[Travel] General travel tips with a baby or kid

If there is an award for the most frequent flying child, my girl has no doubts to win it.

In less than 30 months, she has travelled to Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, Shanghai, Kunming and the countless times returning to our home, HK. Oh, I forgot the Macau trip, it was by ferry though.

Speaking of this, I'm starting to regret for not applying a frequent flyer membership for her. Let's put it on the to do list this year.

As babies under 2 year old can travelled at an infant rate. I strongly encourage mums to fly with their babies. Traveling makes nursing and taking care of the babies easier, at least for me, it makes me less home sick and forget how busy and exhausted I am. At least there is something to look forward to. It's so easy to travel as long as you know how to use the 'secret weapon' while having the nursing cover handy.  

There are a few tips that I'd like to share with the traveling mums.

Serviced Apartment against Hotel
Of course, without a second thought, serviced apartments provide two separate rooms at an more affordable price and is fully equipped with kitchen and washing machine. It's suitable for infants when you get loads of laundry to wash. If you are planning to go Taipei, here is the place I recommend. They come in different unit including studio, one bed room or two bedrooms. Below the serviced is a huge shopping mall and in the centered of Taipei.

A Thermo Cup is Essential

We have a thermo cup with a straw flip cap. It's useful and durable when going out and about. At night before you sleep, you can also store hot water in it for early morning/middle of the night formula preparation.  Just remember removing the straw in case letting the baby drink it in the rush. As lazy as I am, I usually keep the bottle next to my bed with the formula powder and the milk bottle next to it. So easy, everything to be done in bed!

Stroller or Carrier?
When you have a clingy baby, you need both!
As your child turns older(around 2), you only need the stroller. But traveling is also a great chance to train up their independence. They will quickly learn to hold your hands, watch out for cars, take care of themselves while the parents are tired. Well, as a bonus, traveling with a kid always make me lose a kilo or two. Too bad I also put on weight after returning to HK.


Transit flight > Direct flight
If you get the chances, you can have the short trips to start with. If you don't, then try to transiting flights, as it is easier for babies or toddlers to get some fresh air and run around. Trust me, it will make u easier.

Prior Request your Needs
Front Seat Request - Better to pick your own seat online, otherwise, tell the crew at the check in counter that you need the front seat as you are traveling with a baby. They normally reserve the front seats to the special guests, so unless the flight is full, they are usually helpful.

Baby Food Request - This need to be marked when booking the ticket, the airlines normally require  24 hr to prepare the baby meal....so inform them early. Most of them provide canned food. Some provide mash baby food served warm. The challenge is to feed the baby with one hand while holding her/he with the other. I hate all the canned baby food. So glass bottles are out unless I have no choice.

Baby cot Request - if you stay at an hotel or serviced apartment you can also request it prior arrival. It will make your sleep more enjoyable without worrying the baby's safety.

Prepare for the Unexpected 
A visit to the clinic with the familiar ped is a must before a trip. Check with your doctor if  any vaccine shots needed to be taken before the trip.
Ask your insurance company for a list of suggested dr in the local area.

BYO Spoons and Bowls
Yeah, for hygiene reasons,
another thing you don't want to forget when you start to potty train your child, there are foldable toilet rings in the market.

Finally, time to fly~~!!
Children learn so much more when they 'experience', trust me you will be amazed.

Demonstration of how the tree grow.

Her first time was also mine.

Cheeky girl in HK airport.

Amazed by the growing sprouts of the apple tree we planted

Obviously she loved the new traveling experience.

Haha, bottom up face!

[Veggie Kitchen] Porcini rice with mixed nuts potato salad

Hi there,

The weather is getting really hot and humid in HK, salad season is back.

I'm very happy with the new porcini rice recipe, like the chestnut rice i show you earlier, instead of putting the soy sauce together with the water in the rice cooker, this time I mixed the vegetarian oyster sauce in after the rice is cooked together with a few drops of cooking oil. This makes the rice coated in glossy shine.

The salad, I mixed Indian lettuce and spinach with roasted nuts and raisins, sauced with virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar. Remember to bake the nuts for a few minutes before served. It will make it smell so great and tasty. Splash your favorite cheese and that is it.

Oh, for extra nutritional boost, I also added a tea spoon of Udo's 369 oil while balsamic vinegar can wash down the dry and bitter taste of flaxseed oil.

Reheat the mixed veggies potato pie and that completes my lunch.

The touching beats

My poor girl is recovering from a seasonal flu. Just got out of the hospital a few days ago, during the return visit to the doctor, she found some noise in YL's heart. Straight away she put us to the list for next day heart ultra sound.

That night was hard. YL was suspected to have PDA and I recovered I have MVP when I was 16. I could not sleep but googled all night on PDA.

The next day YL seem nervous after I told her we were going to the hospital for a further check up on her heart. However she acted brave and followed all instructions by the nurse. No tears and no nos. I could not be less proud. The result came out immediately. She is perfectly normal!!

The ultra sound made her heart so clear in my sights. For a moment I felt like crying. The valves move like waving hands with the heartbeat as if they are celebrating life. Seeing this reminds me of the first time I saw YL in the ultrasound. The same touch has come back alive. Thank the almighty Buddha or whoever it is for this healthy darling girl in my life. She brings so much love and laughters to the family and fulfills me as a woman.

I'm so grateful.

To celebrate good news, we went out for high tea!! Every moment with you is golden.

A long day home

Finally we are heading back Hong Kong, a city so called home in the passed three years.

We just settled everything in China and will be staying there after we return from Australia.

Used to hate HK for its crowds. But I guess I will miss the shopping days a little. Well, I won't get bored as recently taobao has become my new found paradise.