Our first EBOOK GIVEAWAY and interview! Until December 2, 2014, you can enter to win copies of BOTH I Grew My Boobs in China and the newly-released sequel Backpacks and Bra Straps! Read on…
How many people do you know of who can say they had been to 80 countries by the age of 18?
Not many, right?
Savannah Grace is one of the few who have done it. That’s quite an accomplishment in itself, but she’s not resting on her laurels. She’s in the midst of doing something even more impressive: writing a series of fascinating books about the four years she spent backpacking around the world with her family.
Growing boobs and more
The first book in the series, Sihpromatum%20-%20I%20Grew%20my%20Boobs%20in%20China">Sihpromatum%20-%20I%20Grew%20my%20Boobs%20in%20China" target="_blank">Sihpromatum: I Grew My Boobs in China, is a wonderfully written, frank account that begins when her newly-single mother decided to go on a one-year backpacking trip and bring her kids along. Beginning with China. Talk about total immersion!
I have to tell you, this book kept me up late reading for a few nights. I could only turn my Kindle off when my eyes refused to stay open any longer. It was partly because of her transparency (which is rare for any writer, especially for one so young) but it was also because of her engaging writing style. I wanted to meet the colorful people they had encountered and got wanderlust as I envisioned the exotic places they were visiting. She also had me on tenterhooks as she told about being stranded in the middle of the Gobi Desert with no water.
For me, the worst part of the book was when it ended. I wanted more! Fortunately, I finished it just before Savannah released Part Two in her series: Sihpromatum%20-%20Backpacks%20and%20Bra%20Straps">Sihpromatum%20-%20Backpacks%20and%20Bra%20Straps" target="_blank">Backpacks and Bra Straps. Backpacks promises to be as enjoyable a read as the first.
If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to backpack through China and Mongolia, I Grew My Boobs in China tells all about it. Rather than just visit the major cities, Savannah and her family also experienced small rural village life along the way. Volume two picks up the trip in Mongolia, and continues for the rest of the book in Central Asia. From Mongolia to Russia and then entering Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, places that most people can’t find on a map. Backpacks and Bra Straps takes us there with her family, and then she divulges her family’s experiences in Western China and Tibet before ending the book watching the sun rise over Mount Everest in Nepal.
Savannah’s travel memoirs are a virtual escape from normal life. They give wonderful insight into how people live in other countries, from a North American’s point of view. They also give great first-person insight into what the backpacking lifestyle is really like, which is invaluable if you’ve ever considered doing it yourself, and she doesn’t gloss over the challenges and difficulties as she talks about the highlights. For me this is what makes her books so appealing: what one can do as a traveler, whether you’re a teen or a mom with kids in tow.
To celebrate her new release Savannah is awarding free copies of her books to THREE lucky winners. (Read on for details.) This is our first interview. We hope you enjoy it … and enter the giveaway!
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, Savannah?
My name is Savannah Grace. I’m a 24 year old Canadian from Vancouver, currently based in the Netherlands. When I was fourteen, my mom decided to sell everything and leave our normal reality to backpack around the world for a year. One year turned four, I have now visited 100 countries and am the author of the bestselling travel memoir series “Sihpromatum” which includes Sihpromatum%20-%20I%20Grew%20my%20Boobs%20in%20China">Sihpromatum%20-%20I%20Grew%20my%20Boobs%20in%20China" target="_blank">I Grew My Boobs in China. The second book in the series, Sihpromatum%20-%20Backpacks%20and%20Bra%20Straps">Sihpromatum%20-%20Backpacks%20and%20Bra%20Straps" target="_blank">Backpacks and Bra Straps, was just released on September 30th, 2014!
How could you afford four years on the road?
I was only 14 when we decided to take off as a family and travel the world, so the funds were not coming from my pocket. My parents owned a local tour company in Vancouver that took ESL (English as a Second Language) students on weekend adventure trips. Some of the fun activities or sightseeing trips included skiing, river rafting, bungee jumping, skydiving, and overnight trips to Seattle, Whistler and Victoria. When we departed, we sold everything and left, and traveled on an extremely (somewhat painfully) strict budget. Our intention when we left was to backpack for one year, but we manage to stretch the money quite a bit!
Ziplining in Dominican Republic
What does Sihpromatum mean, anyway?
Sihpromatum (Sip-row-MAY-tum) is the title of the memoir series. The word itself means a blessing in disguise. The overall trip was a huge sihpromatum for me because I initially did not want to go but in the end it was the best thing that ever could have happened to me.
Couchsurfing and backpacking were essential to your trip. Weren’t you concerned about theft or safety?
For the first half of the trip we were strictly traveling on local transport with backpacks. Later on we joined with overland trucks, which was much easier than lugging around the backpacks, but we never felt unsafe, though backpacking felt more vulnerable in ways.
Overland truck through Africa
Couchsurfing was a major part of how we managed to stretch the trip out so long. There are good and bad people everywhere in the world, so there really is no sense in worrying. Overall, people are extremely caring and hospitable. From our personal experience as a family unit, we had some of the most insightful and rewarding experiences while Couchsurfing with local people, learning about and embracing their lifestyle firsthand.
How did you manage language barriers?
We managed to develop very elaborate hand gestures and to master improvising skills. I bet we would beat anyone in a game of charades!!!
Was there anything you absolutely could not eat?
I luckily wasn’t the one forced through the taste test of a mystery soup in Guinea. It was basically intestines and bile and a disgusting witch soup of guts. If there had been more than a tiny 10 watt bulb hanging in the shack, I’m sure my brother turned every color of the rainbow when he tried it.
Another thing was bush meat the locals claimed was warthog…. It was impossible to get past the gullet. I feel like it had to have been rotten, because we were extremely hungry, and when I get to that state I can eat almost anything….
Crashed plane in Suriname jungle
What advice would you have for people on special diets (either for medical or for faith reasons) who want to travel?
I personally don’t have any allergies or strictness in my diet, so that’s a bit difficult for me to judge. I have met vegetarians who’ve traveled to Mongolia where it’s strictly mutton based everything, and my uncle has traveled a lot despite being deathly allergic to nuts. The best I can offer is bring your own supply of dried, light, packable products that you can safely eat in emergency, research the areas you’re going to before you arrive, and be sure to ASK before you eat anything.
Biggest cultural shock you have experienced while travelling?
Oddly enough, coming back to “normal civilization” when I returned from my travels was the biggest shock. Seeing the amount of wealth and modern luxuries was overwhelming after living such a basic lifestyle. I was quite shocked by the amount of waste, ungratefulness I saw in my peers and the extreme imbalance in the ways people around the world live.
Rwanda
Have you been anywhere which turned out to be totally different from what you had expected? If so, how?
I think most places were different from what I expected, or I didn’t have enough time to prepare any expectations. Egypt was a major one. For some reason I had this whole Egyptian fantasy (probably something verging on the movie “The Mummy”) but it was sooooo different. I don’t know WHAT I was thinking, but the arabic culture threw me off somehow and I expected the pyramids to be out in the middle of the desert remote and romantic, but in reality they are smack dab in the middle of the smoggy city!!!!
photo from Egypt
If you could go back in time and give your 14-year-old self a piece of advice, what would it be?
Oh man, a humungous long list of things. But if I could really only tell myself ONE thing (and yet I probably still would’ve refused to believe it…. ) “Everything is going to turn out great!” Things happen for a reason and the world is full of sihpromatums. When times look rough, it’s mainly for a reason, to open up another door of possibilities which lead to so many greater things.
What comes to your mind first when you look back at the journey? A person? A place? A feeling?
Oooh, I would have to say a feeling. But there were an overwhelming number of emotions I felt. It’s almost surreal to think of everything I went through. The every day life of wondering what on earth the future would hold. I was on the road from age 14-18, nearly my entire teenage years were spent nomadic, going from place to place, train to train, bus to bus, always moving. I couldn’t help but wonder where it would take me. I had no idea when the trip would end or where we would all go. All jobless, what would our futures hold in the way of careers? I had so many questions and to see where we’ve all ended up now is remarkable to me. To now be living with those answers, I would love to go back and just give my teenage self a glimpse into this reality.
Me at age 15 trekking in Nepal to Everest Base Camp
What advice can you give to people who’ve never traveled but would like to?
I would recommend starting in either Asia or Europe. Europe is more expensive but very accessible, people speak English and there is so much to see. Asia is safe, beautiful and cheap….
If you’re doing extended travel my number one advice would be not to be too restricted by a schedule. Be open and free to new things and go with the flow because traveling shouldn’t be a quest or mission, it is a journey. Let all of your worries go and enjoy every second. One of my biggest regrets would be not living in the moment.
Oh, and spend more money than my cheapskate brother, Ammon!!
Monk in the mist, China
A few others:
- Do your research on the country, visas and vaccinations
- Plan around the weather such as when the wet and dry seasons occur
- Take breaks when you get burnt out
- Bucket list. Have some personal highlights in mind so you feel enthusiastic
- Be respectful of the culture (clothing, etiquette)
- Try new things and don’t be afraid to get down and dirty
- Meet the people
- Start somewhere you have a genuine interest
Name the top three countries that you’re glad you visited.
I’m glad I visited Ghana, because that is where I met my partner of 6+ years.
I am glad I got the opportunity to trek in Nepal and see the sun rise over Mount Everest! Mauritius was one of the best trips I ever took, it was better than a honeymoon!!! So many incredible experiences to celebrate my 23rd birthday including a private walk with lions, zegways with zebras, snorkelling with a pod of wild dolphins.
I am so glad that I (not sure if this counts) was born in such an incredible country with so many rights and freedoms in culture, society and especially as a woman.
Are there any places you’d like to return to? Any you wish you’d never visited?
I would love to retrace my steps from the first half of my trip, for starters. That was one of the most influential and emotional periods of my life. It would be like returning to my former self with new and broader knowledge.
One of my least favorite places was Egypt. But I wouldn’t take back my experiences there, because despite many negative experiences, it changed me and made me the person I am today.
Do you have a bucket list? If so what is on it?
I don’t have an actual list written out but there are definitely things that I still want to see/do. Surprisingly, I have never been anywhere in South East Asia, so would love to visit that entire area! I have wanted to go to Japan since forever because I grew up with a lot of Japanese home stay people who came to learn English in Vancouver. I always see these picture perfect shots of Antarctica, so that is high on the list. Even though I’m scared, I’d like to go scuba diving with sharks in South Africa. I did the shark dive and saw Great Whites, but I mean actually get in and scuba dive with sharks! Take a train across Canada, see the northern lights, see lava in Vanuatu, dog sledding… so many things still left to do!
British Columbia, Canada
If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be and why?
I feel slightly boring, but it would have to be Vancouver, Canada. I’m really fortunate to be flying to Vancouver for an international book tour for release of my second book “Backpacks and Bra Straps” in ONE week. That is exactly where I want to be at this point in my life. I just feel so blessed that I get the chance to live my dream.
Where can we find you online?
Website: www.sihpromatum.com
Facebook: Sihpromatum – I Grew my Boobs in China
Twitter: @Sihpromatum
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Win free copies of both books … courtesy of Savannah Grace
Savannah firmly believes you’ll enjoy her new Backpacks and Bra Straps a lot more after you’ve read I Grew My Boobs in China. You’ll get to know her story and her family in the first book. If you’ve not read either of them yet, this is your chance!
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