Tips for getting ready for 2014

Even though I'm not planning any big international trips in 2014, I have a checklist of items I like to look at at the start of each year, many of which will apply to both international and domestic trips. Here are some of the travel-related activities I like to start off the year with:

• Check passport for both available pages and expiration dates. If you're planning on traveling overseas, it's good to have at least two blank pages available in your passport. Additionally, some countries require you to have a certain amount available before your passport expires before you can enter.
  
• Start checking airfares. Kayak is one of my favorite airfare comparison search engines. If you are traveling internationally, I recommend Vayama which specializes in international flights; I used the latter to find an awesome airfare to India in 2009. You can also use Bing.com's price predictor to figure out whether you should buy now or wait for a better deal (this service was previously known as Farecast).
  
• If you are traveling internationally, determine whether you need a visa. Obtaining a visa can be tiresome and bureaucratic; I still have nightmares of the amount of time and paperwork required to obtain my husband's Indian visa in 2009.
  
• Check with your insurance to find out what your coverage is while traveling overseas. In general, it's a good idea to review your coverage every year and to understand what's available to you when you're away from home, especially when it comes to out-of-network charges.
  
• Borrow a guidebook/video from your local library or discount bookstore on any places you might like to visit. Guidebooks are constantly being revised and unless you know 100 percent you're visiting that place, it's probably not worth sinking a lot of money into the books. In the past, I've used my Kindle to look up information on the Internet or buy guidebooks when I'm actually "in country".
  
• Review your vaccinations and determine if you need any new vaccines (Yellow Fever, for instance, comes to mind for some parts of South America) or a booster (Pertussis is an example). You might also want to talk to your doctor about any necessary vaccinations or medical care/precautions for your self and/or your children. If you're visiting someplace where malaria is an issue, there are medications you can take beforehand and afterwards, for instance.
  
• If you are a member of Costco, you can check out their travel deals, including discounts on car rentals that are about $20 to $40 cheaper (in our experience) than nearly anywhere else we look and can sometimes feature additional benefits such as a free second driver and a discounted rate on a GPS. We routinely rent our cars using a Costco discount.
  
• If you are renting a car at your destination, talk to your insurance agent about what your car insurance covers. You might also review your credit card to see if you have some additional protection there. Many times rental companies offer additional insurance coverage for a charge that you don't need to take because you're already covered by your personal policy and/or your credit card.

CDC health alerts

As you get ready to travel, it's always worth taking a look at the Center for Disease Control (CDC)'s website for the latest advisories on outbreaks, epidemics, vaccines that are needed, and other information. You can find information regarding traveler's health advisories here.

Going to the bathroom while traveling alone with baby

Safaa raised the question of how to handle the call of nature while traveling alone with baby? Depending on the mode of travel, the question of bathroom usage can be very tricky. I've had experiences traveling alone with baby by air and also by car so hopefully my hints can be helpful to you. I will say that it's not easy and can be stressful.

First, traveling by air, I found a friendly flight attendant to hold baby while I went to the bathroom. I wasn't terribly concerned about asking someone on the flight to hold baby for me, but I definitely preferred a flight attendant and luckily, found one who was willing! Just be advised that you'll need to wait at least until all flight attendant duties are over -- i.e. meals and beverage -- before asking and when the seat-belt sign is off. If no flight attendant is available when you need to go, consider asking a fellow passenger who looks friendly and responsible; there is always a grandmother or a mom who wouldn't mind a few minutes of baby time on board. Finally, as a last resort, you can take baby into the restroom with you and seat baby on your lap while going. This last bit is awkward and clumsy but if you're concerned about leaving your child with a stranger, this is probably your best bet. If you baby-wear, that's another option as well.

Traveling by road is a little easier, but I would never ask a person I find in the bathroom at a rest stop to hold/watch baby. Too many escape routes. At least on an aircraft, you know it's very unlikely for the person you ask to watch baby to take off with said baby.

When traveling by myself on the road, I usually put baby in a stroller and then wait for the handicap stall to be available and then wheel baby in and then use the bathroom myself. In many cases, the handicap stall is the one that has the changing table in it so I can take care of baby at the same time. If you baby-wear, that's another option as well. And if you're really, really lucky, some bathrooms have stalls that are equipped with a child seat attached to the wall that you can strap baby into while answering the call of nature. IKEA stores, by the way, have this nifty seat as do some airports.

Above all, when you are traveling by yourself  with baby, be hyper aware of your surroundings, especially on the road. Know the route well, travel in broad daylight, and carry a cell phone to let your loved ones know where you are. If something doesn't feel right to you, don't take a chance and keep going until you feel comfortable and safe.

Measles and traveling abroad

I want to give you a head's up regarding a major measles epidemic in the UK, and more specifically, in the greater Swansea area in southern Wales. As the UK is a very popular summer vacation destination, please do your research ahead of time, especially if you're traveling with an un-vaccinated child. This is not an insignificant epidemic; as of April 29, 2013, the number of cases reported in Wales has approached 1,000 and as of April 19, 2013, the the first measles-related death may have occurred. The BBC has some maps showing current measles cases in the UK here. You can read more about measles and vaccinations at the CDC's page here. Note that measles is highly infectious and can cause death. The World Health Organization has some sobering statistics on measles here.


If your child is under the age of 12 months and has not yet received a measles vaccine (commonly known as the MMR), talk to your pediatrician about it, especially if you are traveling to a part of the world where a measles outbreak exists. I got the MMR for baby at age 11 months as I was traveling to a part of the world where 50 percent of the cases originate; she had absolutely no reactions. The downside, however, is that baby did need to get another MMR at 15 months as any MMR prior to 12 months won't count for official vaccine paperwork.

Please take the appropriate precautions when traveling overseas after speaking to your trained health provider. Measles is a highly infectious disease that has the potential to cause serious complications in small children, including death.