Going anywhere with five young children requires lots of planning, organization and time. Going 600 Kilometers with five young children requires LOTS of planning, organization and TIME. According to MapQuest it is a 6 hour drive from our house to Disneyland Resort Paris, not accounting for traffic and bad weather. Our actual driving time home was 6 hours and 49 minutes. There was a very strong crosswind and Chris was fighting it the whole way, thus adding on extra time. However, we left the city at 12:20 pm and did not arrive home until 10:45 pm. Where did the other 4 hours come from? Oh, let me tell you.
I have to go potty. Okay, wait until we find a restroom and you can go. Hey, since we are here, everybody should go potty. (This is a great idea, sadly, it involves undoing 4 seatbelts and helping four small people navigate their way over bags, boxes, and breakable electronic equipment that is helping to keep them occupied on this long car trip.) Oh, and hey, I might as well change the baby's diaper. And look, there is a grocery store, we should stop and get some snacks so that we can just drive on through. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Okay, now, where is the freeway onramp again? Oops, no that's not it. Aw, there it is. Mom, I'm hungry. Have an apple. Okay. Mom, I'm hungry. Have a Scooby Snack. Mom, I'm thirsty. Have some water. Mom, I have to go potty. Okay, wait until we find a restroom and you can go. Hey, since we are here, everybody should go potty. Mom, I'm hungry. Well, here's the last apple. Mom, I'm hungry. Um, there aren't any more Scooby Snacks. Mom! We're hungry! Okay, just a few more minutes and we can stop. Oh look, the same McDonalds we stopped at for dinner on the way here. Okay, let's get a late lunch. Can we play at the playplace? Sure, get out some of your wiggles. 40 minutes later we are on our way. Mom, I have to go potty. Hmm, the car is out of gas, they can go potty while I fill up.
Finally, peace and quiet. The kids are happily watching movies, we are listening to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. What good time we are making. But it is getting later and later and we realize there is no way we are going to be home in time for dinner. And I absolutely refuse to let them eat one more french fry. So we find a Pizza Hut and get pasta and salad instead. And then we all go potty one last time.