Travelling with three terrorists

I remember that when we were travelling with a three month old Junia in New Zealand, we got comments about how brave we were on several occations. Now, travelling with three kids (even if they are a bit older), we haven’t had a single comment about bravery, and feel really relaxed in general, even if there of course are more potential dangers here than on Bergsgatan.

1. Traffic - Justus has been a fantastic driver, and the girls have been perfect passengers in their Swedish car seats. When we’ve had a rental car this is. In Panama City we have handed in the car and are travelling by taxi (a constant negotiation of 3-7 dollar/ride, but also great music and conversations.) When Kiara enters a taxi she is transformed to an overactive snake, crawling everywhere, trying all interesting buttons and handles at the door, and usually ends up on the floor where she either tries to wriggle herself to the front or goes treasury hunting. All those one pence coins might make her rich one day.

When being out of the car and trying to cross a road it seams like our girls are carrying some massive VIP signs, as cars always let us pass immediately and are then thanked by queen waves from the ladies. 

2. Health - After Alma’s emergency hospital visit with ear infection the first week the girls have - knock on wood - been well. When their parents’ stomaches have given walkover on several occations they are proudly displaying their sausages to the whole family.

All three have developped serious ”summer knees” which they carry with pride.

3. Scary animals - Even if we have seen both poisonous frogs, a scorpion and a tarentula is the only wildlife that has done us any harm mosquitos. Those blood suckers can sometimes even make us long for the Swedish winter.

4. Criminality - I know that I am naive, but I have not on one occation felt unsafe during this trip. Ok, we are only out during daylight and don’t hang out in the seediest areas, but people are all really friendly, and maybe even more than usually because of the three door openers.

The girls get massive amounts of positive attention, and their Spanish is improving by the day (una leche fria por favor). Travelling with kids in general, and to these countries in particular, can definately be recommended.