We set off on our first big family travel adventure at night. We took an early flight from Vienna to Fuerteventura, so we still had 4 hours of travel ahead of us with the sleeping children in the back seats. I was a little worried about how 3-year-old Žofka and 1-year-old Lotka would manage a 5-hour flight. This was no longer a spontaneous event that I packed two hours before departure, as I used to do when I was single. Relying on the fact that it would be warm in the Canaries, we set off with only hand luggage.

Our cosmetics are also our medicine cabinet,

so for our almost 4-week stay we took:

1. Elixir Mint (100ml) – antioxidants are always beneficial for skin exposed to stronger sun.

2. Bitter (100ml) – coughs, colds, herpes, digestive problems, or infections under control thanks to one product.

3. Oral Spray (50ml) – toothache, herpes and especially first aid for our Lotka, who constantly puts something from the ground in her mouth.

4. Kids Body Balm (50ml) – for children's skin stressed by new climate conditions.

5. Kids Body Foam (500ml) – an empty container into which we made shower foam on the spot.

6. Face Wash (100ml) 4x – to make four refills for Kids Body Foam.

7. Skin Toner (50ml) 4x – for better skin regeneration, better tolerance of UV radiation and also for possible skin infections or insect bites.

8. Immortelle Anti-Aging Cream – for us eternally young parents

The last two hours on board had been quite tiring, but Kuba's stress eased a bit when he realized that there were at least five other families with young children on the plane, and they were all understanding of the situation.

When the plane doors opened, the warm air blew away all the clouds and we finally believed that our vacation had begun! Since we were staying about 15 minutes by car from the nearest beach, renting a car for the entire stay was a must. However, if we hadn't stayed at Casa LaPaz, our stay would not have been nearly as wonderful an experience.

While waiting for the key, we ran to Gonza to heal our empty stomachs. Žofka immediately met a local cat, who left a souvenir on her hand. Luckily, I always have Oral spray with me (yes, you can use it for this too! It's stronger than Skin Toner) and we disinfected the scratch immediately.

At Casa LaPaz, Žofka was able to fully develop her adventurous spirit in a safe, enclosed space that was full of stimuli and joyful discovery for the little one. So we found her collecting eggs, building something out of pebbles, playing in the skateboard pool, watching the goats, or curiously debating with someone.

Even though it was January, we managed to find at least a few days each week when the sun was shining and we could swim. Given the inclination of the sun, I allowed myself to manage this vacation without sunscreen (this is a personal decision, not intended as a general recommendation). I solved the sun protection problem mechanically. During lunch, we stay in the shade, wearing long sleeves and pants. The children are only exposed to direct sunlight for a few minutes at a time, creamed with Kids Body Balm. However, it is impossible without a hat on their heads. This is especially difficult for Lotka, who constantly takes it off. I spray them with Skin Tonero m all the time, which is fun and refreshing for them. These two products help the skin regenerate, and since they are strong antioxidants, they strengthen the cells so that they are more resistant to external oxidative influences, including UV radiation. However, it requires a lot of attention (monitoring the drinking regimen, time spent in direct sunlight, temperature and skin color. Any redness would be a warning sign for me that the skin is burned, which does not happen to me due to the precautions). After coming out of the water, we always change into long sleeves and try to find places where we can stay in the shade for as long as possible. Kids Body Balm is in any case the optimal solution as a regenerating cream after sunbathing.

I was very pleased to find our Cleaning Concentrate in Case. It is quite difficult for me to replace it with other cleaners. I am used to its safety and I don't really want to clean our home environment or wash children's things in something else. Moreover, paradoxically, you will not find a shop with ecological cleaners on Fuerteventura.

In a few weeks, Žofka found several friends her age, whose parents came to Casa LaPaz to find peace for work, relaxation or a temporary base for further trips. Towards the end of her stay, Žofka managed the almost impossible task of penetrating the impenetrable sisterly circle of Matilda, Lojzička and Františka, the little queens of this area. Žofka was completely drawn to the wildness and unsuppressed spontaneity of the girls, whose freedom and relationship to the natural elements were consciously developed by their parents, the owners of Casa LaPaz.

Although we didn't expect it, our journey gained depth thanks to the beautiful encounters we were able to experience in Casa. This place clearly attracts people on the same wavelength.

Three and a half weeks have flown by and we've said goodbye to the ocean, our loved ones, and new friends, but we already know that this was definitely not the last time we visited Casa.