Lessons Learned From Patagonia

Lessons Learned From Traveling to the End of The World

Traveling to a remote corner of Chilean Patagonia felt a bit like stepping outside of time. The roads stretched endlessly without traffic lights, the wind roared intensely at its own rhythm, and the towering mountains put everything into perspective. Patagonia was a place where nature was raw, vast, untouched and beautifully wild.

After 10 days in Patagonia, we returned home and went right back to our normal routine - a lifestyle that often feels rushed, stressful and structured around tight schedules and convenience. Patagonia offered us something very different: a slower rhythm, a deeper quiet, and a refreshing recalibration of what life can be like.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have traveled to five continents and immerse myself in such a wide range of cultures. Each journey has challenged me, expanded my views, and has reminded me how much there is to learn from the ways other people live. From rushed city life to remote living to enjoying a delicious cappuccino from a gas station to eating with my hands, every place has offered its own lessons in resilience, community, food, and what it means to live a meaningful life. The more I travel, the more I realize that the greatest privilege isn’t just seeing the world, it’s allowing those experiences to change me.

Here are some of the lessons I brought home from our trip to Patagonia......

1. Simplicity Isn’t A Choice

In much of Patagonia, life is simple - not out of trend - but necessity. Connectivity is limited, amenities are basic, and people rely heavily on nature, family and community. Instead of feeling deprived, I found myself feeling less stressed. Tasks take the time they take. Patience is needed. Conversations are meaningful. Meals are unhurried and appreciated.
Every person we met was nice and helpful. Despite not having a lot, there was a lot of happiness around us. Simplicity stripped away the complexities of life, revealing how much of daily stress comes from a self-imposed pace that we feel obligated to maintain and the anxieties we feel from the constant distractions around us.

2. Nature Restores

The landscapes of Patagonia don’t just impress, they ground you. Glaciers that have existed for thousands of years. Winds that reshape trees. Lakes so blue you can see the reflection of mountains towering above them. Animals roaming freely over the mountains and farm lands.
Being surrounded by such immensity has a way of shrinking everyday worries. In a world increasingly consumed by screen time, nature has a way of restoring balance, perspective, and a sense of calm. A gentle reminder that spending time outside, in nature, is a critical component of mental heath.

3. Detachment From Digital Life

For over 12 hours, I supported Karel without any distractions - no radio signal in the car, poor cell service and no company. With limited cell service, I didn’t have the option to compulsively read emails, check texts or go on social media. There was no TV, radio or political noise. During our time in Chile, we stayed in three different Airbnbs to truly get the Patagonia expeirence. Every day I noticed details: birds chirping, chickens clucking, dogs barking. A series of strong wind guests. The crackling of the fire. The sound of a match lighting our stove. Moments became something to experience, not document. The absence of constant digital noise gave me the ability to be present and to focus deeply on what was around me.

4. Resourcefulness Is a Way of Life

In remote areas, people fix what breaks, repurpose what’s available, and make do without fuss. At our Airbnb in Coyhaique, Karel joked that there was no way the beat-up truck in our driveway was moving from under our unit. Sure enough, the truck made its way out of the driveway and a day later, it returned with a bed full of chopped wood for the wood-burning furnace. There's no Amazon Prime to make a quick delivery. The closest gas station (outside of town) was often more than an hour away. If you live in a town, you shop for groceries on a daily basis. If you live on the farm, you stock up with what you need and live off what you have. There’s a refreshing humility to this approach. It stood in stark contrast to the throwaway, materialistic, impulsive culture we often see in the U.S. Patagonia reminded me that resourcefulness isn’t just practical, it cultivates gratitude, respect for what we have and using creativity for what we need.

5. A Slower Pace Isn’t Laziness

In Patagonia, slowing down is not seen as inefficiency, it’s simply the rhythm of life. Roads are long, supplies take time to reach small towns, and nature dictates the schedule more than schedules do. The road conditions in Patagonia are not great. A mix of asphalt, concrete, pavers, and gravel. It takes time to get places, especially when you are driving for miles on a bumpy, twisty, gravel road. The slower pace taught me patience. It also reminded me that rushing rarely improves the quality of an experience, if anything, it tends to diminish it.

7. Travel Is All About Perspective.

Going somewhere remote forces you to confront your habits, assumptions, and expectations. Patagonia didn’t just show me a different place, it reminded me of different way of being. One of my most memorable trips was in 2004. For May term of my senior year, I travel to the Philippines for a work service trip. I spent over two weeks sleeping on a bamboo bed, pumping my water, taking bucket showers, creating our own tools to fix schools and riding around in Jeepneys. This trip forever changed me. When you return home from traveling abroad, you are left with an internal reminder that life can be lived in more than one way, and that often the most meaningful moments are the ones where you step outside of your comfort zone.

Final Thoughts

Traveling to remote Patagonia was a lesson in resourcefulness, presence, and intentional living. It taught me that many of the things we consider essential are, in fact, optional.

If we let it, travel has the power to reshape how we live long after the trip ends.

Thank you for letting me share our travels with you.

Karel's Patagonman race report is coming soon.

International Travel - Carb Loading Foods

Are you racing internationally?Traveling to new places can be stressful but carb loading doesn’t have to be.

Choose foods that are:
✅ Easy to digest
✅ Low fiber/low fat
✅ Carb-dense - Ideal for saturating glycogen stores before race day. 

Thankfully, your favorite, carb-rich staples are likely to be found anywhere around the world. If you know your go-to carbs might not be available, be sure to pack familiar packaged foods that you’ve trained with for a well-fueled body and happy gut.

From PCB to Lanzarote - Part 2

Around 9am we started our 5-ish hour drive (plus losing an hour) to the Atlanta International Airport (I made a reservation at the Peachy International Parking as that is where we park for our international flights). I gave us a buffer of 4 hours before our flight in the case of traffic. As we were driving, I noticed that our predicted arrival changed by 90 minutes (later) due to a road closed. Luckily we saw it in advance and could get off at the next exit and ended up only losing around 20 minutes. 

We arrived to the parking area around 3:30pm and took the shuttle to the international airport. The ATL international airport was chaotic as usual. After checking in our two suitcases and two bike bags, we went through TSA pre-check and made our way to the Centurion Lounge. There was a wait so we instead went to the Delta lounge. We enjoyed some food and spent the next hour in the lounge, getting a little work done on the computer. 

We boarded our Delta flight around 6:15am and the plane took off a little after 7pm. We were served dinner (I pre-requested a lactose-vegetarian meal) and I watched some of A Star is Born. I was able to sleep a few hours during our 8-hour flight to Madrid. 

When we arrived to Madrid, we stood in a long line to get through customs and then picked up our suitcases and bikes. Since our next flight was on Iberia (different ticket) and we had a 10-hour layover (originally it was only 7 hours but the flight was moved back several times), I reserved a hotel room well in advance (back in February) at Hello Sky. We took the shuttle bus from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4 and went to the -1 floor at departures/arrivals to check into our room. I reserved a 6-hour room so we had until almost 5pm to enjoy a bed and shower. We took a 3 hour nap which was lovely. Around 2pm we got a snack in arrivals and then around 3:30pm we checked in at the Iberia gate (there was a separate check in area for oversized luggage like bikes). Since our flight wasn't until 7:10pm we had plenty of time before 6:35pm boarding. We went to the lounge with our priority pass membership (from our Amex Plat business credit card) and enjoyed some free food and drinks while working on the computer. We boarded our plane around 6:35pm. There were no TVs on the plane but I could access the entertainment system on my phone. I tried to stay up throughout the entire 2.5 hour flight but I fell asleep for around 45 minutes. 

After two long days, we finally arrived to Lanzarote, Spain around 9pm which is located in the Atlantic Ocean, by the Northwestern coast of Africa. While Karel waited for our luggage, I picked up our SUV rental car from Sixt rental car. I was able to find a manual SUV for less than $200! Karel loves driving manual. European SUVs tend to run much smaller than in the US but we made it work by stuffing our suitcases and bike bags inside the SUV. We made a quick stop at Lidl around 9:50pm and then arrived to our Airbnb just after 10pm. Our athlete and roomie Bara met us outside our Airbnb as she arrived on Friday. 

Karel and I had a small snack (I had a bowl of cereal) before finally falling asleep just after 11am. It was a somewhat restless night of sleep but we got up around 8am, ready to start our first official day on the island. 

                               

From GVL to PCB to Lanzarote - Part 1

In early January of 2025, I felt like I had no direction with my training as I was struggling to put together my race schedule. Karel knew that Ironman Lanzarote was always on my race bucket list because of the ocean swim w/ wetsuit, hills on the bike and heat throughout the entire race but I was very scared of the wind. Over the past few years, I have stepped way out of my comfort zone with mountain biking and Xtreme triathlon events so I feel more comfortable embracing challenging race day conditions. When Karel mentioned that I do Ironman Lanzarote this year, I slept on it for a few days and finally committed by registering for the event. Having a race on my schedule that was exciting and challenging gave me the motivation (and direction) that I needed to design my training for the next 5 months. Two of our professional athletes (Katie and Yannick) did the event last year and had great things to stay about the course and island. 

In the fall of 2024, we selected our 4 Trimarni team races of 2025, with IM 70.3 Gulf Coast being the first race of the season on May 3rd. With IM Lanzarote being 7 days after IM 70.3 Gulf Coast, I knew I couldn't race both events and with Karel returning to training after his 2nd knee surgery in 4 months (meniscus tear in both knees) we decided that we would still go to the race to support our athletes. We decided we would stay in Panama City Beach until Sunday (the day after the race) and drive to the Atlanta airport to start our travel to Lanzarote. Logistically, this required us to have all of our stuff for our trip to Spain with us in PCB. Additionally, because we wanted to bring Sunny with us for his first trip to the beach, we needed to find him transportation back to Greenville (thankfully our athlete/friend Ruthanne offered to bring him back for our house pet sitter Sarah to reunite with him). This was Sunny's 2nd road trip and longest road trip. He was great. He loves his car seat from Funny Fuzzy and stays in it anytime we are in the car. 

We started our 8-hour drive to PCB on Thursday morning around 7:30. The ride was fairly uneventful, just long. Thankfully we gained an hour so we arrived around 3:30pm local time. I dropped Karel off at the Frank Brown aquatic center for him to get in a swim while I checked in to our Airbnb at the Gulf Highlands Resort. After unloading our car, Sunny and I drove back to the aquatic center for Karel and I do to a Sunny hand off. It was my turn to get in a lovely outdoor swim workout (~3000 yards) while Karel walked Sunny. Sunny had a blast playing in the dog park, while enjoying the warm weather. 

After my swim we went to pick up our pizza order at Mr. Maine's pizza (highly recommend) for our team pizza party. We rented the conference center and had 10 athletes in attendance. It was great to see everyone and Sunny enjoy his first team pizza party (he had practice at our recent group training camp). Around 9pm we were ready for bed as it was a long day. 

On Friday morning, I went for my "long" ride. With us staying by the beach, there aren't a lot of safe places to ride. I opted to go to Gayles Trails behind Frank Brown park but I didn't want to drive there so I started off along Front Beach Road and road mostly southeast as it was a bit more quiet, with a bike lane. After I warmed up I did my main set of 5 x 10 minutes (strong effort) w/ 2-3 min EZ spin. I finished with 2:08 and 42 miles. I did a quick 3 mile and 24 minute run off the bike with a few strides. When I returned from my workout, Karel headed out for his ride. He ended up riding 57 miles and covered the race course in 2:50. While Karel was out, Sunny and I walked to the Sunrise cafe and bakery for a post ride meal of waffles and scrambled eggs. Sunny was allowed to sit inside because he was on his best behavior. I ordered Karel the Borscht to-go. 

In the early afternoon, we took Sunny to the dog beach at Pier Park. We have so many memories of Campy at the beach in Panama City Beach and we were so excited for Sunny to experience the sand, ocean water and birds. Sunny wasn't impressed with the water (we weren't surprised) but he loved running in the sand, playing with the other dogs and chasing the birds. It was great to let him run around off the leash and enjoy his freedom that he has worked hard for with his obedience training from Dog Training Elite. 

After our beach date, we went to the Lotus Cafe. This is one of my favorite restaurants as there are so many vegetarian options and I love the atmosphere. You order at the window inside and then you can sit anywhere in the outdoor covered seating. I had a veggie burger and Karel had one of the specials (turkey stuffed with feta). It was so good. 

It was raining on and off throughout the evening but based on the predicted weather, the worst was going to come throughout the night and into race day. We prepared our athletes for a cancelled swim possibility and sure enough, the swim was cancelled around an hour before the race start (the race was to start at 5:30am but was delayed to start at 6:10am). Karel and Sunny drove to Pier Park to cheer for the athletes in the early miles of the bike and I ran 42 minutes to Karel. Originally I had planned a 75 min run w/ a few intervals but by the time I got to Karel, it started to downpour and then it wasn't worth continuing on to run in the rain. 

After all of our athletes passed, we went back to our condo and watch IM 70.3 St. George on Outside TV while tracking our athletes. When I first athlete got close to the last 10 miles of the bike, we started our walk to the Edgewater resort to watch our athletes start the run. Sunny enjoyed watching and cheering for the athletes. We were able to see several of our athletes start the run after the bridge and catch them on their 2nd loop. The rain had stopped and it got very warm and very windy. Later we learned that there was hail and rain on the bike, as well as super strong winds for the last 16 mph. Sunny and I went back to our condo around 12pm and Karel stayed out and cheered for all of our athletes until he saw our last athlete start her 2nd lap of the run. Shortly after Karel arrived to our Airbnb, it started to lightening and downpour. We received a notification from the Ironman app that the race was postponed. And then the race was cancelled. Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions and weather conditions! 

A few hours later, we met up with two of our athletes (Angela and Kevin) and we had a late lunch at Lotus cafe (again). Around 6:30pm, several of our athletes met at Beach Cow Creamery for ice cream. 

We finished our laundry and packing and around 8am on Sunday, we were ready for leg 2 of our trip. We dropped off Sunny with Ruthanne at her car (he was confused but also comforted by Ruthanne and Janice, since he knows Ruthanne very well). We were really sad to say good bye to Sunny as we really had a great time sharing this trip with him. 

Part 2 coming soon.....

'24 South Africa travel day(s) - and a visit to London

 

On Friday morning (2/9) I woke up with excitement and sadness about our upcoming 19 day trip to South Africa. Excited to travel and race on our mountain bikes at Xterra South Africa and PE Plett 4-stage mountain bike race but sad to leave Campy, our other senior Madison (cat, almost 16) and our 3 littles – Ella, Sylvi and Asher. Thankfully, Karel’s mom is staying at our house (we flew her in from Czech in early January) and she can keep everyone on their routine, they will be loved and they won’t be alone.

 

I started my morning by joining our masters swim group at Westside aquatic center from 7:20-8:45am. The group starts around 7am but I usually get in around 7:15-7:20. It was a spicy swim set with a lot of short intense sets, finishing with a little distance. I love swimming with others and we had a great group. I shared a lane with our athlete Yannick who is making a great comeback after breaking his collarbone in November from a bike crash. Karel swam 2000 yards at Furman and followed it up with an intense 1-hour SYSTM bike workout on the trainer.

We packed up the car, overloaded the furries with kisses and hugs and made our 3 hour drive to the Atlanta international airport around 11:15am.

I booked our travel in October. There was a lot to book with this trip so I will save that for another blog. But our flight was ATL to Heathrow (London) on Delta and then London to Cape Town on Virgin. I booked a flight to Cape Town that gave us a 11 hour layover in Heathrow so that we could explore the city as we have never been there before (well, never outside the airport).

We have a pretty good routine when we travel from ATL. We park in hourly parking ~4 hours before our flight departs. International flights usually board an hour before take-off. Arriving this early means we don’t have to wait very long to check in as there is rarely anyone in front of us in line – this time there were 2 people. We checked in our suitcases and bikes, dropped off our bikes at oversized luggage (which is by security) and then went back to our car to drive to off site parking.

I ask Park n’ Fly to book off site parking ~3 miles away. I book online in advance to save money. I was able to find a deal for $9/day and I got 3 days free as a “loyalty” member. After we parked, we boarded the free shuttle to the domestic terminal (since there are no shuttles from off site parking to international). We then go through TSA pre-check and board the plane train to our terminal. For this trip we were in Terminal E.

It was around 3:30pm when we arrive to our terminal so we had ~2 hours to spend in the Delta Sky Club lounge to work before our first flight. We also ate some food as we were really hungry. Our flight was delayed by an hour so we had 3 hours in the lounge – which allowed us to get a lot of work done. We left the lounge around 6:20pm and waited another 20 minutes at our gate before they announced that they were almost ready to board after waiting for something on the plane to be fixed. We finally boarded the main cabin and we were off to London around 7:30pm.

We were both really tired so we watched a movie (I watched Wonder – super cute), ate dinner and then tried to sleep for the rest of the flight (~5 hours). We slept on and off. I pre-ordered the vegetarian – dairy meal (as I always do online when I purchase the flight tickets) and the meal was really good. I’ve had this dish before but I really enjoy it. It was a curry dish w/ tofu, bulgur salad and fruit. There was also a piece of pita bread and a roll (I didn’t eat the roll, I was full).

We woke up to a light breakfast around 90 min before landing. It was ok. I didn’t finish my sandwich as I wasn’t too hungry. It was a veggie and cheese sandwich. I wish it had egg on it for more protein but I snacked on a protein bar later on.

After we arrived in Heathrow, we went through customs (which was really quick) and then left the baggage area. We didn’t need to collect our bags/bikes as they were going to our final destination (Cape Town). It felt really weird leaving the airport with only our carry on backpacks.

We went to Left Baggage after exiting the baggage area and checked our carry on bags for 15 pounds each. This way we could explore London and not have to carry our bags.

We figured out how to use the underground system and booked two tickets on the Heathrow Express – a 15 minute ride to Paddington station in London (round trip was 70 pounds). We lucked out that our friend Honza was in London for an INFINIT nutrition work trip and he is really familiar with London so he was our tour guide. I had also reached out to a past athlete of mine who lives in London and a current athlete of mine who used to live in London for suggestions. Once we arrived in Paddington we took the underground to Piccadilly Circus station.

I had a list of what I wanted to see and we tried to check off all we could in 4 hours:

Trafalgar square
Downing street
Buckingham palace
Westminster Abbey
Hyde park corner – didn’t get to
Piccadilly circus
Leicester square
Covent garden – didn’t get to
Tower Bridge
London Eye
Big Ben

The weather was cool and it was on and off drizzling but thankfully we were able to see a lot.

Although we were really sleepy, it was nice to walk around before our long flight to Cape Town.

We ate lunch at Sabar – a vegetarian/vegan Indian Restaurant. It was delicious. 

We took the Central Line back to Paddington. It was really easy to access the underground as all you do is use a credit card for wireless payment and scan before and after riding the underground. We took a taxi to see the Tower Bridge as that was a few miles away from everything else that we saw. 

I had a hard time keeping my eyes open on the train ride back to the terminal. We picked up our carry on bags at Left Luggage and then walked to departures. I received an email when checking in for our flight on Thursday about reserving a time slot for security so I reserved 3:45pm (with a buffer of 15 min before and after). We ended up arriving around 3:45pm so it worked out perfect. I suppose this would save time during really busy times of the year. We didn’t have to wait very long and I don’t think the regular security was that busy.

After going through security, we went to the Club Aspire lounge (with our priority pass membership) and had a light snack and worked a little before boarding our 11-hour Virgin Atlantic Flight (premium economy) to Cape Town.

After experiencing Virgin Atlantic Upper Class last September in route to Italy for XTRI Icon, I fell in love with the airline experience. As part of the award ticket (credit card points) that I booked to Cape Town, we sat in premium for 11 hours from London to Cape Town. The seats were large and comfy, the recline and foot rest was great, the food and service was amazing and the movie selection was great. I finally watched Barbie (which I loved!) and I also watched No Hard Feelings (which was funny). Karel likes to watch more serious movies – he watched Oppenheimer, which he said was really impactful.

Karel slept on and off throughout the flight. His back and leg were bothering him which made it hard for him to sleep. I was able to get some good sleep throughout the flight.

We arrived in Cape Town around 7:30am which was a bit strange to arrive so early in the morning for an international flight. We went through customs (which took about 20 minutes) and then got our luggage. We were happy to see that our bikes and luggage were there after the 11 hour layover in London (we were a bit worried about the long layover). We walked across the street to the rental car and picked up our SUV from Sixt. I booked online from one of our credit card portals and while I got a great deal, I think I’ll avoid using Sixt in the future as we have used them twice and the SUVs that we have received have been really small with little trunk space. We were able to fit in all our stuff but it was a tight squeeze.

Karel did well with driving on the left side of the road (and right side of the vehicle) and we made our way 35-minutes to our Airbnb in Gordon’s Bay. 

We arrived to our Airbnb around 10:30am on Sunday. It was nice to be back at the same place where we stayed last year. After unloading the car, we walked to the SPAR grocery store a few blocks away and got a few things from store. After eating a light lunch, it was nearing noon local time and we couldn't fight it any longer. We took a nap. And I slept for 5 hours! 

After waking up around 5pm, I did some mobility and went outside for a short 3 mile run around Gordon's Bay. It felt so good to run in a sports bra and feel the warm dry air. The beach was packed. It was around 80 degrees in the evening. Karel met me at the beach and he did a shake out swim in the ocean for 20 minutes. The water was a little cool but he got used to it. 

After eating dinner around 8pm and Skyping with Karel's mom at our house, we went to bed around 9:30pm and went to sleep. Although our place doesn't have AC, we stayed cool with fans. I was surprised I slept so well after a 5 hour nap but I guess I needed it. I woke up around 6am on Monday. 

After 2 days and 44 hours of travel, little sleep over two nights, 4 hours in London and 19 hours of flying, we can officially start our race-cation. 

South Africa Race-Cation - Travel Day

Karel knows how much I love international travel (and warm weather) so late this summer, when he mentioned to me that we should participate in Xterra South Africa on January 22nd, 2023 I was excited for the opportunity to visit a new continent.

After a few months of researching, planning and travel hacking, I was able to put together an affordable two weeks to experience the sights, culture, trails, animals, food and people of South Africa. I realize travel is a privilege and we had/have to work really hard to travel but it's something that makes my life feel whole. My favorite type of travel is when I can combine culture and nature - alongside riding my bike in new places. 

If you have a trip to South Africa on your bucket list - or anywhere in this world - I strongly encourage you to start planning. With a bit of saving and a lot of planning, you too can have a life-changing trip.

For those who are curious, here is the breakdown of our trip (I'm pretty proud of myself for planning a 2-week race-cation to South Africa, including a 4-day safari for less than $5000!)

Paid in advance: 
Flights - $1160 per person (main cabin on Delta, booked late October) = $2320 
Airbnb - $594 (7 nights)
Rental car - $445 (Rav4 SUV from Hertz for 8 days)
Flights for Safari - $305 (Safair airline, priority boarding)
4-day Kruger Safari Package - $481 per person (Safari with us) = $962
Garden Court Sandton City - $76 (breakfast for two included)
Xterra race entry - $36 per person = $72
TOTAL = $4774

What was free: 
-No money spent at airports (and we were 11 of them) with lounge accesst thanks to our Amex Platinum Business Cards (which includes Priority Pass membership). 
-Free luggage storage at Best Western while we were away at our Safari. 
-Free night at Best Western thanks to Credit Card points from Capital One Visa. 
-Free shuttle to airport from Best Western. 

Extra money spent during trip (1 USD = 17.6 South African Rand): 
-Uber
-Meals/Groceries
-Tips and donations 
-Souvenirs and gifts
-Enterance fees (ex. hiking, mountain biking)

We left our house/pet sitter and our furry crew around 11:30am on Sunday. It was strange leaving on a Sunday (and later in the day) so it almost felt like a normal weekend day for us. We did a workout in the morning (Karel rode the trainer and I ran) and finished our packing/house cleaning before we were driven to the airport by my mom’s partner Alan. I hired a pet sitter from Rover.com and she stayed at our house for the entire 2 weeks that we were away. 

We arrived early to the airport to give ourself time to check in with our bike bags and to enjoy the airport lounge, thanks to our new Amex platinum business card (with all of our travels this year, I’m seeing if this CC is worth the yearly payment. So far, with our lounge access, it’s well worth it!). There was no line for checking in with Delta for our 2 suitcases and bike bags (with our mountain bikes inside – including Apple air tags on each bike and in our suitcases for tracking) and we were quick through security with TSA pre-check. We got some work done in the lounge and enjoyed a light meal before boarding our plane around 2 for our 2:50pm flight to Atlanta.

It was a quick flight to Atlanta and I watched some of a movie that I downloaded onto my iPad. When we arrived, we needed to go from the B terminal to F so we took the plane train to the international terminal. We waited in line for the Delta Sky Club lounge for around 10 minutes. This was our first time in this lounge and the food was amazing. It was so nice to enjoy “free” food, especially a salad w/ tofu. Although we only had an hour before heading to our gate, we thouroughly enjoyed our time in the lounge (and Karel loved the coffee options with good tasting coffee). 

Around 4:50, the boarding process started for our 6pm flight to Johannesburg. This was home for the next 15 hours - our longest flight ever. Karel was not excited. I sat in the middle seat, next to a nice guy who was visiting his mom for the first time in 6 years. Karel had the aisle. I thought I was booking the front row of Main (behind Comfort +) but turns out there was no bulkhead so my idea to have extra leg room failed through. I should have just booked to aisle seats for us next to one another. Oh well. We had two meals on the plane and snacked on our trail mix that we brought. We each watched two movies and slept on and off. I enjoyed one vegetarian meal that I requested prior to the flight (for some reason they didn't have my request in so they had to search for an extra meal. They do have a vegetarian option with the complimentary meal service but I always request a 'special meal' (which is free) as the options are a lot better - and you get served first. We got up for the restroom and to stretch a lot. Overall, for this being our longest flight so far, it wasn’t too bad. It actually went by rather fast and I think going through the night helped as we were naturally tired and the flight was long enough that we could take a few longer naps.

Fruit, bread, bulgur salad and rice with vegetarian meat, beet sauce and vegetables. 

We arrived to the Johannesburg airport around 2:30pm and had a two hour layover. Because we were on the same plane to Cape Town, we departed the plane for cleaning and stayed in a holding wing. We were provided water and snacks while waiting. We then re-boarded our plane and made the 2 hour flight to Cape Town. I tried not to nap but I caved and fell asleep for a short time. We finally touched down to South Africa on Monday evening around 8pm. It was a long two days of travel but we were so excited to finally touch down on this new continent.

There was no line for passport control so that went by quickly (unlike the time it takes to enter the US) and then we picked up our bags/bikes. We then went to the rental car kiosk to get our SUV from Hertz. We were both very nervous about the driving situation with a right side of the car driver and driving on the left side of the road so for our dark 45 min drive to Gordon’s Bay, I had to remind Karel “left, left!” a lot throughout the drive. We survived. We made a quick stop at the gas station as we were really hungry. This was our first opportunity to try new foods. Karel got some type of meat "pastry" and I got a yogurt drink and a bag of ginger crackers. We were notified by our Airbnb host that load-shedding (shut down of power) was at 10pm so when we arrived just after 10pm, it was pitch dark out. Thankfully the host had a few portable lights for us to use. She showed us around the Airbnb and we were welcomed with a lot of wind – which made for a refreshing night of sleep with our door open (no AC). Surprisingly, we both slept pretty good after falling asleep just after 11pm local time (7 hours ahead of EST). We had a good night of sleep and I woke up around 9am excited for our first official day in South Africa.

International travel - a quick hello from South Africa

Late this summer, Karel mentioned to me that we should travel somewhere warm in January 2023 to escape the winter and to do some type of athletic event. And his top choice was not Arizona, Florida or the Virgin Islands but....South Africa! Karel came up with this idea after hearing about the return of Xterra South Africa (off-road triathlon event). After several months of researching, travel hacking and planning (my favorite!) I was able to put together an exciting, affordable and memorable itinerary for our 2 week race-cation (which includes a Safari and Kruger National Park). We will be participating in Xterra South Africa on Sunday, January 22nd in Elgin Valley (outside of Gordon's Bay, an hour from Cape Town) and then flying to Johannsburg on the 23rd for a 4-day Safari tour. We will then travel back to Cape Town on the 27th for one last day in Cape Town before flying back to the US on the 28th/29th. 

If you couldn't tell, I love traveling. Since an early age, I've had the privilege of traveling all over the US and internationally. When I was in middle school, I participated in an exchange program and spent almost 2 weeks in Japan. At only 13-14 years of age, I spent some of the time living with a family that didn't speak English and took part in a lot of different traditions. During my senior year of college, I traveled to the Philippines during May term for a work service project. I spent two weeks working on buildings and schools and I slept on a wooden bed, took bucket showers and had no AC. I was surrouned by people who had little to nothing but were incredibly happy and grateful. Traveling to this third-world country truly changed my life. 

Although it's fun to see popular touristy sights, one of my favorite things about travel is meeting new people and learning about different cultures - the language, traditions, customs, religion, holidays and food. Without travel, all we know is what's normal and not normal in our own society. By immersing yourself in another culture, you learn different and new perspectives. You also become more mindful of the traditions, practices, thoughts, beliefs and lifestyles of other people. Seeing the world from a different point of view can make you a more understanding person. While travel is a great way to immerse yourself in a culture beyond your own, you can learn at home through articles, talking with friends and coworkers, YouTube, documentaries, blogs and social media.There are so many places I never knew about but now want to visit thanks to travel vloggers.

And one of the best parts of travel is the FOOD!

Whether it's the pizza in Italy or seafood in Japan, traveling introduces you to new flavors, recipes, ingredients and dishes. While we can agree that America has a somewhat dysfunctional relationship with food, food plays a very important role in many cultures - it shows different traditions in each community and for many cultures, nothing is more important than a family meal. Whether you order from a restaurant menu or step out of your comfort zone with local street food, there's no better way to experience an entire culture - from the local and seasonal ingredients to the traditional recipes - than through authentic dishes. 

In doing some research for our upcoming South Africa trip, I came across this article discussing 30 different culinary traditions. Here are a few of the ones I found most interesting: 

• Borscht (Ukraine and many Eastern European Countries) - a traditional soup with beetroots as the main ingredient. 
• French baguette  (a symbol of France) - a 'good' baguette has a crunchy crust and is 65 centimeters in length. The only ingredients are wheat floud, water, yeast and salt. 
• Tea (a way of life in China) - there are over 2,000 different teas produced in China. 
• Joumou (Haiti) - this soup is a symbol of freedom and liberation. Made from a local pumpkin or squash. 
• Ceebu Jën (Senegal West Africa). The dish is passed down from mother to daughter. The essential ingredients include fish, broken rice, tomatoes, onions and other seasonal veggies. The dish is eaten with one's hands or a piece of bread to scoop up the rice. This dish is a symbol of hospitality.
• Lavash (Armenia) - this dough is made from wheat flour and water. This bread plays an important role in Armenian weddings, where sheets of the bread are draped over the bride and groom's shoulders to signal future prosperity. 
• Nsima (Africa) - a thick porridge made through an elaborate process of mixing white cornmeal with water. In Malawi, the dish is eaten with a protein and vegetable. Young children are taught to pound maize and sift flour at an early age and eating a meal of Nsima is a way to strengthen family bonds. 
• Keskek (Turkey) - found in Turkish, Iranian and Greek cuisines and associated with ceremonial and religious occasions, cooked by groups of men and women together in the community. From beating the ingredients to praying over the wheat or barley to a music performance and the thickening and stirring of the dish, the local community all come together to take part in keşkek preparation.
• Airag or Kumis (Mongolia) - This fermented dairy product is made by churning fresh horse milk inside a special vessel crafted from cowhide. It's a critical source of nutrition for moadic communities. To make, the milk must be churned more than 500 times before the yeast is added to start the fermentation process. 

I'll be blogging about our travels but currently I'm soaking it all in and making the most of everyday here. You can follow me along on Instagram (@trimarni) where I'll be posting videos/pics on my stories. 

The traveling triathlete - going international

One of my favorite things about being a triathlete is traveling for a race. Today, there are so many incredible places to visit so it's extra special when you combine a love for traveling with a love of racing. 

Traveling to another country is not a simple process. Now add in the gear for swimming, biking and running and travel can become a very overwhelming (and expensive) experience.

Over the years, Karel and I have enjoyed many incredible race-cations - Austria, Prague, Canada, Lake Placid and Kona to name a few. Here are a few tips to help you feel more prepared for your upcoming international event.

TRAVEL

• Review your passport to make sure that it won't expire when you are away. Review country requirements for travel.
• Review all airline policies for your bike (and bags) before booking your plane ticket, call the airline in advance to notify them that you will be traveling with a bike and when you arrive to the airport, have printed-out information about bike fees/sizing, etc. Arrive to the airport with extra time (at least two hours).
• Traveling with your bike is not cheap or easy so be sure you educate yourself on how to best travel with your bike to your final destination. Compare prices (and ease-of-travel) with Tri Bike Transport (if available).
• Consider how you will get to your final destination from the airport with your bike, bags and yourself and others. Rental car, bus, van, etc. Reserve modes of transportation in advance whenever possible.
• Always confirm your reservations and arrangements at least two weeks before your travel to make sure there are no mistakes made in your travel itinerary.
• Consider cost vs. ease-of-travel. Sometimes it costs a bit more for an easier travel experience. Do not expect stress free but many times you can plan for a smoother trip by paying for convenience. Budget in advance for your trip so you don't book things last-minute.
• Review your lodging arrangements. Can you eat healthy while dining out or do you have to be creative in your hotel room?
• Always allow extra time. If you think you only need 3 days to get yourself adjusted to a new time zone, give yourself 4. I also recommend to enjoy your race-cation after the race (instead of touring before the race). Give yourself a few days to explore with your family/friends after the race.
• Consider races that are family/friends-friendly so your team is not bored, with nothing to do in an isolated area, in the days leading up to the race. Having a team travel with you can be a very enjoyable experience. You can also use the extra help (ex. driving around/dropping off, cooking food, running errands, etc.) in an unfamiliar environment.
• If you (or family/friends) have dietary/health issues, be sure to be prepared by notifying airlines, lodging, etc. and reviewing/planning as much as you can, in advance.  Have all medications with you.
• Notify your bank (credit card) before you travel so that the 'foreign' charges do not cause your credit card to be frozen. Also, be sure to have a written paper of all emergency numbers to carry with you in case of an emergency. Keep a family member back at home in the loop of where you are each day.
• Make a list of what you need to bring with you as some items may not be available at your final destination (ex. nutrition, gear, etc.). Never make assumptions when you travel. Always be prepared by doing your research. 
• Don't carry all of your cash with you/in one place. Divide up your cash (but still keep on you at all times) in different places in the case you accidentally lose your wallet. 
• Consider the best places to exchange currency, instead of relying on the airport kiosk.

GEAR

• Don't forget chargers and gadgets. Make sure you are prepared for different power plugs and sockets. Don't forget a universal travel adapter. 
• Bring your most important gear items with you on the plane, instead of in your suitcase. It's recommended to have at least one set of extra clothing with you in case your luggage gets lost, as well as swim or run gear so that you can still workout when you arrive if your bike/luggage doesn't arrive with you.
• Pack sport nutrition products in your suitcase and label everything. Double bag your products in case of a spill.
• When packing, make sure to allow extra room for gifts/swag for your return trip. When considering what to bring vs. what to buy when you arrive to your final destination, factor in the exchange rate if you plan to buy something when you arrive.
• Have phone numbers available with you in the case your luggage/bike gets lost or you need to reach your accommodations. 

NUTRITION

• Stay hydrated during your travels, with water and electrolytes. 
• Bring snacks with you during travel, and a few bars (ex. Amrita protein bars - discount Trimarni) for emergency/snack situations.
• Research the typical cuisine at your final destination and nearby grocery stores.
• Be mindful of food and water safety while traveling. Consider how food is prepared when you are eating out in a new country as well as any hidden ingredients that may not be well-tolerated in your nervous/traveling belly. Wait until post race to explore a new cuisine. Depending on the water safety at your final destination, plan to have bottled water with you at all times.
• Eat mini meals every 2 hours to adjust to a new time zone instead of sticking to your normal meal schedule (or grazing throughout the entire day of travel). Do not overdo it on caffeine to stay awake during traveling. When you arrive to your final destination, try to quickly get on the new time zone. Be aware that everyone adjusts differently. Avoid mid-day naps when you arrive. It's better to go to bed early than to struggle to fall asleep.
• Try to follow a similar eating pattern (but in a new time-zone) to your regular routine in your home environment.
• Check the airline/country requirements of what you can/can't bring on to the plane (food). Always have food on you in the case of an emergency (even if you need to purchase at the airport). Never assume your travel will go smoothly without delays. 
• Be firm on your dietary needs and requirements and be confident with your food selections. If a food/meal concerns you, do not eat it. I am all for enjoying a new culture but not at the expense of a body that is not well-fueled or sick on race day. 

MAKE IT FEEL LIKE HOME

• Bring your recovery routine to the new country. Foam rollers, trigger point therapy sets, compression socks, epson salt, etc. to help you stay relaxed.
• Trust your training and your race plan. Don't second guess yourself just because you are in a new environment.
• Review weather well in advance and be prepared for anything.
• If you have a favorite sheet or a sound machine, bring it with you. Familiar is comforting.
• Bring ear plugs and an eye mask to help with restful sleeping.
• Get good sleep to help you feel relaxed and to keep the immune system functioning well.
• Review all course maps, the race week event schedule and any other race details that will give you a more enjoyable and calm race experience.
• Search out safe training environments or train with others so that you do not compromise your health/safety before your race. Use a race forum/social media page to ask questions about the best places to train in the days before the race. Look for a pool option if open water swimming is not available before your race.
• Be sure to thank your team, even if they are not with you in your final destination. Facetime/Skype, call, email - be sure to communicate with those who support you and believe in you. Don't forget to bring home lots of souvenirs for your team.
• Thank your body. You are not able to do what you love to do without your body. Even if things don't seem to go as planned (they probably won't), this doesn't mean that you are doomed for a bad race.
• Have fun!  Life is all about experiences and making memories and how cool that you get to race and travel at the same time! 

Going International! Travel tips for athletes

I sure do love my triathlon lifestyle but it's not an easy process to pack for a 3-sport race!

Karel and I love to travel and we love to race so it is a wonderful opportunity when we can combine two things that we love in one trip. 

We are just a few days away from embarking on one incredible journey! Not only do we get to use our body to cover 140.6 miles but we get to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles on June 29th in Austria!

 This is our first international race and my second trip to Europe so I am sure we will learn a lot during this journey but I am excited for all that we will experience during our race-cation. 

I will be sharing lots of pics and posts via social media so be sure to stay up-to-date with our travels (including a trip to Karel's hometown in Znojmo, Czech Republic): 

Facebook: Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition
Twitter: Trimarnicoach
Instagram: Trimarni

Traveling to another country is not easy so as you can imagine, an athlete traveling with swim, bike and run gear can be a very overwhelming experience. 

And in our case, we get to double everything for I will be racing my 8th Ironman with Karel on the same course, racing in his 2nd Ironman. 

Although there are dozens and dozens of tips that I can provide, here a few of the tips that have been on my mind lately for traveling to another country for a race. 

TRAVEL

-Review all airline policies for your bags and bike (if not using Tri Bike Transport which is a great service!) and print out everything. Arrive to the airport with extra time (at least an hour) for any extra delays. 

-Traveling with your bike is not cheap or easy so be sure you educate yourself on how to best travel with your bike to your final destination. 

-Consider how you will get to your final destination from the airport with your bike, bags and yourself and others. Rental car, bus, van, etc. 

-Always confirm all reservations and arrangements the week before your travel to make sure there are no mistakes made in your travel itinerary. 

-Consider costs vs simplicity. Many times it costs a bit more for an easier travel experience. Do not expect stress free but many times you can plan for a smooth trip by paying for convenience. 

-Review your lodging arrangements. Can you get everything you need for nutrition, gear, etc. by your lodging or do you need to bring/pick up items? Can you eat healthy while dining out or do you have to be creative in your hotel room?

-Always allow extra time. If you think you only need 3 days to get yourself adjusted to a new time zone, give yourself 4. I also recommend to enjoy your race-cation after the race and give yourself a few days to explore with your well deserved finisher medal and t-shirt. 

-Consider races which are family/friends-friendly. Having a team travel with you can be a very enjoyable experience and many times, an athlete needs extra help (ex. driving around/dropping off, cooking food, running errands, etc.) in an unfamiliar environment. It's a great trade-off to have a team with you to help you out and you cover some of their travel expenses. 

-If you are traveling with people/kids who have dietary/health issues, be sure to be prepared with notifications for airlines, lodging, etc. Be prepared for issues before they happen. Be sure you have all medications with you. 

-Notify your bank (credit card) before you travel so that the 'foreign' charges do not cause your credit card to be frozen. Also, be sure to have a written paper of all emergency numbers that you carry with you as well as to give to someone at your home. 

-Make a list of what you need to bring with you that can not be found at your final destination (ex. nutrition, gear, etc.) and what you can purchase at your final destination. Be mindful of the country you are visiting and be respectful of a different culture if applicable. Never assume anything when you travel. Always be prepared. 

-Don't forget your phone, Go Pro and camera!

GEAR

-Don't forget chargers and gadgets and be prepared for different power plugs and sockets. 

-Pack your transition bags (swim, bike, run gear) in plastic/grocery bags before you leave to make sure you have everything. Here's my Ironman packing video.

-Bring your must-have race items with you on the plane (especially if you use Tri bike transport) or in your bike box for comfort measures, instead of your suitcase. 

-Pack sport nutrition in your suitcase if you are unable to purchase the same fuel overseas. 

-Consider items that you can get/use at your final destination -  bike pump, bottles, CO2, suncreen, shampoo/conditioner, etc. For your favorite gear items, it's recommended to have extras of goggles, socks/compression socks, race outfit, etc. in case anything happens to your gear while traveling or at your final destination. 

NUTRITION

-Stay hydrated during your travels, with water and electrolytes (Ex. Hammer FIZZ, NUUN, OSMO). 

-Bring snacks with you during travel as well as bars for emergency/snack situations. 

-Research the common cuisine at your final destination. Will it be easier for you to control your food intake by preparing all of your own meals/snacks or will it be easier for you to eat out?

-Be mindful of food and drinking safety while traveling. Consider how food is prepared when you are eating out in a new country as well as any hidden ingredients that may not be well-tolerated in your nervous/traveling belly. Explore a new cuisine post race whenever possible.
Consider the water safety at your final destination and plan to have bottled water with you at all times (if needed).

-Eat mini meals every 2 hours to adjust to a new time zone. Do not overdo it on caffeine to stay awake during traveling. When you arrive to your final destination and if before evening, try to stay awake until the evening so that you can get a good night of sleep (10+ hours) and quickly adjust to a new time zone. Be aware that everyone adjusts differently. 

-Try to follow a similar eating pattern to your regular routine in your home environment. The body loves routine. 

-Be firm on your dietary needs and requirements and be confident with your food selections. If a food/meal concerns you, do not eat it. I am all for enjoying a new culture but not at the expense of a body that is not well-fueled or sick on race day. 

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME

-Bring your recovery routine to the new country. Foam rollers, trigger point therapy sets, compression socks (a must for travel!), epson salt, etc. anything that you like to use on a daily basis, bring it with you. 

-Trust your training and your race plan. Even though you are in a new environment, your body is race ready. 

-Get good sleep. It may be tempting to wake up early and get your pre-race workout complete but sleep is a top priority. 

-Review all course maps, your race week schedule and any other race detail that will bring you a more enjoyable and controlled race experience. Review the weather to be prepared and always be prepared for the unexpected. 

-Search out safe training environments or train with others so that you do not compromise your health/safety before your race. 

-Be sure to thank your team, even if they are not with you in your final destination. Facetime/Skype, call, email - be sure to communicate with those who support you and believe in you. 

-Thank your body. You are not able to do what you love to do without your body. Even if things don't seem to go as planned, keep in mind that your body is incredible that it gets to take you to another country and to race in another country. 

-Have fun! 

Remember why you trained for this race and why you love what you get to do. Life is all about experiences and making memories. Don't wait for the perfect time to do something. A healthy body is designed to move and explore - get your passport ready for it's time for your next race-cation!

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