Trip sans babies = VACATION!!

Zeke and I enjoyed our first real vacation since Evelyn was 9 months and we ditched her with Grandma so we could spend a week in Costa Del Sol - ahhh! This vacation topped that one by a factor of at least 10. We spent a week in India. There are a few reasons why we chose India: 1) it's too, TOO far to take the kids (and these are kids who have been to asia half a dozen times). 2) it's too difficult to explain some of the sights to a 4 year old - the poverty, drugged babies in beggers' arms, corpses floating in the Ganges, and temples covered in sexual positions. 3) It's is someplace we both have had interest in going but never a great opportunity to visit. 4) We needed us time!!

I believe we did everything correct in planning this trip. We worked with an agency to create our perfect itinerary for a completely private, all-inclusive, inexpensive tour. From the moment we arrived at the brand new airport in Delhi until we departed, we were with a knowledgeable, educated guide from whichever city we were visiting. It's the best way to do a bullet trip - what we saw in a day would take us 3 or 4 days if we were on a backpacking type of trip.

Places visited:

• New and Old Delhi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhit
  
• Agra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_mahal
  
• Khajuraho http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khajuraho
  
• Varanassi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghats_in_Varanasi
  

There are 28 UNESCO sites in India. We didn't even come close to seeing all of them. It was a fascinating trip!!

Grandma was so incredible with the kiddos all week that they seemed not to care when we returned home - bitter sweet. Thanks Gammy!!

We're timeshare owners now. Our experience at the Disney Aulani Resort on Oahu was far beyond expectation. On could go on and on about what I enjoyed... oh, fine, I will:

1. Aunty's beach house was a secure place for the children (even teens) to hang out while their parents were otherwise engaged. This place had everything and my children loved it! I often found them sneaking over to the teens' side to enjoy video games.
2. Private, waveless lagoon = safer beach time
3. stocked, salt water tank in the center of the resort for snorkeling. (It's nearly impossible to see fish if you snorkel or dive in Hawaii, so it was great to have this outlet for the kids)
4. About 45 minute drive from HNL, which for us is a direct flight - woohoo!!
5. Disney characters
6. A tank of stingrays you can feed
   
7. waterpark tube slides and lazy river
8. giant, water junglegym
9. plenty of activities; evening hula, moonlit movies, lei making, etc
10. enormous 8000 sq/ft spa
    

For being a planner and type-A; I never had a moment of wondering what to do next or a bit of anxiety as the kids wandered the resort property. It was the most enjoyable trip we have had as a family - knowing me, that has some weight to it.