Something about the end of the year has a way of making a person reminisce, doesn’t it? I like it, I like looking back in reflection of the good times, the not so great times, the lessons and simply just to smile.
2019 seems like a really long year when I look back. We started the year still at work and unsure what our plans for the year would be. We had 1 way tickets in May to begin our adventure however my unexpected work gig made us reluctant to leave as I loved my job. We threw in a consolation trip to keep us happy that turned out to be the most amazing trip ever while we kicked our grand adventure travel can down the road. As I write this, we’re over 3 months in on our grand adventure and oh the countries we’ve been to this year!
Going through our pictures, this was quite a mammoth task! I told this to Mr.C to which he said: Isn’t that a great problem? I’d be devastated if we could only come up with 2 moments.
He knows how to shut me up 🙂 True though, there are so many moments! So here’s our top travel moments of 2019, from each of the Coconut’s perspective.
Mr.Coconut’s Top Choices
My top moment and place was the random beach town in Lisbon, I think it’s called Trafaria. Great food, good haircut. Colourful buildings. Watched a guy gather shellfish. It was an unexpected find as we ventured cluelessly on the ferry ride and a great sense of adventure to wander about and absorb the vibe.
The amazing Salkantey trek comes in at a close second. Ms.K and I did this separately for we’re responsible parents, taking care of the kids in turns while the other hiked. It was a wonderful experience to hike alongside a bunch of folks that then became friends and to experience a different scenery every single day, from glaciers to rain forests.
Ms.Kokonut’s Top Choices
Middle: Ms.K truly celebrating Mr.C’s birthday in Mendoza at Bodega Lopez.
Right: Truth. The secret to enjoying good wine. Step 1: Open to let it breathe. Step 2: If not breathing, immediately apply mouth to mouth.
Discovering cheap and amazing wines. I know how it makes me sound but it’s true, I like wine. I am by no means a connoisseur, I will happily take box wine (remember Galapagos Island? Box wine and lobsters made our dinner menu at home more than once! What did they both have in common? Cheap and good!) however Portugal and Argentina have shown me that I don’t have to take the cheapest option. That I can live it up a little and still spend a fraction of what I used to shell out in Singapore.
Public service message here from the SC Team: drink responsibly! No one likes a drunk, especially not your own body. Take care of your health! Ms.K drinks in moderation only, she stops at a glass or two or when she gets a wee bit buzzed.
One of the most magical nights I had was in Lisbon as we listened to Raphael Racor play such beautiful music over dinner at Petisqueira Conqvistador and Coco#2 sleeping off in my hands after staring at me till he fell asleep. I then carried on listening to the wonderful music, played Hangman with Coco#1 who has my heart, after a delightful meal and with my best friend there. I wrote about that night in Luscious Lisboa and Amazing Food in Lisboa, a city that captured us instantly.
I have a 3rd and that’s when I finally managed to see the hammerhead sharks at Galapagos. I thought luck was against me and that I wouldn’t be able to see it after 2 rather disappointing dives at Kicker Rock however diving at Gordon’s Rock made me understand why this place is called a paradise. This was by far my best moment on Galapagos.
Coco#1 i.e. Coco Grande’s Top Choices
From a parent’s hopes and dreams perspective, you would hope that he says “oh that moment we saw the reef sharks in Galapagos just off the pier!” or “when you told us all about Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution and how the animals at Galapagos are so unique” or even “that time we were at the middle of the earth in equator!” or perhaps “when I reflected at how amazing the Incans were and how sad it is that the entire empire has ceased to exist”.
However, “Being with papa without mummy and managing to convince him to get ice cream almost every day” is what I presume he would say anyway! I couldn’t find any photographic evidence of this (cue Mr.C’s evil laughter!) so I had to insert a picture of us having ice-cream together for the irony.
Every meal time. He puts on an elaborate and heart-strings pulling show every time we are an hour away from a meal time. “Mummy, I think I am going to die” ; “Mummy, I can’t move my hands anymore”. There was once we were walking towards the restaurant and passed a place that looked like a prison with a statue of an angel that the front. In my attempt to distract him, I talked about it and he asked me why the statue of an angel specifically. I didn’t think too much about it and said perhaps it symbolized freedom that awaits when they get out of jail to which he promptly said “Freedom to eat?”. Yep, definitely his top moment of travelling is to have food at his disposal.
Sandboarding at Huachachina was almost certainly one of his top moments. He absolutely loved it. There’s something about the sand and this boy. His other top moment would be playing in the water at Barceloneta. He takes after his parents, we’re beach people.
Coco#2 @ Coco Pequeño‘s Top Choices
The most agreeable cheeky boy. His answer to everything is YASHHH for yes. Mr.C thinks his top moment is definitely being reunited with his momma after I went home for 2.5 weeks for my family emergency. Well how can I deny that, this little fella is my heart.
I think his top moment(s) is falling asleep on his papa ANY TIME.
Another highlight would be playing all day, every day with his brother. He’s an absolute parrot and says everything his brother says, mimics everything his brother does.
In terms of travel places, he’s happy everywhere but if we had to choose a place on his behalf, we would say Miraflores in Lima. Parque Kennedy was the stuff of his dreams, food and playground.
Our Family’s Top Choices
Galapagos Islands – check out the post not just for the tips but also amazing pictures!
Some of the ancient architectures we saw in Peru were simply mind-blowing. Apart from the obvious Machu Picchu, the Maras Salt Mines @ las salineras de Maras were certainly one of the more impressive ones!
Sailing on the Douro River in Porto puts up a good fight for this list!
This list can’t go live without mention of the powerful and breath-taking Iguazu Falls!
Middle: Up close on the Argentinian side
Right: Getting drenched on the Brazilian side with rather unhappy babies
Yet another highlight would be rocking out at the Rock in Rio at Lisboa, Portugal with the kids. We completely lucked out on that being an anniversary year versus the usual once in two years concert and it was free and we got there early so we were granted entry!
Lastly, let’s not forget our 4 days in Barcelona for the La Merce Festival. It was like nothing we have ever attended before!
And thatttttt, was a long post and wraps up our 2019 travel highlights although we’ve a surprise location for New Year’s Eve. Stay tuned to our Insta to find out where in just a wee few days when we usher in 2020!
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Glad to see the wonders of your travels. Good stuff!