Hi everyone! Summer vacations are near, have you planned for any trip during the coming holidays? If not yet, then that’s ok as some plans are made at the last minute only. But you can start collecting information and tips to make your duration of trip smooth and comfortable. So, today I am going to talk about ‘The Great Wall of China’ which is a magnificent marvel of engineering. And if you happen to plan a trip to China this Spring, a tour to The Great Wall is a must.

He who has not climbed The Great Wall is not a true man 

-Mao Zedong

So, if you are visiting The Great Wall of China, you certainly won’t be alone. This, 5000 Km long structure has several places of particular interest. And the best way to experience the wall is to contact a trusted tour company. They would know of the best locations for foreign tourists to visit. Not only that, they would be able to tell you about the very long history of the wonderful feat of engineering.

There are certain rules and regulations that wall visitors must follow. I did some research and to help my lovely readers I am sharing a few of the most important ones below.

– Do Take Photos and Videos

Of course, one wants to have memories of the trip. And there is no problem with taking pictures at any of the wall locations. Everyone who visits will not be able to stop capturing the breathtaking scenery. And for that reason, make sure you have enough memory cards for your digital camera. If you search online for top China private tours, there are many reputable tour operators who would be happy to accompany you and your family to The Great Wall of China. And there they can fill you in on the very long and illustrious history of the largest man-made structure ever created.

– Don’t Remove Anything

You might be surprised to know that some visitors try to take a piece of the wall home, as a souvenir. And if everyone was allowed to do this, The Great Wall of China would soon be no more. The penalties are severe, and there are warning signs (in English). No matter how tempting it may be to pick up a small piece of stone, it just isn’t worth the risk. The Chinese authorities take a dim view of anyone coming to their natural heritage site and removing anything, so be warned!

– Do Explore

The Great Wall of China is extremely long. And your guide will be happy to walk a few kilometers with you, answering your questions along the way. There isn’t a better way to see China than with an experienced guide. He will ensure that you see and experience the best local attractions, and you will leave with an appreciation of such an amazing land.

You may also want to read Top 5 Travel Essentials when Traveling with Kids

– Don’t Litter

Even though the wall sites are out in the open, there are adequate rubbish bins. Whatever you do, just avoid throwing anything on the ground. We should all respect any foreign culture. With so many people visiting this famous attraction, one must abide by the local rules and regulations. Your guide would brief you prior to setting off, and you can keep the sweet wrappers and tissues in your pocket until you see a rubbish bin.

I know visiting The Great Wall of China is on the bucket list of most of the people. So, if you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit, make sure that you follow the above advice, in order to respect the local culture and customs.

I hope you liked this post and find these pointers helpful if you happen to visit The Great Wall. Do tell me in the comments below what are your plans for the summer vacations? And don’t forget to share your tips if you have already visited this amazing place. Lastly, share the post and let it reach the maximum people.

Disclaimer –  “This article is published in partnership with Mediabuzzer”

The post A Trip to The Great Wall of China – Do’s & Don’ts appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hello friends, let’s welcome this month with a travel post where I will be sharing a day from our Andaman Trip. We visited the Andaman Islands in January to celebrate Nemit’s 2nd birthday. And the place which we chose to spend the most special day was the Ross and Smith Islands, also known by the name of Twin Islands.

Check out this Google Satellite image below to know why these are known as the Twin Islands. These are one of the most pristine and secluded Islands of Andaman. And are connected to each other with a thin strip of the white sandbar. Just imagine the feeling of walking on the white sand from one island to the other.

Aerial View of Ross and Smith Islands

The best thing about this trip was not just Nemit’s birthday but also the company of both his grandmothers. Also, we had 10 days to cover most of the parts of this beautiful Indian Island. That too without burning a hole in our pockets. How we planned this budget trip? Hmm…it’s a secret! Naah, well I will share all the details in another post. This post is dedicated only to Nemit’s special day. Sharing a map of the Andaman Islands below. We visited all the places mentioned in green.

The Andaman Islands are divided into 3 parts as South Andaman, Middle Andaman, and North Andaman.

Map of Andaman Islands

Middle and Northern parts are the least traveled by the tourists. Hence, these parts have the most pristine untouched beaches with crystal clear waters. Ross and Smith Islands are one of those and offer a unique experience to its explorers.

How to reach?

First, one has to reach Diglipur in the North and take a speedboat from the Aerial Bay Jetty to reach the Twin Islands. The boat ride to Ross and Smith costs around INR 3000/- per boat for a capacity of 5-6 persons and it takes around 20 minutes to reach the destination.

Nemit with Nani on boat to Twin Islands

Click on this link to watch a video of our transfer from Aerial Bay Jetty to Twin Islands by the Speedboat.

There are few beautiful huts near the Ticket counter at Aerial Bay Jetty. We spent some time there while arranging for the permits and the boat before taking on the further journey. Make all arrangements beforehand as there are no shops at the Ross and Smith Island. We had to carry the eatables as well as drinking water with us. When we visited, there were no arrangements for water sports as well, so if you wish to do snorkeling, take your gear along.

Wooden Hut at Aerial Bay Jetty

You may want to read – Top 5 travel essentials when traveling with a toddler.

What to do?

After the boat drops at the Island, take a walk on the white sand trail to reach the Smith Island. To cross the sandbar and reach the Ross Island, one has to take a separate permission from the officials at the Smith Island.

Nemit with Papa after getting off the boat

Entrance to Smith Island

Dadi and Nani walking towards Smith Island from the boat drop

Once you reach the Smith Island, you will be surprised to see how beautifully it has been maintained, there are wooden huts to take shade, loungers to bask under the sun, beautiful swings and bathing & changing huts too. You will be mesmerized by the beauty of this island, spend time taking long walks on the beach, swim in the clear waters, do snorkeling or just bask in the sun. Each moment spent here feels like a moment of the lifetime.

The Eco Hut at Smith Island

Nani Dadi enjoying the swing

Sandbar connecting the Islands

There are 2 things which Nemit likes a lot and these are water and sand. And that is why we were so sure to take this trip for Nemit. We left him free to explore the beach on his own, only keeping an eye on him from the distance. He was so excited to see sand and water all around him.

Happy to see the sand all around

Running around

Nemit with Mumma

We could have never planned his birthday better than this. He had his parents all to him, without any gadgets around, giving him complete attention and their time. His grandmothers were there to shower their love and blessings on him. And he had the whole paradise island for himself to enjoy his day.

Nemit and Papa enjoying the water

Nemit playing with Nani & Dadi

We reached the Island at around 11 am and were asked to head back around 3 pm. We were told that we can’t stay there once the high tide starts. During high tides, the sandbar connecting both the islands get submerged in water separating the two from each other.

Walk on The Beach

After spending some time walking along the beach and taking lots of pictures, we decided to go get drenched in the water. We noticed that swimming was allowed only on the other side of the sandbar and it was getting some tides too. While the opposite side where the boat drops had calm waters without any tides but swimming was not allowed.

Time to enjoy the waves

We all had a great time playing in the water with Nemit. I think it’s time that we get him enrolled in swimming lessons. Once the waves started getting bigger and harsh, we came out. After taking a bath and changing into dry clothes we decided to have some snacks while lying down on the sun lounger placed along the beach.

Nemit enjoying in the water

Basking in the Sun

We didn’t realize how fast time was running there and soon our boat driver came looking for us. It was time to head back to our Resort in Diglipur. We clearly didn’t want to go back. Hence, decided to come back again the next day.

Birthday Celebration

Our trip to Ross and Smith Island came to an end but the celebrations were not over yet. A day before we had ordered a cake for Nemit, which we picked up on our way back to the resort. We were back by 4 pm and thought of taking some rest before planning for the evening. After spending an awesome time at the twin islands, Nemit was also exhausted and soon slept.

Nemit’s Birthday Cake

In the evening we cut the cake and had a little party in our room only. It was amazing to watch Nemit sing his birthday song and cut the cake on his own. It was messy but full of enjoyment. Nemit’s day and all the fun was almost coming to an end.

Happiness

Cake Cutting with Nani and Dadi

Birthday Selfie

But before retiring for the night, we had to walk to a nearby Kalipur Beach which is famous for Turtle Nesting. Our guide told us that to spot the turtles we need to spend some 3-4 hrs at the beach late at night but that was not possible for us. So, we just did a quick trek to the beach, checked the place where officials collect the turtles’ eggs to keep them safe and headed back to the resort.

Where to Stay?

We stayed at the Pristine Beach Resort, in Diglipur. The distance from the Resort to the Aerial bay jetty is about 8 Km and takes around 20 mins to reach there. Kalipur beach is nearby and at a walking distance of 10 mins. The resort has options for rooms and villas. Since we were on a budget trip, we settled for 2 Deluxe rooms, which were quite cozy and comfortable.

Villas have 2 connected rooms, spacious, luxurious and with all the amenities. If we had to spend our time in the resort, we would have chosen the villas.

 Day Ends

What a day it was, full of fun, excitement, and adventure. And we made awesome unforgettable memories on Nemit’s Birthday. Few years down the line, when he will look at these pictures and listen to the stories about his Andaman Trip, I am sure he will have a big smile on his face. And then we will once again plan a trip to this beautiful island, maybe spend more days in Diglipur and make some more beautiful memories and stories for the lifetime.

This is how we celebrated Nemit’s 2nd Birthday. Hope you liked reading this post and found the information helpful to plan your next trip to the Twin Islands. If you have any questions related to this trip, please leave a comment below or send me a direct message on my Instagram or Facebook and I will try my best to answer your queries and help plan your trip.

Next post on Middle Andaman covering Baratang Caves coming up next. Stay tuned. Love!

The post Plan a Birthday trip for your child – Andaman Islands appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

What? A VACATION???

That was my dear hubby’s reaction when I shared my odd craving with him. I had already rehearsed the reply in my mind and while jumping in front of him to grab his attention, I said, “Yes, let’s plan a shorter one? It will be fun!”

“Baby, I also want a break but how can we plan a vacation when we have already exhausted all our yearly leaves?” came his sincere reply.

Oh yes! same story every year.

So, here is the reality check. We desperately need a break but we do not have enough leaves left for this year to go on a vacation.

 It’s Simple!!!

But I can definitely write about it. 

Well, I was thinking of writing about the trip which I wanted to take but then my mind took a swirl and I got the idea of writing about some travel accessories which we found to be really helpful during our previous International Trips. In fact, I call these accessories as must have things to carry when you are traveling with a baby or a toddler. I remember many of my friends asking this question, “Don’t you find traveling with a baby too difficult?” Well, with these must-have items our travels are all sorted.

So, here goes my list of Top 5 Travel Essentials that will make your travel with kids a lot more hassle free-

1. Kid’s Trolley Bag

Take a separate trolley bag to pack your kid’s stuff, from clothes to toys, everything which belongs to the kid goes into this bag. It makes packing and arranging things a little bit easier and also saves a lot of time finding and re-arranging things when it’s time to return back home.

This is the Mickey Mouse trolley bag from the ‘House of Disney‘ which we chose to buy for Nemit’s 1st International trip and it came out to be one of our best buys.

Features of this trolley bag –

• It is lightweight and can be easily dragged or pushed.
• It has four 360-degree rotating wheels for the smooth glide.
• The outer covering is hard and made up of polycarbonate covered with water and wear resistant transparent film.
• The inner compartment is quite spacious and zipper & straps keep things in place.
• It also has the TSA lock which is perfect for International travel.

Price – INR 4319/-

Available on Amazon.

This is one travel essential which can become kids favorite travel gear anytime. Toddlers love it when they know something belongs only to them and they are given responsibility to handle it. Nemit loves pushing and gliding the bag, this is one airport activity which he really likes to do. 

2. Carrier

I always suggest parents buy a lightweight umbrella stroller or an ergonomic baby carrier if they are fond of traveling or roaming around the city. Choose as per your requirement, if your baby is clingy and prefers to be carried most of the times, then babywearing is best for you. We carried our baby till he was 13 months old but he always liked to sit in the stroller. Still, we carry both these gears as they always come handy at the airport and at places that require us to wait for long hours.

You may also read – Explore the caves at Nainital with your toddler!

We have an ergonomic baby carrier from ‘R for Rabbit‘-

• It is made up of premium cotton for soft & cozy feeling. Breathable cotton gives baby cool, padded and comfortable ride.
• It is suitable to carry 6 to 24-month-old babies ( 6 to 18 Kgs), apt from infancy to toddlerhood.
• Babies can be carried in 3 different positions.
• Wide shoulder & lumbar strap provides proper support and evens out the weight.

Price – INR 2799/-

Available on Amazon

We found this carrier really useful during our trip to Malaysia when we decided to walk on the World’s longest canopy walkway in Taman Negara. It was the most thrilling experience we had while wearing our 1-year-old in a sling. We were able to do mountain trekking and night jungle safari all thanks to our ergonomic baby carrier.

3. Stroller

Nemit prefers to sit in a stroller rather being carried in a sling. I think he feels much comfortable sitting in the stroller as he can easily move his body, arms, and legs and can also have a nice view of the surroundings.

The stroller which we are using for Nemit is from ‘Nit n Kit‘-

• It makes traveling easy and fun for both baby and parents.
• This stroller has 8 wheels for proper balance, rear wheels have breaks.
• It is easily foldable and lightweight to carry.
• Perfect for babies aged between 6-24 months.
• It has a safety bar in front for keeping the child secure.

The best thing which I like about strollers is that you can carry your other accessories and bags easily, many times while shopping or traveling I have used the stroller handles to hang the bags so that I can be hands-free all the time. Another reason why I like stroller is the ease it provides when you have to walk with your toddler up to the plane entrance where you hand over the stroller to the aircraft staff and can collect it back while getting off the plane right at the exit. It just makes the whole process looks so easy and comfortable.

Price – INR 2500/-

You may also read – Plan a trip to Meghalaya with your toddler!

4. Diaper Bag

Alright, this is the most common travel accessory and anyone who has traveled with a baby will know its importance. So, if you are traveling with a baby or a toddler, carrying a diaper bag stuffed with all the baby essentials is a must. Now, here I want to suggest opting for a backpack rather than a handbag or a sling bag, simply because it’s easier to carry a backpack while traveling with kids. But if you are comfortable in carrying a normal diaper handbag or sling bag, then that is also fine. The choice is yours.

Now that we have a toddler and we are done with all the milk bottles and lots of stuff which we used to pack earlier for our infant, I chose a very trendy shoulder bag from ‘Baggit‘ which is not too big neither too small but just perfect to carry the stuff we need the most.

Things which I carry in this bag are-

• 2-3 diapers and a small packet of wipes
• 1 spare set of clothes
• 2-3 small containers of different snacks
• 1 small water bottle/sippy cup
• My wallet, keys, and sunglasses.

Price – INR 3750/-

Available on Amazon

So, instead of carrying a heavy stuffed diaper bag with all the baby or toddler stuff I prefer carrying this lightweight shoulder bag. Now you must be thinking I haven’t kept any toys in my bag then how did I manage my kid without any source of entertainment. Well, there is no way that I know of which can keep a child happily engaged except toys and books and for keeping Nemit happy during the long travels I always carry a separate kid’s bag which I call a ‘bag of toys‘. It is small in size but spacious enough to carry all his favorite toys and activity books.

I have already written a post on Bag of toys, which you can read >> Here <<

Coming back to the small diaper bag once again, this will not be enough if you are traveling with an infant which requires a lot more things to be packed, more clothes, bib, changing mat, rash cream, teethers, rattles, an extra pair of shoes, etc. There is no need to carry a separate toy bag as only a couple of their favorite toys can keep them busy for hours. You can check Smart organizer system backpack diaper bag from Graco too. It’s quite spacious with all the separate pockets to keep your stuff organized. It has a separate wipes dispenser pocket which I really liked.

Price – INR 4440/-

Available on Amazon

5. Passport Holder

Passport holder is something which often gets neglected by many people as they don’t really know whether the passport covers are necessary or beneficial in any way. I will tell you when traveling with kids, you do justice to your passport by covering it with a nice sturdy passport holder. I love it when my stuff is organized and safe especially the important ones. This year we took back to back International trips with Nemit and getting a nice passport holder was on my list since then. I really find it difficult holding the passport, boarding passes and other documents in hand when managing a hyperactive toddler while waiting at the airport or standing in the immigration check queue.

I got this elegant Passport holder from ‘URBY‘. They design and manufacture travel and lifestyle essentials using the premium materials. By selling directly to the customer, they offer high-quality luxury products at very reasonable prices.

And that is what I liked the most about this brand.

• This Passport Holder is handcrafted in premium quality real leather with the rich soft interior.
• It has an easy slide-in section for passport on the right and 3 card slots on the left.
• It also has an open section for travel documents.

Apart from these features, Urby also offers personalization options. This passport holder has my Name embossed on it which I found really cool and unique. They also provide Free Shipping anywhere in India and have a 15-day no-questions-asked Return Policy.

I am already liking my Passport holder and this is one more reason that I am craving for another vacation. I have also selected another passport holder with croc-embossed leather in Sapphire blue for my dear hubby, that will be a surprise gift to him before our next trip. Click on the below link to check their amazing collection.

Price – INR 1145/-

Available on URBY

The only thing which I didn’t like about Urby is the limited prints and designs in their Passport Holders, I would prefer more quirky and trendy prints while selecting one for Nemit.

I received this classy and elegant Wanderlust Passport Holder from >> Urby << to write my honest review of their product. However, the opinions and views shared are my own.

Use GWNEMIT17 to avail 10% off on your purchase!

This special offer is only for Growing with Nemit’s lovely readers.

I hope you liked this post and found it useful. Do share it with your friends and family. And now tell me are you also craving to go on a vacation? Do you want to add any other travel essentials to the above list? Share with me in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!

The post Traveling with Toddler – Top Five Travel Essentials appeared first on Growing With Nemit.