The 1 rule of traveling, go when you can!

I am starting to consider myself as a "professional" traveller now, I have more or less travelled my whole life, on longer and shorter trips. The last long one was almost 2 years, and I circled the globe twice. This time around I am travelling with my beautiful littlebabyexplorer and prince charming. We have as of yet not circled the globe, but we have been on the road now for almost 4 months. Besides from having the time of our lives as a family, we are also making valuable lessons that we can put in our backpack and take with us. (and share, sharing is caring :) )

So my 1 rule of travelling:

New York City - before the storm...

The difference could not be bigger. 3 months on secluded beaches in Brazil 20 hours later; a world metropolis NYC. Busy traffic, freezing cold wind, no sun to be seen and people rushing everywhere. It was all overwhelming! We hurried into our hotel room at Cassa hotel, and exhausted all three of us sank into the Egyptian cotton sheets and passed out.

The next day littlebabyexplorer decided it was morning at 5 am,

Going to Brazil with a baby? Bring your own baby food!

We have spent around 2 months in one of the most beautiful and diverse countries of south America, Brasil. Samba, Capirinia, Capoeira, beach, sand, sun, culture and happy people that love children. Littlebabyexplorer has charmed her way with everyone and we have had a great time! Next time though I will bring my own baby food. Nestle has some kind of monopoly it would seem on the baby food selection. It is all that is available. I mean even in great big cities like Rio and Sao Paulo I could only find the same food. No handy fruit squeezes (like on the picture above) or nibbles to find anywhere. And Nestle only have about 5 different dinners. And impossible to find a baby porridge without sugar. I am happy I am still breast feeding and not depending on formula! Since littlebabyexplorer was only 7 months when we arrived in Brasil we decided not to give her "normal" food. I have been to Brasil many times in the past and never had any trouble, but just as an extra precaution we decided to only give her baby food. Little did I know about the baby food situation. I remember reading in an guide book from 2000 that they recommended you bring your own baby food to Brasil, but I thought surely 12 years and one booming economy later that they would have a great big improvement on this department. But NO! So lesson learnt bringing my own baby food next time ;)

Leasons learnt part 2 - In a restaurant

Littlebabyexplorer is now 10 months and we have travelled for over 3 months, and I am happy to say that we are more experienced and here are some more lessons learnt:

Eating in restaurants:

When travelling for a long time like we are, you eat an insane amount of meals in restaurants. In fact sometimes its up to 3 times pr day. Those of you who have a baby will probably wonder how its possible to keep the baby still for that long. Well most of the times its not! So you have to adjust to the surroundings, and adjust your expectations. Few tips we have learnt so far:

Kristians 40th birthday Insolito Hotel and Spa Buzios

4 decades seems like a really long time when you think about it, but he claims himself that he feel no older no than he did 2 decades ago. I would not know, since I am not a day over 25 :) Every year my close friends congratulate me on my 25 th birthday again. I like it that way. 25 is a good age I think. I know I know, all stages of lives has its own charm, that is not what I am saying, its more like deciding my brain that I am still 25 so that my body won't deteriorate...

Iguazu Falls - eternal fall in the jungle

Iguazu river flows mostly through Brazil, but the falls divide Argentina and Brazil. The fall can be experienced on both sides, and its is highly reccomended that you visit both sides. Iguazu means big water. Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In rage, the god sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall...

Backpack traveling alone in Rio...

When you are travelling, the possibility of forgetting something somewhere is always present, even experienced travellers (yes I allow myself to be called experienced traveller) forget or loose stuff from time to time. There are however Continent and far less convenient places and countries to "misplace" your things. A Taxi in Rio from one hotel to another does qualify as an inconvenient place:

For rent: Apartment on the beach in Brazil...

Just spent the last 7 weeks in my beautiful serene getaway on the beach in the north of Brasil close to Natal. They say that in Natal the sun never sets, and its true, its around 30 degrees all year round, a little more windy in winter months but thats it! We did some redecorating and upgrading of the apartment, so its ready for the high season!

For a closer look, vistit: http://www.beachholidaynatal.com/

Rio de Janeiro with a baby....

Rio de Janeiro was the first big city I ever heard about, the first time I heard the name was from my mothers good friend, she lived there with her husband in the early 1980s and every time I saw her I listened to stories about the great exotic far away city that had the biggest carnival in the world. She told me how there were hungry children begging for your left overs outside the restaurant, the big favellas where the police could not set there foot and the biggest brightest carnival in the world. I could not wait to go there myself... 

Holiday life doing everyday stuff....

Okay so traveling and being on constant holiday for 6 months is a dream come true, no doubt about that. Loving every minute of it! I love the fact that I get to know myself, my boyfriend and my daugther better and better every day. That I have time to sit on the beach and stare endlessly at the ocean. Away from all the "most" dos and the "most" haves of the place we still refeer to as home, Oslo. 

Its a blessing to wake up....

"Aunty" Elin is visiting us...

When you are away from home and people that you care about, its great when "home" comes to you. Last week we had my cousin over from Norway. She is my mothers sisters kid, but my daugther will grow up to call her "Aunty". Its been great having her here, showing her my home away from home, Brasil. I love this country and I hope to spend alot of time here in my apartment with friends and family in the future.

Living on the beach in Brazil...

After our time travelling around in Florida and Brasil, we found it very welcoming moving into my apartment on the beach. It is in the north of Brasil, its the sunny capital and boast of over 300 sunny days a year. Its low season at the moment, but the weather is the same as always, its just less people on the beach.

The apartment is situated

Lessons learnt Part 1: Long haul flights

 Now its more or less 1 month since we left Norway. We have been travelling with an now 8 and half month old baby girl. So far we have tried and tested a few things, and are learning from our mistakes everyday. Here are some of the things we have learnt Part 1.

Long haul flights:

Sao Paulo - Brazils answer to NYC

 Waiting to check in at the airport in Miami with TAM, (by the way what a terrible airline, that actually deserves a whole blog post) Littlebabyexplorer charmed to lady in front of us in the que and we started talking. She was from Sao Paulo and it was interesting to hear her take on the city. She told me that people from Sao Paulo when asked where they were from, were often caught saying, " I am not from Brasil, I am from Sao Paulo"and that they also at some point in the past wanted to be independent from Brazil.

The Keys, perfect for families....

Packing in city life, and heading down the US highway 1 we were going to find family holiday paradise. The Florida Keys. What a perfect place to take your children. At Cheeca lodge there were all sorts of activities to keep everyone happy. Windsurfing, kitesurfing, snorkeling, diving, beach, pool,  fishing and basically all sorts of outdoor activities. Surroundings were stunning, food excellent, and the staff was trained to the fingertips.