Here comes the fourth and final part of my personal observations on traveling with Junior. He is now 19 months old and has spent about 6 months of his life on the road. I had already traveled to more than 100 countries before he was born and was on the road as much as possible every free (vacation) day, semester break, semester abroad, internship abroad, etc. Over time, you gain experience and develop individual routines. I have incorporated all of this into my travels with offspring. Being on the road is the most normal thing in the world for me. Having a child is also the most natural thing in the world once you have become a mother. So one does not exclude the other and so the maternal and the travel instincts & routines combine. J!

Being on the road is in our blood

Arriving in a new country, my first two organizational items on the to-do list are to get cash in local currency (exchange rate should be found out in advance!) and a local SIM card (for my dual-SIM smartphone if outside EU roaming). And then it's off to the accommodation, get rid of the luggage first (if necessary transfer or rental car organized in advance because of child seat, otherwise informed about public transport in advance!) And Junior usually inspects our new (hotel) room right away - or I remove potential sources of danger (put away breakables/put them upstairs etc.).

By the way, on round trips I always book the first night and the rest usually from day to day. I don't look at the departure location until just before I go home, if possible. That way I have a buffer in case something goes wrong on the way there without missing my return flight. With all departure times, especially with the little ones, just plan a little more buffer - this also applies to bus, train and plane! When renting a car, transfer shuttle or taxi, child seats are booked in advance if possible. On the bus, I don't choose the front rows.

I always felt that my little one enjoyed the attention of other people. It didn't take long for him to start "flirting" with strangers. When bystanders start to smile, my eyes go to my son, who usually charms his peers with his grin, or lately, even waves at them. It's just beautiful how children socialize without prejudice. He doesn't have any fear of contact and he hasn't really been alienated after it was normal for him to be around people from the beginning. Sitting in the baby carrier offers closeness and security to mum and dad and at the same time it supports him to live out his curiosity about the world. He is always looking left and right at the environment with great interest. And when he is tired, he (mostly) just falls asleep. When travelling I only had the feeling that he needs more sleep to process the impressions of the day. Still, nothing unusual for me.

Carrying = closeness and security = safety = love = much more

Babies are more adaptable than you think. It's all about the caregiver, especially mom, and that provides stability. On the road, I've always found babywearing especially valuable for giving my little one security through closeness. Wearing the Flip in the front has the advantage of eye contact and smiles confirming to each other that all is well for my little darling. The carrier is simply an integrated "snuggle system" and still ensures that you have your hands free. Plus, when you're carrying the baby in the front, there's room for a daypack on your back. And again, I always take my favorites with me when I'm on the go, which have simply stood the test of time. Carrying a fanny pack or having dad with you for the daypack, of course, make it possible to carry in the back as well.

On the road you will always have to show improvisation skills. First of all, you can't plan everything and secondly, not everything always goes according to plan. But our little ones also demand flexibility from us at home!

By the way, the stretcher is also an all-rounder in an emergency. One example for me was taxi rides. It was not always possible to organise child seats in taxis and in some countries it was neither compulsory nor usual. Our compromise was that the person with the child in the carrier sat on the back seat and buckled himself in between his own belly and the child's belly while supporting the head with his hand. This is how our KOKADI Flip became a car seat a few times!

If you want to avoid such an improvisation, you should rather add a child seat without Isofix to your luggage (if necessary, check for approval for airplanes!)! Everyone takes different safety measures and makes decisions not only for themselves, but their child. In everything we do, we must be able to assess potential risks and make an appropriate decision FOR US and OUR family. The main thing is to be aware of your responsibilities and make conscious decisions.

Daily life with baby on the way

Every country has different infrastructure and legislation. Just as child seats are still compulsory in other countries, as they were in Germany until 25 years ago (child seats only became compulsory in Germany at the beginning of the 1990s), the same applies to everything else.

Many years ago cloth diapers were still the norm in Central Europe, today they are rather the exception. Which diapers suit you better: try it out! Cloth diapers have to be washed, but in holiday flats you will often find washing machines and there is no lack of launderettes to wash your clothes at least once a week. Often, there is even a launderette for guests in hotels or holiday resorts for a few Euros!

At least in larger cities, the supermarket shelves are usually well stocked with diapers. You can buy nappies almost everywhere, only the quality varies. Here is a selection of my experiences:

- Pampers in Spain are called "Dodot" and the tabs are worse made.

- Pampers in Russia are perfumed

- Pampers in China are constantly overflowing us

- In Australia, I could only have ordered Pampers by mail order and I was personally not completely satisfied with 2 other tested brands.

Depending on the length of the trip, I almost always had a flat 1 pack of nappies and 1 pack of wet wipes in my bag; the rest was then bought locally.

Also baby food and milk powder etc. you can get in well sorted supermarkets around the world. Often you can find brands imported from Central Europe, some of which are worth their weight in gold in terms of price.

During the time of baby food (during our Transsib tour) we had jars with us for a few days in the beginning and then always stocked up on baby food for a few days during our 10-week trip in the cities. Always so much depending on when we planned to get to a bigger city with proper infrastructure next time. It's also worth asking around the locals what babies get locally. In Mongolia, this was a meat and rice porridge (no vegetables!). In Thailand, a friend reported that her little one there ate "Baby Thai Soup" with relish every day. If you prefer to prepare your own baby food, then you will need more infrastructure, which you will have to plan for. A cooking area in the accommodation should then be available!

Check where the nearest supermarket is near your accommodation. Water, nappies and washing powder are hot candidates.

I am extra careful with tap water. For drinking, I always bought bottled water especially for my little one. Both as a drink and for mixing milk powder. Better safe than sorry! A kettle belongs almost everywhere to the standard equipment. When booking your accommodation you can also ask for one!

If something is missing, you can buy almost everything on the way! Don't pack too much out of panic! There are also babies in other countries and they usually thrive quite well!

The changing facilities on the road were mixed. Most of the time you had to improvise and spread out a pad somewhere, on the ground if need be, to change your baby. A talent for improvisation is always needed. A piece of clothing often had to serve as a soft base for my son's head. Sometimes it worked on tables, other times on the kitchen counter in the holiday apartment or on the bed. And in Australia and South Korea we were totally spoiled, because every restaurant, every museum and every supermarket had a (sometimes luxurious) baby changing facility. In Australia, not only did they have baby changing stations, they had microwaves and breastfeeding corners...everywhere!!! This was very convenient!

When choosing to stop in, I always took a look at the amenities in addition to looking at the price list. Whether there were high chairs, how hygiene and child-friendly food was, and whether there were baby changing rooms... Priorities just change. If it wasn't obvious at first glance, I would ask.

A few biscuits and a straw cup of drink are always in my daypack for quick cravings on the go. If you can't or don't want to stop in, then it's best to already consider organizing food for the day from a supermarket in the morning, depending on the day's program. For breastfeeding I always found a place somewhere, sometimes more comfortable and sometimes less comfortable. During the Way of St. James, for example, I sat down on a bale of straw to breastfeed because there was nothing else available far and wide.

Even if you speak several foreign languages, communication on the road can be a challenge. I found this particularly challenging in China. However, the combination of a local SIM card (for internet), a pre-installed VPN app, and an offline translator app made for some veritable communication! It's great what technology simplifies these days! Offline maps also help immensely with navigation and avoiding getting ripped off by taxi drivers, for example. Just check out my recommendations for apps for on the road (see part #1 Planning & Preparation), and decide in advance what could bring YOU a relief!

The daily routine

When your offspring is happy, you have an "easy life" yourself. Therefore, it's best not to add too much unrest to the daily routine! I have always tried to base my daily routine on my son's rhythm and preferences for eating, sleeping and playing. If he was happy, I was happy! In the process, I almost developed a controlling eye on the clock. When and how long he sleeps in particular and how long the intervals are between his meals etc. To some extent I did the same at home, but along the way I had other "critical fixed points" in mind. Breastfeeding at passport control, for example, is not a practical time. And especially the meals can be steered or brought forward. When walking or sightseeing, my little one was mostly asleep, so I tended to schedule that around his usual bedtimes. And meal times, I usually timed that to a cafe visit or a picnic opportunity in the park. There also needs to be plenty of time to play and let off steam. Most of the time, that was following dinner. Or while eating, the favorite toy for months was a spoon. Basically, the little ones find everyday objects as toys. With real toys, there is no need to overprovide at all, they can let their creativity run wild. In addition, child-friendly places also offer a few toys. Our little ones discover the world - and this also applies to our (boring) everyday life. When it came to everyday items, I only had a glimpse of potential "worst case" scenarios, such as things made of glass that could break in the worst case scenario. Once I didn't know what material a decor item was made of and tested it myself before I would have given it to my son. Just in time I found out that it was made of glass and gloriously cut myself on the shards. Good thing I had tweezers and band-aids handy in the first aid kit!

I hide a few (favorite) toys just before the trip and then have them handy for my little one on the go. Then it's a tried and true toy that's interesting again. But such toys have to be small and light for me, and attachable to the backpack with my all-round carabiner. By the way, such a carabiner is practical for many things (e.g. also as a key ring or to fix dirty shoes on the outside of the backpack).

I am rather reluctant to book day trips in advance. I don't want to subject my son to a fixed corset of what time meal and break times are. So far, I've only participated in (short) tours on the spur of the moment and otherwise organized everything myself as much as possible with rental cars and such. But again...you know best what works with your little ones, and what doesn't. And keep an open mind too, preferences can change with age too. No two trips are the same. I could already tell that playgrounds, beaches and parks are high on my list. My daily itinerary now includes less museum visits and more kid-friendly things. But don't go crazy, many sights can easily be made kid-friendly. In South Korea, for example, every palace visit was a sandbox visit in my son's eyes. While he played with the sand and pebbles, I got to admire great structures. Compromises are always found somehow!

Wind and weather

The best sun protection is still long sleeved clothing. Besides a UV sun hat, I still relied on a special sunscreen for babies with high SPF...and sometimes baby sunglasses. In ultra hot temperatures, however, we haven't been able to avoid short sleeves. We are very behind with sun hats and sunscreen then though. Baby skin tends to be more sensitive, so it pays to pay closer attention. The choice of sun cream is also a matter of taste. We tested 4 different baby sunscreens and found our favourites. One favorite is a super sunscreen with "travel-ready" packaging. A second favorite is used at home because unfortunately the packaging tends to break. Test yourselves out...everyone just has different favorites!

For the beach, I had gotten a special long sleeve UV swim suit and swim shoes. There can always be broken pieces lying around on the beach. Bathing shoes are also slip resistant and also came in handy for open showers when my son wanted to join me in the shower to splash. Long sleeve UV swimwear dries quickly, protects from the sun and prevents heat stroke. Whether to put a swim diaper on underneath is a matter of taste and also depends on whether you are in the backyard, beach or pool....

If it's rather colder, then I swear by the onion technique (for more on this, see Part #3 Hiking with Baby). Also, I loved a fleece suit for him so much that he ended up having it in 3 different sizes. Small pack size and big impact! Of course, if you prefer to use softshell or wool whale, that's legit too! If you like to use gauntlets at home and the weather at your destination is comparable, then pack them for the road too. Apart from that, I had a jacket extension for my windstopper jacket, under which he was kept warm and well protected if need be.

If you are travelling in flat terrain, then an emergency umbrella is difficult because of possible wind. It's really a "pain in the ass" to choose what to carry for emergency rain protection. In any case, a professional rain poncho with a very high water column was a proven companion on the Camino de Santiago. Ask around, get advice from a specialist shop regarding your plans...and then decide!

Food and drink

Somehow I have a soft spot for Muslim countries. The people there are especially child-friendly. However, if you are still (fully) breastfeeding, it can be quite a challenge there culturally. The USA is also quite difficult when it comes to breastfeeding. It's best to find out what is culturally appropriate in your destination before you leave. And if in doubt, always observe other moms anyway and just ask fresh, chipper, happy, open-minded questions about what is customary in the place.

I enjoyed breastfeeding (fully) for a long time. It was always available and infinitely convenient on the go. I never had to worry about sterilizing bottles on the go. And if I knew there was about to be a border crossing or other unpleasantness, I simply offered my little one the breast just beforehand so that we would have the topic "through" at critical times.

Most countries are much more child-friendly than ours anyway. And if you ask nicely, you also get hot water for the milk bottle or whatever other little things you need. With children you really enjoy a bit of "puppy protection" on the road, I think. Since I weaned and rely on formula milk, there is more to consider logistically. I have already filled the bottles with the right amount of milk powder for the plane, so that they only need to be filled with hot water. Powdered milk is sensitive to light, so the powdered bottle stays in the backpack until it is used. Otherwise, of course, the same "rules" with boiling etc. as at home must be followed. You have to rely on a kettle or hot water to a certain extent. Think about your usual daily routines and prepare bottles, milk powder and something to stir accordingly!

Once complementary feeding time is over, that's when it gets exciting with sharing food. My little one has also been eating kangaroo burgers with me. Some days he dug in and other days he was "on a diet" in my estimation. But little ones in particular are already getting what they need. And the cravings are primarily based on what the body is lacking. That's why I'm pretty sporting about it all, unless extremes are prolonged. After all, you can tell by what "comes out" again that everything is normal! Our body and our instinct are damn clever and unfortunately we trust them too seldom!

In any case, it is important to have enough liquid with you. I always had enough bottled drinking water, or bought it in supermarkets, kiosks or cafes if necessary. For the emergency ravenous hunger on the road I mostly relied on biscuits, sometimes also squeezies. I already had zipper bags from home for the cookies, which could be used in a variety of ways on the go. But no one knows your child's tastes like you do. Have a few favourite things with you and consider if necessary the perishability and how suitable the respective food is for everyday use with cutlery etc. as well as the respective supply situation on site!

Sleep rhythm

My junior is basically an early riser. After getting up he has to let off steam. Once his teeth have been brushed, nappies changed and breakfast eaten, we set off. Well wrapped up in the baby carrier. After a bit of looking around, the first morning nap is usually on the agenda. Then at some point lunch and let off steam and in the afternoon the next nap. Depending on his age, the times and duration of his naps vary. I do, however, time walks or car and bus rides to match his anticipated nap schedule whenever possible. The night before, I usually think about the program for the next day, then improvise on the order depending on my little one's mood. Walks and breaks are coordinated with him and his respective rhythm.

Long car rides are always a drama for us. We put them off until the night. Everything is packed into the car the night before. At night around 2-3 o'clock (depending on the time of the trip) we get up and put him in the car seat practically immediately before departure. So he can sleep on and sleep away the journey. In the car I always have a cuddle cloth or a baby blanketfor emergencies. If it is cold at night, I can cover him up with it.

Rarely he was tired but too hyper to fall asleep. A great trick is to tighten the headrest of the baby carrier and put a spit-up cloth or snuggle cloth over it so that he can't see out of the carrier. Falling asleep without distraction was then suddenly a breeze! However, this only worked on the train or plane, where you can move freely ...

The sleeping rhythm has hardly changed due to the journey itself except for longer sleeping times. Only when time changed to a new country did it digest about 2-3 hours a day. When we flew east, we went to bed pretty late and already at dark on the first day, while we slept longer the first few days. Daylight helped with the transition, which was just gradual. Within a maximum of 5 days we were always fully arrived in the new time zone. The time change towards the west always went faster and more flawlessly for us. So for short vacations, I like to choose a destination with a maximum 3 hour time difference, tend to travel east and give us an extra time change day at home before the daily grind starts again. When my son turned 18 months old in May, we had just returned from South Korea. He actually mastered the 7 hour time change both ways within 1 day. Here, however, we also had a direct flight. Without changing the flight there was no unnecessary unrest. By the way: don't be afraid of long flights! The time passes much faster than you can look.

And since the topic "sleeping" is really important, a few words about nights. Let's put it this way, we don't do any experiments on the road, the routines from home are adopted as much as possible. When he slept in bed with me at home in the beginning and was fully breastfed, we naturally did the same when traveling. When he started sleeping in a cot at home at almost 10 months, I also booked cots for the following trips (and covered them with a cuddle cloth with a scent from home). Sometimes he's slept through the night in them, just like at home, but most of the time he's moved to my bed for a cuddle at some point. The latest phase at home is that he needs a big bed to sleep in. The cot in the nursery had to give way to a 1.40m bed. Since then I don't book a baby bed on the road either, but then let him sleep in the "family bed". In South Korea, I had therefore always booked an extra wide bed, and sleeping was almost better than at home. However, I always went to bed early and didn't need a baby monitor or a baby monitor app for my mobile phone. Let's see how it goes on the next trip!? The motto is: stay flexible and respect the needs of the child! This is my way with my child...listen inside, trust your instincts and you will find YOUR individual way! For us it works so very well J!

A few last words

Every age has its individual challenges and advantages and disadvantages. The first trip (Camino de Santiago/Spain) I was fully breastfeeding and one of the biggest challenges was "putting him down" for showers. He was way too wild about body contact, but couldn't roll over or sit by himself. On the next trip (Transsib, etc) he was able to turn and sit on his own and engaged a bit more independently. I did find the complementary food procurement quite annoying though. By the third trip (Australia) he learned to crawl, was much more independent, but also much more mobile and unpredictable. I also suddenly had to coordinate formula and bottles. By the fourth trip (Mauritius), he could walk and I was traveling with him for the first time when I had already weaned. So on the flights, he didn't "just fall asleep" at the breast. At the same time, it was infinitely cool to just watch him play in the sand on the beach and think "what a big boy!" And on the fifth trip (South Korea), I mainly had to coordinate where I could confidently let my "runner" run. This was at landmarks and parks. Then in traffic and on the way from A to B, he happily returned to rest in the Babywearing sat and became a content Tragling. I'm excited to see how the next few trips go. And I am sure that even I am far from finished!

At our wedding it was "Happy wife, happy life!"...but in the same way it can be transferred to the offspring: "Happy parents à happy children!" And if we as parents are already the center of attention for our children at home, we are even more the center of attention on the road. Nervousness can be transmitted very quickly, the little ones have really incredible antennae! When in doubt, radiate calm and composure and trust that everything will work out again, even if things don't go according to plan! Also...usually the environment is 10x more helpful when you're out and about with a child. I've always felt like I've had the benefit of "puppy protection" so to speak. And if something has to be organised, the baby carrier is simply worth its weight in gold: it offers closeness and security and gives us space as well as a few free hands to organise certain things. For me, it's simply the perfect way to carry my child and have him close to me. Even though I briefly thought that life with a baby was over, I now say that it is simply different, but in any case an enrichment. Thanks to our KOKADI baby carrier, I always had the feeling that my little one was walking along naturally and taking part in my life. I was able to gather so many positive experiences and realize that not much has changed when traveling - only that now I get to discover the world through my son's eyes! Including some playgrounds and many more personal encounters along the way!

And now enjoy your life, enjoy the precious time with your darlings J! Do what brings you joy! And always remember: "KOKADI connects!"

Your Verena aka "Mama Weltenbummel"

P.S.: What other ultimate tips do you have in store for the road?