A long, long trip

We have arrived.

After 23.5 hrs of non-stop travel.

It was difficult to close up the house for three months.  To decide what is worth keeping going (chest freezer) and what is worth unplugging (fridge).  Turns out we have the sort of fridge with a bottom freezer that is impossible to clean while it is plugged in.  So, while not specifically related to our travel, it was a rare opportunity to clean a very, very gross appliance.  It is unlikely to be cleaned again in a decade, so, ya know, worth writing home about. But, I digress, into household mundanities (I dont think this is a word, but it should be).

Anyway.  I had dreams of leaving behind a very clean house.  But between a broken alarm system we had to scramble to fix the morning of our departure, a completely clogged utility sink I had to dredge by hand (so gross.  Reflected on all the poopy cloth diapers that have contributed to that clog.  U,gh.). Anyway: House, not terribly clean.

Everything about the final process of departure went well. The roads to the airport we re awful, but we got through security with hours to spare.  We brought two checked bags, a carry on per person, and my purse.  Limited to 4 changes of clothes per person, as well as some English language teaching materials, husbands medecial kit, a few toys and games.

Greta started melting down almost as soon as we boarded the first plane.  I assumed it was typical travel Greta, frustrated by things that are impossible to change, but shortly there after she passed I out   on  me.

The rest of flight one was smooth.  I sat next to G &T, which means I had to bow to their every whim, a necessary evil when flying with small children, so as to keep their volume from escalating and bothering other passengers.  I don’t think they have figured out, yet, the power they hold over us on airplanes.  I think their older sister definitely has.  Teddy inhaled his birthday cupcake like a dog.  (Video on Instagram).

Flight 2 started pretty great.  The kids were psyched to each have their own seat back video console. I get it, I was too.  I got to watch an entire period piece, “the Beguiled”.  I forgot, of course, that even though the littles were entertained, they still needed my constant involvement.  Someday I know I’ll miss them needing me.  I tell myself that many times a day.  (Also, underwhelmed by the movie.  Probably was a great book, though.). Of course, as soon as the lights on the plane were turned down
for “bedtime”, Greta jumped up from her seat because she “needed to puke”.   Which, indeed, she did.  I know I’ve lived a charmed life, but that really was my first onboard puke incident.  We robbed a handful of puke bags from the bathroom and went back to our seats.

That proved to be the first of countless pukes throughout the night.  Poor hubs was sitting with G & T for the red-eye, so I didn’t realize how many (sleep-interrupting) events there had been.  Payback for an overnight puke-a-thon I held with teddy last week.  But hubs certainly endured more.


MJ, meanwhile, kept cuddling up (in her sleep), with her seat neighbor.  I woke up several times with her legs draped over the stranger next to her.

We landed, got luggage, went through customs.  I apparently forgot (confession: couldn’t be bothered) to declare the few oranges I shoved in my bag for snacks. Hubs was not impressed by my stunt, when the dogs tagged me and I had extra screenings. Never mind that I’m certain he brought some snacks through, too.

We got our rental car.  And then the vomiting started again.  So.   Much.  Vomit.  The whole 2 hr ride south.  We did stop at a roadside gas station/McDonalds (surprise! Mickey D’s is just as gross here.  Was hoping for some cultural difference, such as the wine you can buy in an Italian McDonalds, but the only cultural difference was that our meal came with a side of 20 mayonnaise packets).  Greta had to pause to vomit into a trash can, and we stopped at the pharmacy to ask, in our broken Spanish, if they sell Zoloft.  Nope.  No Zoloft.  But he  decided to give her a dose of meclazine, Which, over the next 2 he’s, slowly kicked in.

We arrived at our Air B&B, near Santa Cruz, and Greta showered before swimming.

We are now on day 2.  Today was a wine tour, which the kids endured fine (horse and buggy!)

Some takeaways so far.

1) our Spanish is very, very rusty.  In part because it’s been so long (kids!) since we’ve travelled off grid and needed it.  And in part because the pronunciation here is so different.  MJ tried to say “buenos Dias” to a cashier and he clarified that is “Buon dia”.  A lot of endings are cut off words.  I think most of our struggles have to do with our lack of practice, but the accent doesn’t help.

2) the kids are adorably enthusiastic about learning to speak Spanish.  They will speak to whoever, whenever, with the few phrases they know.  They also want us to translate things that we just don’t understand.

3) I have heard such great things about google translate, but it has proven nearly useless for us.  Wish we had  brought along an Old School English/Spanish dictionary.  Most of the things I try to translate f rom Spanish google does not know.  Again, I think this is largely an accent thing,

4) Mayonnaise.  On everything.  ::shudder::

5) Internet is spotty.  Blogger is much worse (or not updated) than it used to be, and I can’t even go back and edit this post.  Fingers crossed it mostly makes sense!