Summer's Family Travel Tips

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We've combined some tips and tricks to serve as a reminder for us for all our future trips and to help parents, especially those travelling for the first time with their kids.

 Itinerary
Set a realistic itinerary and schedule. When travelling with children, the pace will be much slower so you will be able to visit less sites than during an all-adult trip. You cannot expect to start the day too early. During most of our trips, we leave our house or hotel no earlier than 9:00am. The only exception is when we go on an occasional joiner tour.
Don't panic!
Getting lost or having difficulty finding your way in a foreign land is normal, especially of it is your first time and if you do not know the language. If you're anxious about this possibility especially when travelling with a child, your best bet is to join an organized tour group. It will save you a lot of time, worries and money.

SIM cards
I purchase SIM cards online. They are cheaper than buying it over the counter. All you need is to present the online voucher or a printed voucher at the designated booth in the airport. You can see the instructions on how to claim it in the e-voucher from the supplier.

 How you'll get your internet depends on your preference. I prefer a SIM that has unlimited 4G internet and some call and text credits. It is more expensive that having a portable WIFI router that everybody can share but I find the signal more reliable most of the time. Having better signal extends the phone battery life as well. 

Don't forget to bring a functioning powerbank and to always have it fully charged before going out for the day.

Money
We've had a habit of withdrawing money at the ATM ever since we found out that the rates are not bad at all. It saves us from having too much excess foreign currency by the end of the trip. This way we have access to cash 24/7 as opposed to currency exchange counters with specific operating hours. 

Be sure your ATM cards are activated for overseas withdrawal prior to your trip. We also have some USD on hand just to be sure.

Milk
Summer drinks formula milk at home. One of the best travel decisions that we made was to train her to drink fresh milk while on trips. We buy whatever is available in the place we are visiting. We've been doing this since she was 2 years old and it has saved us so much luggage space and it has proved to be very convenient for us.



Google Translate
This mobile app is very useful for travel. It is not 100% accurate at times but it does its purpose. It helps me know what the milk cartons and food packages say.

Prior to the trip, I download the language of the place where we are going so it can be used offline anytime.

 Grocery shopping
Grocery stores are always included in our itinerary. Whenever we want to bring foodstuff home, we go to the local supermarkets. It has all the items the locals use at much cheaper prices.


Laundry
Doing your laundry may take some getting used to because most of us would like to just rest after a long day of walking and sight seeing. For me, it is worth is because it saves so much luggage space and we never had to tow several huge bags on our trips abroad.

 Travel essentials
There are some things that we ALWAYS bring on our trips and while going around each place. Here are some of them:
1. Shades
2. Sunblock 
3. Insect repellent
4. Lightweight jacket
5. Crackers, milk and water
6. Barf bin with cover
7. Liquid soap
8. Wet wipes 

 Stroller
We use a lightweight stroller that can be folded and has a backpack case. Only these types of strollers are allowed in the overhead compartment of the plane. These may or may not be checked in. If you intend to check it in, the airline personnel can collect it just before you enter the plane. However, you will only be able to claim it at the baggage claim along with the other checked in luggage.

 If your child is on the heavier side or if you tend to bring several hand carried bags, you might have some difficulty getting to the luggage claim area which is usually far. This is especially true when flying on odd hours because the kids sleep on the plane and will not want to wake up and walk.

 Lately, we don't check in our stroller anymore so that when Summer is asleep, we can put her in the stroller as soon as we get off the plane.



Entertainment
Summer is allowed to watch television and use gadgets. But in most countries, the cartoon channels are in the native language. She's also not too fond of watching phones or Ipad. Here are some of the things that we bring along. It takes up some luggage space but it sure keeps her entertained:

 1. Coloring books with crayons and coloring pens
    *Use a pencil case to avoid mess and avoid losing the colors
2. Some art materials
    *Be extra careful not to stain any part of your hotel / apartment. Using newspaper on the floor or surfaces would be wise
3. Small toys (for sharing with other kids)
4. Puzzles
5. Worksheets, a small notebook and some pencils
6. Books! 
    *Because our little Summer loves her books










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