Today we’re featuring guest blogger Mandy Moise, designer for vfish, who just returned from a 65 day trip through China, Nepal, Indonesia and India with her husband and two girls, Ellie 2.5 yrs, Sloane 1yr. As Mandy puts it, “Dora the Explorer has nothing on my little ones.”
Recently on a flight from Chicago to New York, a woman looked at me and said, “Wow, you are brave to be flying with two little babies!” I guess “braveness” is relative. It’s sort of the general perception from a lot of people we come across. Once you have children, your ability to travel is gone, or limited to quick trips to visit family. My husband and I dreamed of traveling the world (and we do), and I can honestly say it’s so much cooler with kids. ( NOTE: I said “cooler” not easier. )
I’m not going to sugar coat it. Traveling abroad can be challenging with little ones. Personal space is not viewed the same in all parts of the world. In the USA, most people would not come and grab my kids to hold them or, just walk up to me and start photographing my kids paparazzi style. In all parts in and around Asia, this is very common. People are friendly, and mean well, but try to explain to a 2-year-old why people keep grabbing at her cheeks. By the end of our trip, my 2-year-old would shout “No pictures please!” and would bury her face into my shoulder. We were good sports about it until both kids ended up with eye infections. After that, I would politely block the cheek pinching snipers.
One thing that is often overlooked is the travel logistics: strollers, gear, beds. We used a Double MaClaren umbrella stroller and GO cribs by Guava Family as many hotels throughout the world will not have cribs. And if they do happen to have cribs, you won’t want to use them. Strolling internationally can be hilarious. Paved sidewalks? Elevators? Not so much. So have a good sense of humor, and a strong partner to help you out.
Throughout our travels, our girls see things most kids will never see. I truly believe that as they grow up experiencing these different cultures will help them be better humans and citizens. They learned and saw first-hand what poverty was, danced down the streets of Kathmandu, climbed the marble steps of the Taj Mahal and learned to love spicy food. If you have the means and the time to travel with your little ones, do it! The moments of joy you will experience in doing so are well worth the extra effort.
