Traveling With Young Adults

Travel arrangements to Scotland made for three; plus my 88 year old mother; plus my brother and nephew; plus my two adult sons! I started to sweat just thinking of how this group could possibly travel together without everyone being unhappy. Then we lost one when my youngest son decided to visit some friends in Bulgaria instead. I had a feeling I could talk my other two sons out of traveling with us, but I was secretly both surprised and happy that they had decided to come. I was trying to weigh up the pros with the cons of attempting this trip. My sons both had drivers' licenses and could have helped with the driving, except the cost of putting them on our rental contract was more than we wanted to spend. I was looking forward to spending time together as a family, but was very conscious of the challenges of making plans for a diverse party of 7 or 8.

However, the boys began to pull their weight almost immediately. They had the best phone coverage and could check routes and ferry timetables easily. My oldest is a go-getter and happily made plans for the following day trip to Edinburgh. And his enthusiastic approach to trip planning convinced everyone else that we were making the best decision. No last minute arguing over where we should go with Jake in charge!
Sam is more of a loner and would take off and explore the area on foot. He came back with reports of what was worth visiting and how to get there. Already some of the pressure of making all the plans was starting to lift from my shoulders.

Lunch stops are always stressful because it is hard to find a spot that accommodates both our number and our varying tastes. We found a cute little sandwich shop off the main street where we could sit outside. Sam decided he'd rather eat at the Jolly Judge pub and ventured off by himself. Later, after hours on the road, he decided he needed a coffee and was gone. I felt a relief that at least one of the party was not waiting for me to take care of their needs. It was refreshing to see such independence.

They were quite happy to spend an evening by the fire playing cards, reading, or sharing a bottle of wine with us. My boys had grown up and did not need me to entertain them. They were capable of planning a day out in London at the galleries, museums and parks. I wasn't invited, and that suited me just fine. I knew they could take care of themselves and that freed me to take care of other matters.
Of course, not everyone in our household felt the same. New found independence, especially when it means expressing one's individuality instead of the previously subservient manner, can ruffle a few feathers among the older generation.

Although we want to see our children grow up and are proud of their independence, it is difficult to accept that the day is coming when they will no longer need us for anything... and their company cannot be bought.
I expected my blogs about this trip to be humorous, relating the comedy of errors of what should not have been attempted. However, Scotland surprised me with its raw breathtaking beauty, and my sons surprised me with their willingness to be both sons and adults.