I like traveling very much. Life is short, reading thousands of books, one must travel thousands of miles together, otherwise one will not fail to live up to one’s best years.
1. First year of work, Egypt
In my first year of work, I quickly got a passport and went to Egypt with one year’s salary. The biggest gain is that traveling is really good! The second big gain is that we must not follow the travel agency. Since then, we have embarked on the road of free travel.
2. First year of marriage, Nepal
Even marriage is related to travel. At that time, I especially wanted to go to Nepal (because Nepal has the lowest visa requirements) and had no leave. In order to go to Nepal, I got married.
I went to Wukesong Photography City and spent 250 yuan to buy a wedding dress and let my husband carry it up the Himalayas. Halfway up the mountain, I wore a wedding dress outside and sneakers inside my bitter fleabane skirt. I found a passing farmer to take photos. He took us very small and the mountain was very large.
I said: Where are people?
He gesticulated, “The mountains look good, the mountains look good.”
3. 10th Anniversary of Marriage, Phuket
On the 10th anniversary of my marriage, I went to Phuket Island to play. I bought a wedding dress online. This time it cost 600 yuan. I bought an adjustable one, and I will wear it later. Of course, I still invited professionals to take photos. In short, I still travel every year after getting married. Poor travel, winter to the north, summer to the south, basically where no one has me, so I have been traveling against the season for many years.
4. For the first time after pregnancy, take her to England,
Then she became pregnant.
Like many new mothers, I was cut off for a year and immediately went to England when Dora was 10 months old. The greatest inspiration from British travel to me is that children can adapt to the new environment better than adults.
I think, then why am I still out of gear?
5. Going Abroad with Your Second Child
When I was pregnant with my second child, I was completely relaxed.
In 2014, she took her daughter abroad with a big belly for four months. The daughter said earnestly: “Mom, you have a poor memory now, I will watch you closely, you must not lose me.”
6. The eldest brother and the second brother go together, and then France goes to Japan.
The result was not lost. In 2015, I continued my efforts and took my 10-week-old second and 3-year-old eldest to France. This year, the family went to Japan again.
Ha ha, although so much has been said, the above is only a foreword.
Please take a short rest, because next I will enlarge the move: 5 years of family tour vomiting blood. This is the first round. For your parents’ reference.
Why do you want to travel?
After having children, many parents’ purpose of traveling has completely changed. Everything revolves around their children. Either go to the island, go to the zoo, or go to a well-known university to make a visit to encourage their children.
We didn’t even think about it at first.
Before Dora was one year old, we seldom thought about children when we went out to play what. We all arranged them according to our own ideas. The child is basically an extra piece of luggage, hanging on the body with a strap or pushing it in a cart, and set off.
When I visited the museum, Dora climbed on the ground. I went to Outlet and Dora was still climbing on the ground. We visited the Scottish Parliament and Dora climbed in the Parliament Hall.
But after one year old, Dora began to brush her presence fiercely. When eating, she would clap the table and shout, “rice!” Noodles! ] On the plane, I was dissatisfied with my mother’s choice of clothes and ran in the cabin only in diapers. The road will feel boring and make a noise to go home. So we also began to arrange one or two programs or even set aside a day or two for her during the trip, such as aquarium and Disney.
After the second treasure comes, we still need to strike a balance so that both children can have fun.
In the past two years, I have clearly realized that we are not two big ones with two small ones, but a team. To move forward together, everyone must have harvest and motivation to move forward towards a goal.
When arranging travel plans later, we will discuss with Dora in advance from luggage preparation to where to play and using what transportation. In the future, Erbao will definitely join.
Of course, as for playing what, I still won’t give priority to children. Why? I am the one who pays and contributes. As for playing, planes, trains, pigeons, what is not a toy? What is not an experience?
When I went to Japan in February this year, I suddenly found that Dora was already a positive energy.
More than one year old Erbao fully exposed the boy’s naughty spirit.
One day, Erbao was crawling around in the lobby of the hotel. Dora went to pull Erbao and said, “Mom, come and help and take care of him.”
[Can’t help it, let him crawl.] I’m panting.
[No,] Dora said very seriously: [Er Bao is a human being, not rubbish. We must take care of him.]
More and more, I feel the real meaning of in-person tours: that is, it enables us as parents to put everything down and stay with our children. In the past, we used to need the help of old people or aunts, or we were busy with work, and we seldom had high-quality time with our children. In addition, in-person tours gave us the opportunity to be together, experience life together and rely on each other.
Is what a good time to travel?
In theory, as long as health permits, what will do.
If it is pregnant, I personally suggest that it should be 3 months later and 7 months ago. At this time, the reaction of pregnancy vomiting is relatively small, and the belly is not so big, so you can easily go to battle. This is also the advice given to me by the doctor. In fact, his original words: “Go quickly, it is not convenient to carry luggage after the belly is too big.”
According to her husband, he was shocked at that time. Didn’t he carry all the luggage?
Relativity must exist. Otherwise, how can I explain that a four-month-old pregnant woman walks heavily when she goes to the remote mountains and forests to see temples and walks like a fly when she goes shopping?
After four months of traveling abroad, I am full of confidence in my physical quality. Since I have no annual leave, I have to toss around Beijing and climb Xiangshan every two weeks. From four to seven months, every time I climb the mountain, I climb the mountain bravely and bravely. Then I slowly go down the mountain in the eyes of passers-by looking up to find my father and daughter who are lazy eating corn halfway up the mountain.
Seven months later, the doctor did not advise me to climb the mountain very much, saying that I was worried that it would not be convenient to find a hospital in case of breaking the water.
Generally speaking, I think it is very good to go out for a trip when I am four months pregnant. On the one hand, I can relax and on the other hand, I can purchase some baby products in advance. Don’t think that women will not go shopping when their bodies change. We just have more goals.
Of course, these are all based on the doctor’s consent.
If it is to take a little baby, civil aviation regulations are allowed to be born for more than two weeks of healthy babies. Of course, it is necessary to analyze the specific situation. It is generally difficult to really do within two weeks, because you also need to do account book, passport, visa time.
Take Erbao as an example. We set up the account book within one week of his birth, but it took him one and a half months to take various identification photos. Why? I have to wait until Erbao’s neck is slightly harder to take photos. Now there are many hard and fast rules for taking photos, but it is difficult for the baby to cooperate when taking photos. Therefore, although we look for shooting spots everywhere, 60% refused and 30% failed. Finally, we took more than 20 photos in a store and finally succeeded.
Many people are afraid to take their babies abroad. Because most parents are novices, Must be worried. In fact, if your goal is to relax, Babies within three months are the most suitable for traveling. Because he won’t make any noise, And seldom cry, Basically all the way to sleep, wake up is to eat milk. You don’t have to prepare what complementary food, bib, or even don’t need a bottle, just carry over to feed. The cost of the baby is also very low, the air ticket is about 10% of the adult price or even free, do not need tickets, do not occupy the bed, in boarding the plane and all kinds of security procedures can also enjoy quick treatment.
Last year we took 2-month-old Erbao and 3-year-old Dabao to France. Although we went to southern France, But it was still bitter and rainy at that time. In Stone City near Avignon, We were hit by a strong wind. I held the wall with one hand, Holding the cart in one hand, Dora held my arm tightly and shivered at the edge of the valley. I was afraid that if I let go, Er Bao’s cart would be swept away by the strong wind. But the fact is, we were in shock, but Er Bao was sleeping happily all the time. Neither the strong wind nor the bumpy gravel road nor the noisy car noise could wake Er Bao from his sleep along the way.
Now, whenever I follow Erbao breathlessly and see Erbao climbing from the table to the chair, from the chair to the ground, from the ground to other people’s chairs in the restaurant, but I can’t catch him, I deeply miss Erbao two months ago.
If the child is older, I think it is better to be 5 years old, that is, Dora is now at this time, because she doesn’t have to worry about eating, she tidies up her luggage, dresses and shoes herself, and she can also be a good helper for her parents. Five-year-old children, especially girls, are in a stable mood, in a good mood, and are willing to make their parents happy.
More annoying is more than one year old. The first rebellious period in life is intertwined with the separation anxiety period, which brings incomparable pressure to children.
When the family went to Bali, Dora suddenly refused to dress on the plane because the clothes she chose were not to her liking. She ran in the cabin with diapers and cried back to Beijing to find her aunt. The passengers on board were so considerate that they took out biscuits, chocolate bananas to coax her, but they were all mercilessly refused.
The anxiety of separation was even more terrible. She did not allow her mother to leave her sight. I once went to take a bath, and she rushed to the bathtub and cried through the shower curtain, as if she had been abandoned. Dad, who had not paid much attention before, suddenly became popular. Every time Dad went to the toilet, she would cry and stand at the door of the toilet waiting. Not that she didn’t want to go in, but that I forced her to hold her back.
Daughter, we have realized your deep love. Almost.
If there is only one child, you still have hope. However, when you have two, basically within a few years your feeling is mixed. Pregnant, the eldest brother rebellious; The eldest brother did not rebel, and the second was anxious. The boss rebelled again, and so did the second. Over time, your patience and leadership have improved.
When Er Bao was 10 months old, Dora was over four years old and her family went to Phuket Island to play. The younger one began to separate and worry, while the older one began to fight hard for the second rebellious period. I could only sleep 3 hours a day, and the rest of the time I was crushed.
When I say crushing, I mean physical crushing-both children are pressing on me to rob my mother. The only gain is that after many fights, Er Bao actually said the first word: “Mom!” I think what he really wants to say is [help! In fact, I also want to say [help]!
I said to my husband:
It’s like an extremely fierce football match, but I am the football. Do you know how football feels? ]
[I don’t know,] The husband who was drinking beer and basking in the sun turned around and spread out his hands: “I’m just basketball. The players don’t want me.”
Therefore, parents with two babies should not be divided into different ages. They are all the same. However, it is gratifying that when the two babies are together, their respective symptoms will be greatly relieved. They do not know whether they influence or offset each other. In short, rebellion and separation anxiety are lighter than when they are single.
What? You have three babies? Then ask for more blessings.
Where to?
Choosing the right destination for family travel abroad is crucial. The following factors are mainly considered: visa convenience, direct flights, local sanitary conditions, toilet facilities, facilities for babies and children to play, the size of the local child population, and the local attitude towards children and Chinese tourists.
According to my own experience, Britain, Thailand Phuket Island, Indonesia Bali Island, Spain, France, Japan, South Korea are all more suitable places for family visits. The following picture shows the performance of various indicators in these places. The words of a family, welcome everyone to participate in the discussion.
Now let’s explain one by one:
Visa
The simplest is Thailand. Landing visa can hand in a photo and pay the money. South Korea is also relatively simple, just find an agent. Japan and Britain are generally more complicated, but the requirements are similar to those of adults.
The most complicated is the European Schengen visa. Because notarization is required.
This includes birth notarization and kinship notarization, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required to certify after notarization. Although you have a legal birth certificate and account book, But people don’t recognize it. You have to bring a pile of materials. Go to the notary office to issue a certificate, Prove that the child was indeed born of someone in a certain year, month, day, place, And the mother is really the mother, the father is really the father. The two children’s notarization alone will cost 1,000 yuan, which takes a week. This is not enough, but also has to be re-certified by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There are seven agencies on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with different requirements, prices and issuing time. The cheapest one is about 140 yuan, which will take a day or two.
Schengen visa requirements are different for different EU countries. For example, Italian requirements must be Italian and French requirements can be English.
What cheats me is that this notarial certificate that you broke your leg for is only valid for two years. I can’t understand the necessity and usefulness of this notarization at all. First of all, why does the certificate issued by the Ministry of Public Security not have enough credit in the EU and must be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Secondly, aren’t all those notaries still initial certificates? Will they go to the hospital or go door to door? Finally, the proof that my child is my child is not a proof of financial resources. It may change with time. Will my child not be my child in two years?
Direct voyage
It can be very painful to change planes, especially when you arrive at the airport late at night and your cart is checked along with other luggage. As a result, you can only carry a 20 kg sleepy little fat man through the airport aisle, which is thousands of kilometers long, and your waist will be broken.
Sometimes I have to spend the night at the airport and leave what again in the early morning. If there is thunderstorm at the connecting point, I don’t know when I will leave in what. In order to reduce this uncertainty, direct flights are still available.
Most countries or scenic spots can have direct flights. However, there are also direct flights like Bali, Saipan, Guam, Hawaii and what, which are very few unless chartered.
If I have to change planes, I suggest staying at the airport for one night and leaving after a good rest.
Sanitary conditions
Needless to say.
Toilet facilities
This is probably the most concerned point for parents with small babies. Several years ago, there was a conflict in Hong Kong because mainland tourists let their children defecate on the streets. In fact, it reflects the habits formed by China’s national conditions. Until today, Domestic tourist attractions, including places with the largest number of children, such as Beijing Wildlife Park, still lack diaper changing facilities in public toilets. However, the public is more tolerant of such children’s defecation and urination because they do not have a long tradition of using diapers and are accustomed to the lack of related facilities in public toilets.
I think the best in this respect are Britain and Japan. Almost all public places in Britain have diaper changing places or children’s toilets. Many shopping malls provide nursing rooms.
In addition to the above three, At the edge of the big toilet, A special baby seat is set up. In this way, adults can watch their children while looking at the toilet. I still understand that such facilities are popular in European countries like Britain, where there are still more children. However, Japan, where the birth rate has been falling all the way and little babies are rarely seen on the roads, is still so popular that I can only say that I have done a more comprehensive job.
Phuket Island has done a good job in this respect because it is a destination for many families.
No matter where, one thing is common-most diapers and small toilets are changed, either a special family room is set up, or it is set up in the women’s toilet. Isn’t it said that men and women are equal? Why don’t you give dad a chance to behave?
Children’s medicines and food
During the trip, it is very troublesome if the milk powder is cut off or the child suddenly has a fever. France, Spain and Britain are full of pharmacies, which is very convenient. Japan is a little more troublesome, but fortunately there are no shortage of supermarkets and pharmacy shops where the Chinese go, and Phuket and Bali are the busiest areas.
Children’s Play Facilities
Many places are specially for children to play, such as Changlong in China or Disney in the world. However, we travel not just for children after all. Therefore, I prefer to choose those places with children’s play facilities everywhere in the city.
Needless to say, the island, Born is the main choice for family visits. In the country, Spain impressed me the most. There are children’s toy shops everywhere. There are also special children’s shoe shops. Every block has small bunkers, slides and seesaws for children to play with. These are not for tourists. It’s really for local children. No matter where we go, whether Dora likes to play or not, we can go to the nearby bunker first. But Dora’s favorite is pigeons. Barcelona is full of squares, and there must be pigeons in every square. There are so many pigeons in Catalonia Square that Dora can play there all afternoon.
Britain is also good. Every scenic spot thinks of children. For example, the Scottish Palace has a special room for children to play princes and princesses. Another example is the Scottish Parliament, which actually provides nurseries for tourists to deposit children. I guess it is to win people’s support for Scotland’s independence?
In Avignon, France, we once spent a day in a local square. There are merry-go-rounds, pigeons and bubble blowers in the square, which are also children’s favorite.
Japan’s birth rate has been falling all the way, The children I see on the street are basically tourists. Although Kyoto is good, there are really not many places for children to play. But this time we went to Osaka and found an excellent children’s museum (Kids Plaza), which is the most entertaining place I have ever seen. I estimate whether all the children in Osaka have gone there to play, and it is no problem to play for a day.
Number of children
Children still like to play with children, This kind of contact itself is a very novel experience for children. Dora often makes friends with local children in Britain, France and Spain. Sometimes, The two children said nothing, throwing toys at each other and playing for half an hour. Sometimes, chasing each other and playing for an hour. However, in Japan and South Korea, such opportunities are rare because there are too few children. There are children everywhere on the island.
Attitude towards Children and Chinese Tourists
Whether the local people welcome or tolerate children, especially Chinese children, is especially important to us.
I remember when Dora was in Korea, Several times I was probably tired and cried loudly on the subway or the plane. The Koreans on the side often took out chocolate. Bananas and biscuits help us coax the children. In Spain, Every time I take my children on the bus, Someone will offer my seat. It is the most child-friendly country. In Bali, Perhaps it is because there are many children that everyone can understand each other. Once Dora cried, not only the parents came to help, but also their children came to sing to Dora to coax her. On the contrary, if the child is abused for being naughty, or if he is in various troubles and meets a group of indifferent locals at the same time, it will definitely leave a deep negative impression on the child.