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Pins on a Map:

A Family’s Yearlong Journey Around the World 

 

1 family, 365 days and 17 countries… David and Jill Boesch caught the travel bug early in their marriage. After a month-long trip to Nepal, the couple planned to continue travelling, hoping to embark on a trip around the world. But kids, jobs, mortgages and life got in the way.

 

Ten years later, with that unrealized dream still lingering in the back of their minds, the Boesch family decided to do something courageous and a little wild – they rented out their home, cashed-in their investments, packed the kids, and started off on a journey of a lifetime.

 

From the dirt roads of Patagonia to the bustling streets of Bangkok, this epic adventure is chronicled by David Boesch. Starting with the family’s careful preparations, the book follows their visits to nearly every continent on earth, from the first three memorable months spent discovering hidden treasures across the US, to their sojourn through Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and South America.

 

 

 

Parenting on Vulcan Villarica

By David Boesch

 

The beautiful town of Pucón in the lakes region of central Chile is dominated by the snow-covered, perfectly coned-shaped Villarrica Volcano, which boasts an altitude of 9,240 feet. During the day, smoke can be seen rising from the volcano. At night, an eerie red glow emanates from the top.

 

 My two sons Joe (age 13) and Tommy (age 10) were excited that they were going to get to see molten lava in the cauldron of an active volcano.

 

Before we begin a hike, Joe and Tommy typically ask how difficult is going to be. For the Villarrica Volcano, they didn’t bother.  This was a day hike after all. Day hikers splash on some cologne before leaving the house and check their cell phone messages on the trail. We are a backpacking family whose experiences include several multi day trips into the Grand Canyon. How hard can a day hike be?

 

Sure it was a 4,500 foot ascent in only 2.4 miles. Maybe I should have wondered when we went to the climbing store the day before to talk with our guides and get fitted for crampons. Maybe I should have wondered when the guides said the hike would take nine hours. Maybe I should have wondered just by walking outside and looking at the damn volcano.  They say you never hear the bullet that hits you.

 

Joe, Tommy, and I arrived at the base of the peak at 8 a.m. along with our two guides, Rodrigo and Sebastian. The other climbers all appeared young and fit.

No other kids were there, and I was the only person with grey hair. 

 

Many hikes start gradually, but this was tough right from the start and after three hours of hiking many of the fit-looking twenty-somethings had turned around, but we carried on. Several climbers asked Tommy his age and seemed impressed when he answered, “Diez.” Tommy never complained. He was roped to Rodrigo in case of a fall. Joe and I were not wearing harnesses.

 

It was hard to tell how competent our guides were. They would tell us when to rest, but apart from that they were silent. Just because a guide will take you does not mean they should take you.

 

We were the last to reach the summit that day and we didn’t linger for long.  The lava we were hoping to see was covered with a layer of smoke that stunk like rotten eggs.  Tommy gagged at the smell and then had a hard fall and bruised his knee.

 

The majority of serious mountaineering injuries are due to falls that occur on descent, and as we started down, we soon found ourselves on sharp, steep, loose talus. Here is Joe’s description:

 

Picture a sharp pile of rocks not connected to the ground in any way at a 100-degree angle while carrying a pack and you get the hardest moment of this entire trip.

 

We were in a tight spot. The kids were exhausted. The wind was blowing, and it was a long way down and two hours of daylight remained.

 

By now I was coming up with all sorts of positive-thinking platitudes. “Way to go guys, you are doing great. The worst is behind us. Not much farther to go.”

 

Joe told me to “stop the propaganda.”

 

It was after we made it off the loose rock and into the snow that our guides proved their worth. Young men such as Joe and Tommy typically respond better to a male leader who is not their father. This is particularly true if the leader in question is younger and more dashing than their dad and Tommy responded much better to Rodrigo’s gentle Spanish encouragement than to my feeble motivational psychobabble.

 

The guides demonstrated how to glissade down the snow, using the ice axe as a brake and the mood of the boys immediately brightened. 

 

Onto the second hill – not as steep as the first – and they were beginning to smile. Next, the big ice-covered hill for a fast trip down and soon they were laughing once again.

 

As I look back on the day, I truly believe that Rodrigo and Sebastian were observing Joe and Tommy all the way up the mountain. When the boys kept up a good pace and didn’t complain, they decided we had a chance to make the summit and get down safely. They were skilled, patient climbers, and we are very grateful to them. When we reached the bottom, they gave us hugs as if we had just conquered Mt. Everest.

 

So, was this day hike a good idea?  The kids learned some nice outdoor skills. They learned that they hate the smell of brimstone, so the thought of an eternity in hell is now more frightening than it was before. Perhaps most importantly, they learned that most of the limits they place on themselves are in their minds.

 

Still, I now know that this is not somewhere I should have led my children.

 

This did not occur to me until we were already on the way down the volcano. Had I been the person in charge of the hike, I feel certain that I would have figured it out on the way up.

 

I  know my own safety standards. I abandoned those standards and allowed the guides’ judgment to supersede my own. My assumption that the guides would know best was based on this: I paid them, so they were the designated leaders and therefore the experts. This was a mistake. The fact that we got away with it does not make it right. Our safe descent is tribute to my sons’ gumption, not my parenting.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

David Boesch is the author of a new touching and humorous new memoir, Pins on a Map: A Family’s Yearlong Journey Around the World, which follows this family’s year-long adventure around the world filled with laughter, unforgettable moments, surprising discoveries and a priceless education for their children. Starting with the family’s careful preparations, the book follows their visit to nearly every continent on earth, from the first three memorable months spent in a travel trailer discovering hidden treasures across the US, to their sojourn through Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and South America.

For more information about the author, please visit www.pinsonamap.com or www.boeschfamilytravels.com. Pins On A Map: A Family’s Yearlong Journey Around the World can be purchased on the author’s site, www.borders.com or www.barnesandnoble.com.