Tag: travel

Long haul travel and sleep with a baby

So we got to New Zealand with an unsuccessful stopover, but what then?

Was Evie going to adapt quickly or slowly to the time change, without having the adult rationale of making yourself stay awake in the evening to try and force sleep in the night.

The quick answer is it has taken a good two weeks to find a decent sleep pattern again. And then we wreck it with some long drives!

To begin with she woke in the night and just wanted to play, jumping and clambering on us at 3am. Then by the time she finally falls back to sleep at gone 5am you are then incapable or returning to sleep as an adult (good for early morning runs as someone who doesn’t normally ‘do mornings’!).

Then the playing stopped but waking three times a night for milk, slowly down to two, one…. and after three weeks she finally slept through the night.

So our advice is to allow for the fact that you will be even more tired than normal, and more again from your own jet lag and more again from your babies!! As parents we both got a bit ill I think just from total lack of sleep.

Fingers crossed Evie sleeps through again tonight!

Holiday in Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen is where Tim used to come for holidays as a child, and where we came on our honeymoon, so it seemed important to bring Evie, almost 5 months old now, here for our first family holiday.

After two weeks of not seeing daddy, Evie was very keen to show him her ability to sit almost independently and her rolling!

She even moved up into the big kids supermarket trolley section

Unfortunately the weather is not so great on day one, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing to do. The clouds were down making it pointless going up high as there would be no views.

There is a nice valley ‘Easy walk’ path that takes you along the river on one side and back through the woods on the other. It meant we stopped at this small church where we have never been before

And saw a sculpture that represented our new family nicely

I spotted a sign that clearly means no old cars or flapping motorbikes allowed

Evie found a big bear to jump in a hitch a lift back into Mayrhofen with!

And then the other thing Mayrhofen has is a nice pool. In the past staying in certain hotels gets you into the outdoor pool for free. But we are in an apartment this time…. and the pool was €10 each! Thankfully Evie really really enjoyed floating around with us, and we enjoyed the crazy slides and bubbles.

And then at the end she fell into one of the deepest sleeps I have ever seen!

Regensburg to Passau- the journey continues

We managed a relaxing swim in the river after breakfast this morning. Needed a relax after the shock of being asked to pay 20 Euro for the use of the cot for two nights. Am hoping this is not going to be a common additional cost!

Then back to the hotel and into a taxi, which for a quiet Sunday morning, the taxi driver had notable road rage! She humphed at every red traffic light and the other bad drivers!

The train station was more lumping bags up & down… I must surely be getting stronger ! Something strange was going on, lots of men in lederhosen and women in traditional wear.

Upon asking Evie’s new friends, we found our they were going to Straubing beer festival, Barvaria’s 2nd largest beer festival.

After the excitement of interesting dress and lots of stimulation she decided on a power nap towards the end of the journey, in time for a change of trains and platforms.

From one to the next she is awake and jolly again! Managing the journey exceedingly well.

Finally arriving in Passau, we continued to learn our lesson and in the blistering heat got a taxi 500m down the road to our hotel.

It is hot hot hot. Evie Bean is chilling out, trying to decide how best to spend her time here!

An evening mooch around Munich

Having flown in earlier day and then that epic walk with our bags to the hotel, we had a little chill before heading out to see the sights of old-town Munich.

We headed to the main centre of Marienplatz, with the Rathaus centred in amongst impressive Cathedral domes and other splendid buildings. Very lovely old centre and worth a visit.

We built up a good appetite so finished the evening with an ever so not German dinner of halal kebab!! But wow was it scrumptious. Called ‘Simbads’ at the end of Schwanthalerstrasse…. just incase you ever want to try it.

Penrith to Munich- 16/08/18

4.30am alarm! Even too early for Evie.

5.57am train Penrith to Manchester Airport, with a sad goodbye to Daddy, who we will see in a couple of weeks, when part 1 of our holiday adventure is over. Evie, my mum and me set off. The journey was spent sleeping, looking at people and munching on cucumber!

Through check in…. pleased I could take the car seat without extra cost.

Through security, where I was again pleased to be able to take her milk through. Having a baby didn’t make any of the rest of security less thorough though. If anything it was even more so.

Some quick breakfast and ready to board the plane.

Evie had a little mini belt attached to my belt, not that it really stopped her wriggling. Luckily the cabin crew gave her a little toy and my seat neighbour enjoyed entertaining her.

After snoozes and wriggles we landed. Got the Number 1 bus straight to the city centre, all going far too easily.

Now picture a baby in front sling, rucksack on back, 18kg bag over one shoulder, car seat in other arm. Then the taxi driver says it is easier to walk than drive…. talk about a sense of humour failure when after 10 mins in sweltering heat we still hadn’t reached the hotel…. but in the end we made it.

We will be catching a taxi back to the station!