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Uruguay – How’d We Get Here?

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Historic Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse

The thing is, even with the best intentions, life finds a way to intervene.

I recently heard an episode of The Art of Manliness podcast that had Bernie Roth on as a guest. Mr. Roth is the co-founder of the Stanford Design School. He spoke about many things but one that caught my attention was his view that humans ‘can’t really plan long term.’ His philosophy is basically to take care of the day-to-day things and the big picture items will take care of themselves.

What does this have to do with travel? Well, as much as we planned a year-long, country by country itinerary, sometimes the day-to-day took us elsewhere. Sometimes we got lost.

Enter Uruguay

We wrote about our Paraguayan ordeal. While stuck at the smallest ‘international’ airport ever, we were lost. But we found a way. We had to take a different path than what we had originally planned. We ended up in Buenos Aires, Argentina. From BA, the ultimate destination was to reach Machupicchu in Peru but in order to get there, we had to figure out how to cross approximately 2,400 miles and at least three countries.

We do watch our budget and so my wife began to do her travel planning wizardry. (On a side note, Irene is actually incredibly good at travel planning. She routinely saves us 25-40% off our flights/buses/AirBnBs, etc. When you’re traveling with a small army of 5, the total savings really add up.)

Irene figured out we could take the scenic route and spread our travel time to Machupicchu over the course of a week, for less than what it would cost to fly directly from Buenos Aires.

Colonia Express

We’ve crossed borders with cars, ‘combis’, buses and planes. What a treat it was to cross between Argentina and Uruguay via a boat! The trip took about an hour, the boat was comfortable and the kids loved the unique experience. Once we arrived at the ferry terminal, we got a local taxi to take us to our AirBnB and then back into the beautiful, quaint town of ‘Colonia.’

By the way, this was the day Mexico beat Germany in the opening round of this year’s World Cup. We actually ended up having lunch next to another American family. They were cheering Mexico on as well!

Colonia del Sacramento

We’ve mentioned, ‘We could live here!’ many times on this blog but really, we could live here! And we really could but with one caveat: once we ‘retire’ or in the later part of our lives. Colonia is a small town. We spent the afternoon walking around its leafless trees and brick roads and without even knowing it, we visited the top 6 Trip Advisor Things-to-Do. What Colonia lacks in size, it more than makes up for in charm. It reminds me of a smaller, still rustic Santa Barbara, California.

We rented an electric golf cart and off to the races we were. We explored all along the coast and even got to drive around an old bull ring.

We spent two days there and then it was off to Montevideo…

Uruguay’s capitol city: Montevideo

Montevideo

In Montevideo, we rented a charming loft AirBnB right in the center of the coastal neighborhood of Punta Carretas. As an aside, ‘charming loft’ is not very conducive to mommy/daddy time, if you can pick up what I’m putting down. It was a tough few days in that regard but otherwise, I really enjoyed the place!

We ended our three-stop Uruguayan adventure in the ‘Hamptons of South America’, Punta del Este. And gorgeous it was! The sunsets alone were worth the price of admission. We were there during the offseason and so it was cooold but this same coldness let us explore the area calmly without the crowds. Many Latin American countries have ‘enpanadas’ but we must say the most delicious ones we tasted, and we tasted quite a number of them, were here in Punta del Este.

One last (financial) note on Uruguay

It was surprisingly expensive. We had just come from Buenos Aires which many have heard is an ‘expensive’ city in South America. However Uruguay surpassed, at least to us, Buenos Aires’ cost of living. We had an ok dinner in Montevideo, in a restaurant similar to any beach-side cafe… and we spent over $100 USD. I don’t mind spending that on a dinner that’s worth it but at this restaurant we simply ordered burgers and a meatless pasta. Many restaurants, in both Argentina and here had a ‘cubiertos’ fee. When I asked what a ‘cubiertos’ (‘utensils’ in english) charge was for, I was told it was for the use of the table and time at the restaurant. Huh?!?! Anyways, this charge is on a per person basis so for the five of us, it easily added $20 USD to the meal and this is NOT the tip. We rented a sedan, filled half the tank back up – $50.

In summary, our initial plans never included Uruguay. We only got there through being ‘lost’ and in doing so, we discovered a beautiful country with warm people and gorgeous beaches.

Gracias Uruguay!

And then there was Colombia.

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Cartagena – where an old fortress faces a modern city

Our first South American stop proved to be so much fun. We arrived in Cartagena, Colombia ready for everything this beautiful region of the world has to offer. In fact, Cartagena is truly beautiful in so many ways; from the old world colonial architecture of the Walled City, to the bluest ocean escapes of nearby Playas Blancas, and not to be forgotten – the gorgeous women that pepper the daily city sites. That summarizes Cartagena best…. sun, sites, and beauty.

Our airbnb in Colombia was actually upgraded! This was a first for us and I can’t believe how perfect our upgraded two bedroom, two bath apartment turned out to be. It was oceanfront and so close to the sea that crashing waves usually rocked us to sleep while sunsets overtook every afternoon as our balcony transformed from yellow to orange to pink and purple then grey and finally darkness. I could sit on that balcony for hours feeling such warmth and gratitude. It’s no wonder we stayed in Cartagena for six weeks.

The view from our AirBnB.

Cartagena is quickly skyrocketing in popularity among worldwide vacationers. One recent travel blogger recently coined Cartagena as “the most photogenic city on earth!” It’s a city full of cultural delight from the vibrant music, to the colorful city streets, and abundant pork dishes (Colombians love pork)!

Cartagena gives visitors a great combination of ocean vibes (be warned lots of street vendors and tourist trap places) and history. The architecture and ambiance of the old Walled City and a nearby town of Getsemani transports visitors to what life felt like centuries ago.

Cartagena also felt incredibly safe. It’s a walkable town full of ample shopping and dinning experiences. Our favorite find had to be the artesanal paletas. These ice cream bars of so many varieties come close to my beloved Mexican paletas and became the perfect after dinner snack combined with a city stroll.

Inside the famous ‘Walled City.’

Night time strolls were an experience in and of itself. Horse drawn carriages flood the streets, vallanato music or rapping street performers add to the night’s energy and colorfulness all while folks mingled among the gorgeous architecture. The perfect evening weather meant that for yet another country our coats would stay packed!

Cartagena (well all of Colombia to be exact) will likely be one of my top three favorite counties visited this year. My family felt so at home and this is a feeling that cannot be beat. We were comfortable and welcomed by the locals. There’s one thing about the Colombian people that will always warm my heart… they are constantly kind, incredibly well-mannered, and so, so welcoming.

A little beach-side stroll.

We’ve said this before, and we will say it again. We do everything to live as locals would on our journey abroad. Therefore, we felt quickly at ease in Cartagena. Whether it was our supermarket runs or daily exchanges with neighbors in our common apartment, we enjoyed every minute of our experience. Truly, it was a pretty fulfilling six weeks. So fulfilling that when the opportunity to live in Medellín for another six weeks came up we jumped right on it and our Colombian adventure only got better…

Stay tuned: our next post will feature Medellín (the first city we lived in that could have become our permanent home).

Caribbean Cruisin’

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The Life. Docked at the unbelievably stunning Grand Turk.

After a whirlwind start to 2018 we decided to spice up our transition from Central America to South America with a trip to the Caribbean. And what’s better than a Caribbean cruise? Our kids would likely answer: NOTHING!

Our Queventure cruise began in Orlando and turned into eight fun-filled days island-hopping and cruising through the Eastern Caribbean. We visited Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten.

This was the 2nd cruise my husband and I had ever been on and the first we’d ever taken our children on. Best part was how affordable this all turned out to be. Carnival offers five-person suites, which is a rare find on many cruise lines. We actually fit very comfortably considering how small cabins can be. For those interested in this route we nabbed it on Expedia and paid around $2,500 (after taxes)!

The Sunshine Cruise Ship route came with a ton of family-friendly amenities including a daylong kids club. This is a free program our kids thoroughly enjoyed. The best part is that while our children spent a ton of independent time at the supervised kids club, we spent time ‘adulting’! This was the first leg of our trip where we got to travel with three other adults and I can’t express how much of a difference that made. Thanks Cruise Crew!

Could not wait to get on!

Without other adults, we would have likely forgone late-night casino trips, rum factory tours in the PR, and plenty of boozin’ poolside afternoons. To have friends/family along elevates memories to another level and reminds us how much this journey is more than the destinations on our itinerary. Such fulfillment comes from the joy of relationships filled with laughter and experiences. Since this cruise, we’ve already visited with our friends an additional weekend while in Cartagena, Colombia and will have another “cruise crew” visitor early next month in Medellin.

Thanks to great friends, we had grown up conversations!

If you’ve never been on a cruise it’s definitely worth experiencing at least once in your lifetime, but do your research! Some helpful tips to bring down costs: be flexible with dates and be willing to fly to a different state to nab your ideal itinerary and cost. We flew LAX to FLORIDA for very cheap and would do it over and over again to journey through the Caribbean and not be limited to the Pacific Coast.

Next, research cruise ships before committing. Our first cruise on Princess Cruises was more adult-centered and higher-end which was perfect for us on a solo trip. Including the kids took us a different route and Carnival Cruises had the best family-friendly activities, meals, and accommodations. So don’t forget to research cruise line reviews and itineraries to get what works for you!

The Subtle Benefits of Life Abroad

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One purpose of documenting our adventures through this blog is to hopefully inspire you. Not necessarily to sell all of your belongings, quit your job and travel the world (although that’s an excellent idea if you’re considering it) but to inspire you to take action on your own BIG dreams. We hope that by you being part of our journey, you will set off on one of your own.
That’s the general idea, adventuring, dream chasing and reaching, of the blog. This post however, has a very specific purpose and that is to highlight why you should definitely plan and travel long-term with your family!
First, let’s address the obvious benefits of travel: you get to visit some awesome locations, take in incredible sights and don’t forget the food, fun and drinks! You also get to momentarily leave the “real world” behind and escape, at least for a couple of weeks, the same-everyday-ness of our usual lives. Your IG feed goes bananas! You get much needed time to de-stress. Good times all around!
I don’t think there’s much convincing needed to encourage travel. But have you ever considered long-term living abroad? If you haven’t or even if you have and just need that last bit of affirmation, keep reading! Outside of the obvious joys, here are four subtle but life-changing benefits:

…but first, coffee

I was so used to turning on the Keurig while brushing my teeth while looking for my tie that I almost forgot how to truly enjoy a cup of coffee. Traveling has exposed me to some of the best coffee in the world (volcanic soil anyone?) but even more importantly, it’s re-taught me to be calm, be present and enjoy a hot cup joe. It was coffee for me but it may be reading, writing, bird-watching or just breathing. Long-term will provide you with the time to appreciate every moment.

Get Rid of Distractions/Excuses

Long-term travel will get rid of distractions and excuses. I used to get home stressed from work and from my commute. I would justify being a grouch because of this. It’s “been a tough day” was code for, “family, leave me alone.” I always felt guilty about this but, again, would feel justified because of the day I had. While this helped me deal with the guilt, it didn’t remove the negative impact on my family, on my relationships with my wife and kids.
Prolonged travel abroad, while not stress-free, removes some of the biggest excuses we use to check out, to not be fully there. It provides ample time for reflection and introspection. If I’m being a grouch, I have nothing but myself to blame (as was always the case). Long-term travel will give you the ample time to take inventory of yourself to be the best for your loved ones.

Just Living

Extended travel allows you to experience a different way of life not just because you visited a specific location but because you will actually live there. There is a huge difference between vacationing and just living. It’s more than possible to visit a beautiful country and not experience the local culture one bit. This is not necessarily a bad thing but the two experiences are very different.
We have met wonderful neighbors, kind strangers, gregarious kids and local families all by being part of a community. There’s a certain bond that forms with familiarity and it’s been an incredible experience for our family to build these bonds in many different towns.

Become a Time Traveler

Well, not really a time traveler per se but more like a time slower-downer. Days are longer, nights are warmer, kids’ laughs are louder and the coffee’s (coffee again!) deeper. One of the biggest concerns we share as parents is coming to terms with how time flies. Before we know it, our little babies are graduating high school – all in a matter of what felt like a few weeks. It’s crazy and scary at the same time.
Long-term travel allows you to slow down this hyper speed aging of our little ones. While we can’t completely stop time, a sunset walk while the kids merrily splash along the shore allows us to feel it just a bit more. Homeschooling our kids means a guaranteed few hours of undivided attention on them – something that used to be hard to come by. The pace of life is just slower and for that I am eternally grateful.

Family Meals

We always made an effort to have family dinners. Often though, these dinners were late and everyone was already exhausted from a long day, kids and parents alike. Now we have two-hour lunches. Long term travel affords us the time to have “cooking class” on a random Wednesday afternoon. The amount of genuine moments really compound and over time these moments become anchors in our families history.

If you’re considering it, please take this as confirmation that extended travel abroad is well worth it. While not always easy, the subtle but impactful benefits cannot be understated. Do it for your family, they’re worth it! 

Adventuring with Kids

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I love high-adrenaline activities but sometimes adrenaline can equal danger. Traveling with three kids 11 and under, this desire for thrills must be tempered with safety. 
Fortunately, there are some fun adventures that can be done with little ones… that are also fun for the thrill-seeker in you!

Kayaking

Kayaking, or canoeing is one of the funnest and safest ways to get an adventure thrill while at the same time being quite safe for even a five-year old to do. You can usually find kayak rentals fairly easily and inexpensively. 
Added bonus: kids are weak and tire easily – you’ll get a great arm and back workout!

Hiking

We love the outdoors so finding great places to hike is always fun. When traveling, we choose to combine our love of nature with geography/geology lessons. We’ve climbed everything – from simple mountain sides to incredible volcano treks.

Added bonus: kids are weak and tire easily, you’ll get a great leg workout since you have to carry 16 gallons of water up and then back down.

Tubing

This was something new for us but now we’re old pros. We’ve visited beautiful and gentle rivers, namely near San Ignacio, Belize where tubing is really a popular attraction. Basically, you hop on an inflatable tube and float down a lazy river. In Belize, these rivers actually went through caves to the experience was unbelievable. HIGHLY recommend it.
Added Bonus: kids are weak and tire easily, you’ll get to carry all of their supplies after they are soaking wet and get a great all around workout!

Traveling

This one is almost too obvious that we may just miss it. But traveling in of itself is a great adventure. Sometimes the destination doesn’t matter, it’s the journey itself that brings excitement, craziness and thrills. On our family trip, we have traveled by car, ferry, car on a ferry, plane, train, boat, motorcycle, Uber, taxi, tuk-tuk, and the biggest thrill of them all – the infamous chicken buses of Central America. This was especially “thrilling” because it was so foreign to our kids (and us). There were literally about 50 people on a 25 passenger bus. It was wild.
Added bonus: kids are weak and tire easily and since there are no available seats on the bus, you get to carry them while standing in an awkward position – a great yoga-like exercise!
Bottom line, there are lots of fun and exciting activities to do with kids!