There is no doubt about it, the machinations of travel suck. And there is only one thing worse about the travel details of leaving for a destination. Coming back home.
Delayed an hour out of Cozumel, we arrived back in Toronto at 3:30am this morning and arrived home by 4am. Hudson, ever the trooper, managed okay. But Tazzy, still with a hint of toddler sluicing through his rugby body, was a bit wet noodle like trying to get him off the plane, through customs, to the luggage area and finally into a cab to get home.
There, I am done complaining.
We had a great time. Here is tanned proof!
Without all the gory and paradisical details, I will just say that all inclusive vacations are a different vacation animal than our family is used to. The resort itself was beautiful, more of a sprawled out village of one and two story hotel rooms than other resorts that are like five story condos on a beach. The food was as mediocre as we expected and even though we encouraged the boys to try and sample some of the local cultural mystery dishes and stews, pizza and burgers were still the items of choice. Steph and I were a bit more adventurous, a little dabble of peppers and onions here, another dabble of local seafood there, but however abundant, this part of the vacation was not high on our priority list.
Although the beachside paella was pretty tasty.
Our priorities were obviously time away with our two boys. And while we had some really fantastic moments, including an accidentally private snorkeling tour that included a manta ray and eel spotting, an odd thing happened on this trip.
Our boys tried to get away from us.
We have done one other all inclusive, the previously written about Jamaica two years ago. During that week, the boys relied on us for every possible moment of entertainment, leaving us with the stereotypical complaint of needed a vacation after your vacation. This time, after a single day of finding their bearings, they began seeking out other kids to play with and before too long, a marauding gang of five to 10 year olds were taking over the resort.
Hud and one of his many one week friends.
They played in the pool, the snorkeled off the pier, they ordered virgin pina coladas, they joined the kids’ club, they performed dance numbers, they even did morning aerobic together.
And where did this leave Steph and I? Reading and drinking and tanning and talking to the other parents. Le sigh. Quelle drag.
Yes it was nice, but it was also a little bit sad. Vacation time is pretty precious and when they woke up and demanded we eat breakfast quickly so they could find their new friends, we picked at our custom made omelette a little more crestfallenly.
Although looking at this all week was pretty awesome.
How about you? Do you like a little alone time on family vacations or do you want your kids right by your side at all times?
Okay, I have never had this experience!! My Kids are 12 and 14 and they have never stepped foot in a kids club…..Either I have done something very wrong…or I am such an incredible mother, they do not want to leave me :::))) Enjoy the time you have on your own, they sound like great independent kids!!
I totally hear you, Jason! I am used to this now but the first time this happened I took my daughter away just the two of us to Beaches in Turks and Caicos. I imagined us building sand castles, lunching together beach side and splashing in the pool. None of it happened. She was 6 and spent every minute she could at the kids’ club. I would try and pick her up to have a mom/daughter lunch and she would BEG to stay. I enjoyed the time on my own but was a bit sad about her lack of need for me (or even desire to be with me!).
However, I get it. It is their vacation too. And now I make sure that we plan accordingly and make sure there are great kids’ clubs and activities so they get to have their fun too.
Hey!
Not the Club Med – the Iberostar at the tip of Cozumel.
Hi!
Did you go to Club Med? If so, we had the exact same experience 2 weeks ago!