I have recently returned from a trip across the pond with my husband and three children (ages 9, 5, and 2). We considered it a once-in-a-lifetime visit to England with the goals to see London and our first live European football (soccer) game in Leeds, United Kingdom. Why Leeds, you may wonder, like the various residents we encountered on the trip. My husband started following the team a couple of years back when he took a greater interest in the sport and its professional teams. He likes that it was a team that fought hard for its position (it was towards the bottom of the premiere league at that time). The structure of the European leagues interested him— how teams are relegated and promoted based on their performance. The country loves the sport of football (American soccer) so deeply, as we both have.
So, we found ourselves committing to an April 2024 experience like none-other. I had high hopes of documenting the travels in a more detailed fashion but also am a realist when considering the challenges of international travel with three children under the age of ten. Below is my best recollection of fun and interesting observations we made during our time in England.
Virgin Atlantic Airlines, according to my children, is the best airline in the world. They provide a direct flight from Orlando to London (8-9 hours) and we were met with blankets, pillows, and headsets with a full screen of entertainment. Of special note was the food service — as typical domestic flyers, we are accustomed to the one free soft drink and snack for a 3-5 hour flight. On this journey, we received two separate meals, one presented as a darling “tea time” snack, and multiple drink services (including free alcohol).
All breakfast sandwiches come with a tomato sauce of sorts.
Adolescent English boys are as obnoxious as American boys (we sat directly in front of an entire English football team on the journey to London - the F word was not at all endearing, even when cloaked in the charm of an accent).
The locks to both of our airBNBs in London and Leeds required the actual key to be inserted to secure from the inside AND to let oneself out. If you are prone to losing your keys, this could be a quick and terrifying way to break yourself of this habit - you can inadvertently lock yourself into the home. A tad chilling in a hypothetical emergency.
Frozen was THE BEST MUSICAL OF ALL TIME (in the opinion of someone who has seen but a handful). We saw it at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London. The scenic design and effects were dazzling. A particularly enrapturing moment: When Hans exposed himself as “the bad guy” and deserted Anna who was vulnerably awaiting her true love’s kiss, our toddler daughter exclaimed “Oh noooooo!” This was met with a collective laugh + “aww” by our surrounding section.
In my head, I would do one load of laundry to get us through the amount of days we were there. In our England airBNB, this meant three combined washer + dryer mini loads, plus a bonus one piece wash for my bulky winter coat which the toddler reversed fortune on during a windy car ride on our final exploration day.
The toilets have much less holding water in them. Not to fret, they still flush with zest and get the job done.
Three PM football (American soccer) games are not televised in England. At all. The local fans tell us it is to encourage everyone to go to the games.
The pastries are amazing — the savory type especially. We had vegan cauliflower and chickpea and a lamb and mint varieties at the Chatsworth house.
I knew this from an Ireland trip ten + years ago, but drip coffee isn’t really a thing. You get an Americano, no milk, if you’re a black coffee drinker.
If asked “Do you want salad with your burger?”, they are inquiring if you want the typical toppings on it. Not a side salad. You still get the fries, or “chips” as they call them.
I heard a Mum tell a little boy in the public restroom, “Now’s a good time to have a whiz” in a lovely UK accent and I now never want to return to asking my boys if they “need to pee.”
Generally speaking, the people are quite reserved. They aren’t going to reach out and interact with you (or your children), save for the kind soul in the London tube system that sensed our disorientation. Overall, they leave you to yourself. When engaged, they were agreeable and lovely.
The country was a great place to visit with children, in the opinion of a somewhat nervous-to-travel-with-children-overseas mother. It felt quite safe and fairly easy to navigate, with the exception of a few train changes but I chalk this up to my complete lack of exposure to this system of transportation.
My husband’s hiker backpack (and ability to tote our heavy nearly three-year-old toddler around in it) honestly made the treks possible with that age. She loves seeing the sights from the perspective of Daddy’s height and there’s no way for her to escape. A friend remarked, “It’s like a mini pack n play!” Multiple people on the journey remarked on the clever nature of the apparatus. Here is a link to a similar version, in case one is interested. Adam obtained his at an REI garage sale — gently used — for about half the sticker price.
Perhaps my favorite piece of travel is observing how other people/countries do life. What choices they make that are different than ours? It opens our minds up to others perspectives and refreshes them to the possibility that there are multiple ways to accomplish life. The most profound takeaway I had was an appreciation for what seemed to be a general simplicity. The English appeared to have what they need, and be at peace about it. There was lack of excess, paper napkins were hard to come by (provided if asked for), and homes were frequently observed as shared duplexes with small and functional rooms that were built many years ago and continue to be cared for. When people spoke to us, they actively listened and used beautiful words, closing our conversations with a cozy ending.
In honor of the English, “Cheers” to novel experiences.
Sounds like you all had a blast. MY sister sent me an IG reel that you could stay at Hogwarts, Christ Church College where they filmed the movies. I know your kids are too young for those books, but I think it would be a cool place to stay for a night or two.
Great article. Love the family photo!