You see that face, that's the face of someone who is wondering if they have done the right thing by dragging their 31 month old child on a trip from Sweden to Australia, stopping in Singapore!
When we planned this trip last summer already, it didn't seem like a big deal, but as it got closer to the departure date and Tilly's toddler tantrums started setting in, I really wondered what it was going to be like. In general, bar a few dodgy moments, everything went really well and she and ourselves managed a really full three and a half weeks of non-stop travel and excursions. So here are some of the highlights and tips on how to make things that bit smoother. I however wouldn't recommend a trip like this every year as you only need another holiday when you get back. Take it from my neighbour, they go to Hawaii every year with 2 kids and Hawaii don't seem so exotic anymore :)
Firstly split responsibilities between you and your mate, this will ease the stress. Husby was in charge of the travel arrangements, hotels, visas, money - you know guy stuff, and I was in charge of the girly stuff like the kid!
Make a really thorough list of what you will pack at least 2 weeks beforehand. This will give you time to buy whatever is missing. I bought some small items like books, puzzles and lollipops which I wrapped as gifts for Tilly for when the boredom set in. Plan to buy a small toy at the airport as a treat for good behaviour. This goes a long way. I always pack small books called Pixi books which are the perfect size for keeping in your bag, in fact I don't leave home without these at any time!
Upload your iPhone with kids apps like puzzles and Talking Tom, but make sure they can be used on flight mode and block all app purchases so you don't get a huge bill!
Have a good size handbag to fit nappies, wipes, extra change of clothes and socks, dummies (makes sure husby has a spare too), the gifts, snacks (make sure you have a good amount of these - rice cakes, raisins, fruit, Ella's, almonds, cookies etc) a spoon, tissues, painkillers for you and the kid, your charger with a universal adapter, crayons, a thin blanket, a small pillow, a woolly hat (it can be really cold on the plane) and the kitchen sink! Trust me on a 12 hour flight you really want to have everything at hand!
Don't take clothes for the full time you'll be gone. Plan to do a bit of laundry and re-use some pieces and of course do a little shopping for some new ones. Remember that on long flights with proper airlines, the total is 60kg's regardless of how much each bag weighs. So you can get away with buying a few extra items :) As we were staying in hotels for a lot of the time, I packed a few easy toys like puzzles, princess dress and a portable DVD player with some films. And we bought the odd toy while we were there. Take a pair of wellies for the little one. She wore hers a lot on trips to the zoo and walks in the parks after it rained. You need to be out and about and want to be comfortable.
Pack a good medicine bag for the trip for yourselves too. I needed painkillers, plasters, extra contact lenses, tweezers, mosquito repellent, Vick's, ear buds and rescue remedy! Of course most things can be bought, but take those special things that you can only find at home and avoid meltdowns.
We talked a lot with Tilly about the trip ahead of time and showed her pictures of where we were going. We also told her the rules for each big adventure we had. Like at the airport we need to stay close to each other because there are so many people, Billingsworth (her favourite friend) would be going through security too and she should inform him of that, and the pilot wouldn't take off without everyone wearing a seat belt. The same for taxi's, restaurants and hotels. The more she knew ahead, the more proud she was of doing it right. It was normally then that she got a small present to say thank you for being so good.
Have a little pep talk between the two of you too and let each other know that they are doing great. It can be hard to remember everything and airports and planes are stressful places, so its nice to get on with your loved one and not bicker about everything!
Make sure you pre-order a kids meal just in case your kid doesn't like the food. We travelled Singapore airlines and most of the meals have an Asian influence which can be spicy. If you don't pre order it you cant get it. We didn't and I regret it. Whoever will be spending most time with the kid should definitely sit on the aisle cos you will need to move around and get things easily. We thought sitting at one of the front rows with just the wall in front of you would be better, so Tilly could lie on the floor, but this is not allowed so its not really the best seat. The arm rests don't come up so that made it difficult for her to lie stretched out. Take advantage of the free bar and watch the movies while your kid sleeps - it makes the trip much more fun and sleep you'll get eventually!
This way of doing things really worked for us and I'm really proud of ourselves and thankful for having such an amazing man and daughter who made it easy and 99.9% enjoyable! The 0.1% was not being able to sit in first class!!
Love you Husby x
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