Wordless Wednesday #296 - Goodbye, San Antonio

A Mom's guide to travel the world with kids - Johannesburg included #Kindle

Around the World with Kids

This very practical guide has been compiled by local moms from  each of the 20 cities.

Guess who contributed to the South African part! This Mom, Karen du Toit!
I have actually forgotten about, but it finally saw the light of day! I was glad to see that the suggestions are still valid, and I have Maropeng included in the list!

The following cities are included: London, Frankfurt, Rome, Zurich, Paris, Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Washington DC, Toronto, Mumbai, Delhi, Shanghai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Wellington, Dubai and of course, Johannesburg!

- This is a  very practical travel guide full of doable recommendations and tips from moms living in the cities!
- It is a great way to introduce your kids to the cities
- It includes tourist favourites in the cities included!

A birthday at Hard Rock Cafe in San Antonio

The Student celebrated her birthday in San Antonio. She knew what she wanted. To have lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, and to buy herself and a friend Hard Rock Cafe t-shirts.
The Hard Rock Cafe in San Antonio is situated on the River walk.
Each Hard Rock Cafe the world over has their own t-shirts with the name of the city printed on it!
It is a a thing: To collect Hard Rock Cafe t-shirts from all over!

Inside Hard Rock Cafe San Antonio

In the Janis Joplin booth

Little Miss got a whole booklet with colouring pencils to keep her busy

And a kiddies meal in a guitar (guess what she brought home?)

The birthday girl with her drink.
She also got the Hard Rock Cafe glass as a souvenir.

Little Miss was not impress with this birthday celebration. She thinks each birthday should be like the 21st birthday party we celebrated the previous year. We could not convince her otherwise!

Little Hoots

Next time we want to check out the Hard Rock Cafe in Sandton.
(Why have we not been there yet?)

Things a little girl gets upset about, or when she's an asshole

Little Miss has been extremely good on the flight to America. We have been preaching her for months about not throwing tantrums in that confined space... 

The in-flight movies and games and Ouma's colouring book helped tremendously! She also slept quite a bit during the 24-hour one-stop trip. (Huge sigh of relief!)

There has been a few episodes here that got her upset: 

- Not getting anything/something in the shops that she wants. (A couple of times! We are working on it!)

- She had to spend her pocket money immediately. It burned her pocket until it was finished! 

- She does not have anything to wear. (Although she packed the biggest selection of outfits!)

- She cannot decide on the shoes she wants to wear! (She is Six, people!)

- She HAD to put her stuff in a handbag, but not the one she has. A plastic shopping bag saved the day!

- She was upset that her sister did not have a "real" party on her birthday! She said Big Sister did not turn 22 after all. Although it was her sister's wish to celebrate at Hard Rock Café in San Antonio and get a special t-shirt from the shop. It has also been our most expensive restaurant outing so far.

- She accidentally dropped glow sticks at the Rodeo that we could not retrieve...

- She could not play in the stunning children's area at Bibliotech, the first digital library in the world with no books! It is only available to the locals. 

A work in progess...

I hope I do not have to add that much more!

We are also not making excuses for her any more. When she's an asshole, we say so! 

Little Miss, you keep us on our toes! 

(And humble / and feeling like bad parents all the time!)

Initial thoughts about America

We are visiting my brother in San Antonio, Texas. It is such a treat!

It is an one-in-a-lifetime experience, and Little Miss keeps on saying, while hitting her head: "Word wakker! Word wakker!" (Wake up! Wake up!)

It feels like a dream...

The Riverwalk in San Antonio. 

With my brother at the Statue of the patron Saint Anthony. 

1. The Americans are very friendly! You always get a "You're welcome!" When saying "Thank you!"

You do not feel as if you are doing them a favour while visiting their establishments. Exactly the opposite!

2. The Texan accent is a bit difficult to get used to. I only caught half of what our River Guide told us yesterday. 

2. The food is definitely bigger here! It is lovely and delicious as well! We are sharing our orders at restaurants. 

I am surprised that the Americans are not bigger because of this! I don't know how they eat that much and stay as thin! 

A lovely quacomole that was prepared in front of us.

3. Pancakes here are what we call flapjacks. Rusks are scones. They don't have Ouma Rusks. 

3. It is hot in the summer here! But there's luckily aircon everywhere! It is especially great since we left a cold South Africa coming here.

4. You drive on highways whenever you are going anywhere. (We tend to avoid our highways because of the e-tolls.)

5. The houses are big, without being fenced in.

6. The cars are big.

7. Everybody is walking around with an iPhone 6.

 8. There's wi-fi everywhere, and it works! Fast! It's the first time I am seeing videos playing automatically on my Facebook feed. I was not aware it was supposed to be doing it! 

9. The cosmopolitan nature of the people here makes us feel very welcome. 

10. The sun sets at half past eight in the evenings in summer! 

We love it here! 

Happy holidays! The 4th of July is coming up!

Tips for travelling to the USA with children

Kathleen Taylor (aka KatinAfrica from East Coast Life), promised me a few tips on travelling with kids to the USA on my blog post about What kind of tourist are you? As we are planning our own upcoming trip, these tips are really great to keep in mind! Thanks, Kathleen!


My brother lives in the USA and I have been lucky enough to visit him twice since I had children. Before I had kids, packing took ten minutes and I was happy to arrive at the airport with just minutes to spare before take-off. Now life involves planning and this is especially true of an international trip. Luckily the USA is one of the easiest countries in the world to travel to. They speak English and as a general rule, kids love American food. 

So here are a few tips I have learnt on our USA travels:

1. Chose the airline that you are going to fly with very carefully. America is a long (very long) flight from here. We have always chosen to fly via Europe. The long flight is overnight and the shorter hop across the Atlantic is during the day. You don’t want a long day time flight with small   people, I promise you that they will go crazy. Sleeping kids allows you the time for a movie, dinner in peace and a glass of wine. Make sure that they have back-of-seat TV’s and a selection of kid’s shows and movies. Your tablet will not last the whole flight and charging places tend to be limited in economy. Airlines that provided backpacks filled with toys, get extra stars. Check online for airline reviews and make sure that they are child friendly. As a general rule, the more things the airline offers for kids, the more kid friendly they are. Book the kid’s meal as they always get fed first. In my experience Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Lufthansa are awesome. Emirates is great but the 14 hour flight from Dubai to New York is very long for small children.  Avoid our national carrier like the plague.

2. In the USA, most airlines offer kids under 5 fly for free, ride buses for free and can get into a number of attractions for free. Restaurants often have deals that allow kids under 12 to eat for free as long as an adult is buying a meal. Google the area that you are visiting for kid friendly deals. 

3. Almost every hotel has family rooms that sleep 4 and they are often the same price or only slightly more expensive than a standard room. This makes travel with small kid’s very budget friendly. This works for as long as your kids are willing to share a room with you. 

4. Self-catering places are known as vacation homes and they are often very budget friendly for families if you plan to stay in an area for a few nights. Check out Air Bnb for ideas. 

5. Food is generally purchased in bulk containers at their supermarkets. Buy some resealable plastic bags and decant snacks and other foods. Food is cheap and the variety is huge. You will be amazed by all the kid friendly foods like Goldfish Crackers and string cheese. It is harder to find healthy food but it is there. Check out places like Trader Joe’s and Wholefoods. 

6. Hit the outlet malls. You can buy Gap, Gucci and other big brands for the same price as you would pay for Ackermans or Mr Price here. I go big and buy my kids clothes for the next two years. You should of course treat yourself and have a massive shopping spree. 

7. If you have the time and the funds, go to Disney World. Your kids will love you for it. Disney World would have to be a whole separate post but it really is worth it. The tickets are expensive but there is nothing quite like it. 

8. Let your kids eat McDonalds, Dennys and all the other junk. You are on holiday!!

9. Pack snacks and bottles of juice and water for your days out. Food and drink is very expensive at most attractions. The great part is that most attractions will let you take your own food and drink in.

10. Try to limit your trip to one or two States, depending on the length of your holiday. America is huge in a way that we just can’t comprehend. You will not be able to see everything that you would like to see in one trip. 

Enjoy your trip and most importantly relax. When you travel with kids, you can’t run around seeing things all day. They get tired quickly, so break up the day with swims, naps and calm activities. 

Photo from h3dwallpapers

Wordless Wednesday #244 - Clouds from above

See you on the next plane!

My travel vision board

I have a vision board on my computer about the places I want to go. It has been there since the start of 2012. It is mostly local South African places, not even overseas destinations…

(Maybe that is the problem?)

In my future vision I am going to Mozambique to swim with the dolphins.

I am going to Cape Town to eat fish at the Waterfront and at all the Bays. I am going to travel on all the wine routes, and taste wine and champagne and wine and champagne. (I have done a little bit of it, but it is something to do on a regular basis! Tick!)

I am going to the Drakensberg Mountains, and climb a few of those chain ladders again. (I have done it before. Tick!)

I am going to spend lazy afternoons on the beach at the Dolphin Coast in Kwazulu-Natal. (I have been there, this year at Umdloti, but it is still one of my favourite local destinations for a great family holiday! Tick!)

Up until now I have been doing vicarious travels to overseas destinations through the pages of books. And magazines. And blogs. And Facebook.

I have been sharing in the glorious travels of family and friends.

I have been soaking in the sun from pages glaring from destinations from white beaches and aquamarine water and mountains touching the clouds and open bush spaces littered with roaming wild life, and bustling skyscrapers and churches and castles bursting with history.

But I haven’t been there myself…

I wish that I could say that it is enough to have quelled my travel-lust, but of course we all know that it does not work like that!

Instead it fuels the desire to board the next plane to an exotic destination with an exotic name that needs to be Googled when you hear it first!

I want to go “there”!

I realize I desperately need to upgrade my vision board, and what a better way than to start today with this kick-in-the butt inspiration from the Travelstart Blogger Experience Contest being run.

Thumbs! 

See you on the next plane!

Travel Bag checklist - when travelling with little ones

I got this following checklist in my inbox, which I think is worth checking off just before going on on that much much much needed break.

After our accident on the highway on Saturday, I am crossing fingers and toes, hoping that we will still be able to go on that upcoming break. Our car doesn't look that bad, but we are not sure at this stage...

Sister Lilian suggests the following essentials for your travel bag for car and plane travels:

• A bag of special little toys that are only used in the car. Make sure the same toy is not given on each journey

• Music that soothes both little ones and their parents

• Mobiles dangled from the roof of the car

• A bunch of keys and a magnet are very useful for fascinating older babies endlessly

• Older children respond well to recorded stories

•  A change of clothes for inevitable spills and leaks

• Pampers® nappies and wipes (Luckily this one is not on my list anymore)

• Bottles and a non-spill cup

• A security item from home like a blanket (also for warmth as flights can be very cold)

• Rubbish bags

• Baby food utensils and cups

• Toys that baby hasn’t seen before

• A jacket and cap for small babies

• Healthy snacks like dried or fresh fruit

• A dummy for those who make use of one

This list was sent by the good people of Pampers Premium Care

Pampers Premium Care

Tips for a safe road trip, via the AA

This is the way every parent wants to travel. With a sleeping toddler in the back. 
But it most definitely does not pan out this way... Even if we keep our fingers crossed! 

I am also of the opinion that a holiday at home does not feel like a holiday. I believe that we sometimes have to get away to blow off steam and rest completely!

I like the press release by the Automobile Association of South Africa with handy tips for travelling with the family. 

Are we there yet?

Keeping a focus on both safety and sanity on your family road trips

For families getting away on that much needed holiday, the road trip looms large as a key challenge, often preventing you from both starting and ending the break on a high note. For parents, the stress of making all the arrangements, packing the car, getting the kids out the door and hopefully getting ahead of the traffic means that many are exhausted before even starting the car.

The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) has compiled a list of tips that will not only ensure you leave the house feeling more prepared and relaxed, but will also make your journey safer and more enjoyable for your children, helping you get the holiday started off on the right foot.

Before the trip:

1.     Plan the length of your trip. Be honest about what you and your children can handle in the way of a road trip. While older children might be able to deal with 10 or more hours in the car, younger children can’t. Generally speaking, young children should not be subjected to confinement in a car for more than six hours a day. This is just as much for your sanity as it is for theirs. 

2.     Children are prone to car or motion sickness so be prepared for this. Consult your doctor or pharmacist ahead of time and get the right medication according to age and weight. Most of these will need to be administered prior to departure.

3.     To avoid frustration, confusion and last minute run-around on departure day, start packing a few days before you leave. Discuss with your children what they want to take with and if they are old enough let them pack their own bags; with some guidance of course.

4.     Get your car packed and ready the night before if you are planning to leave early in the morning. This includes getting snacks, drinks, a spare set of clothing, first aid kit and other essentials prepared. Toys, books and other key things to keep your child occupied should be stored in the car where it is easy for them to reach whilst not causing any safety concerns. Make sure the DVD player is charged and the screen set up where it won’t distract the driver – and remember to ensure the screen is securely fastened so that it won’t fall down and cause injury.

5.     Make sure your home is secured and you have made the necessary arrangements to ensure you can enjoy your holiday with peace of mind.

Keeping your precious cargo safe:

1.     Ensure everyone in the car is safely secured. South African law states that all vehicle passengers should wear a seatbelt at all times and the onus is on the driver to ensure it happens.

·       A baby should be in an approved and preferably rear-facing child seat.

·       Older children (15-25kgs) should be secured in a booster seat with a seatbelt on, preferably in the rear of the vehicle.

·       Never place a child seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with airbags unless they have been deactivated.

·       Small children (less than 20kg) should not sit in the front passenger seat if the vehicle has a front passenger airbag that has not been deactivated.

2.     Never allow children to stand on seats or sit on other passengers’ laps.

3.     Ensure doors are locked and activate the child locks on rear doors to avoid children opening them while the vehicle is moving or in unsafe places.

4.     Make sure your baby is not exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time while in the vehicle –block the sun with a towel or shade screen.

5.     Never leave your baby, or pets, unattended in a vehicle - temperatures can easily reach over 40 degrees celsius within a very short period of time, and this can cause heat exhaustion and even prove fatal.

6.     When parking, make sure you have good access to the side of the vehicle that your child’s seat is fitted on.

7.     The trip home after the holiday has ended is always the least enjoyable part. Ensure not to rush home as this will put you and your family at risk. To ensure your safety all the way home, rather treat the trip home as part of your holiday – so keep your speed down and enjoy the scenery.

8.     For peace of mind, keep your AA Membership card and AA Emergency Call Centre number at hand 0861 000 234.

Keeping boredom at bay:

1.     Take regular breaks. Make sure to stop every one and a half to two hours or every 200km to give yourself a break and also give children the opportunity to run around and burn off energy. There are great child-friendly rest stops along all major routes that cater for both yours and your child’s needs.

2.     A great way to avoid the inevitable question - are we there yet? -  is to give children a map, or, even more fun, help them create their own before your leave. You can trace the route together and point out interesting landmarks so that they will have a sense of where they are going.

3.     Those ‘old school’ games of ‘I Spy’ and ‘Car cricket’ are great ways to keep children occupied and entertained on long trips. Use these along with sing-along-songs and CD stories to keep children entertained and create family traditions along the way.

Of all the above, the most important tip is to keep your sense of humour and wits about you. A long trip need not be stressful and can be a great opportunity for the whole family to reconnect and talk about plans for the upcoming holiday!

Enjoy your road trip!