In a new series So, is it worth it? our travel experts put experiences to the test to see if they’re really worth your time and money. This week, we’re on a day trip to Lapland.
Setting my alarm for 4am, I thought ‘why am I doing this?’
Half an hour after the familiar anxiety-inducing trill rang through the bedroom, bleary-eyed and in desperate need of caffeine, our Uber arrived, and I still hadn’t answered that question.
My five-year-old son, however, was much clearer on the purpose of the incredibly early-morning journey we were embarking on.
sleep not fully eradicated by brushing my teeth, it wasn’t difficult to spot the other dads on the same pilgrimage.
Armed with Canterbury Travel’s maroon backpacks, their children had gleeful, twinkling looks on their faces. All these positive emotions are only going to lead to one thing, I thought: a domino-effect tantrum-filled return flight.
Watching my pre-teen shriek with laughter as she drifted a snowmobile around a frozen track was worth the 4am alarm.
Like many parents who dread mealtimes away from home, we always arm ourselves with a bag full of surefire snacks (one day we’ll pluck up the courage to remove this safety blanket, I’m sure).
Although options are limited, they clearly know their clientele well: Pasta Bolognese (optional potatoes) and crepes. Simple, hot, and included in the price.
By now we’ve been on the go for 14 hours and, aside from an over-aggressive snowball fight from our 11-year-old against her younger brother, we’ve still managed to avoid all tantrums.
The screaming tube of terror I’d imagined for the flight home never materialised.
Thanks to everyone under the age of 10 collectively falling asleep the second we took off, I even managed to drink a glass of wine in contented silence.
We unlocked our front door shortly after midnight. Filled with magic, no major tantrums and a million happy memories, it felt like we’d experienced our own Christmas miracle.
