Ethan's first "boys only" road trip!

This coming weekend, Rob and Ethan are going on a road trip!
Ever since Ethan was born, Rob has been looking forward to doing things like this with him, just the two of them. And when Tyler is older, just the three of them. Just the boys. No girls allowed!
In his 3 and ¾ years, Ethan has been on quite a few “adventures” with us. Snow holidays, aeroplane holidays, beach holidays, camping holidays and numerous long weekends in Whangarei. He’s also gone on holiday with mummy, leaving daddy at home. But he’s never gone away with daddy on his own.
Although the idea has been brewing in Rob’s mind for a few years, it was actually Ethan who suggested it. A couple of weeks ago, out of blue, he said to Rob, “Daddy, we should go on a secret trip, just you and me. And we should go to a lake! But I don’t know where there is a lake.” His little face went from excitement to disappointment, until Rob said “I know a really great lake we can go to.” Rob’s been dying to go to Kai-Iwi lakes this summer but it just hasn’t happened. Although summer is officially over, my boys are still swimming in the sea like the water is 38 degrees, so they are not going to mind if it is a little cooler now.
So the trip is being planned for Friday night. They will start the 3-hour drive after dinner, so that Ethan will sleep in the car. They’ll get to the lakes and find a spot to park the car, and they’ll sleep in the wagon. No tenting on road trips, apparently!! Then they will spend all day Saturday swimming in the lakes and doing “boy stuff” together.
From what I have heard about Rob’s previous road trips (with his mates), there is absolutely no preparation necessary. No food needs to be purchased before departure. That would require organisational skills. And if have those, you are not allowed to come. You spoil all the fun if you are organised. I guess Rob *might* have the foresight to pack Ethan’s pull-ups, blankie, water wings and toothbrush, but otherwise it will be a matter of grabbing a couple of sleeping bags, chucking a few items of clothing onto the back seat, carefully selecting some CDs to play on the journey, and jumping in the car.
I’m sure my boys will have a fantastic time. I’m going to try not to worry about them at all. We’ll see if that actually happens … though I’m not very optimistic!