Hey guys, today I want to share one of our most beautiful travel memories. It was our first ever train journey from Delhi to Udaipur with Nemit. And, as you know that firsts are always special, this journey holds a very special place in my heart.

It was my blog’s first anniversary in July 2018 & I was looking for ideas to make it special. The best way to celebrate it virtually was to do something online. To say thanks to my fellow bloggers I arranged a Summer Blog Train in which 24 bloggers participated and made it a success. And, to show gratitude towards my fans, friends, & followers, I planned 2 back to back mega-giveaways & they too were a hit.

At City Palace

Now it was time to celebrate the special day with my family, for that we planned a 3-night weekend getaway to Udaipur. While checking our options for transportation, we saw that a road trip was not a possibility since it was a drive of more than 12 hrs. Next, we checked the flights. Most of the flights under our budget were flying in the afternoon and we couldn’t afford to waste our half day in traveling for a 3-day trip.

Delhi to Udaipur – When & How we Planned?

We usually don’t consider train travel because Sumit (my husband) doesn’t like it. Since we were out of options traveling by train was our only hope. Luckily, the train schedule matched perfectly with our requirements. And we immediately booked a coupe for us.

Another good thing, we saved some bucks on booking. The first class AC train ticket was cheaper than an economy  flight ticket. An added advantage, children below 5 years travel free on a train. And, we saved a lot of travel time since it was a night journey, we reached Udaipur at 7 am.

PIN IT!

Our Memorable Journey from Delhi to Udaipur

So, it was a 12 hr overnight train journey from Delhi to Udaipur. The train was scheduled to move from Old Delhi railway station at 7 pm. Nemit & I were super thrilled for the train journey whereas Sumit was a little uncomfortable & nervous. I was assuring him that he will enjoy every bit of the experience but he just kept ignoring me. Now, I tease him reminding how tensed he was for a mere train journey.

Our DDLJ moment

We reached the station on time but the rush on the platform made us slow. Even after spotting our train we had to run to find our compartment. We reached our coupe & a sense of sheer excitement crossed our minds seeing the private cabin just for us.

It was not just our first train experience with Nemit, we were traveling in a first class for the first time ever. I had decided then & there that train travel would be my preferred choice in the future as well.

That’s how a coupe looks from inside

We took our time to explore our coupe, clicked countless pictures from every angle. Nemit got his dose of physical activity by going up and down the berths. After a while, we got comfortable in our seats & I finally saw relief and happiness on Sumit’s face.

Nemit happily settled on the upper birth with his bag of toys. Sumit grabbed his comics which he purchased from the platform and I opened up my laptop to transfer images from my camera. It was the most comfortable long journey we have had in recent times. I never believed that train journeys could be so wonderful.

Nemit happily playing with his blocks

Why you should consider an overnight train journey with kids?

• A train journey is super comfortable.
• It is cheaper than flying.
• Children under 5 years travel free.
• Coupe with 2 births is quite big for a family of 3.
• There are private cabins available with 4 births as well.
• And, the berths are big & spacious.
• It is much easier to manage kids on a train rather on a plane or a car.
• You just have to keep them entertained for a few hours before they sleep.
• Also, there is no restriction on luggage to carry.
• Traveling by train is an amazing experience & an adventure in itself.

To give you an idea of space on a berth

Things to remember before taking a train journey

• Book tickets in advance at least a month prior to your travel.
• Get only confirmed tickets, strictly a no to waitlist.
• Better to book overnight train, day travel may become a bit boring for kids.
• Do pack a bag of toys/book for entertainment.
• Carry lots of snacks & water, kids may not like pantry food.
• If you don’t want to take pantry food, you can order your fav meal online which will be delivered to you at the specified station.
• Although they provide bedding it is better to pack a light blanket for kids.
• Carry your ID cards and copy of your train ticket.

So relaxed & enjoying the beautiful scenery

I hope you liked reading about our first train journey. And, I hope you also got an idea of how comfortable a train journey is when traveling with kids.

Thanks for reading. When was your first train journey with your child? How was the experience? Share with me in the comments below.

Today is Day 21 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘U’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids’ & I have chosen U for Udaipur. 

• Subscribe to my blog. Sign up here
• Follow us on Social Media – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest

You may read all my posts under BlogchatterA2Z here!

The post Delhi to Udaipur – A Memorable Train Journey with our Toddler appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hey guys, am back with yet another travel post. And this one is for adventure junkies, who thrive on thrill & adrenaline rush! Mommies and daddies, if you think that after having kids you can’t plan adventure trips with your children, think again! Well, having kids doesn’t mean you have to kick out adventure from your travels. Stay put as I will be sharing the 7 amazing family adventure trips you can plan with your toddler in India! All based on our experience.

In recent times, India has emerged as one of the best adventure travel destinations in the world.

Many people from around the world come to India to seek adventure & explore the astonishing locations. But the sad part is, we the people of India, are unaware of the treasures of our own beautiful country. Our Incredible India has so much to offer to every kind of traveler including the adventure lover families.

PIN IT!

7 Family Adventure Trips to plan with a Toddler

I am listing down 7 places in India which any adventure lover would love to visit. We have visited all these places with our toddler during the last year.

1- Explore Baratang Caves in the Andamans 

Plan your family adventure trip to the caves in the Andamans. The Baratang island lies between the South & Middle Andaman. And, it is famous for the mangrove creeks & limestone caves. I would say more than the caves, the whole journey towards the Baratang caves is what makes the experience more exciting.

There are 2 ways to reach Baratang island, by ferry & by road. Take the road for that adrenaline rush which you will feel while crossing the tribal (Jarawa) forest area in a convoy with armed policemen. I don’t have any pics of that since clicking pictures was not allowed there.

Speed boat from Baratang Jetty

After you safely cross the Jarawa Forest Reserve, you have to take a vehicle ferry to reach the Baratang jetty. And then from there, one has to take the speed boat which will take you along the mangrove forest to a creek.

Finally, a small trek from the forest & fields to reach the limestone caves. The whole experience was exhilarating. Our 2 year old loved every bit of the journey.

Nemit pulling his grandmother to go inside the Baratang caves

2- Trek to the mesmerizing waterfalls in Cherrapunjee

We planned a trip to Meghalaya last year on Diwali. There’s no doubt, Meghalaya is one of the most sought-after travel destinations for nature and adventure lovers in India. And if you happen to plan a family adventure trip with your kids to this beautiful place, you must include Trek to Wah Kaba Falls in Cherrapunjee.

Trekking down at Wah Kaba Falls

Now, if you want to witness the majestic falls, the best time to visit is definitely during monsoon. But I would suggest, if you are going with kids, plan before or after the monsoon. It will be easier to hike down towards the falls otherwise the whole trail will be slippery & not safe for kids.

3- Ride the World’s highest cable car at Gulmarg, Kashmir

We were so lucky to plan a trip to Kashmir last year. Looking at the current situation in Kashmir, I really hope that everything gets back to normal soon. Kashmir is truly a heaven on Earth. It’s difficult to describe the beauty of its charming landscape, it just hypnotizes you & embraces you in its beauty.

Crossing Phase 1 – Gondola cable car

If you plan a trip to Kashmir, do visit Gulmarg & experience the Gondola ride. The cable car takes you to the top of Apharwat. It was one thrilling ride for us. The cable car operates in 2 phases, one from Gulmarg to Kondoor & second from Kondoor to Apharwat. A must visit if you are not afraid of heights.

4- Camping at Dawki, Meghalaya

Every kid loves camping, even if that means setting up a bed sheet/blanket camp at home. Why not give your kids a real camping experience? Plan a camp night at Shnongpdeng, Dawki.

Nemit sitting in front of our camp

It was our first camping experience, we had so many doubts considering we were the only family with a child there. It was scary but too exhilarating. The camps were set up by the riverside & all we could see was the river on one side & the jungle on the other.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neha & Sumit (@life.in.clicks) on Nov 24, 2018 at 2:06am PST

We woke up the next day to the chirping of birds & gushing water and we felt a sense of accomplishment. If you really want to experience the adrenaline rush, do visit Dawki for camping with your kids.

5- Jungle safari at Jim Corbett National Park or Kaziranga National Park

Jungle safaris are a great adventure option to try with kids. There are numerous options of Jungle safari in India, be it jeep safari or elephant safari. We have done 2 jeep safaris with Nemit.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Mar 18, 2018 at 7:56am PDT 

One at Jim Corbett National Park when Nemit was 2 yrs old. Not a good option to look for wild animals if your kids are young & can’t sit quietly for a long time. But, just take them to experience the fun.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Nov 4, 2018 at 4:43am PST

The other jeep safari we did was at Kaziranga National Park, Assam which is famous for one horned rhino. We had a great time at Kaziranga, even Nemit had a lot of fun while spotting rhinos, deers & elephants.

6- Crawl through the hidden Arwah caves of Cherrapunjee

If you ask us our favorite adventure activity with Nemit, it is definitely the caving expeditions. And exploring the Arwah cave is the best one till now. It was like we entered an underground world where not even a single ray of sunlight shines.

Exploring the Arwah Cave

The best part about the cave is that it is relatively a new discovery hence not many people know about it. Also, Arwah cave is huge & an interconnected network of various caves branch out of it.

Once inside, the natural light diminishes & you will feel the need for a guide & a strong hiking torch. We were on the mercy of our mobile lights. However, not having a guide and a torch made the whole experience quite raw & thrilling but I would still not suggest to try it out when traveling with small kids. When you go on an adventure, go prepared!

7- Hidden caves of Nanital

Last year, while returning back from Kausani, we made a pitstop at Nainital. While taking a walk on the mall road, we saw a signboard of Eco Cave Park. Thinking it to be a normal park we decided to spend some time there. However, as soon as we stepped inside the park, we realized it was not any normal garden. In fact, it was a house full of adventure.

There were 6 natural caves all with different dimensions & named after various animals on the basis of resemblance to their natural habitat. One has to bend down and crawl to pass through the narrow passage of the caves. It was a full-on adrenaline rush activity for us.

Click here to watch the videos.

I can keep on adding many places to this list but these are the 7 best adventure activities we enjoyed with our 2-year-old toddler. Hope you liked the post & found it helpful. Don’t forget to share this post & do leave a comment below.

The post 7 Best Family Adventure Trips to Plan with your Toddler appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

The most difficult thing to manage while traveling with babies & toddlers is their food. Hence, in this post, I’ll be sharing some of the best travel food tips which I’m sure will be helpful while planning a trip with kids. Also, I will be covering travel food tips for 0 to 3-year-old kids, which are the most difficult child stages when it comes to traveling.

When we talk about planning a vacation with kids, many moms start getting anxiety attacks. Because for them traveling with kids is not a vacation. It is still easy to manage kids at home however while traveling it becomes a herculean task for some. What if I tell you that with proper planning & the travel food tips am sharing, you too can enjoy your vacation to the best?

If you have been following me for some time now, then you must be aware of how much we love traveling with Nemit. We have traveled extensively with our son (who is presently 3 years old) since he was a little baby.

And with experience, we have learned a lot of travel tricks which I love sharing with my friends & readers. So, without wasting any further time, let’s get back on with the topic. And help you plan a perfect vacation.

You may also read- How to plan a kid-friendly holiday?

I am categorizing the travel food tips according to age from baby to infant to toddler as every stage has a different food need.

1- Travel Food Tips when traveling with a baby (1 to 6 months old)

It is usually said that the mother & the baby should stay at home & take rest for the first 45 days after delivery. Since the newborn babies are prone to infections as their immune systems are not fully developed. And, mothers need time to recover & regain energy.

20-days-old Nemit

But, this is also the time when we mothers feel the most restless & just want to run away from all the hectic & sleepless schedule. If you happen to plan a vacation when your baby is in the age group 1 to 6 months old, you actually don’t have to think much if you are exclusively breastfeeding.

In case, you are using bottle feeds (either pumped milk or formula milk), I would suggest you to either skip traveling for the first 6 months. Or, not to travel far & long. Simply because there will be a lot to pack. But, if you can manage that, then go ahead & have fun!

Tips for traveling with bottle fed babies

• Carrying a sterilizer is a must
• Pack at least 3 bottles (or more) depending on how much time you will be spending outdoors
• Don’t forget to carry the powder dispenser (if the baby is on formula feed)
• Also, a flask to carry hot water while on the move

Nemit’s 1st road trip (2-months-old)

Nemit’s 1st official long road trip was when he was 2 months old. We literally had to pack the whole house in our bags even though he was exclusively breastfed. So, plan wisely! Try staycation instead of a vacation.

2- Travel Food Tips when traveling with an infant (6 to 12 months old)

Once your baby starts semi-solids, it’s a good time to take them out on a vacation. However, you will still have to pack a lot since their food needs a lot of preparation.

Now, again if you are breastfeeding, your load of packing will lessen down. But, there’s no hiding if your baby takes the bottle feed.

The good part is you can plan the weekend getaways or a small vacation if you have just introduced solids & following the 3-day rule. So, you can just carry on with the breast/bottle/formula feed & give mashed bananas or any other fruit in between feeds.

Nemit’s 2nd long trip was Goa when he was 7 months old & that was also his first flight experience.

Goa Trip (7-months-old)

Tips for traveling with infants

• Do pack the above-mentioned things if your baby takes the bottle feed
• Carrying a sterilizer is still a must
• Also, keep a small bowl, spoon & a masher (all sterilizable)
• Give fruits which can be peeled off (banana, mango, chikoo, papaya, etc)
• You can also carry baby food such as cerelac (homemade cerelac is a great option)
• For 8 month+ babies, you can carry snacks as well, very helpful to keep them occupied (carry teething snacks is also a great option if your baby is teething)

Don’t experiment with outside food for your baby, give only freshly cut fruits & homemade food/snacks.

I would suggest not to give any packaged food to babies at least for a year. Also, avoid sugar & salt.

3- Travel Food Tips when traveling with a toddler (1 to 2 years old)

Most babies start walking around 12-18 months. They get more curious & interested in exploring their surroundings. You can easily carry them in a stroller & they will enjoy the ride as well as the experience.

Nemit’s 1st International Trip (12-months-old)

We planned an International trip to Malaysia for celebrating Nemit’s 1st birthday. We went completely prepared & had a great vacation.

Maldives Trip (13-months-old)

That made us plan another International trip to the Maldives just after a month & that too was super amazing.

Next vacation was a 10 day trip to Kerala when Nemit was 19 months old.

Kerala Trip (19-months-old)

At this age, babies don’t remember anything but they enjoy a lot if the plans are made keeping their comfort & needs in mind. A year old baby starts eating almost everything. Most parents even start giving them the same food that the family eats. We did the same & that helped a lot. Just carry the travel essentials and you are sorted.

Tips for traveling with young toddlers

• No need to carry the sterilizer anymore, make sure you clean the bottles & bowls with hot water immediately after feeding & again clean with boiling water before next feed.
• Let your toddler eat whatever food is available, do check for excess salt/sugar/chilly. Also, make sure that your baby is not allergic to any food item.
• If they don’t like the food, ask for bread, plain rice, baked beans, baked potatoes, french fries (these are easily available)
• Carry a lot of snacks with you (preferably homemade & healthy)
• Fruits are always a savior (at least in our case)

4- Travel Food Tips when traveling with a toddler (2 to 3 years old)

As per our experience, 2 to 3 years old toddler stage is the best when it comes to traveling & exploring new places. These little humans are just amazing if we can just ignore their tantrums. They love everything & enjoy every new experience.

For us, 2018 turned out to be really amazing as we were able to achieve most of our travel goals. We traveled to 9 new places in India in just 1 year. Check out our travel list below-

1. Jan – Andaman Islands
2. Feb- Jim Corbett National Park
3. May- Kasauni
4. July- Udaipur & Mt. Abu
5. Aug- Pondicherry
6. Oct- Kashmir (Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonmarg)
7. Nov- Kaziranga National Park & Meghalaya (Shillong, Cherrapunjee, Dawki)
8. Dec- Mukteshwar & Nainital
9. Dec- Manali (Solang Valley)

By this list, you must have gotten an idea of how much we’d enjoyed traveling with our toddler. We packed only 2 medium sized bags even for the longest vacation & we survived.

Also, we didn’t carry any specific food items with us except some of Nemit’s favorite snacks. And, we even allowed him to eat packaged snacks, cookies & chocolates (for the first time ever once he completed 2 years, and in limit). Only because, we wanted to travel light.

So, in my opinion, this toddler stage is the best to plan vacations, road trips & adventure trips. They will enjoy every bit of it & you can be totally stress-free.

However, always be prepared for any difficult situation which may arrive while traveling. Stay calm & focussed while dealing with any such problem.

PIN IT!

I have only 1 tip to share here-

If you really wish to travel care-free with your baby, start a routine early on. This may include following a sleep schedule for babies & maintaining good eating habits soon after they start solids. Also, the more you travel with your baby, the more they get used to the changed environment & new faces.

Another important tip for booking hotel/resort-

We recently traveled to Krabi, Thailand with our 3-year-old & stayed at an Airbnb villa with an attached kitchenette. So far, this was our best stay, we carried all ready to cook meals (rotis, parathas, biryani, dal, rajma, noodles & pasta) with us. And, prepared everything on our own. So there was no need for cutting & chopping veggies and no wasting time while cooking. And, we saved around 30k in our budget by not eating out at the restaurant.

Booking an Airbnb is also a great option when traveling with infants, as you can prepare baby food easily. You can even skip carrying a sterilizer since you can simply boil baby’s bottles, bowl & spoons.

I hope I’ve answered all your travel-food related questions. If you still have any queries, you can write them down in the comments below. Or, can simply DM me on Instagram (where I’m most active).

You can also follow us on social media to know more about our travel & expeditions –

Instagram – @growing_with_nemit

Facebook – @growingwithnemit

Twitter – @growingwitnemit

YouTube – Growing With Nemit

“This article is written as a part of SuperBloggerChallenge conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com https://healthwealthbridge.com/health/, Allaboutthewoman.com https://allaboutthewoman.com/woman-health/, and powered by Instacuppa https://instacuppastore.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. SuperBloggerChallenge is not responsible for any infringement caused.”

The post How to manage Food for Babies & Toddlers while Traveling? appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hey guys, hope you all are doing well. Today, I am sharing the first travel post of 2019. And this is the recent trip we did on Nemit’s 3rd birthday (19th Jan). We visited Thailand and decided to explore Krabi with our toddler. I am sharing our complete Krabi Trip Itinerary with you guys. Hope you find it helpful while planning a trip.

This trip to Krabi was an unplanned one just like most of our travels & it turned out to be super fun and exciting. This was also our second trip to Thailand, first being our honeymoon trip to Phuket. That holiday was planned through a travel company. Although they did their best to plan a perfect honeymoon trip for us, it didn’t turn out as amazing as we expected.

#clicksIclicked #TravelingWithNemit

Over the years, we have realized that it’s always better to plan a trip on your own. Since it gives you the liberty to make choices & decisions as per your liking. And when it comes to traveling with a toddler or a baby, it’s always better to plan ahead and plan on your own. Because only you know your baby best!

You may also read – Meghalaya Trip Itinerary!

Krabi is a beautiful town on the west coast of Southern Thailand. Facing the Andaman Sea, Krabi is subject to a 6-month rainy season, hence the best time to travel here is from December to April.

To reach Krabi, we took a flight from Delhi to Phuket and then a cab from Phuket to Krabi. This was the most economical route we could find and was also suggested by many people on TripAdvisor. If you don’t want to take a cab, you can even book a flight to Krabi as well. The flights for Krabi have a layover at Phuket/Bankok/Kuala Lumpur.

This was a 5N/6D trip which included 1 N at Phuket. Check out the complete itinerary below.

Krabi Trip Itinerary – 5N/6D (4N Krabi & 1N Phuket)

Day 1- Delhi to Phuket to Krabi

Delhi to Phuket by an overnight flight (4 hrs). Phuket to Krabi by road (2h 30min).

Since we had opted for Visa on arrival we had to wait for some time before moving onto the immigration check. However, the whole process was quick and smooth. We quickly bought a sim card from Dtac counter and booked a cab for Krabi.

Tip 1 – Carry a pen in your handbag to fill the immigration form otherwise you may have to wait for long to get it from someone. We had to wait for 30 mins to get a pen which was a total waste of time.

Check out this video of our Day 1 in Krabi. If you like the video, don’t forget to like & share it.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neha Sharma | Mom Travel Blogger (@growing_with_nemit)

We had booked a family cottage (2BHK) for 4 nights at the Lux Family Villas in Krabi through Airbnb. In the evening, we went to a nearby beach Ao Nang Beach & explored the beachside market.

Day 2- Krabi Jungle Tour

We booked a group Jungle tour for day 2 from a tour counter at Ao Nang Beach Market. The tour included a visit to the natural hot stream, emerald pool, and the tiger cave. I will share a detailed post about this tour later.

Tip 2– Always try to bargain the price for any tour, they may reduce it or may offer you alternate options.

Check out this video of our visit to the hot stream on Day 2. If you like the video, don’t forget to like & share it

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Feb 4, 2019 at 4:26am PST

Day 3- At leisure (Nemit’s birthday)

It was Nemit’s birthday so we decided to keep the day at leisure. And did activities which are Nemit’s favorite.

After having a scrumptious breakfast, we headed out to explore a beach – Nopparat Thara Beach. This beach was about 20 mins from our resort. And was suggested to us by our hotel staff. After returning back from the beach, we went directly to the pool.

You may also read- 6 Pool Time Essentials to pack in Travel Bag for Kids!

In the evening, we took bicycles which were provided free of cost by the resort and went on to explore the nearby areas.

Tip 3– Don’t overdo anything. Keep your child’s capacity and interests in mind. Always keep snacks and water with you. And don’t forget to apply the sunscreen.

You may also read – 5 Tips to Plan a Kid-friendly Holiday!

Cake cutting with the hotel’s staff

We did the cake cutting with the hotel’s staff. Nemit was so happy to see everyone singing birthday jingle for him. We were glad to once again make Nemit’s birthday a very special one.

Also, it was so much better than having a party. So, if you guys are confused about what to do on your child’s special day, plan a birthday trip!

Day 4- Island Hopping Tour

It was our last day in Krabi. We booked a full day Island Hopping tour from our resort. It included a visit to 4 different islands on a big boat. Tup Island, Chicken Island, Poda Island & Phra Nang Caves. We enjoyed snorkeling and swimming in the pristine blue waters. I will share a detailed post about this tour soon.

PIN IT!

Day 5- Krabi to Phuket

It was our last day in Thailand. Next day, we had to catch an early morning flight from Phuket. We reached our hotel (Patong Resort) in Phuket at around 1 pm. After settling in, we decided to head out to Patong Beach.

Patong Beach, Phuket

Unfortunately, it was way too crowded. We just walked on the beach and clicked some pictures. Nemit played in the sand while we watched the sunset and recalled memories from our honeymoon trip.

We even recreated a memory by clicking a picture in the same pose we clicked on our honeymoon. Check out the below post-

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Jan 25, 2019 at 11:27pm PST

We went to an Indian restaurant (Samosa Express) for dinner which is located on Bangla road. This was the first time during our trip when we ate a meal at the restaurant. After dinner, we walked down Bangla street & came back to our hotel. We packed our bags as we had to catch an early morning flight back to Delhi the very next day.

Day 6- Phuket to Delhi

It was time to bid adieu to this beautiful island and head back home. And we boarded an early morning flight to Delhi from Phuket (4h 50min).

View of Phuket from plane window

In my upcoming posts, I’ll share more details of the places we visited and the things we did in Krabi. So stay tuned! And if you liked this post, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family.

Have you been to Krabi with your child? Which was your favorite destination? Tell me in the comments below.

The post Krabi Trip Itinerary – Traveling With a Toddler appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

All you mommies and daddies out there, hope you all are doing great! If you want to know how to plan a kid-friendly holiday, this post is for you guys!

We all know how our lives change after having kids. We try to fit into our old routine but no, that’s not happening. And the same happens with our travel plans too. Most of the people I know have told me that they find traveling with their kids really challenging. Well, life itself is a challenge, do we stop living it?

No!!! Right? We try to find out ways to make it simple and fun on day to day basis.

So, when you think of planning a vacation with your kids, you need to think of ways how you can make it kid-friendly.

PIN IT

I am listing down 5 ways which have helped us in planning kid-friendly holiday every time–

1- Start with flight bookings.

Choose a flight time when your kid is usually low in energy or sleeps. Like for us, morning flights always work. Nemit is an early riser so by the time we board a flight he’s already exhausted. When he’s low in energy it’s quite easy to handle him and make him sit at one place for a longer time. 9 out of 10 times he chooses to sleep.

You may also read – Top 5 travel essentials when traveling with a toddler!

2- Then comes the hotel booking.

Try to select the hotel/resort which has a dedicated play area for kids (indoor/outdoor). If you can’t find a hotel with a play area, at least check if they have an open lawn. If you are going for a beach holiday, try to book a beach resort so that you don’t have to travel far and have easy and quick access to a clean beach. Last week, we visited Mukteshwar in Uttarakhand and instead of booking a hotel we decided to stay at an Airbnb private cottage. The experience was absolutely wonderful!

3- Talk to the hotel manager. 

When you have finalized a hotel for stay, take out time to make a call to the hotel and let them know about your room & other preferences. We prefer rooms on the ground floor and far from the swimming pool, mostly garden facing. Even though most of the information is mentioned on the hotel’s website, it is still a good practice to cross-check the facilities again over a call. Once you are satisfied, make the payment and book the room.

4- Things to keep in mind.

If you are planning a trip with your child for the first time, make it a short one and a leisure trip probably. Stay at only one hotel and visit nearby places. Take cues from your child, if you see he’s happy, excited and comfortable, then you can go ahead and test the limits. If you see your child is not interested in trying out something new, it’s better to take a back seat and follow his lead. Also, start talking about the holiday at least 7-10 days before taking the trip.

5- Kid-friendly holiday itinerary.

Before finalizing the itinerary, do search out a place for kids’ activities, be it a children’s park or play area, or an amusement park/theme park, etc. And plan a day dedicated just for your child.

Check out our Meghalaya trip itinerary – Traveling with a toddler!

We usually take Nemit to a kid’s park and let him enjoy in his own way. Or let him play in the pool for as long as he wants. Or play with him on the beach.

You may also read – 6 pool essentials for kids to pack in a travel bag!

PIN IT

I can add many more points to this list, but I feel if these 5 things are taken care of, it will make you confident enough to go on a vacation with your kids. If you have any questions you can write them down in the comments below or you can also DM me on Instagram.

The post 5 Tips to Plan a Kid-friendly Holiday? appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hi everyone, I am back again with our new travel post – Meghalaya Trip!

So many of you have been asking for the itinerary of the trips we have taken this year with Nemit. I thought of sharing these through the blog posts so that others can also benefit. Today, I am sharing the itinerary of our latest trip to Meghalaya.

It was my 2nd trip to Meghalaya but the 1st one with my 2.10-year-old son, Nemit and the experience was super fun and exhilarating. We trekked to the mesmerizing waterfalls, explored the hidden caves, did camping by the riverside and much more.

You may also read – 5 Travel essentials when traveling with a toddler!

Meghalaya is one of the most sought-after travel destinations for nature and adventure lovers in India. The name Meghalaya means ‘the abode of clouds’ and it is also one of the most beautiful States in the North-Eastern part of India.

To cover all the major places of interest in Meghalaya, one must reach Shillong first. There are no direct flights to Shillong that we know of. The nearest airport is in Guwahati, Assam and one needs to take a cab from there to reach Shillong. It takes around 3-4 hrs to cover the distance, roads are quite smooth and the views are amazing.

We visited in the first week of November, the weather was pleasant in the daytime and got chilly in the night. We found it just perfect to travel with our toddler. The only drawback of traveling around this time of the year was ‘no rainfall’ and almost ‘dried waterfalls’.

If you want to witness the rain and the gushing waterfalls, the best time would be to visit just after the monsoon. But then it would become a little difficult to walk around and trek to the falls as everywhere it would be slippery and not safe for the kids as well. So plan accordingly!

Also, this itinerary will suit those families who like nature & adventure alike. We traveled with a toddler who has a lot of experience of adventure travel so I would suggest if this is your first trip with your toddler, plan as per your child’s likings and strengths.

This was a 7N/8D trip which also included 1 N at Kaziranga National Park. Check out the complete itinerary below.

Itinerary of Meghalaya Trip

Day 1 – Delhi to Guwahati to Kaziranga

Delhi to Guwahati by flight – 2.5 hrs (take an early morning flight)

Nemit and Papa at Guwahati Airport

Guwahati to Kaziranga by road – 5 hrs (with 1 pit stop for lunch)

We visited Kaziranga Orchid and Bio-diversity Park to attend their night cultural program.

The stage for the cultural program at Kaziranga Orchid and Bio-diversity Park

Overnight stay at Bonfire Kaziranga Resort.

Day 2 – Kaziranga to Shillong

Next day, we went for a morning jeep safari (7.30 am – 10 am)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Nov 4, 2018 at 4:43am PST

Checked out from our hotel and left for Shillong around 12 noon.

Kaziranga to Shillong by road – 6 hrs (with 2 pit stops)

Overnight stay at Pine Hill Homestay.

Day 3  – Shillong. Day Trip to Mawsynram

Shillong to Mawsynram – 2 hrs

Walking towards the Mawjymbuin cave

Mawsynram is the wettest place in the world. We visited Mawjymbuin cave, Khreng Khreng waterfall, and Mawphlang Sacred Grove.

Trekking at Kreng Khreng Waterfall

Overnight stay at Pine Hill Homestay, Shillong.

Day 4 – Shillong to Cherrapunjee

Shillong to Cherrapunjee – 1.5 hrs

Trekking down at Wah Kaba Falls

It took us 5 hrs to reach our resort in Cherrapunjee as we covered the major places of interest en route. We visited Mawkdok Dympep Valley, trekked down to Wah Kaba falls, explored the newly discovered Arwah cave and witnessed the mesmerizing beauty of Nohkalikai falls.

Exploring the Arwah Cave

Overnight stay at Pala Resort, Cherrapunjee.

You may also read – Plan a trip to Andaman Islands!

Day 5 – Cherrapunjee

We visited Seven Sister falls and Maswmai cave. In the evening, spent some fun time with Nemit at children’s park near Maswmai cave.

Nemit posing against a stalagmite formation inside Mawsmai cave

Overnight stay at Pala Resort.

Day 6 – Cherrapunjee to Dawki (Camping)

Cherrapunjee to Dawki – 2.5 hrs

First look – Dawki river

Drive to Shnongpdeng camping area which is 7 Kms away from Dawki. We would highly recommend staying at Shnongpdeng rather than at Dawki during Meghalaya trip.

We enjoyed boating in the surreal waters of Umngnot river & experienced our first camp life near the river surrounded by lush green forest.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neha & Sumit (@life.in.clicks) on Nov 24, 2018 at 2:06am PST

Overnight stay at camp by Shatsngi Homestay & Adventure.

You may also read – Must have toys for your toddler while traveling!

Day 7 – Dawki to Mawlynnong to Shillong

Dawki to Mawlynnong – 1.5 hrs

We spent the morning playing in the crystal clear water of Umngnot river. After breakfast, we left for Mawlynnong village which is also the cleanest village in Asia. We also trekked to the living root bridge at Mawlynnong.

Living root bridge

After lunch, we came back to Shillong and visited the popular Police Bazaar in the evening.

Mawlynnong to Shillong – 2.5 hrs

Overnight stay at Pine Hill Homestay.

Day 8 – Shillong to Guwahati to Delhi

This was the last day of our Meghalaya trip. We checked out from our hotel after the breakfast and left for Guwahati.

En route we visited Elephant falls and spent some fun time at Umiam Lake. This lake also features a beautiful garden (Lum Nehru Park) near its shores with a children’s play area at one corner, perfect to have a family picnic.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Nov 10, 2018 at 12:21am PST

We left around 2 pm and had lunch at Jiva Restaurant on the way to Guwahati.

Umiam lake to Guwahati – 3 hrs (including 1 hr spent at Jiva)

We had booked an evening flight to Delhi.

PIN IT

This is the 8 days itinerary of our Meghalaya trip. Hope you find it helpful in planning your vacation. I will share the day wise details in my upcoming posts. Stay put and keep showering your love on Growing With Nemit.

Now you can also follow our new hashtag #TravelingWithNemit for all our travel updates, tips, ideas and cute pictures on Instagram.

The post Meghalaya Trip Itinerary – Traveling with a Toddler appeared first on Growing With Nemit.