Travelling with young children to India

[ElissaG13]

My husband and I recently decided to drop out of society and go travelling with our 3 young children to India, Thailand and Vietnam for 18 months. We have a 7-year-old and 3-year-old twins (they will be 8-years-old and 4-years-old by the time we leave).

I am wondering if anyone has experience of travelling, particularly in India, with young children. We have been to India a couple of times and Thailand and Vietnam as well and are familiar with how it works, but we have never been with kids and we are worried about the obvious safety issues.

The thing about India that concerns me more than Vietnam or Thailand is that they might me frightened about what they see, people getting too close, especially unsavoury street characters approaching/begging etc.

Any insight/advice is greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

If poverty is something that you think will bother you / DC, I'd consider carefully if India is a good idea. There is a huge economic divide and streets are full.of beggars, hawkers and children. I've visited india a number of times and each time, without fail, we've been approached at traffic lights by children (no older than 4/5) selling rags as dusters, balloons, fruit etc. They tap.on windows until you either give them money or drive away. It's heartbreaking and I've never gotten used to it. Even DH is affected by it now and he grew up there, seeing it all.

You'll be held to a different regard if you're fair-skinned, you may well find yourself attracting road side sellers, hawkers, to name a few. I've had people on motorbikes take my photo because it was practically unheard of to see someone with fair skin in the area I was in. I've had random strangers ask me if they can take my DC's photo on a bus - that isn't unusual. As a very sweeping statement, Indians are very child orientated and will have no qualms about coming up and touching their hair, squeezing their cheeks and so forth.

Have you checked restrictions in the countries you're suggesting you visit? Some of the restrictions are much harsher than here in the UK.

As PP have said, definitely get decent health insurance. In India, there is horrendously basic government health care and you could easily find yourself with a huge medical bill. DH once ended up with horrendous D&V from a cup of tea, he was ill for days and that was just from the milk in the tea.

India is a beautiful country but if 'unsavoury characters' are a concern, you may want to rethink. I've spent time in India (with my Indian DH) and I wouldn't travel around the country with DC.

India’s covid cases on the rise
I doubt you will get any insurance for this

It’s the kind of trip you should have done before kids....what will they actually get out of this? Amongst all the worry and poverty they might get to see a nice monument or something fit ten minutes. But they won’t remember that
This trips sounds more like it’s for the adults benefit

Going travelling for 18 months is hardly dropping out of society!

This is all very helpful. Thank you everyone for the comments. I will take this all on board in planning for this exciting adventure.

The term 'dropping out of society' is just a fun one we took from a movie.

Cheers everyone!

Are India, Thailand and Vietnam not 'society' then?

I've spent years travelling around lot of places mentioned, agree that India isn't somewhere I'd take young kids. Definitely not Northern India around the main tourist areas, I was traumatized as a late teen by some of the things I saw. The illnesses oh god the illnesses, I just wouldn't wish that on young kids I really wouldn't.

The thing about India that concerns me more than Vietnam or Thailand is that they might me frightened about what they see, people getting too close, especially unsavoury street characters approaching/begging etc

You can't stop it, that's the thing. By the time two 4 year and an 8 year old are freaked out by a hideously deformed beggar approaching them it's too late. Honestly, I still feel upset by the poor people I saw out there 30 years ago, it can be really horrific and don't imagine it's changed much in the intervening years. India was by far the worst place I thought for poverty, it's so sad. Oh and as for the maimed animals, how will you explain all that away?

Blonde kids may well have people wanting to touch hair which is weird. May be unsettling.

My 7 year old DD (strawberry blonde) was really upset by this when we were in SE Asia. She hated being the focus of so much attention.

I love India, have been several times, although only been to North India. If you’re worried about poverty then you will find it very difficult to shield your children from it, and in my experience you being a western family will be more likely to attract attention from children begging for money. It can be very full on, particularly for children, I have been hit by balloons and had my clothes pulled to get my attention (by children little older than toddlers). However, many children live rounded lives in India having grown up alongside poverty, so it could be used as a learning experience for your children.

Make sure you have great travel insurance, take any guidance/advice from police/security even if you think you’re being ripped off (it’s easier to agree than argue). I’ve never been ill (touch wood) despite having eaten street food etc. make sure to wash your hands before/after every meal.
Often when travelling around the toilets are not to the same standard you would expect in the U.K. - carry tissues/hand gel/wipes etc.

Pre-pandemic there was no concept of personal space. You will be given allowances because of kids, but don’t expect to have a lot of space when walking around etc. People will be crossing your path etc. Very close, touching you to get past etc.

Tourist visas are not open, and there is no timetabled date for reopening, although it is likely to be pre-July I think.

Also logistically, the roads/pavements will not really be suitable for buggies etc. in my view outside of malls/tourist sites, so think about walking/baby carriers etc. or many taxis.

Uber is fab for getting around, although many drivers will have limited English. Hotel cars are also a good option and cheap by U.K. standards. Official guides etc. Booked through hotels are best for tourist sites such as Taj Mahal, as going alone you will attract attention from guides on the walk in, and they can be very persistent, which would be potentially unnerving for kids.

Depending on where you’re planning on going, look carefully at the average temperatures - north India is above 40 degrees for many days between March and June until the torrential rain comes, dropping only slightly at night, neither would be pleasant with young kids.

Not trying to be negative, I absolutely love India and will be travelling as soon as the visa situation improves, but there are some considerations if your young children are sensitive to poverty/easily scared.

but there are some considerations if your young children are sensitive to poverty/easily scared.

You're not going to know until it's too late though. Where does the OP live I wonder? Bet she's not in desperately poor part of town with extreme poverty on every street corner so her DC will have had no exposure whatsoever. It's just too hardcore

Definitely don't do it. It's just not worth the risk.

Have a read of this blog. The family travelled through Asia with 8/9 year old triplets several years ago:

travelswithtriplets.com

Expect D&V to do the rounds (possibly more than once & with lingering after effects). Will be fun if all 3 kids get it together.

My DC1 spent 12 weeks in India & Nepal age 2 without getting sick once!

Join the Our Tribe Travels Adventurous Travel W kids facebook page OP.

Your children will see children their own age living in desperate poverty. I was traumatized by what I saw and I was an adult!
Honestly, not an easy place to travel, not so much because of "unsavoury street characters" as people who have no money to eat and no shelter. I know we have homeless people in the UK but India is a very brutal place to live if you're at the bottom of society

@skeggycaggy

My DC1 spent 12 weeks in India & Nepal age 2 without getting sick once!

That is unusual though.

Crazy. My daughter went to India with school when she was 17 and was very, very ill with paratyphoid on her return. She spent 3 weeks desperately unwell in hospital and it was touch and go at one point.

I would not take little children out of their own culture, away from their friends to a dangerous, risky country for months on end during a Pandemic. When they're young teenagers they'll get far, far more from it. Why not go for the full summer holidays when they're older. No need to 'drop out' then either.

Honestly, not an easy place to travel, not so much because of "unsavoury street characters" as people who have no money to eat and no shelter

Yes, what a way to describe people living in absolute grinding, desperate poverty . I do wonder at your motivation OP 😔

“Unsavoury street characters”?!
Fuck off.

This is extreme poverty in areas where there are neither the resources nor the political desire to do anything about it. How about you do some research and develop a shred of human decency about some of the most vulnerable and deprived people on this planet before planning your jolly that’s going to cost tens of thousands of pounds.

kirlali

Whereabouts in India? It's a big place . I find it very hard to believe that it's suddenly poverty free I must say. I still can't get over the OP's totally unbelievably insensitive description of people living in extreme poverty as 'unsavoury characters' . Have they come back or too busy dropping out 🙄