Flexibility Is A Must

After more than nine month travelling with two young children, we have learned quite a lot. We have learned more about mechanics than we had in a lifetime. We have learned that travelling slower works better for us as a family. We have learned that everyone’s needs must be met for dynamics in the camper van to function well.

But the most important things we have learned is the importance of flexibility.

A prime example of that occurred while we travelled in Ecuador. Having travelled 8 hours from Cuenca to Banos on fairly average roads, we set about researching what things could be done in and around this spectacular town. We proceeded to visit some wonderful waterfalls, hike to small villages and chill-out at a beautiful hill-top park. But our last activity was the one that we were looking forward to the most.

Having previously spent four incredible days in the Amazon Rainforest in Peru, we were itching to return to the jungle, and a day trip from Banos offered the perfect opportunity. We would travel a couple of hours in the early morning by jeep, before self-propelled canoes would take us right into the heart of the rainforest. We would learn about medicinal plants, visit an animal shelter, hike through the jungle and take a bath in a spectacular waterfall. We would also have the huge pleasure of meeting the indigenous Quichua tribes and learn about their customs and life in the jungle.

Once we had paid for the tour the evening before departure, we retired to our camper van for some dinner and an early night. Everything was going as planned until one of the kids woke up complaining of feeling warm and uncomfortable. We took his temperature which confirmed that he was not well. We managed to get him back to sleep on-and-off throughout the night but knew that he was far from 100%. In the morning we re-accessed, spoke to both the kids, and decided as a family that we would not be able to go on the tour. Unfortunately, we would not have the opportunity to extend our stay in Banos, so doing the tour another day just would not be possible.

The kids were great about the whole thing. Yes there were tears, but they did not last long and we all knew the main thing was to get full health back inside the camper van. I am not sure how we would have come to such a decision, or how we would have reacted to it in the past, but this trip has absolutely taught us the value of being flexible when it is really required.

A second such example occurred in the heart of Peru, following a marathon couple of days driving from Lima to the mountainous region of Huaraz. At one stage during the second morning’s drive, we ascended from 700 metres to 4,000 meters altitude in a matter of hours. While we had spent a couple of months at such altitude in Bolivia and southern Peru, we had been back down at sea level for more than a month since. One of the kids did not react well at all to the sudden jump in altitude, showing more than one symptom of altitude sickness. Fortunately the route quickly allowed for a descent of 1,000 meters, resulting in a Lazarus-like recovery in the back seat.

After a couple of days adjusting to the new elevation, we were ready to line-up a few hikes and day trips in the mountains. We began with a trip to the Laguna 68. An all day hike, this requires considerable effort to make it to the lagoon and back. During the hike, along with the imposing lagoon, you can also see several snow-capped mountains of the Cordillera Blanca. A unique experience we had been told! Yet it was not to be for us as that day. The weather turned and it started to lash rain soon after we had began the walk. With potentially hours and hours ahead of us, and black clouds as far as we could see, we took the decision to call-off out attempted ascent and save our bullets for another occasion.

Having not managed our goal the previous day, we arranged for a trip to the famous Laguna Parón the next morning. Getting there would require a multi-hour taxi and some walking on our part. This was to be another amazing lagoon with turquoise coloured water that we hoped would justify our rather large detour from the Peruvian coast. But during the night, Laura started to feel unwell, gradually getting worse and worse. She woke in the morning feeling absolutely rotten, and in no shape to travel anywhere. Once again, we spoke with the kids (who had been very excited to see the turquoise water!) and agreed that a change of plans was needed. We called our driver and cancelled our plans for the day. Instead, a day of rest and recovery and nothing more was called for.

These are just a couple of instances when our best laid plans went up in smoke. Thinking about it, it’s really something that happens multiple times each day. And this is fine. It is how we respond to such challenges that is the most important thing.

Being just the four of us, travelling in a strange vehicle, living in a tiny home, in foreign lands, knowing nobody, really does test you in many many ways. Having an open mindset, being able to change plans, or accept an alternative outcome, really is crucial for the success of not only an adventure such as ours, but also for the success of day-to-day life for all of us.

Click here to read the “Cauca Roadblocks” blog post