Traveling to foreign countries, despite the obstacles (Part 1)

My now-retired teacher parents, who are pushing 70, continue to travel on a regular basis to foreign countries (Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Panama, Antarctica, Iceland . . you name it) – often camping and traveling by bus or train to save money and extend their stay in expensive countries. We traveled as a family since I was very young, on teacher salaries – but we made the dollars stretch and often went for two or three months, often camping our way through Europe, Tahiti, Fiji, Australia and beyond. They are proof to me that anyone can do it, and enrich their lives in the process.

Now I know from personal experience that throwing a baby or toddler in the mix can sound a little more daunting, but I am here to tell you that it can be done! Our daughter just turned three, and we took her to Costa Rica at age 5 months, Italy at age 1 ½, and Turkey at age 2 ½. I will outline in future posts some specific tips around plane rides, selecting hotels, creating itineraries, etc. – but in this post I have one piece of advice I wish we had known before learning the hard way.

Be sure, even if traveling with an infant on your lap, to get a ticket for that infant ahead of time! It isn’t like traveling within the U.S., where you don’t need a ticket for them. When booking, let the agent know you have a lap infant and need a ticket. You will be charged a fraction of the price of a seated passenger (I believe it’s something like 10% plus taxes/other fees), BUT if you wait until you get to the airport like we did when we flew to Costa Rica, you will have to pay a last-minute ticket cost, which in our case ended up costing more than a normal full-price adult ticket. I have made a vow to warn everyone every since then.