Just returned from travelling 11 weeks in Pakistan, China and Thailand with 2 kids aged 1 and 2.5, and ready to help if anyone wants any info. Thorn Tree or email. (Plenty helped/encouraged us here before we left.) Mostly travelled the Karakoram Highway. We flew from Australia to Pakistan and Islamabad-Gilgit, bus to Kashgar, bought cycles there and cycled to Hunza, then bus and flight back to Islamabad and Bangkok. 2 weeks in Koh Samui and Khao San Rd area. Any queries about travelling with kids in dodgy places, please ask.
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Its great to read of your adventures. A refreshing change to
some of the more critical views sometimes voiced on this
site.
We're about to set off to Thailand with our 18 month old.
Although we lived there for 3 years it seems a different
ballgame now. I was wondering what precautions you took for
your two regarding malarial prophlactics and mozzie
repellant, given that neither seem to be recommended for
young children? Any advice on coping with the heat, long
flights and useful things to take?? Any suggestions
gratefully received.
we have a small child aged 1.2 months. we chickened out and
now regret it!
we will be in k,s,rd on 10 nov 1998 and hope to see you at
8p.m. local outside dior guest house....it's a long shot
but it just might work...good luck
We are planning a six month trip with our daugter Danique
17 months old through Peru to Bolivia and Australia and Thailand using a wold navigator ticket wich allows us 28500 miles to cover. But have a hard time convincing parents and friends we have not gone bananas.
Please help with similar experiences do's and dont's
Malaria - we did our best to avoid high risk areas as both of us have each had malaria 3 times, so a bit paranoid! Did not use tablets (but took some for treatment, just in case: chloroquine phosphate and fansidar), rather we dressed sensibly and used plenty of child-friendly insect repellant (Rid Low Irritant) at dusk.
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Medications: We used to travel with a backpack full of pills and antibiotics that looked impressive but we didn't actually know what to do with them! But this time we got all the info from doctors and typed a summary page listing all medications, when and why to use them, and dosages for adults and kids.
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Heat: Our youngest tended to get heat rash. Got some "prickly heat powder" that helped, also let him roam nappiless where possible, and cool wahes. Wasn't really a problem on the beach in Thailand, with cooling sea breezes. Mainly in humid Rawalpindi.
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Long flights: Break your flight if possible with an overnight stay somewhere en route. Request bassinet seat when purchasing tickets (along with child meals) and insist on it at check-in. Give child Phenergan or similar to make him/her drowsy on the flight. Take a NEW (small!) toy to give the kid when things get desperate. Fly Pakistan Int'l Airways where there are no headsets, movies, etc: our daughter got bored really quickly without fun things to explore, and went to sleep in no time at all!
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Useful things to take: A dummy on chain, if you are worried about little kid putting things in mouth. Inflatable globe can serve as an easily packed ball as well as a map of the world for chats with locals.) Bumbag or backpack for the kid (all toys/pencils/books must fit in it!). Quality child carrier backpack (we use a Macpac Possum). Lots of kids' paracetamol, teething gel and Demazin (runny noses). Dedicated washable wash cloth for hands/face and another for bum (we used a cut up "Pack Towel"). Collapsible plastic bucket for soaking/washing nappies. "Fluffies" to contain poo disasters. Cup with lid: non-spillable and can be used to shake-mix powdered milk. Spoon and fork for kid. Digital thermometer. Chewable amoxyl.
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DO: have good insurance with medical assistance available by phone; plan extra rest (play) days, particularly after long travel days; plan to travel max 4 hours per day where possible, followed by 1.5 days of rest; be prepared to abandon your trip or change plans if kid can't handle it or gets really sick; travel while you only have one kid: two little kids are tough!; do read books to your kids before departure introducing them to where they are going and what they will see (planes, mountains, different looking people, etc); keep breastfeeding baby if possible; tie up kid's long hair all the time for safety and cleanliness.
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DON'T: spend all your time worrying or you'll be home before you know it and while you may now be an expert on childhood diseases, only your child will have had a great time; tell relatives that you are going until you about to go; take many clothes (2-3 sets per kid per season is enough, even with poo disasters); cycle across Himalayas with two heavy kids and their heavy gear!
I agree with all the advice above but would add the
following: It will pay to have a test run with the Phenergan
before departure. It has an opposite effect in some
children, making them ready to party rather than sleep.
Nothing worse than a wound up child in a confined space when
everyone else wants to rest!
We recently returned from a 4 week trip with our 5 month old
son through Samoa and New Zealand. We decided not to use the
Phenergan. We had also been told by our health care nurse to
test it first if we were going to use it because it can
have the opposite effect. In the end we didn't need to
because he had no problem getting to sleep on the plane.
To Pam & Dave
Great to hear of your successful journey. Am hoping to
travel similar area with an 11yr old boy next year.
Did you use public transport ie buses, from Pakistan into
China? I assume you would have to change from Pakistani bus
to Chinese bus at the border. If so, can you book the
Chinese bus in advance? Are the buses jam packed as in
India?
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks.
You are right about the phengan bit! When I was 5 years old,
Mother decided it would be a good idea before flying back to
the UK - it had the reverse effect on me! I still don't
sleep well on flights - even with 3 seats to myself. Alcohol
does help to some extent - but drink plenty of water too,
since dehydration can lead to a headache, which happend to
me on my last flight from Hong Kong to London. Crew were
helpful and gave me a paracetamol, but of course couldn't
serve me any more booze! I did catch 5-6 hours sleep though!
Fantastic! You've answered nearly all my questions in one
go! We are about to go and live in the Philippines for a
year with our daughter who will be 15 months and I have
been getting more and more anxious! But not now. Manila
here we come!!