Last summer, Nathan and I were incredibly blessed to be able to take our four children to the beautiful Caribbean Island of Barbados. We have boy/girl twins currently aged 16, followed by two more daughters, aged 14 and 6.
We hadn’t been abroad together as a family for a few years and so everyone was incredibly excited There was a lot of happy chatter on our train journey to the airport. We really wanted to set aside some quality time and build some great family memories, as the older teenagers are fast becoming more and more independent. Also, it was the perfect way of celebrating the fact that our twins had just finished their GCSE exams.
As you can imagine, as a family of six, there’s a lot of prepping and planning when it comes to travelling! Our eldest girls, Lydia and Grace, had been planning their various outfits for months. Samuel – our poor outnumbered son – not so much! And little Emily was more concerned with how many toys she could manage to stuff down the sides of her suitcase, not forgetting, of course, Winne The Pooh, who travels everywhere with us.
Thankfully, our journey was pretty plain-sailing – I think the most stressful part was trying to organise what everyone wanted for their Meal Deal Lunch from Boots, whilst waiting for our flight! Also, we had to fill in a lot of immigration passes once we touched down in Bridgetown. Phew!
When the aeroplane doors opened, the kids were all immediately struck by the tropical heat! The older girls couldn’t wait to get sunbathing! Outside the airport, it was good to step into an air conditioned van, ready for our transfer to Turtle Beach Hotel.
Turtle Beach is part of the wonderful Elegant Resorts hotel chain. We first discovered this unique collection of hotels around fifteen years ago, when we stayed at Crystal Cove – the twins were just eleven months back then!
As the six of us passed through customs on arrival, the Passport Clerk asked me if I’d ever visited Barbados before. I told her yes, I had. “Welcome home,” came her reply, in her soothing Bajun lilt – And to tell you the truth, Barbados, really does have that kind of homely, welcoming feel.
Barbados is made up of 11 parishes. Crystal Cove is situated in the sought after Parish of St. James, and Turtle Beach is located in Christchurch, on the South West Coast of the Island, where the sea has a lively surf, and there is a welcome cooling breeze.
On arrival, we were greeted by a friendly concierge, and were all treated to ice-cold glasses of fruit punch, at which point my son’s remark was: “I think I could get used to this!” Good job the kids’ drinks were served minus the Rum!
The reception area overlooks the main restaurant, where breakfast and a fantastic dinner buffet is served daily.
After being shown to our adjoining rooms, the kids didn’t waste any time! Quicker than a wink, suitcases were opened, swimming costumes located, and suncream was being applied! And even though we had arrived quite late in the afternoon, off we went to explore the pool and bar areas.
Shades of blue
There was an abundance of Palm Trees…
And as evening began to fall, we enjoyed a barefoot walk on the beach. As Emily and I paddled in the shallows, the older kids enjoyed a swim in the sea with their dad. It was so lovely to hear their shrieks of fun and laughter. As the first sunset came and went, I felt as though I was already unwinding. What an incredible place!
Categories: Barbados, 2018
Tags: Barbados, Caribbean, Christchurch, Elegant Resorts, Family Holiday Destinations, Travel, Turtle Beach
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Angela these photos are amazing!! I’m from Barbados and so glad you and your family had such a great time there!
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Ha! I was busy commenting on your blog too! Thank you so much Lisa – wow, Barbados is one amazing place. We had such a great holiday there. The people are so friendly, and it’s just breathtaking! Do you live there now?
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No I’m in NYC now but I go every year 🙂
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