Touchdown Lanzarote with a toddler
A 5am start (and horribly broken night). An overtired toddler who swung between sitting colouring quietly in her seat, refusing to nap and being a tiny menace. But when we landed in Lanzarote to blue skies, sun, lunch on the terrace and 45 minutes relaxing with my book and a glass of something cold, staring out across the sea to Fuerteventura, it all felt worth it.
And struggling with overstuffed suitcase, huge hand luggage and buggy, my contention that people are basically nice and helpful got reinforced.
So thank you to the Maple Manor car parking employee who insisted on not only showing me the way to the Sofitel at Gatwick’s North Terminal but took my bags too. And to the lady on queue control at easyJet who ushered me to speedy boarding. And the two lovely Scots who carried my bag on and off the plane.
My trip is off to a tired but happy start.
Sun, sea and starting to relax…. Lanzarote with a toddler
It’s impressive how fast the days seem to go by when you’re not doing much. Or at least, not doing much by my usual travel standards.
For Minnie, today was a whirl of activity. From the chocolate milk and free biscuits she charmed out of three separate waiters (along with a variety of high fives) to the excitement of paddling in the sea and another dip in the pool, plus lunch by the marina, it’s been fun but knackering – with only a half hour nap to sustain her.
That did mean I snatched half an hour in the sun myself. And while I’m plotting some potential excursions, it’s been great sharing so much more with her than previous trips as a baby.
Paddling hand in hand and squeaking with delighted horror when one unexpectedly big wave splashed us both, before having such a good time swimming at the villa, she resolutely denied she was cold, even when her teeth started to chatter.
Tomorrow may involve parrots so I fully expect inordinate excitement again. Can’t wait!
Why Spain is great for a holiday with kids
It’s fascinating to see the different attitudes to children in the countries we’ve visited so far. There’s the very egalitarian Denmark, Paris with its unexpected soft spot (behind the well-behaved formality), the efficient affection of the USA and the laid-back fondness of the Caribbean.
But Spain is easily one of the easiest destinations for families, with that Mediterranean love of kids extending to the coast of Africa and the Canary Islands.
I was planning to write five reasons Spain is perfect for a family holiday but it boils down to this.
They love kids. They really love kids. Witness today’s ice cream purchases.
Three cones, three flavours, two for adults, one for Minnie… which was approximately twice the size of mine.
And so big she promptly dropped it (salvage operations ensured no tears).
Or the lovely tapas bar in Playa Blanca where she was the centre of attention, had a salad brought out in a mini size especially for her and got a biscuit treat to take home.
Admittedly that was swiped and hidden before she spotted it (along with the third free biscuit from the waiters at another cafe. I let her have the first two).
Having taught her to say ‘hola’ is the finishing touch to ensure a constant string of ‘que linda’ and ‘que guapa’. I’m even planning to take her to a vineyard tomorrow – something that I doubt I’d consider in the UK.
I firmly believe that far more travel is child-friendly than it might seem, especially when you put your mind to it. But it’s even better when you needn’t put any effort in at all.
Viva Espana!
Holiday by numbers
At breakfast time today, I was sitting on a terrace eating croissants with a view of the sea. Now I’m home with a huge suitcase of washing, a light tan and mildly puffy ankles.
This has been the kind of holiday I haven’t taken for years – since I was a child, I suspect. Where the main activities were swimming and paddling, eating ice creams, walking along the seafront and a brief visit to a market.
I even got to read a book! I can’t quite decide if it was a perfect relaxing getaway or if I should have been out exploring (even if I’ve done that pretty thoroughly on previous visits). I think for Minnie it was definitely the former – and there’ll be the inevitable travel lessons learned as a result.
So what did we do? 8 days. 4 ice creams (her). 3 lunches out. 3 paddles in the sea. 2 playgrounds visited. 2 parrots spotted. 1 carved wooden souvenir. 5 blissful nap-times to relax and read (me). 6 decent nights’ sleep. 27 (approx) fluffy animals cuddled and rearranged in one airport shop. 0 purchased.
I lost count of the glasses of wine, slices of cheese and seafood guzzled, hats blown off and dips in the pool. And the number of smiles and giggles from my lovely girl.
As she said, when allowed a ‘green’ ice cream (aka mint choc chip), ‘I’m sooooooo lucky’. Out of the mouths of babes…
For more places to eat with kids in Playa Blanca, check out this post on a few of the best, or for more ideas of things to do with kids in Lanzarote, here is my top 10.
Images copyright MummyTravels
LIKED THIS? SIGN UP FOR MY EMAIL NEWSLETTER