Busy Travelling: Travelling Halfway across the USA alone with 5 kids

And why I'd rather travel halfway across the world with kids in a plane any day over a car.

My new house is approximately 1049 miles from my parent's house, but who is counting?  It is about 300 miles further than from my old house.  It just enough extra distance that the drive is too long to do in one day.  I've been fretting about my move from Japan for this reason for a long time now- it's almost impossible for me to travel to visit my family alone now- and I'm afraid that even though I'll be living in the same country, I'll see them less because the trip is just too far of a drive.  As if the drive wasn't long enough, add in the factor of travelling with a baby who needs to eat every three hours.  So, I've been making a list for those of you that thought I was crazy travelling 24 hours door to door from Japan to Massachusetts of why I'd rather do that trip over this drive.

1) I have to be the pilot. (enough said)

2) Tendency to overpack when you take the car, cramming stuff in everywhere, especially under your feet, which makes for an even more uncomfortable ride.

3) No one is coming around to pick up your trash.

4) No one coming around serving food and drinks.

5) You cannot get up and walk around.

6) Getting lost.

7) Unexpected delays due to traffic, really bad drivers on the road, weather, or frequent stops for various kid related reasons.

8) Stress from other people trying to convince you not to do it alone when you have no choice.

9) You cannot close your eyes to rest even when the kids are awake.

10) You cannot pick up the baby that decides to scream as you are getting off one highway and needing to merge through three others for a ten mile stretch outside a major city where there is tons of traffic and no shoulder, so you are forced to listen to ear piercing screaming for a half hour on top of the bickering.

11) There is only one tv for everyone, thus lots of bickering about which show to watch.

12) One of my kids gets car sick.

13) There are no tray tables.

14) No bathroom on board.

15) Travel time (Japan- Boston 8,000 miles, time=24 hours), (Boston- Illinois 1,049 miles time=3 days)