Quito, Ecuador

The equator. I’ve been fascinated with this invisible latitude line since I was in grade school and flying to the exotic and mystical lands of Ecuador always seemed too out of reach. But not for a flight attendant and her traveling toddler. As you know, I typically travel on the cheap (until I’m a best-selling author) and usually for 4-5 days tops, as three-year old travel buddies tend to lose interest. But I found a fantastic deal on Viator for a week long all-inclusive tour around Quito and the surrounding areas of Ecuador for $899. Uh, COUNT US IN. (Update: The tour now costs $980)

After working for 15 days straight (not something I recommend doing), Singh and I hopped on a Copa flight to Quito, stopping off briefly in Panama City. The flights were full but we were able to fly to the city on the equator with relative ease and little Spanish. As part of the tour, we were picked up right from the airport and driven the 45 minutes into downtown Quito to our hotel for the night. Our hotel was basically a hostel, pretty primitive with two beds and a semi-hot watered shower. One thing to note, there really isn’t any indoor heating or cooling in Ecuador. Being on the equator and up in the mountains, the temperature stays pretty mild. However, the week were there, end of January, it was freezing. I had to beg the front desk to find us some kind of heater to put in our room since we could see our breath. Not ideal for a toddler, but they did track down a tiny radiator that we plugged in between our beds. It wasn’t Florida sleeping but we did avoid catching a cold as we slept.

We met our guide Daniel, of Latin Adventures, early the next morning as we rode out to see the markets of Otavalo. About an hour outside of Quite, Otavalo is a small mountain town with a vibrant cultural history. Home to one of the most famous indigenous markets in South America, we spent several hours perusing the stalls and haggling over prices of local treasures. Singh and I both walked away with our bags full of jewelry, jackets, and toys. This market has been a stopping ground for travelers and locals alike for hundreds of years, so it was incredible to be able to walk the historic streets. Fine woven sweaters and hand crafted rings and bracelets glittered in the equatorial sun as we headed to lunch.

A wonderful little hole in the wall restaurant in the ex-pat area of Otavalo served perhaps the best rice I have ever had. Sweet popcorn and nuts were unique appetizers and our lunch stop was the first time we would get to enjoy guanabana juice. Whoa. My new favorite fruit. It’s white and looks like milk but it’s sweet with a refreshing chocolate taste. A juice that tastes like chocolate? Yes, please! And what’s nice about visiting South American restaurants is that all the fruit juices we were served had been freshly squeezed. No pasteurization and definitely not from concentrate. Just freshly squeezed, local fruit. Ordering rounds of these juices would become one of my favorite things on the trip.

The weather started to turn sour as we heading back to the van after lunch. Technically the rainy season, the weather in the mountains around Quito would remain sketchy for most of our trip. This could be why our week-long tour was so cheap. Oh well, bring a rain jacket.

Our final stop before heading back to Quito was Cuicocha Lagoon, also known as Guinea Pig Lagoon. A large lake formed from a volcanic crater, this body of water is home to an island completely inhabited by very large and unruly guinea pigs. Yup. If you can bear the freezing cold waters you can swim to the island in the middle of the lake and basically ride the huge rodents. A tempting idea if we had some kayaks available, but neither Singh nor I wanted to swim. The weather began to worsen so we waved goodbye to the isle of guineas and headed back to Quito.

Dinner wasn’t include this evening so we were on our own. A quick look online pointed us in the direction of a vegan restaurant 4 blocks away called The Red Maple. Also known as the home of the best vegan hot dog of my life. I’m embarrassed that I flew all the way to Ecuador and ordered a damn hot dog, but you guys—it was incredible. There is no other way to describe it besides saying it was a food orgasm in my mouth. Who would have thought to add guacamole to a hot dog? My life has been forever changed.

We packed up our hostel room early the next morning as we were heading a bit farther outside the city to Quilotoa Lagoon. On our three-hour drive through mountains and breathtaking scenery, we stopped at a local market and bought some amazing fresh fruit to snack on for our remaining drive. We bought the freshest bananas, a bushel of 12 for under a dollar. The country of Ecuador uses the US dollar as their currency and everything is incredible cheap. It is a huge factor for the large ex-pat community residing in its’ volcanic hillsides. After walking around the bustling food market, we drove along the famous Avenue of the Volcanoes until we reached our altitude of 12,000 feet. The air was definitely thinner here when we stepped outside and donned our hiking gear. We would be spending much of the morning climbing down 2,000 feet into the crater of an active volcano. No big deal.

As we began our trek, my mouth practically hit the floor when I saw just how gorgeous this crater lagoon was. Rugged peeks towered over turquoise waters while a winding path made its’ way to the sparking lake down below. The path was extremely steep and I had Singh strapped to my back as we slowly made our way to the calling waters. Once we made it to the floor of the crater, Daniel showed us the bubbles of the volcano vents below the water and allowed us to roam free and explore the area. We spotted some kayaks on the bank and found out we could rent them for, get this, $6. Nowhere in the US can you rent kayaks for $6! Shut up and take my money. Singh and I hopped into a boat and paddled our way around the incredible scenery. This little kid had an absolute blast as he learned to use the oars and steer our way around cliffs and volcanic bubbles. There is absolutely no way he will forget how he first learned to kayak, in the crater of an active volcano in Ecuador. Damn, I love traveling with this kid.

We devoured a bag of chips once we hit the rocky banks before heading back up the steep trail to our waiting van. Whoa. Did I mention how incredibly steep the trail was? I struggled with this kid on my back. Struggled big time. I saw a few people hire horses (for $1) to take them back up the trail, but I didn’t want to ride, I wanted to hike up the volcano. So I buckled down, plugged in some music, and made my way slowly up and out of the crater. Singh slept peacefully all the way in case anyone was wondering.

Lunch that afternoon was a few local dishes (veganized for us) and gallons of fresh juice. Guanabana everywhere! Just hook up an IV to my arm and pump that shit into my veins. With full bellies and tired legs, we rode down to and elevation of 10,000ft to our hotel, Mama Hilda Lodge In Chugchilan. A cute little residence with tiny villas interspersed among towering trees on the side of a mountain. Although we were lower in elevation from our hike, we still were high and constantly walking through clouds to get to the lobby (where the only wifi was located). Just to give you a bit of perspective, 10,000ft is the altitude when you are allowed to start using laptops on commercial jets. I had a bit of a headache from exhaustion, thankfully not altitude, so after a quick dinner Singh and I hit the bed hard. There was a bit of frustration as again, the temperatures were cold and there was no heating. Alas, all part of the experience! Tip: Bring some warm clothes to sleep in because I’m an idiot and just brought boxers and t-shirts. Lesson learned.

My headache was gone the following morning and we ate a hearty breakfast of potatoes, rice, and veggies before embarking on our journey to Cotopaxi. This is by far what I was most exited about on our itinerary. I am a mountain climber and any chance to set my foot on a new mountain is an exciting opportunity. I knew we weren’t going to be able to climb the top (it’s over 18,000ft and requires ice climbing skills, i.e. crampons, ice axes, etc.) but were set to climb to 16,000ft on the slopes of this ice-covered volcano.

We drove back towards Quito for roughly an hour until we reached Cotopaxi National Park. After we wound our way through thick forests and foothills, we stopped at the foot of the mountain and visited the interpretation center to enjoy some traditional coca tea. Coca tea is a helpful aid for acclimatization and tastes amazing. Just note: if you work as a flight attendant or pilot, make sure you don’t fly for two weeks after you drink coca tea. Despite it being completely legal and safe to drink, the leaves in the tea are made from the coca plant, which is the same plant that produces cocaine. So it’s a poppy-seed situation and probably best to be avoided if you have to work as soon as you return from Ecuador. However, I chose to stack all my trips at the beginning of the month, so I was free to down as many cups of that delicious tea as possible.

We hopped back into our 4x4 van and drove towards the towering volcano. Cotopaxi is still a very active volcano, its’ last major eruption was in 2015 causing smoke and ash to fall all over the surrounding valley. The scenes we passed while driving up to the trailhead were barren yet beautiful. Rainbows of earthy browns and charcoal greys contrasted with the brilliant blue skies above. Large boulders lay scattered along the mountainside, having been blown great distances during past eruptions.

We hopped out of the van at roughly 14,000ft and were greeted with chilly temperatures and thin air. Having basically completed an acclimatization hike the day prior, my body was feeling great, so I strapped Singh on my back and bundled up to hit the trail. The sides of Cotopaxi are very steep so a series of switchbacks along the trail make it easier to climb. The hike took us roughly an hour and a half to reach the 16,000 point, marked by a hut offering drinks, snacks, and a bathroom. We drank more tea and Singh ate some plantain chips as we rested and had our passports stamped. I was surprised how well we had handled the altitude. 16,000ft is quite a feat, especially for a toddler. Looks like this little guy is going to be my mountain climbing buddy when he is older!

Our climb down was quite a bit faster as we skipped the switchbacks and just ran (slid) down one of the old lava trails. Singh promptly fell asleep five minutes into our decent and before we knew it we were back at the van shaking off volcanic soot from our books. We then headed to a late lunch just outside the gates of the national park and stuffed ourselves silly with rice, beans, and of course, guanabana juice.

We drove for several hours past Quito for our final stop of the evening, Papallacta Hot Springs. We stayed at an amazing all inclusive resort called Thermas Papallacta. Quite a change from the hostel in Quito, that’s for damn sure. The room had heated floors, a nice shower, comfortable beds, and was just steps away from actual hot springs heated by the nearby volcanoes. We ordered room service and swam in the steaming hot water before we cuddled and passed out in bed.

Morning comes early with a toddler so after a quick breakfast of fruit and Lara bars, we jumped right back into the bubbling waters under the shade of the towering mountains. We swam for hours in the hot water, relaxing and having fun splashing each other and giggling as we tried to jump in the cold pool and run back to the warm springs. I encourage everyone to make at least one stop here on your Ecuadorian adventure; the scenery and the resort were fantastic.

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We packed up our bags and in the pouring rain we said goodbye to the wonderfully warm volcanic waters and headed to a humming bird sanctuary for lunch. High in the cloud forest of the Cayambe-Coca Reserve, countless species of humming bird darted from feeder to feeder through the pouring rain as we ate. We were served an amazing meal, so tasty that I had to have the chef confirm that it was vegan. A quick hike in the rain to spot more humming birds was a unique way to finish the day before we headed back to our hostel in Quito. The drive was long but we were rewarded with another fantastic vegan hot dog at The Red Maple before heading to bed.

Our last day in Ecuador was spent standing on the actual equator and exploring the city of Quito. There are two equator lines that run through the country, roughly an hour outside Quito. One was measured by surveys done by the French over 100 year ago, and the other is the actual equator measured by GPS. We stopped at the actual GPS line, which was home to several monuments and an outdoor museum. We observed some cool science experiments, balanced an egg, and witnessed some cultural heritage dances of the local indigenous people.

With the weather uncooperative, we decided to do a quick walking tour of the city center of Quito. We visited Panecillo Hill, Basilica Church, Independence Plaza, the Cathedral, the Government’s Palace and La Ronda Street. Afte lunch, we saw La Compañía Church, the Sagrario Church and San Francisco Plaza before we were picked up by our van driver and dropped off at a small hotel near the airport. We had a very early flight out of South America the following day so we passed out early, sad that our Ecuadorian adventure had come to an end.

Everyone needs to visit Ecuador. It’s an easily accessible country, you can fly there on just about all the major airlines, JetBlue and Copa being the easiest from Florida. They use the US dollar as their currency and it’s home to a very large population of ex-pat Americans. Although Spanish is spoken throughout the country, English is very popular and used frequently. And there is just so much to do in Ecuador that it warrants several visits. I know I still want to see the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands. So if you are considering a trip with your child, look no further than the cultural, historical, and natural sights of this beautiful country nestled on the equator.

TRIP PLANNING LINKS & RESOURCES
7-Day Latin Adventures Tour: Includes meals, transportation, guides, and hotels! 
Ecuador Hot Springs: Thermas Resort, definitely worth a stop!

New Orleans, Louisiana

The month of December is always a busy one in the airline industry but I was lucky enough to secure a few days off to go on another Mummy and Singh adventure. This time our travels took us a bit closer to home, to New Orleans in the United States. A short hop from Orlando on a Frontier flight, the Crescent City has been on my travel bucket list for a while. I’ve always wanted to see the French Quarter and try some authentic beignets while listening to live jazz music.

We took a late afternoon flight and booked a hotel on the fly (pun so intended) using the Hotels Tonight app. This is a great app for your last minute trips and since it’s affiliated with the Capital One Venture credit card, you get massive bonus points and additional savings. If you travel as much as I do, you will definitely want to look into getting the Venture card, it’s amazing for earning points for anything travel related. While waiting to board our plane, we found a cute little boutique hotel right along one of the main roads in the French Quarter called the Saint Philip Hotel. It was very well priced for this frugal flight attendant and had plenty of room for a roaming toddler. We booked it with one click using the app, boarded our plane, and heading for the Big Easy!

For those of you who don’t follow me on Facebook, you may not be aware of my son’s current obsession with Home Alone. I wish there was a stronger word than “obsession” because whoa. Singh is hypnotized by the franchise. This kid has hardly watched any movies since moving out of the orphanage yet Home Alone 1 and 2 are his jam. So Kevin MacCallister joined us on our flight and in our hotel room during our adventure. I used to love those movies but now I can barely tolerate the crazy antics of an eight-year-old left to his own devices. I guess that’s what happens when you become a parent.

Once we hopped off our short flight, we walked to the Uber station and waited for our car. Ride sharing is a fantastic option if you plan on spending your time exploring a city by foot. Plus renting a car would have meant finding a place to park it, an additional expense. I like to travel as inexpensively as possible, remember? The Uber dropped us off at the door to our hotel just as the sun set and the Christmas lights illuminated the French streets.

After we checked in, we set out to explore the quarter and find some food. I heard about a vegan hotdog shop that was within walking distance, so we headed to fill our stomachs. We arrived at Dreamy Weenies and it smelled amazing. It was kind of chilly out and a hot dog sounded perfect. That is until we found out they only take cash. We actually arrived at the conclusion during this trip that the majority of places in New Orleans only take cash. Yikes! This mommy typically only carries card. You don’t earn bonus miles from cash. Well, I knew I had some cash tucked away at the bottom of my suitcase that I typically saved for tipping van drivers. But that was back at the room and the toddler patiently holding my hand wouldn’t survive a walk back to the room then another to the hotdog shop. Dreamy Weenies would have to wait until the following day. We walked along the famous Bourbon Street, stopping at every restaurant until we found one that took credit card and had vegan options. I honestly don’t remember the restaurant because the food was subpar for the price we paid. But lesson learned: Always carry cash.

After dinner we watched Home Alone twice until the little guy finally fell asleep. I stayed up to do some bidding for my schedule the following month and finished up some last minute freelance work. I was rudely awaken at 3am, though, by a call from Crew Scheduling asking if I would be willing to work a 6am flight out of ORD. Cool, can you positive space me from New Orleans and let my son come along? No? Then no thanks because I’m on a Mummy and Singh trip! Click.

Despite the grey weather, we took to the streets early because we were starving. The cute and eclectic hotel we were staying at was about two blocks from the famous French Market where I had been told there was a GF VEGAN CREPE CART. Did you read that right? The Crepe Cart as it is obviously called, was perhaps, my favorite thing in New Orleans. Bummed about dinner the previous night, I was happily surprised at what awaited us at this little stand in the middle of the bustling French Market.

The stand offers a vegan and gluten free menu as well as a regular menu for those not restricted by dietary needs. I couldn’t believe how many options they had and ended up ordering a vegan Nutella and banana crepe for Singh while I decided to try the pesto crepe at the top of the menu board. Oh. Em. Gee. First of all the crepes that were made in front of us were huge. Like bigger than my head! Singh kept saying “big!” in between giggles as we watched the crepes being stuffed witch chocolate and fresh ingredients. And wow did they taste amazing. Singh’s stomach isn’t as big as mine, so to not waste any I devoured mine and whatever was left of his. Hey, I don’t typically have this much incredible food when I travel, so this was quite the experience!

After stuffing ourselves, we spent the rest of the morning walking around, pokemoning (hey don’t judge), and exploring the shores of the river. We saw horse drawn carriages, colonial architecture, and walked through a few of the landmarks that are mentioned in the 1,000 Things to See Before you Die book. We pointed out holiday decorations and ate fudge sitting in the shadow of a towering church. Singh ran along garden paths and enjoyed handing random people leaves. It was his mission during his trip to pick up every leaf he saw along the French Quarter. You’re welcome, New Orleans.

A nice thing about staying in the French Quarter is our ability to head back to our room and rest during the afternoon. I was successful in putting Singh down for a nap while we watched Home Alone…again. I suggest anyone traveling with kids to allow a few hours in the middle of your day to come back to the room and relax before venture out in the evening. Singh was an enjoyable and cute kid the rest of the night, so my investment in his nap paid off, big time.

With a new spring in our steps, and cash in hand, we tried our luck again at Dreamy Weenie for a late lunch. And it did not disappoint! I ordered Singh a plain sausage with ketchup while I enjoyed a beer brat slathered in vegan mayo and sauerkraut. Oh man was that amazing. Like get in my belly amazing. Singh loved it, too, as he actually ate the entire hot dog. The vegan food scene in New Orleans in seriously on point.

Bellies full and giggles all around, we left the French Quarter to go explore the Garden District. Large mansions and ivy-covered porches are hidden among towering oaks and overhanging trees in this neighborhood just outside of downtown. Flickering candles along the famous Lafayette Cemetery help to create an atmosphere welcoming to vampires and ghosts alike. I will admit that peeking through the cracked walls into the eerie graveyard was pretty creepy but crazy cool.

It started to rain as we finished up our self-guided tour and my stomach was growling for more food, so we hit up the Happy Cow app to find some vegan grub in the Garden District. Just a few streets away was a place called Seed, and you guys, this place was Ah. Maze. Ing. Like holy shit we ate vegan po boys and stuffed our faces with vegan beignets. I need to find a recipe for the tofu they used because my new goal in life is to fill a swimming pool with vegan po boy tofu and just eat until I explode. They were that awesome.

We hit the sack hard without even watching our favorite 8-year old on the ipad, both full and very happy with our discoveries in the historic town.

Our final morning in New Orleans was spent at the Mardi Gras World near the river. (After another stop at the Crepe Cart for breakfast, obviously). As cool as it would be to experience the fantastic tradition of Mardi Gras with Singh, it’s a bitch to non-rev and find a hotel during the celebration. Yeah, forget that. If you want to learn the history and see that actual floats being made, I highly suggest stopping by the Mardi Gras World. For $20 ($10 for kids), you get a historic presentation on the tradition, taste real King Cake, try on costumes, throw beads, learn about the different parades, tour the float buildings, and watch craftsmen making the new floats. And since it was the holiday season, they were offering a special where you could make a mask for free. It was insanely awesome and both Singh and I had a fantastic time laughing as we added sparkling glitter to his mask. Did I mention how much I love this kid?

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After we explored all of the floats, it was time to catch our afternoon flight home. Although our trip was short to this lively city, we filled each and every minute with amazing vegan food, new experiences, and fantastic memories. If you are looking for a short and family-friendly vacation, look no further than NOLA.

TRIP PLANNING LINKS & RESOURCES
Hotels Tonight App: A great app to use for last minute hotel bookings.
Capital One Venture Card: A great card to rack up bonus points to use for travel. 
The Saint Philip Hotel: A cute boutique hotel right in the heart of the French Quarter. 
Dreamy Weenies: Ah-maz-ing vegan hot dogs. Not GF, but well worth it! 
Crepe Cart: GF and vegan crepes! 
Seed: GET THE PO BOY. 
Mardi Gras World: Experience Mardi Gras without having to deal with the crowds!

Panama City, Panama

Flipping through our copy of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, I noticed the Panama Canal. A quick online search reveled that Panama was a country Singh could visit with his Thai passport sans a special visa. And they took US currency there at a 1:1 exchange rate. And they offered tours on the canal where you could see wild monkeys. Sold.

We opted to pay a zed fare to fly on an afternoon Copa Airlines right out of MCO. It cost a bit more than if I would have flown on my airline, but that flight was out of FLL and was a redeye. I have actually worked the PTY redeye countless times, but navigating a Spanish speaking country at 1am with a tired 3-year old? Yeah, worth the $150 zed fare out of MCO.

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The trip started off with a rather long delay as I have come to realize not all airlines work at super sonic speed as mine does. Once we were in the air it was a smooth flight, albeit a bit long for Singh. He grew restless despite eating all the snacks I had packed. At least I discovered he likes eating dried nori as he downed 4 packages during the three-hour flight.

Once we arrived in Panama the customs process was a breeze. Singh and I both watched the agent stamp our passport and then we headed out to the hotel. We had booked a room at the Wyndam just outside the city near the Abroke mall, the largest mall in Central America. Not the reason we stayed there, but it was handy having a mall attached to the hotel. We booked the room because we found a deal on iD90. Sensing a pattern on our trips? The hotel, however, wanted us to pay $40 per person to pick us up from the airport. Um….no. A few of my FA friends had visited the city previously and had told me to try Uber. With free internet at the airport, we booked an Uber ride for just $20 to the hotel. A much more reasonable price. And who doesn’t love Uber? (Okay, this was before the whole immigration ban thing, and I only use Lyft now. But this was back in November…)

Our hotel was okay, definitely not a converted monastery with rotting skeletons in the attached crypt like our trip to Guatemala. But it had nice views of the sprawling city and the rooftop pool was pretty sweet. We walked around the attached mall while we snacked on a freshly made smoothie and Singh partook in the carnival mall rides. Yes. We fly all the way to practically South America and all the kid wants to do is ride the cheap ass merry-go-round. Well, I like to spoil the shit out of this kid so we spent all of our mall-exploring-time and money there. He giggled and smiled the entire time so I’d say it was well worth it. That night we went for a swim and ate dinner by the rooftop pool before calling it a night.

Booked through the concierge at the hotel, our tour picked us up early the following morning to take us to the Gamboa rainforest lodge. Gamboa was an old US Army officer club from the time the canal was built. We drove outside the city and along the canal as it started to rain. Awesome. I’m not going to lie, I’m piss-poor at planning for weather. I suck at it on my layovers and I’m honestly not the best yet for our Mummy and Singh trips. I did pack rain jackets though, but that’s about it. Once we arrived at the eco-resort, we hopped on our first tour, which was a boat ride on the canal and lake in search of wild monkeys.

Riding on the Panama Canal was awesome. As our little wooden boat sped along the man-made inlet, a huge container ship passed us with little more than a wave from the ship’s captain. Singh loves boats and he was having a blast despite the rain hammering his face. A chorus of “wows” and “heys” issued from his giggling mouth when we slowed down near the shore to see a family of howler monkeys watching us from a low-hanging tree. We idled up to them as close as we could and snapped photos and threw them fruit and fruit loops. They loved the candy-coated cereal and they would have enjoyed more of it had Singh not sat there and ate the whole bag as we photographed the wild creatures.

On the wet and rainy tour, we saw more monkeys and a few eagles along the shoreline. There was a toucan chilling at the top of one of the towering trees but I couldn’t get a good glimpse. For those of you who don’t know, one of my goals is to see a toucan in the wild. I’d heard them in the wild when visiting the rainforest in Peru but I haven’t been as lucky to see one yet.

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The tour concluded with lunch, a nice buffet despite the large tour bus of Americans that arrived and loudly shared the outdoor dining area with us. After lunch we hiked back up to the main lodge and enjoyed a nice rum punch while we waited for the second part of our tour to commence. One our hike we had a lot of fun exploring the old army barracks and found a colony of leaf-cutter ants. By far the coolest type of ant, no question. 

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The rest of our afternoon was spent exploring the canopy of the rainforest…in the rain. We rode up on a tiny metal gondola and were given a private tour of the plant and animal life of the surrounding canopy. Once at the top, we hiked a bit to a ten-story observation tower. We climbed all the way to the top and were rewarded with breathtaking views of the encompassing rainforest and the famous Panama Canal. We watch the rain continue to steadily pour as large container ships made their way through the muddy inlet waters at the bottom of the hills. Our hike back down was a wet one and we concluded the soaking tour by learning about the colorful tree frogs and butterflies of the Panamanian forests.

By the time we headed back to the hotel we were soaked and the incoherent words of “I wet” was echoed throughout the car by my toddler. He did finally fall asleep as we sat in an hour and a half worth of traffic—FYI there are no traffic lights nor stop signs in Panama City. Thank goodness we didn’t rent a car, yikes. After a hot shower and some room service, we hit the bed early as we had a 4am wake up call for our tour to the San Blas islands the following morning.

The San Blas Islands. Let me just preface this by saying that these are the most beautiful islands I have ever experience. Any tropical island photo you see on a calendar or computer desktop is a photo of one of the hundreds of San Blas Islands that form archipelago just of the northern shores of Panama. So whatever you have to do to go see these islands, it is well worth it. In our case, it was a 2 ½ hour turned 5 hour drive on the only road across the country.

Our tour guide was fantastic and picked us up promptly in a very nice and comfortable car. The first hour and a half drive was non-eventful and Singh slept most of the way through the rainy countryside. Then we came to a complete stop in the absolute middle of no-where. Traffic was at a standstill for as far was we could see on the rainy two-lane road. We sat there for two hours and ate all the snacks before cabin fever got the best of me. I grabbed Singh and we walked on the side of the road to where the accident was, a good half a mile away. Turns out, there was a downed power line in the middle of the road. Awesome. My limited Spanish told me that the road was going to be closed until 1pm. We had been sitting there since 7am. Oh I was not having it. I walked up to some police standing around and did my best to converse with them and find out what the actual deal was. Did I mention everything is just slower in Panama? After watching the power company finally arrive and address the wire, we ran back to the car and continued on our way. For the only road that crosses the country why it took them 3 hours to open the road is beyond me. But we were on our way and I needed a drink and some tropical islands STAT.

If you do venture out to the islands, it’s a good idea to pop a Dramamen for the last hour of the drive. Even if you don’t get carsick, you will on this mountainous adventure down to the coast. The views out the window were beautiful and the waters became more and more inviting the closer we drove down the wild hillside. By the time we reached the bottom, our boat was waiting and we jumped in ready to see the islands.

The ride out to the collection of tiny palm-filled islands was long. It was a good half hour ride past sparkling waters and tropical sandy beaches. Our first island we arrived at was small and housed about 50 coconut trees and a small building with a dock and restaurant. Here we ate some fantastic rice and beans and took in the breathtaking vistas just feet from our table. Maybe it was due to our extended commute, but I downed a can of local Panamanian beer despite my hatred of beer and gluten. It was much needed, though, and I was chill the rest of the day.

Our second island we stopped at was a deserted sandbar with a tiny forest of palm and coconut trees extending out of over crystal clear Caribbean waters. We waded into the surprisingly warm waters filled with unique shells and stunning star fish. Singh had blast running around the water and playing with our tour guide in the shallows on the beach. Once he tired of the water he stripped of his shorts (I forgot to pack him a swimsuit. Oops!) and ran around the entire island naked. His giggles and laughs echoed off the tropical trees and I couldn’t help but smile and laugh along with him at the pure sense of joy and happiness that he showcased. It was a very humbling moment to watch my child run free on this secluded island we had completely to ourselves.

Running naked and uninhibited, this child was bursting with glee and gaiety. There will never be a TV show or book he will read that will ever replace this experience. This is exactly why we travel. This is why I will pick up extra trips, extra freelance work, extra illustration projects, whatever, so that we can travel and see the world. I will spend every last penny I have to make sure I show Singh just how amazing this planet is and expose him to as many different experiences as possible. I want him to be a citizen of the world that emanates compassion, kindness, and empathy. And the only way I know to show him this is to travel.

We saw one final island before we called it a day, Isla de Perro Grande—aka big dog island. Another sandbar with exotic foliage we had to ourselves, we played and swam in the gorgeous waters. We ate potato chips and drank tropical juice in the shade of a large swaying palm and a naked toddler’s butt was seen all over the small island. We bid the islands goodbye and started our long journey back to Panama City, this time without a downed power line.

Another round of room service concluded our stay in Panama City. We were beyond exhausted and I was lucky to even get Singh to agree to a shower that night. We left early for the airport in hopes to catch the first Copa flight back to Orlando but we lost the non-rev game for that flight. And just a note to fellow airline employees thinking about traveling out of PTY back to the states—there is absolutely no exemptions for crew. I watched as some US pilots had their bags searched and their liquids confiscated despite the fact that they were commuting. So unless you are Copa crew, you better adhere to the no-liquids rule. Also, we had to go through several different security checkpoints to get to our flight, which was incredibly annoying. You tell a toddler he has to take off his shoes three times and expect him to put them back on without a fight.

We did manage to hop on the second flight of the day, which was good as I was scheduled to be back in Chicago the following day to work a three-day. But nothing we do is without a hassle because once Singh and I went through customs we were temporarily detained because we were not on the manifest. i.e. the gate agent in PTY gave us tickets but didn’t actually put us on the list of passengers on the plane. AWESOME. The agent had taken our tickets so we couldn’t even prove we were on the flight. Thankfully, I had all of my adoption paperwork with me because they did ask for it and I had to explain my whole situation. After the continued hassle and scouring of our paperwork, we were eventually allowed back into the US. The only thing that made my arrival back into my country was getting pulled over for speeding on the drive home. For driving 36 in a 35 mph speed trap. Ugh. Can I go back to the San Blas Islands, please?

TRIP PLANNING LINKS & RESOURCES
Gamboa Rainforest Resort is a great place to stay at or to visit on a tour.
Make sure to stop at the Panama Canal Museum and learn about the history of the canal.
Read this great article to familiarize yourself with ride sharing apps like Uber in Panama. 
 

Disney Cruise to the Bahamas

Living in Orlando, and formally working for the mouse, a Disney Cruise has always been something I have wanted to do with Singh. I cruised a lot before Singh came a long, but that was mostly on Royal Caribbean and usually a last minute thing as the port is just an hour from my house. I had the Halloween weekend free (thank you to whomever picked up my trip from the trade board!) and I saw a fantastic deal for a 3-day Bahamas cruise aboard the Disney Dream on the Perx websites. Perx is a fantastic site for airline crewmembers and their families that has heavily discounted vacations, hotels, and cruises. I was able to snag the Halloween sailing for a veranda room for 60% the normal price! Because honestly, how else can anyone even afford a Disney Cruise?

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Singh loves boats. So during the hour drive to Port Canaveral I kept reminding him all about how we were going on a “big boat.” He was thrilled when we pulled into the parking garage and he could see the towering ship out his window. He hopped on my luggage and we checked into the ship. It’s been hit or miss with this kid and Disney walk around characters, so I was pleasantly surprised when he waved at Captain Mickey as we boarded the ship.

I’ll say one thing, despite my rocky history and feelings for Disney, they did at fantastic job designing the Disney Dream. I actually worked on it while I was at Walt Disney Imagineering years ago, so it was nice to spot a few of my Mandy France signs in the spa area. Besides admiring my old graphics, the ship was gorgeous.  Designed to feel like a ship sailing in the golden age of Art Deco, the large size feels small and quant. So many more details are offered on this ship compared to the ones I had sailed on at Royal Caribbean. Our room was ready and after lunch we watched our cast off from the chairs on the balcony. We waved to those on shore as we headed out to sea to the sound of Disney songs played on the ship’s whistle.

Our first dinner was at The Royal Palace, a nice dining room right off the center atrium of the ship. Call me a classy traveler, but I thought that you dressed nicely for dinners on cruise ships? Well apparently I didn’t get the memo that cruising in 2016 means dressing sloppily and wearing flip flops and torn tanks to the dinner table. We did look a bit out of place with my nice dress and Singh’s three-piece vest and tie. The dress code wasn’t the only thing to disappoint us during our dinner: the food was terrible. Granted, I am a gluten-free vegan and Singh is a toddler. So we are beyond picky. But one thing I love about living around the corner from Disney is that their chefs on property always take care of us. They always make sure we have a good meal that’s equal if not better than what is being served to the carnivores in the restaurant. Well, our dining experience on the ship was quite a different one than we were accustomed to at Walt Disney World. They were unprepared for our dietary needs despite our communication weeks before the cruise assuring us otherwise. It was a rough start the first night and eating would become a nightmare most of the trip.

After dinner we headed to the show onboard in the Walt Disney Theater. I had been on a Disney Cruise back in 2000 and I remember the shows being fantastic. I wasn’t disappointed this time, that’s for sure. Disney hires some very skilled performers and the shows and songs are almost Broadway worthy. The show we saw that night was “The Golden Mickeys,” an award-show styled performance that showcased many of the popular Disney songs and movies. Who doesn’t love a live cast singing Lion King songs? The nicely dressed people sitting in the balcony were very impressed. And an extra thumbs up for keeping my son’s attention throughout the whole performance. (This little guy has a hard time making it through an entire Star Wars Rebels episode). After the show we skipped off to bed, a bit sea sick from the storms outside and choppy waters.

We woke early, already docked into Nassau, Bahamas. As I mentioned, I’ve cruised a lot and I’m not a huge fan of Nassau. It’s kind of trashy for a Bahaman island and very tourist-heavy. So when we looked outside and saw it was rainy I didn’t think twice about deciding to stay on the ship. They were offering an open house at the Oceaneer’s club all morning long so Singh took advantage of checking out the Disney childcare programs. There he learned how to cook, played on a replica set of the Millennium Falcon, and fought with light sabers. He wasn’t too thrilled when he was picked up, though, because it turns out this little guy is afraid of storm troopers. (You are in the wrong family for that, kid). 

The Disney Dream is a huge ship and offers fun family games to play throughout it’s many decks and long corridors. We played a mystery game that was interactive about the Muppets. It required us to walk all over the ship and collect clues from digital paintings on the walls. In the end we finally solved the mystery of who stole all the missing props from the Muppets’ storage room and thankfully it wasn’t my favorite character, Gonzo.

Dinner that night was at Artist Palette, a fun and interactive dining room with animated characters on the colorful walls. It was also pirate night, so we dressed up our attire with bandanas, earrings, and eyeliner. Singh loves makeup, so guess what his favorite part was?

Dinner was okay. A marinated slab of tofu and some dry bean cakes. Dessert was well received, though, because who can turn down a vegan, gluten-free chocolate lava cake? Singh enjoyed the Finding Nemo characters who talked to him from the interactive wall displays. I remember eating at a similar restaurant during my first Disney Cruise sixteen years prior but I didn’t remember being crammed in like sardines into the dining room. It made the experience less than pleasant, that’s for sure. Bonus points: we could dress up in our halloween costumes after dinner!

The show after dinner was Villains and was all about how Hades had to work with other Disney villains and attain his evil rating since he failed at capturing Hercules. It was a very good show despite Singh losing interest quickly. I guess he just didn’t get the dry humor of Hades or the stoic comedy of Ezma and Cronk. Singh ended up being restless for the remainder of the evening until his shower and bedtime.

Our last morning aboard the Disney Dream found us docked in the tropical paradise of Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island. They offer a 5K run first thing in the morning on the island and I was very tempted to participate but their age limit didn’t allow Singh to join so we decided to instead enjoy breakfast at The Enchanted Garden restaurant. Another disappointing meal and probably my worst breakfast experience on my travels. The headwaiter had promised us scrambled tofu for breakfast and what we were served was bland, watery tofu with some peppers and onions. It took a lot of salt, pepper, and hot sauce to get any flavor on the plate. There is a right way and wrong way to work with tofu and I was beginning to lose my faith in the chefs onboard. They must not have the same training that ones on Disney property in Florida undergo. And I hate that I sound so stuck up and pretentious but just because I’m vegan doesn’t mean I don’t like eating. I straight up love eating and if I wasn’t vegan I’d probably be 500 pounds easily. They would have a show about me on TLC called The Five-Hundred Pound Flight Attendant. So I love eating, just not shit tofu.

After breakfast it was time to hit the island! We walked off the ship and by-passed the shuttle and headed straight for the sugary white sands of the family beach area. We scored some chairs under some swaying palm trees and jumped in the water. The freezing cold water. The hell? Yeah, it was very chilly in the turquoise Bahamian waters, so we just opted to walk around and wade a bit until we were pruney. On the other side of the beach were the snorkeling area and a kick-ass slide, both of which required you to be 40 inches tall. Singh is 37 inches. Sigh. Oh well. We were getting a bit restless on the now-crowded beach so we headed back to the ship to shower and eat.

After we changed, we walked up to the deserted buffet area called Shutters and had a fantastic lunch. Yup, you read that right, our best lunch experience and it was at a buffet. I talked with the lead in the restaurant and he went out of his way to make us two vegan and gluten-free pizzas and gave us a box of special cookies. Couple that with a nice fruity ice-tea and a happy Singh, and that seemed to be the recipe for a perfect lunch. We sat at a table next to the window that showcased wide views of the island.

Rejuvenated after our relaxing (and filling) lunch, we decided to head back to the island to hike a few of the trails. I had heard there was an observation tower on the far side near the adult beach and an old runway you could walk. An abandoned runway? Say no more. With Singh strapped onto my back, we headed out to explore.

If you do happen to partake in a Disney Cruise, I recommend checking out the walking trails on the island. As much as I love lounging by the water and sunbathing, I enjoy hiking and exploring much more. I can be lazy on layovers—Mummy and Singh trips are adventures!

We climbed up the tower and smiled for selfies. Singh fell asleep as we walked to the far side of the island until the trail ended. It was deserted on the trail so it felt like had the whole island to ourselves, it was fantastic. We headed back across the island as the sun began to set and were one of the last people to board the awaiting ship.

Our last dinner was lackluster as I had to beg them to make us some vegan mashed potatoes to serve with the Portobello mushroom on the menu. Again, just because we are vegan doesn’t mean we don’t like eating. My disappointment with the food was insane on this ship. The only silver lining was that we were able to sit by the window and watch the sun completely set over the crashing waves and watch Castaway Cay disappear over the darkening horizon.

The show that evening was an original production called “Believe.” And you guessed it, it was about an adult who had to be shown how to believe again. The songs were interesting and it kept Singh’s attention, so I’d call it a win. We hit the bed early that night as we were scheduled to be the first off this ship the following morning.

The Disney Dream was a beautiful ship and I know Singh thoroughly enjoyed himself while at sea. The customer service was impeccable even though the food wasn’t up to the Disney standards I have grown accustomed to in the Parks. Would I do another Disney Cruise in the future? Eh, probably, if they offer the steep discounts on the Perx website again. I know seeing Alaska and the Mediterranean are on our Mummy and Singh bucket list and I’d be okay with Mickey joining us as well if the price was right. But I do try and keep things as inexpensive as possible on our trips so that we can afford to do more. So for the meantime I think I will just stick to flying to our destinations on our benefits and leave the all-you-can-eat buffets to the career cruisers.

TRIP PLANNING LINKS:
Disney Cruise Line Check this site out for itineraries and destinations! 
Perx.com Check out this site if you are an airline crew member for fantastic deals on vacations!

Guatemala

“You are taking your son, where?” and “Is it even safe?” were just a few of the statements I received via text or conversation when I mentioned off-handedly that Singh and I were planning a trip to Guatemala. Dotted with volcanoes and forested highlands, this central American country has stolen my heart. I can easily say it is one of the most beautiful places I have been to so far in my travels. As for safety, I felt much more at ease walking around the cobblestone streets of colonial Antigua than I ever did riding the CTA to my crash pad in Chicago.

Our trip started off with a bit of a hiccup, though, as Hurricane Matthew decided to close the FLL and MCO airports the day before we were supposed to fly to our exotic destination. Normally not a huge deal for ticketed passengers, but for those of us playing the non-rev stand-by game, it was a bit of a stressor. Cancelled flights the day before always translate to full and overbooked flights the next day. And that was no different in this case. Our original plan was to fly from MCO-FLL-GUA on my airline, only paying the $48 dollars in tax when flying home to the US. Well, unsurprisingly, the early morning flight to Fort Lauderdale was oversold with at least ten on the standby list, all more senior than me. So the early morning flight turned into an even earlier morning drive. It made no difference to Singh as he slept the entire three-hour drive down the turnpike. I used to be based in FLL, and I was painfully reminded on that long drive why I transferred.

Once in my old airport, we went through security and waited at the gate. Despite a minor three-year-old melt down, we were able to snag the last open seats on the tight flight. The short hop from the tip of Florida to Central America was uneventful. Singh slept until the wheels dropped for landing and he was mesmerized as he looked upon rugged and unfamiliar tropical terrain out the Airbus window. I, too, was excitedly gazing out, wide-eyed and anxious to explore someplace new.

My main concern coming to Guatemala was the visa situation for my son. He’s adopted and isn’t a US citizen yet, meaning that he needs a visa for just about any country we visit, despite having a green card. Thai passports are basically useless, by the way. Supposedly for Guatemala we could buy a visa upon arrival for $24, so I was a bit skeptical as I walked up to the customs counter. The lady grabbed just my passport, took out the custom form and handed it back sans stamp and without even touching Singh’s. She waved me through despite me insisting on a stamp and showing her the maroon Thailand passport. She continued to wave me through and I honestly didn’t know what to say in Spanish about the situation, so I walked on through. In hindsight, this could have been because I had non-reved in my uniform (as I typically do) and the customs official thought I had just worked the flight…with my three-year old son. They must have different rules about flying in GUA.

We had arrived in Guatemala City, but that wasn’t our final destination. I’ve read enough about travels through this city to know that this wasn’t where I wanted to stay for our 4-day visit.  Many people feared for our safety during our trip and I would have agreed with them had I planned on walking around this city at night waving hundred dollar bills. So we hired a car to pick us up and drive us an hour and a half to the colorful city of Antigua for around $32usd. The shuttle was clean and waiting on us as we walked out into the chanting crowd of taxi drivers. A stress-free option for anyone traveling with a child and so much easier than trying to navigate the taxi scene.

Antigua is an absolutely gorgeous city. Bright and colorful buildings line the colonial cobblestone streets. Horse-drawn carriages mingle with cars as this quiet city sleeps in the shadow of a nearby towering volcano. The shuttle dropped us off at our hotel, Casa Santa Domingo, located just a few blocks from the city center. An old monastery turned hotel, Casa Santa Domingo was absolutely fantastic. Not much to look at from the outside, once you step inside the outer walls you are transported to a completely different world. Candles frame the brick walkways and luscious courtyards welcome you with wild Macaws and tropical foliage. The lobby is open and airy, requiring you to enter by walking under a tunnel of flowering tree branches and vines. Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived, so we dropped off our luggage and explored the labyrinth of ancient hallways and corridors. I booked our room for three nights at $100 per night via ID90 travel. A website with discounts available to airline crewmembers, ID90 allowed us to stay at this fantastic hotel as normally the rates run between $250-375 per night during the high season. I love my flight attendant job but it certainly doesn’t pay me enough to stay someplace at those high prices! So thank you, ID90!

Singh had an absolute blast running around the courtyards and waving at parrots. Being a former monastery, the cool factor of this hotel shot through the roof once we saw that there was an actual crypt on the grounds. As in right around the corner from your room were catacombs and tombs you could walk through with real skeletons just chilling in the dark. Both Singh and I were beside ourselves with excitement. I’m not sure how many fieldtrips he went on at the orphanage, but I doubt he experienced anything like this. Every other word out of his mouth was either “whoa!” or “hey!” as we climbed down spiral staircases and crawled through tight tunnels.

We weren’t disappointed in our room, either. What looked to be a two-room suite, Singh immediately jumped on the king sized bed while I admired the Spanish-style fireplace and cute balcony. After changing out of my uniform, we set out to explore the city. We walked a few blocks to see the famous archway, took a few photos, and browsed the local artisans along the tight sidewalks. I stopped in a local hole-in-the wall to sample some Guatemalan rum and wasn’t disappointed. When in Rome, right?

For dinner that night we ate at the hotel restaurant that was half inside, half outside. A tree grew through the floor and roof of the restaurant, it’s weeping branches hanging over our vegan dinners. Candles lit the tables as we finished our food and gazed outside at the surrounding mountains and volcanoes. Although he is only three, it definitely seemed like he enjoyed the mountain vistas—quite a change from the flat scenery of Central Florida. As the sun set we headed to bed, looking forward to an early start the following morning.

Your best alarm clock is a toddler. For some reason they wake up at the same time every morning, despite being an hour behind your normal time zone. The case was no different with Singh, and he was up bright and early as the sun rose over the distant volcanoes. Today’s adventure was taking us to Pacaya, a volcano about 45 minutes away. We met our tour guide, Miguel, and loaded into his van. Booked through Viator.com, another great discounted travel tour site, we were getting basically a private climb up the volcano for just $75. And Singh was free. Unbelievable! Guatemalan Tours was the company we were working with and they were just fantastic.

The ride was a bit bumpy through the mountains but the views out the window did not disappoint. I’m not ashamed to admit that I haven’t seen many volcanoes in real life. Kilimanjaro is probably the best example I can think of for seeing one “in the wild” and that volcano has been quiet for centuries. The magma-filed mountains that we were driving through had all been active within the last ten years. Pacaya, the volcano we were set to climb had last erupted in 2010.

Advertised as a stressful climb accomplished in roughly 3 hours, I didn’t think twice about booking this trip. Yeah I had a toddler with me, but so what? I brought along my little backpack for him to sit in, put on my hiking boots and followed Miguel up the trail. Mountain climbing and trekking is a passion of mine and a trip isn’t complete without some adventure in the woods or summiting some mountain. They offer horses you can rent to take you up to the top, but we wanted none of it. Singh did enjoy nuzzling the playful ponies as we started our climb and I’m pretty sure he gave them some of his gummies. I do regret not bringing my trekking poles, though, as having a toddler on your back who likes to wiggle around can throw off your balance as you hike at a steep incline. But man, was this climb awesome! Even Singh had a blast as we climbed up through the tropical trees and out into the open plateau on top with fantastic views of the crater. In the past, you could actually climb down into the crater to see the red lava, but due to the recent eruptions the best we could do was watch smoke billow out of the top. Still crazy awesome.  And the climb wasn’t complete once we reached the top. Miguel pulled out a bag of marshmallows, walked us over to an outcropping of stones and we began to roast them over the heat emanating from below our feet. I’m unsure who was more excited about this, Singh or me. Might have been me because we had vegan marshmallows and we were roasting them OVER LAVA ROCKS. Can anyone say bucket list?

Miguel insisted that Singh climb a bit instead of ride on my back and he absolutely loved it. Our guides definitely earned a fantastic tip because they walked with Singh all the way down the mountain, and there were a few times where he decided to just kind of hang on Miguel instead of walk, but our guide did just a fantastic job. The decent took around 30 minutes and before we knew it, we were back at the van. We rode through the valley of volcanoes back to Antigua while being serenaded by a snoring Singh. That night we opted for room service and some Disney movies on the ipad as we failed lighting the fireplace.

Our final full day in Antigua started early as Miguel picked us up to travel two hours to visit Lake Atitlan. Since the drive was a bit long, we stopped halfway at a small restaurant in the middle of the mountains. There we had fresh fruit and freshly made tortillas. I may never eat regular tortillas again because these were divine. Couple that with the freshly ground Guatemalan coffee, all for just a few bucks, and I was in heaven.

As we drove closer to the lake, we were greeted with stunning vistas and unbelievable landscapes. Crossing over the last mountain ridge you can see the entire lake, which is the deepest in Central America. Created by the blast crater of a super volcano, it is now home to two towering volcanoes with several small towns dotted along the shores. We drove to the bottom and boarded a tiny boat to ride to the town of San Juan, known for their fabric dyes. Did I mention that Singh loves boats and planes? He eagerly looked out over the water as we sped across the glass-like lake. I couldn’t stop looking at the surrounding volcanoes. Miguel told us all about the creation of the lake and how it’s beauty has inspired many artists and writers over the years. The most notable, he said, was how the author of The Little Prince was inspired to write the story after living off the shores for several years of Lake Atitlan.

Our little boat pulled up to the tiny dock of San Juan and we disembarked to explore the city. The tiny village was built on the hillside of a towering volcano that was obscured by the passing clouds. We walked through tiny shops and bought a few trinkets and coffee to take with us on our travels home. Singh enjoyed some snacks as we walked around the sleeping city. We were exploring Guatemala in the off season, which made it affordable and enjoyable. I hate crowds and throngs of tourists. It felt like we had the whole city to ourselves for just the tour price of $75. Again, you just can’t beat that.

Our journey back to Antigua started with the bumpiest boat ride to the van. There are no shock absorbers on these tiny boats so you feel every wave and every whitecap. The waters may have been smooth on our way to San Juan, but they were very chopping on the return trip. I held onto Singh a bit tighter on our adventure back across the lake. After a quick lunch of noodles (Singh’s favorite dish) and the best hearts of palm salad I have ever eaten, we hopped back in the van and journeyed to Antigua. This time instead of being serenaded with snores, we were entertained with toddler songs of “Happy Birthday” and “If you are happy and you know it.”

Both of us crashed hard once we got back to the room. Another round of room service completed our last night in this beautiful Central American country.

Our shuttle picked us up early the following morning and we started our journey back to the states. Oh yeah, and remember how they didn’t stamp my passport or issue a visa for Singh? Yeah that proved extremely problematic when we were trying to leave. We had to go through several checkpoints and each time we had to go through the same song and dance and explain why we didn’t have stamps or a visa. Lesson? ALWAYS GET YOUR PASSPORT STAMPED.

We flew back via FLL since that’s where my car was and Singh was done with the travel process by the time I pulled into our driveway in Orlando. A three-hour flight and a three-hour drive is about all a toddler can take before he’s just done. And thankfully he was done after I parked and could take him right up to bed.

Looking back at my short trip to Guatemala with a toddler, I can easily recommend this adventure to anyone looking to take his or her child on an attainable trip outside the US. Singh and I shared such an incredible bond as we climbed up that volcano that I know all I want to do is travel the world with this kid by my side. At home we both get easily frustrated with each other but when we travel we are on the same team. We both love experiencing new things together and I know he feels the love I have for him as I do what I can to show him the world. And as I sit back and reflect on my short trip I realize that not only has Singh stolen my heart, a piece of it was stolen by Guatemala and I hope we make it back there soon so we can explore even more of this beautiful country. 

The Adventure Begins

Just to give a bit of background before you start stalking us, my name is Mandy and I travel with my adopted son, Singh. I’m a flight attendant/illustrator/author and Singh is from Thailand.

As awesome as it is being a flight attendant, it can also be lonely. I know that by continuing the job I love in the skies, I will miss a lot of Singh’s milestones such as birthdays, soccer games, and plays. It’s 2016 and life isn’t traditional. I hope when my son is older he doesn’t harbor any resentment when he looks out in the audience and sees an empty chair where I was supposed to sit, or any annoyance when I arrive late to pick him up from baseball practice after a delayed flight.

If he does experience any frustration with the life I provide him, I want there to be a silver lining. If he does grow up thinking I was an MIA mom, an absentee parent, I want there to be a “but.” An asterisk at the end of his explanation of his jet-setting mom.

“Yeah, my mom was gone on trips most of my childhood…BUT…She took me on some amazing adventures.”

Personally, I imagine him saying this in a 20/20 interview in a few decades as they ask him questions about how he feels his life has shaped him to become the first Thai-born president of the United States. Not that I’m pushing him into politics or anything…

So my mission as a flight attendant mom is to take him on at least one adventure a month. An adventure I’ve dubbed “Mummy and Singh Trips.” We can fly for free (or almost free) all over the world. Why sit at home and play with Legos when we can visit Legoland in Europe? Why sit and finger paint when we can immerse ourselves in famous oil paintings in the Louvre? Why make a science fair volcano when we can climb an active one in Guatemala?

Not everyone has the opportunity we do to travel and I work hard for these benefits. I may not be able to provide my son the nuclear family atmosphere that was seen on billboards in the 1950s, but I hope that the one I do give him is one that will shape him to be a compassionate and creative citizen of the world.