Posts in “Travel” Category

Summer is prime travel time for families. So when my husband called my attention to an online debate related to traveling, I thought I'd share it with you. Journalist Christopher Elliott, who writes syndicated column Travel Troubleshooter, asked readers on his blog whether it was acceptable for airlines to ban babies from first class. 

As I suspected, both sides of the debate had plenty of ammo and anecdotes to support their opinion. It's a provocative question and one that may gain broader attention now that at least two airlines have limited first class to adults only. I don't think any US carrier wouldn't touch this issue. It's too controversial. Why anger potential customers when you want to sell tickets?

From a parenting standpoint, I would not appreciate any airline making an official policy of banning babies (or children) in first class, but I would understand why the sentiment exists. People get nervous when they see families with young children walking toward them down the aisle. Yes, babies cry and they can get especially cranky on flights. However, the problem isn't necessarily where children sit or kids on flights in general. I think what matters is each passenger being considerate of everyone else while enclosed in a small space for a set amount of time.

Some make the point that passengers wearing strong perfume, making loud, last-minute phone calls, drinking one too many alcoholic drinks, etc. are just as bad as crying babies. I guess that depends on your tolerance for strong smells because I'd take a baby over perfume any day!

Seriously though, it seems like air travel could be a much more enjoyable experience if parents prepared the best they could and other passengers cut them some slack. It's not a perfect system, but my family feels a real sense of accomplishment when we plan and execute a smooth travel day. It requires planning ahead, like finding the best flight times and bringing a Mary Poppins assortment of fun in my carry-on bag.

We've probably been on two-dozen flights with Kellan and only one flight nearly two years ago stands out as a real disaster. The kindness of another passenger saved me from breaking down and I hope someday I can help another mom in the same situation.

Because he has traveled so much, Kellan is a good little passenger but I wouldn't fly first class with him. The cost of the tickets would be better spent on experiences at our destination. Also, why get a seat in a section where almost everyone wants to put on their noise cancelling headphones and tune out when he could sit in front of someone who will return his smiles when he peeks over his seat.

What do you think about the air travel experience these days? What can make it more pleasant for families and people traveling without kids?

How do your kids do on long drives? My son doesn't do so well. He's good for about an hour and after that he demands to get out of the car. I can understand not wanting to be stuck in a car all day but a couple of hours drive to the coast isn't that bad, is it? This is not a question I would ask my kid, by the way, because I know what his answer would be.

One way we try to make road trips more bearable is playing music especially for the trip. Remember the days of mix tapes? Just like that! When a song really speaks to Kellan, he cannot get enough.  Last year it was "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da" by the Beatles and we listened to it too many times to count during a car trip to Seattle. 

This year I'm going to make him a playlist of songs he already loves and a few new ones with themes he relates to. Hopefully we can avoid repeating the same song over and over again. I played Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" for Kellan yesterday and he was hooked after thirty seconds. That one is definitely going in the mix.

Do you listen to special music or books on tape? How do you make summer car trips fun?

One of the best parts of traveling is finally coming home. As much as I love going places, the place I love most is home. There is loads of laundry to do, mail to sort through and routines to reestablish, but it's worth it come back home from a trip.

Traveling always makes me feel lucky. It's a joy and a privilege to stop everything we have going on in our daily lives to catch a break, even if it's a short road trip. I feel lucky to meet people and see things I wouldn't get to see if I'd stayed home. Then I feel lucky when I get back and pick up where we left off, even if that means I'll be folding piles of clean laundry. 

By the way, that's Kellan studying the emergency procedures card in our small plane leaving the Bahamas. He really was studying it! It's a good thing none of us are nervous fliers.

What do you love most about traveling and coming home?

We are soaking up the sun in the Bahamas right now, and as much as I love my Portland coffee I wouldn't trade our time at the beach for anything. Kellan is absolutely in love with the ocean and it takes tons of coaxing to get him out of the water.

What's fun about the beach is all the new things to collect. Kellan insists on wearing shorts with pockets so he has a place to put all of his shells, rocks and other discoveries. I had to convince him that a quarter of a crab shell probably wasn't the best thing to carry around.

This is the third time we have taken Kellan to the Bahamas. We stay in the Abacos for a very low-key vacation that involves nothing more than enjoying the beach and going on short excursions around the islands. I always plan on reading a couple of books and eating lots of fresh fish. Speaking of food, Kellan has tried eating a few bites of steak and grouper so maybe foods look more appetizing when he's on vacation!

If there's one place that's truly miserable for children, it's baggage claim. After a long day of travel, the last thing anyone, especially a kid, wants to do is wait around for luggage late at night. While Erik hunted down our luggage, I sat in a chair with Kellan sleeping on my lap. I noticed several unhappy campers, especially the poor boy whose mother woke him up as he slept in a chair. Too bad vacations can't last forever.

Kellan, Erik, and I had a memorable time in Panama over the Thanksgiving holiday. We met interesting people, enjoyed amazing unspoiled beaches, and spent a full week free of any responsibilities other than enjoying each other's company. We stayed at an eco lodge called Al Natural on Isla Bastimentos. We loved the small setting and relaxed atmosphere (no internet for a whole week!). While there's no set definition of eco lodge or sustainable tourism, there are some factors that make all the difference, including environmentally friendly practices, employing local or indigenous people, and building structures that work with the natural landscape.

This is the second time we've stayed at an eco lodge in Central America. Not only do we want to do our part to support these types of businesses, but many of these places offer great rates for what you get. We also love getting to know the locals, which is much easier when we aren't staying at a traditional hotel.

Like millions of Americans, we are traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday. We are headed to Bocas del Toro, Panama for a Caribbean Island getaway and I'm not sure we can get to warm weather fast enough! I am looking forward to a vacation, but I'm definitely not looking forward to our time in airports or the long flights. It takes careful planning and extra patience when at the airport on any occasion, but holiday travel will require an extra dose of patience.

Besides having a positive attitude, my biggest challenge when traveling with a child is packing the perfect carry-on bag. We've flown quite a bit with Kellan and I am always trying to get the right mix of necessary items in my bag.

I've blogged about traveling in general with a small child, but for this trip I am really focusing on the contents of my carry-on bag. Take a look at what I'm packing.

1.       Passport/Itinerary wallet - For me, having our passports and travel itinerary in one convenient place is an absolute necessity. We also keep hotel confirmation numbers, airline phone numbers and other important phone numbers on a sheet of paper as a back-up, just in case the batteries to a cell phone or laptop fail us.

2.       Toiletries - if your luggage ever gets lost, at least you'll have your toothbrush (and in my case, glasses, extra contact lenses and a few makeup items). I also keep Kellan's toothbrush in my bag too.

3.       Extra clothes - It's worth having an extra outfit for your child. Once Kellan spilled water on his pants and socks and all I brought was an extra shirt and underwear. I have no idea what I was thinking, but now I always bring an entire outfit in a small packing cube. I also bring a long, lightweight cardigan that can double as a blanket for Kellan. It can also cover any spills on my shirt or pants (when wrapped around my waist).

4.       Small toys/small notebook - The key words here are small and lightweight. The flight itself should have plenty of exciting elements. Kellan likes the overhead light button and the screens on the backs of headrests. For this trip I bought a roll-out play scene that I know he will love, and I'll pack his travel notebook and markers for drawing.

5.       Healthy snacks - I cannot express how vital it is to pack healthy snacks on trips. If you've ever bought a two dollar granola bar or three dollar yogurt at the airport to appease your starving child, you know what I mean. Even if you think you are over-packing food, you probably aren't. You never know if a delay will keep you at the airport or inside a plane longer than expected.

Those are the necessities and the two other items I'll include are my iPod and a paperback book. Now if only I can actually get some reading done on the plane! Feel free to share your "can't live without" carry-on items in the comments.