For our daughter’s first birthday, my husband and I flew to Malaga, Spain, with our almost-1-year-old, my mother, my dad, my mother-in-law, and two household associates. We have been a gaggle of eight, all traveling together and sharing a four-bedroom, three-bathroom Airbnb for every week of sightseeing and celebrating.
As a journey blogger, I had an entire itinerary mapped out for us with day trips deliberate and eating places saved on Google Maps. In between sightseeing, we might spend a lot of time catching up with our members of the family and celebrating our daughter’s first birthday.
Whereas all of us had a good time, the journey did not look something like I believed it might.
We needed to fully overhaul my unique journey itinerary
The unique itinerary I had deliberate for our week in Malaga, Spain, included day journeys to Córdoba and Granada, plus visits to 2 or three native sights every day. However we rapidly realized we would want to pivot.
By that time, my husband, daughter, and I have been already 4 months right into a six-month trip traveling through Europe. We discovered {that a} slower tempo of journey — the place we might spend time again on the Airbnb taking part in and napping — suited our household finest.
Courtesy of Riana Ang-Canning
So, a couple of weeks earlier than the journey, I let the group know that we would want to decelerate the unique itinerary. We minimize the day journeys, scrapped artwork museums, and targeted on doing only one or two issues every day as an alternative of three or extra.
We did not anticipate everybody else to journey at a toddler’s tempo, however we knew for the three of us, that was the proper name.
Lacking out on sightseeing and household time led to disappointment
It was onerous to let go of the itinerary I had deliberate and sit again at our Airbnb, realizing so many unbelievable locations have been proper outdoors our door. I do not know once we’ll return to Spain, so it actually felt like we have been lacking out.
My husband and I regarded on, slightly bit jealous, as others from our group went out to rooftop drinks or to tour the bull ring, whereas we stayed again to oversee naptime.
Courtesy of Riana Ang-Canning
Whereas we wished our dad and mom to enjoy their vacation, we additionally assumed the precedence can be to spend time with their granddaughter, for the reason that whole journey was in honor of her birthday.
Our dad and mom hadn’t seen our daughter or us in lots of months since we might been touring. So we have been shocked and slightly bit disillusioned at any time when it felt like sightseeing took priority over household time.
The birthday journey was nonetheless so value it
Regardless of slowing down the itinerary and readjusting our expectations, we nonetheless loved an exquisite week in Spain with our household.
We made time to go on a historic strolling tour, climb as much as the Alcazaba, go to the seashore, stroll by means of the Picasso Museum, and watch a flamenco present. One evening, my husband and I even went out for late-night drinks whereas the grandparents babysat.
Courtesy of Riana Ang-Canning
And again on the Airbnb, all of us might hang around collectively. Our bed room was a bit small, however the lounge was spacious with sufficient couches and chairs for everybody. Our daughter cherished having a lot of individuals to play with, and I cherished our group meals on the large eating desk.
Plus, we loved so many scrumptious meals at native eating places. Paella, tapas, and churros have been large hits with our whole group, even our freshly minted one-year-old.
Regardless that household time regarded totally different from what we thought it might, we nonetheless received to make so many lovely reminiscences with our family members. Having breakfast collectively at our Airbnb every morning, singing “Comfortable Birthday” to our daughter round a Basque cheesecake, and taking part in video games of peekaboo and tag across the sofa are all moments I’ll cherish.
Now the one query is: How can we prime it for our daughter’s second birthday?
