We've been around the world and back with our daughter but it's time for a trip a little closer to home. For our 17-day trip to Eastern Canada, we decided to fly with only carry-on items, so we felt it was worth a post to share our packing list and any tips we accumulated as we went. As half of this trip included a stay with family, we opted to bring limited clothes and toys, and did laundry every 5 days.
For more information on our long-haul flight with a 12-18 month old, click here.
Packing List
The great thing about packing for this trip was that we could look at the 14 day forecast and have a really good idea of the weather we were going to get. In all four of our destinations, it was looking hot! hot! hot! So we planned for sunshine and brought a couple of layers just in case. In the end, we had just enough space to pack some comfort foods for our week of travel in Quebec. That saved us from having to leave the touristy area to find a proper supermarket or drug store. Ditto for diapers.
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| Enjoying a Mom-and-Daughter Crepe Date! |
3 short-sleeved onesies, 1 tshirt
2 long-sleeved onesies
1 sweater
1 rain coat
3 pairs of pants of varying weights
1 dress, 1 romper, 2 skirts
3 pairs of socks
1 pair of runners, 1 pair of soft soled sandals
1 sunhat
Gear
1 washable Kushies bib
4 wash cloths
2 sheets for the pack n play
1 change pad
1 travel wipes container
35 diapers (this got us to Erin's parents' place so we didn't have to find her size while travelling in Quebec)
Pack n Play
Stroller (which we also used as a high chair)
Hand sanitizer
2 cloth cooler bags
1 small baby bowl, 1 spoon, 1 fork
1 stainless steel milk cup, 1 water cup
Medical supplies (D-drops, Baby Tylenol, nail clippers, saline drops, baby Polysporn, etc)
Food
7 pouches in varying flavours (1 for each day of travel in Quebec)
1/2 bag of Love Child Ducks
1 tiny tupperware full of Love Child Owlies, 1 of Toodle O's
7 Love Child Oaty Chomps in varying flavours
5 Mum Mums
Toys
With such little space and time planned in the AirBnB, we brought only toys that could be used as entertainment on the plane and train. In Quebec, we supplemented by everyday household items like coasters, a travel toothbrush holder, tupperware containers, and the occassional Youtube video of trains on our tablet, as well as watching for dogs and buses out the window. :)
2 small board books, 1 small bath book
2 Little People
1 buckle toy
1 Munch Mitt bag filled with 6 tiny books
and yes, the Valentine's Day card from Gram that has now travelled to Asia and back with us!
Accommodation
There isn't much new to say about where we stayed. We continue to enjoy AirBnBs for their separate sleeping space for Baby and kitchen facilities. What absolutely amazes us is how quickly our daughter adjusts to new living situations. Within less than 24 hours, she knows the geography of our neighbourhood and can identify our building and unit as "home." She knows which room is hers and where Mama and Dada sleep (tours upon arrival of a new accommodation continue to be very important in establishing comfort and an understanding of where we will be while she's sleeping). It's comforting to realize that babies adjust quickly, and adapt to their surroundings. Hopefully that helps quell some reservations of the dreaded "change in routine."
We will reiterate once again that timing is of upmost importance to our child when planning a travel day. It all comes down to her nap (yes, we are FINALLY on a one-nap schedule, folks!). We left for the Quebec City airport hours before we needed to be there because that's what worked best with her routine. We arrived, checked in early, got through security, and played in their Family Zone. We had enough time to attempt a nap in the stroller at her usual time before boarding, which meant that we could use food and toys as entertainment on the plane. Much better than us trying to convince her to nap on our way here! You know your child best so work with your regular daily routine as much as you can to make it a smooth travel day.
As always, our favourite part of travelling is the time we get to spend as a family. This trip included sharing some old memories but also building new ones together. All the feels here!
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