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    Motorway Service Station Hell

    Mar 31, 2015 · Modified: Sep 20, 2022 by Ali · 11 Comments

    It's the school holidays. You can't face going abroad with the kids so you book yourselves onto a 'cheap' caravan holiday a short drive away. Far enough away that you feel like you are on holiday but close enough so that you can drive there quickly.

    Invariably you will pick somewhere about two hours away, thinking that you can make the drive with no stops. You are wrong. Despite making the kids go to the toilet eight times before you leave, despite putting on the in car DVD players and packing a cool bag of snacks you will find yourselves stopping at a service station where you will push your way through the throngs of grumpy travellers, avail yourselves of the grotty public conveniences, shouting at the kids not to touch anything or wander off while you are in the loo.

    You will then of course be nagged into buying some overpriced sugary sweets in the shop, where they only sell giant bags of such sweets. Your kids of course cannot agree on a sweet they like so you are forced to buy two massive bags even though you know it will mean you have to endure sugar laden arguments for the rest of the journey. On the way out you spot the coffee stand. Ah - a nice coffee will make it all better. But it won't. You will pay twice the price for your usual latte, wait half an hour for the understaffed makeshift coffee shop to produce your drink, it will taste grim and you will leave it on top of the car while you belt the kids back in and drive off without even finishing it.

    Oh, and of course as soon as you are back on the motorway you will hear that little voice...Mummy I need the toilet. AGGGGHHHHH!!!

    motorway service station hell

    And then the fun began...
    Super Busy Mum

    Brilliant blog posts on HonestMum.com

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    About Ali

    Hi I'm Ali, a vegan mummy of four from Wales in the UK. I love reading, cooking, writing, interiors and photography, all of which I share on here. I also make videos on my YouTube channel. Come and follow us and share our journey.

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    1. Kim Carberry says

      March 31, 2015 at 9:28 pm

      hahaha! Oh dear! Have a nice holiday x

      Reply
    2. Donna says

      March 31, 2015 at 9:51 pm

      This is just oh so familiar! We have two Mon-Fri breaks back to back in May, dreading it! x

      Reply
    3. Penny Pincher says

      April 01, 2015 at 7:24 pm

      I feel sorry for you, I feel sorry for myself because I've been there too. Kids and long journeys = stress; hope they don't get car sick like my kids do 🙁

      Reply
    4. thenthefunbegan says

      April 01, 2015 at 8:55 pm

      Oh how that first sentence resonates with me right now! Off to sunny Great Yarmouth the week after next which is probably more than a two hour drive actually. Still, gotta be done - not looking forward to the service station stops though - I think our worst ever experience was getting stuck in a gridlock getting out of Exeter Services once - it must have taken an hour to get out of there and back onto the road. As we eventually drove away my little nearly 3 year old pipes up from the back "that was ridic-o-lass! We had to laugh! Thanks for linking up to #thetruthabout Lina X

      Reply
    5. Lifeloveanddirtydishes says

      April 02, 2015 at 11:51 am

      I once had to endure Motorway services hell with a poonami nappy 🙁
      #sharewithme
      I'm hosting #FridayFrolics linky if you fancy joining in.

      Reply
      • cookiesandcwtches says

        April 02, 2015 at 4:27 pm

        Ah the poonami nightmare!! Fab I will link up on Friday! X

        Reply
    6. sabrina says

      April 02, 2015 at 2:22 pm

      Oh nooooo! This post did make me giggle, I love motorway service stations, my husband and I had out post wedding dinner in one on our way to our honeymoon lol!
      Sabrina x

      Reply
      • cookiesandcwtches says

        April 02, 2015 at 4:28 pm

        Ha ha! They aren't so bad without kids I suppose!!

        Reply
    7. sabrina says

      April 02, 2015 at 2:23 pm

      Sorry forgot the hashtag - #MMWBH 😀

      Reply
    8. Amanda Walsh (@mandymoo2014) says

      April 03, 2015 at 1:25 am

      I still don't understand my childrens fascination with public toilets, definitely agree with the bad coffee to #MMWBH

      Reply
    9. Jenny @ Let's Talk Mommy says

      April 05, 2015 at 8:33 pm

      Oh bless you traveling with kids can be a challenge and long haul trips even moreso. Definitely agree on the bad Thanks for linking up to Share With Me. Happy Easter! #sharewithme

      Reply

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