The odometer read just over 500 kilometres when we took delivery of the Ford Territory Titanium. As you can see below, the road trip we took bumped that up big time.
Now it’s school holidays, I’m looking forward to having a reprieve from the lunch making and uniform ironing and all the other little jobs that comprise those busy mornings. For example, this morning, we slept in, made pancakes, played a board game and then I took a moment to slip outside to take a couple of photographs.
(Although this picture is actually by Keira)
This is when the kids joined me and we had an impromptu photo shoot…
The car boot can be opened two ways – either the traditional way, all the way up, or this clever ‘half’ position for smaller goods. It’s a nice option and, as you can see, with the third row of back seats down, the space inside is ample for exhibitionistic behaviour.
I even hopped in there and had my photo taken…
… before I got photo bombed. As you can see, it was hysterically funny.
I had a hard time getting them out of there.
Until I said they could sit in the front seat. Then they scrambled over quick smart.
This is why holidays are a family favourite. It’s about slowing down and looking around, re-connecting and learning. What was going to be a ten minute escape out to our front yard by myself turned into a half hour session of creativity; I took a breath, had some trust, and handed over my camera so the kids could also ‘have a go’. Their small size, compact in comparison with the vehicle, and their glee, was enough to remind me of the same feelings I had as a child: lying out flat in the back of our family station wagon, simply because I could, stretching my toes, feeling the heat, smelling the smells (usually containing the fragrant notes of dad’s cricket gear or golf clubs).
Cars, for many of us, are important parts of the fabric that is our childhoods. We take the memories from these forever. They are symbolic of security and possibility. You can make these memories travelling across the country, or simply being parked in a driveway.
With thanks to Kidspot Voices of 2014.
