I want to go home...help needed

[lallyp]

hello - help or ideas needed...
I am currently living in Australia and really want to come home to the UK for a month or so with my nearly three year old son. However, the idea of flying alone with him for 24 hours is too overwealming. I am 3 months pregnent and have never felt so tired or generally rubbish in my life and I just don't think i could do it alone.

This is a long shot but does anyone know anyone nice who is flying (or planning to fly) Brisbane to London in May or thereabouts who wouldnt mind helping with entertainng (reading/playdoughing etc) my really lovely son?

He should sleep most of the first leg if i book a nightflight...
i guess this really is a very long shot...
thanks for any help
kindest regards
lally

try posting on gumtree, or maybe the forums on the lonely planet site...

I really think he may surprise you. The entertainment systems they have on these flights now are amazing. Just done this flight with a 2.8 yr old and it wasn't much fun but was manageable.

Get him used to watching movies then you can put lion king/finding nemo etc on a few episodes of the wiggles and before you know it you'll be there...

Make sure you get night flights and check the transit time wherever you change and pay extra if necessary not to have to hang around for too long.

Fingers crossed you'll be feeling a bit better in a few weeks too.

I did exactly the same but with a two year old and 4 months pregnant. The hardest bit is not being able to sleep when you want to. But it's worth it in the end if you get your trip.
Here are some of my tips:

1. Book a pass for a private 'lounge pass' www.loungepass.com/
   on your stop/refuel destination. Even if it is only a few hours, it will give you someone clean to go and your DC to run around a bit. Food is on hand as you may not have eaten much on the plane. Plus if the plane is delayed you are staying somewhere to hang out/change nappies/clothes etc. Costs only £13 - 14 - much easier than thinking about changing money to buy a cup of tea/coffee etc.

2. Ask for help. From the staff but also passengers around you. If they know you are travelling on your own (& pregnant) they can be very helpful. I made the mistake on one trip to be sitting next to a guy and the staff assumed we were travelling together.

3. the tv entertainment is great but you may find something portable a bit easier - as you can control what's on it. If you have one like mine he was obsessed with night garden at that stage and I had that on loop. Although he was a touch young and did get distracted from this.

4. bubbles - good fun toy, doesn't take up much space and doesn't intefere too much with those around you.

Hopefully you have help at the other hand, so you can land and then sleep/recover??

hello again
thanks so much for the replies.

I am just going to bite the bullet and book it...i think i will investigate gumtree first...

My little fella dosn't watch tv so i will have to get him in training! i have been recommended 'Cars' the movie which sounds good. A bit of iggle piggle should go down well as well...

booking a lounge pass is genius and i will do that as soon as my flight is booked.

Also ask for special assistance from the airline. I do this when I travel home to Australia with my dd. They help you through customs, off the plane, with luggage etc

And also try and go on Singapore Airlines, the service is fantastic and then you can stop over in Changi Airport which has a lovely pool, play area and transit hotel you can use if you have a longer stop over. I actually prefer to stop over a bit longer so I can totally exhaust the little one for the next leg of the flight.

when i did this i flew during the daytime with singapore airlines and stayed for a good break in the transit hotel then second leg during the dayish hours as well.

i found this worked much better than trying to snatch a few hours sleep upright.

in the transit hotel you can make it pitch black in the room.

also get the airline staff to get help for you when in the airport.

Changi airport sounds great def going to do this next time. My experience at the new emirates terminal in Dubai was awful. We had to walk down the steps of the plane to the runway (about 20 steep steps with a baby and toddler in tow) then go on a bus with one bench which was crammed. The terminal is confusing and manic. There are supposed to be loads of strollers available in the terminal building but it took ages to find any.

I agree with Dubai being rubbish. Not worth the savings you can get with the cheaper flights and longer flight times

Thanks again
I was about to book Etihad...with a stop over in Abu Dhabi - has anyone done this? How does it compare to Singapore which i agree is totally awsome for stopping with kids and for the little bit extra is well worth it.

thanks again everyone
lally

I've flown on Etihad to and they have lovely new planes and the airport at Abu Dhabi is nice and clean (although a bit small). I just didn't rate the service at all. I was flying alone with my DD who was 2 at the time and they were just hopeless. This was early last year, maybe they have got better.

I think I'm actually addicted to Singapore Airlines.

I would always recommend flying Singapore with small kids and Changai has to be the easiest airport in the world to transit through.

If I was in your situation I would try and find someone travelling on the same flight and pay them to help - if you advertise on Gumtree it would definitely make the prospect more attractive.