The Voyaging Mum

21/10/2024

20/10/2024

14/10/2024

Excelente espacio de coworking en Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galápagos. Un lugar con ambiente completamente adaptado para trabajar en calma y con el aire acondicionado. Ahora que empiezan a ponerse calientes los días, no hay mejor lugar !! Gracias por crear un espacio novedoso en Galapagos

14/10/2024

Colette knows absolutely every single thing there is to know about the Galapagos Islands: the animals, the people, the land, and the history. She is amazing, and well-known on the islands. Her energy and passion for the islands is infectious and I can't imagine having gone on this trip without her.
I think we're the average high-maintenance American family and we felt cared for the entire time. We loved the transportation, the food, the hotel, the experiences and excursions. The opportunities to learn about and meet local activists who are making a difference on the islands was highly impactful.
My kids loved seeing all the animals, the beaches, and being with all the other world schooling kids.
The Galapagos Islands are amazing but having Colette as our guide was the whipped cream and cherry on top.

18/03/2024

We fly home tomorrow after 4 years abroad.

My kids now have a wider perspective on the world and I’m sure this was eye opening to them as they were learning so much along the way and have grown into passionate boys that will carry a strong message back home on the islands.

A new chapter awaits and we are looking forward to it.

We have rented a house in the best most natural place on Santa Cruz Island and we will have the beach and tons of natural areas right around our home.

This was a must for me, the freedom to go explore on their own and always know their limits.

Looking back at my 10 years solo mum, I think I’ve done a pretty good job overall at letting them be themselves.

Go me ❤️

13/03/2024

Florida roadtrip day 6:

It was the most incredible meet up we had.

Jacob is such a sweet person, he had sooo many stories to share and more energy than me to run and play with my boys.

This was a very special meet up indeed and all thanks to Teena Patel incredible open heart that welcomed us into her world in spite of not being there with us.

Thank you Teena 💚🤍💙

11/03/2024

We are visiting this great foundation on Monday, March 18th

if you are in Orlando area , you are welcome to join us for a fun educational day at

Doglando Foundation

We just need a final number by thursday to get organized

Schedule will be 9 to 11am or 9 to 2pm, that would include a lunch option that we would share the cost off.

If you can't make it all day ,
then you are welcome to join from 9 to 11am

Let me know !

11/03/2024

GAINESVILLE AREA
We will here until Saturday, so hit me up with your recommendations and must does or visits! Thank you✌🏻

11/03/2024

Orlando, March 18th.
All welcome to join us for an educational/ fun visit at Doglando foundation!
Who’s in ?

10/03/2024

Tomorrow: drive up to Gainesville, stop at Homosassa and Crystal Springs!?!? Advice dear friends, you take us to the best places ! 😊

09/03/2024

Clearwater and St Pete’s today.
What should we not miss ?

05/03/2024

Roadtrip starts tomorrow! Everglades will be our first stop. Where and what should we do ?

01/03/2024

What’s on your mind ?

01/03/2024

FUELED BY THE POWER OF CHANGE
“Cirque du Soleil ECHO is about connecting everybody together, and working together to create the world we want to live in. It’s not just a concept. It’s something I truly believe in.”
– Author-Director, Mukhtar Omar Sharif Mukhtar

01/03/2024

THE WORLD IS YOURS TO CREATE
Cirque du Soleil ECHO follows the story of an inquisitive young woman named FUTURE as she wanders into a fantasy world that explores our sacred bond with animals and nature.

When FUTURE and her best friend Ewai The Dog encounter a mysterious CUBE, they quickly learn how their actions have the power to shape and create the world we all want to live in.

Packed with vibrant characters, inspiring music, astounding lights and projections, and never-before-seen acrobatic feats, Cirque du Soleil ECHO invites you on a journey through a universe of color, wonder, and infinite possibilities.

01/03/2024

What is Cirque du Soleil ECHO about?
With a tale about evolution as well as the symbiotic relationships that our lives depend on, Cirque du Soleil adds fresh and unexpected turns to its Big Top magic. A spectacular performance combining poetry, stagecraft, daring acrobatics, and technology explores the delicate balance between people, animals, and the world we all share. Our main female heroine Future and our characters discover that their choices have the potential to influence the world as they progress through the stages of evolution. They are motivated to work together to piece the planet we all wish to live on. Cirque du Soleil ECHO allows the audience to join in a world of color, inspired by the youth's optimism, the inventive power, and the value of empathy.

29/02/2024

ok friends , so this is our olanned route for these next couple of weeks, starting by the key ubtil the 7th and then heading to Gainseville for a week and then drive back towards miami for our flight home around march 18th.

If you arlong this areas , let us know and also happy to have recommendations on places to not miss along the way

thank you !!!

29/02/2024

Beach fun

27/02/2024

Happy boys.

We went shopping today, but not classic Miami style.

Went to Goodwill and Salvation Army and spent less than $100
for all our beachwear.

We just had winter cloth coming from a month skiing in Bulgaria.

The boys found these treasures for $2 each !

Once again a win as they cost like 60$ they told me.

What are your best finds in thrift shops ?

24/02/2024

Transatlantic Day 11 !

Did I get a bonus day ?

I thought I signed up for
11 days/10 nights at sea so I got all messed up when we hit Bermuda Triangle and I could not count the days properly!?!?!?!

FYI : I’ve been straight-headed 😉 on this trip, I did NOT buy a drink package so can’t blame it on that ! 🤷‍♀️

Anyways our last full day onboard was meant to be amazing and it just ended up being fantastic!

We woke up to beautiful weather ( I love love love sailing south 🤪)
so we knew straight away that the day will be spent outdoors.

First a nice comforting breakfast and off we were looking for sun loungers.

They had that cool JOY sign up calling for extra photo opportunities and Gael is quite a poser, so I’m happily clicking memories into my phone before he reaches that teenager phase lol 😂

Pool and more slide fun for him even though it was SUPER windy, while I chatted the day away with my mama friends.

Lunch was Mexican themed: finally some guacamole 🥑 yay 😀

Back to outside areas and now they tell us that the Thermal Suite they had been working on during dry dock finally opened !!

On our last day !!!

This was actually one big reason to sign up for this specific cruise but they did not quite make it on time.

Anyways, I’ll say the good part was that it was an open day experience without extra charges since they were so late into delivering that !!

OMG, those heated stone long chairs 🤦‍♀️ too good to be true!
Off course, we could only enJOY it a few hours so we took every minute in.

Salt room, sauna, aromatic steam room, ice room… 7-8 kind of showers all with different programs taking you from super hot to really cold and thru all those different feels from fog to heavy Niagara storm!

Packing time after spa day: I thought my kiddos did well as they had their bags done and out of the cabin !
But by the time I inspected the cabin and found all the extra umpacked items, suitcases were gone !!

So I’m left with just one suitcase and way more stuff than what could fit in there !!!

Oh well , since I’ve been waking early, I’ll deal with it tomorrow.

Tonight I’m supposed to have fun !

Dinner and drinks and wander across the ship up and down, back and forth for the last times, connecting with all new friends made on board and sharing contacts and last minute tips.

Time for a “night-night” drink after a quick dance stop and off to bed !!

Andrea Earney Goeldner, this post got only written about half way into falling deeply asleep thanks to that drink lol 😂

23/02/2024

Day 10 was finally a full day outside!

Beautiful sunny conditions, perfect temperatures.

My boy convinced me to join him on the water slides and it was fun 🤩

He then played in the pool with the kids group while I chatted with one of the mums on the sun chairs.

We had to go grab some cloth to walk into the buffet, but walked right out of it as they have outdoor tables and it was a lovely al fresco lunch.

More water fun for the rest of the afternoon and our fist bird sighting, meaning we are getting closer to land !

Definitely a Boobie, but what kind ?
Fellow naturalists would you confirm this is a brown b***y ?
No internet means no search engine.

Amazing sunset 🌅 with the boobie still gliding around.

Boobie pics are not mine. I wasn’t fast enough to get it but a lovely guest shared hers.

Thought of the day:

I wouldn’t do this transatlantic the other way !! So lovely to slowly get into warmer temperatures and have 25 hours days with the time change every couple of nights.

Love it !

16/02/2024

Transatlantic day 4:

A lazy day indeed, slept in, went to late breakfast and back to bed to indulge into downloaded Marco Polo Netflix season 2.

Time for lunch: ramen bowl 🥣 for me, boys happy with their choices of 🍟 fries and burgers 🍔

Back to the cabin for a nice little siesta with the sound of the waves and the light ocean breeze.

5pm crepes turned out into full supper for me as I went for an Indian mix to start and ended up grabbing a second plate with prime rib, potato wedges and some salad 🥗

Decided that I should go relax in the whirlpool bath just after the sun sat to continue with my lazy relaxed day.

It was actually a perfect timing as I found an empty adults only whirlpool bath ( everyone getting dressed up for dinner? )

The real reason for it being empty was actually that due the rocking ship this 30 persons whirlpool bath turned out into a wave pool just all to myself and I can tell you there was quite a swell in there!!!

I was giggling so much, feeling right back home like when I snorkel along the Galapagos walls. It reminded me so much of the sea lions there and I would recommend a better whirlpool bath design as this one being like an 8 it made for really stronger waves and swirls!

(Check my story to see how it felt)

I had the most fun ever and was so happy to have to whole place to myself, but I won’t lie to you, I may have a bruise or two !

Thought of the day:

Repositioning cruises are the best to be able to try all you’d like onboard. Probably would not be experiencing all this if we were visiting new ports everyday !

Back to bed for my last episodes, sleep tight 😴 everyone !

14/02/2024

Norwegian Joy, day 1 :

-5 minutes walk from hotel to ship

12:00: boarding process was a breeze, so much easier and faster than airport security and customs check

-Welcome onboard greeting photos and luggage delivered straight to our cabins by the time we made it.

In total, just about an hour from showing up at dock to being in our beautiful balcony suite.

Lots of storage space everywhere in the cabin, everything in perfect conditions and super comfortable beds.

Time to explore the 19 decks !

We just stopped in the first restaurant that pleased our eyes:
A la Carte service: last fish and chips for me, cheeseburgers 🍔 for the boys with appetizers and dessert as well. All included but sodas and alcohol if you want it.

Explored a bit further, checked the boys into their respective clubs for fun activities throughout the days.

Back to our cabin to unpack and settle and relax time until our 5:30 meeting with our worldshooling friends.

Nice little group of 17 adults and 16 kids from 2 to 15 years old.

Only 50 kids total onboard, and ship is only about half capacity with “only 2023” guests instead of 3874!
That means it’s very chilled and no queues at buffet restaurants.

Lifted anchor at 5:30, bye bye Southampton, UK

Dinner at the Garden Cafe Buffet, (delicious Indian food for me, burgers and pizzas for the boys) located on deck 16 forward so that means amazing ocean views from our table.

Beatles tribute concert 🎶

And a nice relax and sleep with just a bit of shaking but no real motion felt onboard.

First day impressions :

This is an amazing way to travel !!!

Totally recommend it and fell asleep to a JOYfull feeling of total peace and gratitude for this amazing experience!

29/06/2023

Parque Tena is a beautiful family park with tons of this to do

28/06/2023

After such crazy adventurous days

Lego is the perfect relax and bond