No Place Like Travel

Welcome back to NYC. We arrived after a good flight, all intact, with everything, minus one very important carry on laptop bag. In the flurry of disembarking we left it in the overhead compartment. If it were any other item missing, it wouldn’t be as big a deal, but this one contained all our very important documents. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. Passports, birth certificates, house keys, check books, laptops (yes, plural) the whole enchilada.

After two hours pleading with Delta baggage services, we left the airport empty handed and crestfallen. The bag is lost, possibly stolen. The missing stroller made it to the baggage pick up area, but the carry on didn’t. What next? It’s out of the jurisdiction of the 13th precint police. We have to return to JFK and file a report with the Port Authority police. The additional catch being that to file a report we we need to inform our respective embassies of our lost passports, but to do so requires us to file a report. Go figure. My head is about to explode. New York City has a way of kicking you in the teeth, just when you think you may have landed on your feet. At the end of the day it is a major inconvienience, but we are still happy and healthy, and we have the resources (and perhaps the strength after a good nights sleep) to deal with this dilemma. Upside is that Squee and Fatty Patty are with us.

Two more days to go before we leave Rover. It occurs to me that our RV has been the only real home Baby Boy O has known. Our 200 square foot tiny house on wheels. He's spent more time in Rover than anywhere else, other than my womb. Our nomadic rhythm is normal to him. Packing, moving, shopping, unpacking, swimming, is just another typical day. Boy, that's all going to change very soon!

Little goofball

Stripping the bed

Good wash needed

Morning nap walk

Good ratings, disappointing Thai for lunch

That smile. Magic!

Watermelon giggles

Putting my feet up

Didn't last long

Monkeying around

Going nuts

Little vampire. Ouch!

Hunter

Gatherer

English Hubby is a plane buff. He spent his teenage years memorizing obscure facts about planes and all that pent up knowledge came flooding out. I was well impressed by his encyclopedic labeling of planes as we toured Davis AFB. Baby Boy O hasn't fallen far from the tree. He has an eagle eye for plane spotting. Two pigs in mud.

Hey, you looking at me?!

Security check to get on the bus

English hubby's future volunteer role

Planes big and small

Sealed to keep out the desert dust and critters

Captivated

A for attack

Spare parts earning $10 on the dollar

Air command during the Cold War

Too much excitement

Cut up so the soviet satellites can see

You can pack heavy on this flight

Shiny planes

Pigs in mud

Big red

So excited he doesn't know where to look!

Can't quite reach

Cleared for landing

Pilot training for babies

So many fiddly bits

Taking mummy for a ride

Top Gun training

Top Dog training

So this is how you move a helicopter

Boys off to see the planes, enjoying a quiet moment

Camo green

Unafraid of danger

Staring it in the face

Air and Space Museum rocked!

High expectations

Not bad, but Monte Vista gets my vote

Swimmy swimmy time

Beer o'clock

Real simple dinner

Basking in its glow

Dinner date

Vesak full moon

We received some news today. The type of news where from that moment onward everything changes, yet everything is as it is and still stays the same. Life plays on. Sadness descends, only to the kept at bay by remembering how fortune has smiled on all of us and still continues to do so. How lucky we have been to have time and to have spent it wisely, without regret. For it is the only currency that cannot be earned back, traded or bought.

News no one wants to hear

Bonding with monkey

A place out of the sun

Rover's temporary home

Old time burgers

English Hubby's favorite

Coming apart in more ways than one

Some things can be fixed

Moments like this add up to a life well lived

Dinner Al fresco

So far, yet so close

So much to be grateful for

Arizona is a snowbird retirement mecca, and finding an RV park that caters to the under 55 crowd is as easy as putting an octopus in a string bag (as Reader likes to say). Lucky for us, English Hubby has lovely salt and pepper colored hair, and many places tend to take a don't ask, don't tell approach, so we haven't yet been carded or denied. According to Jim, these RV resorts get quite wild in the Winter. Good to know we have something to look forward to!

What's cooking?!

Loving last night's leftovers

Babe doing laundry

More washing up

Playing outside the box

Meal prep, thank you Real Simple!

Trailer trash or park models

Palm tree street

Rush hour at the activity center

Two sessions!

Resort living

Not bad at all

Kitchen drumming

Funny boy!

Not quite getting the concept of giving Spot a kiss

Farewell 1423

Going for a spin around Safeway

Cruising with a melon

Casa Grand not Grande

Post office smiles

Picking up a few more boxes

We're definitely hanging with the over 55 crowd

Been spoilt at Monte Vista

Baby Narcissus smacked his head trying to touch his reflection

Nothing like an afternoon bubble blowing session

Less than two weeks now before we are back in New York City. In some ways it is exciting to be heading back to the big smoke, the land of take out and delivery, the city of convienience and cabs. That being said, I will miss leisurely strolls through the wide aisles of Safeway and not having to battle constantly for personal space. We've started putting our city lives back together. Organizing movers, renovations, toddler classes, nanny interviews from afar.

Organizing new windows and window guards

Trying to pull himself to standing. Not quite there yet

Thirsty business

Nanny search continues

Bunny magic

Not quite Brick Lane but a surprise for English Hubby nonetheless

I've grown quite fond of Monte Vista Resort and our little routine here. Baby Boy O and I go for our morning walk to Safeway. He falls asleep, I grab a freshly made green tea and peach drink at Starbucks, with an Asiago and jalapeño bagel, and I work on my book. We pick up lunch, head back to meet with English Hubby who would have finished his morning calls. We get what we can done with the little one in tow, trying to slide in a meditation session or gym workout, and then four o'clock swimmy swimmy time rolls around. We splash, we download, we head back and bathe the boy who is worn and ready for bed. Over the last week and a half we've fallen into a nice rhythm. Enjoying it whilst it lasts.

Morning activity, a stroll around the RV

Going for a walk

I'll have the usual

Work station

After nap snack

Chatting with the locals

Fork in the road

Hummingbird song

Missing this already

The American side of him. Will have to show him what good coffee really is!

RV delivery

Afternoon nap with daddy

Swimmy swimmy time

Splashy splashy

Kissy Kissy

Dinner by the pool

Packing up is starting to feel real now

The notion of a lazy Sunday morning escapes us. Baby Boy O was awake at the crack of dawn. The up side is that we are able to pack a whole bunch into a day. Off to the mall to pick up a few new items and then to the food truck festival. Not quite New York standards, but the upside is that we didn't have to line up for hours. Indulged in fish tacos, chickpea ciabatta and even an Indian fried bread, of the North American not subcontinent variety.

Adding more tricks to his kit bag

Taking you anywhere and everywhere

Mall rats

Heading to rawhide for lunch

Bite of Arizona food truck festival

A different type of roti

Eyeing the hot tamale

Delicious fish tacos

Not quite the New York food truck scene

Arriving back home

Chores

Family work out

Some heavy reading

Riveting plot line

Huffington Post published “10 More Realistic Milestones For Your Baby Book” and we just ticked off number one (again) today. Baby Boy O was sleeping soundly in the middle of the bed. Thirty minutes later we heard an almighty thump and a fractionally delayed wail. My heart truly stopped for a second. Running back into the RV not knowing if my little boy is okay. The thought of him hurt weighs so heavy. I cannot even imagine the pain of families in Nepal who have lost their dear ones. How precious our human lives are.

Learning something new

Our little ray of sunshine

Starting to think about packing...the end of the road trip is nigh

Sleeping beauty

An almighty thud, shoes flung off as I run into the RV

Ok after cuddles and tickles

Back to normal, diligently practicing his walking

Back to his cheeky self

Off to lunch, but someone is addicted to bandwidth

Things we do for free wifi

Regretful pizza lunch. Never again, Peter Piper Pizza. What were we thinking?!

Delicious watermelon

Sneaking in a gym work out

In between loads of laundry

His WTF face

Much needed healthy dinner

Today has been a good day. Rain clouds came, gave a light sprinkle to wash away the dust, and things are a little clearer now. Our little threesome has found its groove and in this moment it feels good. Our nanny interviewing came to a close and we have three strong, yet very different candidates. Our neighbor, Psych Adam, wrote an article with five tips to handle transitions. We are doing all of them to varying degrees – mindfully anticipating what we may feel when the transition occurs, and anticipate how we feel. Check. Ask for help. Check, check. Keep a routine, sort of check. Know where you are going and keep things in perspective, barely check. Go easy on yourself, must remember to check. Things are a changing, and it has been a good good day.

Tearing it up

Morning nap walk

Threatening clouds. Nice to have a bit of rain to clear away the dust

Our usual Starbucks writing table and Safeway stop

Concrete picnic

Lunching away

Plane spotting

Who is bigger?

Setting a new trend in baby ware

Back from a quick Fitstar workout. Eye spy with my little eye something beginning with B

Big brains at work

Interviews continue, last one done

Shortlisted from over 140 applicants

4 o'clock swim time again

It is a tough job being a full time mummy. Baby Boy O is going through a barnacle phase, where he is stuck to me like glue. Half a foot away is a little to distant. Poh Poh says its a sign of how much he loves us and how deep that attachment is. We are searching for a nanny and all I can hope for is an angel sent down from the heavens to help us look after our little one. He/she will have to have the patience of a saint. Funny thing is we've not had one male applicant. Where are all the real men? Scared to step up to the plate?!

What's your superpower?!

Eating with his fingers

Mastering a fork

Exploring every nook and cranny

Pressing all the buttons

Watch out! Here he comes!

My little bundle

Sweet little angel

All Baby Boy O wants to do is be on his feet. Holding his walker toy, lapping the coffee table clockwise then anti clockwise. It's fascinating watching his skills progress and the lightbulb go on in his head as he connects the dots. Makes me realize how much we take for granted as the synapses preprogrammed over the years fire on autopilot. Imagine having to relearn all of that again? We are no match for a baby.

Mastered the light switch!

Speedy Gonzales

So happy to be on two feet

Nothing is safe

Breaking Bad backyard

Yo Yo Baby Boy O in da house!

Pincer fingers strike again

Pool boy

Not as keen today

Baby burrito

Healthy birthday carrot and prune muffins

Every year it is the same mayhem. Receipts lost, statements missing, manual data entry and books aren't the only things to be unbalanced. Why in the age of Quicken, expense tracking apps and downloadable data are we still in this pickle? Because English Hubby is old school. I'm surprised the quill and ink has been retired. I've managed to extract a promise that next year shall be more straight through processing. The efficiency consultant in me is pleased with that acknowledgement. The cynic in me will wait 365 days to see.

Mr Early Riser

Off for a walk with Mah Mah

Snack time

Lunch time

Tax time

Car smash up

Highlight of the day

Smallest Elvis impersonator ever

Treats

I want to play, not sleep!

We took Mah Mah to see all the unique sights that Arizona had to offer. Museums, art galleries and the outdoors are so overrated. Instead we visited In and Out Burger, UHaul RV Storage and a supermarket on the way back to Scottsdale. Crying baby most of the way, and temperatures rising high. Thankful for Mah Mah's great idea to go for a swim to cool off.

Snuggling up in bed

Cry baby space cadet

Visiting all the glamorous places

Panda Express or In and Out?

Sussing out some storage for rover

Cooling off in the pool

Much needed giggles

English Hubby met someone who had a theory that ancient rock art may not have the awe inspiring meaning we sometimes attribute to it. Rather, it may just be as simple as a few bored kids told to go outside of the cave to play, having a bit of fun graffiting the neighborhood, leaving tags all over the place! I think regardless of the reasons why people choose to draw and write, there is something endearing about putting your thoughts out there and creating something to last. It is a way of transporting ideas through time and space. Whether it be ancient rock art or more modern forms of expression like blogging, storytelling ignites the imagination and connects people together.

Cheeky little guy

Hiding from the sun

Learning more about the desert

Trying to protect private parts from a very excited little boy

Getting a lift back from the ranger

Off for a short hike

Blooming beautiful

Ancient and modern. Petroglyphs and fighter jets

Trying to cover up the warning sign

Cacti caucus

Between a rock and a hot place

Oh dear

Abstract

Belated Mother's Day cuddles

The original tablet

Late lunch

Glad we're hungry

Another rendition of old McDonald had a farm...enough already!

Six more days till our little baby turns one. As a special treat Aunty Ems let him open his very first present. He was stoked. His chubby little fingers mauled the cars. Great entertainment as we repacked Rover to head off for a weekend in Tucson. A welcome break from a few days of intense work. How is it that we still don't have enough time in a day?!

Every little boy's dream

Thank you Aunty Ems!

What is this?!

Is that how it works?

Zoom zoom zoom

Peekaboo from our little house in Scottsdale. Little eyes watching us pack

Road trip!

Back in familiar territory

Taking Mah Mah to Catalina State Park

Dancing cheek to cheek

No room for modesty!

Bath time fun!

First adult only date night in a very long time. Mah Mah was kind enough to look mind Baby Boy O whilst he was sleeping, allowing us to escape for a few hours into the hot bed of fast cars and fake blondes that is the Entertainment District of Scottsdale. Armed with Yelp we decided to brave a sushi fix in the middle of a desert. It all worked out well with a delicious dinner, minus the wasabi laced sushi. All until the clock struck quarter to eleven and we turned back into pumpkins summoned home by a phone call from Mah Mah to a crying baby.

Started off here...

...and ended up here, with tears because he was moving the wrong way!

Breakfast buffet

Cowboy apartments

Road to entertainment and fashion districts

Poolside lunching

The night is young, with a rogue parking ticket to come

Way too long between lychee Martinis

Fish

Fish

And more fish

Carpaccio with truffles

Braised beef goodness

Desert courtesy of our sushi chef, making it up for the wasabi incident

Omakase surprise

Getting way too old for public selfies

Much happier today after a good sleep. Things just aren't as strange anymore, and the additional space of our little Air BnB house in Scottsdale isn't as scary anymore. Today we had wave after wave of Amazon.com boxes arrive. All our pent up purchasing from having no fixed address whilst on the road.

Waking up on the happier side of the bed

More presents

Jook makes everything better

Great little Scottsdale neighborhood

Look what mummy ordered online?!

Someone is super happy

Someone had the grumps today. Now that Mah Mah is over, our plan was to hunker down do get some work done – taxes, CRT, calls, nanny search, and a whole load of leftovers that need attention – but Baby Boy O was not going to have a bar of that. New routine, new house, new grandma. Not a great formula for happy baby.

Not so sure about morning story time

Yummy breakfast

Thanks Mah Mah for my presents!

Lunch by the pool with Yah Yah on Skype too

Not happy Jan! (...only people who grew up in Australia in the 80s will understand)

Visiting Biosphere 2 makes me realize that we know so very little about the world in which we live, yet our actions and decisions are based on imperfect snippets of data that we extrapolate and codify and then etch into stone. We think we know more than we really do. We think we can control and predict, yet all we seem to be doing is shift a delicate balance further out to the edges where implications and consequences that were once inelastic become elastic and magnified in its environmental impact. Biosphere 2 is a poor but necessary replication of the original biosphere 1, the Earth. Poor because we can never replicate the complex systems that nature has evolved, not even with half a billion dollars and counting. Necessary as it is the closest thing we have for research and testing, the collection of data which fuels the computer models that fan the flames of our understanding of the very fragile planet we live on.

It occurs to me that the biggest mistake we can make is to think we can definitively know something. When we fall into that trap we shut the door on inquiry, we blind ourselves to the possible yet less probable, we stop reconizing that error allows us to grow and learn, and we fool ourselves into a false sense of security.

Serious bed head

Picnic table cum bench press

Play things

Biosphere 2

An engineering marvel

Youngest biospherean in the group

Pneumatically sealed

Simulating the earths oceans

Rainforest room

What are we doing to our world?

Anyone want to reach for the fire extinguisher?

Simulating a desert (located in a desert...the irony)

Rock to soil experiment, break it down

Get your hands off my boy young lady!

Expandable lung capacity of the biosphere

Getting deep down into the technosphere

Metal and rubber lung, so the heat expanded air doesn't make the biosphere explode

Imagine spending two years sealed away

We need that fire extinguisher now

Helping with the grocery shopping

Welcome Mah Mah!

Saguaros are majestic. They stand tall and proud, growing inch by inch every year. The Native American people believed that they were once people, from the earth and of the earth. To be treated with utmost respect. The unbreakable circle of life, for one day we too will return to the earth to rest.

This is all I get for an Easter egg?

Off to Saguaro National Park

Zola the tarantula

Walking the road after Guardian Angel Mike warned us about rattlesnakes

Setting off on the trail

Burst of yellow

Beautiful and dangerous

Flowering cactus

Starting to warm up

Not a bad dessert view

Blush and bloom

Wildflowers everywhere

My little desert trekker

Which one is female...

...and which one is male?!

Yellow and prickly

Full steam ahead

Over the hill and far away

Thorn in the side

Prickly love

Saguaro family

Beautifully raw landscape

Up close and personal

I spy a pineapple

Hairy old man cactus

Heading toward the peak against the two hour time limit

Weathered tree bones

Amazing cactus, over 100 years old

Into the valley

English hubby going under duress

Gun slingin'

Lasso whipping Loop Rawlins

Anyone for ribs?!

Cowboy movie set

Little madam

Petting zoo

Step back in time

Too tall for a horse thief

Afternoon cuddle time

Awesome campsite at Catalina State Park

Perfect view of the mountains

Picnic table catwalk

Sun setting

Looking over the night sky

I had never thought much about deserts until today. Who knew something so seemingly inhospitable and hostile could be a thing of raw beauty and abundance. Plants, animals, birds and all manner of creatures seem to grow and thrive. They adapt in glorious ways. Adaptation is a skill. Change can be a gift. We booked our flight back to New York City last week. May 11 to meet up with Squee and Fatty Patty. But in truth I have been apprehensive and torn about returning back to the fold. It wasn't until this evenings conversation with Big Red that I surprised even myself. I had a game plan, a spark, a thing of raw beauty and abundance. It had been there all along, and all I had to do was hear myself say it out loud.

An apple a day

Heading to the desert museum

Burst of color

Beauty in the raw

Desert ark

Hidden in plain sight

Standing tall even on a prickly surface

Doing the half mile loop

Condos for bees, sort of like NYC, rooms with a view

Peaceful, calm and open

Flirting with a girl way too old for him

Bob the bobcat

Falcon landing

Falcon free form

Up close and prickly

Nature's garden

Sprouting out

Straight and tall

Don't call me a pig, I'm a javelina

Best smile in the world

Desert selfie

Fascinated with the prairie dogs

I'm watching you!

Getting stuck into cactus

Baby boy o loves fish

Finding Nemo

Rollercoaster road

Catching up on news with Big Red

Happy grilling

American as blueberry pie

Farewell New Mexico, hello Arizona. Our westward journey continues with a surprise lunch time find in Benson – delicious Mexican enchiladas and frajitas. Baby Boy O enjoyed the steak putting his newly emergent teeth to work. We are now in Tucson working out our game plan for this weekend's activities. So much to do and see.

Playtime in bed

This could get interesting

Heading to Tucson for the weekend

Land of the stop and frisk

Mi casa sous casa

Hungry hippos

Sizzling frajitas

Saucy enchiladas

Someone spies a present...

...from mummy and daddy

Best thing ever!

First glimpse of Tucson

Sunset from the RV park, where geriatrics and their parents stay

My blog got hacked again. I don't understand why the cyber universe has decided to pick on my lowly space for musings. I haven't offended any dictators, I don't ask for credit card details or transact, I have no state secrets worthy of prying open. Evil hackers please leave me alone. All I can say is thank goodness for English Hubby. My techno-geek-double-spacing-hero. This is the best post-date night present you could give me: ousting my digital trespassers, sorting out my maps and (hopefully, once they reply to my ticket request) restoring order to the blog pic universe.

My little ray of sunshine

Border patrol ID check

Not listening to you!

English hubby on a cleaning mission

Teething is no fun

Poor little one, finally napping

Dust bowl stopover

My hero

We had a fun date night plus one. Up the road from the RV park was a little restaurant and winery that specialized in thin crust Italian pizzas (yes, made with 00 flour!), home made gelato and extremely big glasses of sweet red wine. The star of the night was Baby Boy O. Over the course of dinner his many admirers would come over to say hello. Pity he can't write yet, else he'd be dishing out autographs. The only person not impressed was the date of the pretty lady Baby Boy O was flirting with.

Breakfast and long debates with Uncle Vince

I don't want to go to Walmart mummy!

One of my many vices

Full moon over mountains

Date night at Luna Rossa

Date night wine and fitbit combo

Thin crust yummy-ness

Walk into the old town square in Mesilla

Listening to music and smooching with my man

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Tomorrow's post:

Another sleepless night. Baby Boy O's fever seems to be easing off a little but there is still no reprieve for his sore gums. Given the situation English Hubby sacrificed his morning hike up to Guadalupe Peak and we pack up and drive toward civilization. When we break for lunch at Popeyes, Baby Boy O seems to be fighting fit, and demanding more chicken. By the time we park up in New Mexico, he's back to his old social self, absorbing every word of our conversation with Uncle Vince from the RV with the cool little Fiat 500 next door. A kindred traveller experiencing a change of pace, from Gulf Stream to A Class. Reflecting back on his life journey he says something that sticks like glue – there are no luggage racks in a hurst. Full stop.

An early morning start. At least we get to see the sun rise

Operation pack and go

Happy to be heading toward civilization

Farewell, we will be back

Precious cuddles

Rover clocked it

First drive

Salt flats. The name says it all

Still not feeling great

Post office stop. You'd think it would be pretty obvious

Perking up in time for lunch

So bad yet so good

Heading to El Paso

The quintessential American highway

The land of enchantment

The inconvenient truth - where our beef comes from. Horrific CAFOs

Perfect for New Mexico. Thanks Mommy Wolfe

After talking to Uncle Vince, we fill up the outdoor jacuzzi

And the bad parent award goes to…us. Baby Boy O's fever is persistent and spiking. Perhaps a six mile hike in the middle of the day was not the smartest of all ideas. The poor thing keeps shoving his fingers into his mouth and crying out in pain. I wish it were an act to gain attention and extra cuddles but this time his need to be close is so real and so strong that he'd climb back up into my womb if he could. Of course whilst this is all happening we are boondocking – relying on our own water and battery electrics – in the middle of nowhere, with patchy cell phone reception, and over two hours away from the nearest children's hospital in El Paso. I'm not particularly religious, but I have whispered a few quiet requests to whomever is listening to keep my boy safe from harm.

Communal sink dish washing to try to save water

Restless night, sleeping his fever off

The mighty mountain, blocking any cell phone reception

Wet towels and Pedia Care therapy

He still has an appetite which is a good sign

Some pretty funky parking to get all 32 feet in the spot

Watching daddy work

Perking up a little

Evening view

Itchy teeth

We finally get the chance to go off the grid for a mountain adventure in Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Baby Boy O has a teething fever. Started off with his hands in his mouth and lots of drooling, then progressed in the morning to a fever of 38.5 degrees. After a shot of baby Pedia Care he seems back to his normal self so we headed off on the McKirritck Canyon Trail for a beautiful 6 mile canyon hike. We fretted over him all day, making sure he’s well hydrated with drink stops every 20 minutes, well shaded with an umbrella and well cooled with a wet towel on his neck. He’s a tough little trooper and loved the hike, as did daddy and mummy. Teething really sucks.

Little poppet feeling very warm

Lovely present from a fellow RVer

Waiting waiting waiting

Blown all over the road

Ï

Perfecting the drive by photo moment

Heading to the Guadalupe Mountains

Off to hike McKittrick Canyon

Start of a six mike hike, a little nervous given the little one's fever

Raw and beautiful

Canyon pose

Over dried river beds

Nice and cool under the shade

Natives

Smooth bark trees, right in the middle of the desert

Hop skip and jump over the little stream

Baby Boy O communing with nature

Where the wild things grow

Hallowed skies

Pit stop at the cabin

Fruit break, yummy!

Feeling like his old self

Thank goodness for water breaks every 20 minutes

Little smiley guy

Trudging forward with daddy

We finally reach the grotto

Canyon family selfie

Picnic table bush change

Natural air conditioning

Exhausted, barreling back along the path

Stone Age

Rock on!

Getting weary in the heat

Glad to have made it back safely. Headed to the campground, navigated tricky parking and fired up the generator for some welcome air conditioning

My little trooper

Explains the scat on the trail

Settling in for the night

We are diving through flyover land. Not much happens around here. Highways, rest stops, bad food, and two bit towns that help join the dots from point A to point B. Van Horn's claim to fame is its middle ground between Big Bend National Park and Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Nothing more.

Tiny tot

We are actually overtaking someone!

Pit stop and windscreen clean

The last remaining stash of briefcases in the western world, at the Flying J

English hubby talked me into a tuna melt

Have butterfly will travel

Smack bang in the middle of nowhere special

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Tomorrow's post:

One supermarket shop, two fast food stops, four hours drive time, 240 more miles under our belt we made it from Medina to Fort Stockton. Due west along the gun barrel of Texas. We experimented with a new approach – driving two hours, breaking for an early dinner and bath time for Baby Boy O, and then back in the hot seat for another two hours. It sort of worked, with sporadic cries as the little one was woken from slumber by bumpy roads and the loud clattering of dishes and stuff in our RV. The experiment continues.

Checking out the trike

Which ride would you prefer?

Drive through the hills

Long John Silvers, surprisingly delicious fish and chips and good service too

Beep beep, move out the way!

Stocking up at H.E.B.

Hola sombrero

Half time break. Letting him stretch out

English hubby piecing Rover back together

Tickle games

Our second serving of fat fast food today. Pizza Hut's skinny pizza with an asterisk stating it is not a low calorie food!

Notice how wide the booths are?! Pizza Hut patron size

Post dinner roadside bath, all ready for bed and the final leg of the drive

Driving into the sunset

Sky's on fire

Hello Fort Stockton

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It’s hard to believe that we’ve only been back in Rover for 10 days. England, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and Hong Kong now seem so very long ago. It’s nice to have now found our own rhythm, a balance as best we can between work, play, family and ‘me’ time. Our clocks seem to have synced. It makes me happy to have a routine, a plan. Perhaps it is the illusion of order and control. I recognize it will change in the most unpredictable ways, but I’ll take it nonetheless.

Four square

A walk around the neighborhood

Where’s Mary?

Someone woke up very cranky

Handover time as per the new schedule

Trying to teach him how to crawl. He’s not happy at all!

Still so much to do and so little time

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We’re camping out at Peach Country RV Park for the rest of the week. English Hubby gets to make sales calls and I get to hang out with my cheeky little boy. His personality grows stronger every single day and there are many giggles and laughs, but also grumps and tantrums. He came off his straight through the night sleeping schedule a few days back, mainly because of teething. We had to take some action to help him learn to get back in that sleep groove. Baby Boy O has mastered the art of standing. All good except he gets frustrated because he can’t do much else like move, sit or balance. He’s quickly entering toddlerhood and I’m busily reading books and searching for tips and YouTube videos to smooth the transitions. All that being said he is great company. I think we’ll keep him!

A couple of renditions of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in C major

Practicing the art of walking

Taking a long walk down to the Pendernales River

Taking an afternoon nap after all that play

Maintenance

Putty in my hands

Date night BBQ dinner al fresco

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We are the youngest RVing family here. If you added up my age, English Hubby’s and Baby Boy O’s we would be getting more in the vicinity of our fellow campers. There’s a lovely simplicity that I see around me. At the same time getting old can be tough when you add to the mix Alan’s dementia, Betty’s limp and Linda’s failing eyesight, but there seems to be an acceptance that time moves and we move with it. No sweating the small stuff, focusing on the here and now. Today there was great excitement surrounding the St Paddy’s day pot luck dinner. Naturally we couldn’t miss the social even of the week, so I whipped up a simple stir fry for dinner at 5pm. 

Family breakfast outdoors

Joining the ladies knitting circle

Playtime fun!

Steering well clear of the unidentifiable green stuff

Loving the corned beef

Going green

Center of attention

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Today is Pi day 3.14.15…and so on, infinitely, random and changing. It is written that the beauty of Pi is that it puts infinity within reach. Therefore today it seems fitting that we commit to make an infinitely wise change. We all have that mental list – eat better, sleep more, do more exercise, moisturize, drink more water, meditate more and so on.  Some day we will run out of time to take that journey of change. So today English Hubby and I have started reading the Zen Habits book, Mastering the Art of Change, and are committing to just one change as we work through the chapters in this book. That one thing is to get more exercise. There. It’s out there in the big wide world. 

Sometimes you need to get through the fog to get some clarity

We had grand ambitions to refuel, hike and explore. Shopping as always took longer than anticipated

Weighing in

Thank goodness for Whole Foods

Won’t be going hungry anytime soon

Refueling, literally

After dinner commitment to change

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A restful day at the campsite. Some work, some admin and lots of playing with the little one. The sun finally arrived so we went for a few walks by the river and along the trails. Baby Boy O is now keenly aware of fuzzy four legged friends. Every time he sees one its a “woohf whoohf” greeting. 

Morning green juice made by English Hubby’s fair hands

Woohf woohf Cricket

Coming back from a morning stroll to the river

Down time

Pure concentration

Finally the sun comes out to play, after four foggy rainy days

Friday afternoon family walk

Dear spotting

Puppy dog tales

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Yesterday I casually wrote “can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow” and Baby Boy O delivers. This morning he hoisted himself up from sitting to standing position, using the strategically positioned car seat as balance bars. If that wasn’t enough, this afternoon he took his first independent steps! Holding onto the couch for dear life, legs shakey and a mix of pure fear and excitement. Small steps for him, big steps for all of us. 

Hoisting himself up with all his might

Family lunch outside, sharing it with a few wasps

A few moments of quiet play, in between Pterodactyl like cries

Big steps for a small boy 

An Aussie boomerang meat pie. Close enough, and tasty. 

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Baby Boy O has been eating up a storm. He can’t seem to get enough of food and milk, and his all time favorite, watermelon. Definitely another growth spurt on the way, adding to the mental leaps he’s already making. Everyday is a new day and learning just continues exponentially. I feel so fortunate to be able to be witness to these events – things we as adults take for granted day in day out – but from a little ones point of view, it is a huge leap to take one foot step after another and hold himself still, to sift out then eject an unsavory food item from a mouthful of food, to open and close a box and take out blocks from a container, to play games with his mummy and understand the idea of taking turns and rolling in fits of laughter at each other. My baby played quietly and even looked after me today as I recouped in bed. His sweet chubby fingers gently wrapped around mine as I napped. I can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow.

Sweet Baby Boy O looking at birdies by the Colorado River

Food glorious food

Daddy took him out for a walk to the activity center and along the trails

After lunch walk to the river with mummy

His natural little coif

Standing up and holding on like a big boy 

Having fun at the playgrounds and playing games with mummy

Delicious roast dinner after an afternoon of play, cuddles and naps. Life is so very good

Netflix date night in, and trip planning

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Baby Boy O has a lot to say. Today he did the talking for us both. He loves jumping into conversation, chattering away to Mike our fellow RVer. He made friends with Linda the next door camper too. Best of all those seemingly random syllables may actually mean something. Mamamamama appears to stand for mummy. His first official word. It’s close enough. I’ll take it!

Playtime is becoming quite serious

Chatting with Mike, the first person online in 1946 when his dad and brother pegged him up with the rest of the laundry 

Sharing a moment with Mike who has many stories to tell

Bridge over troubled waters

Home for the next few nights. Hot dogs in the activity center tonight, ice cream social tomorrow

Landing a coveted spot by the river

Sorting things out

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We are settling into a new normal. Baby Boy O wakes us, he feeds, we play. Breakfast, clean up, admin, pack and go. We shop for essentials or gas or something, we lunch and we drive further. He cries, laughs, moans, smiles and more. We reach our destination where I unpack the inside whilst occupying the little one and English Hubby hooks up the RV outside. A little more play, perhaps a book. Then bath, another feed, and put to bed. Then dinner, dishes and we try to catch up on all the things we feel we should have done during the day in transit. Even without a ‘real job’ our time is cram filled with living.

Morning playtime

Nap time

Drive time through fog in Galveston

Lunch time snack

Afternoon giggles

Grown up stuff

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We have been completely spoilt with kindness. That bridge of friendship spanning Singapore, New York, Houston and now Galveston began with a conversation at a bus stop. Invited into their family’s home, flying kites on the beach, drinking margaritas over a Tex Mex two plate dinner feast. Sharing experiences and excitement of times to come. It makes me smile and remember how fortunate we are, every moment, every day. 

What a great way to wake up, smiling.

And with a view 

Monkey business

Baby Boy O’s first lesson in aeronautics

Up in the air

Higher higher daddy!

Big kids

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’s a rainbow kite!

The concentration

Handyman Dan commanding the skies

Not quite beach weather but nice to on the beach

We’re in Texas. There’s got to be good Tex Mex here

Waiting for dinner 

Only regret is not taking a photo of English Hubby’s two plate original dinner

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Getting settled back into the RV bit by bit. It’s nice to rediscover our tiny house on wheels and not having to live out of a suitcase. Baby Boy O’s shoe rack of clothes is unpacked, toys put away, English Hubby spent the morning rearranging the storage to make room for a stroller too. We now move from two vehicles to one. Rental returned after a circuitous drive around Houston airport courtesy of Google Maps. We are now traveling as a family in Rover, heading down to Galveston to meet Finland Gal and Handyman Dan. Running late of course. 

The great unpack

Farewell rental

A very happy baby thanks to the lovely lady at Krogers

Balloon games in the frozen aisle

From Houston to Galveston, a sunset with love 

All you need is a balloon and a Finnish Gal

Only six years old!

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Winter caught up with us with a good sprinkling of snow in Dallas. We planned to take off at 9 but ended up leaving by about 10am. So is life with a little one who now refuses to be put down to play alone. Packing takes twice as long! We sludged our way to Conroe to pick up Rover. Luckily he was tucked away safe and sound with everything in good working order. A few quick pit stops to dewinterize, settle storage and restock on supplies, then onto our spot for the night. It’s good to be home.

Dallas in white

Still practicing with the buckets

Like father like son

Heading 196 miles south!

A balmy 37 degree Fahrenheit 

Hello Rover

But I don’t want to drive it mummy!

Flat battery but everything else in good nick

On the road again!

Restocking with goodies

Parking up for the night

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We put it out there today. Dream sheet shared. Our wish list is out there in the universe and the wheels are a-turning. Where it lands is something that will be revealed to us in good time. It has been a bumpy road to get to this point. Lots of late nights, excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint slides, what ifs and what not. Today good team work shone through, a important and different type of partnership. Tonight we celebrate with In-and-out burgers and a bag of popcorn.

Teaching the little one how to stack buckets

Walking through the rain

The pitch

Playing bucket games with mummy

A grease spoon milestone celebration

Yesterday’s post: SitterCity

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Thank goodness for SitterCity. We managed to find a great babysitter to meet us at our hotel in Irving. Baby Boy O loved the attention from someone new. Martha was great, nevertheless leaving my baby with a near complete stranger is a harrowing experience. We had a number of trial runs today – baby sitter and late night pitch perfect rehearsals – and now we have more peace of mind for tomorrow. Que sera sera. 

Striking gold with Martha

Nice to have another pair of hands

Loving all the attention

The t-shirt says it all

Calm before the bedtime storm. Sometimes you have to shut the hotel door and rehearse in the hallway

Yesterday’s post: The Final Flying Leg

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It’s been a very long day, starting in LA and ending in Dallas. Another snafu with American Airlines neglecting to inform us that they had changed our 11.10 flight to 09.30. Our patience tested in one long line after another – baggage check, rebooking and then security. Having spent over five hours in LAX Terminal 4 I can now safely say that it ranks as one of the worst airports in the world. Nevertheless we made the best of our closing leg of travel, grabbing lunch, finding a little nook to rest and even sneaking in a floor nap. Baby Boy O held up as well as a teething baby in transit can. It’s near midnight in our hotel room and he has finally melted down. This marks the official close of our round the world in 91 days chapter. I’ve enjoyed every moment of it and looking forward to being reunited with Rover, soon.

A great way to start the day in LA

Pirate Coopy with his swashbuckling tales

Princess Lila recounting stories of dragons

A lot of love in the air

Line after line

Bag surfer

Making the most of the situation

It’s been a long long day

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Today’s our last day in the USA for the rest of the year. Off to London tonight, the first leg of our round the world expedition. Closing one chapter and opening another. Escaping the freezing weather. Thankfully we had our London clothes with us which helped shield us from the 40 degree drop in temperature.  Ready, set, go!

Started the day with a little swim in the hotel pool…still waking up after too many episodes of Master Chef Junior. Addicted and adoring Oona!

Little dip in the pool

Always time for thumb sucking

Family pool selfie

Just chillin’ out

Pack and go! Love this stroller bag

Cosmic Cafe two days in a row. Yum!

Grand Prairie mail run, mobile banking from the car, picking up sunglasses from LensCrafters and buying a big pillow from Walmart. Done.

Someone’s excited!

Somewhere above the Atlantic

American Airlines strikes again…

Yesterday’s post: Go!

Tomorrow post:

Best ways to get to know a new city is to eat and walk. We found a local gem (thank you Yelp) of a place – Cosmic Cafe – a Himalayan vegetarian restaurant. Good for the body and soul and even had a meditation center upstairs to boot. Our inner Om connected with our stomach yum.

We had a lovely lazy morning in the hotel room, I had some me time at the gym, off to lunch then a walk along Dallas’ Katy trail green belt area. Just soaking up the glorious Dallas winter sun. 

Love me…so easy to do

It’s starting to feel a bit like Christmas

Feels so good to exercise

Teaching Baby Boy O to crawl by showing him how

Cosmic Cafe Om and yum

One very happy English Hubby

Baby Boy O getting in on the action

Loving the vibe

Winter sunshine

Stumbled across the Katy Trail

Not sure eating a panda would be on my list

It’s thirsty work walking the trail. Had to stop for a cold one

So happy to be outdoors

Out cold after a big day

Yesterday’s post: Speed Bumps on the Road to Dallas

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They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. They forgot to mention the speed bumps along the way. Little annoyances that slow you down, scrape the bottom of your car and test your ability to practice mindfulness and compassion. I am pleased to report that we got to Dallas in the end, but only after clearing a few trying hurdles along the way. What hurdles you may ask? Here’s a selection:

• We discovered our storage unit had a residual oil leak from the previous tenant. Although the manager promised to have it cleaned up before we moved in, it never happened. The last thing we wanted was for our tiny house on wheels, with all the personals we left behind, to smell of oil after three months in an unventilated storage unit. English Hubby came across a fix on YouTube. Cat litter. Yep, sprinkle it on and it soaks up the slick and smells. Cat-astrophe avoided 😉
• We took Rover to the RV service center to be winterized yesterday. They forgot to drain the pump, which would have frozen over and cracked should the temperatures dip below freezing. A number of calls and an impromptu pit stop back at servicing and it was fixed. Not a biggie, but begs the question why things can’t be done right in the first place. 
• Just as we were storing the RV, we noticed little mud dauber nests on the struts. Not wanting to come back to an infestation of wasps, we had to destroy their little nests and just hope they don’t return. We could be in for a nasty surprise in three months time, but hey ho.
• Then after covering 200 miles and arriving at our hotel in Dallas, the front desk informed us there were no more cribs left. What happened to the special request, and phone call to confirm that we had a crib for our seven month old you may ask? A mystery that will go unanswered. 

The big clean up

 

Packing up our tiny house on wheels

 

With a valiant effort, we managed to eat most of our food

 

Getting nostalgic as one chapter ends and another one begins

 

Brunch at Chick Fil A whilst we wait for Rover to be fixed. So impressed by the high chairs which came with sanitizing wipes and fresh plastic placemats for kids to eat off. So thoughtful and great service

 

Unwelcome surprise in our storage unit

 

Nothing a broom and a stick could not fix (we hope!)

 

Wide load

 

Precision driving

 

Mid way pit stop and diaper change at Sonic

 

With roller skating waiters and waitresses…so very Happy Days

 

We all had a nice little stretch and cuddle

 

Playing the original theme song…

 

…as we roll into town

 

Cribless at the Hilton

 

Sleeping amongst a castle of fluffy pillows

 

Yesterday’s post: Set…

Tomorrow’s post:

 

 

 

In the midst of a packing frenzy. Trying to pack for three months abroad, five countries, seven stops, winter and summer seasons, three people, two bags plus baby gear. Add to that, packing up the RV for storage. As Irish Lass commented on Facebook, such a huge first world problem to have!

As with any challenge, solving it starts one step at a time, and with long lists of things to remember on Evernote – remember to empty rubbish bins, give away condiments and frozen stuff, pack international plugs, passports, print travel insurance docs, pack 6 – 12 month clothes, winter and summer stuff…and the list goes on. Ready, set…

One very important thing to pack!

Repurposed show rack packing hack

Rolls up and packs beautifully! And everything is ready to go on the other end

Crappy Vietnamese. Should have known from the green on the walls

Yesterday’s post: So Very Thankful

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Our first thanksgiving as a family of three. We have so much to be thankful for. Our complaints are small, our challenges insignificant in the broader scheme of things, we have good health and a precious fortunate life. Today we had a great opportunity to give back and help others. We helped fold clothes, prep food boxes and set up tables and chairs for Thanksgiving lunch at the Dream Center in Conroe. Our contribution was so minuscule when you realize 45 million people in America are at minimum wage or less (think $7.25 to $9.50 range). That’s a lot of hardship for a lot of people. I’ve come to appreciate it more and aware of this hidden issue since finishing Linda Tirado’s book, Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America. I am thankful for so much and thankful I can help others too. 

The only way we can get him to do tummy time. The boy loves trees!

We waited so long for you, so thankful to be your mum

Driving to the wrong side of the tracks, parking next to a lady turning tricks, trying to order chaos. Some things feel broken and need fixing

Such a small drop in the ocean, nevertheless it was a drop

So thankful for my beautiful sister who sent us this book

Breaking bread – Thanksgiving turkey and pot luck lunch at Thousand Trails Lake Conroe

Someone liked their sweet potato

Poor Baby Boy O. Second tooth breaking through. Grumpy

Binky is so yesterday! He’s started sucking his thumb

Last tub bath in Rover (for a little while at least)

Yesterday’s post: Ready…

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