Flying with babies
Discussion
I'm like to go to the USA or Caribbean but wifey is concerned about an 8-10 hour flight with an 8 month.
She fancies Canaries at 4 hours.
Anyone got any advice on issues heading further afield with young'uns?
Is it relly that bad to spend 10 hours trapped in a plane with a baby?
Can anyone recommend a nice hotel? I quite fancy sailing and stuff for a change so was thinking all-inclusive somewhere, perhaps Dominican Republic???
She fancies Canaries at 4 hours.
Anyone got any advice on issues heading further afield with young'uns?
Is it relly that bad to spend 10 hours trapped in a plane with a baby?
Can anyone recommend a nice hotel? I quite fancy sailing and stuff for a change so was thinking all-inclusive somewhere, perhaps Dominican Republic???
Wow, 2 pages, thanks for all the replies.
I did write it in a bit of a rush so didn't fully set the scene.
We'll be going away in December which rules out most of Europe if we want warm weather. The shortlist was the Canaries but looking at the prices of the hotels that we know are nice there are plenty of Caribbean locations that offer more bang for your buck and the water will be warm which means we'll have a choice whether to go in to the sea or not. I can't remember how to sail or windsurf as I've not done it since leaving school but it was tempting to see the facilities were there if we wanted them. My lovely wife likes to relax and probably wouldn't participate which is why i said "I" want to sail...
Mini Me will be 8 months when we go, he's a really good baby, and has already been back to Ireland on a flight to see the grandparents, he was fine in the airport and mostly fine on the plane he just wanted to sleep but I couldn't hold him in a comfortable position for long without getting a dead arm; Ryanair, sardines, full flight
I had considered the timezone and had already mooted South Africa as that's where we got engaged but my wifey was only luke warm about the idea.
Anyhow, your replies have been helpful (and amusing) and it looks like we're back to plan a of the Canary Islands - the logic being that let's try with a 4 hour flight and then see about going further afield.
We have both travelled long haul many times and had planned to only visit Europe once we had kids but the opportunity to travel West is still a possibility before we then stick to Europe for a few years.
Ahh, its the winter sun that we will miss, at least we can go skiing with him soon enough
So the next questions are....
Tenerife or Gran Canaria?
Villa, Aparthotel or Hotel?
Cheers
I did write it in a bit of a rush so didn't fully set the scene.
We'll be going away in December which rules out most of Europe if we want warm weather. The shortlist was the Canaries but looking at the prices of the hotels that we know are nice there are plenty of Caribbean locations that offer more bang for your buck and the water will be warm which means we'll have a choice whether to go in to the sea or not. I can't remember how to sail or windsurf as I've not done it since leaving school but it was tempting to see the facilities were there if we wanted them. My lovely wife likes to relax and probably wouldn't participate which is why i said "I" want to sail...
Mini Me will be 8 months when we go, he's a really good baby, and has already been back to Ireland on a flight to see the grandparents, he was fine in the airport and mostly fine on the plane he just wanted to sleep but I couldn't hold him in a comfortable position for long without getting a dead arm; Ryanair, sardines, full flight
I had considered the timezone and had already mooted South Africa as that's where we got engaged but my wifey was only luke warm about the idea.
Anyhow, your replies have been helpful (and amusing) and it looks like we're back to plan a of the Canary Islands - the logic being that let's try with a 4 hour flight and then see about going further afield.
We have both travelled long haul many times and had planned to only visit Europe once we had kids but the opportunity to travel West is still a possibility before we then stick to Europe for a few years.
Ahh, its the winter sun that we will miss, at least we can go skiing with him soon enough
So the next questions are....
Tenerife or Gran Canaria?
Villa, Aparthotel or Hotel?
Cheers
LuS1fer said:
With a baby, a villa every time. You can make the day as normal as it is at home and most will supply a baby cot and high chair and again, you run less risk of upsetting hotel clientele.
Take Calpol/Calprofen as Spanish medicine is viciously expensive.
As for destination, I wouldn't rule any of them out, just look at the flights as you can just about guarantee your choice will be dictated by the days they fly and the times of the flights - the last thing you need is a night flight there or back. Addtionally, villa prices vary according to island and flight prices vary - they seem to be more to GC than Tenerife and Lanzarote. Can't tell you all the holidays I've planned that have been derailed in this way and we end up going somewhere totally different.
I think Playa Blanca in south Lanzarote is the most child friendly with lts of pedestrian areas and nice beaches and generally has the cheapest villas. Not been to Gran Canaria. Tenerife is a bit more commercial but has the big bonus of the Mount Teide national park and the Loro Parque zoo.
We've been to GC once and it's the only place in the canaries we've been, we chose it because it was the most southerly and the weather seemed to be the best at that time of year. The Lopesan chain of hotels are lovely and we know where they are, I wonder what the equivalent would be in Southern Tenerife. Take Calpol/Calprofen as Spanish medicine is viciously expensive.
As for destination, I wouldn't rule any of them out, just look at the flights as you can just about guarantee your choice will be dictated by the days they fly and the times of the flights - the last thing you need is a night flight there or back. Addtionally, villa prices vary according to island and flight prices vary - they seem to be more to GC than Tenerife and Lanzarote. Can't tell you all the holidays I've planned that have been derailed in this way and we end up going somewhere totally different.
I think Playa Blanca in south Lanzarote is the most child friendly with lts of pedestrian areas and nice beaches and generally has the cheapest villas. Not been to Gran Canaria. Tenerife is a bit more commercial but has the big bonus of the Mount Teide national park and the Loro Parque zoo.
Is a villa with just one family going to be a bit lonesome and just like being at home but with sunshine? I've never done it but I do like the sound of the baby having his own room.
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