From the Other Side of the Pond

I'm blessed that Bob's job gives us the opportunity to travel abroad. As a young adult, many years ago, I wouldn't have thought I would be able to do this. The usual mode of travel as I was growing up was the family station wagon, plastered with stickers from all the states we had visited going across the country. Think National Lampoon's Family Vacation with Chevy Chase. We didn't stay in Hiltons, but rather Motel 6 or Howard Johnsons. If we weren't in a motel, we would be camping in our huge family tent. There were six of us and sometimes a friend or two. Was it fun? Oh yes! Loved it, but hated the unpacking when we got home. Worst part of the trip.
I didn't take my first plane trip until I was a teenager. I went with one of my brothers to visit a great aunt in Chicago. Then I didn't fly again until I was in college. My children, however, started flying when they were about 4 months old. It's what we did because the grandparents were so far away. All my children have been abroad now. They had passports as teenagers. So different from my youth. They've been to Mexico (though that's not really abroad!), Holland, Greece, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, Belgium, and now the UK.
Pam, John and Becca accompanied Bob and I to London over spring break. Bob and I have always wanted to travel abroad with the "kids." Ideally we wanted Steve and Mish to come along, but new job situations didn't allow this trip. We told them they are next in line!
We had a great time. London in March is cold and rainy, but we didn't let the occasional drizzle ruin our trip. Apparently a lot of other people felt the same way. London was very crowded. More so than when Bob and I were there last June. We moved around a bit. Stayed in London two nights, then in a B & B outside of London for two nights, then back to London. The kids got a taste of riding the "tubes" and hopping buses all over the city. Poor Bob had to work most of the time. I suppose someone has to pay for the trip! But we enjoyed spending what time we did have with them, eating great food, seeing some wonderful sights and just being together in a new and different environment. John now has a taste for English Breakfast tea. I'm not sure he liked the fish and chips as much. The fish is whole and not skinless. Becca would have shopped till she dropped if her credit card (and me) would have let her. Pam would have stayed in the museums all day if her family had her stamina! But we had a great time and I am looking forward to more trips in the future. It was amazing that John, Becca and I all had the same spring break. What a blessing.