It's OK to Travel with a Bathrobe
Carmen Arufe is in the midst of a a non-stop world working tour that's now into its third year. She has spent some time in Australia, Holland and behind the bar in Bodrum, Turkey.
The next stage is as a sailor. She doesn't know how, but she'll learn on the way. Departing from Mallorca in Spain, she'll sail on a yacht through the Canary Islands and on to the Caribbean during a four week journey where she'll have to prove experience is nothing if you have the courage (translation, she'll feed the fish regularly).
Once there, Carmen will be hopping islands and spending time here and there until June or July when she'll be crossing the Atlantic once more on the way back to Europe. For this reason she went crazy and bought herself a groovy laptop, intending to keep a journal of her most exciting adventure so far.
Some of you might be wondering about the title of this travelogue. Well, Carmen's friends always used to laugh at her, saying real backpackers don't carry bathrobes that take up half the backpack. But she likes her robe, especially when she sees all the other travellers in tiny towels, freezing cold.
Follow her travels via the links below or, to find out more about Carmen, read her story here.
Latest Articles
Pocospelos
A stray puppy with not much hair has to endure a 15 hour flight to come home to Spain with Carmen.
Zouk - The neverending beat
Carmen lists the four criteria you need to be able to enjoy the music and dance of Martinique. Without these, you may want to shoot the radio, or scream out loud.
Way Too Tropicalized
Martinique is a slice of Europe in the Caribbean. Salaries are those of France and working conditions are good, making relationships with locals easier and longer lasting.
Fugitives
There are two kinds of travellers, those who seek adventure and those who escape from home.
Los Roques III
Have you ever been marveled by the picture postacrd images they show on Discovery Channel? Well, Los Roques really is that beautiful.
Los Roques II
Caracas has a bad reputation, but Carmen had no problems as she danced the night away and still walked home at four in the morning.
Los Roques
A slight language misunderstanding delays Carmen and her skipper from entering Venezuela.
Delivering
Delivering charter yachts around the Caribbean is a great way to get the most out of your trip to the islands.
So Far, So Good
Carmen's life these days involves working at the "in" spot in town, with live concerts, jam sessions and an international clientele.
Catch Up On The Journey
Calebasse Cafe
Carmen has found a new job in a cool cafe, one of Martinique's hot spots. She has a cool boss, a groovy house to live in and life is sweet again.
Pardonne moi?
Martinique is special, a piece of France lying in the Caribbean. Carmen is getting used to the way of life and is thankful she speaks French.
Push to Flush
Working on a yacht is actually work. However, Carmen's boss seemed to think he was doing her a favour. He wasn't her boss for long.
Christmas Eve in St. Lucia
An unusual, but unforgettable Christmas that included waveboarding, ocean swimming, Sandals Resort and a missing key.
Friday Night Jump Out
Carmen gives you the lowdown on where to spend your Friday nights on St. Lucia. Just watch out for dance partners that seem to have extra hands coming out from everywhere.
Dreams are just Dreams
Carmen suggests that our dreams should have more concrete labels like "Ideas" or "Projects" if we want to make them real.
Two hundred miles more today
Carmen has every second of the day to think. The past, the future and all the philosophical questions try to get solved in these blank unoccupied hours.
Just a day like any other
Life aboard the yacht can be measured in minutes and Carmen counts them down for you.
The Red Water Pants with Suspenders
Carmen thought she would puke all the way and it didn't even happen once on the three day passage to Gibraltar.
A Good Sailor has to be a Good Geographer
The benefits of technology make navigation a more exact science. Our geography teachers would be so proud.
Attention All Ships
Carmen adjusts to life on the ship, learning to live in a small space and appreciating the power of the weather.
Nooo...! Why now...?
It was only meant to be a short stay, but once Carmen gets cozy at home, it's tough to leave again.
Talking About New Experiences
Carmen is always looking to learn new things but more than she bargained for when worked behind the bar for the first time in front of 300 people drinking for free.
Bodrum, the Magnet
The more time Carmen spent in this Turkish resort town, the harder it is to get away. But it's the people who will make your stay so wonderful.
Love to Go
A story of love and backpacks. How do you decide between love and freedom? How easy do you fall for someone and then leave because the desire of adventure is stronger than the will to give it a chance?
