Traveling to Malaysia with Kids - Prep

This year, to make it a real challenge for ourselves, we decided to go to the other side of the world. My initial plan was Thailand, but the tourist visa process after 30 days can get a little complicated. So to avoid that completely, we decided to shift our focus a little further south. U.S. citizens can travel to Malaysia visa-free for up to 90 days.

We secured a house-sit for an expat couple in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for 9 days, so we'll get our jaunt up into Thailand for about 2 weeks before heading back to Malaysia.

More on House Sitting abroad Here.

Vaccines
The BIGGEST drag in prepping for this trip has been figuring out vaccination needs.

Yellow Fever is a concern if you're traveling from (or have 12+ hour layovers in) a country with associated risk, as of now that's parts of South America and Africa. So this wasn't a concern for us.

Typhoid: 1 injection or a 4-series oral, Typhoid will run anywhere from $70-$160 and that's not including the travel clinic's consultation fee. Many Walgreens carry this one and if they don't, many can order it and have it in next day for you.

Japanese Encephalitis: I'm so tired of saying this word. A 2-series, each shot costing between $241 and $322, the JE vax was about to run my family $1500. I called 5  clinics, made and cancelled a bunch of appointments and annoyed my family doctor with questions. Then Mr. Go had a brainstorm: What if we waited and got the JE vax when we GOT to Malaysia? It's bound to be cheaper, right? RIGHT!

The Twin Towers Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur offers all the vaccines for a fraction of the price (170 MYR = $41 USD). I emailed them some questions and got prompt answers. No appointment is necessary, but if I Whatsapp message them before coming in, it can cut down on wait time. Also bonus: for reasons beyond my understanding, at the TTMC the JE vax is only 1 shot, not two. Babs was suuuuuuper happy about that. I'll post about that experience in a couple weeks!

We decided to get Typhoid in the states, because it's transmitted by improperly handled food and that's something we want to be ready for the moment we land. We figured we could wait on the JE vax, since JE is transmitted by mosquitoes and in the heart of KL they're not as big of an issue as the more rural areas. The skeeters that transmit JE bite at dark, so we'll employ more caution at dusk until the vaccine takes full effect (about 1 week after receipt).

But finding a clinic to give my 5-year-old a typhoid vax was easier said than done. Walgreens won't vaccinate kids under 7 and the oral typhoid vax is for kids 6 and older. The closest clinic was a 500-mile round trip overnight jaunt. The International Society for Travel Medicine has a directory of clinics, but a Google Maps search of "Travel Vaccine Clinic" will turn up some facilities not on the ISTM list.

Weather
Malaysia is pretty much right on the equator, meaning the temperature doesn't change much during the year. Highs will hover around the mid- to high-80s while lows plummet to about 70 Farenheit at night. Oh and being a peninsula on the ocean, it's super humid! That, combined with the cultural restrictions below, means things might get sweaty.

Culture
Malaysia is a fairly conservative culture. Metro areas like Kuala Lumpur have fewer implied restrictions, but if you don't want to get stared at in rural areas, women should cover their knees and shoulders. Especially in religious temples.

I plan on bringing a scarf to cover my shoulders and leggings to go under my dress and shorts. Time will tell if that will be enough, but it will be easy to buy clothes, especially in the 32-million-population Kuala Lumpur, once I poke around and figure out from the locals what's appropriate.

Packing
I'm in the process of making a spreadsheet, but this blog post has been super helpful and informative. There are plenty of things I'll be waiting to buy until we get there, which is both freeing and stressful. I do like having everything I might possibly need at my fingertips at any given moment, but when restricted to 2 bags, that's not possible.

20 days until we leave from LA on this new adventure!! 😬


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Top 6 Essentials for Travel to Europe

Reflecting on 2.5 months abroad, we're coming to realize what things were absolutely essential, what were not, and what we wished we'd brought. In no particular order...

1. Rain jackets
Lightweight, easy to carry in a backpack and doubled as a sweater on windy days.

November through January in Southern Spain can get nippy, especially at elevation. But you don't want to carry a bulky jacket or big sweater. Layering is key. A mid-weight sweater and a rain jacket to block the wind was the perfect combo.

The stylish jackets you see the Go adults sporting are the Marmot Precip.

2. Travel towels
For the times when your Airbnb is a little stingy with the bath linens. Our REI travel towels would have been great to have in the backpack on rainy days or on days when our wanderings brought us to the beach.

3. Travel car seat
We forgot ours at home, so we bought one in Chicago and then never used it. But if you might take a taxi or rent a car, save on the carseat rental fee and get a MiFold. It's small enough to carry around in your backpack when you go out exploring.

4. Outlet converter
Your chargers aren't going to work in European outlets. This adapter doubled as our charging block for phones, laptops and kindles, as it had two USB ports.

5. Portable battery charger
If you have an iPhone with good battery life, you'll probably be fine, but our crappy old phones lose battery life within 8 hours when you're constantly on GoogleMaps and TripAdvisor. I can't tell you how many times this Anker portable battery saved our skin.

6. Hardcover Notebook and Pen
Specifically for the 4-year-old child being toted around to historically significant that were not interesting to her. We had no space to bring toys, except one or two small dolls that she eventually grew bored of.

This 1,50 euro hardcover notebook, together with 2 euros in writing utensils, were her constant companions. She was able to create, to play open-ended games quietly by herself on planes, trains, at busy restaurants, and on rainy or sick days when we were cooped up.

We called it her Travel Journal. I was so proud to see her happily scribbling away, asking me how to spell words or to play tic-tac-toe. It was all she needed to entertain herself for 2.5 months and we carried it absolutely everywhere with us. Every child is different, but some sort of open-ended creative toy is highly recommended.


Any other vagabonding essentials I missed?


*Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a kickback for purchases made via some of these links. That's why I only recommend products we truly love!*

Best Travel Skin Care Products

You don't want to bring your 5 oz. bottle of facewash when you're traveling. First of all, there's no space. Secondly, when flying, you don't want to check a bag if you don't have to. So how do you keep your skin clear for all those vacation photos?

These three skin care products are perfect for traveling:

I label this as "Travel Skin Care Products" but I use these at home too, because it's easy and fast. I'm a mom, I don't have time for clay masks and cucumber eyes.

Everyone's skin is different. Honestly, everyone's skin is different on different days. The monthly changes in hormone cycles and lifelong changes make it difficult to find one skincare routine that works.

Real Talk: I have supremely oily skin. In the morning my face is so shiny you could see your reflection on my forehead. My acne was never really bad, but I always had at least one big zit on my face. And not the fairly benign surface-level whitehead, oh no. The deep, painful boil type that emerged from my face like a volcano. If your skin is similar, this may work for you too.

These Yes facial wipes have 1% salicylic acid, a good chemical for combating acne. It also removes makeup pretty effectively. (I use a different wipe for mascara and save these wipes for my T-zone).

They are perfect for travel (especially camping and van living) when access to water for face washing is spotty or inconvenient.

After washing your face with your preferred method, if you live in a dry climate you'll want to moisturize. But what lotion can moisturize without adding oil, plus give you a boost in fighting acne?

Enter Neutrogena Rapid Clear Lotion:

With 2% salicylic acid as the active ingredient and no oil to weigh down your skin. Plus it comes in a conveniently travel-sized 1.7 fluid ounce bottle.

To skimp and make the small bottle last, only use it on your problem areas and use a different lotion (I like Gold Bond) for areas not prone to acne.

But arguably the best product for saving my face has been this Neutrogena Light Wand:

Yeah I definitely brought it to Spain with me for 2 1/2 months. And I used it, too. It's small enough to fit in my cosmetic bag and is powered by one AAA battery.

You have to catch pimples early for this to work, though. Once it develops a head it's too late for you and may god have mercy on your soul. As soon as you feel that tenderness under your skin, zap it with this bad boy.

It blasts light under the skin to kill bacteria, stopping the zit before it blows up. It's important to wait for the entire 2-minute light cycle to finish. Use it on a clean, lotion-free skin for best results.


There you go! Small products that are effective, convenient and good for travel. Happy trails!

Three Days in Alicante, Spain

Alicante is a smallish city on the southeastern coast of Spain. We stayed in a cheap Airbnb 2km north of city-center in an awesome area. The closer you get to city-center and to the coast, the more touristy it feels. It's busier, the shops and cafes are more modern and the wait staff speak some English. *thumbs down emoji*

In our area, at the corner of Carrer Colombia y Avinguda Novelda, at the end of a shady-looking alley, we were in prime authentic location. Google Street View tells the story better than I ever could.

With a welcoming front like this, how is the place not booked solid? Even with no hand towels, no paper towels and being given 1.5 rolls of toilet paper by our generous host, we couldn't really complain at $26/night.

On the whole, Spaniards were friendly enough, especially with Babs, pinching her cheeks and waving at her.

There was no shortage of places to eat. Every other shop is a cafeteria or coffee shop. But far and away our favorite place was El Mosquito.

Let me wax poetic about El Mosquito for a moment. It's small and cozy inside, but not crowded. Bathrooms are upstairs. The wait staff were all incredibly friendly and welcoming without being overbearing. They spoke no English. As the waitress was trying to explain menu del dia to us, other customers were chiming in with the handful of English words in their repertoire to help us all out.

We inquired, in a general way, if the entrees were gluten-free ("sin gluten"), which launched an in-depth conversation that no one involved understood. In an effort to be sure we were satisfied, I suspect they may have gone to the mercado next door to purchase a package of sin gluten breadsticks to serve us. We never felt they resented us for being difficult on so many levels, and the waitresses kept pinching Babs' cheeks and even gave us the rest of the package of sin gluten breadsticks to take home with us.

Find El Mosquito here. Maybe there are better places to go in Alicante, but this was the absolute best, most authentic, charming, delicioso restaurante we visited. Five stars, 10/10 would recommend.

What Not To Do:

Being right on the water, Alicante is a popular destination for tourists. We saw two enormous cruise ships dock at the marina and an influx of English and Dutch retirees and young families disembark for a daily venture through the city.

Castell De San Fernando was not much more than a platform on top of a small hill. Castilla de Santa Barbara, however, was a tourist trap.

Sure, it was cool that the castle was built in the 700s, but what wasn't cool was the crowds of people milling around. Some people are into it, it just happens that the Go Family is not.

You could step inside the "castle" proper into smallish chambers housing old pottery and other exhibits. The view of the ocean and the city was nice, though. The Internets said it would cost us money, but everywhere we walked around was free. Maybe we didn't find the paid portion, maybe it was a free day, who knows? My recommendation: Just Don't Do It.

When ready to depart to our next destination, Albir, about 50 km up the coast, we went to the Luceros train station, situated in central Alicante. The L1 tram goes north until it ends at Benidorm, then simply disembark the tram, go to the other side of the rail, where the L9 begins. The L9 goes further north, to Albir, where we are currently sitting pretty in a sweet Airbnb for the next month. The tram journey cost us 9.70 Euro (Babs was free).

More on Albir in the next post!

International Travel with Kids: Spain Edition

Well, we're at it again. We liked the southeastern coast of Spain so much last year, we decided to return this year...for two and a half months.

Only time will tell if that was a good idea or not. We might get homesick a month in, we might hate it and want to call it quits. I don't think we will, but if we're to spend, say, six months living in a different location next year, we wanted to get our feet wet with a "small" trip first.

For best prices and options, we drove to Chicago to fly out of O'Hare.

ProTip #1: For the long, over-sea leg of your international journey, make it an overnight flight.

We boarded at 6pm, right around bedtime, and with Babs' teeth brushed and jammies on, she stretched out across 2 1/2 seats and zonked for roughly 6 hours. It was only slightly more difficult for the larger versions of her to get some shut-eye, but we managed a few hours at least.

ProTip #2: BRING SNACKS

We loaded up at Meijer outside of Chicago with packaged foods. They make single-packs of olives without liquid, presumably just so you can take them through airport security! What will they think of next??

We focused on protein snacks, like those grass-fed EPIC brand beef, bison and venison jerky packs, and I made up trail mix of roasted almonds and dark chocolate chips to bring from home.

Especially on budget airline (we took Norwegian air this year, after months of ticket-price-tracking, 3 round-trip tickets totaling 1400 USD), where they charge you for e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g., being prepared with snacks is important if you want to travel on the cheap.

ProTip #3: Get a credit card with no international fees. Like an Amazon Prime credit card, which you can then use for extra cash back on all your Amazon purchases, like the boss you are.

After a 3-hour layover at London Gatwick, we went on to Madrid. Instead of staying in an Airbnb in the city, or taking a taxi to the Atocha train station, then a 100 euro train to Alicante, we rented a car for 90 euro and drove to the coast that night. The last hour of the drive was pure misery, jetlagged and having to get my Airbnb key from my host's friend then drive across town and find the place, but then we arrived, took our stinky shoes off and slept for 11 hours.

We returned our car to the Alicante airport the next morning, and took the 3.85€ C6 bus to Alicante city center. It departs from the 2nd floor (Departures level) of the Alicante airport.

Note: I watched Airbnb prices go down several dollars/night until I booked two days out from our arrival. If you know you have lots of options for lodging, sit on it and wait and you may get an even better deal.

More on living in Spain in another post. Hasta luego!

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I Can Do Anything (And You Can Too): Adventuring With a Toddler

If you've ever thought you can't do something or go somewhere because you have a kiddo, I have news for you: You can. And you should.

Traveling with a toddler isn't easy. Sometimes it's not fun.

But more often, it is. And when it's good, it's magical. All it takes is a little pre-planning and preparation, some adjusting of expectations and you can go anywhere and do anything, toting that kiddo right along.

Dora Babs the Explorer and Mom in Moab, Utah

We camped for 5 days in the desert outside of Moab, Utah, next to the climbing rock face called Sunshine Wall. Our first outdoor climbing experience, we were led by our dear friend Nay, and accompanied by his friend Rachel.

giving my mother a heart attack, one adventure at a time

(What did we do with the dogs while we were away? Got a homeless person to stay at our house and care for them, of course. That's it's own post: How to Find a Free Dog Sitter, coming soon.)

Babs packing list for the desert:
Sunscreen
Sun hat
Closed-toe shoes
Sandals
Socks
3 pair shorts
4 T-shirts
2 long-sleeves
Sweater
2 pants
1 sweatpants
5 undies
Potty chair

Babs was on week 2 of potty training, so we toted her potty chair on our day trips. She def peed in a public parking lot a time or three. Who cares. If people had kids they'll probably understand. If not, Whatever™.

It was hotter than... something really hot, and our campsite had zero shade after 8 a.m., so naps were tough, considering our tent bakes like an oven when the sun hits it. Naps were taken in the air conditioned truck driving to/from day-climbing destinations.

Once, she napped in the hammock with me as my compatriots climbed in the La Sal mountains. (A 20 degree difference from our campsite to climbing site in the mountains meant for a warm, snuggly swing in the hammock with my sleeping girl. A better time was never had.)

What Toys to Bring Traveling?

Keep it simple. Go for the biggest bang for your buck. A little rubber ducky gets old in ten minutes, but two barbie dolls can provide hours of entertainment. We brought a small tote of toys because we had the space, but mostly, she played with a bucket, two cups, a spoon and an empty spice container. (Lots of playing in the sand.)

Pro tip: Make a game out of burying 'treasure' in the sand for her to dig up. It doesn't matter what the treasure is.

Books for reading before sleep were essential. Bring as much as you can to keep their routines the same as at home. But the deviation from routine isn't going to make a child go berserk, either. Prep the kiddo by telling them, "We're going camping (or x, y or z), so you're not going to have "favorite toy x" for a few days. But it'll be home waiting for you when we get back."

If you're unsure about the adventure with the kid, try not to let it show. They're little sponges, they soak up voice inflection and facial cues. Be excited about it: "We're going CAMPING! Oh my gosh this is so amazing! I can't wait! Are you excited Babs? It's going to be so much FUN!"

Odds are your can-do, flexible attitude will be infectious.

Toddler Foods While Traveling

Frozen sausage (the more natural the better: hold the nitrates, please.)
Pumpkin pie (make one beforehand and pack it in Tupperware.)
String Cheese
Lunch meat
Canned Vegetables (carrots, green beans, corn, whatever greens your kid will eat)
Pouches (having a few on hand is a good idea when you're in the middle of nowhere)
Cereal (or other snacks such as granola and raisins)

Oh, and don't forget the marshmallows!

The Benefits of Community

A rock climbing trip would not have been possible with only 2 people and a kid, since one person is climbing and the other is belaying and there's no one around to make sure Babs doesn't fall onto a cactus.

Having 1-2 more people along was essential for this trip, and indeed would make any trip with a kid easier, provided the people are semi-helpful.

Babs and Rachel looking at the cows that were just...hanging out...everywhere

Our 1-2 people were amazingly helpful in keeping Babs entertained, happy and cactus-free for these 5 days. Traveling with friends, family, or another group who has children is a huge benefit and I highly recommend it.

Nay helping Babs 'Climb rock like Mommy'

Babs had so much fun waking up (at the ass crack of dawn: "Sun's awake!") to a new adventure every day. We took her on short hikes, threw her in the pack and hiked in to climbing spots, checked out Arches National Park, and basically just toted her wherever we wanted to go.

Mind, we hadn't showered for 3-4 days at this point

I always had a backpack pre-loaded with whatever she may require: sunscreen, chapstick, water, snacks (cheerios, raisins, pouches), some toys, some books, extra clothes. I usually had a small cooler packed with cold foods, too. But as long as she had someone to engage with, look at the new surroundings, and make up stories, she was a happy camper.

Hell, I even took her into a hostel shower. That sounds a tiny bit irresponsible, but it was actually totally cool. We escaped the 95 degree heat at our campsite, wind that blew sand into our eyes (and everywhere else) and incessant black flies, for a day trip into Moab, where we checked out a cool rock shop, had dinner and yes, stopped off for a quick $3 shower at a hostel.

"Babs, put your hands on your head and don't touch anything!" She did really well, and it was incredibly refreshing.

The view from the top of a climb. Photo courtesy of Nay, as I was too busy not dying to take any pics at this point

Mr. Go rappelling, which is even more fun than it looks

I'm so thankful we didn't miss out on this amazing trip because we were too scared to try traveling with our ever-changing, unreasonable Terrible 2-year-old. The scenery was breathtaking, falling asleep under the desert sky, bright with stars was an incomparable experience.

And now that we've done it, I realize how easy it is (not "easy easy" but do-able and enjoyable).

Any adventure truly is possible, kid and all.

The Great American Road Trip aka 5,804 miles in 14 days

We recently packed up Flotsam, Jetsam, Babs and ourselves for a minimum month-long open-ended vacation to Michigan.

Crazy? Maybe. But it’s been a helluva lot of fun.

It’s built around my family’s week-long camping reunion, and since we'd have grandparents around, (*cough* babysitters *cough*) we planned some activities for Mr. Go and I.

Even though it added another 900 miles to our trip, taking Babs to G&G’s first was totally worth it, because she probably had more fun than we did while we were away. And Grandmas and Grandpas had even more fun than her.

look at that. so presh

Suddenly 1,300 miles doesn’t seem that significant, especially considering that life is about the journey, not the destination.

The dogs were angels in the car from CO to MI, except for Flotsam jumping into the front seat every single time we got out of the car. Babs is old enough she can articulate her wants, and understand us when we say, “We’ll stop in a few minutes.” Honestly, she ate a lot of chocolate cereal and watched a lot of T.V. but what can you do.

So it went like this: Get up at 3 a.m. Shove the kids in the car. (Honestly it wasn’t terrible because Babs fell back asleep and we got to watch the sun come up.) Drive all g.d. day. (1,050 miles). We stopped in Wisconsin and stayed with a friend for playtime with their 2 girls and a couple hours of sleep.

We arrived in Michigan, stayed for a day, and were on the road again, this time sans the baggage kids. We repacked the car with only the things we would need for one night on the road and headed back to Wisconsin for a Dead & Company concert at Alpine Valley. (Which, incidentally, looks a lot like the Phish crowd +40 years, except the music was more like the John Mayer Show feat. Bobby Weir.)

See all those construction markers? lol, yeah

After the show, we drove 15 miles up the road and slept in a Wal Mart parking lot. Which leads me into:

Where to Sleep on the Road

We consulted this post from Fresh Off the Grid for a guide to free camping/sleeping while mobile.

Now, you know us; we’re not sketchy. This is probably the sketchiest thing we’ve ever done, but as with anything, the more you do it, the more normal it seems. 

A) it’s free, don’t judge me. B) it’s not like we were creeping around the Wally World lot. Overnight parking is a service Wal Mart offers, including for RVs and large trucks. We even called ahead to check if it was ok with the manager. Check this website to find the Wal Marts that DON’T allow overnight parking, since that list is shorter than the 800+ locations that DO allow overnight parking.

This was the first time we’d done so, as a proof of concept for our longer upcoming cross-country trip. When we woke in the morning, there were about 3 more cars in the lot, who had obviously also just been to the concert and had the same idea as us.

It’s important to note: while I hate Wal Mart in general and disagree with their company policies and basically everything they stand for, they’re nice enough to offer this service, so if you plan to take them up on it as well, be respectful. Be discreet. Throw your garbage in the trash cans and just don’t be a dick, which is good life advice anyway.

Converting Subey from driving machine to sleep palace takes about 2 minutes: We moved our bags out of the back seats, laid them down flat, rolled out sleeping mats and sleeping bags and crashed out in the Wally World parking lot.

Six hours later, we used their bathrooms in the morning and drove home. Unpacked and re-packed the car and 2 days later set off on our BIG trip, to Washington state for 2 nights of Phish at the Gorge in George, WA.

1,858 miles ONE WAY

The first night on the road, we got into the Wal Mart around midnight, did a little shopping for Gorge camping supplies before bedding down, saw the same clerk the next morning, the poor soul, when we went in to use the facilities. The second night we stayed at a HoJo in Missoula, MT, so we could shower and get a good night’s sleep before the raging festivities began.

We enjoyed taking Hwy 2 and seeing all the houses and little towns along the way. Hwy 200 through Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota was much the same; pretty and scenic. Until Montana. God, that road is long. And flat. And cell service was real spotty. Going up over the rolling hills gave Mr. Go palpitations; he’s always imagining some a-hole driver flying up the other side and smashing into us. (For the return journey we took 90 until Fargo then hopped back on 2.)

FYI, crossing through the Rockies in Idaho was some of the most beautiful country I’ve ever seen. The pine tree mountains and winding rivers, gosh it was amazing.

On a lonely stretch of Montana, running low on gas, we stopped at a tiny, run-down looking Post Office/gas station/store with two old-style gas pumps. Did they even run? How do you work these things?

I went inside and the clerk flipped a switch to turn on the pump and Mr. Go paid inside. Lining the walls were several shelves of free paperback novels, handmade goods and vintage items for sale, and ice cream shakes. The clerk made us each shakes using an old-fashioned shake maker and real ice cream. The shake didn’t go all the way to the top of the cup, so she gave us .50 off each. It was our favorite stop on the road.

Camping 3 nights at the Gorge was peaceful, beautiful and wonderful in general. We swam in the Columbia River, jammed out in one of the most beautiful amphitheaters in the world and connected not only with nature but with humanity. 

If you think you’ve had a better time you’ve obviously never seen Phish at the Gorge.

Waking up with the sun coming up, shining over the River with the plains stretching out for miles, lit up with pinks and golds was breathtaking. Sunsets were just as astonishing, the purple and red colors reflecting on the water below and the clouds above.

Mr. Go had the brilliant idea of buying a puzzle at a Goodwill along the way to WA. We worked on it for a while with our camp (which included 3 friends and our 2 neighbors who were engulfed by us and integrated into our group) then set the puzzle out on the table for passersby to try their hand.

I’m not exaggerating when I say it was the best .50c purchase Mr. Go has ever made in the whole of his life. The communal collective effort was astounding.

Now first, let me say, the Phish fans are some of the most accepting, chill people I’ve ever met. Sure, there’s an odd dick here and there, but you get that anywhere. On the whole, they’re the freakiest freaks out there and no matter how weird you are, they’re not gonna judge you. Nay, they will love you for your individuality.

So anyway, tons of people paused at the table to help us work on the puzzle. We were hanging out, cooking or playing cards and we’d look over and there’d be someone standing there.

“You gotta put in a piece before you go,” we’d yell. The sense of accomplishment when you found a connection is like getting a tiny hug, Hubert, a Phish fan who spent several hours sitting at our table puzzling, said to me. It brought people together for a common goal, and that’s one of the most beautiful things there is.

GO TEAM

Needless to say, there will be puzzles at every subsequent Phish show we attend. Check @puzzle_ftr on Twitter or @puzzlefromtheroad on Instagram for updates.

Watch the full video of the Friday night show.

Sunday morning, after 2 nights of shows, we woke, broke down camp and got the hell out of dodge. We were so wore out from our adventures so far we were a tiny bit crabby and stayed at a nasty Western Inn in Billings, MT, for 10 solid hours of sleep and a shower. After that, we felt much better.

The next night we shot for camping in the Chippewa National Forest near Walker, MN, but it didn’t quite pan out. It was dark by the time we rolled up and we were both freaked out by different aspects of the venture: Mr. Go by police telling us we actually can’t camp there and also bugs. Me by a random psychopath finding our tent and stringing us up in the trees like in that one scary story someone told me when I was 7, and also bears.

So we pulled the plug and drove up the road to the Northern Lights Casino, where Mr. Go broke his inhuman non-spending streak by losing $100 in about 15 minutes. Then we chilled in the car for a bit, drinking the boxed wine from the back out of our leftover Solo cups.

Maybe it was the lingering feeling of togetherness from the Phish shows, but hanging out in the car with Mr. Go after a cross-country trip, I just felt so thankful for where we are in life. The clarity of purpose we’re discovering and the stellar prioritization that’s giving us so much happiness and peace.

Then we tipped the front seats back and slept for about 5 hours before the mosquitos squeezing in through our cracked windows woke Mr. Go and he took off around 5:30 a.m. while a confused Mrs. Go tried to determine why her bed was now moving.

What to do in the car for 100 hours

Yes, over the course of 14 days we spent roughly 100 hours in the car. Together. That’s almost 4 solid days. Together. And we haven’t even called any divorce lawyers yet! That's the biggest accomplishment of the venture, to be honest.

Something amazing happens when you’re trapped in an enclosed space with a person for a solid chunk of time. Especially when cell service goes out. You get bored enough that you actually have to resort to talking to each other. Just kidding. For us it was more like: we actually had the time to talk. And we didn’t have the opportunity to multi-task or try checking things off our to-do list like we do at home after Babs goes to bed. All we had to do was talk. We’ve had some of the best conversations we’ve had in a while, and were able to truly connect.

When we needed a break, we listened to podcasts. Some of our favorites are Tim Ferriss’ audio compilation of the Tao of Seneca, a stoic thinker and philosopher who lived about 2,000 years ago. The audio recordings are of his letters to a friend and offer many little nuggets of wisdom that resonate strongly even today. They’re short, around 15 minutes, and are great for sparking conversation. Topics covered include: poverty and riches, the shortness of life, how to live in the moment and how to avoid the busy trap.

Check out Tim's podcast on iTunes. 

Mr. Go also believes in staying up to date on the news and enjoys checking in with conservative radio, just to see what’s going on. It’s a little bit like looking through plexiglass at the zoo: “What are the crazy people doing today?” I can’t handle much of it; Mr. Go’s tolerance is only slightly higher.

The RNC was happening, so we listened to a Bill Maher podcast and the radio coverage of the convention for a while.

I drove for a couple stretches, but it was mostly Mr. Go behind the wheel. I served as the co-pilot, giving bad directions and getting things out of the cooler.

Speaking of which:

Eating on the Road

We realized in a previous post that only chumps stop to eat while trekking across the country. Just kidding, mostly. We stopped to eat a couple times, and getting a break to stretch our legs was super nice. But mostly we just took our meals in the car.

More on good keto car foods here.

As a general rule, we don’t buy things, but we purchased this Iceless cooler before leaving Colorado and packed it up with asparagus, sliced ham, string cheese and hard-boiled eggs for the road. We were slightly less prepared with food for our trek to Washington and had to stop for lunch and dinner on the first day of driving. Ugh, greasy fast food burgers.

Of course, you can stop and take the time to have decent meals on the road, but we were going for speed, since a massive storm in Wisconsin and Minnesota the night before we left detoured the shit out of our route and lost us about 3 hours. So we were pushing the pace.

(Of course, before we even got in the car, it was three weeks of scrubbing the house top to bottom and lining up cleaning, lawn mowing and care while we’re away to make sure everything was taken care of for Airbnb guests.

Including: setting up mail forwarding to our parents house, talking to neighbors re: checking our mail for things that slip through and also just keeping an eye on things in general.)

What We Learned From 5,804 miles

• Don’t try to find your campsites in the dark.
• Don’t be lazy; pack your food in the car.
• Bring something mesh to cover the window cracks so bugs don’t get in at night.
• Never play Pokémon go. We witnessed a family nearly leave their daughter at a rest area because she was so buried in her cell phone she literally had no awareness of her surroundings. Don’t worry, once they backed out of their parking spot they stopped, Dad rolled down the window heroically and shouted for his offspring several times until she heard him and strolled leisurely to the car, nose buried in her phone the entire time. Ah, American family vacations.
• Slow it down. We saw an accident in North Dakota, a car’s front end all smashed up, police cars and ambulance. All it takes is one split second, just one moment to ruin everything. Going a few extra mph faster will get you to your destination a few minutes earlier, but is the risk really worth it? Plus, when you slow down, appreciate the journey rather than the destination, you’re not trying to pass people and road frustration decreases exponentially.

Along the way, we saw a lot of RVs and big-ass campers on the road, towed by similarly big-ass vehicles. Mr. Go and I had to wonder: What do people even keep in there? What do they need to bring camping that they require 7 metric shit-tons of space?

Because once we ditched the kids and all their baggage, the Subaru Impreza felt like a palace. Subey and the Thule car-top carrier held everything we would need to live for months, with room for 2 adult humans to stretch out.

Of course, we've realized how little a person actually needs, and it's lightened up our lives tremendously. And it makes packing a breeze.

Vagabonding Packing List (with a baby) (and 2 dogs)

Listen, you're not gonna find a bigger clothes horse than this girl. So fitting everything I needed for 6+ months into a duffel (that I had to share with Babs) was pretty daunting.

Before:

 there's more crammed into every corner

up next on Hoarders...

After:

basics

indulgences

I started with the basics. Things I would need if I were camping, or the car broke down on the side of the road. Bare-bones, essential survival gear. Mr. Go assured me we could thrift more clothes when we arrived at our destination and re-donate them when we leave, which put my mind at ease. I would not have to go naked--or worse.

• comfy sandals
• comfy sneakers
• base layer top and bottom
• jeans
• shorts
• T-shirt
• zip up fleece
• rain jacket
• smart wool socks
• exofficio underwear
• nursing & sports bras

The rest was all indulgence. I could've parsed this down a lot, too, and I'm sure I'll have to for the next venture.

• nice dress & heels (for the one day a year I need to wear something nice)
• climbing shoes
• hiking boots
• this prAna dress (literally the best thing I own)
• several camis (the kind with the shelf bra. A-cup ladies know what I'm talking about)
• several over-cami tanks
• jean shorts
• 2 more pairs of workout shorts
• workout capris
• lounging sweats
• cotton shorts
• a nicer pair of jeans
• backup T-shirt & a couple casual tops
• this prAna tank
• 1 bag of jewelry & a small purse

It was important to only bring things that were versatile. None of this "these shoes only go with this one outfit" that I like to do. I can wear my sneakers with pretty much everything I brought. Same with my sandals. Mix and match. These are good principles to live by anyway.

Babs' packing list was tough, since she's growing so fast. I packed things she needed daily right now and one or two things she could grow a little bit into. Baby clothes are small, so they were easy to pack, but it's also easy to thrift baby clothes.

• 7 onesies (including 1 long sleeved and 1 tank style)
• 2 sleepers
• a ton of washcloths
• 4 burp cloths (to put under her when changing diapers)
• 3 pairs of shoes
• socks
• sun hat
• 4 sweaters/jackets 
• 4 pairs of pants
• 2 T-shirts
• shorts

Her gear was the toughest to pack. For such a small baby, she certainly requires a lot of bulky equipment.

• stroller
• booster seat
• car seat
• pack n play
• baby bjorn
• Cuisinart baby food maker
• diaper bag
• exercise ball (for bouncing crabby baby)

Other things we packed for our upcoming car camping trips, like a canopy, tent, sleeping bags, small backpack, etc.

The dogs came with their own bulky equipment, like their crates that they sleep in and a big bag of accoutrements like balls, bones, treats, leashes, etc.

It's been fun living a more minimal life than what we're used to. We still have it really, really good, but going without some of the luxuries (read: distractions) we've had in the past makes it easier to put the focus on experiences and being together.

It's sort of cathartic; freeing in a way. You feel lighter without all of your stuff weighing you down. Like you can do anything and go anywhere. Because you can.