To Our Friends And Family Around The Planet

The lady's voice on the underground was speaking to me. 

"Mind the Gap", she politely stated in an upbeat tone.   

I have always adored this quintessential English announcement on the London underground, advising awareness of the space between the train and the platform but this time my tired, jet-lagged brain deciphered a personal message.  She secretly was pointing out for me to be conscious of the vast geographic, cultural, and social "gap" between Latin America, where we had just spent 3 months shaping our new nomadic family lifestyle, and the European continent on to which we had just landed.  At least that was what I understood.  My ability to receive this unique message may have been somewhat shaped by shock as only moments before an automatic door had separated my family, leaving Zuki and I standing on the platform mouths agape, as Kiko and Yoda were wicked off in a train down a dark tunnel.  

Funny enough, in the pre-trip mania we had had multiple conversations at home as a family over dinner about the protocal for this type of scenario, where one member of our family is left alone either on the platform or in a train on the underground.   This was prompted by another family's travel blog which described a similar fiasco and their prearranged plan of action.  We had gone over our family plan multiple times, just in case, never really thinking we would be needing it.  

But we did, the very first day we landed in Europe and the very first time we traveled together on the underground!

We had just landed in London after an overnight flight from New Jersey (USA) and had taken advantage of the wonderful public transportation system, which connects Heathrow Airport via the underground train to the center of London. The train was at the platform when we arrived so in a rush to get to our new "home", we quickly boarded but the doors started closing on Zuki, Yoda, and I.  Kiko was already on board.   Somehow Yoda and his backpack squeezed through and Zuki and I were left on the platform.

So as planned so many months ago, the two boys got off at the first station as Zuki and I boarded the next train.  When our train entered the station the boys spotted us and re-boarded.  I was so thankful that it had not been just one child left on that platform alone, which might have pushed us beyond our limits.   It was at that moment, as I sat on the train, all of us together again, the little adrenaline rush slowly fading, that the cryptic message advising me to be aware of our new, markedly different surroundings was received.  

As expected this past month of travel have been noticeably different then the first 3 months.  Not only has the culture and environment completely changed since entering North America breifly and now Europe ,but our individual experience has changed drastically as well.  Where previously we have been exploring and functioning mostly as a self-sufficient unit of four,  the last month has been heavily sprinkled with time surrounded by family and friends, who have taken us in and nurtured us.  This wasn't purposely planned as part of "the overall scheme" but could I claim it as such, I would truly be the perfect RTW trip coordiinator.  Time spent with family and friends that sincerely care about us and know "our story" couldn't have been more ideally timed.   

My extended family in New Jersey, USA.

Although our scheduled 5 days turned into 2 because of a flight complication leaving Venezuela, our time with my aunts, uncles, and cousins in New Jersey, was truly welcomed and enjoyed. Although one could argue that Kauai and N.J. are quite different, when compared to South America the backdrop of NJ is a relatively familiar setting, enabling Kiko and I a vantage point in which to more obviously observe any changes in the kids.   Our hearts warmed seeing the overall appreciation that they had gained in just 3 months of travel.  They wowed at the big clean bathrooms and the plush comfy living room at my aunt and uncle's house, where we were staying.    Although we had been eating well enough over the past 3 months, when faced with the kitchen stocked full of familiar food, they were seriously overwhelmed.  My Aunt may well think we had been starving the kids.  To be honest the visit to the grocery store was comical.  The "oms" and "ahhs" from the kids were like that I would imagine of kids visiting from the soviet block in the 80's.

They were bubbling over with excitement with the idea that they could converse easily in a country where English is the first language but it put smiles on our faces hearing Yoda or Zuki on occasion using Spanish out of habit.  The kids proudly beamed as they shared the stories of their recent adventures in the Galapagos, the Amazon, or about our family in Venezuela, or Zuki's scary midnight fall from the bunk bed in Nicaragua.

Zuki captured her feelings about our short time in the USA perfectly upon departing, with tears in her eyes, stating,  "I don't want to leave.  I want to live here.  They all love us so much."  The love was truly felt and even though it was terribly short, I am so happy to have been able to include important family bonding in our Big Trip.  

Luckily London, England, a highly awaited destination of the children,  was our next stop or leaving actually might have been a bit more difficult.  

After the initial tube-ride-disaster, we made it safely to Holborn Station,  where we rode the staggeringly long escalator up to the street level and walked the 5 minutes, laden with backpacks, to The October Gallery, our accommodations for our 6 nights in London. 

Still trying to smile after our underground fiasco.

Kiko showing Zuki which way we needed to walk on the map.

The October Gallery, a sister operation to Research Vessel Heraclitus, where Kiko and I met in 1998 (more on that story here) is a unique contemporary art gallery, which also rents space for events and a dozen or so private rooms for short term stays.  Both Kiko and I have lived and volunteered at The Gallery for various lengths of time between 1998-2001.  For me, walking into The October Gallery felt a lot like returning home, which I hadn't expected to experience.  Seeing good friends from our past lives on The Ship and from The Gallery, some whom we had anticipated seeing and others who were total surprises, actually brought swelling tears to my eyes.   Somehow all of a sudden reunited with our friends with whom we had experienced many memorable adventures in various parts of the globe, made this wide world seem a bit smaller and everything seem possible.  These are the type of friends who although we haven't seen them for 13 years it was like little time has passed.  What a treasure and a joy. We reconnected over meals and coffee, Kiko lent a little hand here and there like old times, and I enjoyed the group morning mediation ritual.   

London has so much to offer a traveling family.  Most of the museums are free and the iconic sights are numerous.  We embraced it all, finding joy in even the most touristy endeavors, eager to share this unique city with our kids.  

Looking at Gryffindor's common room at Warner Brother's Harry Potter studio Tour

Enjoying the big open spaces of London's parks

The Egyptian Mummy Exhibit at The British Museum, always a big hit with the kids.

After a full day of exploring, museums, neighborhoods, parks, and monuments, coming  "home" to our friends was such a treat.  Zuki and Yoda absorbed more information and excitement about London's history from the 30 minute stroll to the local grocery and subsequent tour of the "secret London underground" with our friend Jessie, an Englishman with a wealth of information regarding just about everything, than we could have imparted them with in the entire 6 days we were there.  They were given "slug duty" from the Chili, who has run the gallery for 35 years, and proudly rid the courtyard of slug with the use of small cups of beer, which they learned slugs are attracted to.   Captain Claus joked with the kids as if he has known them their entire lives even though he had just met them.  All four of us appreciated the fresh energy and the truly special situation we had in London. 

Jessie, imparting knowledge and excitement for learning everywhere he went

Kiko and I even got an unprecedented  "night out".  Knowing the kids were safe and happy back at The Gallery, we rode the underground to Westminster and enjoyed a coffee as we strolled along the beautiful lit up skyline, just the two of us.  

Leaving London wasn't easy either and with our departure it was plain to see the kids relish these type of  personal connections in our new travel lifestyle.  

The day we left London was really one for the record books.  We woke up at 4:30 A.M. in order to get the 7:30 plane out of Stanstead Airport, which I had booked months before on the European budget airline Monach.   We took a taxi to the train station, a train to the airport, flew to Venice, where we took a bus and then a boat before walking the 10 minute to our apartment in Venice.   Now that is a lot of modes of transport for one day!  

Venice was as spectacular as we all had hoped.

Ever since we can all remember Yoda has been enamored by images of Venice. Even before he could speak he would see photos of the picturesque waterways filled with boats and point emphatically.  So a week in Venice was included on the itinerary because of Yoda.  At one point it became clear that he had thought all the boats filling the canals were fishing boats...but we figured he would still love seeing it in real life anyway.  

We lucked out finding a 2 bedroom apartment with a full kitchen in the residential community of Castello, which really set the tone for our visit.  We got a glimpse of what it is like to live in Venice.  Just a 3 minute walk from our apartment was a boat selling amazing fresh fruit and veggies, which we would stock up on everyday.  We had a local butcher and fish monger, where the fisherman would arrive in their boats to drop off their morning catch.  It was so interesting to see the wide variety of seafood caught 20 km off shore.   

Delicious fresh produce. After a few visits Zuki asked "Why does everything taste so good in Italy?"

Fishermen with their morning catch.

We even found an entire store full of gluten-free Italian items.  For a variety of health and lifestyle reasons we haven chosen to eat a gluten free diet as a family for the past 2 years.  Mostly we eat naturally gluten free foods rich in nutrients such as meat, eggs, veggies, fruit, and nuts and generally avoid the "gluten free" replacement foods, but being here in Italy where there is so many delicious looking baked goods and pastas we purposely searched out some gluten free versions.   Due partly to the fact that Italy has the highest rate of Celiac's Disease in the world, Italy's gluten free foods and snacks have been perfected and taste unbelievable.  After meandering through the beautiful back alleys of Venice we we were delighted to find the wonderful store, Mea Libera Tutti, where everything is "sanza glutine" (gluten-free).  With the loud "ohs" and "ahhs" coming from our excited children, the welcoming owner immediately took us under her wing and showed us the best of the best, including some freshly made Italian bite-sized pastries and even wrote us a list of gluten free friendly restaurants so we could enjoy pizza and pasta out as well.  After each visits to her store we left with a bulging bag overflowing with wonderful items we could prepare in the kitchen of our apartment, little free gifts from the owner, and huge smiles on our faces.  

Posing in front of Mea Libera Tutti with their donut gifts.

We filled our days with wanderings....

A street in our neighborhood

Famous pigeons of St. Mark's Square

and we were continually surprised by the beauty behind each bend...

We even went for the gondola ride.  (Thanks Grandpa!)

After a very memorable time in Venice, we rented a car for two weeks to explore further afield in Italy.   

Our compact ride for 2 weeks

That sounds simple enough. All sorts of tourists rent cars in Europe on vacation but somehow for us this aspect turned out to be yet another adventure.  Sure we know how to use a GPS.... when we are trying to find our location in the middle of the South China Sea, but somehow neither of us had ever used  GPS to navigate a car.   Add to that the fact that while Kiko is able to pilot a 82' sailing boat, 99% of his car driving experience up to this point has been on the island of Kauai, where there is pretty much one, single-lane road, and you can begin to imagine our experience driving through Italy.

But we made it safely to our first destination 4 hours away, Ripatransone, a small hill town where my great grandfather was born. 

Ripatransone, in Marches

My grandmother, Lilia, kept in contact with our Italian family through the years and I was lucky enough to have accompanied her to Ripatransone twice in my 20's.  I really looked forward to sharing this unique Italian experience with my own family.  What an opportunity for us to truly connect with our roots.   It had been 13 years since my last visit and my grandmother had done most of the communication in Italian in the past so I wasn't exactly sure how this trip would go.    

Our Italian family, bringing us around to all the local sites.

But I needn't have given it a second thought, for as always, we were given the royal treatment from our Italian family.  A warm welcome involving the customary two kisses, about which I had prepped the kids, signified the start of a whirlwind of eating and touring for four days straight. 

We were given an entire 2 bedroom apartment to stay in, directly below the home of Giorgio and Emanuela's (pictured far left and right in the above photo).

Dining area in our apartment in Ripa.

Although we speak no more then a handful of Italian words, as a group we conversed adequately enough using a combination of Spanish (which is surprisingly similar to Italian), Italian, some English of the younger generation of our Italian family, and a Italian/English dictionary when things got tricky.  

Our days consisted of a little home schooling in the morning and then we were whisked off on a  morning outing, returning to Ripa for a huge, delicious, homemade lunch by 1:30 which would linger on 'till about 4, at which time we would be off again touring.  Before we knew it we had become adjusted to the European late dinners, customarily beginning at 9pm or later.  A 6pm gelato helped.  Bedtime wasn't until 11 or midnight.  

Enjoying another homemade meal of Emanuela's

Ripatransone, while well off the beaten tourist path, has plenty of nearby attractions.  We enjoyed the local beach at Grottamare only 20 minutes away and numerous medieval villages.  Since we were generally a group of 8 or 10 we would go in two cars. In order to ensure we would know which way to go, Emanuela, who doesn't speak any English,  would sit up front in our car and direct Kiko.   Oh what an experience for Kiko, driving a manual car in Italy with many multi-lane, merging roads, while learning Italian directions.  He did great and had fun doing it.  

We also spent some time simply enjoying the sights of the small hill-town itself which boasts the narrowest street in Italy.  Of particular interest to us was the home of my great grandfather and the cemetery where many of our relatives are buried.  Hearing the stories of our ancestors really made an impression on the kids.  This is the way to truly learn about your roots.  

The narrowest street in Italy.

Me standing in front of the home where my great grandfather grew up.

Even with the language barrier the kids made strong connections.  The truth of the old saying " The way to one's heart is through food" became obvious as the kids were eating it up and loving the attention.  I had mentioned prior to our arrival that we were gluten free, knowing that any visit with the family was going to involve lots of food. The first Italian word I taught the children was "mangia mangia!" as I knew they would be directed to "eat, eat" many times.   I had brought a few sanza glutine items from our favorite store in Venice but I needn't have as we we were presented with a huge bag of sanza glutine items from the family.   They had even gone online to locate resurants that would be cater to our special dietary needs.  One night we were brought to a pizzeria that had a wide selection of gluten free pizzas, with the option of fun animal shapes for the kids.  You can imagine the excitement of Yoda and Zuki.  

Once again leaving was difficult, this time with many of us having tears visibly running down our checks.  We all feel so lucky to have such an connection with our Italian family.   

We had a week before our scheduled meet up with my parents so a few days before our departure from Ripa I found a last minute rental apartment on airbnb.com in Tuscany, right outside of Siena, to relax a bit in a country setting and catch up on some schooling.  

And it turned out to be a gem.  

A combination of hill-town burn out and a unexpected bit of luxury forced us to relax, something we hadn't done too much of lately.  

Of course we did visit some beautiful medieval towns and drank in the iconic Tuscan landscapes.  

And we even found some natural mineral hot springs, a surprisingly pleasant diversion.  

But we spent a luxurious amount of time at the apartment, catching up, relaxing, and enjoying home cooked meals;  just what we needed even though we hadn't really known it.  

The world is a big place and we have given ourselves a year to explore it.   Sometimes it feels just unphathomly enormous, like when looking at the tinly little pins on a world map of the places we plan to visit this year. 

But somehow over the last month, when we have made so many unique human connections, it seems comfortably smaller.