Let's hope this is true! Tomorrow, my little family of four heads off to the south of Spain for a ten-day holiday (including brief jaunts to Gibraltar and Morocco!). I should be excited, right?! Instead, my stomach is in knots as I worry about *everything* that could go wrong. Let's see...first a 7 hour flight with two little kids (and did I mention that I've *hated* to fly since 9/11?!)--luckily, the flight is at night, but by the time we arrive in Madrid to change planes for Malaga, it'll be about 4 a.m., our time. Which means changing planes with two (hopefully) zonked out kids. Then, once we arrive in Malaga heavily laden with luggage, we have to get to the rental car counter, which is always fun. Then a one-and-a-half to two hour drive--in a foreign country, driving a stick shift as that seems to be all they have over there, and we have to actually FIND our rental house.
Of course, my biggest worry is the fact that my youngest daughter is deathly allergic to tree nuts. Of course, I'm bringing epi-pens and Benadryl, we've learned the Spanish word for every nut imaginable, and we've got a card written by a native Spanish speaker (from Spain rather than Latin America, as there are some differences) explaining her allergies, in case we have language issues. Still, I'm just terrified, especially as the region we're visiting is an almond hotbed. I actually refused to consider some rental villas because there were almond trees on the property! And I also worry about our cell phones working over there, despite the fact that I've checked and double checked, and YES, we have international roaming; yes, we have international data packages so we can get our email on our cell phones. Still, what if it *doesn't* work and I'm stuck with no cell for ten days, in a foreign country? What if my agent's trying to get ahold of me?!
And then there's my worries about home--dog is going to the kennel, for ten days. He's NEVER been there longer than a week. I worry about him. I worry about my cat, who's staying home where several people will be helping to take care of her. Still, ten days! She's getting old--nearly fourteen--and she likes human companionship. Poor kitty. I worry about the house, the alarm system....actually, I'm not sure there's *anything* I'm not worried about!
Is it even possible to enjoy my vacaation in this state of mind?! I hope so, because after two house floods and a *terrible* year in general, I desperately need a vacation, as does my hubby. I'm looking forward to this view from my terrace...
Am I alone in my pre-vacation worries, or do you stress like mad before you go away, too? Does it actually affect the vacation itself? Any tips for long-distance traveling with small kiddos in tow?!
6 comments:
You're NOT alone, Kristi. I always joke that traveling with kids is like mobilizing the 82nd Airborne. The last few days leading up to a trip are always very stressful.
Even so, PLEASE try to relax and enjoy yourself--10 days? What a thrill!
Have a great time!
My tip for travelling with my 4 kidlets is Ziploc bags. Each kid gets a bag filled with stickers, search'n find books, snacks (suckers for take off and landing for helping wee ears) and small dollar store surprises. They get this bag after an hour in the air and usually they're good until we land on a 4 hour flight. Oh and the ziploc bags double as air sick bags and work better than the airline ones for little kids. Hope you don't need that!
Have a fabulous trip!
You're not alone. I worried more about being gone for a weekend for my honeymoon (one state away!) than I did over planning the entire wedding. I think it's natural.
But once you get over there and see that things are fine (they will be!) you'll be able to enjoy yourself.
Well, we solved the traveling with kids issue by basically not doing it--not the solution I recommend, but with four sons (Wendy, you travel with 4 kids?? You're my hero!) trips were not only a major hassle, they were very expensive. I'm looking forward to next year's empty nest and feeling a little more footloose. Maybe.
Don't forget to turn off the over, LOL! Have a wonderful time--and take lots of pictures.
I'm with Wendy on the ziplock bags. When the kids were little, I always took little treats and toys, special things they hadn't seen before...and I didn't give them everything all at once, but rather doled out the surprises as tempers began to fray. One year, I even splurged on gameboys and games for the plane trip. It worked. Not a peep out of 'em, LOL!
Its definitely like a mini moving jaunt to go on vacation w/ kids ! And airplanes, ugghhh, someone needs to explain to me how you can hit "bumps" when there are no potholes like down here ! I totally understand the allergy thing as my youngest son is allergic to everything ! A small outing to a parade turned into a rush to the ER ! After he followed Grandpa out to the barn another day and we flew to the ER again we found out horses make his airways close ! We live in the middle of farm country USA, and he is allergic to horses ! Now he is 17 though and he carries an epi-pen in his glove box, there's one on the entertainment center, and one at school ! Allergies can be so scary and to be somewhere that they may call them somethign different would be too ! I think you will do fine though and what a place to make memories!Have lots of fun !
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