taking 2 little kids round the world - all advice welcome

[nappybaglady]

Dh and I are planning to buy round the world tickets this weekend for ourselves and 2 children - DD (4y) and DS (18 m). The vague plan is to go to New York to buy all the stuff we might need then Canada (Toronto and Calgary/Rockies) to visit friends/family. After that we'll probably head somewhere like San Fran or Yosemite before heading for Australia then NZ. Probably stop somewhere beachy/ Singapore on the way home. We're going May/June/July. Dh is on unpaid leave and I've resigned.

Yup, you're right, we must be asolutely mad. Clearly DD will remember some of it and enjoy it but who, in their right mind, chooses to go on a trip to the supermarket with their 18 month boy, let alone right around the world. However the deed is done. I've handed in my letter of resignation so now we just need to make it happen.

If anyone has any advice, particularly about mustsee/mustdo stuff for Australia (in June/July)or about travelling with little ones in general please let me know. I've started trawling through the travel bit of MN, not to mention lots of serious googling but any advice welcome

Thanks

brill

Good luck, when I travelled through Africa we came across a family going through southern morroco ( sahara desert ) in a camper van with two under 10 year olds - thought wow, what an experience. I am sure as you travel you will encounter great kindess and hospitality and the kids will adapt, better than you probably.

Yes Kanga I have been to Rottnest ("Rotto") but only a few times. There are no cars there, people ride bikes or the bus. It's lovely, though the accomodation is maybe due for an upgrade. And it can be a rough trip on the ferry!

nappybaglady, have you thought about Broome in northwest WA? June-Sept is peak season up there (as you will notice by the weather in Cairns!) There's always something going on, you can go to a pearl farm or go hot air ballooning. Have you heard of Cable Beach? 22km of white sand and the bluest water!

You could fly from Cairns to Alice Springs (and check out Uluru formerly known as Ayers Rock) and then there are direct flights to Broome from Alice.

The Whitsunday islands off Qld are also magic and many have chn under 12 "stay, play and eat free"! Worth checking out. The ones that spring to mind are Hamilton Island and Daydream Island. Here's a site about Daydream Island .

There's some sites about Broome and the north west here and here .

I'm so excited for you - and a little jealous. We went all over the place with DD when she was younger, either with DH's work (US) or to visit family (Canada, NZ) and moved to Oz (Melbourne) for 9 months when she was 4yo. Mostly I travelled alone with her. She'd done 15 flights, mainly long haul, and slept in 26 beds by the time she was a year old.

IME, you can forget all about highchairs, etc. I don't know if anyone's picked up on that yet. I've also got packing down to a fine art - I soon learnt that I only wanted to take what I could carry including a baby and used a sling until she was 2yo and brought a buggy along for the hand luggage as it was easier to steer than a luggage cart! Or just slung a pack on my back.

Have a fab time.

pinkwhistle

we went to Rotto in 1994

we went round on the bus

we thought it was lovely and the beaches were great

wasn't sure if just tourists did it though

I think Perth was our favourite city

I have a vivid memory of walking along trhe river and seeing all the jellyfish.

Another MNer in Perth - hurrah

Hope you'll drop in if you ever come back RTKangamummy - (tv here is sh&&e thought I have to warn you )

Thanks suzywong

Hopefully within next couple of years to bring DS {when we took him in 2002 we only went to Melbourne, to visit my birth dad}

Would have to have satellite then

welll you must drop in then, I think we are going to get Foxtel satellite in the very near future and become drones of Rupert Murdoch

We just spent the morning in Fremantle

and those jellyfish are still in the river

Thanks that would be great

I had never seen jellyfish before and was surprized by the numbers and size of them.

they are harmless, so I'm told, my ds1 likes to poke the washed up ones with sticks, which I think is fair enough

OK sorry to hijack, Nappybaglady, I will be glad to help out with any Perth related questions

suzy we are drones dh could not bear to not see his beloved Chelsea play football so we have the wonderful foxtel

I want to do this - am so envious NBL!!!

will be following your progress with GREAT interest

suzywong - if you are still lurking - I am in Perth too! north of the river

Love Freo, don't get there enough. Love Hillarys too.

I'm lurking, I'm lurking
I actually contacted you via MN yesterday

We are in Ardross between Applecross and Garden City

watch HOLIDAY tonight

7pm BBC1

Simon Calder is travelling accross Australia by train

holiday programme oz travel

Am so annoyed with DH he said details were in sussex but they are not, so am really sorry . Will have a look next week.

So maybe investigate QUANTAS but am really sorry can't give more details.

Holiday is about to start on BBC1

Finally back at my computer after a long weekend away and a very long day at work.

Itinary

mon 2 may (11 weeks )New York - 1 w
toronto (with rels) - 5d
Canmore, near Banff (with friends) - 2.5 w
San Fran + Yosemite - 1w
fly to Auckland 5th June
Drive in RV to christchurch (friends)
total of 3 w in NZ
fly to sydney then probably fly to Cairns, RV to Brisbane then fly to perth
perth to singapore
3 nights in singapore then home on 27 july

We're on a great escapades ticket which is a cheap version of the Star Alliance. the full star ticket allows 15 destinations which obviously we don't need so we went for the cheaper version but our major flights are still with Virgin/Air NZ/Singapore. We had to buy a few separtae tickets for the Canadian bits but it still worked out cheaper. We'll also have to get some internal Oz flights with Virgin Blue once we've decided on our route.

So now we'll have to really sort our lives out!
We'll be doing lots of booking hotels and RVs over the next few weeks, not to mention getting the car taxed and the post redirected before we go. We'll no doubt come up with more queries as we go along.

Can't thank you enough for all the advice so far. Also want to say how great all the messages of support are. When DH and I are looking at each other and wondering if we've gone completely mad it's fantastic to look on here and see all the enthusiasm for our crazy plan.

Missed the hol programme. Wish I'd seen it - looks great from the link.

Oooooooh, Dh has just booked a hotel in NY whilst I've been posting here. Sorry to bang on about it but my life has suddenly turned really exciting

ohh sooo jealous - that looks brilliant nappybaglady. All are brilliant airlines - make sure you join the star alliance frequent flyer program - your ds is old enough to be a junior flyer - think of all those air miles you could rack up.

top tip, thanks. Hadn't thought of air miles. Better start planning the next trip

Thought I'd just add an update in case anyone is watching this thread. Insurance sorted through TMSM Club Direct (no,I'd never heard of them either) via the moneysavingexpert website. Also applied for a Nationwide current account on the advice of that website (free transactions and no commission). Oz visas sorted with the online application service.

Got enormous pile of Lonely Planets to read.

Starting to make packing list and hide a few of the kids smallest fave toys so that they can magically reappear on flights.

Have realised that we'll be in NZ at time of Lions Rugby tour - fantastic news but may make accommodation tricky. Still, will be worth it to get another look at Jonny Wilkinson.

Loads of stuff to sort at home like ensuring DD has place at school in Sept and both have nursery place in August - looks like we'll have to pay a retainer to nursery.

Both remain v excited and our families are starting to get more excited than anxious although my mum seems convinced that we'll emigrate after we come back.

Still have unhealthy and time consuming addiction to MN so wonder if I can possibly get it all organised in time

I was thinking about you yesterday

glad you are getting it altogether

Love Martin lewis

RTKM Was just thinking about you as I logged on tonight - if I manage to resist the lure of MN I'm going to do a mountain of ironing in front of the TV. I've got the last 2 episodes of ER to catch up on. Dh is out, kids asleep, ER on TV...life IS good

ps, for when Dh reads this - missing you loads, come home soon