Let The Bug Bite!

I mean the travel bug – and hope no bed bugs find you!

I’m writing this post from our second stop on a ten-day long trip to Spain. But with an almost six-year-old and a bun in the oven, it is no ‘Zindagi na milegi dobara’ here. We are travelling with what we call ‘no expectations’. So there is no pressure, no itinerary and literally no agenda other than to relax and errrr, take it easy!

So what’s the big deal about it? The big deal (at least from my perspective) is that I agreed to travel at all. Given my somewhat burgeoning self and under confidence in spending long hours on flights, I was really reluctant to travel this year. Added to that was the fact that I was down with a nasty viral infection just until a few days before we flew. The only motivation I had to travel was the realisation that over the next one year or more I will possibly be housebound! And then of course – a promise had been made to kidlet – and we do try to keep our promises to the little one.

So here we are then, half way through our trip and I am glad we came (touch chunks of wood for the remaining few days!). Every day that passes has untied one knot after the other in my otherwise stressed out brain. I’ve somehow managed to drift away from the everyday cares and each morning that comes I look out of the window, breathe in the air and be grateful for the sky!

The kidlet is also having fun – learning new words, trying out new things to eat (churros, paella, jamon…) and indulging in her favourite sport of routing out maps! She’s allowed to watch TV too – but with limited programmes available in English – that’s an auto restriction. I would’ve loved to say that she’s busy getting an education through this trip – but I’d be lying – though I know for sure that she is getting an experience which will only enrich her whichever way we go.

I will not indulge(bore?) you with details of the preparations and precautions that one has to take while travelling with kids. I’m sure google can be better help to you than me in that. But I can tell you this: be cautious but not worried, plan but don’t overplan, drink lots of water but don’t overindulge on the food and go forth and enjoy!

Nidhi Dorairaj Bruce is a Freelance writer from Mumbai who also manages a parenting website : thechildrensdaily.net . With no formal education in Parenting, she has been getting on-the-job training ever since her daughter, affectionately referred to as ‘the kidlet’, arrived on the scene 5 years ago. You can connect with Nidhi @typewritermom , nidhibruce.com