Ironic, really, that I’m sitting at home, at my desk, writing my first travel blog. But this is where all new journeys begin. And I am going on a sort of journey, entering new territory here. This blog will let you in on all my family travel secrets, in the funny way that blogs do. Blogs are great confessionals. So, here we go …
I don’t want to go away. I’m always filled with dread for at least a week before I travel anywhere. It’s nothing to do with the practical arrangements, though they can be daunting. I think it’s because travel changes you, and especially changes families. You act differently, learn something new, change the way you talk to each other. That’s what happens to us, at least. And it doesn’t seem to matter if we’re going to Malaysia or Margate. Away, we’re transformed. And change can be terrifying – although I don’t believe that’s a reason not to do it.
All a bit silly, really. I’m only sitting here trying to arrange a weekend in Rome. I have a system for this stage of the holiday planning. (I’m a person who loves systems and lists.) I get the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide, and any family guides that there are. (If you know one for Rome, let me know.) I write a list of things we shouldn’t miss. These won’t necessarily be the major sights. We all love the free theatre of markets, so it may well be the best fruit and flower stalls in town. I then draw out a rough plan of what we’ll do each day. I deliberately avoid discussion on this, as it will only lead to arguments. The kids call it ‘Mum’s schedule’. I build in breaks – not from the destination, but from each other, so each generation has time on its own.
Then …. Well, then we leave. And Mum’s schedule gets torn up. But somewhere in the back of all our brains we cling on to enough of it to frame the family holiday. And we come back different. Do you?
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thanks for a really thought-provoking first blog, dea.
ReplyDeletei think one of the challenges of travelling with kids is precisely that one does have to plan to a large degree, and that's very time consuming - one can't just leap on a plane, train or boat and tell oneself that one will somehow sort oneself out at the end of the journey. on the other hand, if you over-plan, the trip ends up being like a military campaign and nobody has any fun.
my view is like yours, that one has to plan, but also leave oneself open to the spontaneous and be prepared to let it all go to pot - it's the unplanned moments and chance encounters that often leave the lasting and most treasured memories.
while i'm here, can i plug the frommer's 'with your family' series of guidebooks? (shamelessly, since i'm the author of three of them!). alas, there isn't one to rome as yet, but i'm currently using donald strachan's excellent 'tuscany and umbria' guide to plan a summer trip, and i estimate it's saving me days or even more that i'd have spent in weeding the same information from conventional/general guidebooks.
http://www.frommers.co.uk/withyourfamily/