To stay comfortable, and sane, while travelling
with a family of five there's a few simple strategies to maximise enjoyment and
not 'lose your shit' in the process.
1. Stay calm...
Even though I'm a relatively-regular meditator
I've been cramming extra meditation sessions over the past two weeks to ensure
when we're in the thick of things, and the taxi we ordered to the airport has
not turned up, I will hopefully not lose my shit.
That's the beauty of mediation. You don't really
recognise the good it does until you're in a pressure cooker environment and
when you'd normally lose it, you actually keep it together.
2. Be patient, and kind -
to yourself and those around you...
Being patient, especially with over-tired
children who are way outside their familiar environment - it's tough for them.
If you're a long-time lover of travel (like I
am) you will relish the challenges of travelling overseas: the hustle and
bustle of airports, the adventures of finding your way (or not) and unfamiliar
sights, sounds, smells and tastes. However, you must remember your 11, nine and
six-year-old might not appreciate a good dose of 'culture shock'. Go easy on
them, let them sleep when they need it (even if it's 11am) and be aware that
your might have to tolerate some pretty 'out there' behavior from some pretty
tired kids. Also let them eat, anything (within reason) anytime, because when
we're hungry, we are grumpy. And listen to their questions (even when you're
too tired to listen), explain the things they see and teach them different
isn't always a bad thing. The world is full of different and interesting -
that's why we should explore it!
3. Don't do everything...
We are currently in San Diego - a gorgeous city;
very much like Perth, Australia - it's 10.45am and we're waiting for our
children to wake up. I've been up since around 7am after a great night's sleep,
done some yoga, made some coffee, enjoyed a light breakfast and I'm keen to
explore.
The urge to wake our children is a strong one,
however, my husband, keeps reminding me about their two days sans sleep.
There is so much to see and do here - Sea World,
Lego World, a world-famous zoo - however the idea of coming here was to catch
up with a childhood friend of mine and chill out... recover.
Yesterday our girls played in the surf while I
rested on the beach - resisting the urge to fall asleep. It was just what we
all needed.
Sometimes even when there's a world of things to
do and see, you just need to chill and recover for the next leg of your
adventure.
I consider all of this as I eat my second breakfast of eat avocado and
vegemite on toast and impatiently wait for our bloody kids to wake up!
Catch you soon,
Christy xo
