thinking about holiday travel

the Alps as seen from our most recent flight to Nice

Will you be up in the friendly skies or out on the roads this holiday season? Clover and I will be heading to Seattle.  It's been years since I spent Christmas with my side of the family.  I am ecstatic, just buzzing with anticipation and I find it hard to concentrate on much else than thinking about our trip next month.  

It will just be Clover and me.  Félix will be working hard and studying harder amidst the holiday fêtes over here.  Needless to say my fear of flying still stands, especially since this time I'll be doing it solo. However, my trepidation has done nothing to overshadow the utter excitement for our stay in the states.  

I keep reminding myself of the quote above.  I find it applicable for this trip but also for making the most of the days until we are on our way and at cruising altitude high above the Atlantic.  I thought you might enjoy it, too?  

Wishing you safe travels, holiday or otherwise, wherever they take you and much happiness along the way. 

you can own the night

You can own the night, if you like. However, I'll keep the mornings.  I'm much more partial to them these days.  We caught this sunrise in Corsica the other week.  It was... well, magical. I have to say I am head over heels for the place. Corsica completely captured my heart.

my fear of flying

We are getting ready for a big vacation.  We'll be flying to New York to spend four days before taking a flight cross country to spend three weeks in Seattle.  Needless to say that I am beyond excited. I can't wait to visit NYC, spend time with  family and friends in the wonderful PNW, discover some fun new places with Félix, and visit old favorites. I am happy to get to show off Clover, a lot of  my family hasn't seen him since he was six months old. But...

But, I am fearful for the flights. Not for me mind you, I've flown all over the world for work, for vacations. I love settling in for a long haul, watching the in-flight movies, flipping through magazines or plowing through a novel. I've even flown solo with Clover but it was when he was a little baby. He did great. He was happy checking everyone out, smiling at the ladies around us. He didn't sleep during the 11-hour flight save for a 20 minute nap so we were both toast by the time we got to our destination but we made it with relatively minimal crying...for either one of us. The flight attendants were so helpful and everyone wants to hold a sweet, cooing baby.

But not many people want to hold a wriggling 20-month old toddler, and not many 20 month old toddlers want to be held. My sweet cooing baby has become a running, jumping, climbing, kicking, wonderful little boy. Which is great, of course I wouldn't have it any other way. He's the best.  Of course, this time Félix is with us. And we have new toys, old favorites, snacks, stickers, iphone apps.  But, the closer we get to this flight the greater my fear grows.  I know parents and kids fly all the time, sometimes to the chagrin of the other passengers sometimes not but my fear still remains.  Any good tips? War stories? Tales of happy babies and happy passengers?