Monday, April 23, 2007

Daddy Days, Vacation Days, And Keeping Weird Looking Kids Away


Sundays over the last few weeks have been the wife’s “I’m trying to study for the GMAT so take our daughter out for at least 4 hours PLEASE days”, or as I like to call them “let’s see how long the kid can survive without mommy days.”
So far, I’m doing pretty well and I’m really enjoying the time alone with my daughter. We’ve been to the movies (survived about an hour of “Meet The Robinson’s” before she told me “All done! All done!!”), Birthday Parties (nothing like getting the kid high on sugar and then coming home), and of course plenty of visits to the neighborhood lake and park.
This past Sunday we paid a little visit to the L.A. Zoo -- a place we have a membership for but have only been once. We were a little jaded on our previous visit last summer; it isn’t nearly as cool as the San Diego Zoo. But whatever, it’s cheap, it’s close, and I can brush up on my gringo Spanish since that’s about all you hear while there (in fact, I think the animals speak Spanish too!)
The only scary part of the visit was hanging out in the Kids Corner (Reardon toddler room, I think it’s called) and some other toddler who looked like she had leprosy (with scales, scars, and dried blood all over her face, and maybe some kind of mutant pink eye with legs...) tried coming over and kissing my kid with a drooling open mouth –I screamed (quietly) and quickly yanked my daughter away and then moved to the far side of the room (checking for Gremlins.)
Great – now I’m “one of those parents.”

After months of debate, research, investigating recommendations (a huge thanks to those who sent me loads of info) and weighing options, we’ve finally figured out where we’re going on vacation late next month – Fiji.
Yup, nothing like dragging a near 2-year old on a 10.5 hour flight (thank God its a redeye) to a far away place that just had a military coup last December, and some outbreak of something in some remote area.
But on the bright side, the UN folk are vacationing there right now, we found out the “bloodless” coup isn’t affecting the posh resorts (or really anybody), and the outbreak of something is on a small part of one of the main islands (we’re going to be on a private island.) The wife and I have been aching to go for years now AND we got a sweet deal because tourism has taken a hit (but it’s rebounding.)
We've met many Fijians over the years on our travels around the South Pacific (they're really friendly people - even more than Canadians, eh) so the way I look at it, the people need the tourism more than ever right now (and did I mention I got a sweet deal?)

Hopefully I don’t come back with leprosy, because that would really suck.

21 comments:

Idaho Dad said...

All I know about Fiji I'm learning while watching the current season of Survivor.

Have fun!

Anonymous said...

There's nothing quite like those daddy daughter days is there.

~*Kelli BoBelli*~ said...

Yeah, but if you get leporacy in Figi, then you could go back to the zoo and have a playmate for your daughter!

Ewww. Just ewww. I don't think you need to worry about being "that kind" of parent. We all do that sometimes.

Adrienne said...

Take her to KidSpace in Pasadena. It has been updated and is wonderful. My 1 year grand daughter and 3 year old Nephew both had a blast.

Creative-Type Dad said...

~*Kelli*~ Why didn't I think of that!!

Adrienne - that's a great idea. We took her there last year but she would probably enjoy it more now.

J. A. Blackburn said...

headed for Exile Island, you'd better bring an Immunity Idol! If you don't know what I"m talking about, you'd better start watching Survivor Fiji... call it "research". Oh wait, it's Turn-off the TV week. Well, maybe next week...

Kate said...

Fiji? Iam so jealous. After I buy this house I'm closing on in afew weeks, I will officially have NO money for vacations. Think of all the little people when you go, OK?

As for the kid with leprosy -- funniest fuckin story ever. We were just recently at a Dr's office and some kid came up to my son and took his binky and got her filthy hands all over it. And then tried to put it back in his mouth!!

chanchow said...

Fiji sounds divine. I have friends who honeymooned there and rave about it.

Anonymous said...

Admit it. You're hoping to run into Mountain Fiji from G.L.O.W. That's the only reason you picked that place.

Creative-Type Dad said...

InterstellarLass -- Yup - Would there be any other reason?

carrie said...

It isn't a bad thing to be one of "those parents" once in a while.

You'll have a blast in Fiji!

Carrie

LBA said...

No Leprocy, but Fijians love kids, so are liable to whisk yours away at any minute and have them making trinklets for their stalls..

I only wish we went when our boy was a little older and eligible for the kid's clubs, which seem to rock .. but then, yeah, OP's leprocy open-mouthed-kissing-kids. Eww.

But I don't get all the Americans that fly such a long way to go to FIJI ?!

You may as well go all the way and come to Australia !

Anonymous said...

Tony, as you know, I am THE champion of children with um, disabilities...which would include the leprosy riddled ones.

But if I saw that kid coming towards mine with an open drooling mouth, readying to spread their plague like germs on my precious bundle of love, I would have scooped up my child in the football hold and made a mad dash while trying not to scream.

Shudder.

Fiji, eh? So would you recommend it over the Bahamas? The hubs and I are still trying to decide.

Whit said...

No worries over creepy kids. I wouldn't want them near mine either. I hear they ban them in Fiji.

Creative-Type Dad said...

Redneck Mommy -- We still want to 'do' the Bahamas. We figured we try next year and do that Disney Cruise since friends and bloggers rave about the kids program (the one that let's the parents run off and do their own thing - -big plus!) But that program is for 3 and up - the daughter is nearly 2 now. If we're going to do "touristy"- might as well go all the way, right?

We choose Fiji because we wanted tropical, not-crowded, good food, secluded, 'do nothing for a week, and posh (not Spice- although, I wouldn't mind...)

daddy in a strange land said...

Meh. Measly 10.5 hour flight. We're taking our 2.5-year-old to the Philippines, so we got you beat by at least a couple hours.

Anonymous said...

We just did a 16-hours car drive with 4 boys in the car -- so I have the 10.5 hour flight beat!

kittenpie said...

Ooh, Fiji sounds sa-wheet!

Misterpie has daddy days every other Saturday when I work, and an evening or two a week. It's good bonding time, I say. Plus, you get to be the one to take her on all kinds of cool adventures that way!

Creative-Type Dad said...

o.k.! o.k.! So others are much more crazier than I when it comes to kids and long travel times.

Suddenly, I don't feel as bad...

Jennifer said...

Flying to Fiji with a two year old, stuck in a small confined area with the elderly for 10.5 hours. You are brave souls, very brave. Fiji sounds very nice though...

Bahamas Cruise said...

I never was in Fiji. I did some Caribbean and Bahamas Cruises thorough easy click travel, but I never heard about Fiji. Can you give some pics about? Thanks.