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Staying connected and in touch is so important, especially for those moments I’m out in the markets alone. I used a TEP wireless device last summer while traveling to London and loved the reliability so much that it was a must have for me while in India. I loved that there were no “roaming” issues as we went city to city as there can often be with local sims. There were also no surprise costs, it’s a flat fee per day which is super transparent. You can use discount LOVELAUGHMIRCH for 10% off rental and sales.
Having your flat iron or laptop charger stop working is the worst, especially if you’re relying on a device to work from. I always carry a good voltage converter for our electronics.
Both my husband and I are strong believers that it’s okay to be bored. Boredom leads to story telling, imagination, creativity and entertainment without being “wired”. We chose not to take a tablet for entertainment, not for the flight or the visit there. We took a pair of comfortable earphones so she could watch some inflight entertainment, a coloring book (with crayons) and sticker book she had picked out, a bead and lace set to make jewelry with and a pouch to collect keychains, her favorite souvenirs.
We’ve been traveling with my daughter from the time she was three months. She’s taken 38 flights so far to be exact. Many of those flights have been international journeys with just her and I. We’ve transitioned from soft toys, to water wow books, mini legos to jewelry making kits as she’s become older and we’ve never missed carrying a tablet/device. Not having a tablet that they can just zone into encourages children to focus on their surroundings, look outside windows, tell and listen to stories, talk/socialize with friends/family and just be more aware. It’s also a great time to unplug as a family.
Aside from these few items, I always carry a shawl or light blanket in my carry on as my daughter finds comfort in taking a nap with something familiar. Our travel outfits always consist of soft comfortable pants and tees, we want to be as cozy as possible. We encourage her to sleep as much as possible as it helps to pass the time and avoid days of jet lag. In addition, we tell stories about the destination, familiar fables or places we are eager to see and why. This is a great way to get little ones excited and involved about your journey.
Medicine: I keep a small first aid kit in my purse while traveling. While everything is available, it’s always nice to have some first aid items at your fingertips. For us this includes Aquaphor, Neosporin to go, bandaids, Dramamine, Imodium AD, Sea bands, chapstick, travel wipes and a gag bag. When she was younger I would also travel with infant/toddler Motrin.
Mosquito Repellent: So many of you all noticed our Deet Free Mosquito Bands in my Instagram stories and asked me what we were wearing. These bands were so effective and kept the mosquitos away, it also helped that they were adjustable in size so anyone from my husband to my little one could wear them. I also keep Badger Anti-Bug Balm with me when.
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Shoes: If your going to be out and about doing some light travel and/or sightseeing, get some comfortable flats/sandals. I love my memory foam flats and my daughters salt water sandals..
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Clothes: Depending on where and when you’re visiting India will impact whether or not you need layers or not. For our latest trip we were visiting Mumbai in early November November, when it’s still relatively hot and Jaipur/Agra in Mid-November when temperatures start to cool off during the early mornings and evenings. I packed cottons/linens for all three of us with a light sweater for us each. My daughter loved the comfort of her Masala Baby dresses and the fact that they didn’t make her sweat or itch in the heat. Use code LOVELAUGHMIRCH19 for 20% off your entire order at Masala Baby.
Accessories: I highly recommend a travel backpack when traveling with kids. We got this one for our last trip and loved how useful the multiple compartments were and it’s neutral color, which made my husband comfortable in carrying it most of the time (a lesson I learned when he had to carry a Disney Frozen backpack last summer 😉 ).
I carry a few of my daughters favorite snacks for the flights and for when she just misses a familiar taste. While there we also pick up things that she wants to try. Food has never been much of an issue with her as we know what she likes and what spice level she can handle and have meals made accordingly.
Many of you reached out on how we were able to drink the sugarcane without getting ill or how my daughter ate chaat without getting sick. As a rule of thumb the first two days while we are in India we stay away from any type of street food and stick to homemade meals. This gives our bodies time to adjust to the food and water change. Once we do start eating out we go to established places that we know are hygienic. We also avoid ice everywhere we go. While you can opt for bottled/filtered water, there is no telling how someone made the ice so we avoid taking any chances. Another thing that helped us immensely was the fact that we started our days with fresh coconut water, which is known to aid upset stomachs and be a great source of electrolytes.
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I hope this post was helpful! If you have any questions let me know and I’m happy to answer them and/or add to this post!
*Please note this is a guide for basic traveling in India, including family/friends visits and some light internal travel; it does not include items/suggestions for backpacking throughout India.
This is such a great post Nisha for anyone in general not just for people travelling with kids.
Also, do pick out a travel steel straw as many places have started banning plastic straws.
Oh such a good tip!