Sundowner: Autumn/Winter 2018

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO BOND WITH YOUR CHILDREN ON HOLIDAY?
TAKE THEM ON SAFARI, AND SHARE THEIR ADVENTURES, SAYS SALLY PECK.
THE TELEGRAPH’S FAMILY TRAVEL EDITOR ANSWERS OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT
HER TRIP TO KENYA WITH DAUGHTER ANTONIA
Q
THIS WAS YOUR FIRST TRIP TO AFRICA:
WHY NOW?
A
I wanted to bring my daughter, Antonia, on her first major
adventure. She was five and a half, and has always loved meeting
new people. She, like me, is an explorer. I was keen to visit a place that
would be new to both of us, so we could share the adventure. I’d wanted
to visit Africa – and, specifically, Kenya – for years. I’d been lured by the
writing of Isak Dinesen, and troubled by colonial history. I’d never been
before because, frankly, as a student, I’d lacked a safari-sized budget and,
as a reporter, my work has focused more on North America and China.
How you visit a place is as important as the destination itself – I’ve had
great trips to Beijing, and bad trips to Beijing: so much depends upon
local knowledge. I was impressed with Abercrombie & Kent’s apparent
understanding of what works for kids. Mature children like Antonia are
engaged, and can go for hours, if they’re included in the discussions. And
while I’m happy backpacking around countries I know, I wanted more
of a helping hand for my first trip to Kenya.
Q
YOUR DAUGHTER WAS FIVE AND A HALF
YEARS OLD WHEN YOU WENT. DID YOU
HAVE ANY RESERVATIONS ABOUT TRAVELLING
TO AFRICA WITH A LITTLE ONE IN TOW, AND
IF SO, WHAT WAS IT THAT HELPED YOU
OVERCOME THEM?
A
I
did. There’s a lot of confusion and misinformation about malaria
on parenting websites. In fact, I was so nervous and confused
about the various anti-malarials on the market that I consulted my
GP, an American GP, and the head of paediatric infectious diseases at
Great Ormond Street. All recommended vaccines against yellow fever,
meningitis, and malaria.
Q
A&K’S FAMILY PROGRAMME WAS
DEVELOPED FOR PARENTS WHO WANTED
TO EXPLORE THE WORLD WITH THEIR CHILDREN
AT THEIR SIDES – WHAT DO YOU THINK
FAMILIES GET OUT OF TRAVELLING TOGETHER?
A
Children
make you look at the world differently, often more
carefully. The night before we left for Kenya, I discovered Antonia
shoving her art portfolio – with watercolours, paintbrushes and pencils
– into our shared suitcase. Worried about the weight of our case, I was
a bit exasperated, but it was an inspired move on her part. Each evening
before supper we sat on our deck, overlooking the endless land in front
of us, painting what we saw. Painting requires that you look far more
carefully at scenery than snapping a quick photo; our best records of our
trip are these watercolours of lions and elephants. Travelling as a family,
particularly to an area none of you has visited before, is an exercise in
patience, trust, and shared joy. With work, school, and ever-present
smartphones, we spend so little uninterrupted time with our children;
holidays are the one chance we have to really engage and interact, in a
relaxed setting, without the intrusions of mundane life.
Basically, as long as things go as smoothly as possible (children do not
love unpredictability or long waits – mind you, neither do their parents),
there’s nothing better than travelling with your kids.
abercrombiekent.co.uk | 59