Travelling with 1 year old?
- 02-16-2007, 12:45 PM #1
Travelling with 1 year old?
We are contemplating a trip to Beijing-Shanghai during the Easter break. We want to take the train but are just a bit concerned about the baby. Food, naps, climate etc since there will be a lot of sightseeing involved, not sure if this is a good idea. Has anyone done a similar trip with a small baby? Would you advise it or should we wait until the baby is little older?
- 02-16-2007, 03:16 PM #2Registered User
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Have not done Shanghai, but have done Beijing with a 1.5 year old and a 4 year old. We flew though, have no idea how long the train would take. It was very manageable, once you pace yourself and make sure that you have a buggy with you. We also hired a driver on days when we were trying to cover a bit more ground for 2 reasons; (i) so that the children's car seats were safely fitted (many Beijing taxis do not have seat belts) and (ii) we do not speak Mandarin (the doorman at the hotel would outline our itinerary to the driver, he also gave us his mobile in case we had any problems or changes in plans).
We went in late October, just after Golden Week. It was great, beautiful clear blue skies, neither hot nor cold and relatively clean air. Guessing thta Easter will be similar, but the air quality will probably be worse. We did find that things like Hutong bike tours etc. were out of the question, and we ate in hotel restaurants which is a bit boring, but the best thing for the children. Our 18 month old slept in the buggy while we were walking (one day we returned to the hotel for his nap). You can get an inexpensive guide as you walk into the Forbidden City etc., so that you can control the pace, get directions to the nearest bathroom etc. We also had a bag packed with snacks, juice etc.
It's not the same as going as a couple, but let's face it - holidays are different now. I think you should go, just choose the time of year carefully and give the plane a thought, there are some great packages available.
- 02-16-2007, 06:17 PM #3Registered User
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with a one yr old, if baby is not walking yet, it'd be a good idea to do sight seeing. once baby reached that toddler running age, it'd be difficult & unfair to strap him in a stroller all day looking at sights.
food - it depends whether you can let him eat anything you guys eat. if yes, then food is no problem. if you're picky & only allow healthy foods, then it might get tricky, cos u'd have to be ordering restaurant food most of the time & restaurants in china puts a lot of MSG, oil & soy sauce in their food.
climate - is easter in beijing the sand-wind whether? i'm not sure. pls check. if not, the weather should be cool.
naps- it depends on your baby. some can nap anywhere, some are very particular.
taking a train vs taking a plane. plane you have to worry about the pressure thing. there are somethings you can do to help, like giving him milk on take-off & landing. it work for some kids, and not for some. train takes longer but no need to worry about the change of pressure. but plane you can just check in all your luggage, but a train you have to lug your luggage up & down the trains.
- 02-16-2007, 06:24 PM #4
Thanks mum of 2. I'm mainly worried about the food and naps. Bcz I notice that if he misses his day time naps he tends to really irritable/excitable at night and it's very difficult to make him sleep which can be rather exhausting for everyone. What did your little one eat? Mine is still eating mashed/pureed foods (meat/veggies) and I am breast feeding. How did you manage in the hotel?
- 02-16-2007, 07:11 PM #5Registered User
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We just used room service. We were very specific about no salt etc., but he eats regular food, so that was not a problem. I had stopped breastfeeding by then, so brought ready made formula cartons and pre-sterilised disposable bottles (from B2B and Mothercare). BF is much easier.
The thing about the type of sightseeing that you do is Beijing is that there is a lot of ground to cover. The Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven etc. are in huge grounds. Once you are realistic about how much you can expect to cover, there is lots of space for a toddler to run around. I admit that my 4 year old got a lot more out of it (Mulan etc., obsession with thrones, fascinated by The Great Wall), but toddler is just happy to play with us and have a run about. Re. Great Wall - unmanageable without a backpack!
- 02-22-2007, 05:26 PM #6Registered User
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I will say it depends on your budget, since luxury tours are for all ages.
But if it is an economy tour, recommended not to make both you and your baby a tough time.
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