Tag: Backpacking with kids

Categories
Taking baby

Keeping baby healthy

Keeping baby healthy

 

Vaccinations

In the UK there are some travel vaccinations that cannot be given to infants below certain ages, for example, the NHS are not licenced to administer the typhoid vaccination to infants under the age of 2 years. Check the NHS website for general information on immunisations. Always check with your doctor or nurse well ahead of your departure date which vaccinations your child will need, and how far in advance of travel they must be administered. It is also important to ensure your child is up to date with all their standard vaccinations prior to travel.

Protecting Delicate Skin

A common problem you may encounter abroad is nappy rash, this may be a new problem for your baby or may be worsened by hot weather and extended periods of sitting in pushchairs, car seats etc. To reduce the effects of this, take plenty of nappy rash cream with you and change nappies more frequently. Also, try to leave your baby without a nappy on as often as possible, such as when in the hotel room. Hot weather can also exasperate other skin conditions, such as eczema, making your child very irritated and uncomfortable, so speak to your doctor or health visitor about extra measures that can be taken. Ensure delicate or sensitive skin is always covered by thin, loose clothing and that skin is allowed to breathe overnight. This is a good idea for all babies anyway.

Keeping Hydrated

It is absolutely vital to keep babies and children well hydrated in hot countries. Make sure you always have fluids available and carefully monitor their intake, as well as how much urine they are producing. Young children, particularly babies, can deteriorate rapidly if they become dehydrated and it can be extremely dangerous for them. Always carry re-hydration salts in case they are needed in a hurry. When travelling with children of any age, it is extremely important to have comprehensive travel insurance. Ideally you should purchase this as soon as your holiday is booked.

Travel Insurance

Many companies now offer free travel insurance for all children travelling on a family policy, this includes for single parents. If you are travelling to a number of countries on one trip over an extended period of time (usually 30 days or more), you will most likely require backpacker travel insurance. This type of insurance is also available as a family policy and if you shop around the kids should still go for free on your policy. Comparison sites are often a good way to find the best deals.

The best way to deal with travelling with babies and young children is to plan as much you possibly can in order to allow things to run as smoothly as possible, but remember that with all the planning and best will in the world, little ones don’t always play ball. Don’t get too caught up in sticking to your plan too rigidly, no one knows your child better than you and so if things don’t go to plan just try to relax and go with their flow. Good luck, and if all else fails, there’s always bribery 🙂

Categories
Taking baby

Common Questions

FAQ’s

Common Questions Answered

When deciding whether or not to go traveling with kids there are seemingly a million reasons not to go, and a billions ways in which things can go wrong. The reality is that these concerns rarely materialise, but there are certain responsibilities you have as a parent and with a little planning and a lot of hope you can streamline your trip and leave your worries at home.

It goes without saying that the number one concern for parents is safety and even now it is still what I plan everything around. Though it’s fair to say not every parent will let their kids para glide, or burn around town on a motorbike, we all have some level of safety which we need to meet in order to adhere to parental responsibility and also so we can relax a little without spending the duration worrying.

All of the different aspects of safety are covered in this website, but the reality is that with a bit of common sense and planning you can minimise risk and look forward to a fantastic holiday with the young ones in tow. Ticking the safety box however is just one area of travel. Travelling takes us out of our comfort zone and things which might not usually be a concern is suddenly a big deal – This is completely natural, everyone who travels for the first time will have some kind of reservations.

With that in mind I have trawled through the emails I have received and picked out the most common questions people have asked:

Is traveling with kids exhausting?

It goes without saying that the younger your child is, the more tiring it will likely be, but as parents we are already used to long days and if you can settle into a routine and of course, once your child adjusts to the changes in temperature and humidity things get easier. I have always said that generally, the most difficult part of any trip we have done is the first week or so. However, older children are easy, they help out so much and love the responsibility. As my children have gotten older our trips are now very much ‘us’ where as when Abi was 4, it was most certainly ‘me and the kids’. Check out traveling with babies and young children for extra advice regarding our little mites.

Is it expensive?

That depends; It can be insanely expensive and costs can very quickly spiral out of control, or it can be almost as cheap as traveling alone. See the scams section for advice on how to avoid paying more than you should.

Does travel wear kids out?

If you board a lengthy train journey through stunning scenery then it doesn’t matter how beautiful the journey may be through your eyes, it will soon become a repetitive bore through those of a child. However, catching a child in that stage of boredom is fantastic, because with the right tools and ideas their imagination can run wild.

What about illnesses, I’ve heard it can be dodgy in places?

Increased risk of illness, poor sanitation and tropical diseases are obvious concerns for any parent, and for many it will be their major concern. Unfortunately there is no escaping the fact that when travelling, children are more likely to get ill than back in the UK. Similarly, medical standards may not always be to the same standard as in the UK, but with a little care, planning and common sense the risks of illness can be massively reduced. See the Stay well page for loads more info and advice.

Does it get too hot for kids?

Put simply, yes it does. It gets too hot even for adults, but again, a little planning, a lot of sun lotion and gallons of water mean that the sun doesn’t have to be anything other than a necessary part of your trip. Check out the Climate section for how to deal with the varying weather.

Is it dangerous?

Some places are dangerous, but more often than not tourists are not the focus of criminals. Generally, your biggest risk is falling victim to some scam or at worst pick pocketing. But situations do change and when traveling you need to be aware of places that are more risky than others, and where to avoid. The UK government runs a site where you can check the situation prior to travel, or should you find yourself somewhere, how best to get out. See https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

What are the chances of me being scammed?

About 100%, but think about it, you are a foreigner probably in a country where poverty likely to be rife; you are fair game. Invariably you will pay more for a bottle of water than a local would, or it might even be a government enforced ‘tourist tax’ that stings you, but then again some people are conned out of lots of money. Avoid spending your holiday shelling out needless and copious amounts of cash by reading common Scams and preparing yourself.

Can I book trains/buses/flights Online?

Some things are vital to book prior to travel, whether to save money, or to guarantee a place. Read the section on planning for a heads up.

Would you suggest nice hotels, or beds on a budget?

Booking hotels can be an absolute minefield. On the one hand you want somewhere cheap, but on the other you don’t want to literally get what you pay for when you hand over a crisp $5 note. There are a million things to consider in regards to where you are staying and different people will rank different aspects in a different order. For instance, my top 3 tend to be safety, cost and location. Yours might be safety, comfort and amenities. See planning for more help.

I can barely manage money in the UK, how will I cope abroad?

Spending abroad has never been cheaper, or more efficient. The days of going to your local currency exchange and looking to get screwed are over.

What should I pack?

Remember, what you pack – You carry.  Check out the Packing section for essentials, and for short cuts.

OK, I’m ready to go – Now what?

Excellent, your life is about to change forever!!! Start Planning and look forward to your holiday of a lifetime!

Categories
South Asia

Delhi & Leaving India

If you arrive in Delhi at the start of your trip through India it will be a baptism of fire that will leave you ripped off and wondering what just happened. Hot, sweaty, humid and unforgivingly chaotic, Delhi is a city that is hard to like.

Reading the news today (11th August 2016) I was not at all surprised to read that a man was knocked over in the early hours of yesterday morning, the driver got out, checked and saw the man was bleeding to death. He promptly hopped back in his van and left the scene. A short while later someone spotted the dying man and rather than help him, decided to steal his mobile phone. The man was pronounced dead when he finally arrived at hospital. The deceased man was an auto rickshaw driver during the day, but at night worked as a security guard. It was from his nightshift that he began walking home and was killed.

That story, for me sums up Delhi to absolute perfection. It is a dog eat dog world filled with those that have, and those that don’t. It is every man for himself as mankind takes a backward evolutionary step beyond one of community and cohesion to one of pure survival. Whatever the cost, with no morals or ethics even remotely attached. If you have money Delhi is your masterpiece, think beyond your wildest dreams and it is yours. At a cost. If you have no money, you have a pitiful existence fraught with struggle, desperation and a level of poverty beyond anything you could imagine. Children walk around half dressed, dirt so ground into their tiny bodies that it scars them. Open sores, wounds, missing limbs and eyes, many die from infection and malnourishment. Many victims of intentional abuse to increase their plight and ability to gain money from begging.

When we landed in Delhi airport I jumped in the taxi with the kids and headed for the centre. About a mile from the airport we stopped at lights and with the window down I saw a man approach carrying a young child across his arms. I hate to glance, it really pulls at my emotions and I gave a cursory glance and a “no, sorry”. He was persistent and tapped my arm, I looked back at him. The girl in his arms had half her face missing, she was maybe 2 years old, I caught her eye, my heart jumped. The poor girl looked like her face had been run over, blood soaked a make shift bandage and her head was raw to the point she must have been close to death. Yet she still blinked, looking at me in absolute desperation. I begged the man, her father to take her to hospital. I invited him into our car, asking him to let us take the girl to hospital. He refused, he just wanted money, trying to show me a piece of paper with things written on it I didn’t understand. Our driver drove off. Tears streamed down my face, it was the most heart-breaking thing that I had ever seen. It haunts me still as I beat myself up wishing I had done more, wishing that I could have done more.

With 1.25 billion people, India is the 7th largest economy in the world and is powerhouse lunging towards those before it. Standards have definitely improved in even the 6 years since we first visited India and what has really surprised me is that the drive towards equality of sex is prevalent more than ever. Singing to a woman on a train for example is classed as ‘sexual violence’, and the fines and prison sentences are not light. In the bigger cities women certainly seem far more empowered, but there remains a long way to go as segregated queues and railway carriages are still the norm across the country.

If Delhi is the first stop on your India itinerary you may be forgiven for thinking this represented India, it doesn’t. Most of the people you meet in India are resourceful, hardworking individuals that will always have the time to stop and talk to you, to help, be inquisitive or simply to welcome you to their country. On the many occasions on this trip and those before, if I have looked lost, someone has come along to help. Walking the streets people stop and say hello, they welcome you to their country and take an incredible pride that you have chosen to visit India.

Our journey across northern India is now at an end as we move onto the next chapter; Nepal. We arrived in India knowing we needed a sense of humour, patience and a whole load of tolerance and that has all been tested, numerous times. India has given us some amazing memories that will last for the rest of our lives and so here is a round up of some of my own personal favourites:

I got punched in the head by a monkey, Toby was head butted by a cow, Megan slipped in front of a load of guys and then blamed the footpath. Jack and Abi went zorbing on water, I went white water rafting with Charlie and Megan where we realised a level of cold I had not known off of mountain peaks. Toby had about 100 selfies taken with him and loved running around Delhi zoo looking for animals. We all fell completely in love with the palaces and forts of Rajasthan, and walked miles and miles trying to take everything in. Megan needed oxygen in Leh, I almost blacked out in Khardungla and then cycled from the highest road on earth accompanied by Megan and Charlie and some good music. Gemma fell in love with the mountains of Manali and ended up spending 13 hours in a taxi just to get there. We saw the Taj Mahal, wild elephants, monkeys, camels and the girls did yoga in Rishikesh. We hushed through temples, jungles, deserts and slept on trains 18 hours long and smiled every step of the way.

More than anything, India has brought us together whilst giving us an amazing journey through an amazing country. This summer we went back to our backpacking roots and I am stunned at how easy it has been. Tolerance and patience has surely been tested, but as I wind up our journey through India and head to my wife and son in the Himalayas I do so with a warm smile and gratefulness to everyone that we have met, the friends that we have made and to India for keeping us safe, making us welcome, and showing us a life less ordinary.

Next stop Nepal.

 

Exit mobile version