Euro Moms
we are youthful voyagers and middle-aged mothers
I’ve traveled with my girlfriends every year since we graduated college. Well, maybe not right away, but once we established careers, settled into city dwelling, started to make a dent in those pesky student loans, and then managed to save a little cash for a travel fund. I like to say we visited (some of) the OG cool spots like Austin, Nashville, and Charleston, and then they became spectacularly popular, but who knows!1 We have also Savannah, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Sonoma, Boulder, Santa Fe and Sanibel Island on our album of greatest hits.
As time passed and lives settled, deeper wanderlust called.
In our mid 30s at various stages of career growth, happily married, house in the burbs with two to four kids, enter: Euro Moms. It was a hashtag circa 2019 coined by two of my girlfriends (not me — as I was in the early stages of babies and breastfeeding when they first jetted!). But now, I can attest to it being one of the best ideas for an east coast dwelling moms vacation. Book an overnight flight and spend five to six days between two to three cities. It might sound fast paced and sometimes it is, but being away from family obligations / leaving it all to super Dads2 / missing your kiddos is a mighty task.
“I wanted what we all want: everything. We want a mate who feels like family and a lover who is exotic, surprising. We want to be youthful adventurers and middle-aged mothers. We want intimacy and autonomy, safety and stimulation, reassurance and novelty, coziness and thrills. But we can’t have it all.” ~ Ariel Levy, The Rules Do Not Apply.
I read Ariel’s memoir in 2017. Her quote nestled in me as everything I actually did want. What if I want a life that is all those things?
I am going to find a partner that is my closest family who is also exotic and surprising! (for example!) And while that’s only one piece to the puzzle, I had no idea how I was going to travel and be a Mom. This seems to have manifested in a way that feels right. (And travel that often includes my kids.)
“You don’t want most of it, you want all of it” ~ Don Draper.
Put the Don-ness aside and contextualize it to your own life — you know we only have one right? One life.
These trips are meant to honor a version of ourselves and our friendships that we don’t want to lose.
Euro Moms need not be for seasoned travelers only. If you are feeling called to adventure in mid-life, it is definitely not too late to start traveling. I out of nowhere put together this little list. Take what might benefit you and leave what you’d deem obvious or unhelpful behind!
Things to consider:
a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
a passport with an expiration date not within 6 months of travel.
the best tote bag + under seat storage carry on
packing cubes tried and true — I’ve had this brand in multiple sets for about 8 years now, long before packing cubes were a mainstream craze.
a few ideas to combat jet lag on a quickly paced trip:
the night before you leave, go to bed early and wake up early. I guess by this I mean, earlier than you normally would on both ends.
do your best to sleep on the overnight flight. This can actually be hard as a Mom on the go — that initial hit of quiet freedom with books and movies and complimentary wine at your disposal! Drink all the free wine and enjoy that hot meal delivered right to you, that you didn’t have to prepare. (I love airplane meals, for real) and then: zzzzz.
arrival day 1: freshen up and hit the ground running. grab an espresso and see a few sights. have a night out but listen to your body if it’s asking for sleep. This sets the tone for a well rested and full-of-plans day two and beyond.
pack light (or don’t) but you need less than you think!
create a packing list that is specific to outfits for day and night, right down to the shoes and accessories. Avoid overpacking demons by asking: how many times can this shoe, belt, or purse pair with an outfit. With a list this detailed you can realistically parse out what is absolutely necessary versus what won’t get a lot of use.3
Clothing decisions made on the front end rather than throwing it all in on a whim add to feeling relaxed when getting ready. Especially in a small-ish timeframe, for example: back from sightseeing and afternoon drinks that lingered, a quick refresh at the hotel before the night moves!
pack your comfiest shoes ever. See also: walking an average of 15k steps per day. (Cab rides are a part of the equation here, but you’re still going to walk a lot.) Now is not the time to break in a new pair of anything. I wore my Gola Rainbow’s with a dress on most nights out.
only one or two people need to pack the hair straightener / curling iron.
one person pays (but alternate who) the dinner tab / ticketed entry / grabs cash from the ATM and then use Splitwise. There is no need for four transactions each time you get coffee + croissants or head into a church / parliament / dining establishment. Your servers and waiters will appreciate you and this saves time all around.
plan (some of) your itinerary in advance. This is a five day euro moms, not a summer abroad. There WILL BE spontaneity, I promise (!!) but you should have a general idea of what is happening when and at minimum reservations for dinner. Itinerary designing is an art form and I’m lucky to have a girlfriend (Hi Tricia!) who takes the lead and is great at this!!
Cocktail Reservations: In European cities there are bars that require or encourage reservations just to drink. There’s nothing exclusive about them, this is just the preferred way. Meanwhile, it feels good to have a set pregame and post game destination. It is harder to make (all your) group approved plans on a whim. It’s easier to decide not for me right now in the moment should you need to deviate.
The elegant malachite green and gold infused Duchess Rooftop Bar at Matild Palace Hotel in Budapest requires reservations.
If you’re a seasoned jet-setter, a Mom who travels, or a group trip goer, what would you add?
This years Euro Moms destinations were Budapest, Hungary and Vienna, Austria. Enjoy a sneak peak of a few quality Budapest moments below…
We graduated from UNH (University of New Hampshire). A serendipitous moment walking home from dinner on our first night — Love a good sign from the universe.
The Hungarian Parliament is a stunner with a captivating presence on the Pest Side / East Bank of the Danube River.
We almost didn’t make it inside the Hungarian National Assembly. But we did and I am so glad for that!
I was enthralled with the renaissance detail of it all. We also witnessed the intense changing of the guards at the crown jewels.
A visit to Budapest is — not complete until you spot this Ruin Bar Buddha!
Kidding.
All about what a Ruin Bar is, where you can find the gorgeous church pictured, where those manic green horse statues are located — and so much more: tomorrow! (If you’re new here, I typically publish once a week on Thursdays.)
It’s a bonus / prelude round today.
If you made your way over here and are not yet subscribed, drop your email below to ensure you get the upcoming Budapest + Vienna travel recaps!
This was all way back when, so before bachelorette party mania hit mainstream and everyone was flocking to southern US destination cities in sashes and gaggles.
and they truly are the best, we could not do Euro Moms without the Dads. Here’s to all the invested and supportive partners.
planning for these trips specifically, a super type A mentality kicks in. my husband was kind enough to ask if he should laminate my packing list — so there’s that ;)
A trip with girlfriends sounds so, so lovely--and needed! We might not be able to have it all at the same time, but with a little arranging, we can make room for quite a lot. :)
Both great cities!!