Chapter Ten: Vacationing with a Toddler.

So it's not exactly what comes to mind when you think vacation. No palm trees, no pool side bars, and no hotels. It's better. My daughter gets to see her family.

Abby is getting to see her fathers side of the family for the first time since New Years.

Day one of this almost sudden vacation, consist of John trying to get off of work early, Abby deciding she doesn't want to wear diapers, and me, procrastinating as usual, having done zero packing, killing time by "blogging", and having my "blogging" interrupted by what seemed to be a personal crisis.

Luckily, there was no crisis.

After throwing some stuff together in a duffel bag that I hardly recognise as my own, I proceeded to put some cartoons on a video MP3 player, in hopes that it might keep Abby entertained on the 4 hour train ride I was already dreading.

Upon barely making it to the train station on time, our sold out train was already boarding. After taking our place at the back of the line, we were informed that we get to pre-board. What is does "pre-board" mean? Apparently pre-boarding is what you get to do when you travel with children, or are somehow disabled. This means that we get to walk the walk of shame to the front of the line, while getting horrible looks from people who are just as eager as we are to be seated, who have been waiting longer than us, so that we can be seated first. I can't really complain, except for the fact that it wasn't anyone else fault that we were late. I guess what I'm trying to say is that to pre-board means that you get priority seating.

We were lucky enough to share our block of seating with a wonderfully more than patient woman, who was very nice to Abby, even while Abby was trying to steal her laptop. She was most definitely the most pleasant stranger I've ever had to sit with while traveling.

Here is my advice though. If you must bring your toddler on a train, or any other method of transportation for a 4 hour venture, if there are no seat belts, bring a car seat. Abby, like most children I'm sure, has the mentality 'if I can move, and you don't want me to, I simply must move". Luckily, after about 2 hours of John and I playing "hot-potato" with her, she fell asleep for the remainder of the trip.

We spent the rest of the trip trying to take pictures of things outside the train while moving. I'll be sure to post some pictures later or.

We finally reached our destination around 11pm.

Day two of our vacation was spent mostly with me at the hospital for asthma related discomforts, followed by a delicious barbecued dinner of steaks and smokies, peppers and potatoes. We then had a game of dominoes, and rice crispy squares, and it was off to bed.

And so day three begins. More to come...