My 3 year old has visited 32 countries AMA

[Dinoswearunderpants]

No doubt I'd get a load of shade about 'bragging' but that's not the intention. If anyone is interested in asking any questions about travelling regularly with a little own, feel free to ask.

I often travel just the two of us as his Dad can't get as much time off work as I do.

I’m sure OP knows flying is bad for the environment, but there is a lot of tall poppy syndrome happening in this thread. I’m not sure any of us are in a position to criticise given lots of people in this thread probably eat factory farmed meat, drive petrol vehicles, wear fast fashion…

I don’t do any of those things. I try really hard to minimise my carbon footprint as much as I can. I’m not perfect, but having looked at the carbon spend for flying it was by far the biggest part of our footprint and in no way a necessity. It was a no brainer once we knew the facts.

Don't forget about them being good at swimming 🤣

People having different views and not just fawning over you and asking for your insta isn’t nasty.

and learning multiple languages from 2 days spent in each country

What a depressing thread.

100% this.

Sadly there are lots of people trying to be 'influencers' and OP has already admitted she makes a token income from posting about her 'travels' on social media. Another way to publicise her Tik tok/Insta maybe and get some freebies/advertising? Fair enough but perhaps own up to it. I can see this would be useful re; practicalities of travelling with a baby/toddler but this must have been done to death.

It is a bit snobby, but I'm afraid I wouldn't say that I'd travelled in a country if I'd only had a few hours stopover on a boat.

She asked if anyone wanted to ask her questions, not fawn over her. She wasn’t asking for fawning, but nor was she asking for to be sneered at and picked apart by self-appointed gatekeepers that seem to think that people shouldn’t post about things they don’t personally like or approve of.

Instagram only came up because she was asked if she had one, and she’s only shared it via DM by those that have requested it. Not sure why some seem to think that equates to advertising it.

Thank you. Honestly I don't know why I'd expect any different.

Given the state of the planet and the fact that carbon offsetting is considered by every credible climate scientist (see Zeke Hausfather) to be nothing but green washing then this is just so very very depressing.

Can't really ask for questions then get cross when they're not the ones you wanted. One would think all that mind opening travel might result in a thicker skin.
I suppose OP was looking for more "which travel cot is the best? Aren't you so brave!". But we've all got Google, so that wasn't going to happen was it?

OP has provided a rationale but the math ain’t mathing.

You’ve assumed everyone is like you as it suits your narrative, which is offensive on many levels. You’d be surprised the efforts people go to, to do their bit.

I agree. But I don’t think people are being told about it clearly enough. If you read certain news sources or it’s part of your algorithm then you can get the facts (and as you know, they are facts and no longer far off predictions based on modelling - it’s happening now and faster and more ferociously than predicted). But if your SM algorithm doesn’t include it and you only read BBC news or DM, you’d be forgiven for being naive about it all and carrying on with your lifestyle as is.

Radio 4 not long ago allowed ?Ryan Air or ?Easy Jet CEO to completely greenwash and say how their flights are somehow greener. That happens all the time so people think it’s fine and safe to keep going on as we were.

Really, we should be having adverts like the HIV/AIDS adverts because we are in so much danger. Even up here in the northern hemisphere.

But capitalism relies on consumerism. So unless we all stop consuming as much carbon or Governments make the courageous decision to legislate more strongly, then we are F**d. Depressing is the right word. And pretty petrifying when you really connect with what’s to come. All we can do is do our own bit, campaign and protest, write to MPS and not be silenced when the inevitable ‘killjoy’ responses are made.

Sorry - bit of a rant in the end - but mostly wanted to say - I find it depressing too.

The quoted comment was aimed at me at the beginning of the thread. I've found it has got to me a bit (the whole thread) as it shows complete ignorance and a frightening lack of awareness from not only the OP but all of the defenders on here too. I've just seen the news about catastrophic flooding in Eastern Europe caused by the climate CRISIS, yes it's a CRISIS not just change and all posters can do is accuse me of using crappy Chinese websites and Google to justify their obscene flying habits. I will doubtless be sneered at again for this post or the OP will accuse me of being nasty, it's mind boggling.

So what are the rules then? How often are we allowed to go on a plane? People go on about the environment (which I do care about btw!) but if you’re not allowed to visit a foreign country or have kids or do anything fun, what on earths the point?

That's odd because we were treated like royalty by Ryanair - I was amazed. someone appeared and offered strollers and seated us first and helped with luggage. I have used them fairly often ever since and never had a problem. BA on the other hand...

We are totally f*** and it is petrifying . We'll get laughed at for saying it though, hope those posters who sneer look back in 20 years will feel a slight twinge of remorse.

You do realise that paying a fee is only there to assuage the traveller, make them dismiss the fact they're supporting the airline industry and is a greenwash for the airline companies.

Flying that often just feeds the demand, but OK then.

ETA sorry I haven't read all the comments so I'm repeating what has already been said, but the points still hold true, especially the greenwashing that people get conned into believing.

What's the point? Just try and be mindful, there are no rules per se but if I could make any I suppose I'd suggest only have as many children as replaces people dying - so one in one out. Maybe fly long haul once every 5 years, short haul every 3, everyone has an allocation and not wealth dependent. Buy local food as much as possible, try and resist fast fashion, no single use plastic, put on extra clothes instead of turning the heating up, hang clothes outside when possible rather than tumble drying etc, there's so many things we could all try to do.

Trouble is everyone thinks it's pointless as they assume no one else is doing anything but there are 8 billion of us on the planet and that's some sway if everyone did their bit.

Being blase about going on 32 holidays in 3 years is not one of them...

There's a vast middle ground, which most of us happily occupy, between monthly flights and no fun at all.

I think this is a non issue, as most politicians and rich people do not seem to care. Trudeau's footprint is 68 times greater than the average citizen, and he said he needed his private plane to conduct his work. Why should we be minimising our travel when the rich do not?

That really isn't a good justification is it for not caring or acting? There's far more of 'us' than there are people using private jets (I agree though that they're appalling in terms of climate).

Personally I don’t feel I can justify any unnecessary flights. I flew to a funeral as there was no other way to get there. We will probably need to fly to NZ at some point as relatives there are getting older. But for holidays we drive our EV to Europe. It’s quite fun finding ways to have fun holidays lower carbon. Plans for the future are Interrailing, Croatia and Scandinavia. Friends have done all three as family holidays and loved it.

Unless we grow our own food, make our own shoes and clothes and build our houses from just what’s around us, no one can be ‘carbon free’ so I think it’s all about reducing one bit at a time. For me, giving up unnecessary flights was a very big, quick win as it is so carbon extravagant.

I didn’t change everything all at once. I think it’s about degrees. If you tend to fly a lot, start by cutting down. I think short haul for short trips are a good start as take off is the most carbon heavy bit and usually there are other means to get there. If you eat meat every day you can start with a meat free day. It doesn’t have to be hair shirts and self flagellation.

For me, the thought that cemented it was ‘my desire for holidays, does not trump someone else right to life’. It’s like if I’ve driven out for a night and others have an amazing cocktail and I really fancy it, my desire for a cocktail doesn’t trump my responsibility to be a safe driver.

Sorry. I don’t think that makes sense. How does that make it a ‘non issue’? If you are slapping your wife’s face, it’s not a justification to carry on if you say, ‘yeah but Joe up the road punches his so why should I change?’ It’s not relevant what other people are doing.

Yes, it would be better if those in powerful and influential positions (Taylor Swift I’m looking at you too!) led by example. But we can’t wait until they do. This is the planet we ALL live on and we will ALL be adversely impacted.