I need a holiday!
We all say that at some point in life, don't we?
My husband Mark loves to travel.
Before we got together he had already travelled half the world, and I feel like I've travelled the other half since marrying him.
I'm so privileged to have been able to travel around a lot of England and Wales - I love the UK and would quite happily take all of my holiday exploring villages, coastlines and cities...but having kids hasn't stopped Mark wanting to explore what our stunning, God-created world has to offer.
My maternity leave has just come to an end.
Mark and I thought it would be great to make the most of my final days at home and take the boys on holiday - not least because school holiday prices are horrendous!
Our next decision: Where do we go?
Mark is an adventurous man, so said:
Argentina! The boys will love it, and we can get a camper van!
We actually spent some time travelling around New Zealand in a camper van on my last maternity leave.
As much fun as I am sure that would have been, I declined.
Two boys under three in a confined camper van exploring a country where we don't speak the language? Thanks, but no thanks!
We went to Dubai with both boys in February and had a great time.
Hot weather, city, beach ticked all the boxes for us.
So we decided to go to Miami, Florida.
The flight was almost 9 hours each way with a 5 hour time difference to the UK.
Jet lag + sleepless nights + long-distance travelling + toddlers might not be everyone's idea of fun!
We spent two days in Orlando visiting Disney parks, which isn't very long. Most people go for at least two weeks and visit all the parks. Both were great, and Levi fulfilled his dream of meeting Buzz Lightyear!
Zachary was none the wiser, but he's mastered the art of crawling, so it's a good job we didn't go with the camper van idea!
We then spent a week on the beach in Miami.
Sand, sun, swimming pools, ice creams, cocktails...bliss!
But Mark and I couldn't sit still for a whole week, so we did a few road trips, one of which involved seeing wild alligators!
We all had a great time and were glad to spend some quality family time together.
So, here you go. My five things for you to take away.
- Travel
Explore the world, the country, or even just the town you live in! Walk a different way home from the station - you may find a hidden gem in your local area you never knew was there. - Do "Your Thing"
Mark would say: "Travelling is my thing"! What is your thing? Do it and enjoy it! - Create memories
Be around the ones you love - family and friends - and share life together. Take photos to look back on when you're older. - Be thankful
I'm so grateful for my privileged life. I need to remember to thank Jesus more for what he has blessed me with - a good job, money and the chance to go on holiday. - Love being local!
Enjoy your surroundings, the people around you and what Ealing has to offer.
