Vacation…. Is it really?

You know that feeling you get when you have been busting your tail for such a long stretch without a break?  You are drained.  Exhausted.  Beaten.  Then – you remember that it’s only a couple of weeks before you say “LATER” to your corporate cage and head off for a weeklong vacation.  Ahhh yeah…. Some rest and relaxation.  Some food and beverage!!!!

Now – slap yourself out of that dream world and get aligned with the reality of what vacation really means.  Well, vacation when you’re a parent and it’s a FAMILY VACATION!!!!

All things change at this point.  The preparation for the vacation doesn’t include throwing things in a suitcase and knowing you can just but it when you are there if you forget something.   There is no rushing out the door on a whim with visions of beaches and Coronas.  Nope.  There is planning.  There is packing.  There is double and triple checking.  With kids in the mix… you have to make sure they have their clothes, jammies, toothbrushes, crap to entertain them on the plane, a change of clothes just in case of catastrophe and then check it all again.  This usually takes up to two days.   Mom and Dad… yeah, we were packed in 30 minutes.

So the day of travel arrives and I lug four suitcases into the car, hoping like hell the balancing act worked out so that they are all under 50 lbs.  We arrive at the airport, park and shuttle to the terminal.  Tickets and bags are checked and we’re sensing a slight bit of relief that step one has been successfully completed.  The plane ride goes off just fine as on Frontier you can swipe your credit card and for $6 a screen, the kids don’t have to miss Spongebob just yet.  Arrival to our vacation destination, taxi to the hotel and unpack.  Whew… step two complete!

Okay, now that we’re there in the land of holiday, I quickly realize that my wallet might as well just remain open for the remaining steps of this trip.   I first have to pay the street performer who snuck my little man a frickin’ balloon that looks like a sword.  Soon after the street performer, I hear “we’re hungry”.  Okay, so some chow doesn’t sound so bad…..  a quick lunch and $75 later, we back on the path of dodging the street performers.   By this time, the kids are ready for some entertainment.  Rather than rambling on about all the various fun that was had, I will summarize with 4D movie thing (three times), arcade, more food, another sneaky street performer with cool painting things, Bay tour, Alcatraz with necessary souvenirs, Giants game (okay, so that one might be my fault), Chinatown and souvenirs, more food, bungee jumpy thingy, cotton candy, movie at the hotel, aquarium with souvenirs, small street shops for souvenirs, Ghirardelli square for ice cream and chocolate, more food, another movie at the hotel, $80 stop for snacks and then some other food stops.

I think you can understand my previous point of just leaving my wallet open for the week.  It’s easier than reaching into my pocket for it 7 million times!  You see, traveling with children is not a vacation.  It’s simply entertaining, clothing, feeding and monitoring your children in a different location and without time for a nap.  My wife and I both agree that there should be two vacations.  A family vacation that will certainly resemble a Griswold event and then a parent vacation where we can walk around the room naked, drink as we choose and tell those street performers where they can shove their balloons. 

Don’t get me wrong, it was a fun “vacation”, but one that has left me tired and broke.  At least when I’m at the office, my wallet gets a little break!