TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM 55
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LEKCHRIS SCHALKX
Travel writer and photographer;
one sonWork the system.
Toddler tantrums can be a parent’s
worst nightmare, especially when
locked up in a metal tube flying 10,000
meters in the air. If you have young
children, use the fast-track lanes at
immigration and priority boarding onto
the plane. Travel while they’re under
two, as flight tickets are practically free,
and while this technically only counts
for kids sitting on an adult’s lap,
parents can ask to be booked on a
window and aisle seat; often the
middle seat will remain empty, leaving
you with a full row to yourselves and
enough space to lay the little one to
rest... for free.PIP HARRY
Author and ANZA magazine editor;
one daughterGet some space.
When we’re traveling as a family, we
generally look for self-catering
apartments or villas, as getting an extra
room for my 10-year-old daughter
means my husband and I don’t have to
sit in the dark on our phones after she
falls asleep at 8 p.m.! On the first day
we’ll pick up milk, cereal and some
local fruits for breakfast, saving us a
fortune on hotel breakfast buffets.
When we do choose to stay in a hotel
for the pool and facilities, we look for a
room with a balcony, or a suite with a
separate bedroom that can be shut off
from the main living area. Kids’ clubs
are a must on resort holidays—that way
we can have some downtime while she
plays with her new instant friends.
Win-win!BEK VAN VLIET OWEN
T+L features editor; one daughter
Always have a go-bag.
My nearly four-year-old is the type of
child that acts like sitting still is a form
of torture, which infuses long car trips
and flights with high-level mom
anxiety. To keep her busy, I put
together an arsenal of toys, songs and
snacks that are new or rare: a handheld
personal fan, funny cat videos, a
miniature torch, books that play music
and, on the snack front, homemade
popcorn. I also, after an unfortunate
incident with air turbulence, always
keep chewable kids’ motion-sickness
meds at hand, plus a stash of old plastic
shopping bags, just in case. For
long-haul flights, an inflatable footrest
(an off-brand 1st-Class Kid Travel
Pillow) lets her stretch her legs.MUST-PACK: Jet Kids BedBox
Imagine a world where small children slept on planes
and didn’t kick seat-backs. This rolling bag for kids by
Stokke converts into a suitcase-plane-seat-
extender, bringing that dream a little closer. Bonus:
you can wheel your progeny around the airport on it,
giving their little legs a rest. Not all airlines allow this
type of device, so check with your carrier before
deploying. jet-kids.com; US$249.