For months now, Jeff has been bugging me to take Gwen with us when hiking. It’s just for a day hike but I’m still hesitant about it. He showed me websites and blogs of families going hiking and yes, it’s possible to take babies out in the woods. But all those sites are from the US and Europe and I haven’t encountered a Filipino family doing such (baka kami una??)
We are a couple who loves to travel, no doubt! When we got married, we had a blast traveling to different places together for three years. I thought we can’t do this lifestyle anymore when we already have a baby. So we made the most out of our baby-less married life. And suddenly this blessing came and we’re so excited. But at the back of my mind, I was calculating the months of my due date and then poof, it’s near our South Korea travel dates. We were supposed to experience our first snow last January of 2011 if we didn’t have this bundle of joy. What’s supposed to be our last hurrah before a new addition to family arrives was postponed. Heck, we even have a notion that once the baby’s out, we have to say goodbye to the wanderlust lifestyle, all travel plans shelved.
For one, it’s difficult to explore and get lost in unfamiliar places with a crying baby in tow. Aside from that, consider all the necessities you have to bring such as baby bottles, lots of clothes, baby food, bottle sterilizer etc… Others find it expensive to travel with a baby too.
But we proved it wrong, we were able to do it when Gwen was 7 months old and we had so much fun, we became more involved and hands-on with Gwen on our short trip so traveling with a baby is not a problem to us since then.
Here are some tips on how to make traveling with a baby possible:
1. Look for a homey and well-equipped accommodation. If possible, stay at a friend’s house. When we went to Singapore, we stayed at a friends house so we’re free to use all the facilities, I was able to cook, wash the feeding bottles, cook and reheat baby food, do the laundry etc… I can’t do all those things when we stayed at a hotel. But if you don’t have friends who are willing to adapt you in other countries, there’s Roomorama. I consider Roomorama as your home away from home because you can use all the amenities available in the apartment while you’re there, it’s part of the package. This is very convenient compared to staying at the hotel wherein your actions are very limited. If you’ll be traveling with a baby, kids, with the whole family, this is the way to go.
In fact, we’re going to use it on our Hong Kong trip this year and we’re looking for nice apartments as early as now:
Roomorama Hong Kong
If what happens in January will dictate what will happen throughout the year, then I can say that 2012 will be full of parties and travelling! At the start of January, we attended Jollibee parties weekly, much to joy of Gwen. Then, her grandpa surprised us with a trip to Aklan, he’ll be bringing the whole family for some sort of family reunion next week. The family will have a thanksgiving mass and a small party for the family. Too bad the famous Ati-Atihan festival is happening now, a week shy of our arrival in Aklan. But just the same, we’re still excited to be back in the province.
What do you miss most about going back to the province? I wrote before how we enjoyed the rural life, how we just lazily lounge and have breakfast in the outdoor furniture. Gwen would jump around my aunt’s luxury garden furniture and make plenty of excited shrieking. She’d sit in the pebbles in the garden and throw some to the dogs. In the afternoon, we’ll head to the beach front and pick up stones, listen to the waves and watch the sunset. Time seems so slow back there, so relaxed unlike here in Manila.
It’s been 2 weeks since we went to Aklan, we were rejuvenated after that vacation but with the holiday rush in Manila, stress starts to build up again. More workloads, more traffic, more people in the malls and groceries, less parking spaces, less time to mingle, etc…
I miss the rural life where time feels so slow (I didn’t wear a watch during our vacay), fresh air, waves from the ocean (my aunt’s beachfront house), vibrant colors from the garden, and the secure feeling in the province (no holdapers, pickpockets, snatchers, etc…).
Gwen really enjoyed her mini-vacay too, I’m sure! Aside from her Boracay trick-or-treating, just their simple bonding moments with her Daddy is priceless. When you’re on vacation, who needs toys anyway? When you have the whole surroundings as your playground….
First time to play in the sand
I never knew that going to a Trick or Treat can be so exciting. Again, the stage mommy in me is very excited to have our first trick or treat even if she can’t appreciate the candies. Well, at least, Daddy took a lot of photos and videos for us to show when she gets older.
We’re back! We spent my birthday and the Halloween in Boracay. Gwen spent her first trick or treat there, I told Jeff that we’ll spend the halloween next year in Boracay again. Boracay is like a home away from home for us, being there a few times but this time, it’s extra special because we now have a +1. And I’m looking for more Boracay travels when Gwen would run along the beach, build sandcastles and learn how to swim.
more like a before and after shot, photo above taken in 2008
