Travel Party of 5 | Points & Miles for Family Travel

Discussing the Anxiety of Traveling (No Highlight Reel here!)

• Raya & Duane

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Family adventures often come with an unseen layer of stress and anxiety, especially for parents. Through candid discussions about personal experiences, Raya and Duane explore the realities of family travel, mental health, and managing anxiety, reinforcing the message that feeling overwhelmed is a normal part of the journey. 

• Tackling the stress of family travel and managing expectations 
• Sharing personal anecdotes about stressful travel experiences 
• Discussing the impact of mental health on travel dynamics 
• Encouraging positive reframing of travel experiences 
• Highlighting the importance of community support and shared stories

Speaker 1:

If you've been seeing travel influencers all over Instagram and TikTok having the most magical vacations while you're experiencing stress and anxiety and hard things on yours, we're here to talk about that today and assure you that you are not doing it wrong. If you've ever experienced anxiety on a trip, this episode is for you. Listen in Hi, I'm Raya.

Speaker 2:

And I'm Dwayne.

Speaker 1:

And we are your hosts of the Travel Party of Five podcast, where we share how we travel as a family of five around the world.

Speaker 2:

We will also share how we use points and miles to travel as affordably as possible and sometimes even completely free.

Speaker 1:

So if you're wanting to travel more with your family but you're not sure how, we'd love for you to listen in.

Speaker 2:

So welcome to our podcast, where we hope you learn a thing or two to get you closer to your next trip.

Speaker 1:

welcome back hi, friends, thanks for listening. Welcome back to travel party of five podcast. This episode is going to air on february 3rd, which is monday, and today is Sunday, february 2nd, so we're recording this almost in live time and we should all congratulate ourselves because we made it through the 87 days of January. Yes, so we have kind of a different topic to talk about today, but before we get into that couple of things, so first of all, we're going to talk about a couple of cards that currently have elevated offers, one of which I think is a really good offer. So the first one is the United business card currently has an elevated offer where you can earn 100,000 United miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months. There is a $99 annual fee associated with the card, but that fee would be well offset by those 100,000 United miles.

Speaker 1:

This is a fantastic offer. You already have this card. Not sure if you know that, but you have this card and I think our signup bonus was 70 or 75,000 points. I don't think it was elevated when you applied for it. So you can't apply for this. Obviously, you already have it and it hasn't been a full year yet. I do not have this card and would consider applying if I hadn't already opened two credit cards in the month of January.

Speaker 2:

Disk is disk.

Speaker 1:

Which we talked about in our last episode. So how that kind of happened and that was not the plan, but it happened. So I think if this elevated offer is still around in like a month ish and we're well on our way to meeting the minimum spend on our second card, I would consider applying for this because United so we're in Phoenix United miles can be used for a lot of things. You can book like Air Canada, through them you can book a lot of things. But for us, the reason I specifically applied for you for the card last year was we want to plan a Yellowstone trip and there are some decent points flights from Phoenix on United to Bozeman, montana, and so that's likely what I would use those points for, combined with yours. So probably we could get us there and back using those two sign up bonuses.

Speaker 2:

Typically, how long do these elevated offers last?

Speaker 1:

It depends. So some of them it's like a month, some are longer. I don't think there's an end date on this offer yet because it was just announced, so we'll just have to wait and see. But if it's still available at the end of the month I would consider applying for it myself. Of the month, I would consider applying for it myself. So we don't have affiliate links for cards really, so I can't link it.

Speaker 1:

I looked up Dwayne's referral link and it was only 75,000 points. So if I were you and you want this card, I would Google United Business Card and find one that has 100,000 mile link. If it's less than that, just know that you can do better and keep searching. I would never want to give someone a referral link to a card that wasn't the highest offer out. So the other card that has an elevated offer right now is the Marriott Bonvoy boundless credit card. This is, oh sorry, going back to United. That's a business card also, so it's not going to count towards your 524 spot. So another plus for that card the Marriott card. Again, the Bonvoy boundless credit card is a personal card. It will count towards 524. It has an elevated offer. I don't think it's a great offer Personally, you are going to earn 100,000 Marriott points after you spend 3,000 in purchases in the first three months, and then you also get a $150 statement credit after you make your first purchase in the first 12 months. So I guess that I mean.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, why do you think two nights at a basic property and like barely one night at a luxury Marriott Gotcha? So it's just not a ton of points for Marriott. I mean the $150 statement credit, like I guess that's fine, but I don't know. There's also a lot of rules around the Marriott cards and like there's a certain order in which you should apply for them. I'm not fully up on all that yet because we haven't dived dove.

Speaker 1:

We haven't dove into the Marriott cards yet dive it um, we are going to open one in the next few months because we do have a Marriott stay this summer, which I will absolutely need to use a card for to get the most bang for our buck, because we're have a Marriott stay this summer which I will absolutely need to use a card for to get the most bang for our buck, because we're going to pay cash. But I don't think this is the card, especially because I'm already. I'm 424 and you're 524 right now. Actually, you might have just dropped below down to 424. But a personal card would take that right away, and so we're not ready for that.

Speaker 1:

So those are the two updated offers that I am aware of out there right now. If you have any more that you are aware of, send us a message on Instagram at travel party five. We would love to hear from you. I answer all messages that we get. Um, I also thought, before we dive into our main topic, which is around anxiety while traveling, that we could do a quick reintroduction of ourselves, because I think we have some new listeners. Our traffic has jumped up a bit, which is fantastic, so thank you all.

Speaker 1:

Yes, we appreciate you If you've ever left us a review or anything like that, shared our podcast with a friend.

Speaker 2:

we greatly appreciate it yeah, and if you have any feedback, you know send it to us.

Speaker 1:

Yes, on instagram. Um, I've debated making a facebook group. Facebook seems to be how a lot of podcast uh hosts are able to like dialogue with their audience. Um, I've considered it. I don don't really know. I don't know, I don't know that I have a lot of time to moderate a Facebook group. I also don't know how big it would be. I have considered it, so I guess, if that's something of interest to anyone, send me a message on Instagram and let me know. But okay, so quick intro to who we are. My name is Raya, my husband this is my husband, dwayne.

Speaker 2:

Hello.

Speaker 1:

I am very much the P1 in our Points and Miles world and he is the P2. I do all of the applying planning, making sure we've met the minimum spend on cards.

Speaker 2:

She's my accountant and travel agent.

Speaker 1:

And Dwayne gets the email saying congratulations, you're approved for a new card. And he's like okay, so it's minor identity theft, we'll call it, but it's done with permission, so it's fine. We are based in Phoenix, arizona. We have three kids. Their current ages are 11, eight and almost 5. And what would you? How would you describe our travel style?

Speaker 2:

I mean it's, it's all planned by you, which is great. It's, you know, to the T. That's why you know you're my child age.

Speaker 1:

Well, so like okay, if we're on a scale from like budget to bougie, like where do we fall? We lean more towards budget.

Speaker 2:

But if we're on a scale from like budget to bougie like where do we fall? We lean more towards budget, but sometimes we can get a little bougie.

Speaker 1:

I'm the bougie one, I mean. But I also like okay, we're not super budget travelers. We're unlikely to stay in a Hyatt place unless there's no other option. We are aiming for the higher end properties because that is more relaxing to me.

Speaker 2:

Well, yes, but we get them on points. So I mean that's what.

Speaker 1:

I lean towards yes, yeah, okay, true, we are booking on points, but they cost more points than a.

Speaker 2:

Like a cheaper hotel too, yes, but if you say, if you tell me you booked a hotel on points, I consider that free.

Speaker 1:

Okay, yes, that's true, I mean it is free for the most part, but, yeah, so I would describe us a little budget, a little bougie, with more towards the bougie end. I prefer to stay in nicer properties because I think, as a mom, going on vacation with kids is stressful and that is how I make it feel more luxurious. For me, everyone has their own. You know, things that matter. Things that matter to me are like really good service, really nice rooms, like something that's aesthetically pleasing I find enjoyable. Turned down service I love turned down service. Oh, and robes like a good robe, even though I don't always wear them. A good robe and like a tub in a room Love it. A sweet, yes, it's my favorite. So that's kind of our travel style.

Speaker 1:

We predominantly use points and miles. We got started pretty heavily into points and miles in 2022. But I took my first flight on points actually in 2018. I just did it all wrong and I didn't know it at the time. But in 2022, I kind of learned how aggressive you can be and since then we've gone pretty aggressive, I would say opening 10 to 15 credit cards a year. Between the two of us. Our credit has stayed incredibly stable in my case, or in your case, it has gone up significantly, like over 100 points.

Speaker 2:

Yes. So, well, let me really go back to the budget part and why I say that. So sometimes we go to San Diego and Raya would rather make a lunch for that day than to go out to eat. So that's why I lean more towards the budget side.

Speaker 1:

You have to pay for gas. If you're driving, you know there's other things that cost more money than it would if you were staying at home, right? So when we drive on road trips we go to California fairly frequently, at least once or twice a year. Usually we always stay on points, but I mean our food. There's five of us and our oldest eats like a full adult, like he eats more than I do. So a food budget for a family of five is pretty high, so I'm always aiming to just cut that down a little bit by saving one meal a day that we eat in our hotel room or wherever, at the pool or whatever. So we try to bring things like sandwich stuff or uncrustables, chips, fruit, carrots, anything that doesn't need a ton of refrigeration but maybe can keep cold in a cooler and the kids can eat that for one meal a day Like that is my goal, and then the other two meals we pay for.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

So that's why Dwayne thinks I'm budget, but I think I'm bougie, because doing that allows me to spend money on a dinner that's probably a little expensive and not stress about it, and that is a vacation to me.

Speaker 2:

See, I'll go out for breakfast, lunch and dinner and not stress about anything.

Speaker 1:

Yes, but that's because you don't pay the bills. I pay the bills. I mean it's combined money, but who's the one who makes sure we have all the money to pay the bills? Is it you or is it me?

Speaker 2:

It's you, but it could be me.

Speaker 1:

I mean it could be, but if it were you, then you would be packing a lunch. You see what I'm saying.

Speaker 2:

I don't know about that.

Speaker 1:

Anyways, this has gone off on a tangent, Going back to points and miles. So we've been doing points and miles pretty aggressively for about two years. The first year we made it to Maui, california, a couple of times, san Diego and Oceanside and, oh, disneyland and Washington DC. And then last year we did Costa Rica. We did again San Diego and Oceanside.

Speaker 2:

Just the two of us went to the Grand Cayman. Oh yes, Yep.

Speaker 1:

Also just the two of us. We did Albuquerque and another San Diego night, yep, okay. And we also did Kauai last year, all on points, all flights booked on points and all hotels booked on points. This year we have upcoming trips to Paris, spain, japan and again back to Europe. Back to Europe, paris and Germany for Christmas markets. So it is a big international year for us. Oh, we're also going to Cabo. Oh, yes, and Duane and I will go to Cabo for a couple's trip our yearly couple's trip.

Speaker 1:

We try to aim for at least one trip a year, just the two of us, no kids.

Speaker 2:

Somewhere bougie.

Speaker 1:

Yes, we're going to stay at the Cape, which is a Thompson Hyatt in Cabo, and we're also going to stay at the Waldorf Astoria in Cabo. So pretty excited about that. But that's a little bit about us and kind of our travel style. We book most of our trips a full year in advance. So right now I'm thinking about where we're going to go for spring break 2026. My initial plan was Belize. I'm kind of starting to second guess that because there's just not a lot of great points options and it would be a pretty expensive cash trip. Some other front runners would be like Aruba, st Lucia, something similar to the Grand Caymans but different.

Speaker 2:

I wouldn't be mad if we went back to the Grand.

Speaker 1:

Caymans. I mean, we had a great time there and the kids would have loved that property. They would have. They would have. What I'm trying to find is something that's similar but in a different place, so we can go somewhere different.

Speaker 2:

And I mean the beach. There there were no waves and the water was shallow.

Speaker 1:

Beautiful, beautiful beaches, it was beautiful, yeah, okay, so I already mentioned all the places we went in 2024. And I think that can kind of bring us into our main topic, because 2024 was a fantastic year for our family. We traveled the most we ever have. I mean, don't you agree?

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1:

And there was a lot of good things that happened in 2024. But it was also an incredibly stressful year and when I look back on it, I remember feeling more anxiety and stress on trips than anything else. Do you feel that way, or it's just me?

Speaker 2:

I mean it's sometimes, but I feel that way when you get that way, you know.

Speaker 1:

Like my, stress is making you stressed. Yes, that's interesting.

Speaker 2:

Okay, but I'm not stressing about what you're stressing about, if that makes way. You know, like my stress is making you stressed. Yes, that's interesting, okay, but I'm not stressing about what you're stressing about. If that makes sense, I mean well, yeah, I know that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I'm why stress about everything. So before we dive into this topic of anxiety and like stress on trips, I first want to say we are not doctors, we do not have all the answers and this episode is not going to fix you or really even offer a ton of solutions. I don't think mostly. I just want to put this out there because I think Instagram and podcasts and TikTok and whatever on the internet is mostly just a highlight reel of all the positive things. Right, like look at this luxury resort you can book on points.

Speaker 1:

Or look at these experiences my kids get to have because of points and miles and all those things are true, you can do those things, they are incredible experiences. But I think it leaves out the other side of it, which is that traveling is stressful in general, but doing it with three kids, or any kids, really is a whole different kind of stress. And if you're using points and miles and doing these things and not feeling the joy and the pleasure that you should or I'm sorry, not that you should, but that, like Instagram tells you you should feel, let's say it that way then you're not doing it wrong.

Speaker 1:

They just aren't showing you the running in the airport to catch a flight or the four-hour flight delay you waiting three hours for your room to be ready yes, what it's like to actually have a kid with a stomach bug on vacation in one room, with your whole family in one room and one bathroom like airlines, lose your luggage.

Speaker 1:

Yes, things like that don't sell in quotes. They don't sell, so people don't talk about them as much. But I can assure you that every single family on vacation has experienced at least some of these things. So you're not doing it wrong, you are normal, like. If you are feeling this way, you are normal. So let's just give a couple of examples. We've talked about this a lot, but in Costa Rica, one of our kids had a medical issue. We had to visit an urgent care and then a public hospital. Based on the findings of the doctor at the urgent care. I mean, that was. That was pretty stressful for both of us.

Speaker 1:

That was terrifying.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, because we were in Costa Rica. We had to go to a public hospital that was an hour and a half away. First they sent us to a private hospital, then we got there, it was the weekend and they were closed.

Speaker 1:

The guy was like, oh no, we can't see you until Monday, and it was Saturday.

Speaker 2:

Then we had to go to a public hospital that was right down the street where they spoke hardly any english yeah if any at all I had to go in with our son alone.

Speaker 1:

They wouldn't let duane in. We have a whole podcast episode about it if you want to go back and listen. It's like costa rica, manuel antonio part one or something like that. Um, but it was just, it was stressful. It put a damper on the beginning part of our vacation, also in Costa Rica.

Speaker 1:

I don't even know if we've ever talked about this on the podcast, but we went to a beach one day and the beach was beautiful and it was meant to be just a fun, relaxing day and Dwayne and I were talking and the kids were playing in the water and all of a sudden we looked over and all three of them were gone, okay, like vanished into thin air, disappeared not one of my children anywhere in sight and I like went into the water.

Speaker 1:

There were other people in the water. I was asking in English, even though they didn't necessarily speak English, like, but I'm clearly panicked and I'm asking like did you see three kids with goggles? And one of them kind of points like oh yeah, I think they went over there and he points to like another part of the beach, but that was only accessible through the water and my daughter was at the time barely four. She's very tiny and she cannot fully swim Like. She can play in the waves, but she cannot swim in like deep water. So I like I was in a full on panic waves but she cannot swim in like deep water.

Speaker 2:

So I, like I, was in a full-on panic. So this is one of those instances, instances where her stress was making me stress, like I knew in my head that the kids were fine, because you would have people would have been screaming if three kids were like in the ocean, drowning or you know there would have been a big fuss. None of that was happening because the beach was pretty full, like there would have been some kind of sign that these kids have have vanished or are in in distress I literally thought the ocean stole all three of my children and I was sobbing, freaking out and like have you?

Speaker 1:

but okay, have you ever seen me freak out like that ever before? No, no, I haven't so again.

Speaker 2:

that's why I was starting to stress In my head. I knew the kids were fine. They must have been just somewhere else along the beach. I knew the ocean did not sweep them away.

Speaker 1:

Well, I was panicked. I never thought someone took them. That was never my fear. My fear was that they drowned. That was my fear. But turns out there was a like I don't even know what to call it a lagoon, like a very shallow, like less than one foot of water area, behind a bunch of like trees and bushes and stuff, and that's where they were.

Speaker 2:

We walked by it when we know our daughter came running by.

Speaker 1:

So then we saw her and then I literally thought at least one of my kids is alive. That's what I thought. That was my first thought when I saw her. And then duane was much more calm and was like, where are your brothers? And she's like, oh, they're over there and they were all completely fine. But I I genuinely think that I still have like ptsd from yes, you from that. Yes, that was terrifying to me and I don't think we've ever talked about that. But again, stressful okay, not not a vacation, not not like a relaxing vacation. Vibe um in kawaii, one of our different kid had a stomach bug. It was the weirdest stomach bug lasted for like three days. She would throw up a few times, then she would be fine for the rest of the day and we would think, oh, she's better, and then the next day we would repeat it all over again.

Speaker 1:

Very strange yes and when you, when one of your kids gets sick on vacation, especially if it's something that could be contagious, not only am I stressed that they're sick, but I'm also stressed that everyone else is going to get sick, right, except for me. Dwayne never gets sick, ever. Okay, all the kids will get sick and then I will get it, and Dwayne is always just walking around with this halo around him because he's God's favorite Never a germ. So that's annoying, but I mean, it's good to know that if I'm down for the count, I don't really have to worry about you. What is it like to be God's favorite? It's pretty good, okay, so I think, like on top of the sickness and whatever that can happen, you're in a new environment, right? So not only that, but you're worried about your kids being you especially. You should talk about this. You're worried about the kids being loud and disruptive in a hotel room.

Speaker 2:

This stresses you out more than it stresses me out. I mean, yes, just because I was taught to be considerate, you know, to those around you. And when they're running up and down the hallways making freaking noise and jumping on the beds and hitting walls, yeah, it stresses me out, for sure.

Speaker 1:

I mean, sometimes the kids will be talking at normal volume and Dwayne will be like shh, be quiet. It's like well, you don't have to whisper.

Speaker 2:

When all three are talking at normal volumes, it's loud.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, the other thing, like, on top of all of those things, right, that can happen. I, as a mom, I don't think this happens to you. Okay, I know it doesn't happen to you, but if something happens to one of my kids because of a trip that I planned or an excursion that I organized, I would never forgive myself. And so I think about that when I'm planning a trip to, like, I basically plan around my anxiety and what I know I can and cannot tolerate. And I don't even know if I realized that I was doing that until I started writing out like an outline for this episode and trying to think through, like what happens in my brain. You know, like, will we ever do a cruise? Probably not anytime soon.

Speaker 1:

Like, we went on a boat trip in Kauai in October. It was fun. I will say it was fun. The kids had a great time. I don't know that I fully enjoyed it because I was so terrified of our littlest daughter well, our only daughter, but our youngest falling overboard because she is teeny, tiny. The waves are huge. The boat is pretty rocky. I'm comfortable on a boat. I grew up boating. I'm not comfortable with my kid on a boat.

Speaker 2:

I wasn't stressed at all. Yeah, what's that like? It's unstressful.

Speaker 1:

So, okay, I was officially diagnosed with anxiety in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, I actually went in to see a doctor um, not went in, but like virtually saw a doctor for an ADHD screening because the symptoms can be similar and the doctor, after listening to me, was like actually, I don't think you have ADHD, I think you have anxiety. And since then, I've also had a therapist who labeled it, quote, high functioning anxiety, meaning it doesn't keep me from doing things, but I'm constantly either worrying or overanalyzing, like every single interaction, both past and future, like trying to plan for every single what, if is really exhausting. And the anxiety diagnosis was a surprise to me and I think it was a surprise to a lot of people who know me well. Was it a surprise to you?

Speaker 2:

I mean it wasn't a big surprise.

Speaker 1:

But like I remember my mom was like wait, really, I think like I would have never described myself as anxious Outwardly. I'm not outwardly anxious. It's never kept me from doing things in my life. I backpack solo through Europe Like I'm outgoing. I don't have an issue talking to people. Doing things in my life I backpack solo through Europe Like I'm outgoing. I don't have an issue talking to people. Dwayne thinks I talk too much to people Sometimes and so I just would never have thought of myself as anxious. But I do think that since having kids, that has greatly increased my anxiety more than anything else. Like before I had kids no-transcript, because I thought I'm dead Like it's not sad for me, it's sad for everyone else. That's left right. But now, as a parent, not only am I terrified to die, but I'm terrified about my kids dying.

Speaker 2:

I mean, that's pretty normal.

Speaker 1:

I mean, I know, I'm just saying it's interesting to me because I didn't care. I mean, it's not that I didn't care before, but, like I don't know, it wasn't stressful to me. So, anyways, the doctor my doctor prescribed me anxiety medication and it's like a medication that's not too strong, wouldn't make me drowsy and she was like it might even take like a week or two to take effect and I was like, okay, within 20 minutes of taking this medication, I was like is this what normal people feel like? Like all of a sudden my mind felt so quiet, like my brain was not spinning, and I also noticed that it gave me more patience with the kids. But over time I convinced myself that I didn't need it.

Speaker 1:

This is what we do right with mental health. I was like I don't need it, I can lower my anxiety in other ways. So I stopped taking it, or I would only take it on occasion. And then it's been a few years now. So in October of 2024, I, after our Kauai trip because I mean the level of stress that I experienced on that trip was so high I asked my doctor to re prescribe it and I've been taking it twice a day ever since and it does help me quite a bit. Actually, I probably could increase my dosage I haven't but it does help me with having patience with the kids. It also just helps my brain to like stay calm, if that makes sense. Can you tell the difference?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I can definitely tell the difference.

Speaker 1:

One of the weirdest things that I've noticed is that now I can watch new television shows, whereas before I could only watch this, like shows I've seen because I know what's coming and I know what's going to happen. I could only watch those same shows over and over again. So, like Grey's Anatomy, friends, gossip Girl, friday Night Lights, like shows like that that I've seen five or six times, I can now watch new television shows. What's that like for you?

Speaker 2:

I mean it's great. I've been that way my whole life, I know, but isn't that interesting. It is interesting, but again, my brain doesn't go 100 miles an hour.

Speaker 1:

Well, I mean, I know what's it like to be you Again. What's it like to be God's favorite?

Speaker 2:

It's unstressful Again.

Speaker 1:

That's great Love that for you. Our whole reason for talking about this is I know that I'm not alone in this. I know that I'm not the only mom or parent even that experiences anxiety like this, and so I think it's okay to have anxiety and still take the trip. It's also okay to ask for medication or get help. It has really helped me and my hope for 2025, and I made an Instagram post about this actually like a few weeks ago, and it had a really good response, which is part of what made me think we should do this episode and talk about it a little more in depth.

Speaker 1:

My goal for 2025, and especially our travels in 2025, is to find the glamour I'm calling it glamour and like the luxury and the happiness of traveling with small children and make that my focus. We are big believers in gratitude. At dinner, most nights, we say our gratitudes, and the kids are really good about it now, like they usually start the conversation, and so I firmly believe that what you focus on expands, and so for 2025, my goal is to focus on the positives and the good, and hopefully, when I look back on our 2025 trips, I can feel happiness and joy and fun, because when I look back on 2024, I feel stress and anxiety. Like that is what I feel when I look at our pictures, like that is what I feel and I don't like that. And I mean we choose to do this right. Like we are choosing to take these longer trips, international trips with our kids. We are putting ourselves in this position where it is stressful, and so I just think, acknowledging that yes, it's hard, but there's also going to be really good pieces that come out of it, and focusing on those good things is my goal for the year.

Speaker 1:

That is what I have to say about this. I told you that we weren't going to solve solve your mental health problems in today's episode, um, but I hope that maybe me sharing about this and us sharing about this maybe helps you feel not alone If you've had a trip or two, or three, or four or five that have not been as fun as you want them to be. What do you have to add? Anything else?

Speaker 2:

No, I just you know, I'm the dad sitting across the aisle in the airplane that's asleep while the mom is dealing with the kids.

Speaker 1:

That's not what the people want to hear. That's not a good look for you.

Speaker 2:

It's not my doing, though. You know all the kids love their mom, so they want to be next to her, and no one gives a f about the dad.

Speaker 1:

I mean that's not totally true, but also it's worth noting like we are very much equal partners in a lot of things in life. Like you do more of the household chores, the dishes, the laundry, all of that, I do more of the paying the bills, making sure you know the electric doesn't get turned off and you know the pool guy gets paid and whatever. Like I do those things. Like we each have our role.

Speaker 2:

It's not yes, I agree with that.

Speaker 1:

It's not like I'm over here doing all the things. Do I plan the trips? Yes, but I sent you a few barcelona tours the other day and said which one do you think we should do, because I can't decide. So it's not. Yeah, I don't want people listening to think that by you saying that that you're not involved because you are involved, oh, I'm definitely involved. Yes, like I. I generally do all the packing for a trip. Like I, I don't pack you but I pack myself and I generally pack the kids. But at the end of a trip, duane packs everything up, he takes care of all the laundry, like, and he unpacks everything. So it very much equals out. Um, but he's right, the kids do want to sit near mom. They fight over who gets to sit by me. They've probably say mom, 57 million times in a day and they might say dad, like five. Is it understanding that I'm overstimulated? Yeah, yeah, it is. But anyways, when I'm anxious, like, what does that feel like for you, like?

Speaker 2:

again, it's just your anxiety makes me have anxiety. But I mean, I know where your anxiety comes from, but you know there's yeah.

Speaker 1:

Well, sometimes I'll just be like, do you think she's okay? Like I just need someone to say like, yes, she's okay, and he'll be like, yes, okay. Like to say like, yes, she's okay, and he'll be like, yes, okay. Like sometimes I just need to hear that you know. So, anyways, no idea if this was helpful, but if it was, please send us a message on Instagram, let us know, or, even better, leave us a review on iTunes or Spotify or wherever it is that you listen. That helps more people find our podcast and we are super grateful if you've gotten any value from listening to us. Ramble at all, share it with a friend maybe a friend who might have travel anxiety too and otherwise we will catch you on the next episode.

Speaker 2:

Yes, thanks for tuning in. We appreciate you.

Speaker 1:

Thank you Bye.

Speaker 2:

Have a good one, you.