I have a personal goal to see as much of our glorious world as I can. I love to travel. Even more than that, I crave travel. Seeing a new place, inhaling foreign scents, listening to the sounds of the locals in a busy market, discovering the unique gems of a particular locale- these are some of my life's greatest pleasures. I think I was really bitten by the travel bug as a high school sophomore when I participated in a summer exchange trip to Germany. My first commercial flight was a sans parents trans-Atlantic hop to Paris, and I spent a month living with a family in Freiburg. Exploring the city on my own at 16, learning the bus system, partaking in the customs, speaking to merchants, tourists and locals, and really experiencing all the country had to offer . . . man, I was HOOKED!
Jason and I are already planning a world cruise upon his retirement. Travel is such a part of who I am that I never even considered changing just because I now happen to have kids.
Caitlyn flew for the first time as a six week old. Granted, that particular trip was just to Houston to visit family, but it has set the travel precedent for her life. She has flown more times than I can count, and we do not hesitate to take her anywhere. The kid is a traveler through and through, from her easygoing adaptability to her rolling Nemo bag that she totes along.
Her first major trip was a cruise to Mexico. She was the youngest passenger on board, and she was spoiled by all everywhere we went. Her official first kiss (from anyone outside the family!) took place in a Mexican market, bestowed upon her by an elderly Mexican official who was reminded of his granddaughter. We have a photo to commemorate the event. Since that trip, Caitlyn has been to many beaches, Disney World, all over Texas, Washington, DC, and will soon experience the Pacific Coast.
Our philosophy on traveling with our kids is to go with the flow, but we also refuse to dumb down our trips or only cater to what the kids want to do. If we did that, we'd be stuck in amusement park hell, and there is so much more out there to see and do! Of course, that means a lot of teaching- how to eat in nice restaurants, how to behave in museums, the proper use of indoor voices, and the ever popular refrain, "Where do your hands go?"
Our diligence has been rewarded, and we have seen so many amazing things with the kids. On our last trip to DC, we were even able to take the girls to the Holocaust Museum with exceptional results. Caitlyn was truly interested in almost all of the things we saw, and she asked lots of questions about the exhibits, punctuated by the occasional two year old exclamation, "There's a train! I love trains!"
Two things that are essential for traveling with the girls are a great stroller and a great baby carrier. Jason loves to laugh about my stroller fetish, but I think after buying and trying six of them, we have finally found our dream stroller- the Easy Walker Sky. A bit pricy, a bit bulky, and a bit difficult to fly with, it is a dream for long trips, walking, and trails. My favorite baby carrier (again, after buying and trying several) is the Beco. It is the only commercially produced baby carrier worth the material it is made out of- I love it! I can wear Lorelei on front or back, and she is perfectly content!
This entry got a bit long, so I will save my other tips, as well as an account of our recent nightmare of a flight for later!
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