Tag: TravelTips

Essential Tips and Travel-Hacks for Traveling with a Baby

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In our quest to explore the cultures around the world, we have to navigate many challenges, some driven by life-altering events. Last year, we had an angel step into our lives with her tiny feet, but already has managed to leave large footprints. Lifestyle alterations (read sacrifices sometimes) aside, the journey so far have been fun.

But our philosophy of indulging into diverse experiences wouldn’t stop, rather include the baby in them as early as possible, no matter how daunting it is. Why should arrival of a little one chip away from the goals we set as a couple?

Following the above rationale, with apprehension, we did a couple of long distance trips involving multiple flights and timezone change, and a couple of road trips. The experiences have been incredible to say the least. Of course the pace and the tight itineraries had to go, but within the first 12 months of the baby, she would be done with 15 completed flights of various lengths (3-10 hours). I think you should start slow to keep pace with the development of the immune system, but wouldn’t stop stretching it every now and then – a big for the baby’s adaptability lessons!

Having said that, here are eleven things a parent has to keep in mind in order for the trip to be safe and worry free. Below is the top 15 things that will help you navigate the world with that tiny soul:

  1. Flight Seats: Bassinets are over-hyped. They do not work for all babies, and typically only one parent gets to sit near the Bassinet. We tried ‘lie-flat’ business class seats as well. But the best option for us had been the middle seat in the 3-seat sections in Economy+ or Premium Economy. It gives the baby the best of both worlds – parents on both sides and a flat bed to sleep!
  2. Flight Tickets: Most airlines allow babies to travel after they are about 2 weeks old. But for leisure travel, you will likely not embark on it before they are at least 3 months old. While you don’t need a separate ticket, make sure to call the airline to add the baby to the itinerary. You will need to pay the taxes portion of a ticket. In domestic (US) flights, you will not need a boarding pass, but in International segments, you will need a separate boarding pass (along with an ID).
  3. Airport Security: I always recommend getting the TSAPre membership if you are planning frequent travel, but with a baby you may well get the privilege. Check with gate agents, and even TSA agents.
  4. Priority Boarding: Even if you are not an Elite airline member, parents carrying babies get priority boarding privileges. Use it unabashedly, as the benefits of boarding the plane and settling down with the baby before the jet-bridge-traffic-jam, is of tremendous advantage.
  5. Baby Jet-Lag: It is real, even though it may not be apparent. Timezones screwing up baby’s sleep cycles may be daunting but can be managed. First of all, plan for more days proportional to the time change. Keeping them engaged and awake until the desired sleep time may work in some cases. Use of melatonin for adults, so that you can take turns to keep awake during the nights when she wakes up, could be helpful too.
  6. Baby Essentials: We read about not over-packing diapers and wipes in other blogs. But in our experience, please do not undercut these two and formula (if applicable). Although in every place in the world, you will find diapers and wipes, the quality that the baby is used to may not match. Stressful times for the parent(s) and the baby if that happens. We ran out of wipes in South America, and although could buy different kinds there, none came close to the ones we use at home. I’d say over pack on baby food and formula! Cannot stress this enough.
  7. Navigation: While it is easier to think about carrying the stroller and car seat with you in international trips (assuming within the US, you’d have to carry both), there might be more comfortable alternatives.
    1. Stroller – Unless you have the strollers that can fit in the airline bins, you have to gate-check it in the jet-bridge. Chances of loss, theft and damage are egregiously high – it happened to us and it took me 2 months to replace a part that would make the stroller usable again. Also, depending on the destination, strollers may be barely used. Such as in a beach destination or rough terrains, you cannot even roll the stroller! Alternative is to use a baby carrier, which can serve many other purposes.
    2. Car Seat – In many countries outside North America and Western Europe, car seats are not mandatory. While it is not the safest option to ditch the car seat, many cars in LATAM/Asia/Africa won’t even have a provision to put a car seat (especially a rear facing one). We used the baby carrier in combination with the passenger seat belts to secure the baby and the carrying parent, in Central America and Latin America. If renting a car, it is much more comfortable to rent a car seat along with the car. If you must carry the car seat, get a carrying pack that can be put on as a backpack.
  8. Accommodation: Although we do not have a preference towards hotels or AirBnB’s, both of which have pro’s and con’s that are pretty obvious, it is pretty much horses for courses. Based on our experience, ‘private rooms’ in AirBnB’s do not work too well for us. We have experimented with Cribs and co-sleeping in King beds; both went well. Couple of hacks for baby related work –
  9. Sterilizing Bottles/Nipples: Although there are portable products available in the market, we have used a kettle borrowed from the hotel to boil water and sterilize nipples in the ice basket. Exactly same physical principle, to get the same results.
  10. Bathing: We have an inflatable bath-tub for the baby, but more often than not, it is easier to give her a bath in the shower.
  11. Eating Out: While on trips, you will go to the restaurants, shacks or even Michelin star restaurants. Depending on the baby, they may or may not be comfortable with surroundings (e.g. sound, light, temperature). We generally have a chair appendage and an alternate lie-flat plan handy on each restaurant trip.
    1. High chairs are not always available, but even when they do they are not comfortable for a baby who is just learning to sit upright. We have invested in a portable baby camp-chair , that has been a life saver, mostly because she has adapted to it, and can now comfortably sit on it, attached to anything.
    2. Life-flat option: An upscale restaurant manager once taught this to us. We were dining on the beach in a warm tropical evening, and the baby needed to sleep. So the manager brought two chairs with side hand-rests, fit them facing each other, a blanket to mimic a mattress, and voila. She slept under a blanket of stars shining brightly on her happy face! We have used this tactic in airport lounges, restaurants, and everywhere possible. As parents, there is no room for maintaining decorum!
  12. Trust but verify: I have read a lot of literature about finding a nanny or baby sitter services for your date night on a trip. I will bet my life (and bank accounts) to not indulge in these propositions. But if you have to, read reviews, ask hotel managers, and random people; still do not hand over baby duties to someone you do not know, especially in a country you are just visiting. Please do not!
  13. Call it a day: Finally, even with a lot of planning and above tools at your disposal, things can (and will) go wrong! As back up of the back ups, please have the plan ready to throw in the towel, and abort all plans, when things are going out of control. Or even, take a breather, skip an activity or miss a bus. Give the baby some time to recover, lest she falls sick, that will derail your entire trip. Lose a battle to win the war!

Based on our experiences, adding a Diaper bag Check-List should that help. And as you could tell by now, I am big fan of back ups. So adding commentary where I recommend adding backups.

Diaper Bag Packing List (with back up plans)

*Added our favorite products and Amazon links as well for your perusal

  • Diapers (of course) – Supply for transit time plus 50%
    • 50-75% of diapers for the trip should be in a carry on luggage (Trust me on this, lest there is a flight cancellation or delay)
  • Diaper changing mat – Super useful when you have to change diapers anywhere, literally. We have changed diapers on restaurant benches, airplane seats, back seat of a car, trunk of an SUV, on the grass in a park, and even altars in a cathedral! Diaper changing mat to the rescue.
  • Wipes – One pack in diaper bag, one each in check in and carry on. Learn the translation in local language, if traveling abroad should you have to buy some there.
  • Food – If formula fed, keep the bottles with formula handy in the diaper bag, enough to last the travel time. Formula container and extra bottles MUST be in the carry on bag. We prefer Comotomo bottles for its ease of adjusting to pressure.
  • Backup clothes – At least 2 backup sets of clothing as throw ups may happen on the road. Airplanes get cold and dry, in case of flights longer than 3 hours. We prefer thicker, fleece type sleep sacs or suits for longer plane rides.
  • Blanket – Must have for the road. Have a back up or two in check-in bag.
  • Toys – To keep the baby entertained. But we have found simplest of things like a menu card, napkin or small plastic water bottles double well for toys. So be creative and play around with the baby’s choice of entertainment.
  • Snacks and Water Bottles – We have found TSA or Airport security agents to be lenient with liquids over 3oz. when it comes to baby food, especially if it is still packaged and sealed. But try to limit the items that are larger than 3oz.
  • Bibs – We prefer to use waterproof bibs, e.g. Bumkins, for travel.
  • Ziplocs and trash bags – Keep a bunch of small-medium ziplocs for food and utensil storage. We use our dog’s poop bags as proxy for trash bags to keep diapers and soiled clothing.
  • Binkies and clip – If your baby is interested in pacifiers, they can be your best friends while take off and landing since they tend to help normalize the ear pressure.
  • Nose Aspirator and saline spray – A product like Nose-frida, as baby’s nose tend to get clogged in sudden changes of pressure, humidity and temperature.
  • Med Supplies – Thermometer, baby Tylenol, diaper rash cream, band-aids.
  • Sanitizers – Finally, multiple travel packs of sanitizers and disinfecting wipes should be in a diaper bag, especially for babies younger than 1 year. Airplane seats, arm rests and trays are notoriously overpopulated with germs (fact).

Additionally, check in bag should hold the following –

  • Bottle washing kit (travel size dish washing liquid and bottle washer)
  • Baby Sunscreen
  • Baby insect repellent
  • Hat and sun protective clothing
  • Portable nipple sterilizer (we have used these microwavable packs)
  • Travel size bath soap and shampoo, plus baby towels

Please feel free to share your experiences as well, so that we can be prepared in our next trips.

Essential Virgin Islands Tips

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Back to Virgin Islands

Before you embark on your journey to the Virgin Islands, please make sure to read the following for a survival guide in the islands.

Visa Situation

For US Citizens, you’d not need a visa but carry the passport. For an Indian living/working in the US with a valid US visa, you do not need a visa as it is an US territory. This applies to B1, F1, H1, L1, J1, and other common visa categories.

Language and Currency

English is the primary language and all USD currency bills are accepted.

Local Guides/Driving
Driving in USVI is interesting as you drive on the left (opposite of that in the USA) but the cars mostly are US made and therefore the steering wheel is on the left. Offline apps with travel guides and maps are useful here as data coverage can be tricky. Make sure your GPS has Virgin Islands maps loaded if you plan to drive here. Although navigating the roads is easy as there is only one main road that circles each island.
Getting Around
We always prefer to rent cars because of the flexibility and impulsive journeys we frequently partake. Driving in Virgin Islands though has its drawbacks. Rental companies do not allow their cars to be taken on the barges to hop between islands. If St. Thomas (STT) Airport is the port of entry,  you can rent a car there if you intend to stay in STT. Then return the car and go to St. John and rent another. It is best to get the four wheelers as the roads are sometimes steep and not paved in some cases. You will see the Jeep Wranglers everywhere. Always buy the liability insurance unless your credit card covers loss and damage protection.
If you do not intend on driving, there are taxis in all the islands, and there is a ferry between islands (St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix) with convenient timings and affordable fares. There are cab-pool rides as well if you can get one from the hotel, but due to lack of cellular reception in parts of the island, it is way more convenient to rent a car.

Food and Nightlife

We love trying out local restaurants and bars everywhere we go, and have had a ton of fun finding local joints, street food, even food from roadside huts in the trip. Since it being a touristy area, the food prices can get expensive unless you find good local places. Yelp and Tripadvisor works pretty well in the islands.We tried out a few caribbean joints for late night drinks and food and were not disappointed in most cases. We will talk about the restaurants in related posts/pages.

Safety wise, we found St. John to be much safer than St. Thomas, since STT is a major commercial port and tourists are susceptible to crimes. Like other locals, dress appropriately while walking around. A swimsuit is not appropriate outside the beaches even if it may be convenient sometimes.

 

Shopping

Last but not the least, shopping for gifts and memorabilia is an inseparable part of the adventures. Although the Virgin Islands is a US territory, the memorabilia from here might resemble what you find in mainland. Plus lack of rich artsy culture means you wont find decorative items related to art or history. Coffee and rum are probably the most popular items to buy for home. Some woodwork, masks, flavorful spices are the stuff you can bring as gifts.

The port area near St. Thomas has several duty free shops along the water. Be sure to take a stroll in Charlotte Amalie along Veterans drive to check out the shops and bars/restaurants. But these are not quite your local shops and instead are really touristy because of the cruise ships that dock here.

Essential Costa Rica Travel Tips

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Back to Costa Rica Itinerary

Before you embark on your journey to Costa Rica, please make sure to read the following for a survival guide in the country.

Visa Situation

If you are not a citizen of countries exempt from a CR tourist visa, please make sure to have your visa stamped in the passport. For an Indian living/working in the US with a valid US visa, you do not need a Costa Rican visa if you intend to stay for less than 60 days. Make sure you have more than 3 months of visa validity. This applies to B1, F1, H1, L1, J1, and other common visa categories.

Language

Spanish is the main language (sometimes only language spoken in many areas), but English is well understood in touristy places like national parks, etc. In Arenal, Manuel Antonio, San Jose, due to the large number of American visitors, English is spoken and understood relatively well. In offbeat rural areas, however, you will find it easier to navigate and taste the local culture better if you have at least some level of comfort with Spanish. Definitely use Google Translate app on your smartphone if needed.

Currency 

Most parts of the country would happily accept USD albeit at a higher conversion rate (often arbitrary). International credit cards are widely accepted. Carrying Costa Rican Colon (CRC) is far better though if you intend to have an immersive experience. We always order foreign currency beforehand from our bank (Bank of America), and found that is by far the most efficient way of reducing hassle. Many banks (e.g. Banco Santander) have affiliation with US banks and may waive the ATM fee, but we have seen banks charge a foreign transaction fee of ~$5 per transaction if you withdraw cash from ATMs outside US. Colon to USD conversion rates vary widely too, and we have seen it go from 500 to 550 within 2 years (2014-16). Also try to avoid airport currency exchanges as they offer extremely low rates.

Local Guides

Offline apps with travel guides and maps are useful in foreign lands since data roaming is expensive. We have had great experiences with the Tripadvisor iPhone app where you can download several cities in CR (San Jose, Manuel Antonio, Monteverde). Else, try the app called “Costa Rica – Travel Guide & Offline Maps” by Tripwolf.
Definitely take guides in the rainforest or national park tours. In the dense rain forests, even with a sharp eye, casual tourists will hardly spot any wildlife. Never go into the forests in the night without a guide, EVER. Read reviews in TRIB or our posts for the parks for Guide suggestions. Spending the money on guides is really worth here.

Getting Around

We always prefer to rent cars because of the flexibility and impulsive journeys we frequently partake. Driving in CR though has its drawbacks. Rental cars are cheap, but always try to stick to well known American brands like Hertz, Budget, Enterprise, etc. Always buy the liability insurance unless your credit card covers loss and damage protection. Get a GPS from the rental car company. Try learning some of the spanish road signs in the internet as the roads are often blocked or detoured, volcanoes criss-cross the country after all making it a very unstable surfaces.
Often first time tourists find it easier and hassle free to arrange transportation service. A number of transport companies operate between the cities with frequent and reliable services. Here are some we used – Anywhere Costa Rica, EasyRide, etc. If your Spanish is conversational, public transport is not bad either, though might take longer.

Food and Nightlife

We love trying out local restaurants and bars everywhere we go, and have had a ton of fun finding local joints, street food, even food from roadside huts in the trip. Tripadvisor works well in most parts of the country making it easy to find options. Local sodas serve the tipica comida (typical food for Ticos) comprising of mainly rice, beans, some kind of meat, and salsa. For breakfast, Gallo Pinto can be found almost everywhere. Named the national food of Costa Rica, it has a mix of red and white beans, with rice and huevos rancheros (scrambled eggs) accompanied by verde or rojo salsa. On your trips, you will encounter fresh fruits, coffee, and seafood cevice. But we found the Costa Rican comida tipica to be fairly boring after having it for a week or so, until we hit the Caribbean coast where the variety gets in with the Creole influenced cooking.

Eating out is fairly expensive unless you are armed with a little bit of Spanish and can venture into the ubiquitous Sodas. Typically they don’t add service charges and taxes, so you need to pay cash. Tipping is also not required but you won’t get charming service either. Food and cerveza is cheap though in Sodas. We will reference some upscale dining places and bars in the related posts.

Costs
Barring Panama, Costa Rica is one of the most expensive countries in Central America. Tourists often find the costs comparable to as in an American second tier city. For example, a 1L bottle of water in the local convenience store will cost $2 compared to about $1 in the local Walmart. Food is cheap in the sodas but upscale restaurants are plentiful where the dinner bill can rack up into hundreds of USD. This is primarily because of the taxes (15%-25%) in the diners and hotels. But with some foresight and planning, with local food and public transportation, you can save a lot of money that can be splurged on expensive boutique hotel experiences and national parks.

Tipping

Tipping in restaurants or cabs are not required especially since a service charge is levied often. As per the tour guides, it is not required either, but since most guides are used to North American tourists, it might not be a bad idea to offer $10 per day.

Shopping

Last but not the least, shopping for gifts and memorabilia is an inseparable part of the adventures. Although Costa Rica does not have a rich artsy culture to speak of, there are items related to coffee, woodwork, and rainforest galore. Replica ox carts, Coffee (beans and liquor), items made with indigenous woodwork are great gifts and mementos to bring home. If possible, buy from the marketplace in San Jose downtown where we found the prices to be cheapest (albeit with heavy bargaining).

Mexico: Things to know before you go

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Before you embark on your journey to any part of Mexico, please make sure to read the following for a survival guide in Mexico.
– Visa Situation: If you are not a citizen of countries exempt from a Mexican tourist visa, please make sure to have your visa stamped in the passport. For an Indian living/working in the US with a valid US visa, you do not need a Mexican visa if you intend to stay for less than 60 days. Make sure you have more than 3 months of visa validity. This applies to B1, F1, H1, L1, J1, and other popular visa categories.
– Language: Spanish is the main language in many areas, but English is well understood in most places. In Quintana Roo (especially Cancun area), due to the large number of US visitors, English is spoken and understood relatively well. In Mexico City and other rural areas, however, you will find it easier to navigate and taste the local culture better if you have at least some level of comfort with Spanish. Definitely use Google Translate app on your smartphone if needed.
– Currency: As of early 2016, Mexico has stopped accepting USD bills as a currency for transactions. Before this, most parts of the country would happily accept USD albeit at a higher conversion rate (often arbitrary). International credit cards are widely accepted though. We always order foreign currency beforehand from our bank (Bank of America), and found that is by far the most efficient way of reducing hassle. Many banks (e.g. Banco Santander) have affiliation with US banks and may waive the ATM fee, but we have seen banks charge a foreign transaction fee of ~$5 per transaction if you withdraw cash from ATMs outside US. Mexican Pesos to USD conversion rates vary widely too, and we have seen it go from 9.5 to 20 within 2 years (2014-16). Also try to avoid airport currency exchanges as they offer extremely low rates.
– Local Guides: Offline apps with travel guides and maps are useful in foreign lands since data roaming is expensive. We have had great experiences with an iPhone app called Mexico City Travel Guide with Offline Street and Metro Maps by eTips.
– Getting Around: We always prefer to rent cars because of the flexibility and impulsive journeys we frequently partake. Driving in Mexico though has its drawbacks. Rental cars are cheap, but always try to stick to well known American brands like Hertz, Budget, Enterprise, etc. Always buy the liability insurance unless your credit card covers loss and damage protection. Try carrying a GPS device from the US with Mexico maps, as using your phone data will be expensive and unreliable. And, beware of the police as there is a ton of corruption and rental cars are easy prey since the license plates are marked in red making it easy to spot. Never leave anything visible in the car.
– Driving: Driving in Mexico, especially in the cities can be difficult for a tourist, but if you have driven in any third world country, navigating here won’t be that cumbersome. Just need to remember a rule – do not expect anyone else to follow rules. 🙂 Also, in Mexico City, the police cars always seemed to have the blinking lights ON, so do not be alarmed if a cop car flashes light behind you. Keep driving following the rules you know. If they have to stop you, they will speak out in the loudspeakers.
– Costs: Last but not the least, expenses in your trip to Mexico in American standards will be pretty low. Plus with the strong USD, the total costs in your trip are likely going to be much lower than a domestic trip. Food is cheap, and in most places you will find decent local options. We love trying out local restaurants and bars everywhere we go, and have had a ton of fun finding local joints, street food, even food from roadside huts in Mexico. Yelp and Tripadvisor works well in most parts of the country making it easy to find options. In general, on a 5 day trip, average cost per day with travel, tickets to attractions, food, and sundry should not exceed $50 per person.