There is a captivating quality to the light in Mallorca – it’s similar throughout the Mediterranean. The particular blue of the sky and sea, the pale biscuit colour of the mountains, the trees (pine, palm, olive, citrus, poplar, oak), the flowers (bougainvillea, hibiscus, jasmine, oleander), the buildings (white, ochre or terracotta). It switches something in my brain from alert, slightly tense and fractious to calm, laid-back and easy going. Sitting outside a cafe in the main square of Pollensa on the first day we were here, I felt a rising bubble inside and had to suppress a laugh of pure joy in case my family thought I’d lost the plot. I grinned instead. They didn’t ask why I was smiling – they were smiling, too.
It’s seven years since we last visited Mallorca. In the intervening years, we’ve moved house, renovated a house, changed jobs, all three children have become teenagers and one of them is now an adult. I am happy that, although they’re still embarrassed by us and roll their eyes and walk at a discreet distance, they still wanted to come on holiday with us.
Surprising things about holidaying with teenagers:
1. They lift and carry suitcases happily and with ease.
2. They are undemanding on the plane (as long as their devices are fully charged).
3. They sleep in late which means you get a couple of hours of total peace and quiet in the mornings, listening to the birds, and you have the pool to yourself.
4. Sleeping in late means staying up late, so we go out and eat later which is more in keeping with the locals.
5. There’s a lot less bickering in the pool and a lot more lying in the sun. Quietly.
6. I don’t have to spend an hour trying to slather sunscreen onto wriggling bodies.
7. One of them cooked dinner the other evening.
When they were small, a holiday wasn’t a holiday – it was a similar routine but in a different place, albeit with better weather. Now they are teenagers, yes, there are still clothes on the floor (although the possibility of insects discourages this) and wet towels on beds but I don’t care! I am properly on holiday and making the most of it.
I hope all is well with you. Adios mis amigos.
acoastalplot 
It sounds absolutely lovely!
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I think you’ve covered everything! We’re on holiday, too, in Cyprus, and we all just feel laid-back and a tad sleepy, to be honest! Our holidays were always UK based when the boys were younger and were verging onto the edge of frantic, as I used to believe we had to spend every minute of every hour Doing Something. I agree with every word you have written and I raise my glass of rosé to you – enjoy the rest of your holiday Xx
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Happy holiday. Sounds great!
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Looks great can’t wait to be there Joy x
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Sounds wonderful – enjoy!
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It all sounds wonderful. And yes, holidaying with little people is utter exhaustion at times. We are somewhere in the middle now. Not quite at the point where the youngest will entertain himself and we can stay out late without paying for it the next day, but getting there. Mallorca sounds blissful, glad you’re having such a good time. CJ xx
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Ah yes. One of the great things about ‘children’ emerging from their very young stages is that you develop different relationships with them, eventually as adult-to-adult. It’s lovely, so special. Hope you continue to have a great time.
We’re soon off on holiday with both our two and their partners and the first of the next generation – very exciting!
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How lovely – hope you have (or had!) a fantastic time.
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Oh Sam, it looks and sounds so lovely. Can I come too? I could do with de-tensing my brain for a few days xx
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I am very grateful that our kids, now 27 and 30, still want to go with us on trips – and so do their significant others. I’ve never been to Mallorca, but Judy has a strong memory from decades ago of camping in the hills near an old monastery. The monks gave them bread and cheese which they ate with figs from an abandoned orchard.
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There are several monasteries on the island – sounds like a wonderful memory.
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Sounds like you’ve had a true holiday – fantastic!
You’re right, holidaying with teenagers is a real delight. In fact with the benefit of hindsight I wouldn’t have gone abroad at all until they were at least 12, and saved the money. Not that we did often, but we had some long-distance house exchange holidays (e.g. Los Angeles) that I later discovered had left no imprint in their little brains other than ‘it was hot’; ‘[my brother] ate my ice cream’; ‘you wouldn’t buy me the shiny (Pokemon card) I wanted because I was rude to you’.
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As my mum says, ‘it’s like giving a donkey strawberries’ when they’re little 🙂
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