Wow, 3 generations travel together to Hawaii...

Wow, its not often that you get 3 generations travelling together - 3 ladies in fact (well 2 and a very little lady). Emma travelled with her daughter and her mother to Hawaii, and from the sounds of things, had a brilliant trip. Fabulous Emma was kind enough to tell us about her travels, and has some brilliant tips to share with us all. Take it away Emma....

So, tell us a bit about you and your family?

There is me, Emma and my beautiful 21month old daughter Piper.

Piper is a very sweet little girl who knows what she wants and will kick and scream to get it.

My mum Pirjo also came on holiday with us, or Mummi (grandma) in Finnish.

And where have you been of late with your little ‘hip’?

We went to Hawaii for 9 nights in March 2011, myself, Piper and Mummi.

How did you get there? 

We flew there with Jetstar - flying out of Melbourne at 10:30am to Sydney and then flying from Sydney to Hawaii at 6pm that evening. The wait at Sydney airport actually worked out to be a good thing as it got Piper prepared for the long flight that evening. She ran around the airport, had a nap in her pram and ate some lunch.  

The hardest part would have to be collecting our luggage from our first flight, catching a bus from the domestic to the international terminal and then having to re check in.  The bus cost $5.50 for no more that a 10min ride, it was hard to get the suitcases, stroller and toddler on and off the bus and there was not enough room everyone’s suitcases to be stored on the bus as well. I would just catch a taxi next time.

The actual flight turned out to be much better than expected.  I had booked the bassinet when I had first booked the tickets, and although Piper was a tad small for it, it was a life saver for the trip.  Not only did Piper sleep for about 5hours in it, when she was awake she could sit and play in it as well as eat.

The hostess were great (we ended up having the same lady on the way back as well), very friendly and helpful.  I also paid to have the entertainment unit which Piper loved to watch (even if only for 15min).

The menu had limited choice but what we ate was lovely.

The flight back was a little more difficult as it was during the day rather than overnight, so keeping little miss entertained for longer periods was challenging but she did pretty good considering.  Again the bassinet was great, it also gave us more leg room, and there were other little ones close by in the other bassinets for Piper to play with.

The worst part of the trip back would have to be again trying to collect and then get our luggage from the international terminal to domestic and re check it in.  Other than that I was very happy with the airline and staff that worked there.

Where did you stay?

We stayed at The courtyard by Marriott in a one bedroom room.  

The separate bedroom was great as I was able to put Piper to sleep and then relax/watch tv without waking her.  We also had a kitchenette with a bar fridge, sink, microwave and coffee maker.  This proved handy as we were able to have breakfast in our room each morning.

All the staff were extremely lovely, they had two pools, one of which, although smaller was heated and used more than the other one by us.

There were 3 computers and a printer in the foyer, a travel desk where we booked all of our tours and a bar.

With restaurants and shops across the road or no more that a 5min stroll away, and the beach only 10min walk away it was the perfect spot for us.  

Your biggest challenge?

• Picking up and then rechecking baggage at Sydney airport, as well as the bus journey to the other terminal.
• Trying to keep Piper sitting still on the bus journeys we did, and by the end while eating out at restaurants.

Any big recommendations?

• I was very impressed with my maclaren stroller.  It lay back if Piper fell asleep in it, was lightweight and very easy to fold and put over my shoulder when getting on and off buses.  
• Playdough, would bring it out at some dinners to keep Piper amused while we were waiting for our food.
• We ate at Chillies restaurant and The Cheesecake Factory several times and they were very kid friendly, always with plenty of highchairs.  Chillies gave crayons and activity book on arrival and the Cheesecake Factory gave children a plate of bread and banana on arrival as well.
• Swim Vest for Piper, especially when at the beach.  Was easier to grab her when she fell over in the water and was that extra bit of piece of mind.

What are your main tips for travelling with kids?

• Always have a variety of snacks on hand as well as a packet of wipes to clean up sticky fingers and any mess made along the way.
• Don’t pack to many toys but pack a variety and bring them out and varying times.  This way they don’t get bored of all their toys by the 2^nd day of the holiday.
• A little bit of screaming from your kids is ok, most passengers won’t mind, and it is more stressful trying to keep them quiet for 10hours straight. 
• Always ask for directions so your child doesn’t have to sit in there pram longer than needed.
• Try to pack everything into the least amount of bags as possible, as trying to push a stroller and carry the bags isn’t always easy.
• Zip lock bags - so many uses. Perfect for snacks for Piper, use them as a toiletry bag as they take up less space and are water proof, or even for packing some jewellery for example.

What would you not have left home without?

Dummies, snacks and wipes for Piper.

And finally, anything else you want to add?

Enjoy your holiday, if your little one eats chips everyday of their holiday and hasn’t seen a green veggie in a few days it is ok, whatever keeps them happy and the healthy eating will return once returning home.

Singapore for little hip traveller

Heading to Singapore with the little hips? Or stopping over in Singapore on your way to another destination? Then you cannot go without consulting the fabulous and very informative website; Singapore for Kids.

There are many facts on where to go, what to do, where to stay, where to shop, and even what the airport is like plus much, much, more. Its definitely a necessity when travelling with the little hips to Singapore.

Need a bit of luxury..?

Not sure where to head on your next family holiday? Need some pampering, but want to make sure the 'hips' are well looked after too?

We've just stumbled across a fabulous and very luxurious family escape, and we feel the need to share. Even better, they have a very hip family escape package on offer at the moment too.

The Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali is set on 77 hectares of tropical gardens on Jimbaran Bay. It has 290 hotel rooms and 78 freestanding villas, however the resort is spread over 1.3 km's hence feels private and very spacious.

Amongst the choice of fabulous restaurants and leisure facilities, there's an award winning spa where you can indulge in a huge range of spectacular treatments. There are also numerous swimming pools, an 18 hole golf course, and plenty of activities from mountain biking to cooking schools.

The current family holiday package includes; daily breakfast, evening meal offer, a Balinese Massage and Aquatonic Seawater Therapy pool session, kids club, kids yoga, kids welcome amenities, babysitting available, and return transfers.

Sounds good? Head to ayanaresort.com for more info.

A golden coast, and a horror flight!

Now then, we are going to be starting to look at child friendly airlines in a bit more detail, but before we do, lets have a little quick read about a friends experience travelling to the Gold Coast, Australia on a budget airline. Prue, a friend, and fellow blogger - The Nestlings Blog (please do have a read - its terrific) took a holiday from Melbourne to the Gold Coast towards the end of 2010 and travelled with Jetstar.

So, now the introductions are out of the way...here we go;

Prue, tell us a bit about you and your family?
"So we are made up of Dave, little Oscar (almost 2 at the time of travels), and our beautiful girls, Einstein (the cat) and Indiana (the girl).

And where have you been of late with your little ‘hip’?
We've been staying on the Gold Coast.

How did you get there?

Unfortunately Qantas no longer flies directly from Melbourne to the Gold Coast, so we flew with Jetstar.  As Oscar is a whisker under 2 we decided to not buy him his own seat. The jury is still out on the wisdom of that decision. Sadly we found the staff of Jetstar somewhat lacking in customer service. Oscar suffers severely with the change in pressure of take off and touchdown. During the landing he began to scream uncontrollably and scratching and punching me. During this our seatbelts came undone (unnoticed by me as I was simply trying to tend to Oscar)...the nasty Jetstar women whilst ignoring the tears streaming down my face from the stressful situation coldly reprimanded me several times for not having my seat belt done up. During another trip with Qantas, a similar situation occurred, however in that time the staff could not have been any more helpful. Therefore if possible I'll try to fly Qantas in the future and if they don't service the destination I'll try Virgin Blue.

Where did you stay?

We stayed in Broadbeach at the Mantra Phoenician. I would highly recommend staying in Broadbeach over staying in central Surfers. There are great cafes for your early morning coffee, you're close to supermarkets and shopping centres, as well as the beach which had great parks every 100m or so. The Mantra was good - Great indoor and outdoor pool areas with BBQ's. The apartment was a fantastic size and the kitchen well equipped. My only annoyance was the rock hard bed and the lacklustre service of the staff on the front.

Your biggest challenge?

Getting Oscar to sleep in a new place. He has suddenly decided he doesn't like his Kindercot and so slept in bed with Dave most nights.

Any big recommendations?

We all loved Seaworld. The expression on Oscar's face when the dolphins started to perform was priceless. There is also a great range of rides for the little kids too.  I would recommend taking your own food as it's expensive and there's not a lot of range. We also loved Wet N Wild, and it's a great day if your have children of different ages too. Movieworld is looking a little tired and unless you're children are old enough to go on the rides it can be skipped. We got the VIP pass which worked well. It gives unlimited access to the 3 theme parks until June 2011. This meant if Oscar had had enough, we just went home to come again another day.

What are your main tips for travelling with kids?

Always take gaffa tape with you! All the hotel rooms have balconies - Oscar figured out how to open the door in the first few minutes. Gaffa tape over the door meant he couldn't open it...clever!

What would you not have left home without?

As above - the gaffa tape and probably our trusty stroller.

And finally, anything else you want to add?

Consider staying in Coolongatta area as well. If you're going up for theme parks you'll have to drive to them wherever you stay so you may as well stay at a beautiful beach and these areas have the best."


Thanks Prue for that very truthful insight into Jetstar, and the Gold Coast theme parks...

Hip London finds...

Anyone visiting London with their little hips cannot leave without a visit to the London Transport Museum. We visited last time we were there, and even though my little hips were a little bit young, my 7 year old brother (long story..don't ask!), was in love with the place, especially as he is an avid transport fan. The museum is in the ideal location - Covent Garden - so those who may just want to take part in some retail therapy (me) can do so, whilst those keen on transport can head on over to have a good look at those big red double decker buses, and the like.

Naturally ideal for transport enthusiasts, and those who want to see the famous black cabs and red buses up close and personal, the London Transport Museum is often overlooked. Don't! Even if you just meet your up with your little family afterwards (hiding your shopping bags), and head to the very child friendly but also rather swanky Upper Deck Cafe, its worth it.

The museum shop is also well worth a visit. Have a look at these gorgeous finds!

Images: London Transport Museum

I 'now' call Australia home......(for now)

'Tis the night before Australia Day. As the 'Australian of the Year' is announced on TV, and others are stocking up on beers, lamb and Aussie flags for a big family BBQ, I think back to this time last year. I was getting ready to take the oath, and actually become an Australian, to sing the national anthem, receive my Aussie tree, and then share a Lamington, and a cup of tea with the other new Aussies in the room.

To become an Aussie, you have to study Australian history and culture. You then, with hundreds of others, enter a room full of computers, and take a multiple choice examination, testing your new Australian knowledge. As I completed the test (sadly - in 4 minutes with 100%), I glanced round the room to see many people, some whom English may not be their first language, were still struggling with question number 1. I even heard someone ask if the test could be translated into Mandarin! It was only then that I realised what it meant to become an Australian. In hindsight, for me it was fairly easy. For others its virtually impossible, or a true dream come true.

I arrived in Australia ten years ago, with literally no more than the clothes on my back, and have lived here as a permanent resident quite happily ever since. It was only after having my children did I realise that I should take more of an active interest and have more input in local and national day to day life. This year has been an interesting year, with a few peaks and troughs. It has though, strangely enough, now made me feel totally accepted in Australia. Bizarre what a piece of paper really does, but I have to say, it has taken me ten years to feel like Australia really is home.

I still feel incredibly isolated and home sick from time to time, especially at Christmas, and days were traditionally families get together (like Australia Day), and making true friends can sometimes be really hard (especially when others are surrounded by friends from their childhood, or have the family holiday house to head to for the summer etc etc), however, there are enough of us likeminded individuals to form our own celebrations together, and somehow numb those random feelings.

So, thanks Australia, for welcoming me. I'm not sure if I shall ever get used to 40 degree days, thongs, lamb, Melbourne's four seasons in one day, people going to the supermarket with no shoes on, christmas on the beach, 24 hour flights to London, and the fact that people don't ride kangaroos' to work. PLUS, I will always support England in the cricket, and will always keep my accent, however I think I can - for now - adapt to life in the sunburnt lucky country. Happy Australia Day to you all.

Oh...just love these hip Melbourne icons, and so will you

I just stumbled across the most fabulous business, Make Me Iconic, who aim to "bring the unsung icons of Melbourne city to life and into peoples homes". I just have to have one of these beautiful Melbourne W class trams. Not only will my little 'hips' love it, but we at The Little Hip Traveller just adore all things travel and transport related. 

A little hip Swiss dish...

After preparing the fabulous Italian pizza last week, I thought I would add another international 'hip' friendly dish, and this time, its one very close to my heart and tummy! My mouth is watering just thinking about it! My mum is from Switzerland, and as kids, my brother and I would head off to school in the UK with the most outrageously embarrassing packed lunches - smelly meat, cheeses, all sorts of goodies, which at the time we thought were just not normal, and of course, as children, its hard to be different. Looking back, I know all my class friends would have actually been really jealous, because the delights my mum created, were just brilliant. How sad.

Whenever I see my mum, which sadly, as I now live in Australia, is not that often, I get her to head straight to the kitchen, and cook me a potato Rösti. Yes, it is just potato, but my word, I love it, or perhaps more to the point, I love the way she cooks it. Depending on where you travel to in Switzerland, you are likely to come across a different version of Rösti. You can have Zurich Rösti with onion and cumin, or Emmentaler Rösti with Emmental cheese, or Jura Rösti with onion, bacon and Gruyere cheese, and so many more, but my favourite is the simple Basel Rösti with sliced onion. 

Basel Rösti - sliced onion

And here's how to make it - its so easy:

Boil potatoes leaving the skin on and then leave to cool. Locals say its best to do this the day before for a fuller flavour.

The next day, peel the skin off the potatoes which really should just slide off.

With a wide hole grater, grate roughly.

Add some oil / butter into a pan, add the potatoes and a pinch of salt.

Add any extras at this point (onions, bacon, pasta, etc)

Press the ingredients down into the pan and cover with a lid if you wish to let it brown.

Use a plate to flip the Rösti over a few times to ensure its cooked properly.

It should take around 15 minutes - cook until brown.

Rösti can be eaten as a side dish or as a meal in itself with a great salad. 

Oh yum, I think I need to make this now...enjoy.

Appenzeller Rösti - with bacon and Appenzeller cheese

Hip destination baby names...

So, it has recently emerged that Mohammed has beaten Jack as the number 1 name in the UK, and no surprise; William, Jack, Sophie, Emily, Charlotte are all still top 10 favourites in Australia and the UK alike. Choosing a name for your little person is massive - you need to both like it, and still make sure it remains hip as they travel through life, plus its got to be easy to spell, let alone pronounce.

Names are getting more and more unusual, and as the repertoire of names grows wider and wider, its really intriguing to discover how and why parents choose their little 'hips' names.

Now, as you know, we at 'The Little Hip Traveller' are all about travel, so it seems only appropriate to talk about hip destination names. I wonder how many kids are named after the place where their parents met, or travelled to, or even, were conceived? Of course the Beckham's famously named two of their sons Brooklyn and Cruz, and now it seems many other parents are following suit.

Research by Bounty has unravelled the top 10 destination baby names.

1. Florence
2. Rio
3. Paris
4. India
5. Sydney
6. Lucia
7. Brooklyn
8. Savannah
9. Devon
10. Pheonix

Love it! How about Timbuktu, Wagga Wagga or Whakatane anyone? Has anyone got any hip stories to tell about the origin of their child's name?


Image: Freedigitalphotos.net

little eats' little hip travel tips

Today, I am once again, going to hand over to one of Melbourne's fabulous Mumpreneurs. I am hugely excited to be chatting to the wonderful Jemma from Little Eats. Not only is Jemma and her little clan in love with frequenting Melbourne's child friendly coffee spots, and then sharing her brilliant tips with us all, but she is also a big fan of Bali. Jemma has kindly agreed to spill the beans on her favourite spots in Bali, and share her tips and tricks on travelling with very young kids to Bali. 

Here we go...over to you Jemma;

So, tell us a bit about you and your family?

My name is Jemma and I am a mamma to two gorgeous little girls India (21 months) and Aurora (4 months).  I am also the creator of Little Eats - we are all about cafe culture for Melbourne’s little ones and we review the best kid-friendly cafes around town.  Oh and of course there’s my darling hubby too. And Ketut the cat.

And where have you been of late with your little ‘hips’?

We have just come back from Bali, the beautiful island of the Gods. We love Bali and have been many many times over the years.This time we met up with my parents (who live in Switzerland) for a family holiday.

How did you get there?

We flew with Jetstar.  Now I must stress that we only flew with them because we used our Qantas Frequent Flyer points...we would not have flown them by choice!  

Our flight leaving Melbourne was delayed by an hour and we were stuck on the tarmac for that time.  Also when we arrived at check-in they had not booked a bassinet for us, and weren’t seating us all together even though we had confirmed everything in advance.  After another long wait queuing up to speak to the guy at the service desk, we finally worked it out, or we thought we did. Then when we got on the plane we had been seated on the two side seats, which is very squashy when there’s two adults, a toddler, a baby and a whole lotta hand luggage!  And then sitting in the middle row of four seats were two guys! That’s right, two guys! With four seats, two bassinet's, plenty of room... but no babies.  Doesn’t seem very fair does it?  

Then coming home we had to come via Sydney and clear customs and then hop on a domestic Qantas flight home. A similar thing happened - we were seated separately and in a normal row with no bassinet's, yet up the front where the bassinet's were, were business men flying solo ‘sans’ babies.  Not fair again! I asked one of the flight attendants why this was the case as it didn’t seem fair, and she was very rude and told me that obviously they had requested them and I hadn’t. What the??!!  Of course I requested a bassinet. And then I questioned why on earth the businessmen would have requested a seat with a bassinet, and she said “for extra leg room”. So their legs are obviously more important than my babies! 

Just on a side note, last year we flew to Europe with Singapore Airlines and they were simply fantastic. Very reliable, and also very sweet, polite and helpful staff. With 9 month old India we were treated liked royalty. I highly recommend them.

Where did you stay?

We stayed in a stunning 4 bedroom villa with in Canggu, which is a popular surfie beach and about a 20 minute drive from trendy Seminyak.  You still have all the cool Seminyak restaurants and shops close by, however the beaches are much quieter, and you are surrounded by rice paddies and in the heart of traditional Balinese village life.

We usually stay in a villa, as we prefer that style of accommodation to a hotel, as we are in our own house with a kitchen, lounge area with TV and DVD, separate air conditioned bedrooms, our own private swimming pool and... wait for it... they are fully staffed with cooks, maids and this one even came with a driver! It really is a perfect option when you are traveling with little ones as it means that you can put them down for a nap in the bedroom, while you can still read, swim and relax right next to them.  It also means that in the evening once the baby is tucked up asleep in their portacot in the cool bedroom, you can still hang out in the lounge area, have a nightcap, watch a DVD or even have a midnight swim.  It sure beats being stuck in a hotel room.

Your biggest challenge?

Probably the flight over. India was not as well-behaved as normal (to say the least), and didn’t sleep at all (despite leaving Melbourne at 7.45pm at night which is her normal bedtime).  She was so over-tired by the end of it that she was delirious!  Apart from that, luckily, there weren’t really many other challenges or issues at all.

Any big recommendations?

Ok, places to go, things to do... where do I start.  Well if it’s your first time in Bali then I think some of the “must do’s” are:

• Treat yourself to a massage (or two, or a few!) - my favourite places are Jari Menari and Bodyworks
• Enjoy a Bintang beer on the beach whilst you watch an amazing sunset
• Eat lots of yummy, super cheap Indonesian food - nothing beats a good Nasi Goreng
• Stock up on DVD’s - they have all the latest movies and TV series
• Shop!

My favourite places to eat are:

Breakfast - Corner Store, La Lucciola

Lunch - Trattoria Pizza, Cafe Moka, Grocer & Grind, Bali Buddha

Dinner - Kuni’s, Trattoria, Osteria Telese, Cafe Bali, The Beach House at Echo Beach and a little warung on Seminyak Beach called “Juice Park” where you can get a mean Nasi Goreng for just a couple of dollars.

Or for somewhere very special if you have hired a nanny for the night and are dining ‘a deux’, then try Ku De Ta, Metis, Sentosa, Sarong, the restaurant at the Tugu Hotel, La Lucciola and the new Cocoon.  These places are pretty pricey, so they can also be nice to just visit for a cocktail and dessert.

If you are traveling to Bali with your little ones, then you definitely need to check out Bali Baby.  You can hire playpens, highchairs, cots, car-seats, booster seats, monitors, prams, strollers, toys, rockers and play-mats. You name it they’ve got it! The hire prices are very reasonable, and it is all so convenient as Gabi will liaise on your behalf with your accommodation, and will arrange to have everything set up in your villa or hotel for when you arrive. You can also order and purchase Huggies nappies and wipes, Heinz baby food, and Johnson and Johnson bath and body products. So you can really save on excess luggage!

What are your main tips for travelling with kids?

1. Be organised. And make lists. Lots of them! 

2. Call ahead, confirm and double check. 

3. Take more than what you think you will need, but don’t go too overboard

4. Don’t pack too many toys. 

5. Prepare for take off. 

6. Don’t worry about what other people think. 

7. Don’t take it, hire it! 

8. Expect the unexpected. 

9. Throw your normal routine out the window.

10. Enjoy. Relax. Have fun. You are on holidays after all! Although holidays as you know it (ie: pre-bubba) will never be the same again, you are still up for an incredible journey with lots of special memories, happiness and laughter.

What would you not have left home without?

Lola, India’s baby, I mean dolly.  And also her bunny Kaloo that she sleeps with. Lola comes pretty much everywhere with us including most cafes we review for Little Eats.  She is pretty much part of the family now!

Seriously though, there is not that much that I wouldn’t have left home with out.  You really don’t need all that much for Bali as it is so warm and you just live in your bathers and a sarong most of the time.  And if there is anything you desperately need or you have forgotten then you can pretty much buy it all there.  

And finally, anything else you want to add?

Trunki’s rock!  Such a great idea for little hip travellers!  Our’s is pink and her name is Trixie. India had great fun riding her and pulling her around at the airport... as well as riding her around the garden at the villa.  She was also the make-shift “toy-box” when we were at the villa.

We took lots of little things to keep India occupied on the plane and on holidays.  She loves drawing (well, scribbling) so we took a little bag of Crayon rocks, a container of ‘Big Pencils for Little Hands’ and colouring-in books, drawing pads as well as stickers and the latest In the Night Garden mag.

We also took our iPod, and there were sound-docks at the villa, so it was great to have familiar tunes, including the CD from India’s music class. 

+++++++

Wow, thanks so much Jemma. I just want to go there now! If you want to read more about Jemma's top tips on travelling to Bali, plus of course, have a good look at Little Eats, please click here. Thanks so much Jemma. We love Little Eats and are really excited about sharing this fabulous website with everyone.