FIVE REASONS TO LOVE TRAVELLING WITH KIDS

When we first discussed travelling with George I was filled with worry. I was just recovering from a C-Section, surviving on minimal sleep and cast aside the idea because it “would be too stressful.” Not only did travelling with a 12 week old enhance my personal experience of travel, but I’ve seen first hand the impact our adventures have had on my son.

When 2 becomes 3, your approach to travel changes. There are certain levels of comfort or standards that you need to meet now, so you can kiss goodbye to $1 accommodation! I love travelling as a family and even though at times, it is exhausting, the positives far outweigh the negatives.

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MEET THE LOCALS

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A baby brings attention and lot’s of it! We travelled extensively in South East Asia with George, where the culture is very family focused. So many times have we been stopped by locals, as well as tourists from different parts of the world who wanted to interact with us and our baby. It’s a fabulous conversation starter and you can learn more about the area and get some great tips of attractions and places to eat.

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CHILDREN PLAYING WITH CHILDREN

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Before parenthood, we would have spent most of our time exploring the typical tourist attractions before heading to the bars in the evening. Some days we might not interact with any but each other. However, when we travel with George, we find ourselves searching TripAdvisor for soft play centres and other toddler friendly activites.

Sure, we still go and do the stereotypical tourists attractions, but we really enjoy watching George play and interact with children from a wide range of places and cultures. Most children speak English and it’s a great way to meet other travelling parents. You can relax and let your child play and run around in a safe environment, whilst you take a mini break.

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YOU GET TO SKIP THE QUEUES

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At airports you usually get to use the family line, and bypass the long arduous queues that you often find if flying during peak season. More often than not, you will also get priority boarding for flights! Beware though, sometimes these lanes can get really busy if there are a lot of families.

We ended up losing a laptop in Dubai because there were so many families, they were trying to rush everyone through. You tend to find that the majority of people, are kind and courteous towards you and your children. Especially on flights. For more information on flying with a baby, check out our comprehensive guide for first time flyers.

SHOP OUR RECOMMENDED TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

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EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM

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Every parent starts their day pretty early, so why not take advantage of that?! When we travel we tend to be up and out earlier than most. Public transport tends to be quieter and, you can avoid the queues before the rest of the tourists arrive at popular destinations. It takes the pressure out of rushing around to try to get to places at a specific time. You’re not as quick when you have a toddler, things take a lot longer!

Long gone are the nights sat propping up a bar, instead we always search for accommodation with a balcony or good view. Once George is asleep, we can then enjoy a few drinks and watch the world go by. By that point we’re exhausted too, travelling and parenting whilst on the move is full on but worth it.

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ISLAND TIME

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When were travelling and staying put in one location we turn on to ‘island time.’ We embrace a much slower pace of life and limit the number of activities per day. It’s great to just switch off and tune in to your surroundings. It sounds cheesy, but stop to actually smell the roses. I love when you lost all concept of time and what day it is because you are too busy living in the moment.

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