We did it – eek!! We went away just the two of us (plus about twenty of our friends) to Ibiza for four days to celebrate our friends marriage. Maia is 18-months old now and we have never left her before to go away, one of us has always stayed with her if the other one has been travelling for work. Ever since I returned to work five months ago, Maia has been looked after by her nanny during the week, but she has always seen mummy or daddy (or both) in the morning and evening. My yoga weekend a month ago was the first time I was away for two consecutive nights but even then Maia was at home with her daddy. So it was a big decision for us to go away together, but this was also the perfect opportunity to reclaim some time for us as a couple while also getting to enjoy the wedding and catching up with our friends. We booked this trip before Christmas and my husband and I agreed that when the time came, if I didn’t feel comfortable leaving Maia, we would bring her along. I did feel apprehensive but also super excited! And I’m glad we did it because the weekend was so good for us!
We took Thursday and Fridays off work so that we could attend the pre-wedding dinner on Thursday night. We flew out (very) early on Thursday morning so that I could tug Maia into bed the night before and give her the last kisses and cuddles. Her grandparents came to stay already on Wednesday night so that they would be there when Maia woke up (we left already at 5.45am). I’m not going to lie, it was hard to leave. At the airport I burst into tears because I couldn’t get over the fact that Maia would not understand where we had gone to and if we were coming back. She is of course too young to have it explained to her and we left without saying goodbye because that would only upset her, but still… I found it really hard.
To make the four days as normal as possible for Maia, her nanny spent Thursday and Friday with her and also came to look after her on Saturday and Sunday afternoons despite the grandparents being around. Maia remembers her grandparents but she doesn’t see them often enough to be fully comfortable with them (not straight away anyway) so I thought it would be comforting to her to have her nanny around. I also thought it’d be a good idea to share the responsibility of looking after her – I know how tiring it is to look after a toddler around the clock alone. So I’d planned everything the best I could and what was left was for us to try to enjoy the trip despite missing her!
First thing I realised was that travelling without her was so much easier! I hate to say this, because I love her and love travelling as a family, but the reality is that children can be a hassle and come with a lot of baggage, literally. It was so easy to jump in a taxi with a little carry on bag and just chill in the car for the 45-minute ride without having to entertain a toddler who hates the car seat. At the airport, getting through security without having to queue to have Maia’s milk tested etc was so swift! We were through before we knew it and had time to sit down for a proper cooked breakfast (without anyone crumbling croissants all over the place). I was really starting to enjoy myself! The 2.5-hour flight went quickly, I was reading a book. Yet another thing I hadn’t done in a very long time!
We hired a car from the airport and drove to the middle of the island. Amidst a very rural, beautiful setting was our hotel, Can Lluc. Ibiza is known as the ultimate party island with its the big clubs but it should also be known for its beautiful nature. The island isn’t densely inhabited but instead hides away many holiday villas for those who wish to holiday in peace and quiet (celebrities for example!). We also wanted to stay away from the crowds and relax which is why we picked a boutique hotel in the countryside. This was also the first time for me to stay inland in Ibiza, last two times we had stayed on the coast – North of the island with is majestic cliffs is my absolute favourite! Can Lluc was a lovely place. My only complaint would be the hard and rather small bed. The reality is though, that after having spent a ridiculous amount of money on our new bed, mattress and bed linen last year, any other bed tends to be a disappointment!
We spent the afternoon by the pool enjoying the sunshine so much we lost the track of time and had to dash for the pre-wedding dinner. Speaking of dinners, another thing Ibiza should be known for is the food. Both seafood and steaks were delicious. My (current) favourite off the beaten path-restaurants were La Paloma (cool boho vibe) and Aubergine, in case you are visiting! La Luna Nell Orto had amazing ravioli, worth visiting the north of the island (in addition to the scenery). Amante Beach Club is perfect for…anything really! Good food at a beautiful spot! On my first visit to Ibiza I went to the Amante Beach Club for a morning yoga overlooking the sea (dreamy) – the class included a brunch!
The original plan was to spend Friday as just us two, as the other three days were going to be busy with socialising and wedding related events – pre-wedding dinner on Thursday, the wedding on Saturday, and a pool party on Sunday. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t on our side and it was raining on Friday! We enjoyed a slow morning and a nice breakfast (after which I had a nap) but then we felt like we needed to get out of the hotel and so we braved the rain and went to meet up with some friends for pizzas and beer (or coke for me). Our hectic lifestyle doesn’t leave much time or energy to socialise so I didn’t mind the change of plan. In the evening we skipped our dinner reservation at the Amante Beach Club as we didn’t fancy a dinner by the sea in the rain… Instead we joined our friends at La Paloma which was excellent! We didn’t stay out as late as the night before. As much as I love seeing our friends, there are very few reasons for me to stay up past midnight nowadays. I was not going to go home exhausted!
On Saturday morning it was still raining and we were worried for our friends who had planned an outdoor wedding with a ceremony on a cliff. Anxiously following the ever changing weather forecast, we took our umbrellas and crossed our fingers… And just in time the rain stopped! It was still cloudy and a bit chilly but I am so pleased the bride and groom got to have their wedding ceremony on the dramatic natural setting on the cliff! I have to say, as we hiked for 10 minutes on a rocky trail that led to the cliff, I was again relieved I didn’t have to carry a reluctant toddler with me (pushing a buggy in the wilderness would not have worked at all!). The wedding reception took place at a gorgeous villa with beautiful grounds and a pool area overlooking the sea. (I have to resist the temptation to post more pictures from the wedding as I want to respect my friends’ privacy). It was a lovely day all in all! I lasted until midnight at which point I was getting so sleepy I decided it was time for me to head home. Since I don’t drink alcohol this often happens! After midnight I just start missing my bed. So I left my husband to continue the night and headed back to the hotel. I had a hot shower and a cup of tea and happily crawled into bed. I dare say, I was probably one of the few wedding guests who woke up the next morning feeling fresh haha!
Sunday broke gorgeously sunny – very promising for the pool party! We enjoyed the morning at our hotel pool side. We realised we had not really spent a lot of time just the two of us, so we decided to go to the Amante Beach Club for lunch, since we had missed our dinner. We talked a lot about Maia, we both missed her. We were watching pictures and videos sent to us by her nanny and grandparents. We were happy to be going back that evening. I really enjoyed our time in Ibiza but I also couldn’t help but to think Maia would have enjoyed it too.
The pool party at the villa (called Casa la Vista in case you’re looking for a fabulous wedding venue!) was great fun complete with delicious barbecue. I realised I probably had not socialised this much in months!! Considering my rather quiet family life at home, all those people made me a bit overwhelmed. But it’s important to invest in our friendships as well. I hate to be that mum who only listens to her friends with one ear while attending to her child… but that’s definitely me. As soon as more of our friends start having children of their own I’m sure they’ll understand! Nevertheless, it was nice to have proper conversations.
We decided to go for a proper dinner, another one just for us, before heading to the airport. We went to La Luna and had the most amazing ravioli. Good food makes me happy, what can I say! With full bellies we drove to the airport for our midnight flight. We both fell asleep and the journey back went smoothly. We were at home by 3am and I resisted the temptation to go cuddle Maia and wait until the morning!
Monday was a bank holiday in the UK. We had decided to come home already on Sunday night to have Monday at home with Maia. She was absolutely buzzing to have both of us at home, it was so sweet! I couldn’t stop kissing and hugging her which of course was annoying her, ha ha. I love my family and my home so much.
This week she has been her happy self, but I think she is reacting to the separation a little bit. She has been getting quite upset when I’ve left the room, at bedtime for example, which is unusual. But it’s almost the weekend and I’ll get to spend it with my girl! And in two weeks we are off to Croatia for my brother in law’s wedding and this time we’ll go as a family and Maia will get to enjoy a sunny island as well!
Would I encourage going away on a holiday with your husband and leaving the kid/s behind? Yes, I would. But I wouldn’t rush. I think we all get to the point when we will feel comfortable doing it, and I’m sure it varies a lot when that happens!
xoxoxo,
Sini