Deep breath...
Okay, I am sick of people asking me if we are going on holiday this year and me muttering "no" and shuffling my feet/feelng depressed about it.
Bascially we have never been away anywhere with DS (now 21 months). We had a couple of days at BILs house at Christmas and that has been it! (and that was entertaining considering DS had chicken pox)
Speaking to a friend the other day made me realise how desperate we are for some kind of break (and how useless we look that we are in quarantine in our lives). It has been a very tough and very exhausting couple of years for a whole set of reasons and i would love to get away although I am resigned to not doing (and change the subject if DH brings it up).
So, what would be a good Level 1 (in scary organisation terms) holiday for us?
We have to take some time off work in September (nanny going on holiday!) so I guess it would be then! We live in Bucks.
DS has never travelled anywhere for more than a couple of hours in the car which is a bit of an issue - but the main issue is that he is very particular about his routine and he REALLY needs his nap at lunchtime. However, he won't sleep in the car/buggy/anywhere other than his cot/travel cot (nice quiet dark room!)so I would need to either arrive by lunchtime or find a pit stop with a quiet dark room!!!
I would prefer self-catering partly because of the flexibility etc. partly because of then not worrying about his food/meals.
Where is there that would have lots of fun things for a just turned 2 year old (as he would be)?
It would also be nice if we were able to have a meal out ourselves one night but if we are self-catering how on earth would that work? Even if we were in a hotel how does that work? Do people use baby-listening services? How good are they?!!
The whole travel and logistics thing makes me feel ill. I know I am probably (only probably) over-thinking this, but I hate the idea of putting him through hellish journies for our selfish ends (and he has a scream that could shatter glass), then having to try to keep our days and nights as similar to home as possible anyway. What the hell would be the point?!! DH has talked about going to his parents' place in Spain - just makes me want to cry at the planning required! (Yes, I know. I'm pathetic. Now you know why I don't talk about holiays to people in real life and why we have had no break for two years - two short evenings out six months apart excepted).
What about Center Parcs? Is it any good? Is it any good for a two year old? I hear very mixed things (before DS it is precisely the kind of holiday that would have made me want to chop off my own head, but I suspect chilling in rainforests and hacking up big moutains are not an option for now!). Are there any realistic (nicer)alteratives to center Parcs? Do I just wait until he is 5?
Help!