Let The Adventures Begin: A European Road Trip with Four Kids

Our National Lampoon's European Vacation Begins

I am buzzing with nerves as I write this in bed in our hotel room. In about 10 hours, my husband, our four kids (ranging from 2 to 8 years old) and I are setting off on a road trip adventure for 3 months across Europe. I’ve been awake since the crack of dawn, spinning through plans in my head, praying it’s going to be a smooth journey.

Our first stop is to Spain, where we will be taking a ferry to Santander from Plymouth, UK. From there, we will experience this massive country driving all the way down to the southern coast where we will call home for one month. Then, it’s on to France, Italy, Switzerland and maybe the Netherlands before we head back home to the UK.

This will be a whole lot with 4 kids, especially when two are toddlers and one who is on the autism spectrum. Just thinking of this takes my anxiety level up another notch, however, despite how I feel at this moment and what people may think or say, I’m up for the challenge. I see this as an opportunity for excitement, learning and bonding as a family as we build unforgettable memories.

I don't know if God was trying to tell me something by letting me see this photo at the hotel I was staying at on the morning of us leaving, but the red one spoke to me.

Will we have hiccups along the way? Of course we will. Will my children push my buttons to the point where I’ll just want to pack everything up and go home? They sure will, but I would likely face the same challenges back in the UK, so what do I have to lose? I’ve put this road trip on hold for a bit, and looking back, I regret not embarking on it sooner because now my family has gotten bigger, so that’s more money to spend. The economic crisis and wars in countries I would have loved to visit doesn’t seem to be getting better, and I’m getting older and slower, so my stamina is not the same as it was in my 20s or 30s.

Traveling with kids is a challenge all in itself, but that should not stop you from doing the things you want to do with or without them. It’s ok to feel nervous, but don’t let fear stop you because, as Will Smith says, “Fear kills your ability to see beauty”.

So, I’m going to embrace this nervousness and journey into this adventure with my family with the attitude that whatever will be, will be. With Jesus taking the wheel, I know that we will be fine, and if we do experience hiccups, He will always help us to figure it out and continue on.

Here’s to adventures that lie ahead. Europe……here we come!