After
over two years on strict budget diet, my husband went a bit crazy last night
and bought us a last-minute trip in a faraway country. This means a long-haul
flight with our Toddler. Which is why this morning I jumped into a careful
consultation process with our entourage to capture the best practices. (nb! I
have yet to consult my guru-traveller sister)
To focus my research
and evaluation I have identified Key Success Factor (KSF) for our holiday:
1. Smooth travelling
2. Pleasant Stay
3. No earthquakes or
other natural disasters
I am most concerned
by points 1 and 2.
A key element in
Smooth Travelling seems to be Toddler Entertainment during the flight. My boss revealed
his wife relies on Bribing ie. introducing a new toy for every rolling hour.
Sounds promising, although eighteen toys alone will make up my hand luggage.
Others rely on food: raisins, cookies and the queen of all: a Lollipop!
Apparently a lollipop in mouth makes screaming a real challenge. Sounds
reasonable. Some other more and less creative tips included: DVD's (special
occasion), making baby sleep on the dinner table - to ensure the previous works
the recommendation is to skip before-flight naps and let first your toddler run
the plane around until exhaustion. To be tested. And she needs to learn to walk
first.
The pleasant Stay
covers a lot: Happy toddler, unstressed Husband, both fed and kept amused 24/7,
clean and calm hotel, no risk for cholera by consuming hotel food or beverage,
no malaria, dengue or other known or unknown sickness, unfilthy beaches and my
ultimate key criteria: SUN AND SEA! The last two are fortunately facts in the
place we are heading. For the rest the recommendation was to bring the baby's
food along (?), a full medication arsenal, water boiler, UV costumes, sun
screens, mosquito nets..Gone are the days with travelling on visa and tooth
brush only..
For the third one I
pray. And consult actively http://www.iris.edu/dms/seismon.htm.
Fortunately I have
still weeks to fuzz, worry and potentially change my mind about the whole trip
:)
