40th Birthday Holiday Ideas

Please eat a piece of Black Forest cake while in the Black Forest for me!

I'm not a fan (DH and I don't drink) but I'm sure my parents will indulge in a slice or two (or three or four) and they'd be happy to put your name on one.

While you're in Croatia, you can eat a banana Split (get it?) for me.

I'm not a fan (DH and I don't drink) but I'm sure my parents will indulge in a slice or two (or three or four) and they'd be happy to put your name on one.

While you're in Croatia, you can eat a banana Split (get it?) for me.

Is there booze in it?  If so that’s news to me!   

I will happily indulge in a dairy free, soya free banana split for you....  also known as a banana!     And I enjoyed your pun!

Is there booze in it?  If so that’s news to me!   

I will happily indulge in a dairy free, soya free banana split for you....  also known as a banana!     And I enjoyed your pun!

Black Forest Gateau has cherry brandy.

I bought the cherries used for Black Forest Gateau when we were last there and created (alcohol-free) Black Forest brownies. They went down a treat at work.

Enjoy your dairy-free, soya-free banana. 

Japan.  Probably too far for a one week holiday, so best to stay in Europe.

Can tell you from the position of a person buying flights to Japan that they are not cheap (for the two of us, it was over £1k roundtrip with stop-overs). Once you put the hotels on top of this, it might take you to budget (as a lot of places were around £1k for 7 days with just one bed for two people) before you get to food/attractions. Agree that it might be too far to go for 1 week as you have the kids with you too, but definitely something to keep in mind for future!


Have you been to Bruges? Could maybe do Belgium and visit Bruges for a day or so?

I like the idea of a cruise. Are there other options for cruises?

Can tell you from the position of a person buying flights to Japan that they are not cheap (for the two of us, it was over £1k roundtrip with stop-overs). Once you put the hotels on top of this, it might take you to budget (as a lot of places were around £1k for 7 days with just one bed for two people) before you get to food/attractions. Agree that it might be too far to go for 1 week as you have the kids with you too, but definitely something to keep in mind for future!


Have you been to Bruges? Could maybe do Belgium and visit Bruges for a day or so?

I like the idea of a cruise. Are there other options for cruises?

We booked Croatia this weekend.  We are excited as neither of us have been before.  Staying in a villa high in the mountains between Split and Omis.  Easy striking distance to two national parks and a few day trips.  Should be great!

We went to Bruges between Christmas and New Years.  Was great.  But the Belgiums are not very welcoming - to say the least.

When Alice was 11 months, we did 3 weeks in Asia.  Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China.  So would have been fun to do Japan this time around.  But we are only going for a week and jetlag would have played too much of a part!  I wouldn't be surprised if the next long trip we do is to Asia again.

We booked Croatia this weekend.  We are excited as neither of us have been before.  Staying in a villa high in the mountains between Split and Omis.  Easy striking distance to two national parks and a few day trips.  Should be great!

We went to Bruges between Christmas and New Years.  Was great.  But the Belgiums are not very welcoming - to say the least.

When Alice was 11 months, we did 3 weeks in Asia.  Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China.  So would have been fun to do Japan this time around.  But we are only going for a week and jetlag would have played too much of a part!  I wouldn't be surprised if the next long trip we do is to Asia again.

ahhh i didn't read all the comments so didn't know! Nice! That sounds like an awesome trip!

Are they not very welcoming in Belgium? That makes me sad. My parents are coming over here in June/July and wanted to pop over to Bruges/Belgium so less excited to hear they aren't very welcoming

Yeah I was thinking the time it takes to get over Jet lag once you're there will be a killer and the pricing of flights just seems to be SO high unless you want ridiculous length stop-overs or multiple stops so a 36 hour flight etc. etc. Literally took us over an hour to find the *right* one last night and that was with only two of us having to keep in mind! lol

You're going to have loads of fun in Croatia though! Take loads of pictures so we can pretend we all went with you hahah

ahhh i didn't read all the comments so didn't know! Nice! That sounds like an awesome trip!

Are they not very welcoming in Belgium? That makes me sad. My parents are coming over here in June/July and wanted to pop over to Bruges/Belgium so less excited to hear they aren't very welcoming

Yeah I was thinking the time it takes to get over Jet lag once you're there will be a killer and the pricing of flights just seems to be SO high unless you want ridiculous length stop-overs or multiple stops so a 36 hour flight etc. etc. Literally took us over an hour to find the *right* one last night and that was with only two of us having to keep in mind! lol

You're going to have loads of fun in Croatia though! Take loads of pictures so we can pretend we all went with you hahah

We can get over the cost.  We give ourselves a pretty generous travel budget each year as we love to travel.  Just needs to be a longer trip than a week.

I wonder if they'll have the same fascination with white babies that they have in China.  That part was super annoying.  Everyone took our kids picture ALL THE TIME.

We've already decided that when the kids are older, they will get to pick and plan a holiday (for a particular birthday when it seems right.  Somewhere between 10 and 13).  They'll be given a budget and will need to research where we go, where we'll stay, what we'll do, etc.  It'll be fun to see what they come up with!

We can get over the cost.  We give ourselves a pretty generous travel budget each year as we love to travel.  Just needs to be a longer trip than a week.

I wonder if they'll have the same fascination with white babies that they have in China.  That part was super annoying.  Everyone took our kids picture ALL THE TIME.

We've already decided that when the kids are older, they will get to pick and plan a holiday (for a particular birthday when it seems right.  Somewhere between 10 and 13).  They'll be given a budget and will need to research where we go, where we'll stay, what we'll do, etc.  It'll be fun to see what they come up with!

That is such an awesome idea! Will help teach them how to manage money as well. Wish my parents did that with me! haha

I have heard that they do have a fascination with Western people in general, so imagine they might also want to take pictures of your kids lol. People my husband knows have had people in Japan take pictures with them because they were tall/white. Another one of his friends was over in a more rural area and people wanted to take pictures with her because she was blonde.

We've already decided that when the kids are older, they will get to pick and plan a holiday (for a particular birthday when it seems right.  Somewhere between 10 and 13).  They'll be given a budget and will need to research where we go, where we'll stay, what we'll do, etc.  It'll be fun to see what they come up with!

As a geeky child, I would have loved this!  But I would be scared of my older sister's ability to plan the logistics of a family holiday!

As a geeky child, I would have loved this!  But I would be scared of my older sister's ability to plan the logistics of a family holiday!

True.  My brother would have had us surfing for a week in Cocoa Beach.  But then again, that's not bad, is it?

True.  My brother would have had us surfing for a week in Cocoa Beach.  But then again, that's not bad, is it?

I am not so worried about her destination or planned activities... more her ability to plan a budget and remember to include food and accommodation, and then not blow the whole budget on souvenirs upon arrival.  She spends money four times before it hits her bank account.  She's always been this way.  If you'd told 13yo her that she had a $7000 budget, we'd be buying the Taj Mahal and the Palace of Versailles.

I am not so worried about her destination or planned activities... more her ability to plan a budget and remember to include food and accommodation, and then not blow the whole budget on souvenirs upon arrival.  She spends money four times before it hits her bank account.  She's always been this way.  If you'd told 13yo her that she had a $7000 budget, we'd be buying the Taj Mahal and the Palace of Versailles.

If you had told my brother at 13 he had $7,000 he would want to know if he planned a trip for $100 if he could keep the remaining $6,900.   

If you had told my brother at 13 he had $7,000 he would want to know if he planned a trip for $100 if he could keep the remaining $6,900.   

Not gonna lie, that was me.  My mother called me a "little mercenary" for much of my childhood.  But I also liked planning and logistics, so I would've wanted to plan the best holiday I could get for the given budget as a matter of pride... so don't give me the incentive to shortchange the family.  No excess for me (or your brother).

Not gonna lie, that was me.  My mother called me a "little mercenary" for much of my childhood.  But I also liked planning and logistics, so I would've wanted to plan the best holiday I could get for the given budget as a matter of pride... so don't give me the incentive to shortchange the family.  No excess for me (or your brother).

And his idea of planning a trip would have been checking the surf forecast on a given day and then "okay, time to go."  He can't plan.  Thankfully he married a woman who is a wonderful planner!   

And I'd like to see him attempt to get up on a surfboard now.  Oh, I would pay good money to see that!!!

And his idea of planning a trip would have been checking the surf forecast on a given day and then "okay, time to go."  He can't plan.  Thankfully he married a woman who is a wonderful planner!   

And I'd like to see him attempt to get up on a surfboard now.  Oh, I would pay good money to see that!!!

I maintain spreadsheets in my personal life.  I love logistics.

I once dreamt that I could surf.  I loved it.  Then I woke up and thought, "Okay, I've done surfing.  Check that off the list."