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Original poster

driving to Portugal from UK with kids in tow... anyone ever done it?

260 replies

sammyjayneex · 29/11/2015 15:18

It's all in the title really. Just wondering if anyone has ever done it. DH has been invited to a family wedding In Portugal (Lisbon) and wants us all to go. He doesn't want to fly because of all the fiasco that comes with flying for example... Luggage allowance and all the extra costs, the flight tickets cost so much for 4 children and 2 adults and trying to keep children quiet and occupied on a plane ect and also because it's just after Christmas and the wedding was announced last minute it's going to be difficult to get flights at short notice. Also he said it's an experience because kids will get to see parts of France and we will spend the day in Spain on the way back and sleep over there. He also wants to do something special as it's our daughters 5th birthday on the 29th December.

Now I'm worried about it all. He's said he's thought it through and has every bit of the trip planned. I don't want to say no because I never went on any trips and never went abroad when I was a kid and I want my kids to experience things. He said we will be getting the ferry at Dover and we will sleep over in small hotels on the way and one of them will be in France. On the way back we will stay in a hotel in Spain too. Accommodation in Portugal is being sorted out by his family.

It's a long journey but I'm prepared to do it for my kids and we will make lots of preparations and make regular stops. He doesn't mind driving and has drove to London and back on the same day ( picking his family up at airport). Has anyone ever done it and how was it?

We have had a lot of problems recently and I'm actually surprised he's suggested us all to go.

Is it a stupid thing to do?

I told my mum and she said its sounds exciting and will be fun for the kids if planned properly and their dad has said she's welcome to come along ( if she can contribute to her hotel costs ect). if she can get time off work and it's extra help for us with kids. ( he has a 7 seater car)
She likes the idea of coming too.

It's actually cheaper adding it all up than going by flight and with us sharing the cost too.

So has anyone got any tips or ideas I would be grateful.

OP posts:
Boredofthinkingofnewnames · 01/12/2015 15:25

I'm a bit confused as to why you would ask opinions on a random website and then disagree with people who don't validate your opinion.

BishopBrennansArse · 01/12/2015 15:28

Ok OP on you go.
You say you're right so you're right.

Enjoy Calais when you can't get back. Maybe you could move into the jungle.

mummymeister · 01/12/2015 15:33

It's £87 PER child for a renewal and you still have to get it counter signed so it's over £200 so not possible anymore now

OP if you have had passports for these 2 in the past then the chances are you will need them at some time in the future so that you can go abroad again. in this case you might as well renew them now so that you know that is done. something like this might crop up again and you will then have the issue of no passports.

if you get the renewals then you can look again at flights.

lots of people on here have suggested that you can fly for a lot lot less than the cost of driving with the cost of petrol, tolls, delays etc all to be factored in.

you can fast track passports if you do them in person. a bit of hassle but not masses.

don't throw your toys out of the pram because people disagree with you and have the facts to back up what they are saying.

use their experience and their information to make this all work for you and your family. could you pay for the passports on a credit card and then pay it off over the next year?

perpetuallybewildered · 01/12/2015 15:39

gif.co/tjGL.gif

Grin
PatriciaHolm · 01/12/2015 15:49

Nobody's taking the piss, honestly. We are all genuinely trying to help. No one wants to see you and 4 kids upset at the border, or stranded in Dover/Calais.

80sWaistcoat · 01/12/2015 16:01

If you do drive. Tours is lovely to stay in.

Blu · 01/12/2015 16:25

Sammy, am I right in thinking you are pg, and that's why next summer is out of the question?

Original poster
sammyjayneex · 01/12/2015 16:25

Won't be able to go anywhere in summer due to circumstance I don't want to go in to
Anyway we probably won't be going as won't get passports in time and can't afford double for each child

OP posts:
DoreenLethal · 01/12/2015 16:42

OP - can I ask again why you can't just go with your husband on a plane and leave the kids with relatives for an extended holiday?

mummymeister · 01/12/2015 16:58

sammyjayneex you can definitely get these passports on time if you get on with it now. certain of that. it isn't double for each child because they will need passports at some time in the future. if you aren't able to go away this summer then make it work.

Lweji · 01/12/2015 17:24

About passports, they will have a time limit. Unless you know you will travel abroad soon, you could end up getting very little for your money if you weren't to use them now, and end up not using them in time or just the once.

Original poster
sammyjayneex · 01/12/2015 18:11

We could go just me and him but like I said it's hit and miss whether my mum can get days off. She won't find out for another 2 weeks. We could chance it and send the passport forms off but I know there is no grantee. We have sent my youngest off which was £92 and then it will cost another £92 for the older two to renew and of we want it within 7 days the cost is £174 which is a lot adding all the other costs.

I feel like just saying he go on his own and i stay home save us a lot of money. But I also feel like I'm always the one that misses out and he's free to do what he wants

OP posts:
Blu · 01/12/2015 18:15

How do you mean, double for each child?

Passport costs do add up in a big family, massive addition to any holiday cost, especially if for any reason you won't get much use of them over the next 5 years.

NannyR · 01/12/2015 18:18

If its any help, I renewed mine earlier this year, just as a straightforward renewal, not the fast service or check and send, and it was back within a week.

Blu · 01/12/2015 18:18

"But I also feel like I'm always the one that misses out and he's free to do what he wants"

It does sound as if you need a break that will be a treat for you.

Send him on a cheapie flight for 4 days and then when he gets back leave him with the kids and go on a cheap break last minute with your Mum!

Mellifera · 02/12/2015 07:59

Don't know if you are still reading op, but we have some passport experience.
We actually forgot to take our youngest child's passport to Europe. We asked at the port in Dover and they said it's not a problem.

Well it was, coming back to the UK. We could not take our child back into the country. They treated us almost like child traffic criminals, and the word actually fell.
DH staid with her in Calais, I took the ferry, drove home, got passport, drove back to Dover, took ferry again, picked up DH and dc, took ferry again, drove home. It was a disaster, We decided never ever to risk that again.

I know an expired passport is not the same as no passport, but it means no valid document and I think you would not be let back in.

Hufflepuffin · 02/12/2015 08:25

Could you fly with just the five year old as a birthday treat? So

Roussette · 02/12/2015 08:27

An expired is no passport, it is worthless. I have just come back through a ferry port to UK and they scanned passports and looked closely, it would be a ridiculou thing to risk, knowingly.

Blu · 02/12/2015 09:39

Melifera - your experience matches that of the people on the TripAdvisor thread linked below: getting out of the UK and into France via the ferry route is less of a problem (though things may well have tightened up now) because of the (welcome) French attitude to free passage within the EU.

However our border control laws are not motivated by the same ethos and it is getting back in that could be the big risk.

I wondered about taking just the 5 yo as a b'day treat- but the OP has the issue of not knowing yet whether her Mum can look after the others.

SwedishEdith · 03/12/2015 21:52

Oh, has this thread died now? I was enjoying it.

Original poster
sammyjayneex · 03/12/2015 23:33

Enjoyed what? Taking the piss!?

OP posts:
SwedishEdith · 04/12/2015 00:36

It's been lively! And, no, I've not taken the piss - all helpful suggestions from moi Smile

BewitchedBotheredandBewildered · 04/12/2015 02:10

I had lots to say as have done this exact trip 2 years ago in January.
With my DH and adult son, so 3 drivers.
It took 3 days, 26 hours driving.
Starting from the south coast of UK.
No sightseeing opps.

I really feel for you OP, and admire your can do spirit.
But everyone here has really been trying to be helpful and realistic.
It is a very tough trip.

I will only add, driving from Madrid to Lisbon is about 6 hours, I've done that too.

It would be worth looking at flights to Porto which is about 2 and a half hours drive to Lisbon and usually cheaper.

You really will need in date passports for everyone, sorry.

Original poster
sammyjayneex · 22/12/2015 11:18

UPDATE:

So our girls renewed passports arrived exactly yo time and came within a week so that's one less thing to think about

He still wants to drive now. The main reason because where are staying in Portugal there isn't a lot of reliable transport and to get to the places which we want to visit (which are far away) we will need a car and hiring a 7 seater is very expensive so with the flights and hiring a car it becomes more expensive than driving anyway. Just wish I could find someone's positive story of doing it.

OP posts:
Hufflepuffin · 22/12/2015 15:38

If you really want to do it, just do it! I think even if there are some awful bits along the way, you will look back on it as a great adventure.

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