Motherhood Relabelled

15. From Tantrums to Triumphs: Our Secrets for Traveling with Toddlers ✈️

• Tania Salvati & Vanessa Müller • Season 1 • Episode 15

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Are you armed with the right strategies and supplies to make travelling with little ones a breeze? Buckle up for a whirlwind journey through our travel adventures with a toddler in tow.

We’ll let you in on our packing tricks, from deciding on the right amount of clothes to finding the perfect toys to keep our kids entertained, especially during these daunting long-haul flights. ✈️

Navigating foreign lands doesn’t just involve mapping out tourist spots. We share our own bouts with the financial and logistical aspects of traveling—finding suitable accommodation, planning for childcare, and even subletting our apartment.

Tune in as we chat about making very strategic investments in specific travel items such as the Cozigo travel shade or SlumberPod, both of which we consider worthwhile investments for a better sleep environment on the go. What's the price of good sleep anyway?! 💤

We also reveal our secret weapons for the journey—nappies, wipes, snacks, earmuffs, and much much more.  Plus, we discuss the advantages of a multi-currency travel money card and the importance of having a complimentary travel insurance policy. By the end of this episode, you'll be ready to tackle your next family holiday with renewed confidence and excitement. 💪🏻

Special Mentions for Must-Have Travel Items:

Motherhood Relabelled is a non-parenting podcast for all parents who don’t let the “parenthood label” hold them back. It’s for those who think that parenthood is a part of us, but not the only thing that defines us. Travelling with kids? Sure! Starting a business with kids? Absolutely! Feeling the fittest and strongest you’ve ever felt with kids? Most certainly! This podcast is your weekly dose of making yourself and your own goals a priority. 

Speaker 1:

Hi Tanya, hi Vanessa, nice to see you, nice to see you.

Speaker 2:

Always cold Tuesday.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it is a bit of a freshman tonight. Actually, i know I lie, it's not that cold, it's just a bit miserable. And it is miserable Like quite clear.

Speaker 2:

Well, what you would expect for winter. For winter, we've been spoiled, because, even though it gets very cold inside the apartments when you actually yes outside most of the time it's not too bad.

Speaker 1:

So good, we're so lucky, very spoiled. We don't even know really what winter is really. We're going to have a few days.

Speaker 2:

I mean I do get cold at home because I feel like the apartments. Maybe it's also the sea breeze because we are ocean facing, i don't know, and it's not that well isolated.

Speaker 1:

Sometimes the window is insulated. Yeah, yeah, yeah, i get you. So there you go, and how's your well weekend and how's all that Good You're in planning?

Speaker 2:

mode, planning mode, so always topical to this week's episode. But, yeah, planning our travel, upcoming travels to Europe, yeah, very exciting, going in full speed, because yeah, there's a lot to think about, like with the endless traveling with a kid. You know, like I know, it's like constant lists never endless. Yes, Like.

Speaker 1:

I feel the same.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

I mean, my trip's obviously not as long as yours, but you still have to pack the same things, 100% The same amount of things, like it doesn't matter where you go, whether you're going away for like a week, a weekend a month.

Speaker 2:

Worst actually is camping, because you need so much stuff. You need to be prepared for all sorts of weather. Yeah, that's tough. And even if you go for one night you basically have to take a week's worth of clothes and stuff And it's just you're going to pack that.

Speaker 1:

We put that one in the trip up basket for a while Exactly, and maybe summertime is probably a bit easier because you can get away with you know a little bit less stuff, Yeah that's right, that's right. Yeah, i totally get it, but yeah, so this week's What have you been up to?

Speaker 1:

Oh, sorry, i was about to get unfinished on this topic. No, that's fine. What have I been up to? Oh, we just went to a cute little riding and scootering park on the weekend, which was very sweet. I forget about it Sydney Park, on Sydney Park Road, but it's, yeah, it's a great, massive, big park, god.

Speaker 2:

I'm envious because I never have any ideas when I like, literally on the weekend. That's the one thing I somehow always fail to plan. Yeah, it's tough For the family.

Speaker 1:

You know what? I literally just saw one of the girls from my mother's group there the day before. I'm like, yes, that's such a great idea And I just was inspired by her And that's why we went, because I saw her little boy riding his little bicycle. So but yeah, you do easily get stuck if you don't plan an event. You're like, well, now what do I do?

Speaker 2:

You know, you always feel like, especially if it's a good day you want to get out Totally, and I also feel bad for always doing the same thing. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

But they don't know. Like you know, i guess it's just you, it's your, you know, sort of guilt that's shown through. But and then Saturday we went to down the coast or kind of the coast, i guess it's called Symbio, it's a little wildlife park, so that was cute And we got to feed animals and sequelers and you know all that sort of fun stuff. We've been, we've been very zoological these these last few weeks, with going to the Tronga Zoo the week before. So I just had a ticket to you. So yeah, we thought we'd go down And it's a nice drive, so it's on the way to Oolongong in New South Wales. So yeah, it was good fun And yeah, stuck into work, which has been good. We've had some nice fun, interesting projects And you know, always thinking about the property thing and whether it's the right time to buy and whether it's not, you know there's there's always scares in the, in the media, that you kind of go oh God should I, should?

Speaker 2:

I actually told us, like in the program, but like the coach, they told us that you know the media is painting this picture of this boom.

Speaker 1:

Well, this actual crash, crash Yeah.

Speaker 2:

You're not actually when you really look at the data. There's no crash. There's no crash And there's not going to be a crash. Despite rising interest rates, like, unemployment rate is at an all-time low. Yeah, spending is still going up.

Speaker 1:

I know.

Speaker 2:

House prices are actually on the rise again, despite how spiking interest rates. So it's it's really interesting, like what the media paints.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

You know, and it creates panic.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely.

Speaker 2:

No, it's true. Anyway, that's a that's probably a topic.

Speaker 1:

Another day?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, exactly So today we're talking about all things traveling with a baby slash toddler, because we thought why not sharing Absolutely You know the experiences we go through and as we plan our next trips and maybe also share some experience from past trips?

Speaker 1:

That's a good point Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Very good point As we go and as we are in that current mindset of doing that. So where are you off to?

Speaker 1:

Well, we're off to Fiji at the end of the month And I really just wanted to because I turned 40 this year. I wanted to book in some sort of nice trip. That would be easy enough. But I just wanted to go somewhere overseas and just to relax like you know, resort style. You know pool, kids club sort of stuff. You know that will entertain us all.

Speaker 2:

But many great things about Fiji actually Yeah.

Speaker 1:

And I just and I just didn't want to worry about a long haul fly at this point. You know, i know you guys are a game and brave because you know you have also don't really have much of a choice.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, much of a choice.

Speaker 1:

You know it's not a bad choice, you know, anyway, regardless, but yeah, i just, i think, i just, i'm, i'm, i'm, leave that long haul fly until we're a bit older. But yeah, you know, it's a three and a half hour issue. Yeah, that would be fine, but on the way back it's actually longer, so it's a four out four and a half hour. So it's actually must be the tailwinds, yeah, but yeah, so we're, we're going there for about I think it's eight or nine nights, so yeah looking forward to that.

Speaker 2:

So your first proper overseas trip.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I know it is pretty cool And I keep prepping to him Like where are we going? He's like Fiji, So he knows where we're going. We're going on the airplane And I bought him a cute little digital camera to take photos This week from Amazon. I literally bought it on Saturday and it arrived on Sunday.

Speaker 2:

So it's insane, like I bought my travel adapters like for Yeah, for all my electronic devices. Like I bought to literally, i think, either yesterday or the day before, and it arrived like on on on Sunday or Sunday, i know.

Speaker 1:

Like I literally ordered on the weekend, yeah Same, and it got delivered on the way. I was shocked. Yeah, yeah, amazing. Are you a Morzine Prime member? No, not, not even No Same. Anyway, there you go, got a lot of Amazon. Oh my gosh, so good, but yeah. So if you're heading to Fiji and really looking forward to it and whether it's supposed to be lovely, so we're in, you know in good season?

Speaker 1:

Yes, because they do have wet season. So when I was looking when to go, the best time to go to Fiji is usually from around April, may up until November. Ok, from November onwards Well that's perfect for Australia.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's keeping Australian winter We get out into exactly. So that's my strategy every year.

Speaker 1:

I try anyway. Oh yeah, we used to be like that too. I used to love, just you know, getting out of Sydney and just escaping from the door, climana we were saying already.

Speaker 2:

you know like obviously love seeing our family And I think you know, with little Teo it's even more important for him Yeah. For him and the family as well. But at the same time we were saying that you know we might actually do. One year on and one year off.

Speaker 1:

Great idea, because we also want to go somewhere else. Yeah, you might want to travel elsewhere and see other parts of Australia.

Speaker 2:

You know South America like there's so many different places we want to see.

Speaker 1:

Very true.

Speaker 2:

And I think realistically like more than one trip a year is probably not, you know, feasible with a small child.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and also I guess the cost is to pin financial aid. Yeah, because other goals you know, like it's not the main goal anymore. Yeah, right now, and you've done lots of travel as well in the past too.

Speaker 2:

So But yeah, cool, And we were like well, maybe we can meet with our family somewhere Exactly.

Speaker 1:

That'd be lovely. We meet there, meet them halfway. We see different places And there are a lot of other places that are actually financially viable to go, like you know, thailand, for instance, thailand, bali, like any of those places, bali is definitely on top of my list of places, have you been Never?

Speaker 2:

But like I've heard of, like a few friends who traveled there with young kids, like, initially I was a bit concerned about the Bali-Bali.

Speaker 1:

In the water, yeah. But kids are absolutely fine, like most of the time, like I mean, as long as you're not drinking tap stuff, it's mostly fine And you can easily get like a villa with a family.

Speaker 2:

You get a villa and you, the nannies over there like it's really affordable And apparently they're absolutely amazing, doing such a great job And you literally you have them with you all day. Yes, So, you can go off and get massages or like go, you know like surfing.

Speaker 1:

You know, I think about this stuff too, but I'm like, Toby will just not go to a random baby.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's true.

Speaker 1:

Like, because I think I read like they have babysitters for like 19 feet $8 an hour which is practically, like I'd say, almost like $10. Well, sorry, not 19,. 16 feet, $8, probably about, yeah, 10, $12 an hour, which is pretty great Like if you just want to go Yeah. But he will not stay with some random for sure.

Speaker 2:

So I think it definitely does depend on the kid and Theo, even though he's pretty good but he's showing more and more signs of separation Attachment, yeah, which is also, i think, normal part of development, even though if he's not like you know, it's not his personality as such, but I think it's pretty normal for all kids to have a little bit.

Speaker 1:

Oh for sure, Definitely, But yeah well, that's exciting, yeah, it is exciting, and you're heading to Europe and so obviously, same family. Where are you heading to first?

Speaker 2:

So we got flying to Frankfurt metralized literally in a week and a half, and then we're staying with my family for three weeks. So the good thing is we have our own apartment.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, nice, That's any My mom and my dad.

Speaker 2:

They have a pretty good house, like not pretty good as well, but a big house. That's lucky. So we have our own space, which is great. Two has his own room.

Speaker 1:

Oh, that's nice, that's good, something he's used to.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, something he's used to, if he remembers. So we're going to stay there for three weeks, like obviously visit friends, like, but pretty much staying in the same place, yeah, cool. And yeah, clément will be working full time, oh wow. And we're working two days a week, so I've been also very conscious of the fact that we don't have daycare over there, so, but we're both still working. We're going to be working from 4 am to 1 pm to overlap some Australian hours. Glad you figured that out.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I'm mad.

Speaker 2:

I've got a whole Excel spreadsheet for every day of the hours when? who is working when? because we don't have daycare.

Speaker 1:

And now.

Speaker 2:

I have to line up babysitters right, Yeah, fair point So. I need. on the days where we both work from 8.30 am to 11.30 until he goes to nap, i need a babysitter.

Speaker 1:

So are you actually not going to have any time off, like not even for a week?

Speaker 2:

I'm not taking any time off because the reality is like in full transparency we still have to pay for our rent. And we have to pay for daycare here in Australia.

Speaker 1:

How true Good point.

Speaker 2:

Almost $200 a day. Well, a bit of subsidy to get back, but you know, like to paying for all that six weeks while we're away and not working, because I'm self employed. It's just not viable.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, luckily you don't pay, Not a combination, that's one good thing. Right, i would have been on top of that.

Speaker 2:

That would have been. We would have really had to sublet our flat which you know we said we would be open to doing. If you had the right people yeah, the right people, people we know Hmm.

Speaker 1:

It's tough to find, it's just couldn't find anyone. So you see, this time of year people all want to go overseas and come to Australia for the winter. Well, i guess, but there's such lack of apartments.

Speaker 2:

I know I'm surprised.

Speaker 1:

You could probably try any of those loops. You know, could you? I really wanted people, i know I know, I just want anyone. So, fair enough.

Speaker 2:

That's okay. We made that conscious decision to you know suck it up and yeah. But yeah, luckily we don't pay for accommodation.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 2:

That's pretty good, cool, but yeah, so, yeah, that's exciting.

Speaker 1:

So tell us about you know traveling tips. Obviously, you traveled last time with Theo, and he was a bit more of a baby, so we could probably start with what it's like to travel with a baby, because I, we don't. I didn't necessarily travel with Toby as a baby. He was already one. So what was that like for you guys? I?

Speaker 2:

feel like now, looking back, it was such a breeze, i bet everybody told me it's such a great age to travel Like he was only like four and a half months when we flew out to Europe And he was only four and a half months.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, i was a little back.

Speaker 2:

He was like seven months, yeah, and pretty much like because he still fit in the bassinet and I bought, like I would highly recommend anybody who travels with a baby and has a long flight to invest in a thing called Cosigo. I'm not sure if you've heard of it.

Speaker 1:

It's like a little travel shade, oh yeah, the shade thing that's called the bassinet.

Speaker 2:

So it's dark, so it's dark and it also protects from, like the stewardess They will walk up and down the aisle with the stuff you know like there's a lot going on Yeah. Theo has always been a very curious baby And as soon as there's noise or the stretch, they wake up. Got you, he wakes up, so that really, this thing kept him sleeping for like 10 hours straight on the plane.

Speaker 1:

Wow, so that was pretty awesome, that's so good.

Speaker 2:

I feel like that was an absolute walk in the park.

Speaker 1:

I must say that when I first was pregnant, my one of my friends her name's Nikki she wrote me a whole like three page document with all her tips. That's brilliant. And you know it's all split out and into prepared take, you know, at the airport. For babies and toddlers and little little people. That is priceless And I literally found it. I'll show you a few things. And so she actually says make sure that you do request that bassinet in when you're booking and to check in early to increase the chances of getting one. That's right, because obviously there's limited.

Speaker 2:

What I love with Katar, and that's who we always try to play with, just because, yeah, you generally get what you pay for. You pay the premium price, but you get the service and quality. And what I love with them is like at the time of booking you book your seat and it's locked in.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so you don't have to worry about you know, getting, Yeah, I wouldn't want to worry about where we're going to city. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, i'm much prefer booking my seat, talking seats on the air.

Speaker 2:

We've got a top pack Well, more applicable for toddlers, but so so tears at this weird age where we don't yet pay for his seat And, to be honest, we also want to take advantage of one free flight He's got left to Europe, because from next year on, yeah you know.

Speaker 2:

So like oh no, we're definitely not buying an extra seat, We're going to take advantage of this, But it also means that he doesn't technically have a seat right, Which is exactly very tricky to think. You know, a 20 hour journey. He's just going to sit on your new seat, on us.

Speaker 2:

So two things that I was recommended and that we are hopefully successful with, But yeah, we've booked essentially like two The outer seats and the window, so window seat and I'll see it basically in a row of three seats. Yeah, left the middle seat out because usually when the plane isn't fully booked, nobody just books around a middle seat?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and I look at it.

Speaker 2:

They did. Worst case scenario like that's what it's. Nobody wants to sit in between two parents and the one year old. No, it'll be very happy to just walk.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, give that up for sure They'll swap, even like in general.

Speaker 2:

I think the middle seat is the least favorite.

Speaker 1:

Nobody wants me to say everyone, the ones that I'll do.

Speaker 2:

So I'm sure like we will, best case scenario. So we booked for all of our flights.

Speaker 1:

We booked the same Same Center, yeah.

Speaker 2:

And a friend of mine who recently did it. Like she said, a three out of four times she was successful.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, Unless it's like a really ridiculously full flight And you know, I don't know. I'm sure there's plenty of seats in the back.

Speaker 2:

Somebody could move to.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, what's the thing that they that your friend, told you Just say that I've got a toddler, that or a baby, that's you know Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, that's right. So the other good good strategy is to you know if you really have someone sitting there next to you, you can just make up stories like you know. I just want you to know, like my kid has a story of flying up on their planes like just you know, for your own sake, yeah.

Speaker 1:

You might want to. Just one other seat on this plane. You might want to head there. That's great, that's awesome. Yeah, that's cool, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Hopefully it will work out, but it's definitely worth a try because, yeah, i think nobody would say no to then swapping seats. No, it really had to come to this Like no, exactly Nobody would do that, and the other thing we did is we still booked a bassinet spot as well, because this time. Yeah, Because it can. You have more space at the front At the front And you can use the bassinet for other things, like to organize your stuff.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, cool, you know. Yeah, I didn't organize anything like that only because, you know, i guess we don't really necessarily like the idea of the space. But yeah, i think I was happy enough. I think we got some up front seats anyway, so that was quite good, yeah, but the other thing we're taking.

Speaker 2:

A friend of us gave us a little like inflatable mattress that you've seen those and inscribed in front of the seat Yes, to basically make it a little bit so they can put their head.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, which way? Where do they put their head? on the seat side or the other?

Speaker 2:

side. Well, i guess you could see, yeah, because the other side will recline, yeah, recline on their head or their feet.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, dangerous, i guess. Good point That some flights, some airlines don't allow it.

Speaker 2:

So it'd be interesting to see if Qatar allow it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's interesting. I think something that I found helpful was making sure that you've got all your nappy changing stuff in one set of zip bag or whatever, But even like one whole chain of clothing, like you can put the clothing you know the nappy, the wipes, the socks, everything that you need in one zip up, Even like a zip bag or a zip up Right there ready to grab, yeah, even a zip suit, yeah, you zip it all in one. I've seen that like on.

Speaker 1:

Instagram before They actually zip it up in one You know outfit. That's smart, so that you have all the things that you need. Yeah, that way, you know, and you can just put that in the front of your you know chair, in the little carrier thing. So that's handy.

Speaker 2:

I did that last time and I definitely will do that this time, especially you know, i feel like last time I took way too much stuff On the plane, on the plane and all too, because it was too, much and hard to get to you know.

Speaker 1:

I know, because you only need like a few changes of clothing.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I was obsessed with the diapers.

Speaker 1:

I was like what if, yeah, i haven't had enough. Basically brought a whole pack of time, did you, and you wouldn't need that many this time. No, also, i know, because it doesn't kind of.

Speaker 2:

We improved so much And also now I learned that actually do have diapers there as well.

Speaker 1:

Oh, do they On the plane? I didn't know that.

Speaker 2:

So they give you like a little, you know like a little pack.

Speaker 1:

A little pack. I didn't know that.

Speaker 2:

And I feel like if you ran out, if you really did run out.

Speaker 1:

There was space And look, there's so many people on the plane. Probably as well. That would have some space as well, if you had to ask me.

Speaker 2:

What I'm a bit nervous about, though, is the food situation.

Speaker 1:

Because he doesn't.

Speaker 2:

he's not like he because he doesn't have a seat. He doesn't get served food. Yes, he doesn't pay for that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's an interesting one.

Speaker 2:

So I think I'm just going to.

Speaker 1:

You have to bring his food.

Speaker 2:

A list of things like He'll like Stuff that is easy to eat. You know I like bliss balls Yeah. Or like maybe I'm going to make little egg muffins with veggies or Because I made.

Speaker 1:

Actually, i got my mom made it for us last time when we flew, but as a Kenny slice, oh yeah.

Speaker 2:

And that was awesome because Right.

Speaker 1:

I know we just I had it in a full on container and it was good for any of us. Yeah, but that way it's great for any time of the day. no, matter if it's day or night, You know. You know, it was just great to have an easy to eat Because it's, you know, one thing that you can hold.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and my friend also recommended to, to bring a lot of snacks. A lot, a lot a lot of snacks, but even snacks that take them time to eat like.

Speaker 1:

Cashews, yeah, sultanas, popcorn, stuff like that Yeah, i've heard that too. I definitely will be taking that sort of stuff Because as they get older they will take the time to, you know, open the packets and you know, do that sort of stuff. And also the things to bring, especially for when you know the plane's taking off or landing for sucking, or you know, we had the like Toby had the dummy Put originally last year when we traveled.

Speaker 1:

But you know, just the ferry took it, So we didn't have a dummy, so we'll have my friends sort of said take a chopper, chop, like lollipops, you know, even any like a pouch, anything that you can have that you have to suck, yeah, basically anything that they have to chew, like that they can even lollies like, if you're into that sort of thing.

Speaker 2:

For kids, but I still have a booby to give.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, good point. That's lucky. Yeah, so that will be helpful. But yeah, just anything that they can, you know, suck on at the takeoff or landing.

Speaker 2:

That's a great idea. I even had one of my friends and my mom's group. She said like to bring earmuffs.

Speaker 1:

Like I do have some earmuffs. What for what?

Speaker 2:

reason, just to protect the like.

Speaker 1:

Some sometimes can get really loud on the plane and just you know, can be loud and be unsettling for some children, especially if this is a visit because it's a long flight. You probably might need that anyway.

Speaker 2:

I'm going to bring them because I already had bought them from before, so I didn't buy them specifically for that, but I think I'm going to bring them. The other thing I bought, so I haven't tried it yet.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's like headband headphones. I saw you buy this. This is cool. I was looking at literally headphones tonight. The band's pretty good.

Speaker 2:

The band is pretty good, because obviously Theo doesn't keep on proper headphones.

Speaker 1:

No, and you don't know the size either, because he's only got a little head.

Speaker 2:

And so the band is just comfortable to wear.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

He could even, you know, if he falls asleep on it, so good, like he could even sleep on the side. Yeah, that's nice As opposed to having headphones.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's true, like you can know, and you can even put it over their eyes as a lot. I must make it dark, that's it. I think, that's clever I saw that today and they're cheap too.

Speaker 2:

They're pretty cheap, like I think I bought them on either eBay or. Amazon.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, because I was looking tonight and you know you should find headphones that are like 85 decibels max, that's right, that's something I paid attention to, so they don't get too loud, like for the new years.

Speaker 1:

But yeah, some are not cheap. But I'll keep looking and it's hard to like find stuff, sometimes on Amazon, like sometimes it's brilliant, yeah, and sometimes it's just like Oh yeah, you have to spend 100 million dollars for shipping and you know stuff like that. So I don't really. I'd rather buy something, obviously local. So I have to keep looking.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, but I noticed that specific product like was just very expensive, like local shops. I was like headphones?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, like the normal head or the bands.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, interesting. I did buy him a pair of normal headphones and came out because I thought he'll grow into it anyway, so eventually he will use it.

Speaker 1:

Also.

Speaker 2:

I wanted to test that. I still think that the headband's probably going to be a better option for now. Is there anything else you must have? so must do.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, i mean there are so many things in my friends list And I guess I don't apply to me as much anymore, because obviously now we've got a toddler. But she actually says to write passport numbers on a small piece of paper and keep them in your pocket for arrival forms.

Speaker 2:

Must mark it, because often it's difficult to look for your passport and you know whatever I mean.

Speaker 1:

Sometimes I keep some of that stuff on my phone, which is probably not ideal, but there are obviously areas that you can keep that in a secure spot. But yeah, i'd probably keep that information like that on my phone. But, yes, otherwise a piece of paper would probably be real handy. So then, make sure that you've got a pen handy in your bag. She says about dummies, which is really interesting. Make sure that you're taking more than you think you'll need, as they'll get dirty and dropped, and just attach them to everywhere. Like you know, have a cord to attach them to your front, pack your top, your baby's top, but keep them attached at all times because you don't want to be worried about gross things where they could fall. But yeah, actually she's talked about the light cover or a muslin to go over the top of the bassinet, and that's what you said, which is your little invention.

Speaker 2:

So that's pretty cool. The cozy go like seriously it's like $80, $90. At least that's what the price one. we bought it last year It's not just for the plane because I thought to myself what's the use?

Speaker 1:

case beyond this right.

Speaker 2:

Like we also use it, you can put it on the prime as well, because, again, theo doesn't sleep well on the go in light environments, so that actually helps him sleep in the prime too. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Speaking of prime, i did buy a travel prime for the purpose of just ease of, you know, traveling and putting in the car, but small enough to then put in the overhead lockers. In our last flight, however, to New South last year, the flight was full, like you know, so the all the cabin area was full, so they had to actually check it in, but we were able to take the stroller right to the gate, okay, so then we just folded it down and you have to have a bag cover, a bag. So I was lucky that I think you were going to give me yours, actually, but I ended up buying just a bag to pop it in and they were able to, you know, put that underneath. So that was really handy just to have, because, you know, running after a toddler and your bags and all the things that you're going to get through after customs, like is. It's just easier to, you know, have everything with you.

Speaker 2:

So that's something we're going to do differently this year compared to last year. So last year we had our main stroller that we packed in a big travel bag And we checked that into Oversize because I think every airline allows every family or like with a bae traveling with a baby, to have one free baby item that you can check into Oversize for free. That's cool, so that could be anything. You're a stroller, you're a car seat, like? one item is free And we checked in our bag.

Speaker 1:

Is that all airlines, do you think? I think so, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Pretty like Jetstar was like when we flew to. Nusa was the same. Yeah, cool, okay, so, yeah, so that is actually another travel heck of mine. That bag was genius because it fits so much stuff. So when we actually came back from Europe, because all you know the family offered presents to Tails. So we were so much stuff And we put it all in the stroller bag because so much space in there And they don't pay attention to adult.

Speaker 1:

No, they don't weigh it either, because it's just a thing, and that's right. You could have a quite a light stroller anyway, like those travel strollers are fairly light, right?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, what we decided this because last year we didn't actually have a travel stroller, so we had two in the carrier, which he preferred anyway, and he was small and that was fine, so moving around the airport and Doha for stopover and everything was pretty easy to handle. So now, because he's much bigger, like we're gonna take our travel stroller, but we're still gonna take our main travel. Oh you sure will Prem, not the prem, but the bag. Okay, good job, and put our travel cot in it. Oh yeah, cool, which otherwise?

Speaker 1:

well, it's too big.

Speaker 2:

Well, we do have a bed in each family's home, but we are going other places where we don't need the bed, like a travel cot, so we're gonna put that into the travel bag.

Speaker 1:

It's down pretty well though, doesn't it?

Speaker 2:

It's pretty chunky Is it big, yeah, but it does fit into the travel bag. That's good, and we can put a lot of other stuff in it And you can just check that in for free.

Speaker 1:

So we check that in for free.

Speaker 2:

plus, then we have our travel cot with us, which otherwise we wouldn't be able to take, and then we take the prem around the airport. And then we have a bag to put it up in the overhead.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, cool, because you still need a bag for the overhead.

Speaker 2:

A little one, yeah, gotcha. So yeah, that's the plan for this year. The other thing we bought this year that we haven't tried yet, and again, i think every child is different, but I really think it's gonna be game changing for Theo. Yeah, we called a thing called slumber pot, have you heard?

Speaker 1:

of it.

Speaker 2:

We've never heard of it. Slumber, slumber, slumber pot. It's basically like imagine it as a tent you put on top of your cot, around your cot. So, your cot is like within a little tent a pop-up tent, but it's black out.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and you sit the whole. That's right.

Speaker 2:

So very dark rooms And when you travel you just don't have that control. So every time you know like, for instance, we book another like a hotel Yeah, also because he doesn't sleep in the same room as us, because if he does and sees us he won't sleep Right. So that's why either we pay for a second room, all the time which is much more expensive. Oh, we have the slumber pot, that's fine.

Speaker 2:

It's basically like has his own little room and it fits the monitor Oh my gosh, it fits the white noise machine, so you can still look what he's doing inside, and it has a little fan as well.

Speaker 1:

Oh, wow So if it gets hot and summer?

Speaker 2:

so you create some ventilation.

Speaker 1:

Well, how big is it?

Speaker 2:

It's pretty decent, like you can even fit a toddler bed in it.

Speaker 1:

Wow.

Speaker 2:

So you would have a need a bit of space. That's cool, but it means you know we can room share without him waking up when we come in or out. Like you won't wake up in the morning.

Speaker 1:

How much is this thing Expensive?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, like much more expensive than what you think. But then my mind goes well, what's the use case? Because even in Australia, I think, when we go on weekends away with friends, we don't want to be the ones saying, oh, we need two bedrooms.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

So we can't sleep in one you know together.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's a good point, So like you can basically go in the room.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, he has his own little room plus, as I said, like he sleeps, blackout right And no longer have to stress about how dark is the room going to be.

Speaker 1:

That's so cool, i want to check this thing out.

Speaker 2:

Well, it costs about 380 bucks.

Speaker 1:

Oh my gosh, but think about it. But I'm sure you'll get lots of wear out.

Speaker 2:

Well, even if, once or twice, you don't have to book a second bedroom, second room. That's already worth the money, right? Yes, so problem solved. Yes, worth the money, for sure, for sure. But I do agree It's a bit of an overpriced luxury product. But the reviews are just incredible. And again, it depends on the child. Other children they might be super easy going with, you know, light sleep environments, or they don't wake up when the parents come into the room.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it is what, it is like that And I just I want Yeah. There's no price to all of us having good sleep. I think Yeah.

Speaker 1:

So because we've just got actually, you know they allow, just allow a cot in a king bed room, but I'm just saying that would be actually really handy. Hey, i mean, he'll look at, Toby goes to sleep when we go to sleep anyway generally, but which is late.

Speaker 2:

But does he wake up in the morning and then wouldn't go back to sleep once he sees you.

Speaker 1:

No, he's normally pretty good. If he sees me sleeping, then he'll go back to sleep. Well, that's awesome.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, like this morning he woke up at 9am, like I think he he woke up at like 730 or whatever, and then Joe had gone and put his blanket back on And then Joe ended up lying next to him like on the other on the daybed because I was at the gym and then I get home And so he's them fell back asleep at 730 in the morning Because I think he just had a bit of a rough sleep, because he always kicks off his blankets and I go and put them back on. But I think last night was a bit hot, so I think he might have just been a bit hot, so he didn't really sleep all that well. So I think that's why he slept until 9 o'clock. But yeah, i just and I'm like what, it's 9 o'clock time to get up anyway.

Speaker 1:

But, anyway, I don't know.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

I don't know what the point of the story was, but yeah he won't wake up. He said it would have been handy to have that. Yeah, that's right.

Speaker 2:

So anyway, yeah, I guess we do pay for the quality of the fabric, because it's breathable.

Speaker 1:

Right. So because you do definitely want that ventilation in the fan, sandy too, and it's.

Speaker 2:

It's from the US, because there's no similar product here in Australia, so I had to actually ship it from. Yes, i bought it through Amazon because at first I couldn't find a way to ship it. Yeah, here, wow, how did you?

Speaker 1:

find about it.

Speaker 2:

My friend who's currently traveling. Europe with her little baby. Yeah, she like we give each other tips all the time. And she sent me a photo of it because she was like oh, louis loves sleeping in the dark. I was like so does tail. What is this miracle thing That's so good? And she was like I'm not traveling without it ever again.

Speaker 1:

Oh, that's awesome.

Speaker 2:

Brilliant. So I feel like you know sometimes, yes, expensive purchase, but hopefully it will pay off.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, absolutely worth the investment. Another thing that Nikki also mentioned it was when you get on the plane is to ask for a pillow and blanket as soon as you can, and that's you know, either for your baby to lie on or for all to use for feeding for those who are still breastfeeding. So I thought that was good advice, even just to have like, as just you know. You know it's just a nice comfort thing as well, anyway, so that that's handy.

Speaker 2:

The other thing as well they were. I'm going to do is I'm going to. I have prepared a list of toys. I want to take on the plane because it's tricky right, because you don't want things that can get easily lost. You know, little little pieces and stuff like that. No, you also don't want things to get dirty, no, so like anything with drawing or whatever, unless. So we have like this little play, like a water drawing.

Speaker 1:

That's handy. I have to think about these things. very great And that's very heavy to take.

Speaker 2:

So I think I'm going to take that for him to like.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, he'll like that.

Speaker 2:

That's great. I also bought sticker books Awesome. Theo might be still a bit small, but I think he will still enjoy the process of sticking and he takes peeling off.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, i've got to buy those for sure, because I think Toby will enjoy those his time Totally.

Speaker 2:

And so I bought like on Amazon again like different worlds, like farm, like space, you know, it's quite nice for them as well.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, are they resticcable? Yeah, yeah, that's handy.

Speaker 2:

Cool About that, then I'm going to also take, I'm going to download a few episodes of Miss Rachel and other content onto the iPad that he can then listen to with his new headband headphones Perfect.

Speaker 1:

I actually just bought a case for an old iPad Mini that I had, which is good, so I'm waiting for that to come. Awesome Little handle, so that'll be great. All the things we have to buy, oh, my goodness. Actually, the first trip overseas oh, no, overseas, sorry. Like you know, when you're going to Tobias a toddler, i bought a whole bunch of fidget spinners and fidget things from Kmart. Yeah, i bought one of those. Yeah, and that was awesome To see them to the windmill. Yes, and like there was like a tube that he pulled and literally that kept him quiet, like for takeoff, and he was just like a little legend. I just remember being him being such a good boy playing with his new new choice and also, by my, you know, i remember pulling them out, not all at once, so that way that you know you stretch out Like not overwhelming them.

Speaker 1:

Don't overwhelming them at once with all the toys. Keep your secret weapons in the bag Once you see that he's got bored of that and you need him to still sit down, or whatever. Swap toys, new toys, new packet, one toy at a time, exactly. That's great advice. My friend also says to even wrap toys. Wrap them up individually So they actually unwrap. So they spend time to unwrap. Smart Kills time and adds anticipation. So that's quite cool. I love that.

Speaker 2:

The other thing I'm going to prepare as well, as I'm going to download on my Spotify a white noise, even though the plane, technically, is the biggest machine there is, but still there's lots of distraction. There's a lot of distraction, So again he'll have them in his headphones.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, you know that's a nice thing to be around his head. Anyway, it's soft.

Speaker 2:

So I'm going to do that And then prepare lots of like water as well. Yeah, snacks, heaps of snacks.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, plenty of snacks.

Speaker 2:

Panadol. Going to take some neurofen, you know like, just in case, wipes.

Speaker 1:

Plenty of wipes. I did a big order today from Cameron's warehouse with all that stuff, all the things that we need.

Speaker 2:

Oh my God, it's literally like. I feel like this it's never ending. And then there's obviously there's also the travel goes on beyond the plane, right? Oh, for sure.

Speaker 1:

I've got one more thing to add for the plane The little bags. You know, your nappy bags, yep, just keep a few extras with you, just so to you know. Put any messy stuff in for those little plastic bags, because they're little, you know, just because there's always mess and packets and stuff. So at least that way you can contain where all the rubbish goes Smart.

Speaker 2:

That's very cool.

Speaker 1:

I love that. Yeah, sorry.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, beyond the plane. Beyond the plane, i also bought some anti mosquitoes.

Speaker 1:

Oh, yes, must remember those. They're called natural patch, natural patch. Yeah, buzz patch, buzz patch, that's what they're called. Yeah, i've got those two. They will be handy for Fiji Yeah. Because South of France seriously last year was so bad The mosquitoes like.

Speaker 2:

I'm not even sure they will cut it. You know, for the level of South of France, mosquito life.

Speaker 1:

Yes, but it will be better than nothing. I actually even heard people say, especially in Fiji, to have one of those buzz others like for your room, especially if your room's like quite open. Oh, because that's true, right, if you've got mozzies around and you don't want to be sleeping with a mozzie. If I can find a little one, one of those blue light things, i might buy one for the balcony. Yeah, that's smart Because, like, our balcony is open and it's right over near a pool, so I might actually I'll consider it if I can find a little one.

Speaker 2:

Or maybe ask them Can you send a hotel. Like an email asking how about the mosquitoes. Like maybe Yeah, that's a good one. And yet other things we're taking is definitely sleeping bags and different dogs. You never know. You know we might even decide to like, i don't know, like in Germany the weather is very unpredictable and some might can be hot, yeah, very cold, yeah, it's just. You just do not know. Do not know, we're also going to take our carrier still, and you know what we're going to take.

Speaker 2:

I thought that was such a smart idea. Yeah, so we have those like window, like shades for the car window.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2:

That are portable.

Speaker 1:

Like fold them down.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, i fold them down and I'm going to take that, because I don't think my parents, for instance, like they have that in their car. So instead of them buying Yeah, that's a good point Like shades that they don't use or need.

Speaker 1:

Or you could just put a towel, yeah, but But yeah, if you, you know, if you've got the room, that's true, you can just put towels up or towing. That's true. That's what we always do in the backseat. If we don't have something and you want to eat them, to sleep, you just put something hanging over the.

Speaker 2:

Muslim wrap or whatever. That's what I used to do. But I thought it doesn't want to take any space.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it folds down to nothing. Yeah, it's true.

Speaker 2:

And you know my take that My parents are going to buy a car seat So we don't have to worry about that, which is great. But was that still going to take, because we will be traveling quite a bit by car. So we're going to take our iPad holder for the car.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's good. It's the car and we need to attainment.

Speaker 2:

So I'm going to take my breast pump as well, for the occasional pump.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, there's a um, a sterilizer, like a liquid sterilizer. Have you ever used that before? By brand Melton? Oh yeah, it's like a? um yeah, basically liquid sterilizer. You just pour it over the top, especially for dummies. Men too, doesn't have a dummy.

Speaker 2:

No, it doesn't.

Speaker 1:

He's never taken. He's never taken a dummy, yeah, so he. You could easily just just so you've got that, just in case. I mean I know, look, boiled water does the trick as well.

Speaker 2:

But that's what I did last year, just boiled everything because I also don't pump very often. No, that's right. And just in case, yeah, and baby monitor, oh my God. Yeah, we'll take that too Every single time. Yeah, and I find it to set up. I know Cubo is so great. Cubo AI love it.

Speaker 1:

It's so good, isn't it? I've taken it to twice.

Speaker 2:

now It's probably my number one favorite baby item I've bought Definitely.

Speaker 1:

Actually that's what Joel says too. That is, it really is a godsend, yeah, like it's super handy because you can see where they are wherever you are, at any time.

Speaker 2:

And it's good quality and like, yeah, the alerts, I feel like they are accurate.

Speaker 1:

Definitely.

Speaker 1:

No, i just love the Cubo, yeah, and I don't find it very hard to fold it up, and take it with me And I've actually got a stand because I got it before you probably bought yours, and that was when they were actually selling them with a little stand, so you don't actually have to take the whole thing. That gets attached to the cot. It's on a little it's own little pod. Okay, no, i don't think we have a stand. Yeah, it's on its own little pod that you just stick in, as opposed to previously, like well, in his room, like he's got it on a stand, yeah.

Speaker 2:

But in the stand it's pretty easy to take.

Speaker 1:

It's like few sticks. Yeah, it's all good, it's really handy.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

But, yeah.

Speaker 2:

So I think my must, absolute must have items are definitely my travel prime, the carrier, white noise machine or cannot survive without the white noise machine, slumber pod, well, at least that's what I'm thinking. And the travel adapter like I thought that that was quite a like great idea. I had the other day where I was like I just realized that last year we struggled quite a lot Not with having not enough plugs.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we would charge our devices. And I would end up literally with no battery all day, like every day, like because you've charged anything else, like I would not have any battery.

Speaker 2:

That's right And because even in the baby's room, like you know, between the wetness machine monitor, like it's already.

Speaker 1:

you know, you could always buy something over there, So you're not having to worry about. you know, by European plug I might even have one, actually. Well, we do have one or two, but it's like you still need more.

Speaker 2:

I might have one actually.

Speaker 1:

Or you're for a USB, okay, so I'll have a look. I'm pretty sure I found one recently.

Speaker 2:

Well, but now I bought this like I bought two. Yeah, that's awesome, like global travel adapters, which essentially they go in every country. So you have, you can switch the plug, yeah, to the country you're going to, so smart. And then at the front you can plug any any plug. And it has three USB and one USB-C and it's bloody amazing because it means I can charge five devices.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome. Yeah, i thought that I was pretty, pretty good value as well. That's a good one. That's too expensive.

Speaker 2:

I think if I paid 30 bucks each, that's not too bad.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, So I'm getting into travel tips. Besides baby traveling and total traveling money wise, what do you guys do for money in terms of credit cards and do? you use travel money cards. What do you do there? That's really interesting?

Speaker 2:

I think so. with ING. one of the benefits we have is that we can withdraw money overseas without paying any fees, so I think that's what we will be doing.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, ing is pretty good. I have looked into that recently because Fiji is tricky because they don't really well, they accept travel cards but a lot of the time those travel money cards don't. You can't load up Fijian dollars. I have just signed up to a which I've actually already put on my phone. It's called WISE. Oh yeah, i've heard of it before.

Speaker 2:

It's a travel money card. Yeah, travel. They were called Multi-currency card. They were called differently before. What do they call it?

Speaker 1:

transfer wise, transfer wise. Now they're just wise. Yeah, that's right, and you can send money through them and it seems really awesome.

Speaker 2:

Well, i use the service many times to transfer money, especially large sums of money, between here and Germany. Yes, back and forth.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's great, yeah, it seems very yeah, it's super low-fee, Even to the point that they said that I can't load up the card with Fijian dollars. I can still keep it in Aussie dollars and just pay the transfer.

Speaker 2:

So you know what you're spending. That's amazing.

Speaker 1:

So that way I just separate to my credit card, and banks typically charge 3% for the conversion, whereas these guys are charging 0.89%.

Speaker 2:

So not even a percent. Was it a long process to send that?

Speaker 1:

No, two seconds Like literally in no time flat. I had a digital card on my phone within 10 minutes, Really.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so I had it on my, And all you need is a digital card you don't need the physical card.

Speaker 1:

They're sending me the physical card as well. But if you needed to start using something like it's so amazing and you can load up multiple currencies and it will choose your currency of choice dependent on where you are.

Speaker 2:

So if you've got, That's interesting, because I've never actually looked at the conversions.

Speaker 1:

For instance with ING.

Speaker 2:

We've used it like the last few years. We've been traveling abroad because we almost like we pay with our ING card as we would pay here, because it is, you don't pay any fees, but I'm not sure about how good the conversion would be.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, i mean A and Z apparently have good conversion at the moment and even I just wanted to get money from here, so I didn't have to worry about finding ATMs and stuff when I got to the airport, even though people do recommend just going to an airport and taking money out. but you can order money and it gets delivered to the Australia Post. So that's what I've just done, just to have some cash on me, because a lot of this stuff we'll have to pay taxis and all that sort of stuff by cash.

Speaker 2:

Can you imagine all the planning that goes into?

Speaker 1:

this I know right.

Speaker 2:

But just like talking through, this just makes me realise even like There's more things to think about.

Speaker 1:

You don't have to worry about a taxi on the other side, so that's good, Yep, no we will be picked up, but I do have to organise the taxi to take us to the airport.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, to the airport from here and that's always costly too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's costly. The other thing I've been thinking about is travel insurance and Luckily and that's probably, i think, that's the reason why I actually chose to do that originally, because in the back of my mind I knew that with my altitude business credit card and obviously I pay that back through work but it enables you, it gives you sorry, travel insurance, complimentary travel insurance. Yep, that's what it For you and your spouse and your dependent, so that way at least I don't have to take out additional Covercover. And it's quite expensive. It can be. It's definitely like about $150 plus, maybe even $200 plus. I think I looked into HCF was offering it, but yeah, like this.

Speaker 2:

I think it depends on many things how long you go for like because Yeah where you're travelling, how many people. What you're doing as well, for instance, we have travel insurance, including our credit card as well, and it's brilliant because I can say that last year we had to make a claim.

Speaker 1:

You did yeah.

Speaker 2:

And it actually, yeah, it was paid back immediately.

Speaker 1:

It all went really well.

Speaker 2:

I still had to pay out of pocket upfront, but they paid me back straight away.

Speaker 1:

That's good, especially if it's a big amount. Yeah, because that's a good point. Well, you take your laptop this time you have to because you're working.

Speaker 2:

So yes, yep, taking a laptop, i was still considering whether to take my camera or not.

Speaker 1:

Ha ha ha. It's funny on that because I've got a beautiful SLR, but these as in.

Speaker 2:

Like My phone takes such great photos I used to always take it, but the iPhone is pretty good and it's just also like the amount of times I use it.

Speaker 1:

It's not really good.

Speaker 2:

And all the other things that I'm taking for two just like Adds up the space. It's not the priority right now.

Speaker 1:

You know, i know it's a shame, isn't it? Because it's so, it is a shame. And you love your photography too? Oh, totally. But also like the drone. Oh, the drone is not coming. It's not coming, the drone is not coming.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, forget about it. Oh my God, if the DSLR doesn't make the cut, the drone is definitely not going to cut.

Speaker 1:

I know I'd love to take a drone, like I don't have one, but I'd love like to, you know, take some amazing shots in Fiji, but you know I don't have one and I'm not planning to buy one on top of all the things that I've had to buy.

Speaker 2:

So It is a cool. It is really cool when you see some of the photos and videos that people create.

Speaker 1:

Like I, before I go overseas, i always look at like people's videos that they create. People always create videos of, you know, their travels and review, yeah, where they've been or their hotel and whatever. So I was like stuck into looking what the internet continental is going to be like. You know in Fiji and you know some people have actually created some really amazing content Like it's.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, and I also think, as the boys are getting a bit older, they will so enjoy flying the drone and actually seeing you know what's up there? Oh for sure.

Speaker 1:

It's totally different. It's going to be so cool And I don't know what they call it, but those headset drones, yeah, where they actually like, where they might be are. Yeah, and you can, they're pretty freaky, that's next level. Yeah, it's next level, that's next level. But yeah, anyway, another time, another trip.

Speaker 2:

And what are you doing to kind of like minimize or mitigate stress, because you know as much as you know travel is?

Speaker 1:

fun and exciting.

Speaker 2:

It's also you know it can cost quite a bit of stress.

Speaker 1:

I think I really just think the most you know way to mitigate stress is just being organized as organized as possible, i agree. Planning in advance, making sure that you've thought about all the things Like there's no more winging it When you've got a kid. You can't just get there and wing it or you know everything has to be thought through, like I'm a planner anyway And I like to know and it's all predictable and you know have.

Speaker 2:

Thinking of all the possible worst case scenarios and what is.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know, and like just making sure that you've got your booking details handy. things are in an email And I made sure that you know. I created a new folder in my email called Fiji. you know just where I'm going to easily find the booking, reference numbers and all that sort of stuff. So that's handy. I mean, if you didn't have that and you were traveling to multiple places, i'd print things out, keep them in a folder handy. But yeah, look, just organizing as much as possible, even in terms of thinking of day trips, if there's things that you know for us Absolutely want to do Yeah, like I've already picked them in Make sure you've booked them only because, otherwise, because you miss out and they sell out.

Speaker 1:

So there are some things, and actually I this time, because I just, you know, wanted to find out as much as possible and get recommendations I signed up to a Facebook group, or a couple of, like you know, fiji Facebook groups and ones run by a travel agent, and there are so many people in it who just offer really great advice, like to the point that one of them said you know, what I would do for a toddler is, when you go to your buffet breakfast, take a lunchbox with you Because, like you know, you can just take a piece of fruit, you know, and you know, make a sandwich and put it in your lunchbox.

Speaker 2:

You don't have to worry about having me or?

Speaker 1:

less to worry about For the baby, you know, or for the toddler. So at least that way you've got some stuff, you know, snacky things. So I thought that was a great idea. That was something somebody said from the group, but you know there's just so many good recommendations from people who have been there, been there, done that, especially with kids. Like yeah, in Fiji apparently the one the resort to go to is called the Radisson Blue And it's like amazing for kids And you know. But I guess I just wanted to something a little bit more not hectic. You know where there's like lots and millions of kids right now. We don't have to do that necessarily, but you know all the Fijian resorts cater for kids anyway, I heard nothing but good things about Fiji, like when it comes to traveling with kids.

Speaker 2:

I think it's so kids friendly.

Speaker 1:

It is and they really do. Like I even looked up today, you know what. Every day there's like multiple activities throughout the day, like you know, i don't know, they've got sport things, they've got craft things, you know, fire things, like there's all sorts of stuff like throughout the day and night into the night movie night, like you know, like. So it's great for older kids too, because they can leave them and they want to go. But you know, with little ones you can just go with them.

Speaker 1:

You know, which is fine because it's something it's fun stuff to do anyway.

Speaker 2:

So you know it's cool, Everyone will get their time. Yeah, I definitely do lots of lists too, Like even when it comes to packing, I think there's nothing quite as good as a travel packing list. Definitely All the things you can tick off the boxes.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely. Don't forget it. Such a good feeling. Do you use packing cells? No, what's that? You don't use packing cells? No, i would have thought you would. What is that? You know packing cells are basically. They sell them at Kathmandu or you know IKEA, I love it.

Speaker 2:

Is it like to make everything?

Speaker 1:

flat, everything flat. but at least you can organise. like depends how you like to organise your clothing. Like you can put all your t-shirts in one Oh Underwear, because underwear and socks always get lost. you know, yeah, there are multiple. like there are so many great hacks with how you can pack a bag, like you know in the area.

Speaker 2:

Oh, Marie Kondall style Yeah.

Speaker 1:

You know, in the area where your bag has the handle. Yeah, there's always two lines in your suitcase. People say, you know you can pack, you know socks in there or underwear and little things that fill that gap up. But I just love packing cells because I know that everything you know, especially if it's you know Tobi and my clothes together in one suitcase or whatever. I know that all my t-shirts are in this. I know that bottoms and shorts and pants or whatever and skirts are in this. You know, and it's just yeah, it's just super handy because you can keep things separate and flat, interesting, and so where do you buy that?

Speaker 1:

I got one as a gift, but I have plenty from Katmandu, anaconda and Ikea. I bought some from Ikea a while ago as well. Ikea, great Yeah, and there's shoe bags and things like that, just so you don't have to have everything. And it's just like neat, because I love a neatly packed bag. I love, you know, just like, when everything like fits perfectly. That's one of the things By the end of the trip. not so much, you know, because you end up just shoving everything you know.

Speaker 2:

So I mean I'm really packing. I must admit that's not my strength. I've been rolling everything to the side. Rolling is also really good.

Speaker 1:

I used to roll, but now when you don't have to take as much, like you know.

Speaker 2:

but yeah, rolling is really good for space And because we are staying quite long in different places, we're also going to take everything out and put it in the wardrobe, yes, so yeah, that's, I probably will do the same because we're staying in the one place.

Speaker 1:

What about washing? What do you do for washing? I mean, obviously you'll have family and access.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, washing machine? I think Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Because I think I've done that multiple times. I've just taken like powder. And I literally just put it in the bath and I wash clothes in the bath.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's really good.

Speaker 1:

Depends where I am, like you know if you're going to Bali, like you might get local laundry service done and folded and you know beautifully, you know he had delivered to you for really cheap. But I'm not showing Fiji what you might be able to find something. But if it's just like you know little bits and pieces, i might just, you know, wash it by hand and then hang them up.

Speaker 2:

That's smart. So last time we were, we rented a whole apartment in Nusa and we had washing machine.

Speaker 1:

You know, washing machine, that's nice, so good.

Speaker 2:

It also like depends where you go, unless you just like you know, hotel, hotel, yeah, which?

Speaker 1:

that's what we're in this time. That's, i was a little bit hesitant by that, like I actually wanted an apartment, but then I thought, oh, am I really going to be bothered? Am I going to be cooking? But a washing machine, you know, would have been handy, and maybe more than a microwave would be handy also. But you know, we'll see how we go.

Speaker 2:

So exciting.

Speaker 1:

I know very exciting. Oh my God, So many things. Full, fully packed, jam packed episode, just like other cases.

Speaker 2:

Just like other cases, I love it. Yeah, looking forward to it though Anything else from that magic list of your friends, of yours? There's a lot of things.

Speaker 1:

The only other thing I probably could mention is, like she mentions, to use the airline stroller. So if you don't have your own, you know, and then obviously the trolleys, you use the trolleys, you know, especially when you've got multiple pieces of luggage. I had actually considered buying one of those trunkies. Have you heard of those?

Speaker 2:

No, it's a little suitcase for kids and you sit on it and you pull them along. Oh, where they sit up here. They're really expensive as well.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I've actually seen them. People chuck them out around here actually Like literally saw one on the road and I was like should I stop and get it? Oh, can't be bothered, It's probably broken. Like you know, but I just think it's a bit probably limited for what you can fit in it 100%.

Speaker 2:

And I just I don't think tier would actually stay sitting Me.

Speaker 1:

Neither Tau will probably want to pull it, which is fine, but no different to any other bag.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, like with wheels. Yeah, it's too expensive for what it's worth Exactly. But no, I think that's probably the majority of all the being prepared stuff Well you know, send some prayers every one for my 20 hour flight to Europe with a 16 month old.

Speaker 1:

I think it will definitely be the most challenging plane journey. You just hope that they sleep. That's the main thing. That's. All you want is that they actually do fall asleep. I mean, when they're so exhausted, tau, and there'll probably be a lot of crying, but you know he'll get there Well.

Speaker 2:

I tell myself you know what? it's gone 24 hours and it will be over eventually.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, And you guys are lucky. Obviously you've got your, your passports, and you know like you don't have to worry about passports. Yeah, you don't worry about any visa things, and that's true. So that's good. Let's think One less thing to worry about. That's right. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, cool. I could talk about this fun stuff and I've traveled all day. I'm sure there's millions of other tips. We'll do an episode number two and think of you more.

Speaker 2:

As the kids grow, you need different things.

Speaker 1:

Oh, absolutely Definitely. There's not just screens, that's for sure. Yeah, fingers crossed. Yeah, actually, i have found some cool little toddler games lately which I've, which is new, and I try not to overuse them, but he's, yeah, toby's, discovered them now and he likes it. So on the iPad, yeah, like little matching which is better than watching something, but it's actually, you know, obviously using his, his brain, to match shapes and colors and things.

Speaker 2:

So not too bad Interesting. Yeah, i love it. Yeah Well, it's also good to speak to you Yeah.

Speaker 1:

It's very yeah, very insightful, isn't it? Yeah, good chat. Yeah, let's hope you enjoy our travel.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, all righty, see you. See you Bye. See you next week.

People on this episode

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Tania Salvati

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Vanessa Müller

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