‘Why would we stop holidaying together?’ Three families on the joy of travelling with adult children

‘Everything that could go wrong on this holiday went wrong on this holiday’: Alex with her mother and her father, Radu, at a Grand Canyon lookout Photograph: Supplied

I never feel more like a child than when I am travelling with my parents. At 24 years old, I revert into the teenage version of myself, relying on my mum to keep my passport safe and my dad to put the itinerary together.

But for me, these holidays are more important than ever. As an adult, quality time with my parents has dwindled as we go about our own lives. I find myself wanting to spend more time with them and have new adventures. Now that I’m grown up, I’m no longer a mere spectator to the holiday planning; I actively allocate time, effort and annual leave to make our family trips happen – even if I leave it to my folks to figure out the details.