I love to travel. It’s as simple as that. I’ve been blessed to travel the world! Each time I go on a trip, I feel so excited to encounter new people, cultures, architecture, and especially food. All these things combine to make each destination special.
It all started when I was a little kid. My first language was Spanish, and the second was English. My parents were from Argentina and made sure I knew how to speak the language.
I remember vividly speaking Spanish at home and English with friends and at school. I don’t look like the “typical’ Latina. People tend to think I don’t understand what they are saying when speaking Spanish. My looking non-Latina has led to some hilarious and amusing conversations with people throughout my life. The only vacations we would take (which were few and far between) would be with my mom periodically to visit family in Buenos Aires, Argentina. My memories are filled with joy when I think back on those trips. Those trips with my mom inspired me with a desire to travel at an early age.
The Sunshine State
A vivid trip that I remember fondly to this very day was my first trip to Disney World when I was about eight years old.
Family friends were driving up to Orlando, and I was able to join them on their journey. This was back in the “old days” when you could ride in the back of a station wagon with no seat belts. That was a magical trip (no pun intended) for me! The Disney World trip was the first of many (many) that I would take to Disney World.
I feel blessed to have grown up in South Florida! I have so many marvelous memories of going to Miami Beach on the weekends with my parents. As I got older, my girlfriends and I would take the local bus to reach the beach- not something that I would let my kids do in this day and age. We would head out to the beach with our Panasonic radio listening to music and hanging out at the beach. Those were great times!
Go West, Young Woman
Fast forward to my 20’s, when I moved across the country from Florida to California. The Golden State opened up a brand-new variety of travel opportunities for me! I would bet that I have seen more of the state of California than most native Californians!
Moving to California provided new opportunities to travel far and wide to many gorgeous destinations in the Pacific Northwest. A few of the fabulous places we have visited are Yosemite, the Pacific Coast Highway, and Seattle. When we were in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we had a run-in at the local airport with the super awesome Harrison Ford!. Lots of road trips included visits to national parks and various campsites along the way. And of course, Disneyland has become a regular staple for me.
First Bundle of Joy
With the birth of my first child, things changed for me. However, I continued to travel, not necessarily to the places I had always dreamed of going (long story for another time). Traveling always provided me with memorable experiences and notable adventures!
Triplets!!!
Next, I had triplets! Yes, you read that right - I had triplets! Did that stop me? Well, it slowed me down a bit, but I still traveled with four kids in tow. I wanted to enable my kids to experience the world as I did and get to appreciate and explore different regions, cultures, and people at a young age. It wasn’t always easy or smooth sailing with four small kids!
The adventures we’ve had have been priceless. With the right mindset, positive attitude and planning, you can accomplish anything. When the kids were smaller, there were more road trips involved to save on airfare. I even ended up driving from Northern California to Canada on three separate occasions. That’s dedication to travel - riding long distance with four kids in the car!
When my kids were younger, I made sure to bring lots of things to entertain them (this was the time before there were cell phones, tablets, and portable DVD players for cars). We all really enjoyed all our trips (even to this day) is our beloved metal tin SpongeBob Uno deck. I’m not kidding-that tin has traveled with us EVERYWHERE – from a ferry to Vancouver Island all the way to Europe!
Inspiration
I decided a few years ago to start writing about my experiences. By creating my website, I hope to help others find ways to be inspired, make their trips more enjoyable and less stressful by sharing tips, research, and adventures. On my website and social media, you will find valuable information about things to do, and whether they are worth it or not, restaurants, shopping, museums, and tips to better prepare for your adventure.
Vacationing with four kids is a lesson in research and planning.
I have a knack for this stuff! I have always enjoyed reading up on locations and fun things to do there. Traveling with my four kids has helped me better assess what we would enjoy and to resist the temptation to try and squeeze in too many planned activities. The other key component to a happy trip with four kids is to find ways to reduce the time waiting in lines!!! Oh boy, that’s one that all parents have dreaded-having to wait in line for something when your kid(s) are tired or hungry! By researching an area I’m planning to visit, I can find deals and methods to best avoid waiting in lines as much as possible. I have discovered some secrets to doing both! Yup, that’s right; there are ways to avoid long lines at attractions, parks, museums, and cities. One of the many reasons I started this site is writing about the information that I have gathered along the way so you can avoid waiting in long lines on your vacations (which equates to less stress).
My kids are now in their 20’s. Wow, how time has flown by! We still take trips together, and I still love to plan where we are going and what to do while we are there. The kids are also involved so that their interests are also included in our trips.
