Since having L we’ve enjoyed a lot of family holidays and making new memories with him. We haven’t shied away from anything with him, boats, tents, caravans, distance. It’s all been worthwhile for the new experiences and fantastic holiday memories.
What’s struck me most is the odd similarities and weird little things that have happened.
Our first family holiday with him was to Portsmouth, two nights in a Travelodge with a Petrol Station and Little Chef outside. This just happened to be where we went for our last couple holiday whilst I was pregnant with him. This was not planned. So there are pictures of me very pregnant at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and pictures of L very little there too. He wasn’t even fully weaned when he enjoyed his first ever Little Chef Breakfast.
When we took him to Devon last year, we visited a lot of the same places my parents took me too on my first ever holiday. Again, this wasn’t planned. I didn’t know until we got back and were chatting about the holiday.
We visited the Malverns where I was bought up on the way to our holiday in Wales. So I was able to take him to the park I used to play at and eat ice cream and feed the ducks in these places filled with wonderful childhood memories for me and now sweet holiday memories.
It’s been smaller things as well, like breaking up a long journey with a meal at Little Chef.
I remember doing this all the time as a kid. I was obsessed with the little orange lollipops you were given. With the white, slightly fizzy centre, I can still remember exactly how they taste. They still do these, just with more flavours now. I may or may not have stolen L’s when we last visited a Little Chef.
My sister and I once made our grandparents take us to the Little Chef 10 minutes up the road from them for little mini dunking donuts. We hadn’t gone by one on the way home from a day trip, so we went to the one at their home!
There always used to be a little shop as you left a Little Chef, with bags of sweets, boring car things and audio books on tape. We would often pick up a new audio book to make the rest of the trip more exciting. I remember Fawlty Towers and Second Thoughts very distinctly.
Now as adults with a kid I see things slightly differently. There are always clean changing facilities, food that everyone loves, highchairs a plenty and that boring car stuff in the shop is now often very vital. It’s still all about the lollipop a the end though.
Considering L isn’t even three yet he has been to a lot of places, but the one constant has been we’ve remained in the UK which has meant a lot of driving, a lot! This in turn means lots of stops. There’s only so far you can go with a toddler before everyone in the car needs a break.
I can’t wait to make more memories and if you fancy heading to a Little Chef on your holiday travels there is a fabulous summer offer at the moment #BigLittleChefWins.
Just spend £25 and you’ll get a sticker pack, so the kids can enjoy a bit of sticker fun whilst you eat or later in the car. But make sure you find the Instant Win sticker before you leave and fix it to your game card. The prizes are pretty immense, an XBox 1, iPhone 6s Plus, Nikon A300 to name but a few. There are also smaller prizes like T Shirts and pencil cases. You will definitely win something but who knows what.
Now wouldn’t winning be one of the most amazing holiday memories!?
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post