something out of the fabric family to take home with me. 

PS. Friends and family back home -- I haven't bought gifts for anybody. Sorry! I was thinking about it but it got way too stressful. 

In the Quiet.

I wake up early most days. My internal alarm clock goes off between 04:30 and 05:00 giving me a couple hours before Erik thinks it is an appropriate time to get out of bed.

Most mornings I lay and think, savouring my husband's arms wrapped around me and listening to his even breathing. 

Some mornings I read. I try to keep these mornings few as the light disturbs Erik's sleep. 

Some mornings I just listen - it is amazing what you hear when you are actually listening.

And often I pray.

This morning I headed to our porch and read from Isaiah. 

That is where I sit as I write this. 

The sky has gone from nearly black to a deep blue.

The roosters are increasing the intensity with which they are begging the sun to rise.

The birds are chirping.

Bugs are cricking, twitching, clacking, whistling, and buzzing.

And my heart is still. 

Amidst all the noise (for it is down right loud) I have been quieted, stilled. 

It is strange how a verse can speak to you one day and hold no personal meaning the next. I regularly happen upon verses I have underlined in the past and I question the significance they once held. In one moment they speak deeply to the heart, in another they have less impact, but they are always truth. 

Today, and I hope everyday, this verse filled me with hope and peace. 

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;

He rises to show you compassion.

For the Lord is a God of justice.

Blessed are all who wait for him!"

Isaiah 30:18

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a splendid weekend!

A list.

• Erik boards a homeward bound plane in a one month. He gets to wrap his arms around everyone I love so dearly three weeks sooner than I do. I am partly jealous, but mainly just sad that he will be leaving me. I am excited to go on an adventure on my own! At least I will be onmy own  until Lynn picks me up at the airport.
• I think I am going to go through some pretty intense Erik-withdrawal when he leaves. We have spent every moment of every day together and I have loved it!! 
• I am looking forward to Australia -- so looking forward to it. I cannot wait to see Lynn and to be in a home!!! She was gracious enough to not say no when I told her I was coming for three weeks. That is an exceptionally long time for a houseguest. I will have to be on my best behaviour. 
• We are in Lobmok, Indonesia. I have to admit that Indonesia is my favourite country in South East Asia (of the one's we have visited, obviously). They have all been wonderful, but there is something about this place that gives me the warm fuzzies. 
• We went for a scooter ride around part of the island yesterday and it was breath-taking!! So green and lush with rolling hills, rice patties and a stunning ocean view. Amazing.
• Erik and I will have two new babies in our family by the end of the month, one Jansen and one Olson (...kind of). Erik's sister, Shawna, and my sister-in-law, Courtney, are due at the end of the month, just one day apart from each other. I cannot wait to "meet" the little ones. And I cannot wait to hear the birth stories. I am a sucker for birth stories.
• I love rice. I love eating rice with every meal. I need to eat less of it when I come home, but it is delicious. I like it plain, fried, with or without sauce, hot, cold, any which way. It is so good.
• I love the availability of vegetables in South East Asia! Veggies were scarce is South America, but they are plentiful in these parts! How can people survive without eating vegetables? 
• And that is all I have to say this morning. It is shaping up to be another beautiful day in paradise! 

Friends!

When we were planning our trip we left an open invite for friends saying anyone could join us at anytime. Matt and Elaina (a nursing friend from school) called us the day after Thanksgiving to inform us that they would be joining us at the end of April. They happened to want to see Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia and the dates they were coming happened to match the time we would be in that area.

Now here we are in Malaysia with Matt and Elaina. They have been with us for a week and we have been to Bangkok, Koh Tao, and now Langkawi. We are going to Penang tomorrow... I think that is a province, but I can't tell you the city we are heading to because I don't actually know where we are going.

We spent a couple days in Koh Tao. We rented scooters, went snorkeling, swam in the warm ocean, and enjoyed the stunning views the island had to offer. I have never been to a beach as beautiful as the one we went to in Koh Tao. The water was crystal clear and there were thousands of incredible fish swimming in the coral just below the surface around the edges of the bay.

It is great to have travel companions. It is nice to have someone else make decisions and to be able to tag along. The first few days took a bit of adjusting, but we have found a comfortable stride.

The rest of my trip can be measured in thirds. We have three more weeks with Matt and Elaina, then three weeks with just the two of us before Erik heads home and I have three weeks in Australia.

I am very excited to see Lynn in Australia. I think I would want to go home soon if it weren't for that. Well, if my ticket home were booked for tomorrow I wouldn't be too disappointed. If I have only learned one thing traveling (and I have learned many more than that) it would be that there is no place quite as wonderful as home. I love Canada.

A Storm's Brewing.

I am waiting for the heavens to open and for a torrential downpour to begin! A storm is brewing - the sky is dark, the wind is blowing, and the humidity has increased. I cannot wait!

We are sitting on our "patio" in Langkawi, Malaysia.

And here it is!! The sky is thundering, the rain is pounding on our tin roof, and Matty is dancing. Oh, life is good.

We had a lovely beach day yesterday. We spent most of our time sweating in the shade, but we ran for short dips in the ocean. The ever-present fear of a sunburn was enough to keep us under cover. The sun is intense and the amount of sweat we produce makes it impossible to keep ourselves properly sun screened.

The rain is a welcome change, though I hope it doesn't last too long. We had rented scooters moments before the storm rolled in, but we quickly brought them back as a rainstorm isn't conducive to scooting around town.

We are settling in for a day of cards and reminiscing about lightning storms of old. I have a great story to tell you about the last time the four of us were together during a lightning storm, but that will have to wait for another day.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

*** *** ***

Packing Recommendations.

I have had a few people ask me how one goes about packing for six months of traveling, especially when one is visiting four continents in various seasons and with various amenities. I asked myself the same thing many times in the year before our adventure. In truth, I still don't know what one should bring, but whatever we did managed to work just fine for us. At least it has worked so far, after all, we still have plenty of trip left.

I was going to write a list of everything we brought, but that would take a while. Instead I will just touch on a few things.

Clothing
-  I would recommend bringing less than you think you will need. I have 4 tanks, 3 tees, 2 light longsleeves, and a heavier longsleeve. I also have 2 shorts (short and knee length), 2 capris, and 2 long pants (tights and linen). I would have brought 2 tanks and 2 tees, but multiple bottoms have been a necessity. In regular life I prefer the opposite, but the length for bottoms options have been lovely. One of my capris are leggings/tights which are so comfy to travel in, but the tightness isn't always the most appropriate option. I only wear the short shorts when I am hiking or at the beach.

Hygeine 
- It is fairly obvious, but it is worth reiterating -- hand sanitizer is wonderful when traveling. We don't use it too often, but it definitely comes in handy when you do not have access to a clean water source.
- Also wet wipes. These are w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l. Really they are. I wouldn't travel without them.

Medications 
- Most people know to take immodium with them when they travel, but I would also recommend bringing sennekot in case you run into the other issue. Also, I would only recommend taking immodium if dehydration is an issue or if you are taking a long bus ride. My policy is, if you have a decent enough bathroom then use it!

Gear 
- Headlamps are a must, especially when headed to a third world country as power is less than reliable or non-existant.
- Organization Bags are also handy. We have some mesh ones and, of course, ziploc bags. They help keep our packs clean and easy to navigate.
- Compression Bags are also wonderful. I have all my tops in one and all my bottoms in another. I think Erik has all his clothes stuffed into one. When space is limited, as it is when you have a single pack to carry eberything in, compression bags are awesome!

What We Didn't Bring
These are things we wish we had brought. None are necessary, but they would make traveling a bit more pleasant.
- For starters, air fresheners. I am talking the bathroom spray. I brought these to Ghana but didn't think to pack them this time around. I am particularly fond of the neutralizing spray... The tiny, super powerful spray things. They are especially delightful when you have an exceptionally stinky room. Or when you can't flush toilet paper and are frequenting the bathroom. Or if you are prone to gagging every time you use a public poop hole. I wish I could remember the brand I love.
- I canot tell you the number of times I have wished I had Ikea clips like these. They would come in handy to seal off crackers or bread or rice or whatever else. Nobody likes stale, soggy, or spilt snacks in their bag.
- I wouldn't like using one at home because I love real books but if I were traveling for an extended time again I would bring a kindle. I have SO many books in my bag!

And that is all I have time for right now.

sometimes you just need to make something

This girl needs to create something.

I find myself with my journal open to a blank page in front of me searching for words because the desire to create is so intense. I want to create anything. I have gone so far as to consider creative writing, but that is a wee bit too intimidating.

I have been perusing Ravelry and dreaming up some fall or winter knitting.

I have been looking at this pattern and I am planning on some summer sewing. I know of two little girls turning one in August and they would look adorable in a couple of Lula-Loop Skirts.

I have been glancing at embroidery patterns even. That seems like a fairly transportable crafting project.

I want a kitchen so I can create delicious food. Even that would relieve this ridiculous need to make something.

Lynn, we may have to make a stop at a yarn shop when I come visit you. I am giving you a heads up. Just over seven weeks!!!

Genocide

*Warning: This post is disturbing.*

I am ashamed to admit that I have absolutely no idea there was a genocide in Cambodia in the 1970's. Please tell me someone else was unaware. How could I not know? We decided to visit Phnom Penh solely because of Erik's interest in this particular bit of history. During our brief stay in Phnom Penh we visited two sites, Choeung Ek and Toule Sleng.

Choeung Ek was used as a killing field during Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge's reign in Cambodia. An audio tour was provided and we silently walked around the mass graves that littered the landscape. We heard about the brutal murders that occurred on the site.

There were two things I found especially disturbing. The first was that of the estimated 20,000 people murdered, none were killed with bullets. Bullets were too loud and too expensive so victims were bludgeoned to death using whatever materials the Khmer Rouge had on hand. Bamboo sticks, shovels, palm knives, garden hoes, chains, and hammers were among the weapons used to end the lives of the innocent. I know murder is always inhumane, but the brutality of these murders seems even more evil.

The second thing that broke my heart was the Killing Tree. In the center of the killing field there was a particularly large grave and a large tree. When the grave was exhumed over one hundred naked women and children were discovered. Bones, blood, and brains were found clinging to the bark and at the base of the nearby tree. The Khmer Rouge forced women to watch as they beat their children's heads against the tree. They would toss the battered child into the grave before murdering the mothers and throwing them in after.

Choeung Ek, the Killing Field, was certainly eye-opening and horrifying and our second destination was equally so.

Toul Sleng was a primary and a high school prior to the Pol Pot coming into power. When he gained control in 1975 he ordered Phnom Penh to be evacuated and within three days the capital of Cambodia was completely deserted. At some point he converted the school into a secret prison that was used for interrogations, torture, and murder. When an individual was arrested his/her entire family was brought to prison along with him/her. Pol Pot did this so there would be no one to seek revenge or to revolt against the Khmer Rouge.

Prisoners were subject to various kinds of torture until they were forced to confess to crimes they did not commit before being tortured some more or being taken to Choeung Ek and murdered. Pol Pot targeted intellectuals, doctors, professors, and anyone who could possibly stand in his way.

Each individual imprisoned at Toul Sleng (also known as Office 21 or S.21) was documented with a photo. Copies of these photos were displayed around the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. It was heart-breaking to look at the photos, into the eyes of these individuals, and to know the end they faced. Some had the hint of a smile left, some looked like ghosts already, some held sleeping children, some looked crippled with fear, and some looked defiant.

We quickly walked past some of the devices used for torture, barely stopping long enough to discern how such device was utilized. We walked through the rooms that held so many against their will. Some cells, poorly constructed from brick and wood, were barely large enough to house a human being.  Some were larger, reserved for Khmer Rouge who Pol Pot no longer trusted.

When the Khmer Rouge fled the site, the liberaters found seven adults and a handful of children still alive. There were 14 individuals found tortured and murdered chained to their beds in the larger cells. The bodies were so mutilated and battered that they were unable to identify the individuals. As we walked through the cells, photos of how these people were found were hung on the walls. These were truly disturbing and humiliating to see. It was an impossible situation as I neither wanted to look at or look away from the photos.

I was reminded yet again of the terrible potential of human beings. Our ability to do truly evil things. It was disgusting. It is disgusting. I couldn't believe that anything like this would ever happen again and then there were bombings at the Boston Marathon.

We live in a broken world. In a world where it is difficult to have hope. But there is hope. There is hope in Jesus Christ who is gracious, merciful, forgiving, just, and loving. And we are given the task to be like Christ; to learn from Him and to reach out to our neighbours.  We are called to play an active role in human history. Figuring out what that looks like in each of our lives is the tough part, but we are part of this broken and beautiful world.

Three

Sawyer Dawn turns three today. I haven't seen her in four months so I won't do my usual character study. I can't because four months is a long time in a little one's life and I am sure she is a whole new little lady. 

I will share one of my favourite Sawyer quotes. We skype with Mandi and the kids on occasion and at some point in our travels I asked her if I should have a baby. I am always trying to use the kids to convince Erik becoming a parent is a wonderful idea. Sawyer did not help my argument at all. Our brief conversation went as follows:

Me: Hey Sawy, should Auntie have a baby?

Sawyer: You don't want a baby. Babies are dangerous. 

Thanks a bunch, Bean!

It was three years ago that my obsession with labour and delivery was, well, born. Witnessing and being an active member in welcoming Sawyer into the world turned my interest into a full blown obsession! Her being so delightfully adorable certainly helped, but it was such a moving and humbling experience. 

It is what really made me consider becoming a midwife. 

And I am still considering it. Planning on it, even. Obviously this is would have to fit somewhere along with Erik finishing his Masters first and us having children at some point in time,  but I truly hope this dream is one day realized. I used to think that specializing in Labour and Delivery would be enough, but I want to take the extra step to midwifery. 

I hope they develop a bridge in program for nurses so I do not have to do another four year degree, but another four years of schooling would be worth it. 

Pregnancy. Labour. Delivery. Post Partum. All awesome! Mothers. Even more awesome! 

Oh to be a midwife. 

Cravings.

I love food. In my journal I sometimes keep track of what I am craving. At the beginning of the trip I didn't crave too much (mainly just veggies) but now that I haven't been able to prepare my own food for four months I am starting to develop some fierce and constant cravings. I may have just wasted some time drooling over recipes I was browsing on Pinterest.

Don't get me wrong, the food here is yummy, but nothing beats a good home-cooked meal. Or eating what you are craving when you are craving it.

What I have been craving most often? A juicy home-made burger... And we rarely eat them! I must be low on iron. Also dairy -- yogurt and cheese mainly. Yummmmmm.

Siem Reap

I have fallen off the blogging wagon again. It happens. I am back, if only for a moment, to play a little catch up. We will start with our visit to Siem Reap.

We intended to stay in Siem Reap for four days, though we were hoping to be ready to move on in three. We enjoyed the city more than we thought we would and ended up staying for an entire week! The number one reason for this was not, in fact, the Angkor Archealogical Site, beautiful as it was, but we stayed for the food.

Food is usually the number one thing that makes or breaks a town. Food or hammocks really. Across from our hostel was another hostel with an awesome restaurant. It was cheap and delicious -- two things we adore. We had plenty of traditional Khmer food. The interesting thing about Khmer food is that we can't find the same meals in different restaurants... they all seem to serve different "traditional' Khmer food. how does that work?

Aside from the food, which was excellent, we also enjoyed the Ankgor Archealogical Site. We purchased a three day pass as there was much to see and we wanted to take our time seeing it. The only thing that disappointed me in the park was the lack of information given at each site. There were billboards that explained the conservation of the sites, but nothing to tell of the history or significance of the massive temples. I think that would have helped me connect a bit more. Instead I was just in awe of how beautiful they were, but I would have appreciated and enjoyed reading about the people who lived there and what they were used for. Some of the sites held entire cities!

On our first day in the park we decided to bicycle from our hostel to Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat was about 5 km from our hostel and we ended up leaving later than we anticipated, at 09:30. It was already hot and humid, but we made it. We spent a few hours walking around and appreciating the sites and sounds. We watched monkeys playing in the forest while we had a snack and we climbed many many stairs. The Wat was beautiful! Stunning in fact, especially when one considers the time in which it was built. The heat and humidity wiped us out and at 14:00 we decided to head home rather than continue on to other temples. After all, we still have two more days of exploration ahead of us.

We hired tuk tuk drivers and did a full day tour and a half day tour on the following days. All the temples were amazing, but they start looking the same after a while. We were pretty templed out by the end of the third day so it is a good thing that the last temple we visited, Ta Prohm, was our favourite.

Ta Phrom was absolutely stunning! I enjoyed it because it was an engaging juxtaposition of tree and stone, organic and inorganic, thriving and ruin. It was breathtaking and mysterious and awesome!  This temple was unique; you never knew what would be around the next corner or through the next doorway. It wasn't necessarily the temple itself that created this mystery, but the unexpected dominance of nature. It was amazing to see giant trees growing over, between, and through the stone structure. Even so, the trees didn't appear to bring destruction, they only added to the beauty. As I said, it was absolutely stunning.

Play Date!

I missed another play date with my six favourite littles. My jealousy was outweighed by my pure delight of seeing them all together. Oh to be snuggled on the couch with the lot of them.

The three youngest hardly resemble the babes I left four months ago. Our reunion will be oh-so-sweet, though I am anticipating stranger-danger from at least four of them.

Elinor is four months younger than Peyton and Avery (half their age) and she is the same size as them. This comes as no surprise as her big sister was ahead of her class in size.

Just look at them! Oh how I love them.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a fabulous weekend!

*** *** ***

Wasting Away

My muscles (my entire body) has been wasting away.

W.A.S.T.I.N.G.A.W.A.Y.

And I'm not exaggerating. It is almost worrisome. I still feel and look healthy (though quite skinny), but I have definitely lost every ounce of muscle my body once possessed.

 Explain this to me: Erik and I have been eating the same things in the same quantities. We do the same activities. Everything is exactly the same yet he has maintained his pre-travel weight and I have lost 16lbs.

16 pounds!!

That is a lot!! It may even be up to 21 lbs, but I'm not sure what my weight was when we left. I always have a five pound range. I'm being generous and saying it is "only" 16.

Yes, I am eating less than I did at home, but let's be honest, I ate waaaaayyy to much. We eat proper portions and seek out nutritious meals (though, before South East Asia, they were hard to come by). We don't snack though... maybe that's the deal. But Erik hasn't lost any weight!

My muscle wastage was only reiterated at the gym (obviously). We ran for 12 minutes and then did two other exercises (abs and arms) and I was beat! We went on our 32 hour trip the following day and I think I must have pulled my lower abs a bit because I was miserable.

I actually spent the first day here in Siem Reap on self-prescribed bed rest because I was in great discomfort any time I stood or sat. Going to the bathroom was exhausting and painful so I honestly stayed in bed all day. It worked though -- I felt much better the next day. It obviously wasn't a torn muscle and I was unable to describe the pain (not stabbing or sharp or anything) but I was miserable. I had to get out of bed like a patient who had just had abdominal surgery. But it is fixed now. I was far too sore and uncomfortable post workout though. Especially considering the workout only lasted 20 minutes. Walking doesn't do much for muscle maintenance.

It's too hot to do anything overly active in these parts, but we went biking yesterday and we walk everywhere. I am looking forward to hitting a beach and maybe swimming or diving or something. Maybe I will pretend to know how to surf again, though I doubt that will happen.

On To Cambodia

It took a long and exhausting 32 hours, but we have made it to Siem Reap, Cambodia. In South America I didn't mind the 31 hour bus ride we took from Guayaquil to Lima, but this adventure was quite unpleasant. For starters, we weren't on the incredible Cruz Del Sur (you can read about Erik's love affair with said bus company here) and we had to change vehicles seven times. The buses we were on were of varying comfort levels. They ranged from sleeper buses (essentially beds) to uncomfortable, non-reclining buses (much like you would expect when traveling in this part of the world). Needless to say, we didn't sleep much and were beat when we arrived at 0200.

I haven't posted in a while. Woops. After our jaunt to Northern Laos we spent a couple days in Luang Prabang before heading to Vientiane (the capital of Laos). We stayed with a friend of a friend and it was awesome! They were lovely. They had air conditioning, which was obviously lovely. And we had a lovely time.

We lazed around. We played with their one-year-old son. We painted some furniture for them. We cleaned. We helped them organize. We cooked. We went to the gym. We got massages. We toured the city. And we had plenty of delightful conversations.

Cambodia has been lovely and humid so far. We sweat from the time we start moving in the morning until after we have fallen asleep at night. It's something.

We went to a circus/performing arts show last night. Erik knows more about it than I do so you should head over to our travel blog to read about that... when he gets around to writing about it. It was held outdoors, which shouldn't have surprised me, and was fun to see. I wish I could do acrobatics or tumbles or the splits even, but instead I sat with my mouth gaping as I watched the performers.

And we have plans to explore Angkor Wat today. By bicycle. It's going to be awesome.

For Your Viewing Pleasure.

I know that I appreciate and enjoy looking at peoples photos. I feel as though my posts have just been words, words, words lately so I uploaded a few pictures to share with you.
Cruising down the Mekong in a river boat. I think this was actually crossing the border from Thailand into Laos. What life is like along the Mekong. I am sadly not a fan of temples. It's not that I don't like them, but I am not really interested in them. And I am in South East Asia, what's my problem? We stopped by this one on a walk around Luang Prabang. This was our little bungalow in Muang Noi. It overlooked the river and we had a decent view when it wasn't smokey or hazy. This is where I spent four hours each morning wrapped in a duvet and lounging in a hammock. And this last one is Erik playing cards with a few of the girls from the village who were brave enough to venture onto our porch. The game involved holding cards in your hand and randomly laying various amounts of the cards on a pile and then giggling furiously.

A Trip Further North

We spent just over a week in two villages in northern Laos -- Nong Khiaw and Muang Noi.

In Nong Khiaw our days were spent eating yummy food, reading, exploring the river and a cave, talking, and siting on the front porch of our bungalow. Our evenings were spent at a delightful little restaurant in town that played nightly movies, the two most notable being Forrest Gump and Good Morning, Vietnam. We had a nice rhythm in Nong Khiaw with three restaurants we ate at daily. We discovered a new dish that we enjoyed -- a sticky rice patty wrapped in an egg omelet.
Surprisingly delicious with a sweet chilli sauce. Two new dishes actually; Erik really loved this crushed olive sauce that we dipped sticky rice in. The dish was a bit sour for my liking, but it was alright.

In Muang Noi, a town an hour north of Nong Khiaw by river boat, we could be found lounging in hammocks, venturing through rice patties to a smaller town, swimming in a cave, reading, playing cards (cribbage and rummy), swimming in the river, eating at buffets and swatting bugs. It was surprisingly cool in the mornings and I would drag the duvet into the hammock with me until 11:00am because I was chilly.

Muang Noi was literally a street -- a single dirt road riddled with children, puppies, and chickens. The roosters made it impossible to sleep past 06:00, though I usually didn't manage beyond 05:30.

I have been a sleeping champion lately. I usually go to bed around 20:00 and wake up around 06:00. And, I nap most days. I don't know what my deal is, but I am so glad I am on vacation because sleeping feels oh-so-good. I am dreading going back to work and needing to be awake and functioning for twelve hours straight! Ugh.

One thing that has surprised me about traveling, though I suppose it shouldn't, is how important food is. I cannot tell you how much food affects our days. We are grumpy when we can't find good cheap food and are elated when it is plentiful. We have noticed that we sometimes enjoy a town solely because we found wonderful places to eat. These establishments range from the delicious Thai restaurant in Nong Khiaw (where we had Pad Prik Gaeng every night) to my little noodle soup lady on the street in Luang Prabang. We are on an increasingly tight budget so we are always on the look out for cheap, delicious, nutritious food that is preferably big enough to share. Or I am looking for Pad Thai -- that is always delicious.

We are going south tonight. On a night bus that gets into Vientiane around 05:00. We are being picked up at the fountain in the town center at 10:00 by friends of a friend. After I posted a few photos on facebook a friend emailed me saying that he has friends living in Laos and they happen to live in the city we are headed to next. They graciously offered to host us and we gladly took them up on the offer. So, that is where we are staying tomorrow night.

I believe we are making our way to Cambodia the day after that, though I could be wrong. There is a bus from Vientiane to Phnom Penh that takes 24 hours and we are thinking of taking it. Or we may stop in Pakse, a town in southern Laos where another friend of a friend lives. We need to be back in Bangkok on the 22nd to meet some friends (real life friends) so we have to figure out how long we want to spend in Cambodia.

But that is where we are at right now. If we do head to Cambodia right away then I am assuming you won't hear from me for a bit.

Hope you are well.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a hopeful weekend!

*** *** ***

On the Move.

We are on the move again. We are leaving Nong Khiaw and heading about an hour north, by river boat, to Muang Noi. I don't think there is anything to do up there, which we are both excited about.

I think we have come to a point in our travels where we are exceptionally conscious of our budget (friends are meeting us in about a month and we will want a little extra cash while they are here) and, as I said earlier, we are tired. We have just been using our time to mosey around, take walks, and do whatever we want. We are investing in ourselves and in each other and it is w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l! We have endless amounts of time to do whatever we please and it we are taking advantage of it.

How often do people get a chance to live without responsibility, time constraints, or appointments? How often are we able to "do nothing" all day long? That is exactly what we are doing and it is refreshing. Days that we "do nothing" are sometimes the most full and memorable days.

I am sure we will get back to being adventurous and being busy, but this is exactly what we need right now and we are savouring every moment.

Muang Noi has no internet and we are told it only has power from 19:00-22:00. That's why I felt the need to squeeze in this little post -- to update you and let you know you won't be hearing from us for at least a few days. We have no plans beyond getting on the boat so we could be back tomorrow or we could be back next week... who knows?

I hope you are all enjoying spring! It's one of my four favourite seasons. It even holds the number one spot for a quarter of the year.

Love from Laos!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a peaceful weekend!

*** *** ***

Northern Laos, Reading, and Whatever Else Comes Out.

We have made our way up to Nong Khiaw in Northern Laos today.

I had a bit of a rough night, I was feeling nauseated and a wee bit poopy so I was up quite often. My nausea sadly hadn't subsided when we boarded the bus so I had a bit of an unpleasant trip. At one point I thought I was going to vomit all over, but it passed as Erik was trying to communicate to the driver that he needed to pull over. His panic almost equalled mine as I sat there desperate to either puke or have the nausea subside. I was thankfully able to swallow the bit of vomit that made its way to my mouth and then the nausea was held at bay until we arrived at our destination. I promptly fell asleep on a bench while Erik went in search of a hostel.

And now I sit in our little bungalow thing. Erik went to a restaurant that is playing the King's Speech tonight, but we decided it may be better for me to stay in and get some actual rest.

I finished my book today. I was reading Cider House Rules by John Irving. It is the first "good book" I have read on our travels. The rest have been entertaining at most, but I would not go as far as to callany of them good. Erik read the book last week so it was fun to be able to chat with him about what I was reading and what we both thought about it. The book is character driven rather than plot driven and I found that refreshing. I enjoyed Irving's writing; it was fluid, entertaining and engaging. Erik and I are both looking forward to watching the movie sometime. Has anyone seen it? Is it any good?

My sister and brother-in-law just had their 20th anniversary! I cannot believe they have been married for 20 years already. They spent the day in Disneyland with their boys -- what a treat!

I thought I had more to say, but this is apparently all my weary brain can muster. Goodnight!

Parenthood

No, I am not pregnant. Nor do I have any plans in becoming so in the near future.

Traveling, at least long term traveling, gives you plenty of time to think. I could write a book about my many thoughts, but it wouldn't be interesting to read. And it would be far too embarrassing to share. I started a post like this a few months back. I have actually started it many times, but felt like an imposter writing it as we aren't quite there yet. But, there or not, parenthood, birth, and babies are regularly on my mind.

I have been baby crazy for as long as I can remember. Getting married intensified it and now leaving all the babies I love has made it almost unbearable at times. Without the usual children-that-don't-belong-to-me to distract me, I only have my non-existant wee ones to occupy my thoughts. My loving husband trudges on as I regularly plead my "let's have a baby" case. He is unfazed and unfaltering. Just my luck.

I do have a few concerns regarding parenthood and, more specifically, being a mother. I don't worry about providing for an infant's daily needs, but I worry about what kind of a mother I will be.

Does anyone else think they will be a bad mom? Or did you? I can honestly say that I am a great auntie, but being a mother is a whole different ball game. Maybe I don't think I will be a bad mom, but I do have concerns.

Firstly, and most frighteningly, I am worried about sleep deprivation. Not sleep deprivation itself, I know this is inevitable, but about what it will do to me. Sadly, sleep deprivation makes me into a not-so-nice person. Strangers, friends and patients are safe from my wrath, but my poor husband, and I fear our future children, are not so lucky. I am afraid that sleep deprivation, coupled with a crying dependent, will turn me into a harsh, impatient, unkind and "yell-y" mother. When I know I am feeling this way as a wife, I just sequester myself and nap, knit, eat, or read until it passes and I feel like a human being again. You don't have that luxury when you are a parent.

I am worried that, once my child needs parenting rather than just caregiving, I will be inconsistent, too strict and emotion driven. I am worried that I will discipline based on my emotional response to a child's behaviour whether the response is warranted or not. I want to discipline appropriately and fairly rather than based on how I am feeling on a particular day. Kids don't need to be disciplined for being kids -- they aren't misbehaving just because they are being annoying.

I am very worried about how much I will love those wee ones. My heart aches and my eyes well up when I think about children that aren't mine so I can't imagine how it will feel when they are mine. I have spent many a night snuggled up with a tiny child and weeping because of how deeply I love them. The thought of loving anyone more (maybe not more, but differnently) terrifies me.

Along with this deep loving, I am worried about not being able to let go. I know that I often feel the weight of others' decisions, especially poor decisions. I feel embarrassed when someone embarrasses themselves. I feel sad when they do something I know they shouldn't (and I know best, right?). I feel heart broken when they are heart broken. I very much carry the burden of others decisions and emotions.  I should clarify that I only do this with people I care deeply about and I have no problem with this at work or with acquaintances. But my own child?? I am afraid I will feel responsible for their decisions and that I will be hurt when they make poor ones. I think everyone feels this to some degree, but I am worried that I will be a bit ridiculous.

And, of course, I am concerned about how having a child will affect my marriage. I love my marriage. I love my husband. I love the endless amount of time we can spend together. I cherish our time together and the thought of sharing him makes me a little sad. I am afraid our marriage, though it will always remain a priority, will be the thing that gets the short end of the stick (is that what I mean to say?). I feel as though parenting takes over your whole life... I want us to maintain our roles as husband and wife rather than just becoming parenting partners. I want to know how to maintain both roles now though I know it will be a journey we have to walk through and discovery together.

I want everyone to get the best of me all the time, including myself. How do you do that? I hope you will all have wonderful advice for me when we are ready to journey into parenthood. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I'm hoping that village is there to raise this mother as well.

It's too bad worrying gets you no where.

And it is a good thing that I can put my hope in the Father, trusting that He has shown me areas in which I can grow, and knowing that He will be faithful as I journey along.

South East Asia so far

It has been a while since I have given a proper update. We have been in South East Asia for nearly two weeks now. The heat has been a welcome change from Scotland, but I have to admit that I really miss Scotland. I loved it!

Coming to South East Asia feels like starting over again. We were expecting this, but the excitement of figuring out an entirely new place has lost its luster and seems tedious at times. It probably doesn't help that we haven't been feeling the best. We spent our first two days in Bangkok in our room trying to sleep. Then, we both had lingering colds. Then, I lost my voice and I still have a wicked cough. Thankfully the cough is as far as my unwellness goes; I feel fine aside from that.

Bangkok. That was a bit of a blur. The main thing I remember from the few days we spent there (I think it was three nights) was the yummy pad thai we ate for every meal. I kid you not, we had Pad Thai for every.single.meal. And let me tell you, it was delicious. It was cheap, it was twenty feet from our hostel and it was yummy.

We headed north from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. We were relieved to get out of Bangkok. We have learned that we aren't particularly fond of big big cities. We much prefer towns that at least have the feel of being much smaller than they are. Chiang Mai was less aggressiventhan Bangkok and for that we were thankful.

We didn't spend much time in the city. We ended up doing a three day trek the day after we arrived. I have no idea where we went, but we did have a view of the tallest mountain in Thailand while we walked. erik liked the trek more than I did. I would categorize it as a glorified walk as it certainly wasn't hiking. In my opinion, hiking requires sweating and being short of breath. You need breaks when you hike and I, for one, hate hiking every single step of the way. Yes, I hate the act of hiking, but I love love love everything else about it. We "hiked" for seven hours, in the sun, and nobody broke a sweat. That isn't hiking.

On our trek we also rode elephants and did some bamboo rafting. The rafting was surprisingly the highlight. It was peaceful and relaxing and lovely. I was disappointed with the elephant riding. It seemed... I just didn't really like it. We were told we were going elephant riding, but we didn't know who we were going with or how they treated their animals and I didn't like that. I also didn't like that all we did was climb up to a platform, walk in a circle on the elephants, and then climb back onto the platform and they left. I didn't even have a chance to take a picture! I know pictures aren't everything, but when am I ever going to ride an elephant again? Never, that's when. I think I had the romantic idea of interacting with the elephants a bit more/at all.

We were supposed to do cooking classes the day after the trek, but I woke up sounding like I smoked 40 packs of cigarettes every day of my life. I felt as terrible to so we rescheduled for the following day. Trekking was Erik's highlight, but our cooking class was definitely mine. I learned hoe very easy Thai food is to make. The only difficult part is finding the proper ingredients -- that will be a challenge. We made seven dishes (4 individually and 3 as a group) and they were all so delicious! Thai food is so yummy!!!

We headed east to Chiang Khong where we spent a day before crossing the border into Laos. We spent the last two days peacefully slow-boating down the Mekong to Luang Prabang and we are, again, without plans.

We never have hostels booked and honestly only have a very rough idea of where we want to go. We change pur minds frequently and fly by the seat of our pants. I haven't even read about Luang Prabang yet... We will have to do some exploring today.

Just yesterday we decided that we are cutting Vietnam out. I am a bit sad about this, but it is just too expensive. We would want to travel cross country and that would include either back-tracking or flying, both of which are expensive. So it is getting the axe. A some point you do need to make decisions based on money alone. I know this will probably be the only time we are ever in South East Asia, but that is just the way things go sometimes.

I think we are being hit with a bit of exhaustion right now. We are tired of always being on the go and always figuring out a new city, a new mode of transportation, and a new culture. It is exciting, but it gets tiring. Sometimes you just want to know and be known, on those days we go on dates. We sit in a cafe and journal, read or talk all day long and it is so refreshing. I think we just need to get our South East Asian groove on.

So, to leave this a bit more positively, we are very excited to explore Laos. We have been told that the north is particularly lovely and we have plans on heading there in the near future.

Much love.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

Another Jansen

My sister-in-law, Heather, is pregnant. This means that my brother, Zachary, is going to be a papa! Yippeee!!!! They are due August 3rd and we are very excited for them. 

We found out before we left, which I am thankful for as it is always more fun to learn such things in person. It is strange to think that we are gone for the majority of Heather's pregnancy. She didn't even have a bump when we left and she will be great with child when we return. 

Another baby. This auntie is pumped. 

:: right now ::

Right now, I am...

:: listening to the monks chanting in the temple beside our hostel. 

:: clearing my throat. Everyone seems to smoke in these parts and it is doing a number on my respiratory system.

:: losing my voice as a result of the above.

:: wishing I were home. This is the first time I have been homesick and it is because there are some big changes happening at home and I wish I was there to participate/help/love people. 

:: smelling sewage. Nothing new there. 

:: adjusting to being in South East Asia. It is so much different than South America, as I knew it would be, but it sucks to be back out of our groove. You know?

::  organizing our migration to Laos. Soon and very soon we will be floating down a river toward Luang Prabang.

:: appreciating how delicious Thai food is. It is exceptional and by far the best food we have had all trip. 

:: looking forward to cooking lessons tomorrow. We rescheduled this morning because I woke up unable to talk. 

:: salivating at the thought of the yummy food I will be surrounded by all day tomorrow. 

:: sweating. Just a bit. 

:: reminding myself that I'm so lucky to be here. I don't take any convincing, but I enjoy being fully present and grateful for this adventure. 

:: perusing photos on Facebook -- mainly old ones I have taken. 

:: willing someone back home to wake up so I can chat with them. I'm not even sure what the time difference is, but I feel as though you guys should be waking up soon, no?

:: planning adventures for the summer when I am home. I have plenty of catching up to do and I want to make the summer as full and friend-filled as possible. 

:: remembering to enjoy and appreciate this moment too rather than just looking forward to being home. 

:: conversing with my husband. It is funny how we can spend every moment of every day together and still manage to "miss" each other. We sometimes needs to have catch up days where we are intentional about talking with each other. 

:: unraveling the baby booties I was trying to knit. The pattern has me stumped, but I will give it another go soon. Or maybe I will email the ladies back home at Art of Yarn for some help. I love them. 

:: absorbing as much as I can. Thailand is beautiful and being thrown into another culture is outrageous and I love it!

:: decluttering  my house even though I don't have one. I have enjoyed living with very little and would like to continue to do so when we get home. Well, maybe not very little, but definitely with less things than before. 

:: commiting to having a clean house when I get home. This will make Erik happy. 

:: gagging because people are horking and spitting outside my window. This is sadly very common.

:: resisting the urge to itch the bug bites that are covering my legs. They.Are.Driving.Me.Batty!

:: trying to remember where I put the postcard I wrote. I sent three away, but can't seem the find the last one. It is frustrating me!!!

:: giggling at the poem Erik just read me. He is reading The Cider House Rules and it is a great book (at least the bits he shares with me are). 

:: bidding  you all adieu. It is time for me to rest my weary eyes. 

:: wishing you a wonderful Wednesday, wherever you are!!

the best

This was waiting for me when I woke up this morning. It makes me ache for the people back home -- especially these six and their mothers.

I would be on a plane and on my way home for some serious snuggles if it weren't for the wonderful time we are having. And if we weren't going to Thai cooking classes today.

But these are my little sweetie pies. Aren't they precious?

Isle of Arran

One last Scotland post. This past weekend we went to Isle of Arran with Kurt and Erin. It is clear across Scotland and it took a whopping three hours to get there in the form of two trains and a ferry ride.

We rented a little cottage and settled in for a weekend of fellowship and fun. The sun was shining when we arrived in the late afternoon so we decided to go for a walk through the countryside around town. We walked to a castle overlooking the sea and continued on through the hillside. It was breath-taking and I continually reminded myself that I am so lucky! I didn't really need reminding, but I was intentionally grateful for each moment. We played rook late into the night. Kurt made me stay up until 22:30, which was a feat as I was ready for bed two hours earlier.

We had a relaxed morning before catching the bus that circulated the north end of the island. We stopped for a tour at the local distillery before making our way to the east and embarking on a three-hour walk along the seaside and up a... bluff. The Scottish have non-English names for everything and I am frequently confused. The sun didn't shine this day so it was a wee bit chilly, but we made do and the scenery was no less lovely. Again, our night was spent playing rook, a game which I just learned and am not very good at.

And on our last morning on Arran, we set off on yet another walk before making our way back home to Edinburgh.

The weekend was wonderful. It was great to spend time with our friends as they were both busy during the week. We were able to properly catch up and to have conversation that was both challenging and encouraging. I really miss having Kurt and Erin closer. They usually live in Vancouver, but seem to be galavanting around the world more often than not.

Arran was absolutely stunning, as was all of Scotland. Erik and I were both sad to leave, but we have hopes of visiting again in the probably-distant-future.

For now we are on to sunnier and sweatier things -- South East Asia.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

*** *** ***

Date Night

This is how we roll. Yes, I am wearing everything I own even though we are inside. And yes, I am desperately trying to convince my niece that she loves me. She probably just thinks I'm crazy. Isn't she sweet?

Some more of Scotland

I feel as though there is so much to say about Scotland. Every single day has been full of activities. We walk for the majority of every day, which is necessary to keep warm in these parts.

We spent a day in Stirling, though we wish we had a bit longer. We visited Stirling Castle (my favourite) and Doune Castle in a neighbouring town. Both were very interesting. It was a beautiful day and we wished we had more time to leisurely walk around, but we had a bus to catch so we were in a bit of a hurry. 

At Stirling we had a private tour because we were the only two there. The guide was very informative and took us places he doesn't usually take tours as two people are much easier to accomodate than fifty. I would say it was my favourite castle because it had the most history, it was the most ornate, and we were told about the lives of the people who lived in the castle, both servant and royal. 

We went to Doune Castle because it was where Monty Python and the Holy Grail was filmed. I have never seen the movie, but Erik happens to love it. The castle was deserted when we arrived, but we found an audio tour and off we went. The tour was done by one of the Monty Python fellas and it was very well done. We laughed our way through the castle and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. 

And then we met our friends in Edinburgh. It has been so nice to see them! We love them dearly and even if we didn't, it is nice to see a friendly and familiar face. We spent our days in Edinburgh walking the Royal Mile, visiting Edinburgh Castle, perusing the Surgical Museum, doing an underground tour, walking through Holyrood Park and spending time with our friends. We also hopped on over to Linlithgow Palace, a short train ride from Edinburgh. It has been awesome!!

Scotland continues to woo me. I would love to come back in the summer sometime, but I can't complain about the weather. It has been cold, especially when compared to South America and South East Asia, but the sun has shone most days and we have yet to see the rain the UK is notorious for. 

One thing I find disgusting about Edinburgh is the dog poop all over the sidewalk. Nobody cleans up after their pets and it is foul! But that may be all I have to complain about. Yes, I think it is.

Erik keeps telling me he could move here. He specifically loved Inverness as it is a smaller town and there was plenty of green space. That's one of the things with Scotland though -- there is plenty of uninhabited green space which we find very refreshing. And absolutely beautiful. Scotland is absolutely beautiful. All of it. I sadly fall asleep the instant I the mode of transportation I am in begins to move so I miss some of the scenery on bus or train rides, but Erik likes to inform me of the beauty I have missed. 

My only regret? That we don't have more time in this beautiful country. I felt ready to leave South America. I would have gladly stayed there longer, but I was also ready to continue on our journey. I don't want to leave Scotland. Not yet, at least. 

fixed it

Woops! I posted the wrong link in my last post, but I have fixed it. The link to the ravelry page is updated, but I will post it again so you don't have to scroll down. 

So, here it is!

Made Me Smile

Now for something completely unrelated to traveling. I won't even brag about sitting in a cosy cottage in Scotland with a view overlooking a castle and the sea. I won't make you jealous by talking about my husband making crepes behind me or talking of our plans to walk around the island today.  Instead, I will get straight to the point.

As you all know, I love knitting. because of this, I adore this site called Ravelry. I don't know if you have heard of it, but Ravelry is an online knitting... Goldmine. When I was first introduced to Ravelry I only used it for browsing through patterns. More recently, however, as in for the past year or so, I have actually been messaging other knitters asking them questions and getting some knitting support. There are blogs you can check out, people you can "follow" if you particularly like their projects, and forums you can participate in. I use ravelry to keep track of some of the things I have knit and to store some of the patterns I want to knit. I in no way use Ravelry to it's full potential, but it is awesome and there is my plug for it.

That is not what this is about.

I just checked on Ravelry for the first time in a couple months and I had a very important message. I have received messages only a handful of times from people asking about patterns I have done or yarn I have used or whatever, but this message was a wee bit different.

I received a message from one of the powers that be with a request to feature my photo.

It obviously doesn't take much to make me smile (most days), but this elicited a grin from ear to ear. Do you remember this post? Well it felt kind of like that. Only better.

I should probably take a moment to clarify what "featuring" a photo looks like. It means my photo is displayed with the original pattern along with some other 15 photos or so... it really isn't incredibly special, but it kind of is.

Now for the photo. Of course you recall these adorable tunics I made for my nieces (they are adorable not because I made them, but because the pattern is adorable!). The request is to feature the first photo, which happens to be one of my favourites of both the girls and the tunics.

That isn't even the best part.

If you check out the Ravelry page here you will notice that my photo is featured alongside soulemama's. I absolutely adore her and I am a bit star-struck at the thought of even being remotely associated with her or her work. It made me smile.

And, as a sidenote, I didn't even make the pattern because she did... I found it myself.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a sunny weekend!

*** *** ***

Inverness

I will have to keep this fairly brief as I feel I could go on and on. I will do my best and use pictures to sullplement so I can keep my words few(er).

We flew from Amsterdam to Inverness and spent three nights in a great little hostel there. We spent our first day walking around the city, familiarizing ourselves and enjoying the river that runs through town. We explored a cemetery and climbed a hill for what would have been a view of the city if there weren't so many trees in the way.

The room we stayed in the first night was at the back of the hostel with a separate entrance. There were only three rooms back there and we had our own kitchen to use so it was a delightful little secluded area just for us. And our room had a view of both the river and the castle - yes please.

On day two we made our way to Drumnadrochit for the day. We went to Urquhart Castle which is situated on Loch Ness. We sadly did not see Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, but the castle was lovely and the Loch was stunning. We decided to walk back to Drumnadrochit from Urquhart as it was a two mile walk that winded along the Loch. The clouds were clearing and the sun started shining just as we ventured off and it made for an absolutely lovely stroll. Along the way we happened upon an Equestrian... Farm? We walked on up and ended up booking an ride for the next morning. Then we were going to head to some exhibit in town but saw a sign for a footpath to some waterfalls just three miles out of town. The sun was shining and warming our bones putting us in exceptionally jovial moods so we decided to follow said path. I am so glad we did as it was incredible. It took us up the hillside, through fields, along deserted roads, into forests, and to the falls. The falling water itself wasn't impressive, but the icicles certainly were. There were icicles clinging to the rockface behind and around the falls. It was beautiful.

On day three we started the day with a horseback ride. It was more like horseback skating as the ground was incredibly icy. The lady taking us riding kept apologizing saying she didn't realize how icy it was. My horse, Florry, was particularly prone to slipping for some reason. We didn't make it very far as we had to move so slowly. It was a little disappointing, but I am still glad went. After our horse adventure we made our way back to Inverness and there we waited for the bus to take us to Stirling.

Ok, that went way different than I anticipated. I am far too lazy to edit or shorten so this will remain as is. Sorry about that... The rest, if they are written, will be less wordy. Well, maybe not less wordy, but less like a " and then we went here, then here, then here, then here." You know??

Yup, it is great.

Well hello there. I am currently sitting in the living room of some lovely friends shivering ever so slightly, but enjoying a hot cup of tea.

Scotland has been amazing. Not a single day has gone by that I haven't been overwhelmed with the beauty around me. I was very much looking forward to Scotland and it has been better than I anticipated. I don't want to jinx it, but the sun has been shining every day. Yes, it is cloudy a lot, but the sun has managed to fight its way through the clouds for at least a few hours each day. We also had a morning of snow, but we have yet to experience the delightful Scotland rain. I am sure it is inevitable so I am thanking God each day I wake up to something other than rain.

The weather, though it definitely makes exploring more inviting, is not the reason I have fallen in love with this beautiful country. As with all of Europe, Scotland is so full of history. With every step you take you are breathing in the rich history that is everywhere. Now, I am no history buff by any means, but I do love hearing the stories and seeing the sites. My skill for retaining such knowledge is unimpressive at best and embarrassing at worst, but I like to appreciate it while it is being delivered to my ever-welcoming ears.

The highlights of our time here, aside from seeing our dear friends, have been the unplanned and spontaneous adventures we have been on. The planned things are wonderful too, but it is the unexpected detours that have charmed me. For example, we were making our way to an exhibit at Loch Ness and we chose to follow a foot path on a three hour walk through the countryside to a wee waterfall. We had no idea the walk would take that long, but in the moment we decided it sounded intriguing so off we went.

Today we are planning on walking the Royal Mile here in Edinburgh. I am excited for that in itself, but I am interested to see what adventures we unexpectedly find ourselves on. The sun is shining and beckoning me outside even though I know I will be met with a bitter cold. I hope you are all asleep in your beds dreaming pleasant dreams.

Much Love,

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a cozy weekend!

*** *** ***

Scotland: We Have Arrived

This castle is right outside my window. I snapped this picture yesterday while searching for our hostel. I had a pack on my back and a bag on my front as I quickly snapped this en route. If this is what Scotland is going to be like then we are going to get along fine. Just fine.

A Day in Amsterdam

We only had a day to spend in Amsterdam. One day was certainly not enough!! Amsterdam was absolutely lovely. It was breath-taking both in beauty and temperature. I wore every single article of clothing I brought along. It was freeeeeeeeeeeezing!

We didn't want to stress ourselves out and try pack too much into a day so we took it easy. We walked downtown, escaping into every open shop to warm up along the way. We quickly found toques and mitts to purchase as I was nearing tears. I hardly took photos as my fingers were far too cold to be exposed.

Amsterdam is beautiful! It felt strange seeing a shopping mall or McDonalds in such lovely, historic buildings. I felt that every building should be a cute shop or a museum. I loved the canals, the bikes, the blue skies (yes, they were blue!), the scones, the cobblestone, the history and everything else.

The highlight of my day was definitely visiting the Anne Frank House. It was an incredibly humbling and touching experience. I had started writing a bit about here, but it got a bit out of hand so I will give it a separate post.

We spent most of our day walking the streets, moseying along the canals, and ducking into shops to keep warm. We did splurge and go on a candlelight cruise from 20:00 until 22:00. We sipped on wine and snacked on cheese while drifting through through Amsterdam's canals. It was lovely.

And then we walked the 30 minutes back to our hostel and went to bed. It sounds like we didn't do much, but it was a wonderful and relaxing day.

It's Been A While.

I have decided that I am not very good at blogging while traveling. There are just so many other things to do! Some people's priorities, eh? When I am so "behind" in updates I like just throwing a list at ya. I hope that is acceptable as it is so conventient. Here goes.

• I never mentioned that we visited the equator on our way back Mindo. Maybe I did, but I don't recall doing so. We visited the Equator and it was fabulous. We balanced an egg on a nail, tried to walk in a straight line with our eyes closed, watched water drain from a basin both directly over and on either side of the equator, saw a sundial in action, and did a strenght/gravity test (or something). All simple little tricks, but very entertaining and amazing. Really, it was awesome. 
• We spent the last two weeks in Canoa, Ecuador. Two whole weeks. We were planning on staying for a few days, but we got stuck. The main reason for our long visit was that last weekend was Carnival here in South America. Apparently it is a continental party that lasts five days. It invovles flour, eggs, paint, and foam being thrown at everyone and anyone. We were encouraged to settle in as we wouldn't be able to find a hostel at the next town we were hoping to visit. So, two weeks it was. Thankfully Canoa's Carnival was the tamest it has ever been. I only had paint thrown on me once and foam sprayed a couple times. We also stayed just down the beach from town so we could escape the blaring music and sleep. 
• I don't regret a moment in Canoa. It was a little beach town and it was great! Erik surfed every day. He had only tried surfing a couple times before this trip and after a week he is actually quite good. I'm impressed, at least.
• I tried surfing. I had a lesson and actually managed to stand more often than not. Sometimes I would stand for a few feet, sometimes a few meters, and sometimes for many meters. I would say my longest "ride" was 75 meters (though it felt like 1000). I just played in the white wash, I didn't actually try any real big waves. I told the instructor that I was afraid of waves before we started. We didn't go past our necks so I wasn't too too scared, but I am terrified of the power of the waves so it was a big step for me. I tried one other time, with Erik, but was feeling exceptionally weak that day so I only got up once. I only tried three times actually, but I just didn't have it in me to push myself up. I am weak. It's embarrassing. 
• I'm a little ashamed to admit, but we ate at the same restaurant almost every day in Canoa. The reason I am ashamed is because it was run by Americans... no local food sadly. But, the employees were all Ecuadorian so we were supporting the local economy still. It was definitely gringoland in Canoa though. It was delicious, however, and there were plenty of vegetables to be had. We ate burgers, pizza, fish tacos, salads, and sandwiches. It was Yummmmmm. We started off sharing one meal betweenn the two of us to stay on our rigid budget, but the food was so good that we soon started ordering our own meals. Woops. 
• Erik volunteered at this local establishment (the delicious restaurant) so we started getting 30% off. That helped immensely both because we loved the discount and he was needing a challenege. He was getting bored doing "nothing". 
• We ate so much that we both gained whatever weight we lost since leaving Canada.
• There was another restaurant that opened when we arrived. It had a buffet breakfast for $5 per person. It had fruit, granola, yogurt, lemon loaf, toast, meat, cheese, crepes, waffles, eggs, and cereal. It was delicious as well. Again, it was a bit expensive for our budget, but we ate there because we could finally control the nutrients coming into our body. It was such a relief to know you were getting what you needed.
• Oh, we also only eat two meals a day. Just thought you should know. We aren't ridiculous gluttons all the time. That's also how we can afford to spend so much on each meal... at times. 
• In Canoa our days revolved around the beach and food. 
• Our days usually only revolve around food so it was nice to have a bit of a distraction. 
• We ran into these two Irish girls that we had met briefly in Quito while in Canoa. They arrived about a week after us and we spent every waking moment with them for our second week there. Erik and Karen rented the surfboard together and Elisa and I held down the fort on the beach. They were easily the most lovely people we have met traveling. I absolutely adore them and it was a tearful goodbye yesterday. They are flight attendants so I am trying to convince them to meet us in Scotland for a day. 
• Internet was the pits in Canoa so I feel very out of touch with the world. It was both wonderful and painful. I enjoy mini check-ins with family and friends. 
• I did get to skype with a few families from church on Sunday. It felt like I was having tea and cookies right alongside them. It is nice to stay connected like taht. 
• We traveled from Canoa to Guayaquil and then from Guayaquil straight through to Lima, Peru. A six hour bus ride followed by a 31 hour bus ride. I miss Ecuador already. Erik and I are reminded of why and how much we don't like Lima.
  
  And that is that. We fly to Amsterdam tomorrow and then we are off to Scotland soon after that.

Back in Lima

You can't imagine how many blogs I have written in my head. I write them at the beach, on the bus, in bed, and walking down the street. I write them while I am eating, showering, swimming and reminding myself to shave (noted). Sometimes they are witty one-liners, sometimes it is just a story I want to share and sometimes it is pages of droning. I am sometimes impressed with my intelligence and wit, but I am usually humbled by how dull and uninteresting I can be. I have the best of intentions and I thoroughly enjoy blogging, but the wind is taken out of my sails as soon as I open this thing.

I am sitting on the roof of our hostel listening to the city awaken. Lima. It is probably my least favourite city. Definitely not a destination, it is merely the gateway to Peru. We have 36 hours here and I intend to make the most of it (now that I am done complaining... Sorry about that).

I have a friend from nursing school flying into Lima today. Her flight should be landing as I type this. We are staying at the same hostel and I am so very excited to see her. She is not only a friendly and familiar face, but also a peron I love. She may be one of the funniest people I know. Erik and I have prepared for her welcome by foregoing showers for the past five days. Gross.

I have yet to be homesick, but I do get peoplesick. Sometimes the distance feels greater or more real than others. I think about the people I love every single day. This is usually in the form of "Mandi would love to (insert fun activity here)” or "Lindsey would do fine with the twins here" or "Milena would think that (insert object here) was beautiful"... Etc etc. I often wonder how people are doing and what they are doing. I wonder who the little ones are becoming.

Erik is reading up on Scotland. Yes, we are planning ahead a bit....Europe requires it. We only have ten days there which is not nearly enough, but it will have to do.

I think that is about all I have to say right now. Unless you are interested in hearing about my nieces' most recent developments, but I know you aren't. Have a lovely Sunday!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a restful weekend!

*** *** ***

It is February.

• I cannot believe it is February.
• I will be home in five months! Home in Canada, at least. I haven't quite figured out how I am going to get back to Kelowna.
• This morning I briefly skyped with a friend who just had a baby and I got to "meet" her little fella. He is absolutely perfect and she is looking and sounding fabulous. It was so nice to have a chat with her, no matter how brief. I wanted to hound her with questions, but decided that those can wait. I already emailed her a bunch which she graciously answered. What a gem. 
• We are heading to Canoa tonight. The only available bus was the night bus, which I am dreading. There is no first-class Cruz Del Sur in these parts so we are in for an uncomfortable (and long) ride. Canoa is a coastal town so I am looking forward to sand and sun while Erik can't wait to go surfing. 
• We rented a motorcycle for 24 hours and ventured off through the back country to a sleepy town called Mindo. It poured rain for much of the trip so we were both wet and muddy on arrival at our destination. It was the highlight of Ecuador, even with the puddles that I still found in my shoes the morning after. We visited the Equator on our way back to Quito. That was actually a lot of fun too. 
• Our shoes smell something fierce. So foul. I may have to soak them in vinegar or baking soda. Would that help? If not we could always make little volcanos in cups. That would be fun, at least. 
• It is no secret that I have had baby fever since... well as long as I can remember really. Sadly that baby fever is turning into whatever could be worse than baby fever. It consumes me. Even more sadly, Erik has yet to catch said fever. Four and half years of asking and his answer has never waivered. Apparently we are operating under a renewable five-year-plan. 
• Speaking of babies, Peyton and Avery are six months today! 
• We have had strawberries and cream every day for five days. We share a bowl so I feel about myself. The owners of the little icecream parlour we go to laugh when we walk in. They are very sweet. And I get zero dairy so heavy cream is better than nothing... right?
• Gravol will be my friend on this bus trip we are taking tonight. Yes, I am hung up on it. That is how full of dread I am. 
• I love clean laundry. I love not having to clean my laundry. 
• Our GPS broke while we were on our motorcycle adventure. For some reason it couldn't find the satellite so we had to navigate Quito on our own. That was a little stressful. We had to get the bike back on time and we had only a faint idea of where we were going. We made it though. Quito is huge, in case you didn't know. 
• We have to check out of our hostel so that is all for now. I'm going to get me some strawberries and cream. 

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a fabulous weekend!