guyslikeus EP03: travelling with kids and other joys of life

WEBVTT 00:00:20.175 --> 00:00:43.160 <v Paul>Welcome everybody to Guys Like Us, the podcast about privileged middle aged white men. Here with you tonight, prime examples of this species, Mark Winter. How's it going, buddy? What's going, And myself, Paul Fattinger. No, I hope you guys got the joke, but obviously there is a current of truth in what I just said. 00:00:43.545 --> 00:01:26.475 We are in fact pretty middle aged, I'm afraid, white, and also very lucky to have lived a very privileged life that brought with it many great stories, and one or two learnings, I guess. And we figured that those stories have not been shared often enough yet, especially, stories like this are not shared often enough between men. So here we are in our third episode after two very deep bangers of opening episodes on friendship and the good life. So this time, because I'm hosting it, we're going a bit, you know, bit more to the surface of life. But a very important topic still indeed. 00:01:26.795 --> 00:01:43.010 A hot topic also for many at the moment and for us also right Mike in the last couple weeks and it is going on vacation with kids. Cheers. Cheers to that. Yeah. But before we start as we start, what are you drinking buddy and how are you doing? 00:01:44.225 --> 00:02:02.960 <v Marc>In general, I'm great. I'm I'm drinking a a very large glass of Suncerre late in the afternoon here in New York City. It's a beautiful time. Well, I figured I need a large glass to get us through this. And especially given the topic, the more I think about it, the more I'm gonna wanna finish it. 00:02:03.360 --> 00:02:24.345 Yeah. Yeah. But I mean, good. I've been I've been aggressively trying to get myself back into shape, especially since, you know, Paul's been sharing some photos on a like other group chat, and Paul's ridiculously fit and ripped. And I gotta tell you, like, you put me back into the gym. 00:02:24.345 --> 00:02:27.410 I got my ass kicked today In the boxing gym. 00:02:27.410 --> 00:02:28.690 <v Paul>You go. Yeah. Here you go. 00:02:28.690 --> 00:02:31.650 <v Marc>You're motive you're inspiring me by shaming I 00:02:32.770 --> 00:03:03.220 <v Paul>didn't shame you. I was, like, I was doing I was I was doing a a a very manly barbecue here because it's just like this basically, you know, fire pit in the house I am right now, and which had really bad circulation. So I really had to blow onto the coal all the time to generate the heat and all of that in 40 degrees heat. So and then there were these huge chunks of meat on that, over that fire. And that just made me feel very archaically, testosterone filled manly man. 00:03:03.220 --> 00:03:09.455 <v Marc>Fantastic. And for the three listeners who are listening, can you, can you remind them of where you are right now in the moment? 00:03:10.015 --> 00:03:11.615 <v Paul>I am still in Ibiza. 00:03:12.095 --> 00:03:13.775 <v Marc>Okay. Still there 00:03:13.775 --> 00:03:14.655 <v Paul>a little bit. 00:03:15.775 --> 00:03:24.540 <v Marc>A question. What did you drink, actually, with your grilled meats that you roasted with your with your shirt off. 00:03:27.660 --> 00:03:29.820 <v Paul>Put it on for dinner though. 00:03:29.980 --> 00:03:34.460 <v Marc>Oh, thank God. Because it it looked it looked like a a either a male porno mag or, you know 00:03:36.905 --> 00:03:38.745 <v Paul>It's also because dedicating 00:03:38.745 --> 00:03:39.305 <v Marc>yourself to Carl. 00:03:39.305 --> 00:03:58.300 <v Paul>I keep on telling my kids all the time, wear wear a shirt when you eat. I mean, that's a big topic we're get to. I'm gonna skip your question because I already, you know, chose my wine wisely now because I thought we come across as the biggest jerk offs in our third episode. Always, I have a French wine, a saucer. I have a bougain. 00:03:58.300 --> 00:04:15.085 So since I'm in Spain, I chose the Spanish option and I'm drinking a glass of Lia's Finas Albarino 2024. Very pleasant. Nothing special. Not bad at all. I love it actually in the summer, so that's what I'm having. 00:04:15.565 --> 00:04:27.800 On my vacation with kids. But I'm talking about this. Let's let's dive into this topic. When when I start with this, so you already started, you need a big drink. So what what what come we're gonna play a little game. 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:36.475 Don't worry about it. You inspired me last time. But what comes to your mind when I say vacation with kids? 00:04:36.555 --> 00:04:53.360 <v Marc>Well, the first thing, I think that's sort of like a oxymoron because there's no such thing as a vacation with kids. That doesn't exist. Well, look. I mean, let's state state the obvious. I'm I'm a little bit in the infancy of my journey of of traveling with kids. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:56.080 It's only been three and a half years since my eldest. 00:04:56.080 --> 00:04:58.240 <v Paul>Give us some context on your setup. 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:11.825 <v Marc>Yeah. So my eldest, Felix, is three and a half years. And my the other one, Valentin, is just 10. You know? And so it's young kids for sure. 00:05:12.305 --> 00:05:51.530 And, you know, I think as a as a lot of parents might remember, you know, the the hardest part is the plane, obviously. And then the other hardest part is that you don't have childcare to watch over your kids the entire time, so you have to be there. And it is a balance between being fully present for for your children, and somewhere in between realizing that you, again, will only have two hours to yourself at best, you know, maybe three, during your entire trip, a day. 00:05:51.530 --> 00:06:05.255 <v Paul>Well, no. I I mean, I can't I couldn't agree more, and I'm not gonna jump on all this because you're kind of, already going into so many points. But what was your last vacation with your kids? Tell us about that. Where where do you go? 00:06:05.255 --> 00:06:07.815 So what's your Yep. Latest point of reference? 00:06:09.975 --> 00:06:30.435 <v Marc>We went to this is just a my god. Three weeks ago, four weeks ago, we we went to Greece and Germany. So we we spent some time with friends in Athens and in the island of Stedipos, and then we went, spent some time in Munich with some family, and Dusseldorf with some family. 00:06:30.515 --> 00:06:51.940 <v Paul>Alright. That's a long trip. I mean, we talked about it, so I know it was it was a great trip, but I mean, with the 10 old and the three and a half year old, that's, not without its challenges. And Yeah. To kinda cover them in a fun way, I have, as I said, as we've been inspired by you, we I have a few categories here. 00:06:51.940 --> 00:07:06.195 I'm gonna play very similar game to last time, And it starts with, you know, with, you know, travel this day. Because, obviously, know, traveling with kids like any other travel too, but it's about where do you go? How do you go there? Where do you stay? What do you eat? 00:07:06.195 --> 00:07:12.080 Where do you eat? What do you do? Right? And how do you come out of this? And how do you feel during all of this? 00:07:12.080 --> 00:07:12.320 Right? 00:07:12.320 --> 00:07:18.000 <v Marc>How do you come out come out of this with the same amount of family members? It's like you started. Exactly. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:35.430 <v Paul>And without needing actually way more vacation than you actually just took. So so I would start, you know, I'm just gonna quick fire this and there's only I think four or five questions per per bucket, so to say. So I'll just go and you just answer and then we'll see how what we do with that stuff. Okay? So the first was about destinations. 00:07:35.430 --> 00:07:41.910 Alright? Okay? Are you listening? I'm listening. Hotspot or family spot? 00:07:41.910 --> 00:07:46.310 <v Marc>Oh, family spot. What your what was 00:07:46.310 --> 00:07:48.550 <v Paul>your first associations with hotspot? 00:07:49.725 --> 00:08:10.840 <v Marc>Okay. So so let's let's call it, like, could be, like, Mykonos or or let's call it Club Med in, like, Cancun. I'm just thinking some, like, particular type of potential hellhole. Right? And I think, like like Okay. 00:08:10.840 --> 00:08:16.840 Yeah. Yeah. It's gotta be club for now, club at it in in Cancun. That's right. 00:08:16.840 --> 00:08:29.575 <v Paul>Yeah. I I'm I'm with you. I'm I'm I'm I think maybe for context, age, my kids, my kids are 11, nine, and six and a half, almost seven. So I'm getting it to a totally different zone there. Yes. 00:08:29.575 --> 00:08:42.990 Which has its own challenges, as everything right with with changing ages. Okay. No. I I I tend to agree with you, though. One hotel or multiple stops on a, whatever, week, ten days trip? 00:08:44.110 --> 00:08:58.965 <v Marc>You know, this is this is a challenge. So depends on the type of vacation, but I would definitely say one hotel is the easiest. If we're talking about through the lens of do you want a vacation? That. 00:08:59.445 --> 00:09:07.350 <v Paul>Yes. No. I've I also agree. I I also fully agree. It's also it's a this whole packing all the time and unpacking 00:09:07.590 --> 00:09:08.310 <v Marc>It's the fucking worst. 00:09:08.310 --> 00:09:32.090 <v Paul>And the chaos is the worst. I mean, to the to me, that's the worst. For three kids and then packing this and putting it in soup and sometimes, actually, flying is almost better because you put it in a suitcase and you only have three or whatever, four. And then the car, then you have all those bits and pieces and it's flying around, and the worst is skiing. But hands down, the worst is skiing because there's so much shit you have to bring. 00:09:32.090 --> 00:09:43.210 And there's a helmet, and there's this thing, and there's that, and that it's unreal. It's I mean, we Austrians like to go skiing. You know? I mean, that's what we do. So it's It is. 00:09:43.210 --> 00:09:44.010 It's it's it's 00:09:44.010 --> 00:10:02.840 <v Marc>a it's a challenging thing if skiing is your kind of birthright, you know, and that means that, you know, you're not a real Austrian if your kids don't ski. I I will say I have delayed by one year already because of of fear of, like, putting my son on on skis because I know what a fucking pain in the ass that thing is gonna be. And I mean 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:07.640 <v Paul>The pain the ass is just getting them ready. Right? And then also in the very beginning, it is painful. Wait. 00:10:08.040 --> 00:10:16.295 <v Marc>Wait a sec. If they're borderline toilet trained, then you could you could enter a nightmare of a of a a situation. You can feel 00:10:16.535 --> 00:10:20.055 <v Paul>You have a brownout in a ski suit. Yeah. Imagine 00:10:20.295 --> 00:10:25.090 <v Marc>Oh my god. That's the foulest. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. 00:10:25.090 --> 00:10:25.490 Exactly. 00:10:25.490 --> 00:10:57.290 <v Paul>No. So it does I I I also think that those kind of round trips are where you go. I mean, I have my, you know, this typical European's dream to do to do California from top to bottom, basically, you know, where, you know, you would stop probably every you know, probably stay one or two or three nights, every stop. But but as for right now, I think they would have to pack their own shit into a suitcase, which I also know we'd arrive with half of the stuff. You know, probably have to buy them new underwear. 00:10:57.610 --> 00:11:00.890 And, by the time we're in San Francisco, basically. Yeah. 00:11:01.210 --> 00:11:02.810 <v Marc>I mean Which is 00:11:04.115 --> 00:11:05.875 <v Paul>two hours from when we started. Yeah. 00:11:05.875 --> 00:11:11.955 <v Marc>Well well, as you as you kicked off, you know, you're privileged enough to to be able for that to be okay. You know? But 00:11:13.555 --> 00:11:18.195 <v Paul>No action. Yeah. Yeah. But, anyways, that would be I think also that still takes some time. Alright. 00:11:19.550 --> 00:11:21.630 Very random. Brazil or Mexico? 00:11:21.630 --> 00:11:49.675 <v Marc>For the kids right now, Brazil. And the reason why is it's it's it's twofold, actually. So I think they are just so extraordinarily inclined for kids, and I think, you know, they they love them. They're just a natural thing. Like, actually, it's the only place of country I've been to where random people on the street will start to have conversations with your little baby. 00:11:49.755 --> 00:11:51.710 You know? And that's like a thing. 00:11:51.710 --> 00:11:52.990 <v Paul>Yeah. It is nice. 00:11:52.990 --> 00:12:07.785 <v Marc>Yeah. You know, normally in most countries, like, oh, look, your baby's so nice, except no. They, like, put their head in the carriage, and they start talking to the baby, you know, first. And then they'll pop up and maybe say a few words, you know. So that's one. 00:12:07.945 --> 00:12:21.150 And two is, look, if you're on a beach somewhere and you decide between Mexico and Brazil, and, you know, if for a pure entertainment, and eye candy view, there's only one answer. That's Brazil. 00:12:21.710 --> 00:12:25.230 <v Paul>Fair enough. London or the Austrian Alps? 00:12:25.230 --> 00:12:33.790 <v Marc>Oh. Oh, for the kids? Yeah. Well, you have to show me your version of the Austrian Alps. I mean, I love the Alps, but there's a lot of uphills and downhills. 00:12:34.005 --> 00:12:36.325 I mean, I'm a city boy. I'll be in London. 00:12:36.725 --> 00:12:38.245 <v Paul>Really? Also with the kids? 00:12:38.245 --> 00:12:51.760 <v Marc>Yeah. I'm a think I'm London so I mean, I mean, I'm in New York. Right? I've got, like, a giant stroller with you know, we're we're we're here, and it's it's already totally fine. So, you know, it's a a big city. 00:12:51.760 --> 00:12:58.160 It's a potpourri for kids. There are cool shops for them. There are cool playgrounds for them. There are cool springs for them. 00:12:58.160 --> 00:13:06.875 <v Paul>Don't think let me think about this. I don't think I have actually ever made a city trip with my kids so far. 00:13:07.835 --> 00:13:09.355 <v Marc>Okay. But three is 00:13:09.515 --> 00:13:26.000 <v Paul>I think they have with, you know, with with their mom. And they were, I think, to London and to Barcelona, basically. But but other than that, because to me right now, I I don't see the point. Right? I mean, they don't know the difference between a playground in London or in Vienna. 00:13:26.160 --> 00:13:34.605 They know the difference between a shop in London and Vienna. They don't they were not gonna remember shit, and I and I'm gonna feel terrible hustling there too. 00:13:34.605 --> 00:13:35.245 <v Marc>Mean, it's 00:13:35.245 --> 00:13:37.005 <v Paul>a big city environment kind 00:13:37.005 --> 00:13:45.805 <v Marc>of Well, it depends it depends how you do the city. Right? I mean, I'm not gonna I'm I'm not there to sightsee London. Right? I mean, I'm not if I'm taking I'm not taking my kids to go to, like, 00:13:46.510 --> 00:13:49.630 <v Paul>wet Big Ben. Big Ben. Madame Tussauds. 00:13:49.630 --> 00:13:58.590 <v Marc>Yeah. Yeah. No. I'll be in the Austria now. I mean, if I'm gonna hang out in a in a beautiful garden pub in Chelsea and there'll be a playground nearby, it's also not so bad. 00:14:00.195 --> 00:14:00.835 I think 00:14:00.835 --> 00:14:13.395 <v Paul>we should do vacations together, buddy. I think that's with the kids, which we haven't. Yeah. No. I think to me, as what you said before, right, is really about picking the destination at the end of the day is not for you. 00:14:13.700 --> 00:14:20.180 We're gonna come to this. Mean, the whole vacation is really not for you. No. And and that's kind of the thing. Right? 00:14:20.180 --> 00:14:36.095 It's it's on Tropez or some so it doesn't have to be a shit place. Right? But there's a different there's nice places for kids and families, and there's places where you would like to go rather without them. And you were also frankly happier if everyone went there without them. Correct? 00:14:36.095 --> 00:14:37.055 <v Marc>A 100%. 00:14:37.055 --> 00:14:37.615 <v Paul>I mean, if that 00:14:37.695 --> 00:14:52.770 <v Marc>I'm trying to think if there's a a destination that represents, like, the perfect blend. You know? And that's kinda what resort hotels are supposed to be. Absolutely. You know, you put your kids to sleep and you go downstairs and, you know but, like, those are so trashy. 00:14:52.770 --> 00:14:56.850 They don't those are people I wanna hang out with. Good. Like, I'm not a resort hotel person. 00:14:57.615 --> 00:15:03.935 <v Paul>I'm gone. I have so many let's this is great. Let's this is exactly my next category. Stays. Okay? 00:15:03.935 --> 00:15:15.570 Stays is about you know, wait. Wait. So okay. Hotel, you know, resorts with kids clubs and blah blah blah or cozy Airbnb, boutique hotel, you know, local charm, but no childcare. 00:15:16.050 --> 00:15:32.365 <v Marc>Yeah, dude. I mean, I think, right, I I would I would suck up the can can I can I just share a story? So last year, we were in the Dominican I live this. We're in the Dominican Republic for my dad's 70 birthday party. The first part was privileged. 00:15:32.845 --> 00:15:34.285 <v Paul>Yeah. Keep on going. Yeah. 00:15:34.845 --> 00:15:53.445 <v Marc>The first part was super bougie in, like, some crazy gated community full of villas, like J Lo or a you know, they all had, like or Beyonce. They had, like, their own kind of private villas there, and, like, we stayed in, like, a smaller one. And it was a fucking nightmare. You know? I mean, the kids were unregulated. 00:15:53.445 --> 00:16:14.340 They were running around. And, you know, we're like, we tried to be have have a nice time, and we brought bottles of nice bottles of wine and all this other stuff, etcetera. Second half, we go to some Hyatt that had water slides, had, like, random, like, transformers showing up to give hot dogs and stuff like this. Right? Like you know? 00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:28.925 And I was like, this is by far a type of circle of health. I had to be here for myself, but, like, my kids loved it, obviously. That's why they exist. And you can still get them with top shelf liquor, which is really important. Okay. 00:16:29.750 --> 00:16:35.830 But you know how much they charge, Paul? Do you know how much they charge? That was a thousand dollars a room a day. 00:16:36.310 --> 00:16:37.350 <v Paul>That's crazy. 00:16:37.430 --> 00:16:44.395 <v Marc>Which is bananas. And, basically, they got you by the balls. They know exactly. They're like Yeah. Of course. 00:16:44.475 --> 00:16:51.515 They're like, we got you. The kids are happy. You can eat in our place. Relax. You don't have to think about anything. 00:16:51.915 --> 00:16:53.195 And that's the premium. 00:16:53.435 --> 00:17:11.265 <v Paul>I actually wanna say, you know, it's not that black and white because, obviously, there are different sorts of family hotels and child friendly hotels that have all these amenities. And there's different types of the boutique ones. Right? But at the end, I'm telling you kind of the counter argument to this. That is not black and white. 00:17:11.265 --> 00:17:33.530 That is always the hotel with the, you know, kids club and so on. I don't know if I ever told you this story, but the first summer I went on vacation with only me and my three kids was three years ago. And I went to Mallorca because they were here all summer again. And so I didn't want to go to Ibiza. So I went to Mallorca. 00:17:33.850 --> 00:17:47.745 I Hushtag privileged. Yeah. God. So I had to go. I had to I just want a hotel and like, you know, where there was a, as you said, a water sled and blah blah blah blah blah. 00:17:48.225 --> 00:17:54.945 I had never really been to my okay. I didn't do a lot of research. I kind of talked to travel agency. I booked this thing. I arrived. 00:17:54.945 --> 00:17:58.740 It's in Magaluf. Right? Mughaluf is the part of my Oka. We're all 00:17:59.460 --> 00:18:01.140 <v Marc>Is it the Balaman thing? 00:18:01.140 --> 00:18:11.685 <v Paul>Or It's not. It's the English Parliament, basically. It's where all the the the island the British Isles go, but more of the the simpler tourist type. 00:18:11.845 --> 00:18:17.445 <v Marc>So on a circle of hell for me, like, know, we're you're getting really deep. 00:18:17.445 --> 00:18:31.220 <v Paul>Like I am not even I'm not even starting. And so you you should have seen the evening buffet, the wine and the beer came out of how is this called? Like the same thing, basically. Came out of 00:18:31.300 --> 00:18:32.260 <v Marc>No, like a draft? 00:18:32.260 --> 00:18:40.765 <v Paul>A draft. The draft, red wine, white wine, Prosecco beer. There were four draft things. I'm not fucking kidding you. 00:18:40.765 --> 00:18:41.405 <v Marc>No way. I 00:18:41.405 --> 00:19:01.220 <v Paul>was the only person in there that wasn't tattooed. Wow. And maybe even including the kids, don't know. Me and my kids, I think we're the only ones who were not tattooed from head to toe and drinking Prosecco from the draft. And it was all sudden, obviously, was August, suddenly, like, July, 40 degrees. 00:19:01.540 --> 00:19:30.840 This water park was a little thing. I don't know, not very large. But anyways, the kids love it. And so I was like, I was the I came in there. After three hours, I was on my phone checking Airbnb for, you know, for for some other place, whatever, some other place, up until the time where my middle son, Aristotle, came up to me back then, six years old, looking to me and says, dad, this is the best hotel we've ever been to. 00:19:31.320 --> 00:19:35.480 <v Marc>Wow. No way. Yes. Like, thank you. 00:19:35.595 --> 00:19:46.475 <v Paul>This is awesome. This is the best. Maybe he just wanted to feel make me feel good, which is possible. You know, he's the middle one, always tries to accommodate. But he I think and he ran around and back up on the water sled. 00:19:46.475 --> 00:20:08.805 So I fucking hated it. I mean, I hated the food was terrible. The kids only ate crap. Can you imagine, like, fries all the time, hot dogs, and of the worst quality. But at the end, I snuck out for one day, we rented a small boat that went around the island a little bit like, or something really, really small, and fun, just, that was more for me. 00:20:08.805 --> 00:20:19.850 They also loved it, it was a great experience. But to say, I think this was the worst kids' hotel experience that you can imagine. By the fire. I cannot it could not be worse. 00:20:19.850 --> 00:20:30.410 <v Marc>I can I can already, first of all, like, see all the red Why? All the skin, the red skin from the because the Brits, they don't tan. They're they look like lobsters. Right? 00:20:31.555 --> 00:20:38.195 <v Paul>And I was in very posh, you know, kids hotels too that are amazing and nice and they really manage to separate things. 00:20:38.195 --> 00:20:40.275 <v Marc>Like, St. Helens and that kind of stuff. 00:20:40.275 --> 00:20:52.400 <v Paul>What? Especially maybe the Austrian Alps have lots of nice places that are Yeah. Yeah. Crazy and too expensive and so on, blah blah blah, but awesome. So kids hotel every time. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:21:00.475 Every every time. So yeah. Alright. So next one. All inclusive or a la carte? 00:21:00.475 --> 00:21:10.955 <v Marc>Dude, all a la carte. I can't do it. Like, I've done the all inclusive. I cannot do that. By the way, as a kid's philosophy, we're starting now. 00:21:10.955 --> 00:21:15.760 Let's see how it works. The kids eat exactly what we eat. There's no kids menu for them. 00:21:15.760 --> 00:21:19.360 <v Paul>Oh, this is another question, but yes. Okay. You're jumping. Absolutely. 00:21:19.360 --> 00:21:39.035 <v Marc>Well, so, like, so so we're starting since we're starting that early, like, I want them for for them to be normal. Like, you don't go to a Greek restaurant to get spaghetti and and sauce, or you don't go to like like, you have to eat what we eat. We have fish. We have, like, potato. There's always something delicious with excellent taste, and it's gonna be way better than what you typically 00:21:39.195 --> 00:21:40.715 <v Paul>I'm gonna ask you in five years, Sam. 00:21:40.715 --> 00:21:40.955 <v Marc>How are 00:21:40.955 --> 00:21:41.195 <v Paul>you doing? 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:46.320 <v Marc>That's that's a fair point. I'm just saying that's where we're starting now in the beginning. Yeah. 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:49.600 <v Paul>Local food or pizza pasta schnitzel for the kids? 00:21:49.760 --> 00:21:50.880 <v Marc>No. Local. 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:53.040 <v Paul>And I am broke after the vacation. 00:21:53.040 --> 00:21:53.520 <v Marc>I mean Okay. 00:21:53.520 --> 00:22:06.105 <v Paul>They eat. Like, you know Something I did once in a while. Is like, I really my my daughter is seven and a half. He's like, I really like spaghetti bongoli. And my son would go like, do they have branzino? 00:22:06.105 --> 00:22:14.580 You know? Do they have whatever? Do they have a lobster? And the middle one is like, I really want meat. Do they have, you know, so that 00:22:14.580 --> 00:22:19.540 <v Marc>one would be the same. Other vacationing in Albania, you know? I mean, that's basically 00:22:20.180 --> 00:22:35.725 <v Paul>that is but it's insane. So this all inclusive thing, and I did that. There was also in Greece, which I'm also not so inclined of doing. But what I really liked was the plan ability of the spend because the only variable in the spend was my drinking. 00:22:36.845 --> 00:22:39.485 <v Marc>Which was serious. 00:22:39.725 --> 00:22:57.970 <v Paul>Exactly. Which I had under control. And their ice cream, basically, whatever, you know, exodate. So in a sense, that's starting and it's it's something we need to just eat with three more adults, which anywhere you go nowadays, I mean, unless you go to, really adds up. 00:22:58.905 --> 00:23:04.105 <v Marc>No. No. Cheap countries is the way to go with kids, which I don't know if 00:23:04.105 --> 00:23:12.025 <v Paul>that Breakfast sounds like a real cheap buffet or croissant on the go? Croissant on the go. I hate buffets, man. 00:23:12.520 --> 00:23:25.480 <v Marc>Me too. They're the worst. They're the worst. You know what? In Germany in Germany, they're legit in in your part of the world, which is a counterargument because I think the Germans and Austrians take take their breakfast so seriously. 00:23:25.480 --> 00:23:31.745 They're robust. They are you know, the layout is with between the muesli, the amazing cheeses, the 00:23:32.065 --> 00:23:32.545 <v Paul>That's true. 00:23:32.545 --> 00:23:32.945 <v Marc>The bread. 00:23:32.945 --> 00:23:33.505 <v Paul>That's true. 00:23:33.505 --> 00:23:48.680 <v Marc>I mean, you guys crush it. And, you know, compared to any other part I've seen, anyway, you know, around the world with you know, like, it's it's far and away the best breakfast you can have for the kids. 00:23:48.920 --> 00:24:09.625 <v Paul>I mean, I I breakfast at a good skiing hotel in the Alps, and especially when you go skiing afterwards, so you also know you burn it off, is one of the best things. And you really have the choice. I fully agree. And and when they're done nicely, they're fine. But what they still leave, what's still left, I think, and and is the fact that in the buffet, you never really sit on the table. 00:24:10.040 --> 00:24:21.000 And everyone's always up and going somewhere and standing up, so it's it's quite of a fluid situation. I mean, I Which anyways it is, to be honest with kids, I mean, is the other thing, I mean 00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:44.200 <v Marc>Dude, listen, you know, I have scars, childhood scars, if I can indulge you for a sec. From from from so my parents, especially my mom, whenever she saw a buffet, right, you know, it's just like she saw, like, I gotta try every fucking thing. It's like, it's a value. It was a value. Like, how can I get the most out of the the spent? 00:24:44.280 --> 00:24:54.360 And so, like, this and yeah. And so, like, you know, while I might have, like, a little muesli and shit and suddenly this is a big fucking plate that she puts down croissants and Danish. 00:24:54.360 --> 00:24:55.240 <v Paul>She's like, oh, try some of 00:24:55.240 --> 00:25:02.495 <v Marc>this stuff. I was like, you know, add to that. There's like, oh, I ordered two omelets for the table. I was like, I don't wanna eat that. Right? 00:25:03.055 --> 00:25:29.405 And it's like it was it was a maximization equation, you know Yes. Versus, like, actual quality kind of equation. And, you know, at least I think in in your part of the world, you get both, like, the quality and at least and and some level of maximization. I think everywhere else, it's horrific. I mean, there's nothing worse than a breakfast buffet with with the disgusting eggs that are, like, scrambled eggs, like 00:25:29.565 --> 00:25:30.205 <v Paul>No. That's terrible. 00:25:30.685 --> 00:25:32.285 <v Marc>Water, the shit. Oh my god. 00:25:32.525 --> 00:25:51.860 <v Paul>No. I also I am also like this, I think my son also because today, we drove by a place that said 45 a Brazilian, like meat place, a €45 per person, all you can eat, and my son is like, it's a €180 for the four of us. I think we can eat meat worth €500, dad. What do you think? Listen, no. 00:25:52.515 --> 00:26:17.600 No. And by now I almost get a personal, it's almost a personal, how you say, win. If I go to, you know, a full breakfast buffet and I eat the healthy thing, like a little muesli, little egg, and just a little piece of bread and I go out of there. I'm like, resisted it. You know, it's like that's the win actually that I resisted the temptation of a full buffet. 00:26:17.600 --> 00:26:23.445 All right. I mean, the last one on the stage, sea view or separate kids bedroom? 00:26:23.445 --> 00:26:23.765 <v Marc>This is 00:26:23.925 --> 00:26:32.885 <v Paul>Where you have had the joys of a sea sea view suite, right, or a family thing where you actually had, like, two rooms, your kids behind the door. Okay. Chow chow. 00:26:32.885 --> 00:27:10.930 <v Marc>So I think I think you're hitting on one of one of at least what I experienced, a really important note. So I find that, at least with my wife, there is no love or romance traveling with with kids. As a matter of fact, this is the ultimate they're the ultimate cock blockers. It's like it's like, you know, you could be in the most romantic place in the most beautiful view, like, designed for effect for romance, etcetera. But with these little kids running around, there's it's it's like it strips every single So basically, fire 00:27:10.930 --> 00:27:13.250 <v Paul>me a basement in two separate rooms, please. 00:27:13.250 --> 00:27:33.480 <v Marc>Yeah. Exactly. So I cannot wait for them to be in a separate room locked with a special key code that they have to memorize so they'll forget it. Like, they're gonna watch TV as long as so so you could have some moments with you know, at at least personally, but that's my wife. You know, that's the only option. 00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:45.240 I mean, if you do full family, then then you're the architect of your own destruction is what I would call it. You know? It's already hard enough. Look. If you're traveling solo, I would think of it differently, obviously. 00:27:45.525 --> 00:27:52.965 You know, if I if I had three kids, then I think that it's more of a camper kind of vibe. You know? 00:27:53.605 --> 00:28:05.050 <v Paul>Yeah. But I'd still go for the comfort. I think it's kind of the the overall no. The overall vibe in all of this is that, anyways, you want to be in a place where you don't want to be in a room too much. So who really cares? 00:28:05.050 --> 00:28:27.655 Right? You go there to sleep and hopefully the, you know, the place is nice enough that you want to go out and you do stuff and, and there you want some space. And then maybe it used to be the mornings for me that, you know, if they if they got up and I wanted maybe an hour of more sleep or half an hour more sleep, you know, you just put them in their room where or they can be somewhere where you can actually have another half hour of shut eye. 00:28:28.470 --> 00:29:01.640 <v Marc>Well, yeah, which is which is obviously, that's, like, three hours, like, in in, you know, in normal time, have an extra half hour. But you know what this conversation is also telling me is if you were, and I think I actually in in inherently know this, but, you know, I do not wanna go to a a Michelin star restaurant with kids. Like, I won't enjoy it. I don't wanna I don't wanna have a great bottle of, you know, wine while my kids are running around and eating schnitzel or whatever the fuck. Right? 00:29:01.640 --> 00:29:15.195 Like, I'm not gonna enjoy that. Like, it's all kinda mid. You know? And that's okay. I mean, you can by the way, this is also whitewashing the beautiful moments that you can have with your children and your family, which transcend all of that. 00:29:15.195 --> 00:29:18.395 But this is the kind of trade off, I would argue. Like, I'm not gonna 00:29:18.555 --> 00:29:43.285 <v Paul>My next question is fine dining with kids or quick and dirty. Right? And what you're just saying is somewhere in the middle. Let's not go to a dinner place or a pizza place, but let's also not I went to find a kind of finer or nicer restaurants with kids, but when they were really small, with one or two, you know, maybe a toddler is one 10 old, who cares? 00:29:43.445 --> 00:29:44.405 <v Marc>They're there in 00:29:44.405 --> 00:29:58.330 <v Paul>the pram, fed, shut up, you can eat, it's super nice actually. Doesn't really matter. But as soon as they have their own will somehow, and that's over, And and that's there's no point in that at all. Pick a different vacation. 00:29:59.450 --> 00:30:12.005 <v Marc>Yeah. And I think, you know, and if you're smart enough or you're in a great place that can offer, like, some decent local you can always plug your kids in to to the phone, which probably is another one of your spectrum, like 00:30:12.165 --> 00:30:22.805 <v Paul>It's another one of my question. I can't believe it. It is let me read to you. Netflix or being embarrassed because your kids are by far the noisiest in the restaurant. 00:30:23.400 --> 00:30:25.720 <v Marc>Obviously, Netflix. I mean, I 00:30:26.840 --> 00:30:29.800 <v Paul>here's the Oh, anyway. So you go go ahead. 00:30:29.800 --> 00:30:45.365 <v Marc>Well well, I mean, here's how I think it's gonna play out. If you decide to go into a restaurant, right, with a bunch of kids, it's inherently a selfish act in a way. Right? It's because you, Paul, or me, Mark, I wanna sit down. I wanna feel that I'm on vacation. 00:30:45.365 --> 00:31:19.155 I wanna be served good food. I wanna enjoy a nice glass of wine and relax. Now the trade off of that is that my kids, right, wanna run around and and play, and I'm not allowing them to do that. So instead, I'm gonna plug them in to to a net some Netflix or or a value, I wanna say, so they can well, I mean, that that's a whole of the debate for maybe another show. But, I mean, I think there's, like, some some valuable content that they so I can enjoy a great meal. 00:31:19.650 --> 00:31:30.370 You know, I at least with my three and a half year old, of course, we do. Let's, like let's not plug him in right away. Let's wait twenty minutes. Let's at least try to eat a little bit. When he's done, then we could plug him in. 00:31:30.450 --> 00:31:34.545 Because when he when he's done, then he wants to to run around. What do you think? 00:31:35.505 --> 00:32:08.165 <v Paul>I think I have this whole sitting at a table and having a meal is a is a huge topic for me right now because it somehow seems impossible. And I think it's almost because I would like it so much that we all sit around the table and eat and have a conversation and not scream and jump up. So there's always one that's not wearing a shirt. There's always one in the mow at the moment, my daughter, that, you know, basically eats three pieces and then run somewhere else. You tell her to come back to the table, she screams. 00:32:08.405 --> 00:32:35.025 So it's always a disaster. My my my vision of having a beautiful meal with my family at one table is completely not not happening. There's not fucking happening at all. And on the other hand, when I go to a restaurant or I mean, actually, I've already seen it in the morning that kids are watching it. Like, if kids are watching Netflix in a buffet restaurant at 08:30 in the morning, to me, that's not okay. 00:32:35.105 --> 00:32:47.010 I mean, why? I agree. I agree. But then it's not so so in a sense, have my kids watched Netflix or at the table somewhere in a restaurant? Absolutely, yes. 00:32:47.090 --> 00:33:13.100 100%. At the end of the day, though, I'd rather have them stand up, go somewhere else if they can. But I mean, now they're old enough, and I know they go outside and do do some stupid shit. I mean, we're in Greece. And they went outside, and they basically went, I don't know, somewhere in this compound and came back with some, you know, some driver in the in the buggy that picked them up somewhere off the street. 00:33:13.100 --> 00:33:25.075 So I don't know what to Yeah. I met this guy again that drove us here, you know, with this big resort. And he he asked us where our parents were, and we were like, oh, they're having wine. Know? 00:33:25.075 --> 00:33:26.595 <v Marc>They're having wine. Getting drunk. 00:33:26.595 --> 00:33:40.680 <v Paul>Yeah. Exactly. So so now at the end, I'm I'm trying to understand it. But and having said this, I'd rather have them go away and and have fun. I understand that they don't wanna sit through three or four courses or whatever. 00:33:40.680 --> 00:33:55.225 <v Marc>A 100%. Think look. A lot depends on the location, which by the way Yes. Like, I think the most ideal location if I could launch a business, a restaurant business, it would totally be, like, fine dining next to a playground and fun and, like, water slide. Like like, there's something 00:33:55.465 --> 00:33:56.345 <v Paul>Totally, man. 00:33:56.345 --> 00:33:58.985 <v Marc>Yeah. That's that's the business. You know? 00:33:59.305 --> 00:34:09.940 <v Paul>And it's so and some do it so well. Right? I mean, they are you have to tell them that they bring the kids food. And not first the kids food, and you don't have anything to eat because then I'm hungry. Right? 00:34:09.940 --> 00:34:18.135 They bring the kids food. They bring the starters right away with the kids food. And then they go somewhere and eat chow chow. Right? And, you know, that would that's perfect. 00:34:18.135 --> 00:34:26.855 That's perfect. That's perfect. Which brings me to to my next question. It's like, share your plate with a toddler or eat their cold leftovers? 00:34:27.175 --> 00:34:34.910 <v Marc>Fuck no, dude. Share a plate with a toddler. Cold leftovers? Like so I'm I I have a I have an issue with this. You know? 00:34:35.950 --> 00:34:50.535 I I'm a little bit OCD. Like, kid like, toddlers and, you know, they're, like, shoving shit in their mouths, like, falls off. They drool on it and, like, lands on a plate, and then you wanna eat those scraps? Like, that's I feel like I'm better than that. 00:34:51.335 --> 00:34:56.855 <v Paul>No. I I agree with you. I agree with you. And I I mean, well, we see what we had before. Right? 00:34:56.855 --> 00:35:03.780 I mean, when we went to Greece, all those kids' menus, by the way, only had pizza, pasta, and some fried schnitzel shit. 00:35:03.780 --> 00:35:06.020 <v Marc>Right? Which I think that Where were you in Greece? 00:35:06.020 --> 00:35:33.620 <v Paul>In this big resort, you know, and I which I usually don't like because those big resorts exactly what it doesn't usually matter where you are. They're always the same. Was awesome because they had tennis courts and they had so many activities and we were with another family. It was lots of fun and blah blah blah. But the food then and if wherever you put it, you can put it in in The UAE, you can put it in Greece, in Spain, in wherever it it's actually essentially the same. 00:35:33.620 --> 00:35:48.045 And that's kinda true. They did have, obviously, the the the Greek stuff on the menu, and that was nice. But for the kids, they didn't. And what what happens at the end, that they just eat the schnitzel and the pizza and the pasta, and they don't eat any of the Greek food. 00:35:48.045 --> 00:35:49.405 <v Marc>Right? Yeah. Of course. 00:35:49.405 --> 00:36:25.440 <v Paul>So and and you know me and you know how how much I love food and I want my own food and I don't care, you know, at the end what they order they should eat and I want to eat. But I I catch myself actually the last few times I saw them order stuff and they get so I say you know what you order your steak you order your spaghetti bongolet and you order whatever the fuck you want and I'm gonna eat whatever you guys leave over because I know something's gonna be left and you you're gonna order adult portions Because I actually don't want them to order the kids' shit, so I'd rather have them order, 00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:27.760 <v Marc>you know, some proper food. Your logic. No. No. 00:36:27.760 --> 00:36:31.440 <v Paul>And then kids are you know what? Your kids are older, and I'm gonna eat the rest. 00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:46.315 <v Marc>By the way, I think that's a excellent like, you your kids are older, so that makes a ton of sense. And, you know, eat the starter, eat the leftover of Pipo's steak or whatever. And, you know, and 00:36:46.475 --> 00:36:49.595 <v Paul>I'm not gonna eat a leftover chicken nuggets. Right? I mean, fuck that. 00:36:49.595 --> 00:36:50.715 <v Marc>That yeah. Exactly. 00:36:50.715 --> 00:36:56.530 <v Paul>So you're told by like, already chewed three times with zero tea. Exactly. And then spat out. 00:36:56.530 --> 00:36:58.370 <v Marc>Let's not spat it out exactly. 00:36:58.370 --> 00:36:59.890 <v Paul>I mean No way. No. No. 00:36:59.890 --> 00:37:00.450 <v Marc>Yeah. Yeah. 00:37:00.450 --> 00:37:06.610 <v Paul>Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Oh, man. Food. Listen, entertainment. 00:37:07.305 --> 00:37:11.865 Good one. Entertainment. So what do you do with your kids? Right? That that's the next bucket. 00:37:13.385 --> 00:37:15.625 Bucket list or send bucket? 00:37:16.105 --> 00:37:18.025 <v Marc>That's a clever turn of phrase. So 00:37:18.345 --> 00:37:20.425 <v Paul>Thank you. It was me, actually. 00:37:22.130 --> 00:37:35.650 <v Marc>It's not too tricky. Yeah. Yeah. I think, Sam Bucket, like, I'm not gonna bucket list is is something when the the kids are asleep for the most part, you know, and or when they're much older. 00:37:35.650 --> 00:37:47.755 <v Paul>But, you know, let let me ask you, what are do you have kind of, like, memorable vacations that you had when you were a kid? Travels, trips? 00:37:50.500 --> 00:38:16.715 <v Marc>Yeah. It's a that's a that's a great question. I think man, honestly, I had so many. And I think I could I used to be able to name them from year after year after year, which is a testament to my parents. So, you know, whether it was skiing in Austria to going to, you know, California to Hawaii, you know, and summers in Portugal, and, you know, I always remember them. 00:38:17.130 --> 00:38:45.725 They were never you know, my mom always believed, and I think we're this is kind of a theme in this conversation is that we shouldn't we should be passengers in their lives. We shouldn't center their they shouldn't center vacations around us. And what that meant was is that, you know, yes, I went to Disney World and Disneyland once. You know? Like, it was never like, we went to the places my mom wanted to go, you know, and my mom and dad wanted to go see. 00:38:46.570 --> 00:39:13.185 And, you know, we found entertainment along the way, you know, for a day or two. But I found that really, really interesting. And, you know, sure, like, I think they held off a lot of the sightseeing from time to time, But that felt like a great principle because, you know, I can't tell you how many kids I've met, you know, and what did they do in the summer. They went to, you know, The Caribbean. They went to Jamaica. 00:39:13.185 --> 00:39:30.125 They went to Aruba. They basically sailed on a beach, and they built sandcastles for two weeks. You know? And while they were building sandcastles, I was looking at exquisite sites of nature. I was, like, you know, going to some other great site. 00:39:30.125 --> 00:39:52.580 Maybe the this I'm articulating the bucket list argument here. But the point is is that there was a deep investment in the exposure to me growing up on summer vacations that I really valued. And I I think I can count on one hand the amount of fuck off vacations I've had where I just sat in a hotel for a week or two and 00:39:53.220 --> 00:40:30.405 <v Paul>We didn't have that at all as kids at all. And somehow and somehow and the kids were something very holy, and I I remember my dad, and he still is an avid traveler, and he loves to go places and pisses off my mom. And and but but they intentionally waited, and I remember very vividly our first trip to The US, which was in '93. I was, you know, almost 13. My my brother was eight, and they they waited until the point that he was eight because I was like, and we're not gonna spend all that money, you know, and and he doesn't remember kind of thing. 00:40:30.405 --> 00:40:46.220 And and there's a lot. But just I do remember, though, with with our kids, we did trips when they were young, which we mainly did for us, to be honest. Yeah. Because we didn't get the the concept yet that this is anyway is not for us, but because we wanted out. We had three kids or two kids, and we wanted fuck out. 00:40:46.220 --> 00:40:57.980 And it was winter, and we wanted to be somewhere warm and be on the beach and do nothing. Then did we know that that does not happen, right, if you have two kids that are four and two. Right? Yeah. It's not gonna happen. 00:40:57.980 --> 00:41:12.025 Anyways oh, I I am also somewhat torn in that. I think you you it it depends kind of. Right? I think there's no point in doing things when they're too young. And and somehow you have to I agree. 00:41:12.025 --> 00:41:21.740 You can't design it around them, but just to do what you want. I mean, see our conversation on the fine on the nice dinners or some of the places just don't work. 00:41:21.740 --> 00:41:28.460 <v Marc>Everything is a balance. You know, it's well, so it's funny. So let let me bring it back to three weeks ago. So I went to Athens. I can convince my wife, Farrah. 00:41:28.460 --> 00:41:33.525 Said, listen. You haven't been to Athens in a while. We have friends there. Let's go. Friends with kids as well helps. 00:41:33.605 --> 00:41:45.125 You know? So we go, and the first stop we stayed at was my friend. He lives in Kolonaki. Beautiful apartment. His kid his daughter, lovely, is a little bit older, maybe 13. 00:41:45.360 --> 00:42:01.995 He was wondering, he's like, so you're you're in Athens. Why aren't you, like, roaming around and exploring the city all the time? I was like, man, like, with two kids, I'm gonna can do two things. You know? Could I, like, go to the if I go to the Acropolis, it's one thing for the day, and I might walk around a little bit. 00:42:01.995 --> 00:42:20.810 Do not expect me to go to another area. It's, like, it's just a simplification, you know, of that choice. And then we're gonna go and and have go to a nice taverna and have tzatziki and pita and whatever and nice fish, and they're gonna love it, and I'll be happy. We're at that phase of life. You know? 00:42:20.810 --> 00:42:27.450 When they're 13, I'll take them to to the three different areas, you know, that that are cool. You know? And they can internalize that. 00:42:28.250 --> 00:42:44.810 <v Paul>Here you go. Absolutely agree. Absolutely agree. It is and it brings me and I'm gonna jump a few things also because we're a bit, you know, tight for time. It's about what do you really wanna, you know, get out of a vacation at the end of the day? 00:42:44.810 --> 00:42:55.930 And I think that's to me and and when you are with kids. And there's this question I have there, which which I wrote down is bring the newest bestseller or drawing books for the kids. 00:42:56.075 --> 00:43:02.635 <v Marc>Oh, I think it depends on the kid. Right? I'm I'm curious to hear about yours. Like, I I think latest bestseller. 00:43:02.635 --> 00:43:06.715 <v Paul>And have you managed to read during your vacations with the kids? 00:43:06.795 --> 00:43:14.220 <v Marc>My kid has, like, no intention right now. Read I mean, we'll read one or two books. You know? But he wants to play with his little toy cars. 00:43:14.140 --> 00:43:15.900 <v Paul>Not about your old books. 00:43:16.220 --> 00:43:24.635 <v Marc>Oh, my books. Sorry. Sorry. I got it. Got it. 00:43:25.115 --> 00:43:43.700 I think Weightest Bestseller is still basically, the principle behind that is, like, empty calories for your brain or real calories for your brain, you know, in terms of what you're reading. And I think I'm in the empty calorie space given everything we just shared. You know, if it's a decent thrower, I would I'll I'll It's 00:43:43.700 --> 00:44:07.720 <v Paul>funny how your interpretation of this is fine. This is my point is, actually, do you even take a book for yourself? Because to me, and it is until now, because even now, and I'm now going for two weeks and a bit, I have four books in my backpack. Okay? It's completely I was alone for two weeks, I could read four books. 00:44:07.720 --> 00:44:38.930 Okay. But even then four would be ambitious. And I remember always taking two or three books in a one week vacation, and then being completely frustrated that I only read 10 books. And so to me, that question is an an analogy, a metaphor for what do you expect on a vacation with kids, and what do you actually get? And I need time to sit down, you know, and maybe do my five minutes of Instagram, get that done, and get to a point when I'm anonymous, like, now I'm really gonna read. 00:44:38.930 --> 00:45:05.340 With kids, I mean, that ramp up to me actually opening that book is never happening. It's never is never closing. There's always someone screaming coming in, go play with me the water, blah, blah, blah, blah. So that's not happening, which leaves which used to leave me highly dissatisfied with the vacation. And the books are now actually just standing for, is this a time for me to switch off and relax? 00:45:06.140 --> 00:45:17.165 Or not? And to me, that is the big question. Is it or isn't it? I mean, after I remember vacations where I came back home, I was like, no, I do actually need a vacation. I'm fucked, man. 00:45:17.165 --> 00:45:47.455 I mean, I didn't sleep. And plus, I mean, in the worst case, I just came off a flight, a ten hour flight, where my kids screamed for eight and a half hours straight with fifteen minutes break, maybe in between. And so I'm you sit in a meeting next morning at 9AM. Stupid to do this, to be very honest with you. But so so what's you know, is education with kids, especially, you know, the age of your kids, really education? 00:45:48.095 --> 00:46:14.205 <v Marc>Well, the answer is no. Why do it is actually the Uber question this conversation is telling me. You know, is it because I need to change a pace with a different setting? But I actually think, you know, it's I think this is a testament, I think, also to to you as a parent as well. It's like you wanna show your kids something different. 00:46:14.605 --> 00:47:03.020 You wanna open their aperture even if you don't even if they may not know what they're seeing, you know, fully or can interpret this as a place, like, they they had a different experience, which I think will make them a more fuller human being. I the trade off, of course, is that I will not have a vacation from the next ten to fifteen years. But I'm being flip, obviously, but they're they're different. And what I had to learn around Paul, maybe not to get too deep, is it is also awesome what a, like, privileged time with your kids if you've seen it as that way. And, like, you'll never you won't always have it at this age when a little bit they wanna be with you and jump with you and spend that time with you. 00:47:03.020 --> 00:47:11.485 So enjoy it while you got it. And, you know, for your eldest, you maybe got two, three years left not to be too dark, you know, before you No. 00:47:11.485 --> 00:47:13.325 <v Paul>No. No. You're not at all. You know? 00:47:13.325 --> 00:47:32.590 <v Marc>You're not you're not cool anymore, and then and then they wanna go on vacation with their friends. And so, you know, this is the the quality, painful the the the beauty and the pain and the challenge and all of it in one, you know, and that's what makes it great. 00:47:33.070 --> 00:47:49.285 <v Paul>And I 100% agree. And if I could do, you know, those occasions all over again, I and that's what I'm I'm what I'm trying to do right now is is actually think of that. Right? That this is the time. And and the final thing is exactly right with my oldest. 00:47:49.290 --> 00:48:13.125 I'm coming to the point where I can very clearly see the end of him wanting to do anything with me. Right? Actually, yesterday, I had a a half day, only him because the other two were were somewhere else, and we went to a beach club and had a super cool posh lunch. That's really, really cool, and he loved it. And me too. 00:48:13.125 --> 00:48:29.060 And that was perfect. And and those I think those are great memories. And and, okay, I was never the I play with toddlers type of dad. And I love the the age you're in right now where you can actually do shit. And this morning, I went to play tennis with my middle son, who is very sporty and was super fun. 00:48:29.220 --> 00:48:57.380 And in two years time, he's gonna kick my ass like I I mean, I'm gonna collapse on the court 100%. But it's it's to really, you know, more think your vacations around what kind of experience are you creating for yourself and for your kid. And the time that you go and see something new, maybe alone with your partner, whatever, are gonna come again, but this time is not gonna come again. Yes. Is is, you know, the world gonna look different in twenty years time when they're out of the door? 00:48:57.685 --> 00:49:12.140 100%. Right? But they're gonna be gone. So that that's the only thing that's that's gonna go 100% is your kids wanting to spend time with you because they will not. And they and and even they want to, are not eight anymore. 00:49:12.140 --> 00:49:19.500 They're not six anymore. They're not four anymore. They're they're they're they're they're they're build the same castle. Right? And I couldn't be fucked, to be honest, to build the same castle. 00:49:19.500 --> 00:49:30.105 And I sometimes wish I did more in the past. So and that time's over. No one wants to build the same castle anymore. I'm I'm out of that. I've been probably built two with my kids in my 00:49:30.105 --> 00:49:36.505 <v Marc>own Can I tell you something to make yourself feel better? They're fucking overrated. They're they're so annoying. Yeah. So so don't worry about it. 00:49:36.505 --> 00:49:49.870 <v Paul>Oh, they are. They are. And it's not and I guess and and the other thing is you always need a balance. Right? And it's totally okay to take a few hours off and put them in a kids club, go for a run, do something. 00:49:49.870 --> 00:50:01.075 You also need to look after yourself. Right? You can't be that's also right. And not put yourself under this pressure to, I have to spend now time with my kids because I'm never going to get this again. Right. 00:50:01.075 --> 00:50:16.730 And that's, that's just another performance pressure put on something, which in the end, in the end, right, I mean, you know, my eternal equation that happiness is reality minus expectations. It is on 00:50:16.730 --> 00:50:19.290 <v Marc>that note, exactly. It is 00:50:19.290 --> 00:50:30.065 <v Paul>more true than with vacation with kids. Right? Because if your expectations are like, man, I'm gonna go to this beach. I'm gonna lie there, sip a drink, read a book. Right? 00:50:30.065 --> 00:50:41.810 And then you arrive there, and I mean, that's not gonna happen. And then you're gonna be very unhappy. So I think that that's my big takeaway for this. And you have to plan a little bit. I mean, that's the point. 00:50:41.810 --> 00:50:57.075 You have to think about it. And you have to think about very intentionally, I think what are days where you're planning anything and whether you know, what are things you want to do and those things you better plan because if you have two or three kids, it's just not easy. Things need to be done. 00:50:57.795 --> 00:50:59.475 <v Marc>Yeah. 10%. 00:50:59.875 --> 00:51:01.315 <v Paul>Everything with a bit of. 00:51:02.500 --> 00:51:14.020 <v Marc>Before we before we close, I need to ask you. Have you ever brought a nanny on a vacation? Yes. Okay. How by what percentage did it make your vacation better? 00:51:14.020 --> 00:51:24.545 <v Paul>Funny you mentioned this. I'm not sure we're gonna leave that in. It's not what you think. Sorry. That's 00:51:26.625 --> 00:51:30.305 <v Marc>It's the best part. Funny you say this. I'm not sure we're gonna leave this in. 00:51:36.120 --> 00:51:42.360 <v Paul>That's better, though. Oh, fuck. I don't know. You need to cut this again. Okay. 00:51:44.285 --> 00:51:50.925 <v Marc>No. It's great. It's great. You have to leave it at cool. By the way, don't elaborate anymore. 00:51:50.925 --> 00:51:52.445 Just leave it at that. Yeah. 00:51:52.605 --> 00:52:09.260 <v Paul>No. I will. I will I will kinda back to what I I really mean is, obviously, it's great if you have the opportunity to do that, because it's just way easy to carve out that time. Right? You go for a run, you do something, you go for dinner and so on. 00:52:09.585 --> 00:52:15.185 <v Marc>But answer my question. Three times better, five times better? Is it like 10 times better? 00:52:15.185 --> 00:52:16.705 <v Paul>I wouldn't say it's better at all. 00:52:16.705 --> 00:52:18.145 <v Marc>Okay. That's an insight. 00:52:18.145 --> 00:52:24.465 <v Paul>I wouldn't say it's better at all. I I would the age might I think when they are your kid's age, five times. 00:52:25.570 --> 00:52:26.210 <v Marc>Okay. 00:52:26.530 --> 00:52:45.635 <v Paul>That's what I was looking at. When they're my kids age, it is you know, sometimes it's funny, and it happened to me just the end of day, is that I was in the kitchen preparing dinner and and doing the dishes, and and the nanny was in the pool with the kids. Or I was like, what the fuck? Something's wrong here. No. 00:52:45.635 --> 00:53:09.585 That's kinda what happened. It it kind of and they're so used to it, and they like to do it and blah blah. So it kind of puts the way to to focus more on your kids. And when you don't have someone there, and especially when you're alone with three kids like like I am, the in in these cases, then you really have to focus and think about this. And if you have someone there helping you, it obviously makes a lot of things far easier and it takes the edge off in many situations. 00:53:13.025 --> 00:53:37.985 So and I actually sometimes like this intensity to be solely responsible for those three and being alone with them in a car and doing things and I think and and you become a team and you actually let go of so many things because all these expectations don't work anymore. Right? Because it doesn't work anymore to be on the ski feast at 08:30 with three kids. And all of a sudden you realize, who gives a shit? I'm just happy they all have the right boots. 00:53:37.985 --> 00:53:43.665 They all have a helmet on, the right gloves, and whatever time we're out, we're out. Life is good. 00:53:43.665 --> 00:53:43.985 <v Marc>You know? 00:53:43.985 --> 00:53:47.985 <v Paul>So it really pushes the boundaries a little bit, and I I like that. 00:53:48.750 --> 00:53:56.110 <v Marc>I think that's a great place to kind of land at home being present. Yes. The power of that. Yes. Yeah. 00:53:56.350 --> 00:53:56.830 Makes sense. 00:53:56.830 --> 00:54:07.385 <v Paul>And it it's and sometimes, it's, you know, types like me and whatever, me, I need that, you know, almost that pressure or that that pull into presence. 00:54:07.385 --> 00:54:08.665 <v Marc>Nice. 00:54:11.785 --> 00:54:14.745 <v Paul>Nice. Alright. Nice one, man. 00:54:16.520 --> 00:54:18.840 <v Marc>Yep. Shall we close with our 00:54:19.160 --> 00:54:23.880 <v Paul>We should close with our agent and terminator of the week. I actually have prepared one. 00:54:23.960 --> 00:54:24.840 <v Marc>Me too. 00:54:25.160 --> 00:54:26.280 <v Paul>You wanna start? 00:54:26.920 --> 00:54:40.595 <v Marc>Okay. So terminator of the week. So I'm gonna just I'm gonna break the break our frame. I'm gonna call Terminators of the Week. So two icons from childhood died this past week. 00:54:40.595 --> 00:54:44.675 One is Ozzy Osbourne, and the other is Hulk Hogan died today. 00:54:45.570 --> 00:54:46.610 <v Paul>I saw it. Yeah. 00:54:46.610 --> 00:54:58.850 <v Marc>Yeah. I mean, they're both insane human beings, but, you know, I mean, Ozzy is I mean, can you imagine you give your last concert a week and a half ago, whenever it was, and then you then you're gone. 00:54:59.010 --> 00:55:00.715 <v Paul>Was. That's crazy, man. 00:55:00.715 --> 00:55:11.595 <v Marc>That's crazy. Mhmm. Was great. And then Hulk Hogan, I mean I mean, we think about kids, I mean, he was my childhood, like, cure. I mean, he had the best phrase ever. 00:55:11.595 --> 00:55:20.890 What I wanna know is, what are you gonna do with these 28 inch pythons? I never heard your arms described as pythons, but to me, that was the coolest thing. 00:55:21.210 --> 00:55:49.350 <v Paul>Oh, okay. Good one. I like this one. My my I also have Terminators of the Week, and it's actually a shout out to two good friends that I had conversations with yesterday and the day before yesterday when I was in in not a particularly good place, and they really, got me out of there and and enlightened me and got me out of a rut, so to say. So I was those are my terminators. 00:55:49.670 --> 00:55:54.710 <v Marc>Okay. Cheers to them. Idiot of the week. 00:55:54.710 --> 00:55:55.990 <v Paul>So Idiot of the week. 00:55:55.990 --> 00:56:21.860 <v Marc>So look. I mean, every week, Trump could be idiot of the week, but, I mean, this is my favorite Trump idiocy of the week, so I'm gonna nominate him for this. There's nothing like being trapped by the Epstein conspiracy that you helped create and then create for yourself. Now you're trapped in it. And then my favorite is, like, going to the greatest hits of Hillary's emails, etcetera. 00:56:21.860 --> 00:56:36.585 And, you know, it's just I think people are finally starting to see what a classic con and crookie is. You know? I've said that many times over the past ten years, but this is really special. What's yours? 00:56:36.585 --> 00:56:56.065 <v Paul>Yeah. No. My idea of somebody is whoever does fucking weather forecasts, because they've been saying for days now up to the point that the agency that rents this house here sent me yesterday a text saying, please close all the blinds. There's a storm coming, and and we're all, like, really looking forward to the storm. And we're talking about vacation with kids. 00:56:56.065 --> 00:57:05.425 So we're like, hey, kids. Today, we're gonna stay at home. We're gonna go to go to the village and buy some board games and card games so we can stay here, and we're all very happy. It's finally gonna be 00:57:05.665 --> 00:57:13.860 <v Marc>I I hate that shit, but, hey. Helpful. Okay, man. Well, listen. Have a wonderful rest of your week in Ibiza. 00:57:14.752 --> 00:57:23.952 <v Paul>I will, well thank you, well thank you for everyone listening up to this and see you soon I guess and see you soon. Thank you, Ciao.