Jul
22
2013
22
2013
Last minute breaks and what’s REALLY important on a family holiday
An article by Guest Mum
This weeks guest post is from Nancy of Wildplay. She’s talking summer breaks!
I’m in a hot and sweaty car on the road back from Suffolk. We stayed just one night there, seeing my family on ‘the way back’ from Dorset, where we had attended my Granny’s 90th Birthday party. (She’s fabulous by-the-way and has a new 95 year-old boyfriend whom she met on a wrong-number call, but that’s a whole other story)!
It was a last-minute thing, and the pop-in to Suffolk/scenic route home was done just for the sheer fun of it. We live in Brighton, so have covered easily 400 miles in scorching British summertime, (yay)! with two small children in three days. It should have been hellish, right? But, no! We had so much fun in Dorset, swimming on a sandy beach and playing in the garden with a hosepipe and cousins, second cousins and relatives as yet unidentified; that we didn’t mind a little driving to extend it into a long weekend.
For our family, all that is needed for a fabulous holiday is outdoor space, some friends and something a bit different! Granny’s treasures (which she let the children pick through and play with) were more fun than any of the girls’ own toys. (Marbles, a bear I made from felt when I was little and our baby teeth - macabre, but fascinating)! The novelty of making friends with the scatty, friendly dogs at my sisters house was exhilarating for my cautious two. And the fact that a man in his mid 60′s (my dad), appears to collect children’s toys, makes us all laugh.
We’ve been looking for a big ‘family’ holiday later in the year. One we can take our Nana on as well as our little girls. (Other Nana, I’m not sure our nonagenarian would be up for it) . We keep going back and forth about what we do and don’t need. I need warmth (it’ll probably be October), and thought a Riad in Morocco might be good. Private space for us all but within a safe enclosed house. Nana is worried there won’t be enough for the children to do, and would prefer a package deal, with all modern conveniences (and to be fair, that’s what she loves in a holiday). I think the Souks, people, language and food would be exciting and magical enough. They’ll find toys, just like they did this weekend, and will conjure up their own games and entertainment. I must admit though, a kids club, a private pool and a babysitting service certainly hold their own charms too!
Am I being too thoroughly optimism-struck by a successful short, last-minute holiday to make a sensible decision? Maybe! In the meantime, I’m playing linky-ping-pong back and forth with Nana with nice ideas I am finding on the Ice Lolly website. She loves a bargain too, so I may just sway her, especially if I can find a smallish hotel/biggish Riad where she can get her favourite cuppa and the right pillow. Wish me luck!
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Well said! Must admit I’m with Nana though!…love the convenience of all inc and all the facilities, just the holiday I’m after…only decision is beach or pool! No food shopping, no meal planning and kids entertained! X