How Baby Traveling Is Different
When I first shared the news of my pregnancy, in addition to so much love and congratulations, there was a lot of “wait”.
When you take them to an amazing place, they don’t care. Wait until they get angry in the car on the way to an important place. Wait until they shout on the plane. Just wait, just wait, just wait.
As a pregnant person, this is the best thing I have ever heard. no
I have traveled without children for more than ten years. Most of these years I have traveled alone. I have been to more than 60 countries, of which about 50 travel alone. I can be as selfish as I think. I can rely entirely on chance. Will one child ruin all this?
So far, these are different ways to travel with children.
10. Life is full of different things
Before Felix, I often set the alarm clock to get up before sunrise, so that I can drive to the destination I specially selected for photography. I often get up with the stars, go out at sunset, and walk down the path with my headlights. I think I can do this with my child, but I also think that I was tripped by something in the dark, and my mother’s anxiety can’t bear.
I’m sure we will still go out and stare at the stars at night, and I’m sure we will still get up and watch the sunrise from time to time. But on our last trip to Vermont, we are more likely to go to bed as late as possible, which is often until 10 a.m., because Felix is still in the Pacific time, which is very happy. Did I take the kind of photos I usually take? Absolutely not, but now I have taken a new kind of photo — the photo of my lovely little guy.
9. Less chance
I spent several weeks on this beach
When I travel alone, especially in my early days when I have plenty of time but not enough cash, I will meet some people in my dormitory, play with them on the beach for a few weeks, and then wake up one morning and decide to leave at that moment. It’s not important for me to travel like this, because it doesn’t affect others. I like living a Bohemian life.
But you know what? It’s also getting old. I have my freedom, but I also start to think when I can meet someone and build a family, and let this become a new chapter. I am glad that I had the chance to become completely selfish in my twenties, but I also know that it will not be new forever. Now I travel in a new way, with more plans and more people to consider, which is the change I want and require.
8. Everything takes longer
I’m just glad we can do that
Through TSA, feeding the little guy only prepares all the extra things he needs in the morning, which means it takes several hours to start, compared with a few minutes before. Although I know this will be the case, I am not prepared for the budget of how long it will take and how much extra time we need.
When a friend’s wedding was postponed because they were waiting for us, I deeply realized this — I’m very sorry, Nell! We didn’t budget these hours well. We didn’t budget for the extra 45 minutes in the three-hour drive. Now I know better.
7. There are more things
We certainly didn’t have prams before!
Guys, when you travel with your children, there will be a lot of things! I think we were very good during the trip. I think, even considering his things, we are already very good at light travel, but still 30% to 50% more than when I travel before.
It’s also easy to forget things. When you don’t have enough sleep and have a tough mother’s brain, things will be left behind and become a small problem that needs immediate attention. Although travel has always been like this, it is now like this. There are many things.
6. Something inconvenient happens
The life of the pump chooses me
In Vermont, although we spent a long time preparing to go out, and I was very sure that I had prepared everything we needed, I somehow left my pump behind. I hope I can easily breastfeed my son, but this is not part of our story, so I need my pump ready at any time.
We had to spend more time looking for Wal Mart so that I could buy a manual pump, which led us to barely catch up with the last cable car trip. This is not a big problem originally, but you can’t get on and off at the last cable car, so we have to walk up and back with ease. This is not a big problem, but I can fill this article with similar stories.
5. More expensive
I don’t even want to talk about how expensive these things are. (But they are so worthwhile!).
Obviously, adding more people means paying more for everything. We are still at the stage when Felix is free for most things, but I am surprised to find that even as a baby in swaddling clothes, many airlines charge extra fees for international flights. I think we will have at least a few years before this happens! “。
This is one of the things we must seriously consider, about whether to expand our family. How many trips do we want? For us, the answer is still, “As many as possible!
4. More research is needed
Garnett and I have been discussing bringing Felix to Thailand as one of the destinations of our first large-scale international travel. But I also thought, can we easily find diapers on a remote island? What should I do when his milk powder is not enough, or should I wash bottles and pump parts with bottled water every time? At that time, he will also eat some solid food. What do Thailand’s 6-month-old children eat?
Do I want to tie him to me on Songthaw or tuk tuk, and forget how careful we are when driving at home? Maybe.
All these have increased the fun of adventure, but these are things I have never thought or worried about before.
3. People are more lovely
On this mountain road, people are so kind
I’m worried that people will hate us because we take the baby on the plane and enter a quiet restaurant, or if he cries, we may be cast a dark eye. Before traveling with my children, I was very clear that when others’ children cry, no one can do anything to judge them, but that doesn’t mean everyone can understand.
But I am glad to see that no one has taken such action against us. On the contrary, when I took him on a hiking trip, many people commented that it was wonderful to see a baby on the mountain road, and I recovered a little confidence in human nature. People even looked happy to see him on the plane and at the airport. I received comments from a dozen people saying how beautiful he was. They don’t need to say that — they want to say that.
I think we have forgotten how many people have children of their own, and miss the moments they shared with their little partners. This is a magical moment. I’m glad we didn’t feel sorry for taking our little guy to travel.
2. I observed his findings
He likes these leaves very much!
Now that Felix is three months old, he has paid more attention to the world around him. I like to take him to his first hike and watch him marvel at the leaves. He is completely in awe, which is lovely.
This is one of the things I am looking forward to taking my children to travel. Everything is new to them. They are so immersed in the present that they don’t care what they will look like in the eyes of others. They just express their ideas as they please. This kind of honesty is refreshing. I have always liked this aspect of children, both good and difficult.
I can’t wait to see him discover more things for the first time. There are many things that we take for granted. Children will be fascinated by them. I would like to see what inspired him.
1. I have opened a new level of travel and life
I recently told a pregnant friend that I was meeting a new person in my heart. If I hadn’t become a mother, I would never have met this strong, compassionate and caring person. I don’t think everyone should have children, and I fully support everyone who decides not to have children. But for me and my journey, this is personal growth that I have never experienced before, and it is a necessary component.