Friday 4th January 2019: 11.38am. Location: 52.10490417480469,-8.690735816955566.
Back in Ireland from our two weeks away in California. Feeling quite rough from jet lag, it'll take a few days to recover properly. Total cost was almost exactly six grand in euro, which was slightly disappointing given my budget was five grand. I underestimated the cost I think of food, restaurants and takeaways were Irish prices in California rather than Indiana prices. I was routinely surprised at how expensive groceries were outside of Walmart. We also dropped three hundred dollars or so on booze, specifically very high end very rare in Europe bourbons and ryes, half of which came home with us (and will almost certainly get their own post, I really lucked out in my choice).
Was this a better break than last year's in Disneyworld Florida? No, Disneyworld was much more of a holiday, this had a significant work and stress element to it, partially because wilderness and nature don't suit small children well and the long drives between places encourage them napping instead of going to sleep at nights, whereas Disneyworld for all its faults is much easier on the adults because it knocks them out and travel and food is taken care of for you. It also cost ten grand in euro of course.
Our holiday in 2019 will be at Halloween rather than Christmas. I expect much less driving long distances, with a corresponding benefit to children sleeping early and well. I also expect more fun stuff which costs a lot of money, so two weeks might be too much for me to afford. We spent a full grand in the last four days because we were in San Francisco doing daily fun stuff! But equally as much as I'd personally like to do nothing whatsoever - which is my definition of time off - bored children would make that an unrelaxing hell. So you either spend lots of money to entertain them and get some peace, or you don't get a holiday. Which sucks, but that's having children for you!