That's All, Folks!

(Team Freedom29 - Day 1)

This is it - our last internet rendezvous and the post where I try to figure out what these last twenty or so weeks actually meant. To our family, friends and casual observers, please know that I tried my very best to write each of my previous posts in a way that I thought might be entertaining for you, and attempting to do so has provided me with a great deal of joy and satisfaction. This last time, however, my primary motivation is to record my thoughts before this airplane I'm riding in lands back home, so I apologize if the text seems long-winded or self-important. This will also be the first post where Kristin won't serve as my editor/conscience before my thoughts go up on the website (though she did make me promise that I wouldn't say anything preachy like "the things that you own end up owning you", which I think hamstrings me considerably...). Anyways, here goes nothing - I hope you'll indulge me this one last time. [Editor's note: the pictures below are some of my favourites from our trip.]

(Picture from The Lost City post)

(Picture from A la Cartagena post)

Truthfully, the thought of having to write this post and thereby acknowledge that this chapter of our lives has come to a conclusion has gotten me misty more times than the ending of Field of Dreams. Others certainly have travelled longer and gone further, but I can't really put into words what this trip has done for my emotional well-being and general outlook on life. We didn't do this trip because we needed to escape from our normal lives, but the distance and time away has delivered a clarity that I'm not sure I would have discovered in Calgary. Even though the end of the trip has brought me face-to-face with the realization that my future is still very much up-in-the-air, I've had ample opportunity to identify the aspects of my life that bring me happiness and fulfillment. I want to prioritize these things once I'm home; I want more of these things. It's not that I'm newly greedy or selfish, but slightly refocused. Normally, I wouldn't think of being unemployed as a positive, but in this instance it feels like a chance to find something I'm passionate about and something that accords with what I'd like for my personal life. I hope that I don't squander the opportunity.

(Picture from Cruzing for a Bruising post)

I've been asked a few times along the way if I had any regrets that we decided to embark on this adventure. I know regret - I'm the guy who put transition lenses into his most recent pair of everyday eyeglasses - but I will never regret that I just spent the last 140 days with the most important person in my life and that we have fostered an incalculable number of memories that, cliché as it may sound, we will share for a lifetime. I don't regret challenging myself to learn a new language (even if I wasn't great at it) or putting myself into unfamiliar and sometimes difficult situations. I also don't regret the opportunity to learn about cultures and people different than our own and, as a result, learn more about myself. Conversely, I have absolutely no doubt that if we had chosen not to do the trip back when we were still deliberating, I would always have felt some regret. I know Kristin feels the same way.

(Picture from Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail post)

Kristin spoke of being rejuvenated in her last contribution. Like her, I feel that the novelty and challenges of the trip melted away stress and left me feeling young again. Has the trip fundamentally changed who I am? Probably not. It's romantic to think a trip of this nature could set in motion a string of life-altering epiphanies (though, probably less "romantic" to my mother-in-law, who feared the trip would turn me into a globetrotting hippie who'd stay on the road forever and never give her grandbabies), but the changes I notice in myself are more subtle (or maybe it's just that I'm finally maturing). The trip also strongly reinforced the importance in my attempting to see life as a journey instead of a series of destinations. It's a lesson I find myself often losing sight of, but I think the times when I have it dialled-in makes me feel like a more attentive and empathetic person - someone I like better.

(Picture from With a Terrain of Salt post)

As for my beloved blog, I'm sad to report that it has provided us with neither fame nor fortune - the stated goals in our first post - and our coveted endorsement deal with Icebreaker never materialized. But Kristin and I already find ourselves rereading the posts constantly, so I know we've created something that we'll be able to enjoy for years to come. We also wanted the blog to help us stay connected and I think it's done that. We've received emails and Facebook messages from so many friends along the way who've wished us well or expressed excitement for things they saw on the site. What I didn't expect was that the blog would stir up something creative in me and help me realize how much I enjoy writing. I'd like to figure out a way to keep writing in some capacity when I'm home, as well as try to find some other outlets for my creative energy. In that vein, if you see me one year from now and I haven't learned to play whatever the guitar equivalent of Hot Cross Buns (the first song we learned on the Recorder in elementary school) is, you have my permission to slap me across the face. Just don't hit my nose - it's been through enough already.

(Picture from Paying it Forward post)

For those that haven't fallen asleep yet, let me start wrapping this up by saying that I feel very lucky. I feel very lucky to have been born in a country where it's possible to enjoy a seemingly endless list of freedoms and luxuries that are far too easy to take for granted. I feel lucky to have the backing of amazing family and friends in all of my endeavors. More than anything else I feel lucky to have Kristin. With the possible exception of her evil right foot, I couldn't ask for anything more from the person I get to share my life with or from a travel companion. I'm proud of the person that she is and I'm proud of the person that she was on the trip (true to herself, but full of pleasant surprises). I wouldn't have wanted to do any part of this adventure without her (and never would have gone on a trip like this if we hadn't met), but, with her there by my side, I could have stayed away indefinitely. Maybe most importantly of all, she believes in me so strongly and supports me so completely that I feel like I can do anything I put my mind to. Ultimately, that's all I really need to be happy, wherever we might happen to be.

(Picture from Falling for Floripa post)

A couple of blogs I've seen capped off their final post with an impressive quote from a historical figure, philosopher or poet. Unfortunately, I'm not so well-read as those bloggers, but I like the concept. In any event, I can't think of anything more fitting than what I've reproduced below, courtesy of the late, great Dicky Fox:

Hey, I don't have all the answers. In life, to be honest, I've failed as much as I've succeeded. But I love my wife. I love my life. And I wish you my kind of success.

Thanks for reading.

(Team Freedom 29 - Final Day)

Making the Grade: Travel Report Card #1

Amazingly enough, the two-month anniversary of our trip to South America has come and gone, meaning that our time here is one-third finished. To mark the occasion, I have decided to give us a report card grading our progress in the first trimester of our journey. [Editor's note: While I am quite confident the word "trimester" does not apply solely to pregnancies, even if I am wrong, I feel that we have experienced enough intermittent nausea, bloating and moodiness in the first two months that the maternal terminology is justifiable.]

Language Skills: C-

Analysis: While our Spanish skills have improved (I now know that in my first days here I was explaining to locals that I didn't understand what they were saying because "you don't speak Spanish"), they simply have not progressed as well as we would have hoped before we set off. I think the quality of the classes we took were partly to blame, but ultimately I think that we are our own worst enemy in that we travel together and exist primarily in a happy, English-speaking bubble, have never really studied our materials in earnest (it seems to take away from valuable and more enjoyable exploration/eating time) and probably do not step outside our comfort zone as often as we should.

Illustrative example(s): The low point in our bungling of the Spanish language likely came about three weeks ago when it took me about 45 seconds for a lady at a convenience store to understand that I was asking for a bag to put our goods in. The Spanish word for bag is five letters and it is one that I know, but, apparently, my pronunciation is so atrocious that it required me repeating the term fifteen times and looking for outside intervention to make the connection. Arguably, our most natural Spanish skill was revealed last week when the owner of our current hostal told us that we should always pay the same amount (about 90 cents) for taxis in Cusco regardless of what quote we receive from the driver. If the driver tries to ask for more (because we are tourists), we were told that we should just act like we don't understand what they are saying and walk away. With some pride, I assured the owner that no "acting" would be required on our part.

Imaginary Teacher says: "I am very disappointed with the KLongs' speaking and comprehension skills. This is an area that I would like to see vast improvement in during the next reporting period."

Social Skills: B+

Analysis: I can't give us full marks here because our language shortcomings are keeping us from more rewarding contact with locals, though that doesn't mean they are not enjoying our presence here (see "Illustrative example(s)", below). That said, in the past two months, Kristin and I have been absolutely amazed by the quality of the people that we are getting to know. We have an expanding network of friends from different parts of the globe that I have no doubt we will keep in touch with and hopefully see again during or after our trip. Heck, we might need another six-month trip just to visit them all once we are done in South America.... [Editor's note: If that doesn't get a comment on the blog from my Mother-in-Law, nothing will.]

Illustrative example(s): I think the traveller/friend section, above, speaks for itself. As alluded to earlier, even though we don’t speak with the locals as often as we would like, they seem to be having some fun at our expense. On a couple of occasions, a group of kids has run up to us, said something in Spanish much too quickly for us to comprehend and then broke out laughing in unison afterwards. This may not be flattering. Additionally, I noticed for the first time in Huaraz that one of the locals, much to his delight, was making fun of the way I walk (... as many of you know, it may be the case that I walk with a slight spring in my step). So, in some ways, going to South America feels a lot like returning to junior high school. Thank god I have a girlfriend this time around.

Imaginary Teacher says: "Kristin and Kevin appear to be getting along very well with their fellow travellers. The locals think they are funny looking."

Bargaining: B

Analysis: From the time we reached the coast of Colombia, it has become very apparent that haggling over the price of goods and services is going to be a constant reality in South America. Some people are very good at bartering; some people really enjoy it. We are doing reasonably well, but we find that arguing over the price of a banana, and then wondering how we did afterwards, can be exhausting and sometimes it would just be nice if there was a price that was THE price. I also don't particularly enjoy the feeling that "successful" bargaining on our part usually means that we have gotten more from, or given less to, people who generally do not have as much as we do.

Illustrative example(s): Early on, we found that we were having our bluffs called by the local, more experienced merchants. After slowly and loudly walking away, we often found ourselves returning with our heads hung low and paying the price we swore was too much in the negotiation. As Kristin can attest to, admitting defeat is not my strong suit. Lately, however, we seem to be getting much better deals and, after much debate, I was pleasantly surprised to get back money that appeared lost after our dunebuggy ride in Huacachina ended an hour earlier than scheduled. While we are convinced that we are still getting a gringo rate in a significant number of our transactions, it is comforting to think that the premium is gradually being reduced.

Imaginary Teacher says: "Kristin and Kevin have shown some aptitude for bargaining, but sometimes appear to lack a killer instinct. Buy low, sell high - that's what I always say!"

Budgeting: A

Analysis: This grade depends on how you define the metric. We have stuck fairly closely to the loose budget we set for ourselves, so I’m giving us a high grade. Our goal is to try and not cut out or skimp on activities that will make our trip memorable, while looking for economical ways to eat some of our meals and for places that offer simple, clean accommodation. Could we do the trip for less money? Certainly. But we're not sorry if we take buses that don't have reputations for falling apart on windy, mountain roads, and I can't help it if the biggest bottles of beer on the menu are so tasty and fun to drink.

Illustrative example(s): We're doing the normal, budget food things to save money - cooking some of our meals, buying from grocery stores and eating street food. Though, given the number of breaded, meat snacks needed to satisfy my daily appetite, we probably don't save near as much from buying from street vendors as the average travelling couple would. We've also learned that worst thing that can happen from simply asking for a discount, even in situations where it might seem slightly absurd, is a little embarrassment, and the potential savings can be meaningful to one's budget. Finally, because we're not scraping the bottom of the barrel at every opportunity and have enjoyed most every place we've visited, we've also been able to get by to this point without any real splurges or other treats that many travellers use to avoid long-term travel burn out. [Editor's note: Yes, we travellers get burned out too. I'm sure you all feel terrible for us.]


Imaginary Teacher says: "Keep spending! That modelling contract is bound to come in at any moment and then money won't be a concern."

Adding it all up, it looks like we finished with a first trimester travelling GPA of 3.0. While I’ll admit that we are not the Rhodes Scholars of travelling yet, I thought the imaginary teacher was a bit harsh at times. Hopefully the next report card is more favourable.

Check back soon for our next post – our Inca Trail experience.

The Lost City

I find that I typically don't like to spend much time describing the historical significance of places we visit or break down our day-to-day activities in too much detail. My feeling is that superior descriptions to what I am capable or willing to provide are available elsewhere on the internet and that the pictures and captions we post hopefully help tell the story. That said, our latest adventure was a little more off the beaten path and unlike anything we have done previously, so I hope you'll indulge me with this Coles Notes version of the trek and a slightly longer post than usual.


Ciudad Perdida (literally translated - The Lost City) is an archaeological site in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Colombia that was founded by the Tayrona indigenous people as a town and spiritual center around 800 A.D. The Tayronas were wiped out during the Spanish conquest and the City was forgotten until rediscovered in the early 1970s by grave robbers. The return trek to the site is typically organized as a six-day adventure through the jungle, with the highlight being the 1200-step climb to the ancient center, but we got on with a group that did the trip in five days. On the trek, you sleep in mosquito-netted hammocks, constantly cross rivers and streams and pass by more waterfalls and things of striking beauty than your mind seems to register. The words "clean" and "dry" exist only in sentences beginning with "I wish I was....", and the heat, humidity and insect life is off the charts. Finally, everything is slippery and I would say there is a realistic chance you could fall and break a bone almost any moment you stop paying attention, but probably only a handful of times when you are in danger of doing something much worse.

Perhaps with time and perspective I will be to figure it out for myself, but the trek was likely one of two things:

1. A shining example of the indomitable spirit of humankind, willing itself to overcome the elements to gain further knowledge in respect of a fascinating cultural legacy, culminating in a visit to a priceless archaeological site; or
2. A clever ruse by an organized network of mosquitoes to chase unsuspecting tourists up hills and further into the jungle, culminating in a retreat to a priceless archaeological site where 85% of their population lies in wait for an incredible blood feast.

I'd like to think that the trek was the former, as the I don't like the thought that we were bested by a bunch of insects. I'd also like to think that our group willingly traded several litres of blood to the mosquitoes for the privilege of exploring their city and not that those little bastards stole it from us.

To appreciate our experience, you probably need to have some understanding of the people involved. Our group included a German couple, a French woman, two Irish girls, two London girls, one Spanish lady, one Colombian girl, one Slovakian girl, our guide, our cook and ourselves. Everybody was really nice, but we tended to gravitate most towards the German couple (who are our age, just quit their jobs to embark on a one-year sojourn, and are currently doing a six-month South American portion with starting and ending dates almost identical to our own) and the French woman. She was a Parisian executive with Louis Vuitton. In addition to having a personality that we very much enjoyed, it was interesting and novel to listen to her stories about the fashion industry. She was also memorable for the moment that completely made the trip worthwhile for Kristin .... when she asked Kristin if she had ever been scouted as a model before. (Aside number 1 - This was also the moment when I realized that thing keeping us from that his and her modelling contract we have been seeking very well may be "him".)

The readiness for the trek varied greatly within the group. Kristin and I prepared like we were going to war. We thought long and hard about every item we brought (and on the trip were asked to share our bandages, toilet paper, water purification tablets and Swiss-Army knife by people who didn't bring as much) and had readied ourselves mentally to "endure". We even spent time speculating about whether the benefits of having just hiked at altitude would more than offset the difficulty we would face hiking in the tropical conditions closer to sea level (in my mind, the trade off was a net loss). In sharp contrast to our level of preparedness, I was shocked when an hour into the trek one of the London girls stated that this was her first hike ever. I was less shocked when she developed truly horrific blisters hiking in her fabric Converse sneakers. I would be immensely shocked if she ever hiked again.

Because of what we had read and because of the horrors we were expecting, we found the trek to be extremely challenging at times but much less unpleasant than anticipated. I think the trek could be completed by any physically-fit person who is willing to deal with a healthy amount of "grossness", as Kristin calls it. Everyone in our group finished in one piece, though a couple of the people in the group had had enough and hired horses to walk them out on the last, gruelling day. (Aside number 2 - On this trek and after some of the exhausting climbs, I truly began to appreciate how satisfying Kristin finds the actual punishing physical activity itself. In contrast, I don't enjoy wondering if I am going to die while I exercise, but do rather enjoy the feeling of having completed something fairly intense and then pretending afterwards that it was no big deal when debriefing others.)

While the tour itself was an unbelievably rewarding experience, both Kristin and I had a host of concerns about the tour company and its service. I don't think there is much benefit in discussing them in any great detail here, but it was my feeling that the trip was organized and carried out in a way that detracted from the overall experience and made the trip much more dangerous than was necessary. Also, the information we were provided in the booking process proved largely to be a series of half-truths and lies, the most disturbing of which was when we were casually told that a mudslide had wiped away the camp we were going to spend the third night at a "couple of weeks ago" and that things were now safe. The truth turned out to be that the mudslide was just six days before our trek began, the last of the tourists had been helicoptered out by the military just four days before our trek began and, judging from the reaction of some of the guides on the trek, it was clear that certain of the areas where we walked and slept were not particularly safe given the rainfall in the previous days and weeks. The upside to the mudslide is that since there was nowhere for us to sleep near The Lost City, we were provided with the opportunity to spend the night in The Lost City itself, which is normally forbidden by the modern-day descendants of the Tayronas. (Aside number 3 - It seems that every time I travel, some sort of record is set. We understand that that this is the wettest "dry season" on record in Colombia (hence the mudslide); when I travelled to Europe for the first time, in 2003, it was the hottest summer in a 57-year period; and when we went to Italy last year, Kristin set the all-time record for the most consecutive days where a person consumed a pizza and at least one litre of wine...)

My Ciudad Perdida experience by the numbers:

Red jungle wasp stings: 1

Mystery jungle face rashes: 1

Lost toenails: 0.5 (a tragic toe-stubbing accident while playing cards one afternoon)

Momentary lapses in concentration leading to falls: 2

Number of bug bites (mosquito and sandfly inclusive): 20'ish, with Kristin checking in at around 40'ish

Number of times I feared for my life: 1200 (one for each of the steps I had to descend from The Lost City - the Tayronas clearly did not have size 12 feet)

Blisters: Zero (Surprisingly)

Louis Vuitton Modelling Offers: Zero (Unsurprisingly)

The pictures from The Lost City are here.

Bye Bye Bogota

We're off to the Zona Cafetera (Colombia coffee zone) tomorrow. Bogota has been great and, even though it didn't produce any formal modelling offers, leaving will be bittersweet. I think the posts and pictures reflect much of what we enjoyed about the city, but as we leave I thought I would get down a couple of the things that I'll miss about the city that wouldn't have been reflected elsewhere.

1. Every Sunday from 7:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., many of the city's main streets close down to vehicles and are turned over to pedestrians and cyclists in the weekly ritual known as Ciclovia. It's a great way to get some fresh(er) air, see the city without having to worry about getting run over and it sort of sounds like one of Rihanna's songs - everybody wins.


2. One of the advantages of being in a tropical country is the fruit, both for variety and quality. The fruit itself is amazing, but I'm partial to the freshly squeezed juices that can be had for ridiculously cheap in most parts of town. Last weekend, Kristin had a freshly-pressed cup of red grape juice that may have been the most amazing thing that either of us has ever tasted. If they could somehow concoct an alcoholic beverage made primarily out of red grapes, I have a feeling that Kristin and I would be all over it...


3. I think we're happy to take a break from the Spanish classes themselves, but they've produced some pretty memorable moments. These were typically at the end of the week when we were tired of not understanding and ready to go home. The result tended to be general giddyness and an unwillingness to follow the "no English" rule. Today was easily the best when Kristin starting laughing at a Spanish word that sounded like a dirty word in English and was called out as "immature" by the 13-year student in the class. It was particularly funny because he wasn't joking.


4. This one's probaby just for me, but for whatever reason it seems like everybody around where we are staying has a Golden Retriever. I might be a little biased, but I view them in much the same way that the ancient Egyptians saw cats. Does it make Bogota a more interesting place to visit? Probably not. Does it make me happy each time I see one? You bet.

We've posted the rest of our photos of Bogota - you can find them here. Bye bye Bogota.

The Long Goodbye

After several weeks spent planning and saying goodbye to friends and family, we are finally off tomorrow morning. Obligatory packing contents photo below:

Some planning highlights: I opted for no jeans over jeans, Tevas over running shoes and a buzzcut over that Justin Bieber 'do I had been considering. Kristin opted for an equal number of technical pieces and "cute tops". Our riskiest item? My pair of white boxer shorts. Our most trustworthy? All things Icebreaker (and since we've already spent a not insignificant portion of our life savings on their apparel, we would gladly accept some sponsorship dollars or a modelling contract with Icebreaker in return for this bit of free advertising - spread the word).

We're as fit as we've been in a while. Kristin can currently race up about 1000 stairs without getting tired and I have been back spasm free since Saturday. In two months, I predict that Kristin will be able to race up about 1500 stairs without getting tired and that my body will begin to resemble a pear as I lose muscle and sample new types of beer.

To the many people that have wished us well on our journey, we are truly thankful for your support. The excitement we are feeling to finally hit the road is tempered only by the degree to which we will miss those close to us (and the weight of our packs). Thankfully, we are well-equipped for staying in touch and Kristin is a world-class emailer and Facebooker.

Adiós, and catch you on the flip side (and feel free to give yourself a pat on the back if you caught the double meaning in the post's title).

We Bloggin'

At long last, we've hit the blogosphere. From what I can tell, travel blogging is a niche market that is virtually untapped, so we're here to fill the void..... Okay, so that's not true and maybe we're not the first travel blogging couple, but we might be the tallest. Anyways, good to have you on board.

Why a blog? Quite simply, fame and fortune. In a perfect world, the blog would be the medium that lands us a lucrative couple's modelling contract during or upon completion of our trip. (This picture from a couple of years back - us passionately staring at a lamp across the room, no jokes - will serve as picture number one in our modelling portfolio.) Failing that, hopefully the blog will allow those people who have expressed an interest in our trip (hi Moms!!) to follow along on their own schedule, provide us with a creative outlet and give us something to look back upon when we're finally home.

I can't predict what form the blog will ultimately take, though I imagine there will be some sarcasm and the occasional random pop culture reference. Perhaps the blog will largely be a summary of our adventures and destinations, or maybe it will turn into a collection of personal thoughts and observations while on the road. Either way, I'm committed to keeping it going until our mini-laptop is lost, broken or stolen, or until I get bored ... whichever comes first.

My hope is that the quality of the blog and posts will improve over time. As many of you know, this is my initial foray into the world of social networking and I find myself pretty far down the learning curve at this juncture. However, in the immortal words of Herm Edwards, "WE CAN BUILD ON THIS!!" (Editor's note: I fully appreciate, as has been pointed out by some friends, that it is somewhat hypocritical of me to willingly blog about our life and travels when I have always been staunchly anti-Facebook due to privacy concerns. I don't have a good justification. I still will not be Facebooking.)

Comments and followers, assuming I figure out how to turn those features on, make it look like we have friends (we do, and we'll miss them), will be good motivation to keep the posts coming, and probably will help attract the modelling agencies, so feel free to say hello from time to time or introduce yourself. We look forward to hearing from you and hope that you enjoy following along on our adventure.