Original Travel know family travel
My new family travel blog series for Original Travel launched today, with lots of savvy family travel tips, naturally. The first post looks at top destinations for toddlers. I’m itching for South Africa myself.
May 16
Something for the weekend
LLL reviews a slightly bonkers British bolthole in Tatler this month…
Fashion pop brights for family holidays
I love reading almost as much as writing, but let’s face it, words can only say so much.
Some images speak volumes. These ones say ‘You must have another child and it must be a girl so that you can dress her up like this…’
Gotta love style bible Little Big Magazine
Feb 14
Ayurvedic bucket and spade? Only at Shanti Maurice
I really don’t feel much like a grown up. And yet, since the arrival of Small my travelling has evolved. Amazon adventures, horseback hacks across Nicaragua and Ayurvedic spa retreats in the Himalayas, are not so much untenable now as unsuitable for now.
Which is why it’s completely ace to see a personal favourite, Shanti Maurice, evolving at the same time.
We sung our siren song in 2008 as the lush yet authentically Ayurvedic spa retreat sprang forth on the ever-opulent island of Mauritius, with guaranteed sort-me-out-I’m-puffy-and-frazzled packages and a side order of suntan and Chablis. Now it has evolved into a lickety-slick luxury family destination.
I know what you’re thinking. Kids + Rejuvenation? Good gag. But wait.
While you indulge in a four-handed massage, or float in the warm slate pool, the two-foot terrorists are not playing video games in a crèche full of plastic toys, or feeding the coy carp action figures in the spa reception.
There’s yoga for kids, and guided jungle and beach walks to connect them to nature. Over the Easter and summer holidays there’s a raft of activities at Les Petit Dodos, from tropical jewellery making to smoothie blending, ice cream parties and pyjama nights,horse riding, stargazing and bonfire camping.
The Cabana, a ‘pop up’ spa for kids under an ancient Badamier Tree, offers ‘honey bee after sun cocoon’ and camomile foot massage to channel them into a zen-like state before bed and keep the real spa a child free zone. Not to mention that kids stay free in low season.
If you ask me, that’s the definition of win-win.
Jet lag survival guide for two foot travellers
Nothing takes the edge off a holiday like a toddler with jet lag.
A friend from New York touched down yesterday with toddler in tow, who promptly fell asleep in his weetabix at our reunion breakfast. Since Small has done a fair few flights in his little life, here’s what I’ve learnt the hard way…
LL’s Jet Lag Survival Guide
- Don’t skip naps on the travel day so that they are tired for the flight – it will backfire
- Don’t give them antihistamines to knock them out – it’s just as likely to make them hyper
- Put them down to sleep in the destination’s bedtime regardless of when you land
- If they need a nap on arrival, wake after 4hrs
- Switch mealtimes to the new time zone as soon as you board the plane – snack to keep them going
- Get outside as soon as possible. Sunshine, even just daylight will adjust the body clock
- Keep them hydrated – dehydration intensifies jet lag (for all of us)
