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Adventure Travel with Small Children

Photo from Africa Exclusive

I was starting to think my adventure travel days were over…  No more dodging cars on my bike in Vietnam or viewing stupas from a hot air balloon in Myanmar.   Thankfully there are many tour operators out there helping to add adventure to travel for families with young children.

Africa Exclusive specializes in luxurious safari holidays for families with children as young as 3 years old.  They can put together your custom dream holiday to Africa, and can recommend the most child-friendly safari lodges.  They can even tailor your experience to non-malarial areas if you are uncomfortable giving anti-malarial drugs to your child. Single parent tour dates are offered.

The Adventure Company offers several itineraries for families traveling with children under 5 years of age.  Destinations include Morocco, Greece, Malta, Cypress and Turkey and special single parent tour dates are available. I am particularly intrigued by their 8-day Magical Morocco trip which features old pirate lairs, castles and a mule trek into the Atlas Mountains.

Smiling Albino specializes in family adventures in Asia.  Adventures include supported cycling tours in Thailand and Cambodia.  But the most eye-popping itinerary is their 15-day multi-sport Nepal Grand Slam featuring supported mountain biking, elephant safaris and mountain trekking.  The route avoids high altitudes so altitude sickness isn’t a worry.  Children under 50 lbs who are unable or uninterested in trekking can be carried by porters in specially designed baskets.

So that's what a kinkajou really looks like!

Photo by Mattias Klum

A few weeks ago, Mark and I had the opportunity to see a presentation by Mattias Klum, the first of four speakers at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall presented by National Geographic.  A long-time National Geographic photographer, Mattias has capture stunning photographs of wildlife in some of the most inhospitable places on earth.

Photo by Mattias Klum

From photographing wildlife 400 ft up in the rainforest, to a misguided stunt perched at the top of a hot air balloon, to too-close-for-comfort encounters with a lioness and a cobra, Mattias is a true adventurer.  In his work, he has traveled all over the world with his wife and his two young sons, one of whom took his first steps in Antarctica.

Mattias’s quirky sense of humor and gorgeous photographs made for a spellbinding night.  Though what I really appreciated the most was learning about kinkajous and other threatened animals, that until that night I had only seen on Go Diego Go! :)

Fantastic travel crib >> The Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light

I’m not a really sentimental person in terms of keeping a lot of baby ‘stuff’.  I’ve saved a few things from B’s under-two days… a few pieces of artwork, his first pair of sneakers and a pair of tiny pj’s, now worn by one of his stuffed animals.  Most of my favorite moments are kept in a digital fashion and chronicled in photo albums.

But our travel crib is another matter.  Although B has grown out of it and usually shares a bed with us now when we travel, this is one piece of travel gear I’m not looking forward to giving up. 

From our earliest trips with a baby-on-board, we have been using the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light.  Lightweight at only 11 lbs, comfortable for baby, safe, sturdy and super-easy and fast to put up and take down, our Baby Bjorn Travel Crib has come along with us everywhere from Panama to Hawaii.  It has also come along for numerous trips to visit friends and relatives, as it makes a great spot for nap time and is far more compact and convenient than hauling around a pack ‘n play.

Selling at around $250, this crib does not come cheap.  But for us, it has paid for itself many times over in terms of practicality and convenience.  Bringing the crib along has removed the uncertainty around the quality/cleanliness of a borrowed or rented crib, and it has provided B with a familiar place to sleep regardless of our destination.  The mattress cover and crib fabric are both machine washable, and the mattress is easily wiped clean.  The crib uses standard pack ‘n play sheets so there is no need to buy specialized bedding.

A couple of considerations if you plan on flying with it:

1. The crib case isn’t weatherproof.  I’ve found the best way to keep the crib in excellent condition despite numerous flights is to pack the crib in one of the large plastic airline bags first, THEN slide it inside the nylon crib bag.  This keeps the crib clean while in transit, and allows you access to the crib bag handles, both for baggage tags and for ease of carrying through the airport.
2. Unlike strollers and car seats, many airlines (including Air Canada and United) do NOT consider a travel crib a safety item, and will treat it as an additional piece of baggage.  It’s always a good idea to check your airline’s baggage policies in advance so you don’t get any expensive surprises at the airport.

I’ve found a new owner for our travel crib but I am definitely sad to see it go.  Thankfully I know our travel crib is going to a good home and has a long life ahead!

Alternatives to Toronto Pearson Airport

Our recent trip to Boston highlighted for me some of the challenges of flying out of Toronto Pearson, particularly on Air Canada.  The timing could not have been worse:  In the days leading up to our flight, Garda, the company which handles security screening was operating on a work-to-rule and line ups were horrendous.  Making matters worse was the threat of a strike by Air Canada flight attendants.  In the end, things worked out fine for us… we moved our flights up by a couple of days to avoid a flight attendant walk-out (which was prevented anyway) and Garda disciplined the employees causing trouble at security so that problem got ironed out too.

Even during the best of times, Toronto Pearson is not my favorite airport.  With long line-ups at check-in, U.S. customs (when traveling to the U.S.) and security screening, it can mean having to entertain B for a long time before we even get to the gate.  The airport’s two play areas are only accessible if you are taking a domestic flight from terminal 1, or an international flight from terminal 3, so a wait at Toronto Pearson inevitably means spending a lot of time on the moving walkways.

Thankfully there ARE alternatives to Toronto Pearson for many destinations.  If flying during the winter, keep in mind that a blizzard could snarl your plans to drive to another airport, so you need to plan accordingly.  Here four alternative airports which are convenient to the Toronto area.

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

Website:

http://www.torontoport.com/airport.aspx

Proximity/drive to downtown Toronto: 

4 km (approx 30 minutes including ferry ride)

Airlines serviced:

Porter Airlines (to/from over a dozen cities in Canada and the U.S.)

Air Canada (to/from Montreal)

You will appreciate:

• Short check-in and security screening lines
• Family washrooms and change tables in select men’s and women’s washrooms
• Free wi-fi
• Easily accessible by foot, bike, TTC and free shuttle bus from the Royal York Hotel

Kids will enjoy:

• The 2 minute ferry ride from the foot of Bathurst St. to the airport (free for pedestrians, $11 return for vehicles)
• Complimentary water, juice and cookies in Porter’s passenger lounges

Parking:

Limited on-site parking, but pick up/drop off parking is available at the Bathurst Street and Stadium Road lots

Waterloo International Airport

Website:

www.waterlooairport.ca

Proximity/drive to downtown Toronto: 

104 km (1 hour, 20 minute drive)

Adjust your drive times accordingly during rush hours and inclement weather

Airlines serviced:

Westjet (to/from Calgary)

Sunwing (to/from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)

Bearskin (to/from Ottawa, Montreal)

You will appreciate:

• Short lines for check-in and security
• The Aviator Café in the gate area sells milk and other healthy items (e.g. fruit and cheese, granola, yogurt)
• Family washroom in the main airport lobby and change tables in men's and women's washrooms
• Free wi-fi
• Free use of baggage carts

Kids will enjoy:

• Charging stations in the departure lounge mean you they won’t run out of juice on portable DVD players or other electronics

Parking:

On site $6/day ($45/week).  Effective January 1, 2012 parking rates will be reduced to $6 per day.

Hamilton International Airport

Website:

www.flyhi.ca

Proximity/drive to downtown Toronto: 

84 km (1 hour, 7 minute drive)

Adjust your drive times accordingly during rush hours and inclement weather.

Airlines serviced:

Hola Sun (seasonal flights to/from Cuba)

Westjet (to/from Calgary, seasonally to/from Moncton, Halifax, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Orlando and Punta Cana)

You will appreciate:

• Short lines for check-in and security
• Tim Hortons for milk, juice and snacks
• Change tables in men's and women's washrooms

Kids will enjoy:

• The children’s play area with tables, chairs, colouring books and games

Parking:

On site economy $14/day ($59/week), premium $19/day ($79/week)

Buffalo Niagara International Airport

Website:

http://www.buffaloairport.com/

Proximity/drive to downtown Toronto: 

175 km  (2 hour drive)

Adjust your drive times accordingly during rush hours and inclement weather.

Allow extra time for the US border crossing particularly on summer weekends and holidays and for roadway construction at the airport.

Airlines serviced:

8 airlines serving 23 destinations in the U.S.

You will appreciate:

• Short lines for check-in and security
• "Companion Care" rest rooms in several locations, change tables in men’s and women’s washrooms
• Numerous restaurant options (milk available) – there is even a branch of the Anchor Bar, the originator of Buffalo chicken wings
• Since you have already crossed the US border on the way to the airport, no further customs screening is required

Kids will enjoy:

• The Fisher Price Play Gate near Gate 16

Parking:

Variety of options with cost ranging from $10 to $24 per day.  Many travelers stay near the airport the evening before their flight.  Not only does this help ensure you don’t miss your flight, but most airport hotels offer free parking for the duration of your holiday.

Playing away in Norway

On our recent trip to Norway, B was invited to join in and play with a class of pre-schoolers.  Norwegians have a distinctly different (and refreshingly healthy) approach to children's play from what I am accustomed to - a real eye-opener.  The daycare was perched on top of a rocky outcrop.  While Mark and I hovered cautiously around B, the other kids scrambled over rocks, threw themselves head first down the slide and did other things that made me cringe.  But as the centre's caregiver explained, "we want the children to learn by doing, and falling down is part of that."

That afternoon turned out to be one of the highlights of our Norway adventure.  We were welcomed by the caregivers as if we were old friends and we learned to worry a bit less about falling down at park.  And, while one of the other boys held B's hand and led him around the playground, I couldn't help but think about how unlikely this scenario would be in litigation-crazy and oft-reserved, Toronto.

Tourists as ambassadors for tolerance

In an interview with Conde Nast Traveler Magazine, Queen Rania of Jordan responded to the question of whether or not she believes tourism promotes cultural understanding:  "Without a doubt, yes ... When people meet, share a coffee, and talk about their country or their experience, differences often melt away.  Tourists are the best ambassadors for tolerance.  Every holiday snap, every email home, turns them into digital diplomats.  There is no doubt in my mind that travel fosters tolerance, promotes knowledge, and encourages harmony between people of different cultures and religions."

Disciplining a child when traveling

Something I struggle with regularly when we travel is how to effectively discipline B when we are traveling.  If he has a tantrum at home or in the car, we can just let him scream away in a safe spot or in his car seat while we ignore the meltdown.  But this isn’t really an option on a flight, on a bus, or in a hotel room.  And despite knowing I am doing the wrong thing, I often find myself being a bit more lax on naughty behavior simply to avoid some of the toddler squabbles.  I'd love to hear from readers on your own experiences and thoughts on the topic!