As you may have read in my last entry, my family and I are in the midst of planning our trip fly fishing in British Colombia this summer. It has been an exciting time as we go over tour books and brochures and try to balance the vacations along with the various family interests and expectations. Dad and Josh are the fisherman. Give them a stream, one good meal a day and minimal lodging, and they are content. They can spend hours casting for fish they intend to throw back if caught!
Steve is 17 and not a fisherman….will spend some time casting, but can live without it. The reality is that he would just as soon stay home and forget the whole family vacation thing! Steve is however a learner. He likes to learn about new things so visiting museums and historical sites. He is willing to try new foods and be challenged. A couple of years ago we spent time opal mining and panning for gold in Montana.
So what are some survival tips for that family vacation:
First, forget perfection! It will not happen! No matter how much planning is done, there will always be glitches. Be prepared for those moments, and take a moment to acknowledge the oops of life and move on. Also get everyone as involved in the planning as possible so that everyone’s interest is addressed. Remember to build in “white space” into your planning. It gives you the ablility to be flexible or to just take a nap!
Second, focus on the positive. At the end of each day, recap all that went well. Good weather, being together, enjoying nature. New food, new friends etc.
Third, remember to take care of your selves. Keep well hydrated, rested, fed. So often when we change our daily routines, we forget to remember the basics. It is more important than ever especially if we are away from homebase, where we are not as familiar with our surroundings or knowledgeable about healtcare facilities. Also, by taking care of ourselves, we can fend off the inevitable short fuze that will inevitably visit during any vacation.
Perhaps the most important tip…primarily aimed at parents, Stay in the moment! There is no need to worry about work….can’t do anything about it anyway!
As I write these blogs, I am getting more and more excited about the trip. I have started my walking regime and diet to get in shape for the trip. I have hired my personal trainer and she is focusing on building my upper body strength!
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