Eating on the run

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During my mid-twenties, when I was becoming an avid hiker, I started carrying snacks and water with me. At some point it didn’t matter where or what I was doing, I always had something handy to extinguish hunger pangs. I am evil when I am hungry. As I age, hunger makes me even irritable. Sometimes I get shaky and can’t even think straight. Therefore, I always try to travel with some type of snack especially when I don’t have time to interrupt my day to eat.  I really do love eating out, but when I am in the middle of something, I would rather not be bothered with stopping to eat. It is so inconvenient or there simply isn’t anywhere suitable to stop and eat.

Over the years, packing snacks has served me well. When my family was experiencing a medical emergency, my snacks and water allowed us to concentrate on the situation and be present. During these times, I started packing extra snacks to help nourish others. This prepared me for becoming a Mom. After giving birth to Mathew, my body produced nourishment 24 hours a day for as long as he or I wanted. Luckily, we were ready to move on at the same time. Nevertheless, I still needed nourishment, in fact in greater quantities than before. As Mathew’s eating patterns developed, I started to pack more snacks that he enjoyed. Diaper bags aren’t just for diapers.

Although Mathew is now 10 years old, my habit of packing snacks is still going strong. I don’t use a diaper bag anymore but a sack is always available. On hot days, we even have a cooler in the car. Ever so often, if I’m on a short errand, I may forget water or snack; it is always missed.trailmix

 Here are some typical snacks we take along on long and short trips:

  • peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
  • bananas
  • apples (whole or cut-up)
  • grapes
  • Clementine’s
  • strawberries
  • blueberries
  • trail mix (mixture of dried fruit, whole grain cereal, & nuts)
  • humus and carrots
  • cheese and crackers
  • pretzels
  • Cliff bars (Mike’s recent addition)
  • homemade muffins

Even on our recent trip to Costa Rica, snacks came in very handy, especially in the middle of the rainforest. Funny, we even traveled with a jar of organic peanut butter, just in case. Thank goodness, as it came in very handy.

Do you carry snacks with you, if so, what kind? Please share and I will continue to share.

Exploring on Horseback

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amazing viewOur trip to Costa Rica provided our family with lots of new experiences and adventures.  When we were in Cahuita, we went horseback riding on the beach and through the rainforest. It was amazing and the view from the top of the horse gave us a magnificent perspective. Nevertheless, I have to admit, I am still torn about the environmental impact the horses make on the beach and rainforest.

Mathew riding in the rainforestThere are two beaches in Cahuita, Playa Blanca, where the Parque Nacional Cahuita (National Park) is, and Playa Negra which is more rugged and where they allow horseback riding. There are two companies that provide horseback riding in Cahuita we chose Brigitte’s Tours. I had never ridden a horse on the beach nor through a rainforest before and it was a fantastic experience. Mathew had a ball, as this was the first time he rode a horse all by himself. We even trotted a couple times along the beach. He did great and kept saying, “This is AWESOME!” And it really was.

Mike and Mathew riding on the beachI was grateful the beach was rather deserted and we weren’t interrupting other people’s fun. Then one of the horses relieved himself, it made me even happier that people weren’t around and would not need to negotiate where there were walking. However, it did make me think about the environmental impact we were making. Sure, the companies are small and are limited by the number of horses they own, so most horseback riding parties are rarely larger than 6.  Yes, the solution to pollution is dilution and most of the waste left on the beach washes away, but I am sure there is a negative impact nonetheless.

I have to say that Costa Rica is one of the most environmentally conscious countries I have ever visited. They do walk the talk and it was obvious everywhere we traveled; recycling and conservation was practiced and preached far and wide. I guess I need to believe they have weighed the pro and cons and decided to allow horseback riding because it has a minimal impact – it really was AWESOME and I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to experience it.

Taking a break and enjoying some coconut water.

Taking a break and enjoying some coconut water.

Do you think of the impact you are making when you travel or explore beautiful areas? Please share, and I will continue to share.