In transit to our first family holiday to St Lucia – Big Sis was 21 months old, and I was five months pregnant with Lil Sis.
When I was a no-strings-attached traveller I hated over planning. To me, half the adventure was not really knowing what each day was going to hold, or what I’d end up doing.
Some of my favourite memories have come from unexpected adventures: stumbling across an outdoor opera in Rome, jumping aboard a coach trip to Montenegro, cavorting in an Italian fountain until being ordered out by submachine gun-toting carabinieri *ahem*.
But since having children, life has become all about simplicity. Kids are complicated enough on their own, without throwing convoluted travel plans into the mix.
Then there’s the cost: when you’re on your own you can travel on a shoestring, but trying telling young kids they can’t have an ice-cream, or that dinner is a can of baked beans because you blew the budget in an underground Czech jazz bar the night before. Not. A. Chance.
My normal life is non-stop, when I’m on holiday I want to slow down and kick back. Frankly, I can’t be bothered finding entertainment, or wandering around looking for food, dragging two whining kids (and one increasingly grumpy other half) behind me.
These days I want to know where I’m going, where all the amenities are, and how much it’s all going to cost me. I just want it to be easy. Which is why I’m finding the idea of all-inclusive holidays more and more appealing.
Many travel companies offer this style of holiday; you’re given a price, you make the booking, and it’s sorted. Everything. Airfares, transfers, luggage allowance, accommodation, three meals a day (most resorts have a choice of buffets, a la carte restaurants, and extras like beach barbecues and afternoon teas), and a selection of drinks. Some packages even include gym classes, and waterpark access.
With everything at your fingertips, you needn’t even set foot outside of the resort if you don’t want to. Which – as most parents of young children will agree – is a strangely reassuring thought. Plus, there are no nasty surprises on your bill at the end of your stay (like the £100 phone bill I received after calling OH from Florida, and losing track of time).
See? So easy.
We absolutely loved all inclusive at Beaches Resorts recently, made life so easy for us all and the food was amazing x
Imagine my joy when I booked an all inclusive only to find out a few weeks before flying that I was (very happily) pregnant with our first baby. Hubby LOVED the free bar, I drank lots of water and fresh orange yay me!! I would definitely do all-inclusive again though.