Travelling with 2yr old and 11 month old

[OneTooManyBathtimes]

I desperately need to get away. My sister lives in Blackburn and has offered to have us stay with her so she can watch the kids and I can have a break. DH knows I need some me time, but I reached breaking point today... PND has had a major flare up the last few weeks and I had a melt down today.

I don't drive, and she can't drive down to get us due to a mileage limit on her car at the moment.

What would the best way to travel be? I live in Kent.

Can you be driven (dh or taxi) to the nearest direct train station? Your sister can pick you up the other end.
Changing trains with a suitcase, buggy and 2 little dc would be a nightmare!

I'm not sure where the nearest direct station is, I'll have to have a look. It'll probably be London, so could be possible. I've done Cornwall to Kent and vice versa with a baby and pushchair and bag before, but with 2 of them it will definitely be a problem!

I could maybe ask the in laws to drive us but when I mentioned it to DH he thought it was a bit weird, and I'm nervous about asking them anyway, although I know they'd do it.

I'd usually ask my mum but she's just gone back to work fully in a boarding school so she's having to stay with all the international students that need to quarantine, meaning she's a no go at the moment

Isn’t Blackburn in lockdown? I’m not sure you can visit your sister at the moment, sorry OP.

Do you have a friend in another area you could stay with? Or leave DH at home with the children and go to hotel or AirBnB.

Ah, yeah, see we don't watch the news sondidnt know about the lockdown. We'll have to figure something out.

As for friends elsewhere... the only other place is Cornwall and they're inundated at the moment with other tourists. Not that I've got anyone I could stay with. It would have to be a hotel or something similar.

We'll have to have another think. Thanks though

I appreciate it’ll be different to staying with family but if you do desperately need a break for a few days, Travelodge have some really cheap family room offers for less than £30 a head if you book at least 2 weeks ahead. Multiple train journeys with DC are a pain - I don’t drive either and used to use a rucksack when visiting my family by train with DD. I’m Kent too, one perhaps easier option than getting on/off tubes & trains in London is getting a coach somewhere. I don’t know where in Kent you live but locally our trains go into Victoria - it’s only a 10 minute walk to Victoria coach station from there where buses go nationwide (or at least used to pre Covid, you’d need to check!)

Sorry that should say £30 a night for a room not per head!