The Griffalo Trail

Kid’s parties: my insight into the lives of the ‘Marbs Millionaires.’

October 11, 2019October 11, 2019KathryngriffithsLeave a comment

Picture the scene: beautiful parents in oversized shades sipping wine and politely conversing under the late afternoon Spanish sun. A venue dressed to look like a scene from a fairytale, and an ‘animation team’ waiting to cater to each child’s every whim, as an army of catering staff bustle around ensuring that everybody has a glass in one hand and a canapé’ in the other.

It is at this point that I make my grand entrance: straight from work, ID tag still round my neck, stressed, hot and dressed like a quintessential secondary school teacher (because I am, not because I channel that particular fashion) complete with sensible shoes and a hastily wrapped present in a supermarket carrier bag. How on earth did I manage to infiltrate this world I hear you ask?

I was a teacher at an international school in Marbella, and one of the ‘perks’ of the job was that my children were able to attend the school for free. It did essentially mean that my children were in classes alongside the offspring of millionaire entrepreneurs, ex-premiership footballers and local celebrities, and along with that came many an invitation to birthday extravaganzas. These weren’t just ‘drop offs,’ these were five (precious weekend) hours of wining, dining and entertainment, that you were encouraged to attend with your whole family.

Whilst it sounded amazing, it was a steep learning curve. Like when I was really proud of myself for spending ages finding a nice ‘decorate your own mirror’ set on Amazon as a present, and then having to slot it in onto a gift table adorned with Dior and Gautier gift bags (next to a full sized gifted handcrafted tipi?!), spending the next four hours praying that they were not going to have some sort of ‘present opening ceremony.’ Or spending the best part of a year wondering WTF I was going to do for my two children’s birthday parties?

My daughter’s favourite party was based at a Marbella mansion where they turned the swimming pool into a giant foam party (I still recall a whole team of lifeguards looking slightly concerned when there were thirty seven year olds in a swimming pool disappearing beneath what looked like a giant bowl of fairy liquid bubbles!). And don’t forget the parrots. A full on show that involved parrots riding bicycles and lounging on deckchairs (ethically wrong in my humble opinion). They had guest spots at three separate parties. By the third time, my daughter actually got bored of watching it, and it was another one of the times when I pondered the effects of what were essentially ostentatious shows of wealth.

In case you were wondering, we generally stuck to self-catered home parties for our kids, with a bouncy castle and a couple of rounds of musical statues. Did our children enjoy these as much? Of course they did. Give any five year old an opportunity to eat junk food all afternoon and run around the garden with their mates, and happy memories will always be made.

The story behind the photo: travel fails behind seemingly perfect pics…

October 4, 2019Kathryngriffiths2 Comments

We essentially live in a fake photographic world at times, where filters brighten up a dull day, grumpy kids are bribed for that ‘perfect shot’ and the bad bits of the day: well they’re just never captured and merely filed into the depths of our memories. Sometimes negative travel experiences pop up as anecdotes at a wine-fuelled dinner party a few months later, when the dust has settled and they have made the transition from being disastrous to hilarious. So thinking about this has given me the inspiration to give a snapshot of some of the back stories behind our photos, and to share a few of the non-instagram worthy ones just for laughs…

Buffet dinner at the Hilton Doubletree, Johor

Take this photo of Owen in front of a delectable meat buffet in Johor for instance. The reality was that we had not had a decent dinner for THREE DAYS prior, due to a combination of takeaway deliveries that disappeared into a black hole, exasperatingly fussy kids and jet lag that put us out of synch with restaurant opening times. We hoofed down our buffet like a pack of hungry wolves, a vast contrast to the night before when we were grumpy, tired and lamenting our runaway pizza.

When the rain finally stopped at MGM Disneyland Paris

I love this photo of us with my parents, taken this February at Disneyland Paris. What it doesn’t tell you, is that it rained solidly for three hours, starting right from the time that we arrived at 8:30am for our magic ‘Magic Hour’ as Disney hotel guests. And that when I had frogmarched the whole family to the Ratatouille ride that I was so desperate to get on, it was shut. I can still remember how grim it was standing waiting for one of the shows, penned in like cattle with the rain lashing down. Luckily the weather and the day improved thereafter…

Sierra Nevada. The one sunny day; kids are only smiling for the photo!

We have tried to go on a skiing trip to enjoy it. Twice. And we had one day of decent weather from our two long (too long) weekends (pictured: funny that!). I still remember going up on that ski lift in what was essentially a giant fog, and believe that my crippling fear of heights (I keep trying to fight it!) did not kick in because I could only see two metres in front of me. The kids were freezing and our boots were giving us raging blisters. And yet we tried again. The actual worst memory from that trip was not the fact that it was too crowded to get on the green runs and I was too scaredy to get on the red. Our accommodation was only accessible by a single track road that ran down the edge of a cliff. There were no safety barriers, it was snowing hard and we actually got stuck on the second day. I still remember a) getting out the car and refusing to go any further and b) looking up on YouTube how to put on snow chains, whilst stuck half way up the cliff face, praying that no car came the other way. No wonder when we ask the kids if they prefer skiing or camping, the answer is always the latter!

And I’ll leave you with two classic shots of my daughter: the first when she did not get to be the princess in the lovely smiley family picture, and the second when I took her onto the Wickerman rollercoaster at Alton Towers, without realising how fast it was (don’t worry, she was fine straight afterwards!).

An unhappy pirate at Gullivar World Milton Keynes

On a rainy day on a rollercoaster that took us a little by surprise

Legoland Windsor: military planning, amazing theming and dirt cheap hotdogs…

October 1, 2019October 1, 2019Kathryngriffiths4 Comments

We visit theme parks on an almost monthly basis due to having Merlin Passes, and our six year old son’s favourite is Legoland Windsor. I will be truthful: out of all of the places that we visit, Legoland is the one that is the most consistently packed, so I thought that I would give you a few insider tips to help you to maximise your enjoyment of the day.

I am renowned for my military approach to days out, and if there is anywhere that needs a ‘military style’ early start, then it is Legoland. First and foremost, you need to be there for 9:35 (I did warn you!). The front gates actually open at 9:30am as opposed to the advertised 10am, so whilst there are no rides open, you can find your bearings, have a peruse around mini land (which is the centrepiece Lego display that features Lego tributes to famous places) and place yourself at the gate nearest to the rides that you are aiming for. Oh, and 9:35 means that you miss the initial stampede in-there’s nothing to gain by being part of that one.

Outside the *Haunted House Monster Party*

Before you visit, make a note of the rides that are your ‘must dos’ and head towards those first. Ninjago and The Dragon are two that we tend to head for first, and the haunted house ride is quite fun (it’s not scary at all: it rocks and gives the illusion of going upside down along to an addictive soundtrack). You can get the app which gives you all of the queue times, however, we have found these to be inaccurate at times, with some estimates being up to 30 minutes longer than reality. We particularly find this with Laser Raiders and Fire Academy. In essence, spend a busy morning doing as many rides as you can, then as the park fills up (and it will!) use the time to admire the exhibits and fantastic theming. The 4D cinema is great and always easy to get a seat-they have a rotation of different films (Lego City 4D is the best), so you could even go in two or three times during the day. And if you sit in a seat that looks wet when you enter..don’t expect to stay dry (although our kids moan if they don’t get the full water spray experience!).

Land of *Ningago*, our son’s favourite theming

Very important: the hot dog trick! We always take a flask of boiling water filled with hot dogs and then make them up for lunch. It’s best to rinse the flask with hot water once before filling it up, and then fill it up again with the boiling water and hot dogs. We take sachets of ketchup and serviettes too, and whilst this sounds slightly overkill, there is something extremely satisfying about getting a hot lunch and saving in excess of £20 each time (and to keep mentioning our savings to each other in a smug way!).

If you have the endurance and really want to get on a lot of rides, waterproof up and go on a wet day. When we went a couple of weeks ago; a sunny Saturday meant that all of the theme parks were full to the brim and we got on a mere two rides in an afternoon at Legoland, yet when we went to Chessington on a showery Sunday, we must have easily got on 25 rides.

Finally, if you have the time, join one of the numerous park Facebook groups, I use the Merlin Annual Passholders group, and the advice that you can get is amazing. I would also recommend that the rides in the park are suitable for children up to the age of ten; all of the theming is suitable for all ages, but I have seen a couple of bored moaning teenagers on one or two occasions! So there you go: if you brave it, at least you are now armed with a little extra advice. We have genuinely had some great days at the park, but the best days are the best planned….!

#legoland #legolandwindsor #merlinannualpass #merlin #merlinattractions #familydayout #themepark #daysoutwiththekids

Living in Spain and commuting to Gibraltar. Brexit: how it affected us.

September 27, 2019KathryngriffithsLeave a comment

Brexit. Yes, it has even made its way into an essentially lighthearted travelling blog, and whilst I cringe at the political mess in the UK parliament which is currently reminiscent of a primary school playground, this is not a rant, merely a reflection on the impact that it had on our little family.

Three years ago when the referendum took place, my family and I were living in the Costa del Sol in Spain where I was a teacher at an international school and my husband worked as a finance manager. The key link between Brexit and our situation, was that my husband worked in Gibraltar, and along with 15,000 others, did the daily commute to get to work across the border. We could not afford to live in Gibraltar, so this gave us the perfect opportunity to enjoy the low cost of living and open spaces of Spain, balanced with the security of my husband’s employment. Being an international teacher afforded me a lot more flexibility in terms of getting an English speaking job, although we had welcomed our second child two months after arriving in Spain, so really, it took me almost two years to get my career back on track when I secured a job at a lovely school in Marbella.

Life was generally merry. Apart from the growing undercurrent of negativity that would eventually turn into more of a tidal wave: Brexit. It was the core of many a debate in the staff room; as British expats we all had a keen interest in the predicted outcome, although at the time, it was perhaps disregarded as ‘a storm in a teacup.’ I must admit, I checked my phone on the morning of June…. and actually felt a little bit sick inside. A metaphorical dark cloud hung over our end of year staff breakfast that day.

‘Stop being melodramatic!’ I hear you say. Well the implications were this: we lost 20% of our savings overnight as the pound did a nosedive and more importantly, there was the very real chance that crossing the border every day was going to jeopardise my husband’s job. One of Spain’s first reactions was to reiterate its desire to ‘take back’ Gibraltar. Further down the line Rhodri’s company did suggest that its employees moved to Gibraltar, but due to my job and the kid’s schooling, that was untenable. Who knows what will happen at that border beyond October 31st, but we did not hang around to be part of it.

Brexit alone did not make us move back to the UK, but it certainly played its part. I often get asked why we moved back, and some of the main reasons that I cite is the my husband’s double taxation, wanting the kids to do at least four years in the UK schooling system, and the massive property taxation for buying a house in Spain. But it it does have a place in our top five.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love being back in England after a decade away. I try to avoid arguments by not discussing Brexit, but I do wonder: in a year’s time, will Britain be Great once more? I will leave it for you to decide…

Malaga city: a cultural gem

September 23, 2019September 23, 2019KathryngriffithsLeave a comment

Malaga is often merely seen by the British holiday maker as the airport that provides the gateway to the popular ‘package destinations’ in the Costa del Sol, and as a city, it is often overlooked by it’s neighbouring city travel destinations such as Granada and Seville. However, Malaga is a gem in its own right, and offers everything from the cultural delights of its cathedral and museums, to relaxed beach cocktails and barbecued sardines at the ‘chiringuito’ beach bars.

Families can often be put off with the idea of a city break, and I must admit that I was glad when we could ditch the buggy, and were able to navigate Malaga’s winding cobbled streets and squeeze into lovely authentic tapas bars without having to apologise every ten seconds for inadvertently bashing into somebody. One of my daughter’s favourite places to ‘hang out’ in the evening was Artsenal, an eclectic museum/bar/music venue that was set under the road(!) by Malaga’s port, which came alive at night time with live bands and great cocktails set against a backdrop of fabulous local artistry. There, families were welcomed, and you could lounge around on their pallet furniture and comfy cushions whilst watching the sunset, accompanied by the ever changing rotation of local bands and DJs. As many have correctly said before me, children are very welcome in Spain, all the way through the evening into the small hours should they have the stamina! Even after living in Spain for six years, I still found it amusing when a family (complete with toddlers and grandparents) would sit down for their evening meal in a restaurant at 11pm!

The beauty of Malaga city is that it is easily navigable (lots of good tips in Guide to Malaga) and the general advantage of the British traveller is that we are often up and about far earlier than our Spanish friends, so it is easy to beat the crowds (and then be deemed very strange by the locals when we are eating lunch whilst they are on their breakfast!). You also have great diversity, from the cultural charms of the old town, to the cosmopolitan feel of the shopping district and cruise port, right through to a sandy beach where the kids can entertain themselves when walking around takes its toll on little feet. We stayed in a flat in the port, and felt that this was the best family option; the package holiday companies have not stretched out towards Malaga city, which almost preserves its authenticity, particularly when the cruise ships have departed. Malaga gets extremely hot during the summer season, but is perfect in spring or autumn. If you want a real treat, go and see the Malaga Christmas lights: a strong competitor to the London lights and you can even eat your lunch ‘al fresco’ without your coat on!

Why did we move to the Cayman Islands? The 4500 mile leap of faith…

September 20, 2019September 20, 2019Kathryngriffiths2 Comments

Why did we move to the Cayman Islands? It is a question that I still get asked many times (followed by LOTs of others!), even though after ten years of expat living across two continents, we are now back in Blighty. I hasten to add, that I come from a close family who were understandably surprised, yet incredibly supportive across the decade that we were out of the UK.

To be honest, as young twenty-somethings, my boyfriend at the time (now my husband) and I did not really have to think about too many factors. The obvious was the place and the job prospects; having to worry about kids and houses was four years in front of us. I admire those who emigrate with a family, we were in that situation when we moved to Spain, and boy do those priorities change (cue trying to negotiate a nursery space in extremely Spanish) !

My husband works in finance and I am a secondary school teacher, so we used a process of elimination in order to determine places that suited our relatively meagre requirements. We wanted good weather, widely spoken English and a higher standard of living that the one that we had living in a small flat in East London. I really only knew about the Cayman Islands on two counts: a documentary called ‘No Going Back’ where a couple got to experience life in Grand Cayman, and John Grisham’s ‘The Firm.’ It was as shallow as that. How simple life was back then.

So obviously we started to do our research about cost of living, work opportunities, visas etc. We managed to get in contact with a lovely company called Stepping Stones who basically sorted everything out for us. Rhodri was almost guaranteed a job within weeks of our arrival, and my secretarial skills (thank you GCSE Office Studies!) meant that I had a good chance of getting some temping work until a teaching role came up. They also arranged for us to stay with an English expat couple until we could find accommodation of our own.

Essentially though, we left two good jobs, packed two suitcases apiece and moved 4500 miles across the world. If I could turn back the clock and do it all over again, would I? You betcha!

What did I learn from Malaysia, Singapore and Dubai?

September 18, 2019September 18, 2019KathryngriffithsLeave a comment

So we’ve been back for a few weeks now, the kids are back at school, and whilst the weather Gods have blessed us with a relatively sunny September so far, our holiday seems yet a distant memory. Distant but solid, I would hasten to add.

I have now had the time to ponder some of the new knowledge that this year’s travel has given me, and also how it could possibly shape our travel choices in the future.

Malaysia. Land of contrasts.

What did I learn from Malaysia? A cliche that can possibly apply to 80% of the countries on earth, but it’s diversity. Had we have stayed in Johor and never visited Tioman island, we would have had such a single view of this multi-faceted country with its towering city silhouettes and dense jungle just 30 minutes down the road. Time permitting, new countries for us in the future will need to have at least two stops, and we will try to pick the most contrasting environments possible in which to stay.

The paradise that is Tioman island was somewhat marred by the lack of thought that has been given to recycling and sustainability. Whilst there is a long way to go in the UK in terms of plastic use and recycling, we are twenty years ahead of some of these places. Litter and plastic were an unfortunate reality in some of the ares that we visited in Malaysia, and I wondered what the root cause of this may have been. Apathy? Lack of understanding about environmental damage? Who knows, but seeing litter and plastic on the beach and on the jungle paths made me wonder what some of these islands and coral reefs will look like in twenty years time without intervention.

Malaysia is the 8th worse country in the world for plastic pollution. Photo courtesy of juice online.com

Singapore. Efficiency personified.

From Singapore, I learnt how antiquated our London Underground is. Their metro system is light years ahead of the tube. I did wonder how it must feel for some of these high-flying Singaporean executives to be getting on the Bakerloo line, and exiting a sweaty, squashed mess, with the smell of urine clinging on to their nostril hairs.

I also learnt that it really is a safe place to be: we stayed in the red light district and whilst a little precarious perhaps five years ago, I did not feel unsafe walking around with my family. Yes, we saw ‘business occurring’ all around us, but I think that the only downside from being in an area like this is having some choice questions from your kids. In the future though, I would do a greater level of research as to why we have procured an apartment at half the regular rate of all of the others!

Dubai. Opinions from trodden paths.

I refer back to my previous post about Dubai, wherein I sung its praises and marvelled at how different it turned out to my expectations. The one main lesson that I learnt from here, is to let go of preconceived ideas about future visits, and to realise that every body’s view is subjective and strongly based on situational circumstances. For example, had we not stayed ‘all inclusive,’ would we have hated the high costs of wining and dining? If we had not stayed centrally, would the constantly travelling around impacted our enjoyment?

Only form opinions on the paths that we have trodden. Empty your mind of expectation and create your own memories, without the undercurrent of opinion affecting your own perceptions (I feel like this needs to end on Amen!).