Barcelona, Day 1

During the February half term break, we went on our first trip since we arrived in England. Since it was still winter, we didn't want to go anywhere cold, so we decided on Barcelona. Overall, the weather wasn't that much warmer than where we live (it was probably in the 50s/low 60s during our stay), but a great time was had by all.

I'm breaking it down day by day to avoid one or two super long posts.

Our flight was scheduled to leave the UK near 10am. We used the mid-term parking at the airport, so we didn't have to worry about getting a taxi with car seats. The kids were very excited, but Clara was a little cranky and didn't want to eat. And on the way to the airport, we found out why - she threw up all over herself (fortunately it was a one time event, and she wasn't ill). I'll have to mention here that I did not pack weather-appropriate clothes, so her only jacket was soiled. And it was cold and windy. Matt washed out her jacket in the bathroom once we got inside, and stuffed it into a plastic bag for travel. Poor baby. Then Lily fell on the escalator, and I was worried that the day would just be one disaster after another.

Luckily that was the worst thing that happened. We had some time to hang out at the airport, so we had a snack and the kids played. Matt saw a man who had a nice plastic folder for his travel documents, and mentioned that we should get some, too. The man overheard and gave us his! (Not the most interesting story, but it was really nice of him, and that folder was so handy to have.)

Our first plane ended up being delayed, turning what was supposed to be a 2 hour layover into about 30 minutes. But we made it to our second gate in plenty of time.

My travel buddy

The plane for our connecting flight was a bit bigger, so Matt sat next to the two older kids and I had the baby on my lap. Once we took off, though, she only wanted Daddy. So for much of that 2 hour flight I was by myself. It was the most relaxing part of the whole trip!

Once we landed in Spain, we took a taxi to our hotel, which was just off La Rambla (a centralized street, popular with locals and tourists). By this time the older kids were overflowing with excitement, but they weren't listening very well. Since it was early evening, we grabbed some nearby takeaway and settled in for the night. And what did we eat for our first meal in Spain? Shwarma. Not exactly local cuisine, but it was quick and good.

One thing we made sure of when booking a hotel was that the kids would have their own bedroom, so we stayed in a little apartment with a kitchen and two bathrooms. And I'm certain that everyone slept better with this arrangement. 

Day 1 was mostly travel and little excitement, but it gets better from here. :)