Putting a little forethought into the planning of your annual break will be advantageous when there are others to consider besides yourself.
- Summer Holidayesther** / Beach Photos / CC BY-NC-SA
Step 1 – Baby steps
Perhaps the days of rushing off into the blue yonder on a whim have come and gone and you now have a gorgeous young family under your roof. It’s time to put pen to paper; involve the younger members if they are of an age where their input is relevant and, of course, discuss the wish list with your ‘better half’ before signing up for that all important holiday.
Step 2 – amenities to suit
If your children are toddler-age and younger, look around for accommodation that has an in-house nursery as this will give mums and dads the much-needed quality time together at daily intervals. Some hotels may provide a baby-sitting service in the evening which is really useful when a romantic dinner is on the cards. It is in your best interests to research the quality of crèche care that the hotel provides and ensure that they only recruit professional people for this special job.
Indoor swimming pools, games rooms and children’s’ clubs will occupy the older age-group and teenagers will enjoy a hotel with age-specific activities such as scuba-diving courses and art and craft days. Social events such as discos are important for making friends as are karaoke evenings.
Spa facilities are wonderful for those times when the children are not under-foot and a range of ball sport facilities such as badminton, squash and tennis, whether in or out of doors, really help to eliminate the stresses of the working year. Themed evenings are fun times and a sunset cruise will put work its magic on tired parents.
It is important to save some time to bond together as a family unit, however, without all the distractions of the normal frenzy of day to day routines. The best possible summer holiday is one where the family as a whole return home refreshed and ready for the next half of the year.
Step 3 – let’s get serious
Whichever route you decide to go, it is advisable to check the booking is ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s Licence) protected. From October of 2012, any ATOL holiday bookings should be accompanied by a certificate, even if there has only been a deposit paid. There are 3 kinds issued, depending on the type of booking made:
– Flight inclusive package – if you opt for all inclusive
– Flight-Plus sale
– ATOL protected Flight-Only
Step 4 – Ready, steady, go!
It is now time to check that all the passports have the correct visas if necessary and that you have the relevant travel and medical insurance in place. Make a list of what needs to be arranged whilst away such as cancelling standing deliveries, check the home insurance is up to date, give contact details of your destination to family and friends and ensure any pets are taken care of in your absence.
Step 5 – Respect local knowledge
Upon arriving at your destination, take an hour or two to orientate yourself and your family. Listen to the local staff and always, always’ look before you leap’.
I speak from experience when I say this as my husband and I took our two young daughters to a remote African island one Christmas. You would think that having lived all our lives in this part of the world, we would have known better. However, it had been a long, hot and dusty journey to our little shack on the most beautiful beach you have ever seen. We were still putting our luggage away when we turned around at the sound of raised voices. The girls had made a beeline for the calm blue waters and were splashing around having a lot of fun. The problem occurred when they decided to get out and see what was taking their parents such a long time to join them. The sandy shelf just off the edge of the beach was ringed with poisonous sea urchins and as the little ones swam to shore, they were stung all over their bodies; it was really painful for them.
Fortunately for us, some fishermen were taking in the scene and immediately grabbed a few green papayas off the trees; the sap of this fruit, mixed in with a little paraffin, seemed to dissolve the spines of the urchins that were embedded in the girls’ arms and legs. Gradually the pain lessened and within a couple of hours they were ready to carry on with their explorations.
