For those of us who are short on money, short on vacation days or both, another alternative to a week-long vacation is a fun weekend getaway. My boys used to love our weekend getaways and sometimes enjoyed those more than our "big" vacations!
As long as you avoid any weekends during school breaks and major holidays, weekend room rates can be very reasonable. Even better, if the kids have a Monday or Friday off because of a school superintendants meeting etc., you'd just miss one day of work and you'd have an extra day for fun!
When deciding where to spend your weekend, I always headed to one of the nearest larger cities which may have been in our state or in a neighboring state. You just don't want to spend too much time traveling to your destination when you only have a couple of days for your getaway. I live smack dab in the middle of New York State so we can easily reach Niagara Falls in under three hours, drive into Manhattan in 3 1/2 hours, reach Boston in close to 5 hours and Philadelphia in 4 1/2. We also love driving up to Montreal in Canada which is just 5 hours away and Toronto in 4 1/2 hours.
To help me decide which area to visit, I always check out the tourism sites for those areas and always look at the events calendar for any special events going on that weekend. Also look at the seasonal activities to come up with some great ideas for cold weather fun. I've found some great sledding opportunities, horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice skaiting, winter festivals complete with fireworks, chili cook-offs and more.
Once you've chosen your destination, it's time to look around for great accommodations. We love staying at hotels with suites such as Embassy or Homewood Suites. We like having separate rooms to spread out in as well as some sort of kitchen facilities which with Embassy Suites for example would only be a small refrigerator and microwave or if we stayed at Homewood Suites, we'd have access to a full kitchen which is very helpful if you want to save money on eating out although we've done very well with just a microwave for heating food. We'd just hot up the local grocery store and buy a prepackaged, frozen meal that can be easily microwaved.
Regardless of where we stayed, it HAD to have a pool. The pool was a very important componenet of our getaway. The boys would spend hours in the pool wearing themselves out. Another important factor for us was having a nice (free) breakfast buffet. We love Embassy Suites for this reason. They have a fantastic breakfast buffet which will keep you full beyond lunchtime. I know that Embassy Suites (and others) sometimes offers weekend specials that often include special freebies for the kids so look around and see if there are any interesting promotions going on during your stay.
In additon to the free swimming and breakfast buffet, we would check out the local kid's museums, aquariums and any other places of interest to children. I recommend checking out the local restaurants online before you leave because sometimes you'll come across something very unique and special to that area or maybe even a popular restaurant chain that's not in your area. For instance, we'd always hit up the different Fudrucker's restaurants for great burgers when we were traveling through Pennsylvania and always stopped for Philly Cheesesteaks at Pat's. We've also tried out countless diners and buffets during our trips. My boys love eating at restaurants so that's always a special treat for them.
Now, to help make your weekend getaway slightly more affordable, try Expedia or Hotels.com etc. first to get a feel for a weekend rate. Please be aware that not all properties for the area will be listed on these sites so if when you have a destination in mind and have a hotel chain in mind, go directly to the hotel chain's website and do a search for the area you'd like to visit to see what's available in that area. Check the hotel's website for any special offers and you can always call the hotel directly to see if they have any unadvertised, last-minute special rates.
Look through your giftcard stash to see if you can use any of them along the way. Fast food gift cards always come in handy for breaking up a long car ride and feeding hungry kids. Look to see if any restaurant gift cards you may have can be used in your destination city or along the route home. We have been able to pay for lodging and "purchase" gas gift cards with credit card reward points which can take a decent chunk out of your vacation costs. If you plan on visiting a museum, zoo, sceienece center etc., check to see if you can get in free or at a reduced rate with any local membership you might already have. Sometimes, if you have a large family or think you'll be back to visit that area again within the year, sometimes the cost of a membership is equal to or not much more than what you'd pay to visit just one time and you usually always get extra perks with memberships.
I hope these tips have been helpful and that you can all enjoy a weekend getaway soon!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Cost Saving Tips for Any Family Trip
People are always asking me how we afford to take so many vacations. To me, they are very much a neccessity so it's just something that I plan for in advance knowing that's it's going to happen. I thought that I'd share a few of my money saving tips today with other families who also enjoy vacationing.
I do a lot of research of various possible vacation destinations. This is partly just because I have an interest in places that I've never visited but this also gives me a reserve of knowledge in case I see a good airfare deal to one of these places. You just never know what's going to show up out of the blue and when it's a really good deal, it goes fast! I have a separate vacation folder on my laptop where I store all my links to interesting places and inexpensive accommodations and it saves me some when I do get an airfare deal. I've found that some places that I know I can generally always get good airfare to doesn't always have the cheap accommodations or inexpensive minivan rentals. You have to factor those costs into your trip before you ever purchase any airfare. What looks like a great price on airfare isn't always such a bargain if you have to pay twice the cost for accommodations and car rentals.
I try to avoid flying if possible because I currently have to purchase tickets for seven people and that really adds up quickly! Now, that doesn't always mean that driving is the best option. For example, a few years ago, we drove from NY all the way down to Florida (stopping to visit my mom in Virginia and stopping in South Carolina for a night on the way down). We ended up driving all the way down the west coast to Key West (making several more overnight stops) and then back up the east coast (making several more overnight stops on the way home). We did spend quite a bit of money on gas but I was working part-time for Hilton back then so was able to get a very discounted rate for our hotel rooms to make up for what we spent on gas. We also spent several days between my mom's house and my inlaws so we saved some money there as well. The problem was, we spent 10 days doing nothing but driving, being stuck in traffic and driving some more. It was not nearly as enjoyable as we had hoped for plus we were traveling with four of our sons at the time in a much too small vehicle for that kind of trip. Airfare would have been way too expensive at the time since we were traveling during spring break but I don't feel like the quality of what we ended up with for our trip was worth all the time and gas money put into it. We have vowed never to attempt that again.
Since my inlaws live in Florida and cannot travel anymore, we are obligated to go down there to visit them. Since driving is just not an option for us right now, we have no choice but to fly with five kids. Instead of us trying to get down there for April break, I was able to find airfare for us last year (on Christmas night) for a mere $25 per person, round-trip for the last week in May. The boys ended up having a 4-day weekend because of the holiday so they only had to end up missing three days of school but them seeing their grandparents are more important to us than them missing those three days.. The only (minor) sacrifice we had to make was driving to an airport that's nearly 2 1/2 hours from our house. To us, that's nothing; we drove 4 1/2 hours last February to fly out of Lauguardia to Puerto Rico and we've actually driven all the way to Boston for $18 R/T tickets into Florida via Spirit Airlines. As I rationalized it, a 5-hour drive to Boston sure beats a 24-hour drive to Florida and since I am no longer employed by Hilton, no more cheap rooms for the drive down and back. Yes, we still had to pay for a car rental but when you're travelling off-peak, you'd be surprised just how cheap you can rent a vehicle. I will put a couple of hours into checking out all the best rates all over the internet, will do searches for coupons, will check ebay to see what coupons people are selling on there to the various car rental companies and then decide if the savings are worth it to pay for the vehicle up front through expedia etc., or to pay a little more for flexibility. Now, on our last trip to Florida this past May, we ended up using credit card reward vouchers to pay for our rental car as well as our three nights at the beach condo. Make sure that you pay attention to any reward programs you belong to, it saved us a ton of money that trip! Keep tabs on which family members have timeshares; my sister-in-law have one that they always book us a room at in Orlando. Not only does that give us free accommodations at a nice condo right down the road from Disney, every time we stay there, we are always hounded to sit through a timeshare presentation. We sat through one during our first visit and earned an easy $100 while the kids played vido games in the next room. The last time, we kept turning them down but as we were packing up to leave, they called our unit and offered us $125 plus a free 2-night stay at another property so we sat through a repeat of the last presentation and left $125 richer (and with no timeshare purchase!). The $125 we earned from that shaved off a nice slice of our total vacation costs.
We also had five free Disney tickets because we had volunteered early in the year. Because one of my boys wasn't quite old enough to volunteer to earn a free ticket, we had to pay for his one day pass but our youbest was free at the time so for the cost of one ticket, we spent the entire day at Disney.
Because I despise the high prices of everything there and am just cheap in general, we managed to get through the entire day there without spending a dime (with the exception of the one ticket!). This tip doesn't just apply to Disney but any theme park, day trip etc. and it saves a ton! First of all, I make sure that every person in our group has a refillable water bottle, the cheaper the better. We often use the empty Gatorade bottles that come in 6-packs. I'll buy a couple on sale for the car ride and we take the empty bottles inside since you're not always allowed to bring full bottles of beverages in the parks. Before we leave home, I'll stock up on a bunch of different flavors of the instant drink mix singles; those are one of the best things ever invented! They are so lightweight and tiny which make them super easy to pack and carry around and there is always water wherever you are and with such a great variety of flavors, everyone can have just what they like. Another advantage to using these is that you're drinking much more water (even if it is flavored!) than you would if you ended up purchasing sodas all day long.
My next tip is to bring your own food! We always bring lots of food to avoid paying crazy amounts of money for something as simple as a hamburger and fries. The key is to pack items that will hold up throughout the day and won't go bad in the heat. Now, we do take things like ham or turkey sandwiches but those are what gets eaten first. You build up quite a hunger walking all around so that's never been a problem having to eat them early on. One item I've found that all the boys enjoy and holds up pretty well is focaccia. I just buy the plain cheese that come already packaged in a large plastic bag with a tie. I toss them into the bottom storage bin of the baby stroller and we just tear of pieces of it as we go. We also always take bricks of cheddar cheese and a disposable plastic knife and crusty Italian rolls. The rolls will hold up all day and the cheese holds up pretty well for most of the day. We also take harder fruits like apples, oranges or grapes (bananas are not a good idea unless you planning on eating them right away). Another popular item is granola bars but anything with chocolate chips won't hold up as well. We also take a couple of bags of chips and cookies and my husband likes to bring a bag of Starburst candy which holds up very well all day and can be passed out by the handful. We can get through the entire day on that and not be starving but after we leave the park, we do get a "normal" meal; you can only snack for so long...
When I say that I need a "vacation", it usually just means that I need a change of scenery. I am completely content with camping; I just need a break from the house. We do own a pop-up now which is a big step-up from our tent but I had tent camping down to a science and it was comfortable! First, I needed an interesting destination that wasn't too far away and then a way to enjoy as many of usualy comforts of home while sleeping in a tent.
I discovered quite a fondness for Asstateague Island in Maryland. I would book a large tent site right on the beach every summer. I looked around online at all the different tent options and once I found what I wanted, I found a great close-out deal on one on ebay. It was huge with four partitioned rooms and two separate entrances. I also bought a huge dining tent, portable camping grill and a separate shower tent with a solar shower. I also purchased some air mattresses on clearance for the boys and a king-sized deep airmattress with frame for us. We also had portable DVD players and would watch movies together at night in the comfort of our tent and fell asleep listening to the waves rush in and out every evening for a mere $27 per night. We spent the days playing in the ocean, riding the waves on our boogie boards and we found a great and inexpensive, indoor miniature golf place in town for days that were just too hot. We also rented a family bike to cruise the boardwalk in nearby Ocean City. The boys enjoyed sharing the beach with the wild ponies and there are always free programs for the kids offered through the park.
The boys have recently decided that they enjoy "woods camping" so we've been sopending more time there versus camping on the beach but now having a pop-up camper, the fees are always more expensive at the campground, especially KOA's which I'm not overly fond of anyway. You always have to factor in the added expense of towing a camper along with the campground fees (which can be close to $100/night in some areas) and then decide if the camping is worth the money or maybe you'd be better off finding a great hotel deal in an area with a lot of free atrractions. Camping can be a great choice for a getaway but isn't always as inexpensive as you'd expect it to be.
One last tip for now, is to sign up for swagbucks (if you haven't already). I've earned so many Amazon.com gift cards through them just by doing my regular internet searches and getting a few people to sign up under me. You can easily earn gift cards to Amazon, Target, Bass Pro, REI, Southwest Airlines and more. You can use them to buy camping equipment, airline tickets, gift cards to restaurants and more. You can use a Target gift card for example to purchase food or snacks while on vacation. The money you would have used for food and snacks can be put towards your car rental or lodging instead. If you have any giftcards that you've received as gifts, you can always sell them on ebay or exchange them on plasticjungle.com for a giftcard that you can use during your trip!
I do a lot of research of various possible vacation destinations. This is partly just because I have an interest in places that I've never visited but this also gives me a reserve of knowledge in case I see a good airfare deal to one of these places. You just never know what's going to show up out of the blue and when it's a really good deal, it goes fast! I have a separate vacation folder on my laptop where I store all my links to interesting places and inexpensive accommodations and it saves me some when I do get an airfare deal. I've found that some places that I know I can generally always get good airfare to doesn't always have the cheap accommodations or inexpensive minivan rentals. You have to factor those costs into your trip before you ever purchase any airfare. What looks like a great price on airfare isn't always such a bargain if you have to pay twice the cost for accommodations and car rentals.
I try to avoid flying if possible because I currently have to purchase tickets for seven people and that really adds up quickly! Now, that doesn't always mean that driving is the best option. For example, a few years ago, we drove from NY all the way down to Florida (stopping to visit my mom in Virginia and stopping in South Carolina for a night on the way down). We ended up driving all the way down the west coast to Key West (making several more overnight stops) and then back up the east coast (making several more overnight stops on the way home). We did spend quite a bit of money on gas but I was working part-time for Hilton back then so was able to get a very discounted rate for our hotel rooms to make up for what we spent on gas. We also spent several days between my mom's house and my inlaws so we saved some money there as well. The problem was, we spent 10 days doing nothing but driving, being stuck in traffic and driving some more. It was not nearly as enjoyable as we had hoped for plus we were traveling with four of our sons at the time in a much too small vehicle for that kind of trip. Airfare would have been way too expensive at the time since we were traveling during spring break but I don't feel like the quality of what we ended up with for our trip was worth all the time and gas money put into it. We have vowed never to attempt that again.
Since my inlaws live in Florida and cannot travel anymore, we are obligated to go down there to visit them. Since driving is just not an option for us right now, we have no choice but to fly with five kids. Instead of us trying to get down there for April break, I was able to find airfare for us last year (on Christmas night) for a mere $25 per person, round-trip for the last week in May. The boys ended up having a 4-day weekend because of the holiday so they only had to end up missing three days of school but them seeing their grandparents are more important to us than them missing those three days.. The only (minor) sacrifice we had to make was driving to an airport that's nearly 2 1/2 hours from our house. To us, that's nothing; we drove 4 1/2 hours last February to fly out of Lauguardia to Puerto Rico and we've actually driven all the way to Boston for $18 R/T tickets into Florida via Spirit Airlines. As I rationalized it, a 5-hour drive to Boston sure beats a 24-hour drive to Florida and since I am no longer employed by Hilton, no more cheap rooms for the drive down and back. Yes, we still had to pay for a car rental but when you're travelling off-peak, you'd be surprised just how cheap you can rent a vehicle. I will put a couple of hours into checking out all the best rates all over the internet, will do searches for coupons, will check ebay to see what coupons people are selling on there to the various car rental companies and then decide if the savings are worth it to pay for the vehicle up front through expedia etc., or to pay a little more for flexibility. Now, on our last trip to Florida this past May, we ended up using credit card reward vouchers to pay for our rental car as well as our three nights at the beach condo. Make sure that you pay attention to any reward programs you belong to, it saved us a ton of money that trip! Keep tabs on which family members have timeshares; my sister-in-law have one that they always book us a room at in Orlando. Not only does that give us free accommodations at a nice condo right down the road from Disney, every time we stay there, we are always hounded to sit through a timeshare presentation. We sat through one during our first visit and earned an easy $100 while the kids played vido games in the next room. The last time, we kept turning them down but as we were packing up to leave, they called our unit and offered us $125 plus a free 2-night stay at another property so we sat through a repeat of the last presentation and left $125 richer (and with no timeshare purchase!). The $125 we earned from that shaved off a nice slice of our total vacation costs.
We also had five free Disney tickets because we had volunteered early in the year. Because one of my boys wasn't quite old enough to volunteer to earn a free ticket, we had to pay for his one day pass but our youbest was free at the time so for the cost of one ticket, we spent the entire day at Disney.
Because I despise the high prices of everything there and am just cheap in general, we managed to get through the entire day there without spending a dime (with the exception of the one ticket!). This tip doesn't just apply to Disney but any theme park, day trip etc. and it saves a ton! First of all, I make sure that every person in our group has a refillable water bottle, the cheaper the better. We often use the empty Gatorade bottles that come in 6-packs. I'll buy a couple on sale for the car ride and we take the empty bottles inside since you're not always allowed to bring full bottles of beverages in the parks. Before we leave home, I'll stock up on a bunch of different flavors of the instant drink mix singles; those are one of the best things ever invented! They are so lightweight and tiny which make them super easy to pack and carry around and there is always water wherever you are and with such a great variety of flavors, everyone can have just what they like. Another advantage to using these is that you're drinking much more water (even if it is flavored!) than you would if you ended up purchasing sodas all day long.
My next tip is to bring your own food! We always bring lots of food to avoid paying crazy amounts of money for something as simple as a hamburger and fries. The key is to pack items that will hold up throughout the day and won't go bad in the heat. Now, we do take things like ham or turkey sandwiches but those are what gets eaten first. You build up quite a hunger walking all around so that's never been a problem having to eat them early on. One item I've found that all the boys enjoy and holds up pretty well is focaccia. I just buy the plain cheese that come already packaged in a large plastic bag with a tie. I toss them into the bottom storage bin of the baby stroller and we just tear of pieces of it as we go. We also always take bricks of cheddar cheese and a disposable plastic knife and crusty Italian rolls. The rolls will hold up all day and the cheese holds up pretty well for most of the day. We also take harder fruits like apples, oranges or grapes (bananas are not a good idea unless you planning on eating them right away). Another popular item is granola bars but anything with chocolate chips won't hold up as well. We also take a couple of bags of chips and cookies and my husband likes to bring a bag of Starburst candy which holds up very well all day and can be passed out by the handful. We can get through the entire day on that and not be starving but after we leave the park, we do get a "normal" meal; you can only snack for so long...
When I say that I need a "vacation", it usually just means that I need a change of scenery. I am completely content with camping; I just need a break from the house. We do own a pop-up now which is a big step-up from our tent but I had tent camping down to a science and it was comfortable! First, I needed an interesting destination that wasn't too far away and then a way to enjoy as many of usualy comforts of home while sleeping in a tent.
I discovered quite a fondness for Asstateague Island in Maryland. I would book a large tent site right on the beach every summer. I looked around online at all the different tent options and once I found what I wanted, I found a great close-out deal on one on ebay. It was huge with four partitioned rooms and two separate entrances. I also bought a huge dining tent, portable camping grill and a separate shower tent with a solar shower. I also purchased some air mattresses on clearance for the boys and a king-sized deep airmattress with frame for us. We also had portable DVD players and would watch movies together at night in the comfort of our tent and fell asleep listening to the waves rush in and out every evening for a mere $27 per night. We spent the days playing in the ocean, riding the waves on our boogie boards and we found a great and inexpensive, indoor miniature golf place in town for days that were just too hot. We also rented a family bike to cruise the boardwalk in nearby Ocean City. The boys enjoyed sharing the beach with the wild ponies and there are always free programs for the kids offered through the park.
The boys have recently decided that they enjoy "woods camping" so we've been sopending more time there versus camping on the beach but now having a pop-up camper, the fees are always more expensive at the campground, especially KOA's which I'm not overly fond of anyway. You always have to factor in the added expense of towing a camper along with the campground fees (which can be close to $100/night in some areas) and then decide if the camping is worth the money or maybe you'd be better off finding a great hotel deal in an area with a lot of free atrractions. Camping can be a great choice for a getaway but isn't always as inexpensive as you'd expect it to be.
One last tip for now, is to sign up for swagbucks (if you haven't already). I've earned so many Amazon.com gift cards through them just by doing my regular internet searches and getting a few people to sign up under me. You can easily earn gift cards to Amazon, Target, Bass Pro, REI, Southwest Airlines and more. You can use them to buy camping equipment, airline tickets, gift cards to restaurants and more. You can use a Target gift card for example to purchase food or snacks while on vacation. The money you would have used for food and snacks can be put towards your car rental or lodging instead. If you have any giftcards that you've received as gifts, you can always sell them on ebay or exchange them on plasticjungle.com for a giftcard that you can use during your trip!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Cold Weather Cabining
For those of you who don't mind the cold and snow and are itching for a change of scenery, you may want to consider renting a rustic cabin in the wilderness. Not only will you get to spend some special family times with the kids, you can show them how to appreciate the simpler side of life, exchanging video games, TV and internet for good old-fashioned board games, sledding, campfires and cook-outs. As long as you avoid pricey ski resorts, off-season bargains can be plentiful.
I found that the Pidgeon Forge area of Tennessee has an abundance of inexpensive but very nice rentals. I just did a quick search for the vacation week in February and found a beautiful chalet with a large stone fireplace for just over $100/night. In past searches, I've found similar bargains in New York's Adirondack region, Pennsylvania's Pocono region and Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountain area just to name a few.
My birthday always falls over winter recess in February which makes it very easy for me to talk my husband into a getaway! One year, I found a cute little cabin in the mountains of Vermont for $175/night. My boys had a wonderful time playing in the snow, building a snow fort and having snowball fights and they even had a small sledding hill right behind the cabin. Afterwards, they enjoyed taking turns warming up in the large whirlpool tub while I made grilled cheese sandwiches, cream of tomato soup and of course, hot chocolate!
They also sampled our favorite Grafton smoked cheddar that we picked up at a small country store on our way up to the cabin. Grafton smoked cheddar, cream of tomato soup and crusty rolls are now one of my favorite meals!
We spent hours that weekend playing the board games of my youth and just enjoying each other's company. On the morning of my birthday, my husband and the boys were acting very sneaky, speaking in excited, hushed tones. A short time later, with big grins, the boys proudly presented me with a piece of wood they had found in the woods with "Happy Birthday Mom" carved into the soft center with all their names carved in around it. I still have that piece of wood and the happy memories that came with it.
If you're ready to make special memories of your own, an easy way to find accommodations quickly is to use a vaction rental listing site such as Homeaway.com. Here you can put all your rental criteria such as area, price, bedrooms, fireplace, waterfront, availability etc. into the search engine to find what you're looking for without spending hours browsing online. Good luck with your search and enjoy!
I found that the Pidgeon Forge area of Tennessee has an abundance of inexpensive but very nice rentals. I just did a quick search for the vacation week in February and found a beautiful chalet with a large stone fireplace for just over $100/night. In past searches, I've found similar bargains in New York's Adirondack region, Pennsylvania's Pocono region and Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountain area just to name a few.
My birthday always falls over winter recess in February which makes it very easy for me to talk my husband into a getaway! One year, I found a cute little cabin in the mountains of Vermont for $175/night. My boys had a wonderful time playing in the snow, building a snow fort and having snowball fights and they even had a small sledding hill right behind the cabin. Afterwards, they enjoyed taking turns warming up in the large whirlpool tub while I made grilled cheese sandwiches, cream of tomato soup and of course, hot chocolate!
They also sampled our favorite Grafton smoked cheddar that we picked up at a small country store on our way up to the cabin. Grafton smoked cheddar, cream of tomato soup and crusty rolls are now one of my favorite meals!
We spent hours that weekend playing the board games of my youth and just enjoying each other's company. On the morning of my birthday, my husband and the boys were acting very sneaky, speaking in excited, hushed tones. A short time later, with big grins, the boys proudly presented me with a piece of wood they had found in the woods with "Happy Birthday Mom" carved into the soft center with all their names carved in around it. I still have that piece of wood and the happy memories that came with it.
If you're ready to make special memories of your own, an easy way to find accommodations quickly is to use a vaction rental listing site such as Homeaway.com. Here you can put all your rental criteria such as area, price, bedrooms, fireplace, waterfront, availability etc. into the search engine to find what you're looking for without spending hours browsing online. Good luck with your search and enjoy!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tired of the Cold Yet? Pack Your Swimsuits and Head to the Beach!
I live in New York and on top of below freezing temperatures, we are privileged to be in a lake effect snow band region as well! Because I hate the cold and snow and suffer from SAD, I start getting panicky once Thanksgiving is near. That's when I start hitting the travel sights hard in search of that elusive inexpensive airfare to somewhere very warm where I can spend my afternoons in playing in the ocean waves and soaking up (and burning up!) in the wonderful Caribbean sun. My affordable family destination of choice every February is Puerto Rico. For those of us living on the east coast, we are lucky enough to have an abundance of major airports and a fairly short flight to beautiful turquoise waters and an average daily temperature in the low 80's.
I've found that Spirit airlines offers very good deals into San Juan. If you join their paid $9 fare club membership ($60 annual fee), you are entitled to the $9 per segment flights they frequently offer. If you live In Florida and get lucky, you might be able to snag yourself a $9 flight into San Juan and a $9 flight back (taxes and fees not included). Since we live in NY, we have to fly into FL and then catch a connecting flight into San Juan from there. I just booked my family a trip in February for $144 round-trip per person which included all taxes and fees. Now, to get this fantastic (and cheapest rate I've ever found going into San Juan in February), I had to book the flight out a few days before the kid's winter recess from school begins (they are not upset about having to miss three days of school so no need to feel sorry for them!). We also have to make a 2 1/2 hour drive to the nearest airport Spirit flies into but this definitely beats the 4 1/2 hour trek we had to make last year to catch our flight! We also have an awful departure time of 1:55am. 1:55am seems to be the only time that Spirit flies out of that airport regardless of the destination. We will then have a 5 hour, 45 minute layover in Fort Lauderdale with very little or more likely, no sleep but we do get into San Juan by 2:12pm which is better than arriving after midnight last year. Our flight home 8 nights later departs in the early evening but doesn't arrive back in NY until 12:30am with a 2 1/2 hour drive home so the flight definitely isn'y without inconvenience but where else can you go for $144 to escape the cold that's as wonderful as Puerto Rico? If you're desperate enough, you'll tough it out and then forget all about it while you're lying on the beach with the sun shining down on you, forgetting all about all the snow and cold that you left behind.
I've found minivan rentals as low as $200/week if you book really early but you can often find good deals on car rentals if you go through your airline. They usually show you hotel and car rental offers as you are checking out online. This year, I went through BJ's wholesale club and even though it was a few dollars more than going through Hotwire etc., you don't have to pay for the entire rental up front, you can cancel right up until the day before.
Even though we fly into San Juan, I would not recommend staying there. It's great for a day trip, take the kids to the forts and maybe do some souveneir shopping but I much prefer heading east and staying right on the beach. For as low as $700 - $800 for the week, you can rent a condo right on the beach in Luquillo. The sooner you book something the better because this area seems to be getting more popular every year and accommodations can become scarce if you book a flight at the last minute. The public beach at Luquillo is beautiful and has lifeguards in case you feel more comfortable swimming there with young kids. We always opt to just swim at the beach right outside the condo. It has some pretty big waves at times so take caution with younger kids but many of the condos there have their own pools if the younger ones are more comfortable there. Many also have small playgrounds, basketball courts etc. so there is plenty to do.
In front of the public beach are the kiosks where I always get plates of rice & beans (arroz y habichuelas) and several bags of cocnut candy patties which I have just the worst addiction to. I'm too embarrassed to admit how many pounds I eat during my stay; it's pathetic... They also have many fried beef, fish, chicken, pork etc. items along with other popular local foods and the food is really inexpensive and SO good!
We always take at least one day trip to one of the tiny islands of the coast of Puerto Rico to either Culebra or Vieques. Culebra's big draw is the absolutely stunning Flamenco Beach http://culebra-island.com/CulebraIsland/Points_of_Interest/points_of_interest.htm . You can catch the ferry out of nearby Fajardo (about a 15 minute drive from Luquillo) for $4 round trip to either island. Vieques also has some very nice beaches but it's not the beaches but the biobay there that attracts people. In order to experience this truly amazing phenomenon, you must stay overnight on Vieques because the last ferry back to Fajardo departs before dark and the biobay experience takes place in the dark. You can check it out here:
http://www.biobay.com/
If you need a break from the sun, head over the the rainforest where you can take a hike to an icy cold waterfall (feels wonderful after hiking through the sticky rainforest!). Here is more information on the rain forest: http://www.elyunque.com/ There is also a gift shop in the base of the tower here where my boys enjoyed buying small leather wallets with Coquí frogs stamped into them. The Coqui is a small 'singing' tree tree frog found all over Puerto Rico.
In case you're wondering about safety, we have never felt "unsafe" anywhere in Puerto Rico. Most of the condominium buildings are gated and have 24 hour security. There is secured paid parking for the ferry with an attendant and although there are guard towers at the local strip mall, I've never seen a gaurd in or around them and no need for them either.
Speaking of shopping, you'll find all the normal chain restaurants and fast food that we're accustomed to at home. There are also super Walmarts and Sam's clubs, ToysRus, Sears, Gamestop (we always seem the need to buy more video games every vacation...), GAP, Children's Place and more. While we do shop at the local grocery stores, I've found that the super Walmart's carry more of the foods that we'd buy at home versus more local foods and higher priced "American" foods at the local grocery stores.
Since we rent a condo, we do our grocery shopping when we get there and make all of our meals which really cuts down on expenses. If we are going to be taking a road trip, we will pack a coolor (most condos do have one for you to use) with sandwiches, snacks and drinks to avoid a pricey fast food stop.
To save on luggage fees, check to see what the airlines allow you to take for free. Jet Blue still allows you one free bag per person while some will only allow a carry-on (please make sure you follow the size guidelines so you do not make enemies during the flight trying to cram your obviously oversized bag into a very small space, leaving no room for everyone else's bags that will fit while holding up the entire line with mom's like myself carrying two heavy bags along with a heavy, whining, squirming toddler! - sorry; rant over!). I hit up luggage clearances and bought a few nice, well made peices that fell within the airline guidelines size-wise so that we would only have to pay for one suitcase between 7 people. Everyone was allowed one carry-on and one small, personal item such as a purse etc. that will fit under your seat. Unfortunately, Spirit Airlines has now done away with the free carry-on item. You are still allowed one personal item that will fit under your seat but anything that you want to go in an overhead compartment must now be paid for. Since we have 7 people flying, we still get the 7 personal items which will inlcude my laptop, my camera bag, the diaper bag and then we still have four bags left to carry toys, video games and snacks.
Now that the traditional "complimetary drink" is a thing of the past, we make sure each person has an inexpensive, large water bottle (usually a leftover Gatorade bottle we buy in 6-packs for the trip to the airport). I also stock up on a variety of individual drink mix packets before the trip. Not only are they cheap and lightweight, but you can always fill them up as needed once you get through security at the airport. We keep a few spares packed in the bag that we fill right before we board the plane. Between the dryness of the cabin and the potential for getting delayed on the tarmac, it's a good idea to have extra to keep the kids well hydrated and happy. It also helps to have lots and lots of snacks. Please check TSA guidelines before you stock your snack bag since certain items are not allowed and will be tossed at security. I do like to bring crackers and cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheesesticks, granola bars, Italian rolls, sandwiches, Pringles (the can keeps chips from being crushed!), chewy candies for take-offs and landings and whatever special treats the boys have picked out. I think we travel with more food than I've ever seen anyone ever take on an airplane but plenty of video games, food and drink makes for a much happier flight for all involved and again, in case of longs delays where you might be stuck on the plane longer than expected, you won't go hungry!
If I have tempted you at all with a trip out of the cold, get to those search engines now and grab what flights are left and maybe I'll see you there!
I've found that Spirit airlines offers very good deals into San Juan. If you join their paid $9 fare club membership ($60 annual fee), you are entitled to the $9 per segment flights they frequently offer. If you live In Florida and get lucky, you might be able to snag yourself a $9 flight into San Juan and a $9 flight back (taxes and fees not included). Since we live in NY, we have to fly into FL and then catch a connecting flight into San Juan from there. I just booked my family a trip in February for $144 round-trip per person which included all taxes and fees. Now, to get this fantastic (and cheapest rate I've ever found going into San Juan in February), I had to book the flight out a few days before the kid's winter recess from school begins (they are not upset about having to miss three days of school so no need to feel sorry for them!). We also have to make a 2 1/2 hour drive to the nearest airport Spirit flies into but this definitely beats the 4 1/2 hour trek we had to make last year to catch our flight! We also have an awful departure time of 1:55am. 1:55am seems to be the only time that Spirit flies out of that airport regardless of the destination. We will then have a 5 hour, 45 minute layover in Fort Lauderdale with very little or more likely, no sleep but we do get into San Juan by 2:12pm which is better than arriving after midnight last year. Our flight home 8 nights later departs in the early evening but doesn't arrive back in NY until 12:30am with a 2 1/2 hour drive home so the flight definitely isn'y without inconvenience but where else can you go for $144 to escape the cold that's as wonderful as Puerto Rico? If you're desperate enough, you'll tough it out and then forget all about it while you're lying on the beach with the sun shining down on you, forgetting all about all the snow and cold that you left behind.
I've found minivan rentals as low as $200/week if you book really early but you can often find good deals on car rentals if you go through your airline. They usually show you hotel and car rental offers as you are checking out online. This year, I went through BJ's wholesale club and even though it was a few dollars more than going through Hotwire etc., you don't have to pay for the entire rental up front, you can cancel right up until the day before.
Even though we fly into San Juan, I would not recommend staying there. It's great for a day trip, take the kids to the forts and maybe do some souveneir shopping but I much prefer heading east and staying right on the beach. For as low as $700 - $800 for the week, you can rent a condo right on the beach in Luquillo. The sooner you book something the better because this area seems to be getting more popular every year and accommodations can become scarce if you book a flight at the last minute. The public beach at Luquillo is beautiful and has lifeguards in case you feel more comfortable swimming there with young kids. We always opt to just swim at the beach right outside the condo. It has some pretty big waves at times so take caution with younger kids but many of the condos there have their own pools if the younger ones are more comfortable there. Many also have small playgrounds, basketball courts etc. so there is plenty to do.
In front of the public beach are the kiosks where I always get plates of rice & beans (arroz y habichuelas) and several bags of cocnut candy patties which I have just the worst addiction to. I'm too embarrassed to admit how many pounds I eat during my stay; it's pathetic... They also have many fried beef, fish, chicken, pork etc. items along with other popular local foods and the food is really inexpensive and SO good!
We always take at least one day trip to one of the tiny islands of the coast of Puerto Rico to either Culebra or Vieques. Culebra's big draw is the absolutely stunning Flamenco Beach http://culebra-island.com/CulebraIsland/Points_of_Interest/points_of_interest.htm . You can catch the ferry out of nearby Fajardo (about a 15 minute drive from Luquillo) for $4 round trip to either island. Vieques also has some very nice beaches but it's not the beaches but the biobay there that attracts people. In order to experience this truly amazing phenomenon, you must stay overnight on Vieques because the last ferry back to Fajardo departs before dark and the biobay experience takes place in the dark. You can check it out here:
http://www.biobay.com/
If you need a break from the sun, head over the the rainforest where you can take a hike to an icy cold waterfall (feels wonderful after hiking through the sticky rainforest!). Here is more information on the rain forest: http://www.elyunque.com/ There is also a gift shop in the base of the tower here where my boys enjoyed buying small leather wallets with Coquí frogs stamped into them. The Coqui is a small 'singing' tree tree frog found all over Puerto Rico.
In case you're wondering about safety, we have never felt "unsafe" anywhere in Puerto Rico. Most of the condominium buildings are gated and have 24 hour security. There is secured paid parking for the ferry with an attendant and although there are guard towers at the local strip mall, I've never seen a gaurd in or around them and no need for them either.
Speaking of shopping, you'll find all the normal chain restaurants and fast food that we're accustomed to at home. There are also super Walmarts and Sam's clubs, ToysRus, Sears, Gamestop (we always seem the need to buy more video games every vacation...), GAP, Children's Place and more. While we do shop at the local grocery stores, I've found that the super Walmart's carry more of the foods that we'd buy at home versus more local foods and higher priced "American" foods at the local grocery stores.
Since we rent a condo, we do our grocery shopping when we get there and make all of our meals which really cuts down on expenses. If we are going to be taking a road trip, we will pack a coolor (most condos do have one for you to use) with sandwiches, snacks and drinks to avoid a pricey fast food stop.
To save on luggage fees, check to see what the airlines allow you to take for free. Jet Blue still allows you one free bag per person while some will only allow a carry-on (please make sure you follow the size guidelines so you do not make enemies during the flight trying to cram your obviously oversized bag into a very small space, leaving no room for everyone else's bags that will fit while holding up the entire line with mom's like myself carrying two heavy bags along with a heavy, whining, squirming toddler! - sorry; rant over!). I hit up luggage clearances and bought a few nice, well made peices that fell within the airline guidelines size-wise so that we would only have to pay for one suitcase between 7 people. Everyone was allowed one carry-on and one small, personal item such as a purse etc. that will fit under your seat. Unfortunately, Spirit Airlines has now done away with the free carry-on item. You are still allowed one personal item that will fit under your seat but anything that you want to go in an overhead compartment must now be paid for. Since we have 7 people flying, we still get the 7 personal items which will inlcude my laptop, my camera bag, the diaper bag and then we still have four bags left to carry toys, video games and snacks.
Now that the traditional "complimetary drink" is a thing of the past, we make sure each person has an inexpensive, large water bottle (usually a leftover Gatorade bottle we buy in 6-packs for the trip to the airport). I also stock up on a variety of individual drink mix packets before the trip. Not only are they cheap and lightweight, but you can always fill them up as needed once you get through security at the airport. We keep a few spares packed in the bag that we fill right before we board the plane. Between the dryness of the cabin and the potential for getting delayed on the tarmac, it's a good idea to have extra to keep the kids well hydrated and happy. It also helps to have lots and lots of snacks. Please check TSA guidelines before you stock your snack bag since certain items are not allowed and will be tossed at security. I do like to bring crackers and cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheesesticks, granola bars, Italian rolls, sandwiches, Pringles (the can keeps chips from being crushed!), chewy candies for take-offs and landings and whatever special treats the boys have picked out. I think we travel with more food than I've ever seen anyone ever take on an airplane but plenty of video games, food and drink makes for a much happier flight for all involved and again, in case of longs delays where you might be stuck on the plane longer than expected, you won't go hungry!
If I have tempted you at all with a trip out of the cold, get to those search engines now and grab what flights are left and maybe I'll see you there!
Friday, December 17, 2010
My Very First Family Vacation and the Start of My Travel Obsession!
I was 19, had a 7 month-old baby and a husband in the navy deployed in Mediterranean for six months.
Fearing my son would forget who his father was, I haphazardly planned a trip for the two of us to meet up with his father who was going to be pulling into port in Marseille, France.
Armed with two PanAm tickets (right after the bombing of PanAm flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland...that sure made for a scary flight!), a very large and heavy suitcase, one large and clunky baby stroller and one chunky 7 month-old, off we went.
In hindsight, I guess it would have been a good idea to find accomodations and a better idea of how to get from point A (point A being Nice, France) and point B (Marseille) but this was 1989, long before home computers and internet. I knew that getting to Marseille would involve taking a train but didn't have any plans beyond that. Having never travelled anywhere significant and especially not ever with a baby, I was very ill-prepared. It never really crossed my mind that I might have difficulty managing all my luggage and baby by myself and never realized that I might have to lug these up flights of stairs and through the narrow doorways of the trains. Luckily, very kind strangers took pity on me and gave me a hand. I started to wonder what I had gotten myself into but I'd made it that far so I had to keep going!
Once I arrived via train in Marseille, I was once again helped with my luggage by a very kind business man from Texas and then a porter took over who flagged down a cab for me, took all my luggage for me (including my open bag with my wallet on top) and loaded it into the trunk of the cab even though I tried to tell him that I needed my wallet from the bag. That was the last time I ever saw that wallet and all the money I had to my name...
The Texas business man, probably realizing that I was in a bit over my head, had wisely instructed the cab driver to take me to the US consulate in Marseille. Thank goodness for his last act of kindness and wisdom before we parted ways because once I exited the cab and to my absolute horror, discovered that my wallet was gone, if I had been anywhere else and not able to speak any useful French, I (we) would have been in so, so much trouble.
Things became a bit crazy after that. I ended up in the consulate, calling home to have money wired to me, trying to figure out where to go, how to get there with no money and how to contact my husband who was still not off the ship yet.
I was put in touch with a naval officer and his wife and was taken to a nice, small hotel where they were staying. They made arrangements with the hotel manager for paying my bill later once I had the money wired to me and they also escorted me to the local police station so that I could report the theft. Things got really strange (although oddly exciting) at this point. The naval officer (I really wish I knew this kind man's name so I could properly thank him) sat out in the waiting room of the police station with my infant son, feeding him a bottle while I was escorted into the detectives private office on the ground floor of an old building. once the door was shut behind me, the detective had me take a seat and wrote down all the details of the theft. After we finished, I stood up and walked towards the door where the detective then stopped me and then to my complete dismay, wrapped his arms around me started kissing me, on the mouth, in front of an audience of street maintenace workers right outside the window who were cheering the detective on. He asked to see me that evening, he wanted to take me to dinner. I was in shock. I remember stammering on about being married and there to see my husband and then I walked out the door of his office, shaking and my legs feeling like Jello-O. The officer looked up and asked me what was wrong. After telling him what took place behind the closed doors, I was told that was common practice for French men. I have never been fond of the French men since then and have always taken pitty on their poor wives. I noticed the way they all looked at me during my stay; they seemed to be oblivious to the fact that their wives were sitting just inches away and the look on the wives faces made me very sad.
After that bit of excitement in the police station, I then had the priviledge of driving from Marseille to Nice in a tiny little French car with no car seat for my son, a ton of traffic and at what seemed to me to be very high speeds. My shrieks of fear seemed to humor the detective but he at least remained professional during our search for the train porter (who we found!). He was brought in for questioning and of course denied having any knowedge of the missing wallet. The cab driver was never found and it was thought that maybe the two of them were in cahoots. To this day, I cannot believe the great lengths this detective took to find the perpetrator. Maybe it was in hope of me taking him up on his offer of dinner, maybe they are just super dedicated to crime fighting there in Marseille; I'll never know but I appreciate the crazy memories he's left me with.
The next day, my parents wired money to me, my husband was able to get his hands on some emergency funds and get off the ship to meet us. Things were looking up and I could finally get to experience the more "normal" side of vacationing in a foreign country. I had my first experience with a bidet, I learned that the very hot water from the cappucino machine in the hotel was safe for mixing baby formula with but that you really needed to let it cool down priot to mixing it or it did very bad things to your bottles. I experienced having a beer at breakfast at the mall along with the best submarine type sandwich I had ever eaten. I wandered around Marseille soaking up all the sights, the incredible architecture, the seedier side of the city with vendors selling some sort of animal head (with sharp teeth) cooking in some sort of rotisserie. I distinctly remember watching them go around and around and every time this head turned upside down, the eyeballs would ooze out of the sockets. I was so absolutely disgusted. I could here dogs, many dogs barking incessantly in a nearby building. I learned from the vendor that these barking dogs were what I was watching go around and around on the rotisserie. My disgust made the vendor chuckle and made me move on to find something a little less exotic to eat.
Eventually, my husband had to return to the ship and my flight home wasn't for several more days. The naval officer who'd helped me out when I first arrived had to leave as well and his very sweet and wonderful wife offered to take me exploring a bit before my flight home. We boarded another train and made our way down the coast to Cannes. She had spent time in the area before and showed me the spot where Princess Grace died after crashing her car, she took us to the beach (which happened to be a nude beach) but the only one who was nude on that cold February day was my son during a quick diaper change! She took me into the most opulant buildings and restaurants I have ever seen and encouraged me to try new foods I never would have tried on my own. She was such an amazing woman and she will never know how very grateful I am for all that she and her husband did for me and how they contributed to the most interesting and special of all my vacation stories (and I've had quite a few!).
You'd think after all that had happened to me during that trip, including missing my connecting flight home,being awake for over 24 hours and sleep deprived, walking around muttering to myself with people staring at me like I was crazy and having to carry my son everywhere because his stroller was checked in baggage, that I'd never want to go anywhere (at least overseas) again. That happens to be far from the truth. That trip left me with such strong feelings of excitement and wonder and I am always seeking new ways to capture just a bit of that to share with my boys. That has led on some pretty intersting journies which I will share with you later. People are always amazed at the things we do with our boys and ask how we manage to do all these things that they'd be terrified to attempt and I'll retell the tale of my first trip and tell them that if I can survive that all alone with an infant, I can survive about anything and that I'll always find special memories to keep with me forever even if things don't go quite as planned.
Fearing my son would forget who his father was, I haphazardly planned a trip for the two of us to meet up with his father who was going to be pulling into port in Marseille, France.
Armed with two PanAm tickets (right after the bombing of PanAm flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland...that sure made for a scary flight!), a very large and heavy suitcase, one large and clunky baby stroller and one chunky 7 month-old, off we went.
In hindsight, I guess it would have been a good idea to find accomodations and a better idea of how to get from point A (point A being Nice, France) and point B (Marseille) but this was 1989, long before home computers and internet. I knew that getting to Marseille would involve taking a train but didn't have any plans beyond that. Having never travelled anywhere significant and especially not ever with a baby, I was very ill-prepared. It never really crossed my mind that I might have difficulty managing all my luggage and baby by myself and never realized that I might have to lug these up flights of stairs and through the narrow doorways of the trains. Luckily, very kind strangers took pity on me and gave me a hand. I started to wonder what I had gotten myself into but I'd made it that far so I had to keep going!
Once I arrived via train in Marseille, I was once again helped with my luggage by a very kind business man from Texas and then a porter took over who flagged down a cab for me, took all my luggage for me (including my open bag with my wallet on top) and loaded it into the trunk of the cab even though I tried to tell him that I needed my wallet from the bag. That was the last time I ever saw that wallet and all the money I had to my name...
The Texas business man, probably realizing that I was in a bit over my head, had wisely instructed the cab driver to take me to the US consulate in Marseille. Thank goodness for his last act of kindness and wisdom before we parted ways because once I exited the cab and to my absolute horror, discovered that my wallet was gone, if I had been anywhere else and not able to speak any useful French, I (we) would have been in so, so much trouble.
Things became a bit crazy after that. I ended up in the consulate, calling home to have money wired to me, trying to figure out where to go, how to get there with no money and how to contact my husband who was still not off the ship yet.
I was put in touch with a naval officer and his wife and was taken to a nice, small hotel where they were staying. They made arrangements with the hotel manager for paying my bill later once I had the money wired to me and they also escorted me to the local police station so that I could report the theft. Things got really strange (although oddly exciting) at this point. The naval officer (I really wish I knew this kind man's name so I could properly thank him) sat out in the waiting room of the police station with my infant son, feeding him a bottle while I was escorted into the detectives private office on the ground floor of an old building. once the door was shut behind me, the detective had me take a seat and wrote down all the details of the theft. After we finished, I stood up and walked towards the door where the detective then stopped me and then to my complete dismay, wrapped his arms around me started kissing me, on the mouth, in front of an audience of street maintenace workers right outside the window who were cheering the detective on. He asked to see me that evening, he wanted to take me to dinner. I was in shock. I remember stammering on about being married and there to see my husband and then I walked out the door of his office, shaking and my legs feeling like Jello-O. The officer looked up and asked me what was wrong. After telling him what took place behind the closed doors, I was told that was common practice for French men. I have never been fond of the French men since then and have always taken pitty on their poor wives. I noticed the way they all looked at me during my stay; they seemed to be oblivious to the fact that their wives were sitting just inches away and the look on the wives faces made me very sad.
After that bit of excitement in the police station, I then had the priviledge of driving from Marseille to Nice in a tiny little French car with no car seat for my son, a ton of traffic and at what seemed to me to be very high speeds. My shrieks of fear seemed to humor the detective but he at least remained professional during our search for the train porter (who we found!). He was brought in for questioning and of course denied having any knowedge of the missing wallet. The cab driver was never found and it was thought that maybe the two of them were in cahoots. To this day, I cannot believe the great lengths this detective took to find the perpetrator. Maybe it was in hope of me taking him up on his offer of dinner, maybe they are just super dedicated to crime fighting there in Marseille; I'll never know but I appreciate the crazy memories he's left me with.
The next day, my parents wired money to me, my husband was able to get his hands on some emergency funds and get off the ship to meet us. Things were looking up and I could finally get to experience the more "normal" side of vacationing in a foreign country. I had my first experience with a bidet, I learned that the very hot water from the cappucino machine in the hotel was safe for mixing baby formula with but that you really needed to let it cool down priot to mixing it or it did very bad things to your bottles. I experienced having a beer at breakfast at the mall along with the best submarine type sandwich I had ever eaten. I wandered around Marseille soaking up all the sights, the incredible architecture, the seedier side of the city with vendors selling some sort of animal head (with sharp teeth) cooking in some sort of rotisserie. I distinctly remember watching them go around and around and every time this head turned upside down, the eyeballs would ooze out of the sockets. I was so absolutely disgusted. I could here dogs, many dogs barking incessantly in a nearby building. I learned from the vendor that these barking dogs were what I was watching go around and around on the rotisserie. My disgust made the vendor chuckle and made me move on to find something a little less exotic to eat.
Eventually, my husband had to return to the ship and my flight home wasn't for several more days. The naval officer who'd helped me out when I first arrived had to leave as well and his very sweet and wonderful wife offered to take me exploring a bit before my flight home. We boarded another train and made our way down the coast to Cannes. She had spent time in the area before and showed me the spot where Princess Grace died after crashing her car, she took us to the beach (which happened to be a nude beach) but the only one who was nude on that cold February day was my son during a quick diaper change! She took me into the most opulant buildings and restaurants I have ever seen and encouraged me to try new foods I never would have tried on my own. She was such an amazing woman and she will never know how very grateful I am for all that she and her husband did for me and how they contributed to the most interesting and special of all my vacation stories (and I've had quite a few!).
You'd think after all that had happened to me during that trip, including missing my connecting flight home,being awake for over 24 hours and sleep deprived, walking around muttering to myself with people staring at me like I was crazy and having to carry my son everywhere because his stroller was checked in baggage, that I'd never want to go anywhere (at least overseas) again. That happens to be far from the truth. That trip left me with such strong feelings of excitement and wonder and I am always seeking new ways to capture just a bit of that to share with my boys. That has led on some pretty intersting journies which I will share with you later. People are always amazed at the things we do with our boys and ask how we manage to do all these things that they'd be terrified to attempt and I'll retell the tale of my first trip and tell them that if I can survive that all alone with an infant, I can survive about anything and that I'll always find special memories to keep with me forever even if things don't go quite as planned.
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