Traveling with Children

Mom and baby alpaca in the North of Argentina

“Honestly Robyn, I can’t stay here. There is mould in the ceiling. We need to find somewhere else.”

“Ok, ok I hear you. Let’s just chill tonight. I don’t have the energy and tomorrow we can search for a better place.”

As me and my fellow Bermudian Travel buddy, Jennie, meandered down the stairs of our Argentinian hostel a family was going up. They had an infant in a stroller and were struggling.

“How can they honestly do that? I can’t stand being here as a single person let alone with kids!”

“I don’t know Robyn, but if I have kids I will NOT be staying in a place like this.”

Last year while I was traveling solo around the world I had few, if any, responsibilities. If I wanted to go somewhere I could. If I wanted to be out till 4 a.m. I could. Most of the time the people I met were like me. And then, sometimes, there was a family. I might not agree with their accommodation choice, but I have a lot of respect for what they were doing – traveling without letting a child change their plans.

Robyn, how are you going to write about traveling with children? You don’t have any. Good question. Luckily my friends do. Caroline Wright, who has a one-year-old stepped-up to the plate with advice from her recent trip to Italy and London with her extended family, husband and son. And today, Monday, for my Rock Fever Column in The Royal Gazette she helped me put together some tips.

Caroline’s trip to London and Italy meant a lot of adults and one little person which starts tips for traveling with children at one with: rent a home. “We rented a villa for one week on Lake Garda, north of Italy and before traveling we made sure there was a crib and high chair available in the villa.”

But if you need to book a hotel, tip two is: “Always book one that says they are child friendly – we made sure each place had a crib for Jacob and allowed him to be a child. The Atheneum Hotel in London was amazing and catered to everything you requested – they had a crib, baby slippers and robe, games, stuffed animals and books in the room for Jacob and they even brought milk and cookies each night (we didn’t let him eat the cookies before bed so Mummy and Daddy decided to enjoy them).”

To get around buses and trains are best when you’re solo. When you have a child tip three is rent a car with car seat: “Each day we took a car trip to a different location – Venice, Milan, Verona, around Lake Garda. Car trips were long (always over 1 hour) so we made sure we had snacks, water, books and toys on hand to keep Jacob occupied if need be.”

Or: “It’s best to get a personal driver (and pre-book a car seat in their car) – they can take you at your own pace along the Amalfi Coast and stop where you want and take pictures of you and your family – this also meant Jacob was able to sleep in the car if the sights didn’t excite him enough”

But while a car seat and stroller for your destination might work for a lot of places tip four is: “If your child is too little to walk on their own, a backpack was a wise investment for Venice – there are many stairs to go over bridges and the narrow streets make it awkward to push a stroller. Pompeii was a location where the backpack was again needed, Jacob was able to see everything at our height and it meant a less bumpy ride for him.”

Of course bathrooms are adult-friendly (most of the time), but diaper duty can be tricky. So tip five is: “Always have a changing mat with you – there weren’t any changing tables in the public or restaurant bathrooms so many times Jacob would get his diaper changed on the floor between tables, on counter tops, in the back of the car, etc”

Zoobies - hippo, cat, giraffe, turtle-shaped pillows/blankets and toys in one for kids on trips

Children may need changing, but they also need (and even I know this) comfortable things like their blankets and pillows. Which is why tip six is bring what they know: Zoobies – animal cuddly toys which serve as toy, pillow and blanket are available at The Harbourmaster. While pacifiers do what their name implies: “We had gotten out of using the pacifier during the day (only for naps and night time) – however, we had to carry a few with us always as most days we left the villa at 9am and didn’t return until 11pm so nap times were unknown and crankiness could set in and any moment – the pacifier helped soothe him

“If you use a pacifier, always take extra as we lost many while Jacob fell asleep in the stroller and the pacifier would fall out without anyone knowing – currently there is a fluorescent green pacifier somewhere on the streets of Venice.”

While eating can be difficult for me -try and find Gluten-free food somewhere in an Italian restaurant- try finding child-friendly food……so tip seven from Caroline is ensure you have toys to keep them entertained.

“When eating in restaurants it’s handy to have small toys for them to play with while you’re waiting for your food. Jacob had his little cars and animals to keep him entertained, however the bread basket was more entertainment for him since he could eat it.”

You won’t always find something for them to eat, so tip eight is bring snacks and try to create variety in eating habits: “We tried to keep him on a healthy eating schedule but with restaurant eating and snacking throughout the trip, it wasn’t kept up. Little markets in Italy sold great fruit so he was able to eat a lot of that and he definitely sampled his fair share of ice cream, as did the rest of us.

“By the time we got to London, we did most of our eating in parks so Jacob wouldn’t have to sit in a high chair anymore, he got very tired of them (and all the different varieties we were given) – here he was able to run around, chase birds then come back and take a bite of food then do it all over again.”

Which brings us to tip nine, which is to trust people around you and enjoy the culture. Caroline said: “Everywhere we went in Italy, the people were so friendly and accommodating especially when they saw we had a baby – they all wanted to kiss him, play with him and even babysit – we got countless offers – one time when Anthony was shopping for pants, the store attendant entertained Jacob the whole time while I watched, it was adorable.”

And finally ten: “Don’t hold back on doing activities just because you have a one year old – if you’re not allowed to do it then you can’t (we weren’t able to go to the Opera in Verona as kids under 4 weren’t permitted) but we were able to ride on an open air double decker bus, go swimming in a cold lake, go on a gondola ride, travel up a funicular.”

Have you got more tips for children traveling? Comment below or send them to skinnerrobyn@gmail.com!

Let me show you to your hostel room

Ho Chi Minh's portrait in the Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) Post Office

“This is not working. It’s still hot in here.”

“Air-conditioning in Vietnam is not like in your country. We are all cool in here, it’s you. We will fix it tomorrow.”

Ten minutes before our exchange and exasperated with me, the receptionist, her friend and a teenage-apparently fix-it-all boy, had followed me upstairs. I had just arrived in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam and was melting. Between the humidity (and yes I still call myself a Bermudian) and the pollution in Ho Chi Minh City I was melting. So I splurged on a single room with air. I hoped it would also help with the wheat-induced sickness I also seemed to be suffering from (I’m allergic).

The three hotel workers each took turns feeling the vent and stood to the side starring at me. I wasn’t going to back down. Damn it I paid $12 for this!

They were not going to listen to me. My receptionist happily explained that: “Air-conditioning in Vietnam is not like in your country. We are all cool in here, it’s you. We will fix it tomorrow.”

I surrendered. With logic like that I settled into my single hostel room complete with a fridge, Cable TV, ensuite bathroom, a fan and broken air-conditioner.

You know what? The next day and eight hours of touring the Cu Chi Tunnels (secret hide-outs of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam war) I returned to an ice-cold room.

What’s your point Robyn? My point is, for $12 that’s pretty good service. Had I been feeling better they would have moved me to another room. Had the air-conditioning worked the first night, for $12 I did pretty well by Western standards for rooms and living conditions.

At the hostel there was: a front desk where I could book my tours, breakfast was included, there was security (i.e. locked front doors after a certain hour) and internet in the lobby….for free.

Last year as I traveled around the world I was hard-pressed to find a hostel without free Wifi. Oh wait I did in Patagonia. But even then the owner had a neighbour who I could go to for free Wifi.

As I traveled the world staying in budget accommodations I found Wifi at my fingertips. Ironically when I went to New York in January and stayed in a hotel that cost me about $100 a night I did not have Wifi. I did not have a fridge. Ok the air-conditioning worked and almost made me an icicle, but I didn’t have breakfast or the lovely receptionist arguing illogical, logic with me. That’s a great perk!

Internet access in Dahab, Egypt!

Perhaps that because Wifi and free Wifi seems to have infiltrated the budget accommodations and become a standard accessory. In the high-end hotels it still struggles. According to hotelchatter.com the worst hotel chain for Wifi? The W hotels. Do you know how much it costs to stay with them? For a weekend in August the cheapest room is $250 in New York. Oh wait you want Wifi? That will be $15 more. Which may not be necessary when you’re on vacation, but it is when you need to work and need to stay connected.

The New York Loft Hostel, on the other hand, starts at $35 a night, includes breakfast and Wifi; is located ten minutes from Union Square and has single rooms. For the same weekend at the Loft Hostel it will cost $250 and not $250 a night.

But, you ask, how do I know it’s a good hostel? Good question. Yes, we have become aware over the years of sites like Trip Advisor and Expedia.com which offer reviews of hotels. Creeping-up alongside these, however have also been sites working in the same capacity for hostels. Sites such as hostelbookers.com, hostelworld.com and hostels.com offer reviews by travelers who stayed in the properties. Making these reviews carry even more weight is the fact that these hostels do not advertise or at least very little. They rely on their reviews on this site and one bad one can really affect them.

And backpackers are ruthless. The difference between a $2 room and a $12 room better be good because that $10 could have meant another week of travel if it had not been wasted. If it was wasted the site will reflect the missing $10.

Not only do these sites provide reviews, they also provide:

1. photos of the hostel,

1. descriptions of the amenities
2. listing of the type of rooms the hostels offer: singles, doubles, dorms, private rooms for four – all with or without ensuite bathroom and
3. reservation services. Yep! Hostels are online and it is possible to use your credit card to reserve a room. Why are you still going to a hotel?

But hotel’s are more comfortable and quiet, you say. I would disagree with you. Like hotels, hostels vary. There are party hostels (and you know who you are) and there are quiet ones. Sometimes it will be a hit and sometimes it will be a miss. That is why the reviews and descriptions on the websites are so important.

Santiago, Chile

And comfort? In Santiago, Chile, for example, I found the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in. I wasn’t alone (well in bed I was). Others in the hostel also made the same observation.

And finally, hostels are everywhere and they cater to all ages and all sizes of the group. I have seen families with infants and I have seen retired-aged travelers all hanging in hostels. The hostels are friendly and social places where friendships are made and you can be as solo as you like or as sociable as you like.

But I would still suggest bringing flip flops if you choose the shared showers. You never do know! But should you be worried about your health? Absolutely, which is why next week’s Rock Fever column will be Dr. Cheryl Peek-Ball, senior medical officer for the Department of Health talks to us about immunizations.

Worry about the guacamole!

Ok it's not quac, but it easily could have taken me down!

What the hell am I talking about? Well it is Wednesday so I was struggling with a post when I saw this news item.

Guacamole poses health threat!

As if we need anymore warnings over things to be wary of. And by the way – way to take the fun out of Mexican food. I literally only go to Mexican restaurants for the Guacamole.

The best I’ve found? Dos Caminos in New York. These guys are a chain, but don’t let that fool you. They make spicy guac right next to your table. I can honestly say I have never been sick from it.

Which is about the only thing I haven’t been sick from. But why Robyn are you choosing to write about this today?

Yes I thought you would ask. The reason is I haven’t been feeling well recently. Ended-up spending four hours in the hospital Sunday morning to figure it out. Thought it was the kidneys – it wasn’t. Don’t fret it was nothing life-threatening and I’m fine.

But thank goodness I’m not on the road. So many people have asked how I survived 24 months on the road and I can honestly say: surprisingly well. It wasn’t always easy mind you.

With my rice saviours!

I mean in Egypt a salad attacked my stomach and I paid the price. What is it you ask?

Two days on the floor of my hostel bathroom. Then another two recovering with plain rice from the guys on the left! Scary in Cairo a city of 6.8 million people I can be a regular, but there you have it.

Any other food attacks? Only in Bali, but sadly on my birthday. Dehydration coupled with eating a wheat-infused Mars Bar did me in. Instead of surfing the tide on 30 I was sitting in an over-priced foreigners clinic.

Luckily I had my friend Lee’s house to recover in and lots of mint tea, rice and bananas and some of these yoghurt drink things I bounced back!

I survived the rest of the trip unscathed. Even through Patagonia. But that brings me to my point. Yes I have one.

It’s not easy being green. Ok, no that’s Kermit’s point. It’s not easy being celiac and on the road. I remember my first travel buddy telling me to write wheat down in multiple languages before I left.

Ha! Not going to happen. And good thing I didn’t try. I found a lot of languages don’t really have a translation for wheat. It’s simply flour. Or so I found out in Thailand as I tried with little success to get to the bottom of it all.

That’s all right. Thailand has rice noodles! Enjoy. What is my number one tip for those traveling with food allergies?

– Obviously depending on the severity (I mean shellfish you should be carrying an epi pen) pack snacks. In Europe I could find gluten-free stuff almost everywhere. In the middle East not so easy. I would go to the markets and get nuts, dried fruit and any other easy-to-carry snack.

It will save you when you need it the most.

– Eat simple. Street food was the best for me. I could see what they put in it and tell them what I didn’t (shaking head works best). You can use the word for egg if that is a problem (it is for me). I found every country understood. Though it’s incredibly difficult to say in Thai just FYI.

Eating street food - sticky rice!

– Drink plenty of water. No matter what happened (i.e. the Egyptian toilet bowl experience) water was the saving grace. Often I would feel worse when traveling because I had forgotten to drink water.

Which brings me back to Bermuda. DRINK WATER.

I think I was feeling rough last week because I went for a run. It’s too hot out there to be frivolous with your H2O intake.

– which brings me to my final point. If you are traveling to Bermuda and are celiac enjoy. Buzz Cafe, which has six locations, has gluten-free bread!!! I can’t even tell you how happy that makes me. Imagine toasted brie and sun-dried tomatoes on bread you can eat?!?! (only a celiac will understand).

And…..apparently and…I haven’t tested this out, but Hickory Stick (another sandwich place well-visited by the locals on the hunt for a good lunch) will make a sandwich with your gluten-free bread if you bring it!

This is my quick guide for Wednesday on food allergies. I promise. I promise I will sit down and write a column on it… but I need your help.

Have you got food allergies? How did you cope traveling? email me at skinnerrobyn@gmail.com or join my group on Facebook.