Just returned from dragging my wife and four kids across half the globe for the ultimate African adventure, and I’ve learned that jet lag with children is basically like herding caffeinated zebras.
Our journey started with a layover in Paris, where the kids overindulged in French fries. Eight hours later, we landed in Cape Town looking like we’d been through a blender, but hey – Table Mountain doesn’t judge your hair.
Kruger National Park was where things got real. Turns out explaining to my kids why we can’t roll down the windows requires diplomatic skills I didn’t know I possessed. Then we hit Zimbabwe and Zambia for Victoria Falls – because apparently crossing international borders with four kids wasn’t challenging enough. The falls were absolutely spectacular, though our youngest was more impressed by the baboons stealing tourists’ lunches than by one of the world’s natural wonders.
Our grand finale in Johannesburg involved one lost shoe, two meltdowns (one kid, one adult), and three new favorite animals that definitely can’t be pets back home.
Would we do it again? Ask me after I recover from the 20-hour flight home and figure out what time zone we’re supposed to be in!
Omar Martinez is a Senior Project Manager on the Retail Team. He works hard but watches soccer harder and is known for having mysterious ‘urgent meetings’ that coincidentally align with Champions League kick-offs. Warning: Do not schedule important calls during El Clásico.