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| New VW DoubleBack campervan |
I went from one beautiful location to the next with mountain bikes in tow, a good friend to share the experience with, and some great tunes drowning out the sound of the open road and the lack of muffler, which fell off after somewhere in Virginia.
Those were the days. Stopping at random rest stops when we got tired. Cooking up some grub and playing chess before popping the camper top up and crashing. No schedule. No jobs. Just the open road and our hunger for experiences in new locations as our motivation.
The new VW DoubleBack campervan will run £55,000 ($87,250). The price tag is slightly above what the typical carefree twenty-something could afford. But even at this price, there is a waiting list for this fine machine. DoubleBack says to expect delivery in the second half of the year if you order it today.
Visit www.doubleback.co.uk for more information
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| U.S. Congressman Ron Paul |
We find ourselves in a quaint guesthouse in Penang, Malaysia four months in to our world travels. Although the area is home to many expat travelers and tourists alike with high-rise condotels, beach resorts and even a Hard Rock café, it’s certainly not the type of place you’d expect to find people who care about U.S. politics.
The lone traveler that is sharing the guesthouse with us is a retired backpacker from Austria. Upon first meeting him, I asked if he spoke English. He responded “a little bit,” which is the typical response from fellow travelers whose first language is clearly not English. Yet after a minute or two of discussion, it’s obvious they all speak much more than just a “little bit”. In fact, most of them should be labeled fluent even though their confidence is lacking.
After making small talk, we moved on to larger subjects like the state of the world, the wars, the euro situation and, finally, the United States. He revealed that he was a big country music fan and has visited the States a half-a-dozen times to go to festivals. His handlebar mustache suddenly made more sense.
So he wasn’t completely unfamiliar with America. Upon reflecting on the challenges facing America, he asked if I thought any of the current presidential candidates could make a difference. I told him there’s only one guy who’s even discussing the real issues like the monetary system, restoring freedom and privacy, and ending the aggressive wars. And before I could mention his name, he blurted out “Ron Paul?”
Later that same night, I joined two fellow family travel bloggers for some beers at a local pub. One is a website developer from Australia and the other is an economist from Canada. Both have been keeping a home base in Malaysia for many months and work remotely. Again, after talking of world events, the topic turned to American politics. Each of my drinking companions displayed a surprising level of understanding of how our system works; the two political parties, the Federal Reserve, and so much more.
As some of the problems facing America became agreed upon, they leveled their focus on me to see if I thought some of the presidential candidates would make a difference, if any. Yet again, I said there’s only one guy speaking of the issues we just discussed and before I could name him, the Canadian chimed in with “Ron Paul?” And the Australian said “who, the Libertarian?”
This level of recognition not just of U.S. politics in general, but of Ron Paul was nothing short of stunning to me. Especially when earlier in the night, when I first met the Canadian, I asked what part he was from and he said “Ottawa.”
I ignorantly inquired “is that on the Eastern side?” And he chuckled a bit and said “No, it’s sort of in the middle and is actually the capital of Canada.”
To which, in self-deprecating fashion, I replied “You know us stupid Americans don’t know our own geography in North America.”
And that’s perhaps why I was surprised by their level of knowledge about America, because of my ignorance of a country that bordered where I grew up and which I even visited on two occasions.
However, Americans’ centric view of themselves may not be completely without reason. In fact, after my gratifying conversations with these travelers, I realized that America is still the big elephant in the room that everybody notices when it moves.
They may not know all of the small details about local legislation or political bickering but they notice the big moves that send ripple effects across the globe like the wars and the fact that oil trades in U.S. dollars.
And that seems to be why they know who Ron Paul is, because he’s the only one talking about bringing about peace by ending the U.S. involvement in foreign wars and the only one who seems to understand how devaluing the dollar affects every economy in the world. One thing is for certain, Ron Paul has not just gained recognition by foreigners but respect as well.
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If you are like so many people out there stuck in your life but wanting to make a change I have some great news for you....
Two wonderful friends have decided to try and make those dreams a reality for 20 lucky people. Jennifer Miller from edventureproject and Nancy-SathreVogel from familyonbikes are both extraordinary women who have great knowledge of how to target their own dreams, and do exactly what it takes to make them happen.
Jennifer Miller has managed to create a location independent life and travels the globe with her 4 children. She also piled 11 kids in a bus with 1 other mom and traveled around the country last summer, mama bus was a real inspiration! What amazing courage. Nancy Sathre-Vogel has done the unimaginable and cycled from Alaska to Argentine with her husband and twin boys. That was after her journey across the US with them at 9 years old. She has also written 2 books, one of which I reviewed here about her US journey. It seemed like an impossible goal but Nancy and her family made it happen.
The things that both of these women have accomplished is astonishing and honestly they are things that most of us think we could never accomplish. They both understand that feeling and are honest about their own fears and worries before setting out on their adventures.
I feel confident that they can help you achieve your goals because of the no excuses, can do attitude they both have. They don't let anything get in their way!
I highly recommend this course and I don't go out of my way to do that very often. I believe in these 2 women because of the amazing accomplishments they have already achieved. I believe that they can and will help you acheive your goals no matter what they may be.
Registration is now open, but they only have 20 slots available! It will be a 12 week course, and it is 100% guaranteed, all that they offer is available for you to see now at the dream big dreams website, where they explain week by week what the course will entail.
Start living your dreams today with help from the DREAM INITIATIVE! Head over today to sign up!
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| Puzzled by what homeschool is all about? |
It took me over five years to fully settle in the ideas and, truth be told, I still question myself at least once a year. Over the eight years plus since we started to homeschool, my perspective through research and experience has grown considerably. This perspective has allowed me to address the most commonly asked questions.
What about college?
This is probably the most commonly asked question. The short answer is YES, homeschoolers can go to college. So can unschoolers. And they do! Millions of them in fact! With the advent of online college courses one can simply continue with a homeschool model even in college. Otherwise a student can take tests like GED and SATs, put together a transcript or examples of their work and apply, same as anyone else does. Prestigious universities such as Yale, Stanford, and Harvard accept and even seek out homeschoolers. Oftentimes they are MORE prepared then conventionally schooled children to tackle the pressures of a higher education.
The longer answer to this question will be covered in the next installment of this series, so check back next Monday for my rather unconventional (but gaining more momentum) ideas regarding college and if it really is the best path anymore.
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| Travel, the best education! |
How do they socialize and learn to work with others?
Some conformists actually argue that our kids won't be prepared for the real world because they aren't socialized in school. Pardon me for any typos from here on out, but I can't help but laugh out loud at this common misconception. As if herd pressure to look, dress, or behave a certain way is required to function in the world. Or that facing daily bullies is necessary to toughen somebody up for the "real" world. Or that learning about sex or relationships is better taught by confused pubescent middle-school peers who claim to be experts because they've gotten to second base. It's nonsense.
And just because we homeschool doesn't mean we stay home like hermits. Even before adopting a travel lifestyle we were on what seemed like a permanent field trip. Hikes, waterfalls, skiing, surf lessons, science centers, museums, and play dates of all kinds, etc. Most homeschoolers use the world as their classroom and spend lots of time exploring and engaging with people. Additionally, our children have taken numerous classes outside of the home from karate to cooking, Spanish to gymnastics where they have met many of their friends.
Finally and most importantly, they learn to respect others because we respect them, not because they are forced to at the threat of detention. We spend everyday out in the world interacting with and observing people of all ages. Our kids have MORE time to interact with people and observe the differences. Being cooped up all day in forced silence with 20-30 similarly-aged kids is not what anyone should call proper socialization that translates into the real world. Homeschooled children typically gain a tolerance, empathy, and understanding of all different age groups including adults. Ultimately, I would argue the socialization that homeschool kids experience is beneficial, while what passes for socialization in school is, well, unnecessary to put it kindly.
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| Kung fu class with all their best friends! |
How do you know they are "on par" with others?
I guess the best answer is WHO CARES? Do you realize that the mathematics concepts taught in the first seven years of school, drilled into children's heads day and night under intense pressure to perform, can be learned by a 14-year old in a single day? Many of those concepts can be learned by playing card games or by managing an allowance.
"On par" with others? I don't want my children to be like anyone else, and I fundamentally disagree with putting them in a box called "on par". Because par or even above par becomes the accepted level. How many of us bragged that we barely paid attention in school and still got As and Bs? As if that's something to be proud of.
Children are developmentally diverse and have different interests just like adults. One of the most amazing things about being human is it's beautiful diversity. The LAST thing I would want for my children is to see them morph into being the "same" as everyone else. We should celebrate our children's differences and help to ensure that they follow their own path in life! How else can we cultivate the self esteem that so many schooled children seem to be lacking?
It seems to me that if children have the basic tools to learn (reading and mathematics) and are encouraged to pursue their inquisitive nature, they'll likely excel at being happy and enjoying life no matter what a book says they should be like at age x,y, or z. Part of home-or-unschooling for the parent is to be okay with where your child is at developmentally and to unconditionally love the person that he or she is. It is also important to know that there is no right or wrong way to do things.
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| "On par" for happiness |
When do you get any free time as a parent?
This question is most often asked by people with young children, and it's the hardest to answer. I understand the need for a break as much as the next person, but 8-10 hours a day? Come on, no one needs that type of break from the things they love most in this world. That is just an excuse! It can be a challenge, don't get me wrong, but most moments I just prefer to enjoy the precious time with them while they're young. Frankly, I have never understood the parents with the "yeah, thank goodness the kids are back in school" mentality. Is that the message you want to convey to the people you love the most?
It's true that I have less free time than most parents I know, but I do have free time, whether its a short walk, long bath, or just when the kiddos are in bed and I can snuggle up with hubby or a good book. In my opinion, the thing that really needs to change to make homeschooling a success, is to change the way you view your child-parent relationship. Re-assess what you want out of your relationship with your children and question if you are doing all you can as a parent. You need to take care of yourself, but making an excuse that you "need" 8-10 hours a day is just plain silly. No one said parenting was easy, but it should be the most amazing and important thing you'll ever do. Enjoy it, soak up their giggles and messes....it won't last forever and you will most certainly miss it when it is gone.
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| Why would anyone need a "break" from this? |
Since when does anything about a school resemble the "real world"? Unless you are planning to be in prison, or landing a brainless job with a dress code shuffling paper all day, then I do not see a correlation at all. My boys are IN the real world everyday while schooled kids are stuck in one room, with the same age children, segregated from the "real world" and their family. Homeschooled children are well prepared for the world they will face because they have been preparing first hand their entire lives.
When you see what goes on in school you wonder what part that plays in real life. A family member of mine actually said that kids need to be bullied and picked on to be able to handle it later in life. Really? I just cannot remember when I was bullied anywhere but in school. As an adult it just doesn't happen unless you're conditioned to invite it. Likewise, when, in adult life, are we so distrusted that even going to the bathroom requires permission. No job I have ever worked has declined my right to use the bathroom. Finally, how much of what you learned in school applies to your happiness and success now? Think about it and be honest. It's probably very little.
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| Mahout training, who needs the "real world" |
In the end we all need to do what works best for our families. But if you're considering homeschooling, be sure to research it well to clear away any of the common myths before deciding. Or, better yet, try it for a year, the worst case scenario is that they go back to school if it is not working. If you go into it with flexibility, love, and encouragement then it will be a success.
Do you have any other questions you would like to have answered? I am happy to give my experiences and advice. Feel free to ask me anything in the comments below.
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| Yeah, I don't have homework tonight! Or ever! |
One of Holt's strongest beliefs was that children did not need to be forced into learning and anything that resembled school at all was counterproductive to their success. Unschooling, child led life learning, was born.
When I first heard about unschooling 8 years ago I thought it seemed crazy. I thought all the things that some of you are thinking right now. What about socialization, grades, college? My children need to go to school to be “on track” with everyone else. I thought it seemed lazy and neglectful and couldn’t imagine going against the grain in such an “extreme” way.
Flash forward to today and you see a very different philosophy in my home. I have spent the past 6 years homeschooling my oldest son. I have since had 2 more children, traveled with them extensively, moved to a foreign countries, and experimented with almost every type of homeschooling you can imagine. Then I discovered the mind opening experience that is unschooling and now I can’t imagine living my life in anything but this “extreme” way.
My oldest son started out life in a mainstream fashion. He attended 2 years of preschool and then went on to half-day Kindergarten. We lived in a wonderful small town with an excellent school system and were lucky enough to get an award-winning teacher for his Kindergarten experience. She was fantastic but through her own admission she could not provide the experience that she felt all the students deserved. It wasn’t a bad experience but we wanted more for our son. What more did we want? That is easy; room for independent thought, creativity, an ability to question things without being in “trouble” - and the freedom to run our household without the demands of the school system intruding.
The nagging question that remained was what could I, as a parent, do? After talking to that very same teacher and a lot of soul searching I decided to withdraw my son from school. She not only encouraged this, she was almost as enthusiastic as I was about the idea. I found that there were many philosophies to choose from within the realm of homeschooling. Since I was still caught up in the “school” mentality, we started by doing a canned curriculum at home. We tried this in many different ways for 3 years until I realized that we solved some of the issues but not all of them. Simply put, we were not enjoying it as much as we thought we should.
At this point I opened up my mind to the thoughts of unschooling and started reading book after book about it. I realized that I needed to throw away conventional thinking and open my mind up to the possibility that what I thought of as learning may not be the only path to knowledge. My discovery took place because of pioneers that came before me, Holt, Gatto, Kohn, and Sandra Dodd. They all showed me, through their writings, a new reality that I will forever be grateful for.
Reading books and opening my mind were the first steps in the process of de-schooling that Wikipedia defines as “the mental process a person goes through after being removed from a formal schooling environment, where the school mindset is eroded over time”. This step is vital for the entire family but for the parent it can be very difficult. We have far more baggage in regards to school and the added feeling and stress that we are responsible for our childrens’ education and, ultimately, their future. I struggled with what seemed like an ingrained need to follow the norm.
I did go to public school after all, and in his book Dumbing Us Down, John Taylor Gatto says “we are schooling children to merely obey orders…” Although I was a bit rebellious in school, I was still conditioned by societal norms and allowing myself to beak out of the box is where I struggled most on my journey to unschooling.
Ivan Illich first coined the term de-schooling in a controversial book called Deschooling Society, published in 1971. In this book he enlightens his readers to the fact that “universal education through schooling is not feasible”. He goes on to explain that the institutionalization of education means an institutionalization of society as a whole. And that it isn’t until we change the way we view education that we can change the way all institutions function. There is a corrupting impact at the institutional level but it is particularly damaging to society when this happens in schools, and it is happening in schools as we speak.
Another big hurdle for me was in understanding that authentic learning happens all the time. I realized over the past few years that you really can’t stop someone from learning no matter what you do or don’t do. My middle child has never been to school or even attempted anything remotely resembling school, yet at 7 he can read because he wanted to. Through simply living our lives he has learned numbers, adding, subtracting, percentage, fractions etc. How? We play war, poker, exchange money, let him do some shopping and all of those things are necessary for him so he has learned it. School puts our children in a box and real life cannot be found within it. I would prefer my children spend their time outside of that box, learning in the real world.
Everything my kids do shares an equal value because they are always learning, whether it is a walk in the jungle, playing video games, or reading a book. I love that my children have a say in what they want to discover. We offer them ideas and show them various paths to knowledge and support their enthusiasm, but ultimately it is what interests them that's most important to us. And don’t we all learn better when it is something pertinent in our lives? I know I do and I know my kids do as well.
De-schooling is an ongoing process and something I will be actively doing for many years to come. It has profoundly changed me as a person and there is no going back ever. It reaches beyond schooling and into our lives on every level. There is a new intensity of respect, equality and unconditional love for all members of the family. We all know now what authentic learning is, it looks nothing like school and we are all happier for it.
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| Image source |
One of the things that we have found to be extremely valuable is our external hard drives. We have 2 of them: 1 (750 gig) for pictures and music, and another one (1 terrabyte) for movies and games. Some people rely on cloud storage for these files. We back some things up online as well, but while traveling it's much more convenient to have direct access to these programs and files without the need for internet.
Having our entertainment libraries on external hard drives allows us to stay at some pretty inexpensive hotels that are clean and quaint, but that don't have TVs or a solid internet connection. Besides entertainment, they serve many other useful purposes on the road.
I also need to back up my pictures in various places due to an incident a few years ago when several pictures were lost. The online sites are great but often times I find it time consuming to upload and retrieve photos, especially if my Internet connection is shoddy. My camera and PC get full with pictures fairly quickly and there is always the worry of either breaking it or having it stolen -- so having external hard drives is 100% necessary if you're a picture freak like me.
So before we left I knew photos would be coming in at a rapid pace (somewhere around 1000 pics a month so far) and I would need something larger than a flash drive to store them all. After a lot of research I went with the Passport brand and chose a 750 gig for the photos. It's been working GREAT so far.
When traveling you really need to streamline everything in the interest of carrying less and saving your back. We no longer own any CDs or stereos of any kind, just iPhones, an iPad, and our computers. But these devices don't have storage space for all the music we carry (our whole library). iTunes is a great cloud storage site, but if you have a lot of music that originally came from CDs, or if you download music not on iTunes, iTunes storage capability is cumbersome and limited. There is also the additional challenge of retrieving them if internet is inconsistent on the road.
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| Find 1TB Passports Here |
So along with the pictures I find there is plenty of room for my music back up, as well as some video games that are used for the DS that also need to be stored. Rather than take up space on the computer these also go into the Passport for easy retrieval.
We've lived the last 3 years with no TV signal, so we've acquired a good amount of movies. With the boys' age differences being so large (4 yrs to 12 yrs), you could imagine the scope of movies needed to fit the everybody's tastes. We almost never watch anything during the day, but we all enjoy watching them to relax in the evenings. Besides being heaven sent for use in rustic cabins or budget hotels, they're also one of the only antidotes for children's "are we there yet" syndrome during long travel days. Our 1 terrabyte Passport holds our movies and can probably hold twice as many more.
We also carry a couple of thumbnail drives with us for easy file transfer when we want different movies on different devices, or if one of us need pictures while the other is paying music, etc.
So, when you're planning a long family vacation or extended journey make sure you remember external hard drives on your packing list. You'll be really glad you did.
Additional Tip: Be sure to buy a case for whatever storage device you choose. One of my older hard drives was dropped and didn't fare well. Had it been in a case I may have saved thousands of photos. The passport brand has it's own cases that store the drives perfectly.
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| Mekong River in Vientiane, Laos Click to enlarge |
First, our initial observations about Laos are important to help frame this story. After crossing into Laos from Thailand we noticed a distinct difference between the two countries. The rawness of Laos was evident. Not in a way that reeked of desperation, though, but in a way that is unspoiled by multinational corporations (you can always seem to get a Coca-Cola though).
Laos seemed every bit as peaceful and beautiful as Thailand, but Thailand was clearly more civilized, if that’s what you call having a 7-11 store on every other block. It’s almost the identical contrast experienced when crossing into Nicaragua from the more developed and “open” economy in Costa Rica.
Besides the similarity in the lush tropical landscape shared by Thailand and Costa Rica, they also share longer tradition of trading with the West than does Laos and Nicaragua. In short, they’d be considered “more developed.”
The other thing we noticed in Laos was the communist flag flying everywhere, including on the Best Western Hotel -- the lone Western hotel we saw in Vientiane. We could read all about the history of Laos to learn about what these labels like “communism” are supposed to mean, but we thought asking people in the trenches would be more enlightening.
So, in the taxi ride to visit the Buddha statue park, our driver was thrilled to practice his English and learn about America. His perception was that America was so free, and that everyone has an opportunity to make lots of money. He longed to move there to experience that which he’d likely learned on TV.
We then began to ask him about the system in Laos. “Can you vote for the leaders here?” He laughed heartily before replying “No.”
“How does healthcare and school work?” we asked. “The government provides it, and it’s good enough,” he answered vaguely. However, everyone told us that Thailand’s healthcare is far better -- much like Costa Rica’s is far superior to Nicaragua’s.
“We don’t notice much desperate poverty here,” we led with. He said, “Most have what they need and the homeless children are taken in by the monks.” To which he admitted he’d been a monk…for a week. “It’s really hard. They can only eat in the morning,” he complained. And it’s food that is donated as offerings when the monks parade the streets at dusk.
We asked him what he’d do if he was able to get America. “I don’t know. Maybe open a shop or a food stand.” And this is where the conversation got interesting.
We explained that you can’t open a food stand in America without a license, various permits, insurance, and a tax number from the government. He was flabbergasted. “Really! Anyone can open a stand here with none of that.”
He asked us what happened when businesses are caught operating without those things. We told him they’re shut down by the government, and sometimes their equipment is confiscated and they’re arrested.
He couldn’t believe that the U.S. government would be that controlling of small businesses. “People don’t need permission to survive in Laos.”
This became very noticeable as our journey in Laos progressed. There were countless makeshift food stands selling all sorts of cuisine including grilled bats, bugs, and fried baby chicks – the whole chick! We went to restaurants where we literally used the bathroom in the owner’s living room. There were no health department regulations, no business licenses framed on the wall, and never any taxes calculated on our bill.
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| Deep-fried baby chicks and grilled bats |
The ability to obtain licenses and permits or to meet mandatory regulations plays no role in food quality. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose and spend a day or two on the toilet. But, ultimately, the free market weeds out the overpriced or unsanitary competition.
There were also dozens of makeshift taxi services without licenses, insurance or standardized meters. There are tuk-tuks powered by motorbikes; song thaew, which are pickup trucks with bench seats in the bed, and our personal favorite, the modified rototiller with a wagon.
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| Makeshift rototiller taxi crosses private toll bridge in Vang Vieng Laos |
By the time we finished our brief taxi ride in Vientiane; we, including our driver, got the sense that the everyday individual in Laos has more freedom and flexibility to provide for themselves than people in the US, and that regulation is governed by the free market. Our driver’s deflated perception of economic freedom in America was evident. It’s an ironic conclusion to come to in a communist country.
Perhaps these regulations exist and the government simply doesn’t have the capacity or the will to enforce them unless a business becomes large enough to care about extracting protection money from. And perhaps the free market can only regulate quality when the vendor’s absolute livelihood is at stake.
Regardless, what we’d call the working class definitely appeared to have more freedom, and there was noticeably less desperation than their nominal poverty would suggest.
See our budget hotel in Vang Vieng Laos.
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I have been following a lot of travel blogs during the past couple of years. One of my favorites is Family on bikes, an honest account of following your dreams and tackling your fears. When Nancy offered me a chance to have a sneak peek at her new book I was thrilled. I was so excited to read it but even more than that I was honored to help promote it in a book review on my own site here.
I devoured this book! Much to the chagrin of my children, I stole away an entire day reading and thinking about the evolution of the Vogel family during their trip and wondering if and how we could ever do something so, well, difficult! I just couldn't put it down! Twenty Miles Per Cookie is a must-read! How do I know?? When I read this; The kids, "learned that the Earth holds no boundaries for them and they are free to wander wherever their imaginations take them." Is there any better lesson in life?!
The Vogel family has been traveling for quite some time now. Nancy and John met while trying to find a partner to bike through India with. They were strangers who set out on adventure together. Nancy admits that it wasn't a perfect match in the beginning but they began to rely on and trust one another and eventually fell in love. They have lived in numerous countries and visited even more.
Twenty Miles Per Cookie is a memoir that chronicles the first long haul bike trip taken with their boys, 8 at the time. After becoming disillusioned once again with the "American dream", they hatched a plan that would launch them into a 1 year bike trip through deserts, up and down mountains, battling headwinds, along the Pacific coastline, and through Mexico. Challenge after challenge presents itself and Nancy candidly explains how they got through it all together, the only way it could work!
-->She also, through her writing, challenges us to see the world for the good in it. By explaining how many times they were saved by numerous "road angels", you feel a renewed sense of the good in people. How inspirational in this day and age when we are constantly barraged with warnings around every corner to be cautious amongst strangers. The lessons the family learn along the way are revealed beautifully!
Twenty Miles Per Cookie is also a wonderful narrative of a family that can tackle anything. It is thought provoking, honest and raw, and mostly an inspiration! It is a hopeful and positive book but at the same time Nancy also eloquently explains the difficult times with an honesty few of us share with the masses. It is told from Nancy's perspective, with snippets of the children's perspective told through letters they wrote to their grandmother. Nancy also lets the reader in on another special relationship, that which she has with her mother. She writes to her, "I can reach for the moon – and if, for some reason, I fail to get there, I’ll simply land among the stars. And for that I’ll always thank you." How beautiful!
After reading the book I asked Nancy a few questions about their trip. I think you'll be inspired just by reading the answers below! I know it will leave you wanting more...
How long have you been cycling? How about your husband?
Nancy: "I discovered the bike in high school and fell in love with the freedom. While my classmates rode the bus to school, I jumped on my bike and enjoyed the fresh air!"
"I didn't get in to bike touring until quite a few years later. I took my first bike tour in the summer of 1988 from Norfolk, Virginia to New Orleans."
"John figured out the bike touring stuff WAY before I did! His first bike tour was in 1981 when he cycled from Albuquerque to Denver."
Have the kids been cycling since they were small? How did you cultivate a love of biking?
Nancy: "They have been cycling since there were little, but not as much as many other families. Because we lived in Ethiopia when they were little, we only cycled when we came back to the USA for the summer. We started out with them on trail-a-bikes, then graduated to tandems, then the triple, and finally on their own bikes."
"As for the love of biking, I think kids tend to enjoy what their parents are excited about. Our family bike trips were always the highlight of our days and John and I loved them - so the kids got excited about them too."
How long did you save for this trip? I know you camped a lot but ow did you maintain your home and travel without working all along?
Nancy: "Ummm... we didn't. That being said, we always saved "for retirement" and we used some of that money to fund our bike trip. So maybe I should say we saved 19 years??"
What was the reaction of your family and friends?
Nancy: "Our families didn't blink an eye - they're used to us coming up with some cockananny idea and then doing it. We had previously spent a year cycling Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. We had packed up and moved to Egypt to teach. Our sons were born while we lived in Ethiopia. In other words, doing something like this was more or less expected."
You endured heat, cold, sandstorms, mud, rain...what was the most challenging aspect of this trip for you personally?
Nancy: "From a cycling perspective, headwinds are always the most difficult. There is no way to avoid them, but you also know you'll never beat them. When climbing a hill, you know you'll get to the top someday. Hot weather will cool down. Cold temps will warm up. But headwinds never go away. It like battling an unbeatable foe."
"But way harder than the headwinds was the mental block of feeling like I was inadequate. I wasn't strong enough, I wasn't hardy enough, blah, blah, blah. I overcame that once we reached the Pacific Ocean - if I could make it across Oregon, then I was good to go!"
How did this trip strengthen your marriage?
Nancy: "I think any shared experience with your spouse will strengthen a relationship. We have so many memories that we've created together that I can't imagine going on alone. There have been times when I've been ready to march to the divorce office but then I think, "But wait a minute - if we could get through THAT together, then we can get through THIS together."
What ways did this trip prepare you all for the longer journey from Alaska to Argentina?
(John, Nancy and their 2 boys have since rode their bikes from Alaska to Argentina)
Nancy: "Completely. Our Alaska - Argentina trip simply would not have happened without this one. To begin with, we never would have even thought of the idea without meeting people along the Pacific coast who were on their way to Argentina."
"Beyond that, our journey around the USA and Mexico taught us a LOT about bike touring with kids. We learned what kind of pace we could maintain, how much and what kind of food we needed, how to deal with rain/snow/heat/cold. It was on this trip around the USA and Mexico that we worked out all the kinks and figured it all out so we felt prepared to cycle from Alaska to Argentina. And trust me - we had a LOT to figure out!"
What kept you from quitting? Especially during the beginning or when your mom was so sick?
Nancy: "I honestly don't know. I think part of it was not wanting to accept defeat. If we turned around and went back home, we would be failing in many ways - although I always maintained that we had learned so much that we could call off the trip even before we left the driveway and we wouldn't have lost."
"Ultimately, I think what kept me going was knowing that we would look back on our journey with fond memories. Even though I was exhausted or hungry, I knew the time together as a family was a special gift and one I knew I wouldn't regret."
What was the most important thing you learned on this trip? What about your boys, what did they take away from it all?
Nancy: "I think we all took away a feeling of invincibility. If we could ride our bikes across the USA, then we could do anything."
As a mom traveling with my kids, I often wonder what they will think a few years from now. How do the boys view their travel lifestyle thus far?
Nancy: "My boys have grown up traveling; they don't know anything else. Although they do understand, on one level, just how extraordinary their experiences are, they don't feel it. To them, traveling thousands of miles on bikes is normal and they don't understand why people make such a fuss about it. Very few of their friends even know they've done what they've done."
Logistically I must know how did you keep up with laundry? As someone always consumed with laundry (3 boys) I just have to know:)
Nancy: "Keeping up with laundry in the USA was EASY! Every little town has a laundromat, so we just pulled up to one and washed clothes. It wasn't unusual for the boys to go into the restroom at the laundromat to put on their swimsuits as they had no other clean clothes to put on."
"Keeping up with laundry while we cycled from Alaska to Argentina was a nightmare including many hours sitting on the shower floor with a pile of dirty clothes, but I'll leave that one for the next book!"
What do you hope your readers will take away from this book?
Nancy: "I hope people take away the idea that they can do anything. If I, a normal wife, teacher, and mother to twin boys can ride my bike across the USA, then they can do it too. And if they can ride their bike across the USA, then they can do anything. They are limited only by their imagination."
What would you say to someone that wants to do what you have done but is fearful?
Nancy:
"Fearful of what?
Of people? There's no need - this world is filled with wonder
Of cars? Choose roads without much traffic and cycle predictably so the car drivers know what to expect from you.
Of animals? They're more afraid of you than you are of them.
Of failing? What is failing - never setting out in order to "be safe" or at least trying and giving it your best?
Of the unknown? The unknown is scary, but the only way you'll know is to go."
If you are a traveler, a biker, or a dreamer then you need to read this book. It will stay with you and inspire you to tackle your greatest fears and to follow your dreams no matter what the challenge. To purchase Twenty Miles Per Cookie in book or kindle form, please visit Nancy's site. Aside from purchasing the book be sure to follow their blog to keep up with their travels and get inspired!
The Vogel family has been traveling for quite some time now. Nancy and John met while trying to find a partner to bike through India with. They were strangers who set out on adventure together. Nancy admits that it wasn't a perfect match in the beginning but they began to rely on and trust one another and eventually fell in love. They have lived in numerous countries and visited even more.
Twenty Miles Per Cookie is a memoir that chronicles the first long haul bike trip taken with their boys, 8 at the time. After becoming disillusioned once again with the "American dream", they hatched a plan that would launch them into a 1 year bike trip through deserts, up and down mountains, battling headwinds, along the Pacific coastline, and through Mexico. Challenge after challenge presents itself and Nancy candidly explains how they got through it all together, the only way it could work!
Twenty Miles Per Cookie is also a wonderful narrative of a family that can tackle anything. It is thought provoking, honest and raw, and mostly an inspiration! It is a hopeful and positive book but at the same time Nancy also eloquently explains the difficult times with an honesty few of us share with the masses. It is told from Nancy's perspective, with snippets of the children's perspective told through letters they wrote to their grandmother. Nancy also lets the reader in on another special relationship, that which she has with her mother. She writes to her, "I can reach for the moon – and if, for some reason, I fail to get there, I’ll simply land among the stars. And for that I’ll always thank you." How beautiful!
After reading the book I asked Nancy a few questions about their trip. I think you'll be inspired just by reading the answers below! I know it will leave you wanting more...
How long have you been cycling? How about your husband?
Nancy: "I discovered the bike in high school and fell in love with the freedom. While my classmates rode the bus to school, I jumped on my bike and enjoyed the fresh air!"
"I didn't get in to bike touring until quite a few years later. I took my first bike tour in the summer of 1988 from Norfolk, Virginia to New Orleans."
"John figured out the bike touring stuff WAY before I did! His first bike tour was in 1981 when he cycled from Albuquerque to Denver."
Have the kids been cycling since they were small? How did you cultivate a love of biking?
Nancy: "They have been cycling since there were little, but not as much as many other families. Because we lived in Ethiopia when they were little, we only cycled when we came back to the USA for the summer. We started out with them on trail-a-bikes, then graduated to tandems, then the triple, and finally on their own bikes."
"As for the love of biking, I think kids tend to enjoy what their parents are excited about. Our family bike trips were always the highlight of our days and John and I loved them - so the kids got excited about them too."
How long did you save for this trip? I know you camped a lot but ow did you maintain your home and travel without working all along?
Nancy: "Ummm... we didn't. That being said, we always saved "for retirement" and we used some of that money to fund our bike trip. So maybe I should say we saved 19 years??"
What was the reaction of your family and friends?
Nancy: "Our families didn't blink an eye - they're used to us coming up with some cockananny idea and then doing it. We had previously spent a year cycling Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. We had packed up and moved to Egypt to teach. Our sons were born while we lived in Ethiopia. In other words, doing something like this was more or less expected."
You endured heat, cold, sandstorms, mud, rain...what was the most challenging aspect of this trip for you personally?
Nancy: "From a cycling perspective, headwinds are always the most difficult. There is no way to avoid them, but you also know you'll never beat them. When climbing a hill, you know you'll get to the top someday. Hot weather will cool down. Cold temps will warm up. But headwinds never go away. It like battling an unbeatable foe."
"But way harder than the headwinds was the mental block of feeling like I was inadequate. I wasn't strong enough, I wasn't hardy enough, blah, blah, blah. I overcame that once we reached the Pacific Ocean - if I could make it across Oregon, then I was good to go!"
How did this trip strengthen your marriage?
Nancy: "I think any shared experience with your spouse will strengthen a relationship. We have so many memories that we've created together that I can't imagine going on alone. There have been times when I've been ready to march to the divorce office but then I think, "But wait a minute - if we could get through THAT together, then we can get through THIS together."
What ways did this trip prepare you all for the longer journey from Alaska to Argentina?
(John, Nancy and their 2 boys have since rode their bikes from Alaska to Argentina)
Nancy: "Completely. Our Alaska - Argentina trip simply would not have happened without this one. To begin with, we never would have even thought of the idea without meeting people along the Pacific coast who were on their way to Argentina."
"Beyond that, our journey around the USA and Mexico taught us a LOT about bike touring with kids. We learned what kind of pace we could maintain, how much and what kind of food we needed, how to deal with rain/snow/heat/cold. It was on this trip around the USA and Mexico that we worked out all the kinks and figured it all out so we felt prepared to cycle from Alaska to Argentina. And trust me - we had a LOT to figure out!"
What kept you from quitting? Especially during the beginning or when your mom was so sick?
Nancy: "I honestly don't know. I think part of it was not wanting to accept defeat. If we turned around and went back home, we would be failing in many ways - although I always maintained that we had learned so much that we could call off the trip even before we left the driveway and we wouldn't have lost."
"Ultimately, I think what kept me going was knowing that we would look back on our journey with fond memories. Even though I was exhausted or hungry, I knew the time together as a family was a special gift and one I knew I wouldn't regret."
What was the most important thing you learned on this trip? What about your boys, what did they take away from it all?
Nancy: "I think we all took away a feeling of invincibility. If we could ride our bikes across the USA, then we could do anything."
As a mom traveling with my kids, I often wonder what they will think a few years from now. How do the boys view their travel lifestyle thus far?
Nancy: "My boys have grown up traveling; they don't know anything else. Although they do understand, on one level, just how extraordinary their experiences are, they don't feel it. To them, traveling thousands of miles on bikes is normal and they don't understand why people make such a fuss about it. Very few of their friends even know they've done what they've done."
Logistically I must know how did you keep up with laundry? As someone always consumed with laundry (3 boys) I just have to know:)
Nancy: "Keeping up with laundry in the USA was EASY! Every little town has a laundromat, so we just pulled up to one and washed clothes. It wasn't unusual for the boys to go into the restroom at the laundromat to put on their swimsuits as they had no other clean clothes to put on."
"Keeping up with laundry while we cycled from Alaska to Argentina was a nightmare including many hours sitting on the shower floor with a pile of dirty clothes, but I'll leave that one for the next book!"
What do you hope your readers will take away from this book?
Nancy: "I hope people take away the idea that they can do anything. If I, a normal wife, teacher, and mother to twin boys can ride my bike across the USA, then they can do it too. And if they can ride their bike across the USA, then they can do anything. They are limited only by their imagination."
What would you say to someone that wants to do what you have done but is fearful?
Nancy:
"Fearful of what?
Of people? There's no need - this world is filled with wonder
Of cars? Choose roads without much traffic and cycle predictably so the car drivers know what to expect from you.
Of animals? They're more afraid of you than you are of them.
Of failing? What is failing - never setting out in order to "be safe" or at least trying and giving it your best?
Of the unknown? The unknown is scary, but the only way you'll know is to go."
If you are a traveler, a biker, or a dreamer then you need to read this book. It will stay with you and inspire you to tackle your greatest fears and to follow your dreams no matter what the challenge. To purchase Twenty Miles Per Cookie in book or kindle form, please visit Nancy's site. Aside from purchasing the book be sure to follow their blog to keep up with their travels and get inspired!
FOLLOW BOHEMIAN TRAVELERS HERE:
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| Our spot for the 2 month anniversary |
Children will surprise you again and again
These boys amaze me and absolutely bring the best out in me. They have helped me get past fears, made me laugh, made me cry, and at the end of it all, just bring me so much joy! I have learned these past couple months that there really isn't anything they cannot handle. We had a particularly hard bus trip from Thailand to Laos and they handled it completely, even better than me. I get so worried when it is time to do any long trip but they do great every time. I am impressed, and amazed at them every day, well almost every day! |
| Just one of the fears my boys got me past! |
Squat toilets are actually better than the standard western ones (I swear I am not kidding)
This one I realized while at a pit stop during said bus trip. Now don't get me wrong, if I am sick in any way, I probably want the standard toilet for obvious, and way too much information, reasons. But that issue aside, it is a better set up. No wasting water, correct body positioning, and as long as you are agile enough the squat toilet is far more comfortable than you would think!
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| Looks scary but I swear these are great! |
People are the same all over the world, trying to make a better life for their families
There is a common saying in Thailand "same, same....but different!" We all laugh about it but at the same time we get it completely. Things on the surface are quite a bit different but inside at the deepest level of ourselves we are all the same...human. No matter what country you visit you will see some differences, but focusing on how much alike we all are is so much more interesting. People just want to be loved and love back, and they want a peaceful existence where they can take care of their family. Children want to play games, laugh, and be loved, no matter where you are. When you focus on the similarities it is easy to realize that there is nothing to fear when traveling the world. This is probably the thing that gives me the most travel inspiration. It drives me to see more and more how alike we all are globally!
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| At work and at play...same, same! |
The world does not revolve around the US but English really is important everywhere
In America, I was egocentric. I can admit it and I can also admit that I didn't think I was! I believe that most Americans are. When you get outside of the US you quickly realize that the world does NOT revolve around America. In fact it plays no part in daily life at all. But one thing I do notice is that if you do not speak English or the language native to a particular country, then you are going to have some serious communication issues. No one on the streets of Laos speaks Polish for example, so if you don't speak Laos or English, get ready for some difficult traveling. Signs are usually to some degree written in native language and in English but I have yet to see anything written in another language.
Finances and budgeting is NOT our strong suit
Budgeting is the toughest thing while traveling. To be honest we have never really been great at saving money or even budgeting our money. We are learning quickly though what things to avoid and how to save money here and there. But when you get an opportunity to play with baby tigers...I mean really does anyone care about budgets?? Oh you do! Well, see, I do need to get better at finances I guess.
Seriously though, it is very important to, at a minimum, set up some type of budget and try to stick as close to it as possible. It is a hard balance trying to be comfortable, move around as inexpensively as possible, feed
Never sweat the small stuff, actually don’t sweat any of it
OK so this is something I’ve always known and I am sure you hear all the time. When we decided to embark on this trip, I knew this would be one of the hardest things to improve in myself, along with patience. But it was also a big reason I wanted to go on this trip. I knew this was something that desperately needed to change for myself, my husband, and my kids. I still worry and nag. I mean, that is part of my job description, but everyday I see that these things just don't matter very much. No matter how you react to things the outcome is the same, you just made a fool of yourself and shaved time off your life if you react poorly. Not to mention making others feel bad at the same time. Certainly not worth it to over react! I don't know, maybe by years end I will have struck a balance with it all. Stay tuned....
I AM DAMN LUCKY and I need to always feel gratitude
This one is a given but something that bears repeating! We are extremely lucky and not just because of this lifestyle but for the numerous hardships that we have not had to endure. No matter what is going on in our lives there is always something to feel grateful for. Gratitude is a gift that we can and should be teaching our children. The best way to do that is by showing them how.
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| I cannot deny that this is part of my damn lucky! |
Being born in the US is an automatic free pass for avoiding some of the world's deepest horrors
There are many people inside the US that are suffering and by this statement I do not mean to take anything away from the pain that so many endure. With that said though, people in many other parts of the world still have a certain admiration for America. When you witness some of the extreme poverty around the world, one realizes that even the poorest Americans know little of genuine hardship of dirt floors, no electricity, no access to any money whatsoever, and some without food. Despite the grotesque income disparity evident in the U.S., Americans don't know or understand dirt-floor poverty, and they should be very grateful for that.
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| Hard work is the norm in many areas of the world |
Then there are the actual dangers of regime changes, bombings, left over landmines, etc. Fear is a very real thing for many people in the world. In the US we just do not have that level of fear and we should be deeply grateful for that as well.
The beauty of the world can and will bring tears to your eyes
Not really much I can say here to elaborate on that. It is mind numbing just how incredible this planet is and for each and every little teeny nook we visit, it becomes abundantly more clear to us. Beauty is everywhere, if you open your eyes to it.
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| Along a Costa Rican beach |
Asians do not drink milk and do not waste any part of any animal
Now these are just silly differences but they strike us as curious. There is hardly any dairy at all in Thailand and even less in Laos. In Vang Vieng is is literally non existent. Not much cheese, or anything else made from milk yet...there are cows EVERYWHERE!! Not sure where their Calcium is coming from but maybe we just don't need so much dairy or calcium?
My son and I went to dinner alone the other night and noticed yet again some strange (and I mean that in the nicest way) foods. Barbecue bats, yes real bats, like the stuck in your hair kind! Complete with their creepy faces and hair, donning a huge green leaf bathing suit. There was also a shish kabob of sorts with a few veggies and teeny tiny baby chicks. Not just the meat but the entire things, head, beak, feet, and all! Then there are the worms and scorpions and full size, deep fried, chicken heads! At least you can say they are not wasteful!
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| Yeah those are bats, to the left baby chicks...all of them! |
We can't wait to see what happens next month, headed back to Thailand for a bit and then who knows. Keep following us...
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There are many options for getting from Chiang Mai to the border but because of our large family we chose to go in a hired van complete with a driver. We had wanted to rent our own car and make the drive ourselves but every single car was either booked for the day or exorbitantly priced. We paid 4000 baht, or roughly $120. That was split with another family and so the cost was $60. This was far less then even taking the public bus at $20 a person. That remains the best option for those travelling alone or even for a couple. Renting your own car or scooter is also an option and would be less expensive then the van with driver but reserve well in advance especially if travelling during the high season.
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| Hot springs fountain |
During the beautiful 4 hour ride to the border we encountered perfect roads, beautiful mountain vistas and hairpin curves. I would recommend Dramamine or at least some type of bag if you are prone to motion sickness at all. After living in Costa Rica, not much can scare us on the road, but the curves may be a bit frightening to some! The car itself was comfortable with ample leg room. There were 8 of us and we had the whole thing to ourselves. It was more than enough room.
We slowly approached an area lined with vans, buses and every conceivable product being peddled. We knew we had made it and that the real work would now begin. Out of the van we all shuffled, happy to be out of the car for a while. The driver dropped us right in front of the huge blue gates around the border, gave us his cell and told us to give him a call when we were ready to head back.
We walked over to the left side and followed the only English signs there...passport control! The exit forms were already in our passport, had we known this it could have been all filled out already. We didn't realize so we stepped aside to quickly fill out the forms. Back in line and in about 5 mins we were through and onto the other side. At this point you cross over the bridge to the Burma side. An easy 2 minute walk. You can see the obvious differences between Thailand and Burma immediately.
As soon as you get on the bridge hang on to your belongings. Children and vendors come out and start grabbing on your arms, begging for money or for you to follow them to a tour of some sort. We went over to the right side of the bridge and were directed into the Burma office of immigration. We were told to bring $10 for each passport but the officials there, who were smoking in the office and spoke good English, would have none of the US money. 500 Thai baht per person and then when you tell them it is just for an hour or so they take your photo and hand you a copy of that then take and keep your passport. You get it back but man what an unsettling feeling to leave them with these guys. I spend my travel time constantly counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...OK they are all here. So having him walk away with these was distressing but I knew about it ahead of time so I accepted it and walked on.
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| Markets on the Burma/Myanmar side |
We knew we were there to do a job but for me it felt awful to see so little of a new country. I know we will be back and the hagglers were really haggling us but still.
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| Very odd placement on this one |
Overall this was a super easy border run. We coupled it with an overnight in Chiang Dao to visit the caves but we could have returned after spending a leisurely time at the border and have been home before dark. Now if only we could get 30 days so as not to do this every 2 weeks...
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