Sorry I’ve been MIA. I don’t have the luxury of spending all day connected to some internet device. (I am having serious iPhone withdrawal. Can I get methadone for that?) Anyway, we have arrived safely in New Zealand. The 31 hour trip over here was actually not as bad as I expected. This is in large part because my expectations were rock-bottom low. But I do need to give credit where credit is due. It’s also because I took Xanax. Kidding. I mean, I did take Xanax and that definitely helped, but the kids were actually pretty good.
On our way!
My fear of L getting arrested for plastic explosives (really silly putty) did not materialize. Neither did my fear of L getting arrested for pretending to have various weapons on board. I guess I can say that all my fears of my preschooler getting arrested were unfounded and we got through many security checks and flights without international incident or any sort of restraints.
Sleeping on the planes was problematic. S did not nap at all during the nearly 7 hour flight across the US. This lead to her being particularly grumpy during our 5 hour layover. Thank God for airport moving sidewalks! Those provided some much-needed entertainment and exercise. On a related note, I’d like to take this time to officially apologize to all travelers in the international terminal of SFO between the hours of 2PM-7PM. I may have given them balloon swords, hats, and dogs to do as they pleased with. And I may have let them run wild. Just a bit.
Confession: the kids were not the only difficult people to deal with during this time. I may have snapped at T saying, “The only words I want to hear from you are ‘How can I help?’ or ‘I’m sorry!’” At this point I decided to take another Xanax.
By the time we boarded the second, (14 hour!) flight it was about 10PM EST. My kids were freaking wrecks. Movies and dinner provided some distraction for a while but then it was time to sleep. We changed them into PJs and I can promise you that my little L walking down the aisle in his Superman pajamas was cute enough to wipe just about any slate clean.
Sleep was hard to come by though. It was hot, uncomfortable and they were just beyond tired. Eventually we got S stretched out on the floor at our feet and L stretched out across the seats with his head in T’s lap and his feet in mine. T and I were super comfortable sitting upright in our seats. (Not.) It was now about 2AM EST. The kids slept in 5-10 minute bursts and needed constant back rubbing and soothing. This went on for 4-5 hours and then we just gave up on sleep altogether. This means that they were awake for waaaaaaaaaaaaay too long. My children normally get 10-12 hours of sleep plus a nap. This was not good.
Amazingly, we didn’t get arrested for grumpiness going through customs. However, we took so long walking from the international terminal to the domestic one in Auckland that we very nearly missed our flight despite our 2 hour cushion. This turned out to be a blessing because waiting would have been a disaster. After a mad sprint to the gate, we were given 3 seats together and 1 seat several rows back in an exit row. Needless to say, I grabbed that 1 ticket and ran for it. Was I sweating and smelly and squeezed between two large men? Yes. Was it better than sitting with my kids? Oh yeah!
When we finally arrived I expected the kids to crash. I wanted to crash anyway. But the kids were full of energy and it was only 8AM local time. Even with the 18 hour time difference, long trip, and no sleep, my kids were ready for a full day. So we took them to the beach.
The fresh air was good for all of us. The kids were ready for bed by noon and we forced them to stay up until about 5:30. We’re now on day 6 and we’re all adjusted to the time difference and have a sort of routine going.
How am I coping with it all? Let’s just say that I won’t have any left over Xanax.
I would LOVE to go to New Zealand. Love love love it. Take a Xanax in my honor and I’ll drink a Margarita in your name.
Wow! I’m so glad it worked out! I too subscribe to the low-expectation-minimal-disappointment doctrine. I’ve been checking daily to find out how the trip went. I hope the homeward one is good, but of course don’t get YOUR hopes up.
Hahaha…thank God for perscriotion drugs….lol
I am SO jealous! New Zealand is like my second home. I probably missed what has taken you there. So please share. I hope it is purely vacation as both islands are absolutely stunning and separately beautiful. The Kiwi and Maori people are incredibly hospitable so soak it up! When you return you might appreciate my story of how our friends in NZ embraced us during a horrible time. http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5314220550902806629#editor/target=post;postID=1824388006080732349
That link just opens up a login page
That link just opens a login page
Oops! Sorry.
Oops! Sorry.
HAVE FUN Because you deserve this trip, Thanks for the pic’s and update we are all waiting for you to return with all those stories. Start writing them all down
I firmly believe the beach cures all grumpiness, especially parent-and-child exponential grumpiness.
Glad you’re having a good time. Speaking on behalf of SFO, we forgive you. We’ve been there. And that’s why we put in the moving sidewalks.
This is pretty true from my experience. I’m never more relaxed than when sitting on a beach watching my boys play in the sand and surf.
Hope you’re having a good time in our lovely little part of the world. We haven’t had the greatest of Summers this year, so hopefully it will come back for the rest of your stay.
I have OF COURSE been thinking of you and wondering how it was going. So glad to hear you are still somewhat sane! After this, you can do anything.
Nice to see that things weren’t as bad as you’d feared. It’s good to have rock-bottom expectations, isn’t it? That way, sitting upright in tiny airplane seats for hours on end seems like a nice time, as compared to talking your kid out of terrorist charges.
A mama’s gotta do what a mama’s gotta do! I’m so happy that the traveling went well! Can’t wait to hear (and see photos) about the adventures!
I am tired just reading about all that flying and managing and surviving. Glad you’re there safe — be sure to pace out that xanax.
You should come and visit Australia, we are all crazy in Australia!
I’ve been to Oz a couple of times. Love it. We honeymooned there, I was there for the Olympics too. Too hard with the little ones though. Maybe next time!
Missed you! And loved the photos!
I have started to itch for a vacation now!
YAY! I’m so glad the trip over went well! And I’m glad you packed your Xanax.
Have a great trip! I’m sure you’ll have TONS of stories for us when you return!
Hey! I love your blog. I wanted to nominate you/tag you on my blog, this tag will require you to write a blog post (whenever you get to it) with your favorite posts based on categories that will be mentioned in the rules. I would love to read the best of MotherhoodWTF and would love for you to accept my nomination. Let me know if you are up for it and I will go ahead and link you in my blog. Just in case you want to know what I am talking about here is a nomination post at my friends blog at http://prathama-raghavan.blogspot.in/2012/03/blogging-highlights.html- just for you to know what i am talking about. Thanks! And i hope NZ is a whole ton of fun
Wow, I’m so jealous that you’re in NZ! I can’t believe you managed that journey with your kids though. Isn’t there some kind of peace prize for that?
Dear Alison,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY.HAVE A GRATE YEAR.
The Photos are lovely
Dafna
I don’t know what I’m more impressed with – how well you ALL endured the long transatlantic flight (when I have to fly with my two from London-Chicago, well, I’m just grateful for those little bottles of wine, keep ‘em coming”) – or that you can get your daughter to pull her own wheelie bag!
I am trying to wean my soon-to-be-6yo from her Trunki, but she may be 16 and still convincing her big brother to pull her…..
I am impressed that you went all the way to New Zealand with 2 kids. I am also very jealous. One day soon I hope to go all the way to Australia with my 4 kids to visit very good friends.
You are very, very brave.