When I booked my trip to Spain a few weeks ago, numerous people called me “brave” and articulated their concerns of me traveling pregnant at 31+ weeks. I’m so glad I didn’t listen to any of them and just did what mini-me and my heart had told me: Get out and go!

Indeed I have not felt any better during my entire pregnancy than now. Warm sand has calmed my aches, mediterranean waves have rocked my baby, some of my favourite people have snuggled my belly and mini-me now responds to outside stimuli in such an impressive way. I couldn’t possibly be more relaxed or happy.

I spent four days at the beach with my dad, my stepmother and my three siblings before my older sister and I took a bus to Barcelona and spent half a day shopping and half a day at the pool of our hotel in the city. I then settled over to dear friends for three days, spent my mornings and nights with them, great food and conversation, while using my days to explore the streets, spent hours on subway trains or sitting on benches, observing city life around me. (Plus, I collected a bag full of smiles and winks and blinks by people passing by.)

It felt so right to be traveling again, which makes me optimistic for future plans (dreams), showing my baby the world and my special way of exploring it. Against all odds.

Photo: taken by my fabulous sister J. with my dad’s fabulous underwater camera.