Our First Big Adventure as a Family of Four 🌍✈️

This was our first big holiday as a family of four, and what an adventure it turned out to be. After a successful “test flight” to Italy, we felt confident enough to plan something bigger. Nicolas is such a calm, chilled baby that we thought, why not? Another big adventure it is!

We managed to grab return flights to Abu Dhabi during Etihad’s sales, and since we had already visited before, we decided to take things further. Alice really wanted to see elephants 🐘, so Sri Lanka quickly became the next destination. It had been on my travel bucket list for years, but little did I know this trip would come dangerously close to being cancelled.

Nath and I are both quite adventurous and normally have no issue taking kids on exotic holidays. But this time felt different. The night before our Sri Lanka flight, we were seriously considering ditching the plan and staying in Dubai instead — something just didn’t feel right.

A Rocky Start Before We Even Left 🫠

Let’s rewind a bit. Two weeks before departure, chickenpox cases appeared at Alice’s nursery. No panic — I’m on maternity leave anyway, and the last thing we wanted was Alice getting ill during the holiday, so I kept her at home.

Everything seemed fine… until two days before our trip, when I ended up needing emergency surgery. Thankfully, everything went well, and the doctor confirmed I was still fit to travel — just no swimming due to the stitches. Fine. I love water, but nothing was stopping me from going on holiday 🌴.

Then came departure day. I woke up with my entire belly covered in a rash — clearly an allergic reaction. A call to 111 resulted in… allergy tablets. And that was that. So there I was, ready to fly with two types of antibiotics and allergy pills in my bag. What could possibly go wrong? 😅

Vienna Stopover & Our First Etihad Experience ✈️

We flew to Vienna in the evening and stayed at the NH Hotel at the airport, as our Etihad flight to Abu Dhabi was at 10am the next morning. The location was perfect, the hotel very comfortable, and Alice even received a kids’ cosmetic bag with essentials — such a lovely touch 🧴💕

The next morning, we boarded our Etihad flight. It was our first time flying with Etihad, and I was genuinely impressed. The food was actually good — the first time I’ve ever praised plane food 🍽️👏.

Nicolas had a cot attached to the wall (although babies must be removed during turbulence — Virgin Atlantic is still the only airline where we’ve been allowed to keep the baby in). Thankfully, Nicolas absolutely loved the cot and slept for almost the entire flight 😴.

Both kids received little Warner Bros. goodies — Nicolas got a superhero blanket, and Alice received a bag with a bottle and colouring book. One thing that surprised me was that Nicolas didn’t get any baby food on this flight.

What truly stood out, though, was the kindness of the cabin crew. A lovely flight attendant gave us three Kit Kats to help Alice during landing. Alice was asleep on Nath just before landing, and because she has her own seat, she had to be woken up and strapped in. The crew brought her chocolates beforehand to soften the blow — and it worked! 🍫💛 These gestures mean so much to parents.

Abu Dhabi Stop & A Sudden Plot Twist 🌪️

After landing, we took a local taxi to La Quinta by Wyndham. From experience, local taxis are much cheaper than Uber — highly recommended 🚕.

Thanks to a brief (now-fixed) Wyndham status mishap, I managed to book the hotel with some perks. Although there was no suite upgrade available, they kindly offered us free breakfast, which we really appreciated. The rooms were spacious, comfortable, and breakfast was great.

With only two nights in Abu Dhabi, our schedule was tight. We headed straight to SeaWorld, which we had loved on our previous visit. Alice adored the dolphin show 🐬 and enjoyed the fish and turtles. However, after a few hours, she was very much done — classic two-year-old behaviour 😅.

We had a two-park ticket, so while Alice slept in the carrier, we walked over to Warner Bros. World. Pure childhood nostalgia! The sky design makes you feel like you’re in a real city — absolutely incredible 🌆. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Alice’s favourite, so after a couple of rides, we headed back to the hotel to rest before our next flight.

At this point, my throat pain had become unbearable — likely from the tube used during surgery. The pain reached my ears, so I added Strepsils and ear drops to my ever-growing medication collection. Lovely.

Then, while relaxing at the hotel, my mum messaged asking if we were still going to Sri Lanka — because of the hurricane. Hurricane?! We had no idea.

A quick search revealed the worst natural disaster Sri Lanka had seen since 2004. My heart sank 💔. We contacted Etihad — flights were operating as normal, meaning no refund. I emailed the hotel, while we seriously considered switching plans and staying in Dubai instead.

Post-surgery mummy, a coughing baby, and a country recovering from a disaster… was it worth forcing it?

Thankfully, on the morning of departure, we received reassurance from Hotel Riu Sri Lanka. Their area hadn’t been affected, operations were normal, and transport from the airport was safe. Decision made. Off we went.

Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 – Worth Every Doubt

The flight was around five hours on a smaller Etihad plane — no screens, but we still had a cot for Nicolas. Surprisingly, neither child received food or goodies on this flight. Service with Etihad felt a bit inconsistent overall.

Having learned my lesson in the Maldives, I had packed all baby food in advance, just in case.

After landing, we picked up our hire car — only to discover we needed a foreign driving licence, which we had never been asked for anywhere else before. We had to apply and pay for one at the airport, which delayed us further.

By the time we reached Hotel Riu Sri Lanka, it was midnight, we were exhausted, and Alice looked completely homeless from lying on airport floors 😅.

But wow… the hotel. Absolutely amazing. Friendly staff, stunning surroundings, and hands down the best all-inclusive food I’ve ever had. The Indian food was exceptional 🍛👌.

The hotel wasn’t overcrowded at all — often Alice was the only child in the kids’ pool. It was fully gated, the beach exit guarded, and the beach itself was beautiful (though the sea was too rough for swimming). Rooms were cleaned immaculately, complete with daily towel animals 🐒🦢.

Turtles, Elephants & Unforgettable Moments 🐢🐘

After a rest day, we drove to Hikkaduwa Turtle Beach, just 20 minutes away. The turtles were right there by the shore, and Alice even managed to touch one — pure magic ✨. If you go, bring towels, drinks, food, and stay all day.

Of course, no holiday is complete without that granny offering unsolicited parenting advice. While walking with Nicolas (hat on, sunscreen applied), she commented in Russian about the sun being too strong. I calmly replied in English, “And so is his sunscreen.” That ended the conversation nicely 😌And yes — rest assured, Nicolas’ sunscreen is top-tier, definitely not Nivea 😉

Elephants Were Non-Negotiable 🐘🌿

Seeing elephants was non-negotiable. Sri Lanka simply wouldn’t be Sri Lanka without them. Since we were travelling with two small children and didn’t want to spend endless hours in the car, we chose Udawalawe National Park, which is much closer to our hotel than Yala (around a three-hour drive instead of five).

The main challenge was finding a safari that worked for us. Most tours offered four-hour safaris, which felt far too long with a toddler and a baby. After some digging, I came across Udawalawe Safari Fun, who organise private jeep tours with experienced, English-speaking driver-guides. This was exactly what we needed — flexibility, no pressure, and the option to turn back whenever we wanted. We promised ourselves we’d listen to the kids rather than force the experience. In the end, we spent just over two hours in the park, and honestly, it was perfect.

Within minutes of entering the park, we saw our first elephants — not one or two, but whole groups, calmly walking, eating, and interacting with each other 🐘💚. Seeing them so close, in their natural environment, was incredibly emotional. Alice was absolutely mesmerised and kept pointing excitedly every time another elephant appeared.

Along the way, we also spotted crocodiles 🐊 lounging by the water, countless birds, and even peacocks proudly showing off their feathers. Our driver, Naveen, was brilliant — incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and patient. He explained so much about the animals, their behaviour, and the park itself, all while driving carefully and making sure we were comfortable.

He even provided cold bottled water and biscuits, which Alice very much appreciated after the early start. Little touches like that make such a difference when travelling with children.

For the entire experience, we paid around £85, which, considering it was a private safari with a knowledgeable guide and unforgettable memories, felt like incredible value. It was calm, respectful, and absolutely one of the highlights of the whole trip.

Dubai Finale 🏙️✨

After one final relaxing day at Hotel Riu Sri Lanka, it was time to move on again. We flew back to Abu Dhabi and then continued to Dubai, where we stayed at Centara Mirage Beach Resort — and from the moment we arrived, we were impressed.

The biggest win? They gave us our room at 10am after a night flight with two kids. If you’re a parent, you’ll know just how huge that is 🙌. No waiting around, no overtired meltdowns — straight to the room to freshen up.

The room itself was spacious, modern, and very family-friendly. We didn’t opt for a sea view, and honestly, I was glad — the Dubai skyline view was stunning and added to the experience.

This hotel is an absolute paradise for children of any age. Splash parks, water slides, lazy river, multiple swimming pools, high ropes, indoor play areas, and even an inflatable obstacle course by the sea 🌊. Alice was in heaven, and even Nicolas enjoyed watching all the action from the shade.

The only downside was housekeeping, which wasn’t quite as consistent as we would expect. However, considering everything else the hotel offers, it didn’t take away too much from the overall experience.

The location is around 20 minutes from central Dubai, but during peak traffic, it can stretch to an hour. That said, I could easily imagine spending an entire week here without leaving the resort at all.

A Taste of the City 🌆🍰

We did venture into the city, though — eventually 😅. After one slightly disastrous attempt when the kids were too tired (resulting in Alice screaming the entire taxi ride back… poor driver), we learned our lesson.

On our final full day, with everyone in a good mood, we headed out again. First stop: Dubai Frame. There were hardly any queues, and the views were fantastic. One side looks out over Old Dubai, while the other showcases New Dubai, giving you a brilliant contrast of the city’s past and future. The glass floor at the top was slightly terrifying but definitely worth it!

From there, we headed to Dubai Mall, where tradition demanded a stop at The Cheesecake Factory. Nachos, cheesecake, and a table overlooking the massive Dubai Aquarium — Alice was happily watching sharks swim past while waiting for her food 🦈🍽️.

After lunch, we went outside to watch the Dubai Fountain show at 1pm. A little tip: the daytime shows are far less crowded, and you get a stunning view of Burj Khalifa towering above.

Home, Family & What’s Next 🎄✈️

After our final flight back to Vienna, my dad was waiting to take us straight to Slovakia, where we spent a few days with family. Alice absolutely loved playing with her cousins and testing out new bouncing castles, while Nath and I managed to sneak away for some much-needed alone time at our favourite Spa Aphrodite 💆‍♀️💆‍♂️ — pure bliss after weeks of travelling.

Now we’re finally home, just in time to decorate for Christmas 🎄, slow down a little, and enjoy a couple of weeks together before heading back to Slovakia again.

And of course, we’re already planning the next adventure…Florida 🇺🇸 is calling — Disney World, Miami, Tampa, and maybe even some alligators 🐊 if we’re lucky.

See you on the next adventure 😊✨