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| Some of the children and Simon at Breakspear Crematorian, Ruislip. |
Having taken my large family away now for over 20 years, I have concluded that you do not have a break in the conventional sense of the word, but rather a break from the normal routines, all the daily hassle, the activities and work and rather have a time together. In this sense it is a break.
Saying this, taking 19 month old twins to London can hardly be considered restful!
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| The children and Simon |
We started our time away with the usual four hour plus car journey to London. The children were all very good and the babies slept. we did it all in one go and arrived at Breakspear Crematorian Ruislip, with nearly an hour and a half before they closed.
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| My family tree |
My father, brother and mother's ashes are all scattered here, so I love to visit once a year on her birthday.It is the only chance I get. We made little decorations to hang on my family tree. The children see this as very important and the three eldest who could not come due to other commitments were upset not to visit there grandmother here.
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| Watching the embankment entertainment |
The first night we stayed in a Travel Lodge on the M4,which was surprisingly quiet and as it was right next to the motorway services meant I could take the older ones for a coffee in Costa whilst the younger ones slept. It is often hard when staying over night to know what to do with the older ones as the age spread is now much larger and when you are all stuck in just two rooms it's rather limiting!
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| Us on a bridge over the Thames |
The downside of the cheap travel lodge deal we got was you can only stay in one place for one night so it meant packing up all our things the following morning and moving onto the next place. Once parked we bought day cards up to London. We had a lovely day walking from Waterloo Station along the embankment and over the footbridge to Covent Garden where we looked at shops and ate lunch.
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| Martha, Bella and Anya standing by the world's tallest man |
We then walked through Leicester Square to Piccadilly and up Regent Street where Simon walked right past the former England football manager, Fabio Cappella! The teens loved all the shops in Regent Street and Oxford Street so we left them there and walked the younger ones to Selfridges to see the Christmas displays in the windows.
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| Christmas magic |
By this time it was cold and wet too! I walked past another celebrity and her baby too! Mair and Jono loved the lights and all the displays. I can vividly remember my father taking me up by train each year to see the displays so I really wanted to take my own children as well. We then headed back by bus (we were not allowed on two because the buggy places had been taken!!) to Waterloo and then to the travel lodge. We fed the little ones happy meals on the train as it was very late and once settled headed out for take away food for the eldest ones. A long day and late night!
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| Mair and Daddy getting wet! |
After a hot breakfast (children go free!) we packed up again and drove to Thorpe Park where we deposited the eldest children for the day. With the youngest ones we drove a further half an hour to Legoland. What a drive through Virginia Water and Suningdale! I have never ever seen so many gated mansions one after another in my life!
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| Jono |
Mair , Jono and the twins had a fantastic day in legoland. It is a wonderful place with so much to do and to see! We did not leave until 7pm. By this time we were all exhausted, and then had to drive back to Thorpe Park to collect the equally exhausted eldest three. The drive to Pizza Express in Kingston was remarkably quiet as everyone was asleep! the meal at Pizza Express was also very quiet as everyone was exhausted! It was quite a pleasant change!
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| Jono, Mair and Anya enjoying the sea life from a pod! |
We all stumbled into bed in Tolworth Travel Lodge far too late and all slept till nearly 9 am! I always find it strange staying in Tolworth Travel Lodge as it used to be the M.O.D offices my mother worked in and I visited regularly! My father also worked there as well. There is a strange comfort coming back to visit.
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| Caleb not loving the wind |
After another hearty breakfast (eat all you want kids!!!) we drove around Tolworth where I spent my childhood and past my old family home, before heading to Richmond Park for a wander before the rain set in. I always loved Richmond Park as a child and teenager and have so any happy memories there it is always great to come back and visit.
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| Jono building a den |
The children loved watching all the deer close up, making dens and generally running around, as well as having a snoop at The Royal Ballet School which is house in The White Lodge in the middle of the park. After a hot drink we headed into Kingston for a bit of Christmas shopping before the long drive home.
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| Mair, Jono and Anya in Richmond Park |
It was a great time, very busy and packed to the brim as always.We made the most of both the Travel Lodge Autumn deals and our Tesco Vouchers to have meals and free admittance to places. If you are careful to watch out for these deals and collect vouchers you can do this relatively cheaply as we have found.
A break?
Well yes it was.Great to be away with the children and spend time with them without all the other everyday distractions.
What a fantastic family trip! We are looking forward to being able to travel about with all our brood one day soon. We used to go camping as a family, but haven't been able to for such a long time!
ReplyDeleteThis post has reminded me how much we have missed out on, by not making it a priority to have family time, even though it is always hard work, lol!
I still feel like I've had a break from being in the humdrum of normal activity, so it's definitely worth it!