Planning Is A Skill (that you don’t want )

And it’s that time of the year again. Time to organise the mother-daughter trip and believe me even this year it was not easy.

There are two mothers, three daughters, one grandmother, and two granddaughters, and all of it in just four individuals: me (mother and daughter), my mother (mother and grandmother), and daughters number one and two (daughters and granddaughters).

As per tradition, I tried to suggest NY, already knowing it was a big “no-no” from my mom, but curious to hear the current reason: we are not staying enough days!

Not dwelling on the fact that we are only shorter of one day compare to last year, I didn’t insist but put my feet down on a no beach holidays destination as we all established by now I am no lizard neither in her or my father image and likeness.

Berlin was threw in the destinan pot, along withVienna, Instabul, Split and Bucarest and the Transilvania that was an other big “ no-no” from Nona, but I suspect more out of retaliation for my constant “no-no” to France and Spain than else.

In the end, considering the restrictions in dates because of the travelling husband’s schedule, and the fact that we had to find destinations where to fly from different countries on the same day and ideally around the same time, our options were not as many.

Finally after weeks of research and consultation and absolutely fake declarations like, ” I don’t mind, really anywhere is fine…” we agreed on Krakow.

Now that we have our destination, we have to plan the trip. And I can tell you, no arguing or discussion there just: “You should book the flights and the hotel. You are good at it “. I have no more skills than my mother or daughters, except maybe be the patience to research and compare, but that’s enough to make me a booking master and take on the shitty task. Because, excuse my French, it is a shitty task, even if the feeling of accomplishment once you have all your flights individually booked and ready to check in along with lovely bedrooms in a central hotel is undoubtedly amazing.

But, my mastering skills, doesn’t stop to booking; I am apparently superiorly skilled in planning itineraries too: ” Oh yes, I was going to look at things to do and see but, well if you do it is even better. ….”

Unfortunately, the itinerary threw us a bit off balance. But no problem because “I am so good at these things that I’ll find PLENTY of alternatives.….won’t I?!”

Have a great week ahead 🥰

https://www.instagram.com/sabina_gabriellicarrara?igsh=MWlyc2x5eWo5c2xsZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

https://www.threads.com/@sabina_gabriellicarrara?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

https://www.sabinagabriellicarraraauthor.com/

.

Operation “break away”.

Some time ago Nona suggested going together to the Christmas markets in Copenhagen but once I searched for dates, flights and accommodation it turned out it was too close to December, “Maybe next year.” She said.
-They are called Christmas markets for a reason you know? And Christmas will come in December next year too!- I thought but said nothing. 
The following year, we were spared the Christmas market discussion because of COVID.
When COVID eventually passed, Nona had grown out of the idea of going to Christmas markets around Europe. She was now focusing on a city break or a beach holiday somewhere outside Italy.
Easier to say than do I am afraid, and for a reason or another this multi-generations girls’ trip still had not happened but, this summer, it would. It had been decided!
What had not been decided yet was the destination.
Well, to me there was not much to decide there, we were going to NY! We had extensively talked about it and one of the reasons we didn’t go away sooner was that Nona was waiting to renew her passport.
The odds were finally all in our favour and I was just one click away from confirming our flights when my mother went cold feet and set the threshold of a three-hour flight maximum.
Bye Bye N.Y.
Still plenty of destinations to choose from except for Marakesh, (too hot); Instabul(too dangerous for women alone); Island (too cold); Palma( too far); Rome (too close), Norway (too close to Russia. Nona is terrified Putin will invade the entire Europe).

What about Budapest? I suggested out of exasperation.

To be continued…..

https://www.instagram.com/sabina_gabriellicarrara?igsh=MWlyc2x5eWo5c2xsZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

https://www.threads.net/@sabina_gabriellicarrara?invite=3