on travelling with kids Archives - 8 Feets And Heart Beats

The Frenzy of Fasnacht!

April 11, 2017 by Robbie Smyth Leave a Comment

So it’s time to stop racing down the slopes, frolicking in the feather light snow and chasing perfect snowflakes…

… we have a festival to go to!

Long before we arrived in Hasliberg my Swiss buddy had planned for us to join them at the city of Basel’s Fasnacht Festival!

I was told (perhaps warned?} that we were in for a whole lot of ‘local’ fun. Fun that was to include enormous amounts of noise, strange characters wearing bazaar masks and loud costumes, truck-loads of lollies for the kids (sweets or candies for my non-aussie mates) single roses for the ‘pretty girls’in the crowd (more on THAT later!) and kilos & KILOS of confetti.

We arrived by train in a cloud of floaty, misty energy from our very serene and ‘quiet’ little landscape of Hasliberg – straight, smack-bang into the middle of total chaos.

I’m not sure if it was the sheer amount of people or just the stark contrast from our simple village life that had me instantly on my toes, I wasn’t taking any chances here. I promptly went into ‘travelling parent survival mode 101’ and wrote my mobile number on the kids arms with permanent marker (a good little travel tip that could be a life changer in a crisis!) The streets of Basel were bursting at the seams with excited Baslers all scrambling for the perfect position to view the Cortège (the carnival procession). Through the crowd we stumbled and tripped and pushed until we found ourselves on a median strip, between two main roads. I’m still not sure if this was the best option for us little newbies, but there we were – the cortège running full steam in front of us, and full steam behind us – 360° – no escaping it. Nothing quite like jumping into the deep end right?!

The fresh mountain air was pushed right out of my lungs with the beat of that first drum. The silence of the snowflakes was replaced with the desperate cries of the kids pushing their little hands forward, heavy with the promise of lollies!

The here and now a complete contrast to our past 2 weeks in the snow.

To explain the scale of it, there are 12,000 carnival participants with 300 ‘chaise’, or what we know as floats.

Hanging out of these chaise are the ‘Waggis’. Outrageously dressed characters with larger than life masks whose job it is to throw all sorts of goodies into the crowd. Some of the missiles that whizzed past me were carrots, oranges, turnips, lots of potatoes, apples, radishes, bunches of spinach, packets of chips and flowers that resemble our Aussie wattle. And not to leave the kids out, there were showers of lollies, and of course confetti – SO MUCH confetti.

Marching before and after these huge and elaborate floats are an endless stream of musicians, called ‘cliques’.

Drums and flutes make up some of the troupes, and then there are the ‘Gugge ‘ – the shiny brass bands that follow on with their big bold sound. It was colourful, and LOUD, it was creepy and funny and scary and it was a total sensory overload of mammoth proportions.

As with most festivals across the globe there is quite a history, and with that a tradition to uphold. All of the groups that participate in the cortège run to different themes, usually something of significance that has happened over the past year, sometimes religious or cultural events, sometimes local or sporting, but mostly political it seemed. (needless to say there were a few Don’s running about in this year’s festival!) As well as the chaises and the bands, there is one other part of the group that is significant to the procession. This part could be easily overseen in all the flurry of activity, but it was interesting all the same. They usually have on the most interesting costumes and masks, and they walk along handing out printed papers to the onlookers. The papers are printed with poems or lyrics related to the theme that they are playing out, all in the local Basel dialect. Understanding this is difficult even to the Swiss I’m told, so literally impossible for us, but regardless of this, and with Jed not one to say no, I ended up with my pockets jammed with pamphlets as the afternoon wore on.

So – it doesn’t take long to figure out that most things in Switzerland have specific and strict rules. There is perfect order in this country. Think the ‘Swiss watch’.

The Fasnacht is no exception. The 3 day carnival really is an act of organizational brilliance – year after year after year. Through the chaos and madness of it all there is a solid framework of strict rules and timetables that must be adhered to, the Swiss know it, the visitors feel it! The Fasnacht begins at precisely 4am on the Monday after Ash Wednesday and continues for exactly 72 hours. It ends on the 4^th chime of the city clock on the following Thursday morning – PERIOD! Following this the teams of street cleaners move in and within a matter of hours the streets are spotless. The only hint that the carnival has moved through and completely consumed this city is if you look down at your feet, you may spot a stray piece of confetti stubbornly lodged between the cobblestones.

A vital tip given in those specific rules is to buy and wear a ‘plakette’ which translates to a carnival badge. They’re sold around the streets of Basel, and in our haste to get to our destination we failed to take heed of this all-important tip, a mistake that I would later regret! The proceeds of the plakette go towards the running of the festival and basically if you’re not wearing one you’re a key target.

During our briefing from Tanja we were told that the masked characters in the wagon cliques would be not only throwing lollies and vegies but also pick out the ‘pretty girls’ in the crowd and offer them a rose, this, of course, was the ultimate compliment. That said, when I was offered the ultimate prize – being the rose, I shied away and giggled like a teenager, pretending – ‘oh, it must be the lady beside me’, he he he. With much laughter and encouragement by my fellow carnival goers I made my way to the float to collect my rose…. now, remembering here that I wasn’t wearing my badge – BIG mistake! Down came the hand offering me the rose, and without a moments hesitation it had a vice-like grip on my wrist, one that only got tighter the more I struggled. I fought and twisted but to no avail. Before I knew what was happening I was pulled along with the float while a 2^nd masked figure proceeded to shove handful after handful of confetti down the back of my coat! I was giggling nervously and yelling to let me free, it wasn’t fun. You can imagine my horror when I finally managed to break loose and was shoved violently backwards into the crowd. To add to the sheer horror of it all during this scramble I took out a mother and baby as I went down! Apologizing profusely and red-face with embarrassment I made my way back to our place in the crowd. Regardless of whether it had been the lure of the rose, or the lack of badge on my coat, the experience of being made a spectacle of had left a sour taste in my mouth. The novelty of the carnival had quickly worn off and I was happy to make my way home, tail between my legs.

Thankfully, Tanja made me ‘get back on the horse’ and after a much-needed rest, and a few hours of the kids counting and recounting their mountains of lollies to see who got the most, we all headed back into the city for the evening Gässle.

This was by far my favourite part of the festival.

The streets in the old city of Basel are really lovely, particularly at night Cobblestone streets with narrow, winding alleyways, dimly lit ‘oh-so-lovely’! The atmosphere was magical. During the Gässle there are no vehicles in the streets, just group after group of piccolo players and drummers wandering through the streets, marching softly to their own hypnotic beat. We found ourselves lured by the carnival compositions of some of these troupes and marched along behind, quietly, happily in a sort of reverie. It was a lovely end to a crazy day!

Top Tips for Surviving Transit Times with Children

November 29, 2013 by Robbie Smyth Leave a Comment

Whether you love it or loath it, planning is the key to ‘stress-free’ travel with kids.

It’s absolutely imperative in my books!

Let’s be honest … there wouldn’t be many parents out there that could admit to enjoying transit times! I wish I did – but the reality is – I DON’T.

We’ve done enough travel now that I absolutely know that we’ll all come out of it at the end, but regardless of what my intellect tells me, my mind (and stomach for that matter) still scream the words FEAR & ANXIETY. I like to think that the backflips that my stomach is performing is all about ‘excitement’ … that’s crap – it’s my old friends ‘fear and anxiety’!

BUT, I have learnt that if I’m well prepared for the period of transit then my fear subsides a touch and the time seems to go by without too many hassles or challenges.

We’ve spent many, many hours in this funny state of transit. And I’ve made some pretty fine mistakes – doozie’s in fact, so this post is all about helping you to prevent my mistakes by giving you some tips that I, myself, look back on each time we’re about to embark on a period of transit.

When booking a journey we all want to get to the ‘other end’ as direct, and as fast as possible. In a perfect world, maybe without children, that’s possible, but when you have little travelling partners, trying to achieve this may end up creating a lot more angst and trauma than necessary. Slow down and take your time.

Always consider your travel partners when planning your route and booking your tickets. This will include their ages, their usual daily routines and even their personality!

For example, are they ok if they skip a normal sleep-time? and are they happy to sit still and entertain themselves for extended periods?

Work around them, book flights that will work into your child’s routine, and don’t fret if you need to book 2 connecting flights rather than the 1 direct one. Yep, It might possibly be a little more expensive but I can tell you from experience that you’re better to take a few extra hours, even days, to get to your destination if it means arriving in a sane and together state. Don’t push their little boundaries. Remember … happy kids = happy parents = seamless journey!

Try to book your route around nap times, whether that be flying to include the nap time or avoiding it totally, allowing them to be well rested opposed to tired and grumpy – not fun! Don’t push your children to extend their normal hours of ‘awakeness’. This will come back to haunt you, I promise that! The last flight I did was short so I flirted with danger – We were to board at 6am but I didn’t account for the 2 hr check-in and the 1 hr journey to the airport AND then I hr prior to departure to sort luggage etc. So my great idea of a reasonably early start turned into a 2am wake-up call, arriving in Australia at 10:30am to our ‘very excited’ arrival party waiting eagerly at the arrival gates, all bright and chirpy and ready for a day full of catch-ups and engagements. My poor little darlings managed to roll through it all, albeit with heavy bags under their little eyes and lead feet. I learnt from that one, our next flight is booked for a 10am departure! (still early but manageable!)

Allow plenty of time between connecting flights, and check the distance between the gate you will arrive at and the gate you will next depart. Each airport is different so you never really know how effective or sometimes downright ineffective this process will be. And keep in mind that you need to double the time to do anything when children are in tow! My general rule of thumb is to allow at least 2/3 hours from touch-down to take-off and, if you find that you breeze through the transit then you can always stop for a milkshake and cookie!

Ask your airline if they supply prams at the destination. Just this alone can save precious time not to mention your child’s little legs! If you child would rather run, and I expect they will, then use it for a baggage cart!

Another tip is to consider a stop-over or overnighter. If this works into your time schedule it can become just another part of your adventure, as well as giving plenty of time for rest and recuperation. Just make sure you check the distance from the airport or station to your accommodation, the last thing you need is to be stuck in a taxi or bus for another extended period. The hotels that are close to the airports are usually more expensive but personally I’m willing to tweek the budget a touch to allow for this bit of comfort and sanity saver!

The big question!

There are those people who do this effortlessly, you know the parents that seem to have more tricks packed into their teeny little daypacks than David Copperfield’s magic show. Well, I try ever so hard to be like them, sometimes I’m almost there, other times I just fail miserably! Most of the time I remember all the ‘less important’ things like lego and lollies, (a BIG no no!) and forget the vital components – like vomit bags and face wipes – ekkkkkk!

So…. Here are my tips

‘in their packs’…

– allow them to chose a couple of their favorite books (soft cover are good)

– light weight colouring in pads and sketch books, A5 size is perfect, and new pens & pencils (don’t forget a pencil case.)

– word sleuth and kids crosswords are great for 5+

– If they’re into electronics an ipad, tablet, Nintendo etc

– Their favorite teddy

‘in yours – for the kids’…

– Socks and a lightweight jumper

– A travel blanket (our absolute fave is a ‘quillow’ it’s small and doubles up as a pillow, we just couldn’t do without it!)

– Snacks – lots of little packages of surprises – sultanas, tiny teddies, banana chips, nuts etc etc

– Face wipes, small plastic bags for rubbish,

– Some sort of sweet to help their ears acclimatize

‘in yours – for you’…

– It’s decadent but I LOVE my Jurlique Rose Water spray. Sometimes you just need a spray of something lovely!

– I also carry a Jurlique Hand Sanitizer, not so much for the sanitizing component but simply because it’s a great product. I do struggle with the dry air in the cabins so rehydrating is essential for my comfort. And … it’s another bit of lovely!

– Speaking of the dry air I have eye drops to combat that as well

– Water, water, water! (first thing I do when I buckle up – ask the attendant for water!)

Now, just a bit for those parents, like me, that have children that are prone to travel sickness.

A lot of these things won’t work for the little darlings that suffer from motion sickness, if anything they tend to aggravate the situation. Reading and watching movies are almost always out for my boy so we tend to break the rules a little and allow him small sets of lego, or small hand held matchbox cars, trinket like toys. If we lose some parts during the journey then no stress. Now that he’s getting older he tends to sleep for most of the journey, this works for him (and me!) and I’m relieved to say that the travel sickness has dissipated somewhat for the last several journeys so x-fingers we’re over the worst! BUT with that said, I am always prepared!

– a change of clothes – for them and for you because most the time you’re the one wearing it!

– Dark plastic bags, zip lock is ideal if you can get theml

– Face wipes, and a damp face-washer in a zip lock bag.

– Mints or something similar

– Toothbrush and toothpaste

– I also bought Jed a set of wrist bands that are designed to work with the pressure points in the wrist to alleviate motion sickness. I had an enormous amount of success with these and still use them today. They’ll set you back AUD$30.00 but money very well spent!

AND, finally the most important tip of all, accept help if it’s available, and get the hostesses to remove the used bags, and bring you plenty of water!

During transit times you’ll undoubtedly be sitting on your butts for quite some time so dress for it! You can still look stylish and be comfortable at the same time!

For the girls … wear leggings and tops with room to move, boys, comfy pants and a tee. I always pack a lightweight jumper or throw, and a pair of socks for when the plane gets chilly, which they almost always do!

And I do exactly the same for myself.

I once considered starting a website on 101 ways to use a sarong. That’s how much I do!

In the past I’ve used them to provide shade as well as a little bit of warmth. I’ve used them as a ‘make-do’ seat belt for my toddler on the scooter and a seat cover to save burning our butts! I’ve used a wet sarong to comfort an unwell traveler and I’ve used it as a pillow cover when the pillows are looking a little grungy. I can keep going, possibly to 101, but I think you get my drift.

A sarong rates as my #1 Travel Essential!

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!

I think I’ve found the perfect little trick for a seamless journey! (I’d be interested to know if it works as well for you?)

Travelling with kids can sometimes resemble a roller coaster. Everything seems to be rolling along smoothly until you hit the next corner when all hell breaks loose and intuitively we, as the parents, know exactly when that’s about to happen! You can almost feel it in your bones. The secret lies in minimizing these peaks and troughs of transit travelling.

So, without further ado – my secret is …

‘The Lucky Dip!’

Firstly work out the time that you’ll be in transit and buy enough little goodies to allow for one per hour per child. Wrap them all individually, and put them in a special bag, one bag for each child.

When you feel that you’re heading towards a trough then bring out the ‘lucky dip bag’. Believe me it works a treat, no matter what age your little travelers are. Of course you’ll need to adjust the content for the age but it can work for all ages.

I put in all sorts of goodies, being mindful to reduce sugar considerably, if not all together. No kids wants a sugar rush while contained to a tiny area, and nor do you want to manage that. I try to make the surprise something that will entertain them for a length of time, not something that doesn’t really have a purpose like a figurine.

My Top 10 Tips on Travelling With Kids

November 24, 2013 by Robbie Smyth Leave a Comment

Whether you’re about to embark on a weekender or a never-ending journey, I’ve found that the basics of travelling with kids is pretty much the same.

A little note – these tips are written with my 2 younger travellers in mind so are pretty much directed at under 7’s.

A post for ‘Tips for Travelling with Teens’ will be posted soon – stayed tuned!

This is absolutely essential!

Put some time aside to plan well, you won’t regret it! It’ll be the difference of you being one of those families that glide through the arrive gates with a perfectly groomed child on each hand, big smiles on your faces and the wind in your hair, a sparkle in your eye – OR god forbid, one of THOSE families that resemble the Adams family, all red faced and flustered – all bent out of shape – kids running riot while you’re trying frantically to shoo away the half a dozen baggage porters that are closing in for the kill!

There’s so much to write on this subject, and many tips that I wish I had known when I started, so I’ve given this topic it’s own post, see here.

The intensity of this will vary according to age, but all children will get a kick out of being a part of the plan, after all it’s their experience too right?

For the little ones – this is simple, all they need is to hear your excitement and ‘travel chatter’. This will please them immensely and they’ll know on some level that what’s about to happen will be a positive experience. You can show them picture books about travelling and allow them to chose a few of their favorite toys to take along for the journey (but be warned – more than 3 is excessive!) Allow them to be a part of the journey from the start and allow yourself to get caught up in their excitement as well!

Books are one of the best tools to prepare your kids for travel. No matter what the age, you can immerse them in tales of far and wide! My good friend Jo has been kind enough to compile a comprehensive list of books to help you along the way. Here’s the link … ‘Booklist For Travelling Kids’

For the ones a little older, I’d say 5 +, show them maps, search the internet for information on your destination(s). Look for well-known sights and attractions and allow them to make a ‘wish list’ of all the things they’d like to see or do. Make a scrap book for them, and maybe you can help them to create a really simple blog so they can not only document their adventures, but keep in touch with friends and family at home.

This not only gives them a shiny new toy to take along with them but it can also double up as a great tool to encourage them to think a little bit about what they’re packing.

My kids learnt very early on, actually before we even left home, that loading it full of books and bulky items wasn’t too comfortable, especially when the much favored lego pirate ship is poking you in the back! Needless to say they re-adjusted their needs and wants pretty easily. (and the Lego ended up in the cases!)

Now, a personal tip here – be aware that if they’re really little, 4 and under, that groovy little travel bag that you purchased with such excitement, will more than likely be another thing that you’ll end up lugging around! That’s along with a sleeping toddler in arms, a ‘slightly older than toddler’ in hand, your pack on your back, and 2 ‘kiddies packs’ on the front. OUCH!

So if you’re travelling with little ones I’d highly recommend to buy a little backpack – more for the novelty than the actual practicality of it! And get the ones that are easily ‘squashed down’ then you can collapse it at any point and load it into yours.

Everyone gets excited about travel. The new places, new adventures, and everything that those experiences will bring.

Some of us spend hours, and hours and hours, scouring the travel guides, searching the net, reading travel blogs. (ummmm, no guessing who this is!) Some of us write up ‘to do and see lists’, some of us even have excel, colour coded spreadsheets showing the chosen destinations, hotels, and likely activities (yep, that’s my big sis ;))

That’s all great, get excited, BUT remember when you’re travelling with kids to keep it simple. Tag a few of your most desirable destinations and sights, and be ok to let go of the rest. Prioritise!

As adults our minds are fast paced, quick to digest new sights, sounds, experiences as a whole. And quick to move onto the next. Remember your kids aren’t there yet. Allow them the gift of time. Your children will take in so much more if they enjoy it, and let’s face it, no kid likes to be dragged from sight – to café – to gallery – to restaurant, to fall asleep in the taxi on the way home. Actually, to be honest, nor do I!

Take in one experience at a time, give them plenty of down time in-between, and SLOW DOWN! Remember you’re having a family holiday & adventure, you’re not a contestant in the ‘The Amazing Race’!

One thing I’ve learnt after being on the road with my 2 darlings is that the ‘down time’ can be equally as rewarding and satisfying as seeing a ‘Wonder of the World’. It also gives you precious time to further engage the kids in what they’re experiencing so far – ‘What did you like about that town’ ‘ What was your favorite part of yesterday?’ ‘What didn’t you like … and why’.

* A little homeschooling tip for those fellow homeschoolers out there – I’ve found that these ‘down-times’ create the perfect environment for reflection as well as further enquiry. It can also give you great inspiration for a brand new topic in your curriculum – now that’s gotta be a bonus!

Now that I’m on the subject of schedules, while I believe it’s of value to have them, it’s also absolutely imperative to be flexible with them.

Plans are great, but get ready to change them when the need arises. You may even throw your schedule to the wind as it takes on a life of it’s own. Great, go with it! Allow the kids to direct it somewhat and more importantly allow yourself to relax into the process. Have fun with it! There’s nothing as exciting in my books as those impromptu experiences that come with this sort of flexibility and change, they’re almost always more exciting that ‘the planned event’! (and make some great topics of conversation later!)

Be that hotels/home stays, cafes, restaurants or even activities, always look for the word ‘kid friendly’.

It’s pretty simple and ‘oh so true’ that happy kids = happy parents! I mean who wants to be scoffing down that delicious ‘Nasi Campur’ while balancing one cheek on the chair, constantly getting up and down and pacing the restaurant to check that your child hasn’t accidentally slipped down that ‘far too close’ ravine (with ‘shock horror’ no fencing!) that provides the ‘beautiful view’!

The same goes for home stays, hotels, bungalows, villas. Read this post …… and you’ll get why this is THE most important thing to consider! Put your ‘parent radar’ on and check for potential dangers. Remember that every country is different, and what we see as ‘potential dangers’ might look a lot different to the local people around you. Use your intuition here, but also try not to fall into the ‘helicopter parent’ role, by this I mean, be aware but not over cautious – provide your kids with a safe environment without depriving them a chance of adventure and discovery in their new environment. Let them climb that tree – as long as it’s not the one hanging over THAT ravine!

Seek out playgrounds, wide-open spaces and all the great ‘kid places’ around you. Find areas they can run, throw a ball, ride a bike (if you’re lucky enough to have access to one). This simple play is as important to their growth as is all the highly educational and cultural places that will be on your hit list.

And don’t be shy to talk to other travelling families. Get their recommendations and tips because most of the time, these precious tips are worth their weight in gold and more often than not, they’re not what the guide books will give you.

This goes without saying, their little legs are half the size of ours. Keep that in mind when planning your day OR be prepared to piggy-back a child (or 2) the distance!

There’s a great joy in seeing your kids excitement while riding in a tuk-tuk through the streets of Chaing Mai or a horse and cart over the Island of Gilli Trawangan. And guaranteed, it’s certainly a whole lot more fun for all of you than dragging tired kids way further than their little bodies are meant to travel. In all seriousness, that’s just plain cruel.

And yes, I possibly could have been put in the category of one of those cruel mothers …

Early on in our journey, I thought I was being all ‘travel savvy’ and decided not to pre-book a hotel when we arrived on Gillli Trawangan. I stupidly thought that we would have the freedom and more to the point, the ability, to casually stroll around the Island and find the perfect bungalow, in the perfect position, for the perfect price. BIG MISTAKE! We arrived in the sweltering heat after a LONG, bumpy, stinky boat ride that left both children with green faces, empty bellies and absolutely depleted in energy – with nowhere to rest their weary little heads. After a very stressful few hours walking, or more like trudging, around the dusty streets we ended up settling for a ‘far from perfect’ hotel that we later changed anyway.

So, my tip is – Book your accommodation ahead of time, even if it’s the first night while you get your feet on the ground and save their little legs the pain!

There is nothing sweeter than seeing the world through the eyes of a child.

They put a whole new spin on things and give you ample opportunities to turn your own mindset around. Some of my most precious, and hilarious moments during this journey are exactly that – through the eyes of my children.

You will have your own agenda, but take this opportunity, while travelling with your children, to regress and simplify the way you think. As parents we are so blessed to be able to have this opportunity, seize the moment and discover the world like a child!

With that said – keep a journal! You think these memories are etched in your mind forever but reality is, that for most of us that just isn’t true.

Keep a journal of your adventures, add in all the funny little things that your kids see and do. Keep their doodles and drawings and write about their experiences as you see it. If they’re old enough get them to journal about it as well. In time this little book (or blog for some of us) will hold precious memories of a journey that your child will re-visit over and over again. Keep the experience alive, it need not stop when your arrive home and the dust settles.

There can be no better travel tool than a camera. As adults it’s almost as important as our passport, so why not for our kids?

I have a very visual child that sees the world through his own lens, sometimes still frame and sometimes motion , so a camera is a natural choice for him. As he discovers the world in his visual way he also enrolls his little sister in his excitement as well. So, he’s not only a student of the world – he’s a teacher as well! And yes, at least half of his photo’s, and almost all of his movies are of Lego, face shots of his sister, and a lot of me in the kitchen (and I hardly cook – go figure!) but he loves it. He’s still getting used to looking through the lens, holding the camera still, and just realizing that he can do it.

Photography is a wonderful skill, and passion to have – why not encourage that in your kids!