Would you like to go on a world trip with young kids? With these top 10 tips you’ll be fully prepared!

A dream many of us share… to go on a world trip with young kids. For me, this is something I have had high on my bucket list for quite a while now. But I can’t help seeing a lot of practical problems that stand in the way. Martine doesn’t. She is travelling the world with her husband and two kids “for as long as it’s fun”.

“My name is Martine (34). Together with my husband I have set up a well-running restaurant where we have invested 5 years of hard work in. During this time we had two wonderful daughters, Marley (3) and Vesper (1,5). Because of this I was spending less time in the restaurant but Bram was spending even more. We were living alongside each other. Luckily we found out in time that if we would continue this way we would be really unhappy. We sold the restaurant, rented out our house and decided to discover the world. We’ve been travelling for two months now and it’s been better than anything we ever dared to imagine.”

This brave woman shares her best tips with us.

10 Tips to prepare for a world trip with young kids

1# Take your time to think things over

From packing your backpack to choosing the right travel insurance. I’m usually the type of person that says “we’ll sort that out later” but luckily I thought otherwise while planning. I started planning two months in advance. We rented out our house so everything needed to go. Spending two hours each day packing made sure there was no stress or arguing involved.

2# Buy good stuff

It’s easy to save money on stuff you need for your travels but believe me when I tell you, you don’t want your backpack or toilet bag breaking within the first month. It may cost (quite a bit) more but it will last (quite a bit) longer too. You will be using this stuff a lot so it’s not really an option to handle it delicately.

3# Less is more

This wise quote applies especially while travelling: Do not bring too much clothes. Between the four of us we have 2 regular backpacks and 2 small backpacks on our travels. This keeps you light on your feet. We used the Eagle Creek packing cubes for our clothes. Everyone has their own bag and this keeps things nice and clear. One of the smaller backpacks is for all of our electrical appliances and the other is used for our daily trips for food and drinks.

4# Travel crib for your world trip with young kids

If you’re travelling with kids younger than 5 years of age be sure to bring a travel crib with you. For Vesper we took Nomads travel crib, ideal. Vesper always sleeps in her own tent, giving her a sense of security. It’s completely isolated so mosquitos and other vermin can’t get in. It’s made of cotton which means it doesn’t get too warm and it’s nice and firm so it can’t tip over. When packed it fits into our backpack and it doesn’t weigh more than 4 kilo’s.

5# Do not bring a stroller

We’ve thought about this for quite some time and are extremely pleased with our choice of leaving it at home. In Sri Lanka there is no pavement, it doesn’t fit in the Tuk Tuk and you surely can’t use it during rock climbing or when you’re laying on the beach.

6# Do take an ergonomic baby carrier ergonomic back carrier with you

We have the Tula Coast Baby Carrier which fits Vesper and Marley both. It has a mesh back that helps to cool down a bit. And if they want to walk you can just hang it around your waste. The weight of the kids is divided equally among your body. They are seated safely and comfortably. Especially in crowded areas where people come near your children the carrier can shield them from any unwanted contact.

7# The Dopper, a lifesaver for us

A water bottle you ca re-use which has a lid that serves as a cup. That way the kids can use a cup to drink water everywhere we go. For Vesper it can be rather a challenge to drink from a bottle but luckily, because of the Dopper, we no longer need to spill any water.

8# Take a mosquito net with you

You won’t need it everywhere but it will increase your choices of travel accommodations fairly. Especially in Sri Lanka this came in really handy. We sleep more comfortable under it and it doesn’t take up a lot of space.

9# Put money on your credit card

You will save money withdrawing. With Visa you ‘only’ pay 1.50 per cash withdrawal. With ING you pay 2.25 plus 1% exchange rate. Whereas if you don’t have any money on your Visa it will cost you 4.50 per cash withdrawal. Unfortunately you can’t pay everywhere with your credit card so you really do need cash on you. So it’s assuring you can spend less money on these kind of transactions.

10# Fill your phone up with useful apps

We use the app me a lot. With this you can download the map of each country so you will never get lost. The app Documents 5 is very useful to us to. With this you can save YouTube movies on your phone so you always have your kids’ favorite movies at hand, even without Wi-Fi. And last but not least, the 3G babyphone app. This way you can have a beer at a restaurant while your kids are fast asleep in their beds.

Are you ready for your world trip with young kids yet?! Would you like to read more about the adventures of Martine and her family? You can! Take a look at Wij reizen de wereld rond.

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