I'm Jonesing Here

Seriously, I am.  This Traveling Bandita has been travel-free for a month, and it is driving said Bandita nuts!  This is the longest I have gone without seeing anything new and without being on a plane in 2011.  So here I sit, planning our trips for the remainder of 2011.  I have a brief trip back to the States in November to visit doctors and will be staying with mom and Muldoon (always fun to hang out with two of my favorite girls).  Upon my return to London, Kenny and I will be spending Thanksgiving weekend in Marrakesh.  Thanksgiving is obviously not something the English celebrate, so Kenny will just take Friday off so we can be in Marrakesh in time for lunch and some touring around.  I am really not sure how much we will like the trip, but it is worth a try.  While we liked Istanbul, we had very little patience for people hastling us in the street and cab drivers charging us 4x the appropriate fare.  We have been warned that Marrakesh will likely be worse than Istanbul in this regard, which means it won't be the most leisurely of weekends.  In an attempt to make the trip as enjoyable as possible once we arrive, I have started researching restaurants and sights to see.  We shall see how this works out!  It looks like this is going to be a meat heavy trip- mostly pigeon and lamb.  I have never had an issue with meat when out in public, so I do not foresee any issues.  Again, it is only a weekend.
 
The following weekend we are off to Vienna to see some Christmas markets, and I am planning that trip as well.  My German girlfriend has given me some suggestions on places to visit and restaurants to try, and I am pretty sure Vienna will be much more relaxing than Marrakesh.  It will also be terribly cold in comparison.  This girlfriend told me I should have a floor length fur coat for the weekend- sorry darling, but that just isn't in the cards!  My long wool coat, fur hat and warm scarf will just have to cut it.  This will be another meaty weekend, but I suppose I will need all of this meat to keep me warm while walking around sans fur coat:)
 
Kenny and I then go back to the States for Christmas.  We will spend the week before Christmas in NYC and then stay with mom for about a week.  It is always fun to be back in NYC and catch up with our friends, and the City is so beautiful around Christmas!  And of course, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas were our family not all together.
 
Our last jaunt of the year is going to Barcelona for New Year's Eve.  We will be there for a long weekend, and I am planning this trip as well.  We have already visited Barcelona, so we will have less sightseeing to do on this trip than on the others.  The good and bad of this is that we will probably spend a long weekend eating and drinking (wine) our way through the city with no regard for reason.  At least I know I won't eat so much that I will invariably gain an obscene amount of weight in almost no time at all.
 
So yeah, there it is.  This has almost nothing to do with my band, but I really, truly feel the need to talk about travel... and your Traveling Bandita will soon be traveling again!

Valencia And The Visitor

My girlfriend and I came back from Valencia on Wednesday evening, and she returned to the States yesterday.  I am always happy when friends are willing to fly over to visit us, frequently at considerable expense, but I am equally happy (and relieved) when these visits come to an end.  Entertaining somebody for several days is a lot of work and is tiring.  I now know that adding a trip elsewhere during a visit probably doubles the stress factor.

   

I love Spain and expected that we would enjoy Valencia.  I knew that it was the third largest city in Spain but was still surprised by the size of the city.  It has several museums, a lovely cathedral and the largest aquarium in Europe.  I only got to see a small fraction of what I would have seen had I been traveling with Kenny though.  While I like to see a lot, hop in and out of museums, eat local food, and stay on the move, my travel companion was less interested in doing these things.  I did talk her into visiting the cathedral and aquarium, but she preferred to 'experience' the city by browsing stores and wandering aimlessly rather than mixing in a bit of culture on our adventure.  It drove me a little nuts, but she was probably exasperated with my preferences as well.  This little trip really reinforced how good I have it with Kenny.  Travel can be challenging, and he and I make it effortless.  We are perfect partners in crime!

   

I had a Band-Induced-Blessing on our flight to Valencia (I don't know if it is really an NSV, but tell me if I am wrong).  I took the window seat and my girlfriend took the aisle.  We had hoped that the middle seat would remain empty, but that did not happen.  A man sat down and buckled up, and I WAS THE SMALLEST person in our row.  Now that's not saying much- but still!  I. was. the. teeny. tiny. one.  I was the one whose seat belt was loose and didn't have to wrestle to fasten it.  I was the one who had to deal with my seat being encroached upon (only a little bit, the guy wasn't blubbery) rather than doing the encroaching.  It was fantastic and was a perfect start to the trip! 

    

I also really noticed for the first time how my energy level has increased dramatically.  I have known this to be the case for some time, but Kenny is very energetic.  Now I keep up with him easily, but it is not like he is a slovenly bum who can't keep up with me.  But with my girlfriend I saw something else.  I saw her limitations- limitations that I had just a few months ago.  I saw how she really didn't want to go for long walks and complained when I pushed her to walk a bit more.  I saw how she took the lift at the hotel while I took the stairs because she couldn't handle the stairs.  I saw how she immediately reclined on the couch upon our return to the room (why is it that as we get fatter, we favor reclining?  Is it harder for us to breathe sitting upright?).  I saw how she needed to take a nap before dinner because she was exhausted.  I saw the old me- a me I don't plan on reverting to- EVER!

   

Last week I mentioned that my girlfriend had been considering WLS.  I asked her about it, and she has decided against the band.  She has a lot of weight to lose, but I doubt that the band would help her.  She drinks a ton and can down beers in rapid succession, and that is something the band cannot fix.  She also loves eating desserts, and I don't think she will be giving them up anytime soon.  Given all of this, I didn't feel at all guilty about not disclosing my surgery.

    

 Valencia Cathedral

      

 Outside the City of Arts and Sciences

Cool jellyfish

  

I still love penguins...

  

...and dolphins!

A Visitor

One of my closest girlfriends is arriving in London tomorrow. We met at sailing camp when she was 8 and I was 10 and have been friends ever since. We are completely different women and have diametrically opposed personalities, but we still get along very well. Because she has been to London before, we thought that staying in town might be a bit boring. London is a cool city to visit, but she's done it. So instead of bumming around town the entire time, we are going to Valencia, Spain for two nights. The hotel looks amazing and gets very good reviews. We plan to tour around in the morning and early afternoon, have a leisurely lunch around 2pm and go to the beach or pool for our afternoon siesta. Our dinners are booked for 10pm, which is not late in Spain. I am not much of a breakfast person, and not eating lunch until 2pm might present some challenges. I plan to bring little granola bars so I can munch on something if I want. And Valencia is known for its oranges, so I can always have a nice glass of fresh OJ should I need something.
     
My girlfriend is heavy and had mentioned that she was thinking of having WL surgery a few months back. She said that it was something newer than the Lap-Band. I assume she means the Realize band, but she made it sound like a different procedure. I don't know. Anyway, as we all know, I am in the closet when it comes to my life with the band. I feel that there are too many gossips in the world, and I don't want my choices to be scrutinized on the gossip circuit. I have not told her about my surgery. I doubt that I will tell her even if she is pursuing it-- simply because I know the information will not stay with her. It will be interesting to see if she is really considering this procedure or whether it was just a whim. She had thought about surgery a few years ago, and nothing came of it. Regardless, it will be an enjoyable visit!

I Didn't Want to Come Home!

Kenny had such a wonderful time in Mallorca, and I really thought it was unfair that he made me come home last night.  How could he love me and treat me this way?  All jokes aside, this was just a great trip. 

   

Kenny loves to golf but rarely has time to do so.  We decided to stay at a golf resort so that he could golf most mornings and then spend the rest of the day with me.  This worked out very well.  He booked tee times for 7:50 or 8:00 and was showered and at the pool by 11:30 or so.  We were able to spend a good amount of time together without sacrificing what either of us wanted during our holiday. 

 

    The pool at our resort

 

We were in Mallorca for 10 nights and decided that it would be a waste to spend each and every day, all day, at the resort.  There was an entire island to see after all.  So we rented a car for two days.  Because we only know how to drive automatic, European car rentals are very expensive.  We wind up paying twice what we would pay for a manual and frequently have to rent a higher caliber car (the car rental companies don't bother having cheap automatic cars).  Renting a nicer car is never a hardship, until the bill comes in.  One of the amazing benefits to requiring an automatic car is that we are frequently upgraded to a much better car than what we originally booked.  We had booked an A-Class Mercedes in Florence a few months back and wound up getting an E-Class Mercedes convertible in its place.  On the same trip I had reserved a Ford Fiesta in Positano, and we were instead given keys to a Volvo S60.  In Mallorca I again reserved an A-Class Mercedes, which was the cheapest automatic option.  The company wound up giving us an SLK200 Mercedes convertible both days!  So there we were, driving the coast and looking fabulous in this little convertible. 

 

Obligatory picture of me driving:)

   

We drove up the west coast of the island on the first day, stopping at several little towns along the way.  If I am being completely honest, many of the towns were underwhelming.  They were cute and quaint, but that was about it.  Every town has a church, an open air market and then... nothing!  I am pretty certain that most vacationers would be a bit more impressed than Kenny and I were, but there was little to make these towns distinct from those in parts of Greece, Italy or even other parts of Spain. 

    

    View from the Carthusian Monastery in Valldemossa, where Chopin stayed for 3 months

 

On the second day with the car we cut through the island and went straight north.  The island has several caves, and we stopped to tour one.  I had initially decided against doing the cave tour, as the most popular cave on the island gets horrible reviews- 300 people on one tour, the tour done in 5 languages, difficulty seeing anything.  I did a bit of research and found a much smaller cave instead and was happy that we decided to visit.  The caves are gigantic, and they are cool (not a bad thing when the weather is in the high 90s most days). 

  

The cave

We then drove to Formentor for lunch, followed by a visit to Cap de Formentor.  The cape itself is about 12 miles long and has a pretty, old lighthouse at the tip. 

 

   

The only problem was the road, so narrow in places that this very little car of ours could barely drive around the idiot drivers who took their half out of the middle!  So while I'd like to think that we looked wonderful with the top down, the reality is that I probably looked more like this at times...

  

      

We also spent an afternoon in Palma, the main city in Mallorca.  I wasn't overly impressed, but the Cathedral was beautiful. 

   

Le Seu Cathedral

  

Wrought-iron canpoy by Gaudi

    

The food in Mallorca was just amazing.  We both love Spanish food and enjoy eating our way through the various regions of the country.  I was a bit concerned about gaining weight on this trip due to the amount of time we would be away- 10 nights away means somewhere between 20 and 30 restaurant meals.  Because I am not much of a breakfast person, I bought single granola bars in London and brought them with us.  Every morning I had a bar and an apple rather than paying resort rates for a breakfast I would not enjoy and would even have trouble getting down.  We ate a proper lunch every afternoon, seared tuna for me most days, and a shared plate of fried calamari.  Then we had a mojito or glass of sangria on the terrace every evening before dinner, which always included a bottle of wine.  At dinner I was pretty controlled and stuck mostly with fish, avoided bread and only shared a dessert on one evening.  Even though I don't feel tight and know I can still probably eat more than I will when I reach proper restriction, this little thing really does work!  On a few evenings we went out for tapas.  We would order 5 tapas to start, and I couldn't even eat my share of what was in front of me.  I ate the protein first, again avoided the bread and was satisfied with so much less than I would have been pre-surgery.  Kenny and I shared a paella on our last night, and I ate about 20% of my portion.  I know I would have scarfed down my entire plate, and then gazed longingly at what he didn't finish, a year ago! 

 

  The most amazing bacalao carpaccio

    

I continue to be amazed at how much easier life is now that I have lost 80+ lbs.  I am not lethargic, am much less sweaty (but in all seriousness, I still sweat like a pig when it is in the high 90s... it is what it is) and am not so afraid of not fitting, literally fitting, into things.  The first day we drove the SLK I pulled on the seat belt to see how much give it had.  I showed it to Kenny and said that I might not have been able to get the belt around me last year.  This was a small sports car, not a big car with extra roominess.  He mentioned that I would have probably gotten the belt to click but that I would have been much less comfortable.  I also move so much more!  Even though I brought gym clothes, I decided that I was not going to go to the gym during our trip.  I just wasn't in the mood.  Instead, I took the stairs everywhere.  Down to the pool, stairs.  Up to our room, stairs.  Up to the concierge, stairs.  Stairs, stairs, stairs.  And I didn't have Kenny go to the concierge so I could avoid the stairs; I simply did it myself.  And with eating over 20 meals in restaurants, drinking more than I typically would and not setting foot in a gym for nearly 2 weeks, I came home down 0.2 lbs.  I consider this a huge WIN!

      

I am also much happier laying out at the pool now that I have slimmed down a bit.  I might be one of the bigger women at the resort, but I no longer stand out like a sore thumb.  And now that I am smaller, I find myself looking at other women much more than I did at my heaviest.  American women surely take the cake (yes, pun intended) when it comes to being fat, but these European women have a whole different mindset when it comes to appropriate swimwear for the heavier ladies of society.  While up in Formentor as well as when out to lunch on our last day, I saw bikini-clad women who weighed well in excess of 300 lbs!  I saw one rather large women in a surprisingly small bikini a few days into our trip.  I commented to Kenny that she was almost as big as I am and that, while I am impressed with her confidence, I'd be a bit happier if I didn't have to see quite so much of her.  He said that the woman was actually bigger than I, and my heart smiled just a bit:)   My happiest moment was when we were clearing immigration last night.  I handed our passports to the border control officer, and she reviewed my documents first.  She looked at my passport- then at me- and said (with a smile on her face), "You have changed, madam, for the better".  It was the NICEST thing I have heard since I have started losing weight.  It was entirely unsolicited and from someone who doesn't 'owe' me a compliment or feel any obligation to say something so pleasant.  I wasn't happy to land in London, but hearing something like that provided a great welcome home!

   

Last but certainly not least, a big thank you to Catherine, for lending me this fun dress!

 

When Did Packing Become So Difficult?

I have always considered myself to be a pretty good packer.  I pack quickly and neatly and just about never forget anything.  The morning after Kenny and I were married, mom hosted a brunch for 70+ wedding guests.  I spent the morning with our guests and then hustled to pack before the arrival of our limo at 3 pm.  The limo came early, and I made the driver wait until 3 (when I was done).  We were away for about 2 weeks, and I didn't forget a thing.  This is just how I handle packing.  Kenny and mom now have a running joke about my packing, and they don't even try to push me to pack in advance. 

    

I'm sad to say that I finally have packing fatigue, and this fatigue is making me forgetful.  I love the travel, but the packing is becoming an annoying inconvenience.  I think it is because I am in a perpetual state of packing and unpacking- I am rarely in London for more than 2 weeks at a time and am just about always in the states for a week a month.  This is on top of my European travel.  I am to the point where I don't always bother to fully unpack (yes, I take the dirties out and change up the shoes) before piling in a few more items and running to meet my driver.  My system had always worked until last month, and then it failed miserably. 

  

Kenny and I had been at the shore and were taking the ferry into the city when I realized that I had forgotten undies.  Three nights in the city and no undies.  Kenny had also left his ties at my mom's house, so I made an emergency trip to Bloomingdale's.  This little shopping trip was an unexpected bonus, as my old undies look a bit like very baggy parachutes wrapped around my body.  Still, I didn't like that I had forgotten something so essential.  I pride myself in my packing skills after all. 

      

Fast forward to our weekend in the Cotswolds.  We are unpacking on Friday evening.  I pull out my dress, shoes and wrap for Friday night.  I pull out my shoes and wrap for Saturday night.  What is missing?  The dress!  I remembered the items I really could have managed without, the shoes and wrap, and completely blanked on the dress.  Two trips in two weeks, and I forgot two major things.  Now we are a week away from our Mallorca trip.  We are staying here for 10 nights, and I really don't want to continue this trend of forgetting my belongings.  I am going to have to pack in advance for this trip.  Even worse, I might actually make a checklist!  Groan:( 

     

I hope that my packing amnesia is temporary.  My travel routine will become much more tiresome if I actually need to focus on it!

   

I had a great workout this morning!  The trainer I wrote about earlier this week, Ed, was there again.  He had offered to help me out when he introduced himself on Tuesday, so I decided to take him up on his offer today.  I was in the middle of a 5 minute warm up on the treadmill when we started chatting.  I asked if he could show me a few more kettle bell exercises, and he was very helpful.  He stayed with me from 9:10-9:55, which is pretty amazing!  Of course Ed wants me to do personal training with him, so he wanted to show me what he is like.  And it was a smart move on his part!  I've been watching the trainers most days to determine if I could like any of them, and some of them just wouldn't work for me.  Some stand next to the trainee as he/she runs on the treadmill for 20 minutes.  Sorry boys, but I can do that myself.  Others have the unfortunate condition of being female.  I've never liked female trainers and just refuse to even bother trying with another woman.  Lastly, some are just plain dumb.  I like to be able to chat and banter, and I need someone who at least has enough braincells to deal with me.  This guy is a 22 year old university grad, studying for his masters and going through the process of applying to the army.  Ed could work!  I am going to buy a package of training sessions so he can work with me once a week.  After my training today I completed an hour of cardio on the Vario, so it was a good start to the day. 

Pictorial Proof of Progress

I am a bit late to the blogging game, and I feel it is only fair to show some pre/post surgery pictures...
  
Wimbledon- June 2010
  

  
Elounda, Crete- August 2010
  

  
Rome, Italy- October 2010
  

  
Dublin, Ireland- January 2011 (3 weeks post-surgery- sorry, but I can't refer to myself as being post-op.  It sounds too much like a transgendered person experiencing her own breasts for the first time.)
   

  
Sevilla, Spain- February 2011
  

   
Greve, Italy- April 2011
   

   
That is more than enough pictures for one day!

Little Band, Lots of Miles

One of my main concerns when weighing the pros and cons of surgery came down to travel.  The obvious pros are more easily fitting into airplane seats, having more energy to see and climb the sights I visit and not being the fat American everywhere I go.  I was really concerned about the cons though.  Would I be able to fly easily, or would the band tighten up and make me really uncomfortable?  What if I couldn't sample local cuisine due to the band?  My husband and I love good food and wine, and I didn't want to risk losing one of our more enjoyable activities because of the band. 
       

Lucky for me, this has not been an issue.  My band has flown approximately 49,478 miles in under six months.  In addition to my monthly trip back to NY/NJ to see my family and go to Dr. K, my band (I should really name it) has been to Dublin, Orlando, Las Vegas, Sevilla (Spain), Venice, Chianti, Florence, and Positano.  My band is very well-behaved and has not acted up during any of my travels.
        

We spent NYE in Dublin, so I pretty much re-introduced my stomach to solid foods over a fabulous NYE dinner at One Pico.  I probably had one other solid meal the day before, but it wasn't memorable.  I was completely scared that I would get stuck, choke or cause a scene, but nothing of the sort happened.  I ordered the filet mignon and was able to eat some of it... I was full after only a few bites but was SO excited that I could handle steak.  This might have been a bit adventurous right out of the gate, but it was a success!  We spent two more days in Dublin, and I stuck with fish for the remainder of the trip. 
        

I have been able to eat everything from steak to sushi, octopus to oranges.  The key for me is really small bites and a lot of chewing.  Because Dr. K knows of my travel schedule, she tries to fill me as little as possible while still giving me adequate restriction.  I have heard that a lot of bandsters like a super tight feeling, but that's not me.  I want to eat my Greek salads and lamb chops.  So far, I have continued to do so (albeit in smaller quantities) without a problem.