Help - I've forgotten how to holiday!

[Kammer1]

We're going away for a short break at the weekend. Eurostar to Brussels and then onwards to Antwerp. Air BnB. DH, me and our DS 17 and DS19.

Other than trips to stay with family we have not been away together since before the pandemic. In fact, even in 2019 we didn't holiday together properly, so last holiday (as in new place, accommodation, transport, currency, passports etc) was 2018. So much has changed since then.

As a result I am really, really anxious. Not about any one thing in particular, but just all of it. Bit overwhelmed. I traditionally get bad-tempered before a holiday as there always seems so much to do, and I'm always the chief organiser. But it's a bit more than just Mum-stress.

I asked DH today if he was looking forward to it (I haven't mentioned my anxiety) and he said not really. FFS. He's a miserable bastard. Youngest DS is very excited to be going away (bless him) and - in his own way - I suspect older son is quite happy too. Youngest has ADHD and is lovely but quite scatty and forgetful. Older one has ASD and has suffered terribly with MH issues. He's very much better now (on a gap year and due to go to Uni in September) but can still be quite difficult company sometimes and doesn't hesitate to pick fights.

The kids have done quite a lot of stuff over the past few summers: mainly organised trips with friends and youth groups. So they haven't been deprived. But we're all desperately out of practice with the family stuff.

Send me some positive vibes plus tips re. packing and travelling by Eurostar. We'll probably spend first day in Antwerp, second day on a day trip to Ghent and then 3rd day we'll spend in Brussels before getting our train.

Unless it's the first Sunday of the month all shops will be closed. Some supermarkets might be open in the morning. Bakeries and florists will also be open on Sundays. There's also a big, very popular market on Sundays on the Theaterplein.
Museums usually close on Mondays.

I forgot to mention the Mechelseplein for bars and restaurants.

I keep forgetting things

You should also visit the Antwerp central station. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful railway stations in the world. If you are near the Lamorinièrestraat, you are in the middle between both Centraal en Berchem station.

Shopping: the Meir is the biggest shoppingstreet with your typical high street brands. De Wilde Zee (around Schuttershofstraat) is a nicer shopping area. Nationalestraat is the most fashionable street. There you can also find the MoMa (fashionmuseum). Natinalestraat is the street that connects the city centre and Zuid. You can also find the Institute for Tropical Medicine on this street, an art deco building. Have a look inside if you can! Absolutely worth it!

And then there are the most obvious places: the Grote Markt with the Brabo statue and the town Hall, the cathedral with its paintings by Rubens, the Steen, the Vleeshuis, all situated in the centre.