Life on the Road

It's just that...Life on the Road! We've had several requests for filling in the details of the less exciting things that go on. What we are experiencing is different than someone that just "travels" to a destination, does all the tourist sights and then goes home. We aren't constantly on the go. We have made a point to have several down days where we just relax, take naps, get caught up on laundry, etc. Even days when we are doing the "tourist" stuff, we are doing so at a relaxed pace. Also, it's not like we are constantly packing up and getting on a train or plane. We are renting furnished apartments where we get to unpack our stuff and call a place a "home" for a couple of weeks. This helps prevent any "travel fatigue". During our stay in Madrid, we have had satellite TV with a few English channels and Internet. So on a typical day, we get up and eat breakfast at the apartment. The kids spend time coloring, watching tv, playing around, fighting...normal kids stuff. Amy and I spend time responding to emails, updating the blog, looking for apartments for future destinations and planning the day by looking through travel guides. The last couple of days have been cloudy and/or rainy and so we have either "hung out" in the apartment or spent time at the parks near our apartment. Then in the evenings we often cook dinner at the apartment, bathe the kids, play games / watch TV and then it's bed time for the kiddos. Amy and I then use the time to again check emails, Facebook, Skype and just relax. Also, things like grocery shopping, laundry, etc make the days seem more "normal" than "vacation". At this point, we have decided that 2 weeks per location is a good balance. It allows us to see the sights, scatter in a few day trips while also relaxing and enjoying the culture of the location. The kids have adjusted just fine. In Switzerland, they enjoyed playing in the snow, skiing, sledging...winter sport activities. In Madrid, they have enjoyed all the parks and playgrounds. Honestly, they don't really know the difference. Since the apartments are fully furnished, it feels like "home" to them. And as we have commented in some of our blogs, it is really cool to experience the sights through the eyes of a 3 and 5 year old. At this point, Amy and I are truly enjoying "simplicity". We haven't been on a cell phone / blackberry in a month (although we enjoy Skype / Facebook chat with friends and family). We've also enjoyed the 700 sq ft apartments and minimal cleaning. So, while we often post about the "exciting" parts of our journey, our days are filled with plenty of "normal" activities as well.