That Mama Club

How To Save Money On Your Family Holiday

Filed Under: AWAY, HOME //

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Travelling offers a great opportunity for families to have some quality time together. Yet, it can be pricey, and for many families, the cost is beyond their reach. A recent survey showed that a UK holiday costs more than the rest of Europe. But what if you could take your family on holiday without breaking the bank? Saving money on your family trip can help you have your desired holiday without worrying about the cost. Here are some tips to help you do just that.

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Overseas travel with a baby | things we packed

Filed Under: ADVENTURES, AWAY, HOME //

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This post was originally titled “long haul travel with baby”, however after talking to a few people, I quickly realised that it wasn’t long haul. It was l o n g e r. Glasgow, Scotland to Christchurch, New Zealand. Where most people consider flying UK to the USA long haul, you can’t really compare 9 hours on a plane to 30 hours in the air. So, ‘Overseas Travel with a Baby’ it is!

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Planning the Perfect Winter Getaway

Filed Under: ADVENTURES, AWAY //

Planning on getting away during the winter months? While many people take their vacation time during the summer months, some of us like to save our getaways for later in the year. This might work better with your work schedule or you may find that the summer months and other peak periods have too high costs attached. If you’re planning a winter getaway, here are a few suggestions that could help you along the way.

Winter Sun

Many of us are seeking warm weather as the weather grows harsher and the temperatures drop where we live. The good news is that the weather isn’t the same everywhere, meaning that there are plenty of places in the world that can provide you with some winter sun. Browse a few locations and determine where you’d like to go. You could stay at the very popular Bellavida Resort, enjoying rest, relaxation, recuperation and everything you need to really unwind. Of course, when you start seeking sunny destinations, make sure to check other elements of the weather in the area. You may find that some places have hot weather but they could be going through hurricane season or monsoon season, which is best avoided.

 

Cold Getaways

If you don’t necessarily want to chase the sun, you may want to consider a cold getaway. There are plenty of winter breaks that are very enjoyable. A good option is a city break. City breaks tend to have sights and attractions that are available to see year round. Capitals tend to have the most to see and do. Another option is to engage in winter sports, such as skiing or snowboarding. These activities take place on resorts where you can enjoy comfortable, warm accommodation at the same time as having close and convenient access to the ski activities you’ll enjoy.

 

Festive Activities

There are plenty of festive activities you can take part in during your getaway too. Look up some of the best Christmas markets around the world, as these can be extremely fun to take part in. Some of the most popular tend to be in European countries, particularly Germany. Another option is festive winter activities such as ice skating on ice rinks in cities.

 

Preparing

Whatever you decide to do with your winter break, it’s important that you plan and prepare accordingly. Make sure that your passport is in date. You should have at least six months left on your passport when departing on your trip. Be sure to check restrictions such as Covid vaccination requirements and other travel vaccination requirements. You may need to take courses of medication, such as malaria tablets if you’re planning on heading somewhere with a risk of malaria.

 

Hopefully, some of the information above should help you on your journey to planning the best winter break possible. Whatever meets your needs, make sure to plan well in advance, as this will help you to make the most of the time you have away!

TRAVELLING WITH A TODDLER

Filed Under: ADVENTURES, AWAY, GUEST POST //

WRITTEN BY CARLA MELLOR (GUEST WRITER)

travelling with a toddler

“You must be mad, travelling with a toddler!”

We can’t argue with that, but we travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. Every year we choose to travel with our daughter Florence, who is currently 3 and it truly brings us together like nothing else. All family holidays are special, but when you hit the road for the best part of a month you really get to know each other, for better or worse and create some truly unforgettable memories. 

Just to give you an idea, this is what our 2020 travel itinerary looked like: Verona, Salzburg, Lake Bled, Chianti, Amalfi Coast, Tropea, Palermo and all the spots in between in 25 days:

“I’d love to plan something like this but wouldn’t know where to start!”

Want to know the secret to planning this type of trip? Blagging it! The plan normally begins with a place or area that we’d like to visit, then we look on Google Maps and find that there’s somewhere beautiful only a few hours away. This tends to escalate quickly into a huge road trip that barely feels possible but fills us with excitement. So rather than overwhelming ourselves, we book our flights to create a start and end point and then the fun can begin with booking accommodation and transport along the way.

“But how do you book all of your hotels?”

We are massive Airbnb fans and very rarely stay in hotels. We love the flexibility, freedom and home comforts of having our own space, especially with a child. You can really make the space your own, whilst enjoying a more authentic experience in your destination. A few of our favourite memories for our Airbnb’s include picking fresh fruit and veg from the farm in Tropea, playing guitar and drinking homemade Galliano with a 10th generation local in Sorrento and accidentally booking accommodation in Florence with no wi-fi or TV (so peaceful). At the very least, you get the chance to speak to a host who can tell you the best places to eat and how to get around. 

 

 “But how do you afford it, it must cost a fortune?”

Our first holiday was travelling around Italy for 15 days, Florence was 5 months old and I was still on maternity therefore our budget was set at £1,500. Our most recent and longest trip of 25 days budget was £2,500. We always set limits on our accommodation of 50 pounds a night and work off that. The joy of being in charge of your own flights, accommodation and car hiring/ transportation needs is that it can cost you as much or as little as you want.

“I couldn’t think of anything worse than travelling with a child!” 

We took our first travel holiday when Florence was 5 months old and in hindsight, this was probably the easiest holiday we’ve had. She napped on the food tray on the train, breast fed on gondolas in Venice, we even came on a wine tour in Chianti and she was the best behaved out of all the attendees. At this age, your baby is going to cry whether you’re at home or on holiday, so you might as well be somewhere beautiful. Some aspects change as they grow and you must adjust your itinerary accordingly, but you also get a lot more enjoyment from seeing them take in the experiences that you are introducing them to. We don’t feel that we’ve had to give anything up, you just have to make thing more exciting in the eyes of a 3-year-old. For example; Want to enjoy a morning looking at beautiful architecture? No, you’re looking for Disney Princess Castles. Fancy an afternoon enjoying a cocktail on the square? Let them have an ice cream or a fancy drink from the bar. Want to enjoy an evening meal as a couple? Not going to happen, but who needs romance when you’ve got a toddler playing hide and seek under the tables of the restaurant and getting everyone involved. Finally, it’s important to just slow down the pace and enjoy seeing things through their eyes

“Is it always smooth sailing because that’s how it looks on social media?”

No, of course not. In fact, here’s a few examples of when things have gone wrong:

Day 1 of our first ever family holiday, we were in Venice so took Florence around in her sling all day as the pram wasn’t an option. When we got back to our accommodation we realised that she had an awful heat rash and she cried all night. That was certainly a ‘what the hell are we doing’ moment.

Florence threw up all over her car seat, and we don’t mean one of those cute baby sick, the car seat was ruined! Luckily, we were on the way to the airport and managed to get there and get home. The car seat ended up in a skip at the side of the road.

Whilst we were checking into our accommodation, Florence wandered into the house for a look around. Little did we know that she had found a Birdseye chilli plant in the bedroom and decided that the little red things looked tasty! This resulted in us googling ‘Can my toddler get sick from eating a chilli?’ which returned a headline story about a toddler dying from eating a chilli in India. Anyway, after a few gallons of milk and a few cold yoghurts, she was fine.

Let’s add to the list getting stung by a jellyfish, stung by a wasp, pooping at the side of the road, you get the idea! I promise we’re not neglectful parents and these things always feel worse than they actually are, and we genuinely believe these things help to make memories, you’ve got to have a few negatives in there so that you can appreciate the positives.

With things up in the air due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we don’t know when we’re going to be able to travel again, but when you’re allowed to travel again, why not consider a real adventure to blow away those cobwebs we’ve gathered over the last 12 months?

YOU CAN FIND CARLA ON;

Instagram: Carla J Mellor

Blog: ohhbabyitsawildworld.com

 

FLYING WITH CHILDREN OF ALL AGES

Filed Under: ADVENTURES, AWAY, GUEST POST, HOME //

WRITTEN BY LUCY MURRAY (GUEST WRITER)

 

Flying with children at any age is no mean feat. Gone are the days of just settling down on the plane, choosing your films and having a little snooze. Nowadays, travelling with kids may be less relaxed but it doesn’t mean that it has to be really stressful and no fun – promise! My family are lucky enough to have travelled many times already with kids during the baby, toddler and young child stage. This has been both solo, and all together, so below I have included some things that we have found useful on our travels. Hopefully, when we can all travel safely again, these tips will be helpful for you too!

flying with children

 Before

 

  • Have a checklist a few weeks before you travel including what you want to pack for everybody and any questions you have for the airline. Such as their car seat policy and how to book special seats ( the bulkhead seats are really handy). Also check to see if they do kid’s meals and if you can pre book those.
  • Think about seating. Can you all sit together or do you have to split up? Sometimes it can be easier to split the kids up and each adult takes one or two and sits somewhere different. It can often mean they behave a little better without their siblings, or both parents there, and you can swop them around at different intervals.
  • Plan how you are going to get to and from the airport on either side – do you need to hire a car and do they come with car seats? Do you need to take a taxi? Quite a few places now also have ubers that can come fitted with car seats too.
  • Check what time you land and whether you are allowed to check in straight away. If not, it’s worth asking about early check in or even just booking the night before so you can go straight into your room when you arrive. This helps avoid any hanging around with jet lagged and tired kids (and parents!)
  • Tell your accommodation  if you need cots, or smaller bed etc., and ask them to have it ready on arrival – you can also ask if you can get any items delivered there like nappies / milk/ snacks, as this will save packing space and any emergency trips to find the local supermarket when you arrive.
  • Start preparing the kids for travel, we found watching a few programmes  helped to get them excited.
  • We like to have some sort of activity for the kids and an ‘emergency’ snack for each hour of the flight. We have been on some really long flights and this can be daunting so this helps to break it down into sections. Some of the things we have packed include:
    • Magic pens and pads – the kids love them and limits the risk of anyone drawing on any part of the plane….
    • Window gel clings. If you are sat near a window these provide so much entertainment  For the kids.
    • Their favourite book and a new book, or magazine, to try too for a treat. We often try to get a children’s book on the place we are going to visit too.
    • A blank notebook and sticker pack will keep them entertained for quite a while.
    • Download a few of their favourite programmes and some games onto a device if you have one as something different to what the plane might offer. It also helps if they are being fussy and you know you have something they love watching that can distract them for a bit.
    • Different snacks you can pull out at different intervals , bonus if they take a while to eat, like raisins or a packet of smaller crackers.
    • Pack of kids cards – could even be sight word cards etc.
    • A special flight teddy – for my son’s first big flight where he was old enough to understand we got him a Jet teddy from SuperWings.
    • Some child friendly antibacterial wipes.
    • Kid friendly medicine as sometimes teething can happen or kids ears can be sore from take off. 
  • Be a smart packer, try not to be bogged down with lots of bags. When the kids got bigger I got them each their own rucksack and popped in their spare clothes, nightwear if it’s an overnight flight, and some of their activities and snacks. That way it gives them some responsibility and frees up your bag for any electrical, and liquid items, that you can pull straight out at security, rather than having to dig for them whilst trying to herd everyone through. I also took a rucksack myself instead of a suitcase as this meant both hands were free to keep a hold of any runaway kids.
  • When packing the bags also think what you use , most or what order you will be using things in. I always pack changing items for younger kids near the top in a separate travel sack so you can grab when in a rush. I also pack a spare empty travel sack for any dirty clothes or used snack pots.
  • Sometimes we split up during boarding, depending on how busy the flight is. If it is really busy one of us will go on with all the bags to make sure we can get them into the overhead lockers where we are sitting. It also gives the kids more chance to burn a bit more energy.
  • If you have a child who has recently been potty trained or still has a few accidents pop them in a nappy for the flight before boarding as you can’t use the toilet during taxi, take off and turbulence. We just explained to ours that we still want you to use the toilet, it’s just in case the planes seatbelt light comes on. 

 

During 

 

  • Always handy to smile at everyone and make sure to try to connect with the cabin crew – they can prove invaluable allies! Especially if you are flying solo with kids.
  • Get some bits out for the take off and keep handy in the seat pocket.
  • Make use of the entertainment system for the kids. We wait until after eating to start any films as it can be something to look forward too. We also brought children’s headphones so that they were comfier and had a volume limit.
  • Even trips to the bathroom can be an activity so just use this as an excuse if the kids are getting cranky to give them a change of scenery (just make sure little fingers can’t press the emergency assistance button, and yes I learnt this from experience..)

 

After

 

  • We always wait until the last people are getting off before we leave the plane as it usually helps to use some time up with less of a wait at the baggage carousel. It also means you can do a thorough double check to ensure no beloved teddies, or passports, are left behind without holding up other passengers.
  • We always plan beforehand how we are getting to places and have a back up. We try to get through the airport as quickly as possible, including a bathroom stop, and then straight for taxi/rental area.
  • When checking in, ask if they do anything special for kids – we once got a tent, teddy, snacks and a book set up in a room for us just because we asked and the kids were thrilled.
  • Expect some tantrums and jet lag issues – try to stick to your usual routine if you can. However, if everyone wakes up in the middle of the night have a picnic and stick a film on – you will all get on track eventually.
  • If you have any leftover snacks, or activities, from the outbound flight put them to one side so you can use them on the return flight.

FLYING WITH CHILDREN

Here are a few more specific tips for the different stages:

 

Travelling Whilst Pregnant 

  • Pack some compression socks, snacks and anti sickness bands.
  • Wear comfy clothes – Maternity leggings , oversized top and bigger jumpers are your friends  – you can always jazz it up with some lippy, scarf, hats and jewellery.
  • Keep some pregnancy tablets/ vitamins in your carry on in case of delays or lost luggage.
  • Go light with the carry on bag and don’t be afraid to ask for help putting it in the overhead compartment.
  • Double check with the air stewardess that the in flight meal is ok for pregnant women.
  • Drink water often. They also almost always have ginger ale which can help with any nausea.
  • Remember to keep walking around at regular intervals.

 

Travelling With Babies 

  • Try to pre-book the bulkhead seats so you can get one of the airplane’s cots if they have one available. Don’t worry if you don’t get it as you actually have to get the baby out during turbulence, and seatbelt signs, so sometimes it can be detrimental.
  • Try to get seats by the window so you and the baby can be nice and comfy for sleeping and feeding. It also offers you a bit more privacy and you won’t have to get up if anyone needs the bathroom.
  • We found baby carriers invaluable round the airport and also on the plane if you need to take a cranky baby for a walk, or dance, around the plane.

 

Travelling With Toddlers

  • Try getting them into the sleep pattern that might suit the flight before you go.  Then if it is an overnight flight they will be more likely to sleep.
  • Make it as fun as possible and don’t worry if a tantrum happens. Just handle it how you would normally and remember – you probably won’t see anyone on that plane ever again so don’t get too worried.

Travelling with Young Kids 

  • It starts getting a bit easier now, promise! 
  • We found the kids love it when they have responsibility so give them jobs- let them help pack their rucksack, carry it in the airport and be responsible for it. 
  • We found taking a game of eye spy for the airport was great fun for the kids, and you can get free downloadable ones you can print out and take with you.

 

Finally, flying with children of any age can be both hard and fun so try not to worry about it too much in advance – we found preparation helps and then you just have to go with it – delays happen, kids can have meltdowns or be fantastic, you just never know. At the end of the day as long as you all get to your destination without any Home Alone style disasters it is a huge win!  You may just need a huge glass of wine, a workout or relaxing shower once the kids are asleep.

 

YOU CAN FIND LUCY ON;

INSTAGRAM: TRAVELLING MURRAY CLAN