As holiday mode approaches again, I keep coming back to one quiet shift that has changed how travel feels for me, now that I have a permanent +1, and sometimes a +2!
It’s this: Just expect that some things will go wrong.
The point of travel is that the highs can be high. But with family travel, the lows can be quietly persistent too. A few things will always go sideways. A delayed flight. An airport change. A plan that doesn’t quite land. It’s not a disaster. It’s just travel.
Some of my favourite trips with Kaydes have looked perfect on paper. And parts of them were. Watching her press her face to the aeroplane window. Long hotel pool afternoons that stretch on longer than planned. Sharing something simple to eat while sitting somewhere new. So many times I’ve thought, this is what it’s all about. I wrote more about one of those days here about our Banff tour – a wonderful travel memory!
But at the same time, not everything is idyllic. There are overtired spirals. Strong opinions about “too tight” pants and very specific snacks. Moments where I’m carrying the bags, the plan, and the emotional weight of the day all at once. Plans that quietly fall apart. Nights where I don’t sleep much, while reworking itineraries in the dark.
When Mum joins us, it adds another layer in the best way. There’s more support, which makes a real difference, and a shared sense of being in it together. I notice the small moments more in those times. Three generations, side by side, figuring it out as we go.
The truth is, parts of the trip are frustrating, and parts are genuinely magic. Both things can be true.
I’m learning to stop expecting everything to run smoothly, and to stop feeling thrown when it doesn’t. To adjust more quickly, to let things go, and to not try to rescue every moment or force it to be something it’s not.
Because in the end, it’s never the perfect parts I remember most. It’s when Kaydes is asleep against me on a plane. The two of us sharing something simple on a beach or a bench somewhere unfamiliar. The quiet feeling of, we’re doing this!
I’d genuinely love to know: what’s something that’s gone wrong on during family travel that you still think about or laugh about now? Or a moment that made it all worth it, even after a hard day?
Lore & Tempo is where motherhood meets adventure. I’m Ren – storyteller, explorer, and single mum in Wellington, New Zealand. I’ve been lucky enough to wander through 45 countries. 15 of them with my +1, Kaydes, either strapped to my front, on my hip, or running ahead on her own adventures. I created this space to share single parent life, travel tips, and the joy of exploring the world.
I completely love this !! So real and heart felt reality..you two are in collaboration in writing the very human story of travelling! This is travel writing of 3 generations! Can you think of a way you can reach more people? This is fabulous as a reader and concept