TOP TEN TRAVEL TIPS
To help educate my daughter, Sequoia, about different cultures and customs, I have taken her to locations like Laos, Vietnam and Bali – not an easy feat considering my partner was working thousands of miles away! So here are my top ten travel tips:
1. Travel DVD player with an assortment of movies and some kids music CD’s (such as Putamayo Kids Latin) for playtime in hotel rooms.
2. A special drawing book and a new pack of pens, pencils, stamps etc. Make it a kit that is special for the trip. The activity packs are good!
3. Their own little backpack for carrying water and their 'travel essentials' Sequoia's essential item in Laos was a baby doll and a pretend medical kit.
4. Health checks - Always good to do a little visit to your GP as son as a trip is booked to check on vaccinations required for that particular country, boosters needed in general, and that the little one is in tip top shape for travel. I always take a good quality multivitamin for kids and a child-friendly bifidus powder to help strengthen her stomach against foreign bugs.
5. A camera for them to use – I gave Sequoia an old digital camera to use on a trip that she loves; an old phone camera is also a cheap option.
6. A fully stocked medical kit containing pain relievers, antiseptic, anti-diarrhoea, thermometer, cough medicine and so on. I also like to have a few natural remedies such as homeopathic for fever, gastro and stress, such as rescue remedy. I tend to go a bit overboard on trips with this medical kit, but I figure if I have it all I will more than likely not need any of it – a theory that has worked so far!
7. Good assortment of clothes for all weather conditions and unforeseen accidents. Especially useful are the light muslin, kaftan style shirts that provide great sun protection and cover arms to deter mosquitoes. They take up virtually no space in a suitcase, and wash and dried easily in your hotel room.
8. Patience - Remember just as you may have jetlag and are tired, so are they. Try and get some early nights sleep in on the first few nights to give you the energy and patience needed for the days to come with your young one.
9. Make a wristband with your child’s name and all the hotel contact details on it. Alternatively, write in permanent marker your child’s name and the hotel’s number, just in case. It is always a great idea to put the hotel’s business card in their bag as a back up measure.
10. Passport and Visa check. Children's passports only last for five years, so ensure there is six months still to go before it expires and all relevant visas are obtained for your child prior to departure.
Happy travelling!
