Sticking with tradition we packed the car, set our alarms for 2am then couldn't get to sleep. The kids on the other hand had a great night and at 2am when we woke them to shepherd them to the car they were the widest awake people ever - yet Kayla can never rise for school at 7.30!

After a minor mixup with the films for travel on Ed's computer (we'd forgotten to download any), and time spent with the laptop perched on the wheely bin trying to access our own wifi through the window so we didn't have to open the house up again, we managed to leave at 2.45am.

The UK leg of the journey was pretty typical. So much of it with 50mph average speed cameras and hardly seeing another car until the M40. We stopped for Maccies breakfast just before the M25 and again later to stretch our legs but reached the Eurotunnel bang on plan at 8.20. This year the terminal was pretty empty and we were allocated a slot on a train an hour earlier than booked, woohoo.

We boarded right at the back of the train and were sent upstairs for the first time, the journey was perfect as usual and at 10.55am (French time) we disembarked in Calais.

France came and went quickly, Belgie took a while longer with traffic building up around Gent and Antwerpen but it's a fab place with varied lanscape and pretty villages so we stopped often and soaked it up. Towards the end we were getting tired of travelling and the kids were getting a little nowty but luckily the countdown from '59 minutes remaining' cheered them up.

We reached the hotel in Eindhoven, Nederland around 3pm with the satnav directing us spot on to the door. The kids eyes lit up when the receptionist told them about the outdoor pool so after a quick settling in we headed poolside for a couple of hours. The pool was apparently cold but once the inching in routine had resolved itself the kids enjoyed splashing around. The sun was fierce and we sat on the terrace enjoying a drink trying to move round to catch some shade. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.

Tea was our picnic back in the hotel room. We've made loads of picnic bags for travelling but they work just as well indoors and the Novotel menu didnt suit everyone so instead we had crackers and spread, crisps and bourbons (super nutritious!).

As well as the pool the kids had spotted the play area so after tea we headed back down to the terrace and they made friends, ran races, climbed, swung and even attempted a game of table tennis.

By 7pm we were back to the room for showers and some chill out time as sleep was catching up with us all. And thats where I am now so I'll say night as tomorrow's alarm is set for 7am ready for a big breakfast before crossing Germany for the ferry to Sweden.