When They Grow Up
Part of the reason we went on this trip was to prove to ourselves (and maybe to a lesser extent, others as well) that you can travel and have fun with kids. A lot of people have told us that when they have kids the travel stops. Granted, we get that not everyone with kids can pick up and leave but the timing worked for us and its been a dream of ours for a long time now. With that being said over the years we have picked up some tips for travelling abroad, most of these tips happened on our childless adventures so we might make another one dedicated to travelling parents. We wanted to pass on some tips for our little ones when they are older and they decide to take some journeys of their own.
- Learn how to use a map – I am sure when you are older you will have a drone flying over your heads telling you which way to go to find the nearest hostal/bar/cathedral. But Maps, especially in older cities never steer you wrong.
- Always pack a corkscrew – Its like a boy scout thing. Always Be Prepared or something like that.
- Pack light – You will always need less than you think you do. If the need arises where you need something you didn’t bring, you will find a way to solve the problem. Some of the best stories we have are from situations exactly like this one. Ask us about them.
- Plan ahead – but don’t always. To get the most out of your trip you want to have certain things you want to see or do in mind in advance. Maybe you want to visit a famous exhibit at a museum and you get all excited, then you get there and its closed. Maybe its free on Mondays after 5 PM. Other side of this is to wing it.
- Wing it – Who knows what adventures await if you don’t try new things. As parents we want you to be responsible and safe but at the same time enjoy it and have fun!
- Take lots of picture – try not to be the person recording the entire concert but a few pics for memories are nice. Try to be in the moment as often as possible.
- Try new food – In other cultures and places there are loads of delicacies we never get to try in Canada. It might not sound great to you but you will never know if you don’t give it a shot. Mom has tried more food than you would guess and sometimes she finds something new she loves. Dad will try most foods but is not a fan of eyes or hearts so far.
- Learn (some of) the language – again, by the time you are travelling the world you will be able to speak through a device and the words will come out the other language BUT, without a doubt learning 10 – 20 common phrases/words in the language of the country you are in goes a long way. It’s about respect.
- Ask taxis or transportation their fares in advance – it is simple and came in handy in 9 out of 10 places we visited. If Uber exists then – use it.
- Budget – Pick a number you are comfortable with, add 10-15% for miscellaneous and unforeseen expenses and try to keep to that number. Most of the stuff you want to do and see is known before a trip, meals are needed and accommodation is no doubt important. Make a list, cost it out and enjoy!
So there you have it. Some tips we hope you use one day when you are travelling on your own.
P.S We will love a postcard from anywhere you visit even if it just says ‘Hi Mom and Dad’ on it
P.S.S This 3 Euro wine we are drinking is better than we expected