My Travel and Adventure Tips

The US - my home sweet home

​

Traveling home to visit family has been really great and exhausting all at the same time with a little one. We started in Massachusetts for a month then traveled down to Virginia, then up to New Jersey and back to Massachusetts. It certainly is quite a change when you have to find the family friendly restaurants and always check and see if there is a high chair or change table. The US is starting to get better with having family friendly change rooms in large places like airports and malls, but they still have a ways to go. Australia is doing really well this. 

​

Boston - A small, but big city with lots to walk to. Covered with lots of pubs, which depending on the time of day is ok for kids to go in where not so loud. We did take a trip to the Aquarium, which was really expensive considering how small it is. I was expecting a lot more for the price. My LO was 8 month's old at the time so probably too young to really enjoy it, but we had gone with a friend of mine who's kids were 8 and 10 and really liked it. Keep in mind that most streets will have cobble stone especially near the North End and center, which may not be so travel pram friendly. For us we noticed this. We brought the Mountain Buggy Nano which is really good on flat, but not too smooth. We didn't use public transportation in the city, but I noticed that buses were not particularly pram friendly. My family is about an hour south and so we drove around, which wow was that tough at first. I was used to pramming every where and then to have to take my LO in and out of the car seat and car, well that was a whole new element of frustration. You can't easily pop in and out some where that's for sure. 

Virginia - We arrived at Dulles Int'l airport which is huge. If you fly here, always bring your stroller to the gate if not onboard. Our MB Nano folds up to fit in the overhead which is great on a plane. Busy is an understatement for here. Many more cars than Boston it felt like, but suburbs are set up quite well with more structure. Public transport is getting better down there, but still so many cars. 

New Jersey - We were in Hobokken NJ which was a surprise to both of us. It was really family friendly with lots of baby friendly play places and playgrounds and a quiet area too. Just across from NYC and you would never know it until you saw the sky line. It is becoming more catered to families which was great to see. 

Denmark Weekend

A weekend away with a baby is certainly a little more difficult than without. We had a short fly over from Zurich to Copenhagen and my LO was more anxious than normal on the flight but still was ok. Maybe was because I was a bit nervous for some reason. We took the small travel stroller (Mountain Buggy Nano) which worked out better than the larger one to transport. I did realise I need to close and put the stroller in the bag before getting on the plane. Walking around the city was flat which was very easy and I don't think I had seen so many 4 wheeled large strollers as well. The kind like the Royals have. 
The people were so friendly to us and happy to help with the baby when needed. 
Hotel we stayed at was St Annika just near the harbor and was perfect. Amazing breakfast and just the look and feel of the hotel was welcoming.  
Overall, I'd like to visit again when the weather is warmer was a bit cold to walk around all day. 

The land down under....Australia

Travel tips to come

Paris and a baby

I definitely realised that traveling with a baby is a whole new world. The simplest things like taking the Metro are no longer simple. We learned a lot this trip and overall we had a great time. We brought our Mountain Buggy Terrain stroller and while not the most practical for getting everywhere, I was happy we had it. My little one "Pebbles" is not yet 4 months old and so she needs a bassinet still. And with the streets of Paris quite bumpy this one was really good for her. We managed really to go everywhere and most places were really friendly and accommodating to us as well, which was nice.

We started each day with a nice French breakfast which for me was a Cafe Creme and a crossant and toasted baguette or omelette. 

Here are some things we learned that will help you if you plan to travel to Paris with a baby.

• Stay closer to all the sights in a Family friendly hotel with a lift

• Take the bus not the metro 

• Get out early before things get too crowded

• For the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, take a baby carrier not a stroller

• Be sure to rest in the afternoon at the hotel, not just for the baby, but for you too.

• Travel stroller is great if has good wheels. 

Packing Tips - Long haul

Onboard:

Medical book – vaccination records

Passport

Diaper for every 2 hours of travel (including to and from airport)

Full pack of baby wipes

2 changes of clothes (onesie and sleep suit)

2 small baby towels

1 large baby towel

Bib

Hat

Plastic bags for dirty clothes

Thermometer

Gel for thermometer (if using rectal still)

Cotton pads

Teething gel

Diaper cream

Teething toys

Favorite toys

Book to read

Pain medicine

Band-Aids

Headphones

Nasal aspirator (if needed,  if not in luggage)

Blanket from home for bassinet (if use on plane)

Pacifier (if your baby needs it)

Food (if baby is eating solids)

Luggage:

Cotton buds

Diaper cream

Baby lotion

Vitamin D

Nail clippers

Diapers in the car seat cover if used

Nasal aspirator (if didn’t need on the plane)

Breast pump extra bottles (if using)

And clothes of course!