Kim’s not your usual 30-something mom. She hikes, climbs, swims, and bikes, all while working as virtual assistant, and crafting pretty baby stuff for her online gig, Manila Baby – things she regularly shares in her travel blog, Indie Escape.

Today, Kim talks about the other side of adventure: that of motherhood, compromises, traveling with a child, and the magic of fried eggs. 


Kim in one of the most photographed places in Coron.


How did the whole concept of the blog came into fruition?
Indie Escape started out as a ‘moving on’ blog after I graduated from my teenage rant/prose blog. Feverish from the bite of the travelbug, I started to document my trip itineraries (for general reference). Then came the narratives, travel tips and event postings. That’s when I decided to fully commit to the ‘travel blog’ aspect of it – exclusively for Philippine destinations. The blog is still evolving, just as I am. Recently, the Bike Trails category was added.   

Who constructs the itinerary for the day? Is there an itinerary to begin with, or do you simply go with gut feel?
I’m an itinerary person whenever I go visit a place for the first time. This attachment to IT’s probably stems out from my mountaineering days when we had to go by ETA’s and ETD’s (otherwise, we won’t make it to the summit). I like to have a working list of areas to cover when traveling. But it only serves as a rough guide and can always be adjusted. 


Do you allow your kid to explore outdoor activities (e.g. hiking, spelunking)? 
Having both mountaineer parents, my son, Hann, is destined to experience the outdoors at an early age. We’ve already brought him places – Beach camping in Calaguas, rock climbing (more like hanging from the harness, just to pose for a pic), mountain climbing in Osmena Peak (aboard a backpack carrier), among others. He loves the outdoors!


Kim with Hann and fellow mountaineer at Osmena Peak in Cebu.
What’s that one thing you can’t leave home without when packing with kids?
For my son, I always, always pack a few pieces of his favorite toys. He’s into small die-cast toy cars which can easily fit any bag pocket. I ask him to pick out 3 or 4 pieces, then I take a couple more without his knowledge. When he gets bored with the first batch of cars, I take that as a cue to surprise him with the extra ones.

Name a favorite place you and your family will never tire of visiting.
If you visit my blog, you’ll notice that I probably have more entries about Cebu than I have Manila. That’s our favorite place to visit – we’re practically locals there! I love the fact that the outdoors are so easy to reach when in Cebu. There are so much to explore for such a small island. The neighboring Visayas islands are also very accessible.

How do you fund your travels? What tip can you give moms who plan on long-term traveling, finance-wise?
My travels are a result of a combination of Piso-fare deals, online gigs, tag-alongs (racket-related) and family fund savings. I don’t spend a lot on commercial luxury – this is my advice to those who plan to do long-term traveling. Some of the things I forego include going to the movies, buying brand-new clothes (ukay-ukay all the way!), expensive coffee and tech gadgets. Speaking of tech gadgets, I do not own a DSLR or a high-end phone. All the pictures on my blog come from a standard cellphone camera.
Up and about.  Kim and Hann at the Philippine Hot Air Balloon Festival in Clark.

As a traveling parent, what challenges does having a kid on board travels bear on you as a parent? 
During the first year, my only problem was carrying the cumbersome stroller (he was exclusively breastfed at that time). When he started bottle-feeding, it was difficult to be away for days at a time unless there was a place to sterilize his paraphernalia. During his toddler years, there was the occasional spit-ups aboard a plane. Now that he’s 5 years old, my biggest problem is school – not that he’s having a difficult time there – it’s the schedule restriction. We only have the weekends off now, so our choice of destination (and promo fares) are somewhat limited.
How do you keep up with chores/ tasks while on the road? Do you delegate? Who babysits when you’re busy doing mom duties?
Since I became a mom, I’ve been carrying the excess baggage – Hann almost always comes along when I vagabond. There have only been 2 times when I left my kid to travel far. During those 2 times, I had my siblings look after him. But even when I was gone, I had his meals pre-planned, I left letters for him to read everyday (in case he misses me) and other things taken care of before leaving.

Let’s talk tantrums and all those not-so-fun stuff associated with traveling with kids. How do you deal with those? Do you do games? How ‘bout food?
The only time my son throws a tantrum is when he’s feeling sleepy but doesn’t want to retire just yet. That’s when he gets cranky. When he does that, I just concede knowing that he will fall asleep anyhow. When it comes to food, there are times when he does get picky. When that happens, I get him a fried egg – he’ll eat that anytime! 


Calatagan, Batangas.

Is there a point when all the traveling with the kids gets tiring and you question yourself, “Why the heck am I even doing this?”
It’s only been 5 years, I think we have a bit more mileage to go before I start asking myself that question. Sure, sometimes it sucks to have to pay for an extra head, like that P200 terminal fee even when he was only an infant. Also, there are some restrictions in the activities we can do. But that’s nothing compared to the memories created during the trip.

Has motherhood bettered you as a traveler, or the opposite?
This question puts traveling in a bittersweet position. Let’s just say that there are some aspects of traveling that I’m now better at, at the expense of losing out on other learning opportunities. 


What crucial life lesson do you take from all this as a traveling mother?
After 5 years of packing for two, I’ve learned to slow down and adjust to a travel companion’s (sometimes demanding) needs. Whereas before, when I only had myself to account for. Destinations will always be there, and we can always go back for more.


Kim and Hann in one of their favorite places in the Philippines: Cebu.

Last shout-out to moms on traveling with kids of all stages, and nay-sayers who don’t believe women be left to travel solo or with the kids. 
There’s a huge classroom outside the comfort of your house or your favorite mall. Don’t be afraid to let your child/ren explore it! To those moms who have already brought their kids out, kudos to you! See you around 😉

Follow Kim’s adventures!
Instagram: @IndieEscape

Travel Blogger Mom on Spotlight is a section on this blog that’s dedicated to mothers who live life with relentless passion for travel and motherhood. Suggestions on featured bloggers are always welcome. To forward requests for features, please contact me at admin@filipinaexplorer.com..
In People

Gretchen is a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet and essayist from the Philippines, where she embraces life while managing bipolar disorder and ADHD. Her confessional pieces unpack the complexities of grief, healing, motherhood, love, and intersections, garnering recognition from the Greg Grummer Poetry Contest and Navigator's Travel Writing Competition.

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