Over the Easter holiday period we had our first family holiday to Nelson, which also meant our first family plane experience. The Tiny Human traveled well, we only had carry on luggage and I had the Bearded One there to help me if needed.
Skip forward a few months and I was packing again. This time for a trip without the Bearded One, 10 days away with the Tiny Human visiting a friend in Auckland. I was told to “pack light” since I would be coming back with a lot of stuff. So I borrowed a big suitcase from a friend (at least then I would have room for the extra things I would return with) and packed it with as little as I could bring myself to pack.
There was a time in my life when packing light meant carry on luggage and that was all. Now it entails my clothes, the Tiny Human clothes, a carry on bag that is more a nappy bag jammed with my carry on items (camera & laptop), a carseat and pushchair. Oh and a Tiny Human.
Good thing I had somebody at each airport to give me a hand, otherwise I have no idea how you're meant to hold a baby and retrieve items off the luggage belt.
Going through security screening was an interesting task. Sit the Tiny Human bum on the bench so I could use both hands, pull laptop out of bag, phone out of pocket, take off belt, put everything in trays. I was holding up traffic and said to the person behind me that they could jump a head, but kindly he declined mentioning how he remembers the days of traveling with a baby.
I did a mental celebratory fist pump & 'yeeeeessssssss' when I went through the screening without beeping (didn't have that luck on the way back, I forgot to take off my belt), and then had to lay the Tiny Human on the floor to pack everything back into the bag.
Things to remember when traveling solo with a baby...
And those things from my last post about traveling with a baby, here.
I will note one thing, Air New Zealand didn't have any of oversized bags left for the Tiny Humans pushchair (carseat went in a plastic bag, these bags are too small to fit pushchairs) when we flew up to Auckland. So it had to travel as is, no bag or anything. It arrived in Auckland without the foot rest part, I went to the office and filled out a missing item form with my contact detail (they also checked the plane hull while I was there). I hadn't heard anything while I was in Auckland, so when I returned to Wellington I emailed Air New Zealand. I STILL haven't heard anything.
Also, I found it a bit weird when returning to Wellington the pushchair was put in an oversized bag (as was the carseat), but when they came out on the luggage belt for collection the carseat was in it's bag and the pushchair wasn't. #thingsthatmakeyougohmmmm
Skip forward a few months and I was packing again. This time for a trip without the Bearded One, 10 days away with the Tiny Human visiting a friend in Auckland. I was told to “pack light” since I would be coming back with a lot of stuff. So I borrowed a big suitcase from a friend (at least then I would have room for the extra things I would return with) and packed it with as little as I could bring myself to pack.
There was a time in my life when packing light meant carry on luggage and that was all. Now it entails my clothes, the Tiny Human clothes, a carry on bag that is more a nappy bag jammed with my carry on items (camera & laptop), a carseat and pushchair. Oh and a Tiny Human.
Good thing I had somebody at each airport to give me a hand, otherwise I have no idea how you're meant to hold a baby and retrieve items off the luggage belt.
Going through security screening was an interesting task. Sit the Tiny Human bum on the bench so I could use both hands, pull laptop out of bag, phone out of pocket, take off belt, put everything in trays. I was holding up traffic and said to the person behind me that they could jump a head, but kindly he declined mentioning how he remembers the days of traveling with a baby.
I did a mental celebratory fist pump & 'yeeeeessssssss' when I went through the screening without beeping (didn't have that luck on the way back, I forgot to take off my belt), and then had to lay the Tiny Human on the floor to pack everything back into the bag.
Things to remember when traveling solo with a baby...
- Don't forget the baby – chances are if you're traveling with a baby it's because the people at the place you are going to, want to see the baby. So it is pretty important that you remember them.
- Take time – allow yourself extra time to do everything & take your time doing so. Arrive at the airport early so you don't have to rush about. Remember check in & the security scanning takes a bit of extra time when you have one hand & the wiggly worm.
- Shop when you get there – we only took enough nappies & wipes (a small travel pack) for the flight. There are probably supermarkets where you are going, so save some space & leave the pack of nappies at home.
- Borrow if you can – I took the Tiny Humans carseat & pushchair, but we borrowed a portacot and bouncenette. So before you travel ask around (you could also rent/hire), it will save you from dragging it to the airport and then if you don't use it then it's no big deal.
- Maybe a toy – flights around New Zealand are short enough that you can probably do away with packing toys in your carry on & entertain the wee one (if you need to) with the flight safety card pictures (the Tint Human liked this) and some one-on-one interaction
And those things from my last post about traveling with a baby, here.
I will note one thing, Air New Zealand didn't have any of oversized bags left for the Tiny Humans pushchair (carseat went in a plastic bag, these bags are too small to fit pushchairs) when we flew up to Auckland. So it had to travel as is, no bag or anything. It arrived in Auckland without the foot rest part, I went to the office and filled out a missing item form with my contact detail (they also checked the plane hull while I was there). I hadn't heard anything while I was in Auckland, so when I returned to Wellington I emailed Air New Zealand. I STILL haven't heard anything.
Also, I found it a bit weird when returning to Wellington the pushchair was put in an oversized bag (as was the carseat), but when they came out on the luggage belt for collection the carseat was in it's bag and the pushchair wasn't. #thingsthatmakeyougohmmmm