Travelling with kids Tips and tricks for a stress-free trip
MARCHELLE ABRAHAMS
A SUNNY spot to read my book, that's all I crave when going on holiday. Do I ever get the chance to sweep my fingers through the overused, brittle pages? Nope, but it's a fantasy that I hold dear. It's a whole different story for my kids. When planning a trip, their requirements rival that of a pop group's tour rider. And sometimes I think my eldest places these outrageous demands on me just to get a kick out of my reaction. No, dear son you cannot get 24 hour butler access and a PS5 in your room, and no, the pool does not come heated. As soon as the planning starts, so do the questions. Is there internet access? What about a pool? Can we take the pets? As a parent, I’ve learnt to carefully sift through the craziness until we have a complete wishlist
of what my children's great expectations are. But sometimes even the best laid plans get shot to a glorious piece of turd. I get reminded of this exactly an hour into our holidays when we're on the road and I turn the music up to drown out the protestations and shouts of “how long still?” and “I need to use the bathroom”. So for the sake of keeping your sanity, I've outlined some tips to keep in mind when embarking on the great South African family holiday. Start at 1 Before you start planning, get the family together and ask each one what their requirements are. Most kids will say wi-fi access and a water source. Once you have your wishlist together, then you'll have some sort of idea of where you're heading. Self-catering or hotel? If you're a family larger than four, then it would probably be easier on your pocket to go the self
catering route. Most resorts and self-catering establishments offer special rates if you book during the week. It also works in your favour because you'll practically have the place to yourself after missing the weekend hordes. Some hotels are now doing specials where kids under 12 stay for free. Just make sure you read the T&Cs carefully before confirming your bookings to avoid a nasty hotel bill afterwards. Safety first Our infection numbers may be down but that doesn't mean that Covid isn't around. When travelling with a family, you need to be extra cautious, so find out what the establishment's Covid policies are. For instance, do they deep clean after every room check out? Are there sanitising stations in the room/unit? What is the establishment’s mask-wearing policy and do guests abide by it? Road trip preparation
