Our Most Unique Family Vacation

Published in The RV Times - Our 'Griswold's family vacation' started out like any other normal vacation with two grandparents and three grandchildren about to embark on a three week trip. Some might say, "Three grandchildren, are you crazy?" Well, there's crazy and then there's crazy.

We drove four long, hot days with no air conditioning in our hottest weather. I know what you're thinking. I thought so too. It took us one day to drive through Washington, one day through Oregon and two days through California. It was not until we had almost reached Palm Springs before a little voice asked, "Are we almost there yet?" The first leg of our trip was over and we were welcomed at our destination with cold drinks and a refreshingly cool swimming pool. We weren't crazy.

We spent two days in Palm Springs and then drove to Anaheim for four lovely, hot, fun-filled days of walking around Disneyland fighting the crowds. Some again might say we were crazy but it all depends on how you look at it. If you love Space Mountain or the Holywood Tower of Terror, you're crazy. I'm not one of them but I did get conned by one of my sons who joined us there into going on Thunder Mountain. I should have been suspicious because last time we were there he told me Space Mountain wasn't a roller coaster ride; it was only a 'roller coaster-type of ride', and I fell for it. Uhmm.

From there we returned to Palm Springs late in the evening. As we drove up to my brother's place - tired, hot and sticky - my husband, misjudging the outside overhand of our motorhome, knocked their mailbox over. The cement base lay in crumbling little pieces on the ground while the children and I carefully stepped over it. I won't say crazy but my husband spent two days rebuilding the cement base to its 'almost' original state while the children and I enjoyed the swimming pool.

After a four-day rest from Disneyland, we decided to set off for Arizona in 48 degree weather with, like I mentioned, no air conditioner. But like troopers we persevered because we had promised the children a visit to the Grand Canyon. Through deserts and over mountains we travelled until finally we stopped near a small town, hoping to find a campsite. The funny, or not so funny thing, was that once we stopped, the motorhome wouldn't start again. I laughed. Really, what else was there to do?

"It's our lucky day," I declared.

"How so?" my husband asked grumpily.

"Well, we could've broken down in the middle of nowhere."

"We are in the middle of nowhere," one grandson pointed out.

However, we did make it to the Grand Canyon and what an awesome sight that was! There is nothing to compare to it. But while we were leaving our campsite the following morning, my husband failed to notice a tree stump and tore the corner out of our motorhome. It was the corner that housed the secondary battery that the fridge ran on while we were driving. Well, what the heck - warm drinks, melted freezies and canned meals are better than nothing. The children handled it much better than my husband did drinking warm beer.

Then we stopped at Bryce Canyon in Utah - another unbelievable sight and one we were glad we had not missed. But when we arrived at our campsite that night and hooked up our water supply, we ended up with water all over the bathroom floor - a loose connection and not the appropriate tools to fix it with. So with the help of the children, I used pots and kettles to bring water into the motorhome. It was just like camping in the good old days.

From there we travelled to Nevade where we stopped at Virginia City. Another great place to visit and one I'd like to go back to again when our motorhome is in a little better shape. As my husband started to back into our campsite, I said I'd get out and direct him. "No," he said. "It'll be fine."

I shouldn't have listened because within minutes he had somehow attached himself to a metal fence post. That wasn't too bad though. The problem occurred when he tried to pull away and the bumper and part of the back wall of the motorhome came away also. Have you got a clear picture of our holiday yet?

So back to two grandparents and three grandchildren. The children were fabulous. They weren't an ounce of trouble. I would take them anywhere again but the husband I'm not so sure about.

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