Road Trip With Children

Tulips at the Floriade

When I was little and we went on a holiday, my father would drive us. He hated to make stops along the way: we would get in the car and get out when we had reached our destination. Another rule was that we had to go in the early morning for my father hated driving in the afternoon heat. My husband, however, is the complete opposite of this. When we start out, it would be well into mid morning and when we reach our destination it would be afternoon. My husband loves to amble along the countryside and stopping along the way. If we went with all my sisters' and brother's families then we would always be the last to arrive.

I quite enjoyed doing it this way as it is more relaxing and you never know what surprises you would discover. On our recent trip, from Sydney to Canberra for the Floriade, we discovered an olive grove and a field of canola.

 This olive grove was at a farm that we turned off into.

We were driving along and could see the hillside covered in yellow from a distance. My husband said, "Let's turn off this road and see if we could find it." And sure enough, we were soon surrounded by canola fields.

Meanwhile, when in the car, my son played with his lego. Before we left, he hadn't wanted to take his lego pieces along as the pieces are tiny and he was afraid it would all get lost. So I told him to get a cereal box and cut one side out to make a box-like container that he could play with the pieces inside. He was really happy with this idea and it kept him occupied for a while.

We also listened to anasheed and my eldest son asked us why there were so many songs about Palestine but not one on Syria. I explained that the situation in Palestine has been going on for a long time whereas Syria was just recent. I suggested that he could write a nasheed about Syria. So for a good part of the trip we all brainstormed ideas for the lyrics. Below is the very rough words to our Nasheed on Syria. We haven't had time to edit it but, insha Allah, we might finish it on our next trip.

The Innocents of Syria

by Ady Adam Family

A child is crying in the streets.

Where has his parents gone?

He is lonely and hungry.

Scared, don't know where to go.

Want to hide from the loud noises and gun shots.

But there's no where to hide.

Noise and danger are everywhere.

(Chorus)

Innocent people are dying

What have they done?

Why do we take their lives?

Where is the heart?

Stop the senseless violence!

A huddle of women

With sorrow on their faces

So much they have lost:

Their children, their men, their parents.

Don't know when they will be next.

Don't know what to do

Except have faith and patience.

Old people silently weeping.

Whole generations are lost to them.

Seeking refuge in the ruined masjids.

Praying fervently for the end of violence.

(Rap)

We're sitting in our homes,

Safe and comfortable.

No harm no hunger touches us.

We watch the innocents dying.

There must be something wrong with us.

If we feel nothing and do nothing!

Alhamdulillah, it was a very productive road trip! Can't wait for the next one, insha Allah.