Master just two things, and you’ll nail your first overseas trip with a BABY

If you hope that your partner will share the responsibilities of childcare with you in the future, then that first family trip abroad during babyhood becomes especially important and necessary. I personally define this journey as a “midterm adventure for new parents.” Successfully navigating it yields great rewards, and going forward, the couple will have better teamwork and mutual understanding when it comes to caring for their child.

Now that your family has welcomed its first new member, once all the care arrangements are in place, how old do you plan for him or her to be before embarking on the first family trip abroad?We chose to take her when she was five months old, flying halfway across the globe with her to embrace the blissful sunshine of the French Riviera and the astonishing hilltop towns of Provence. Perhaps a five-month-old won’t remember, but we, as parents, captured every step of our journey through photos—and even more vividly, through unforgettable memories. We eternally preserved the smiles and expressions of our 60 cm-tall baby Maya and us under a foreign sky, because we know there’s only one chance in a lifetime at 60 cm. If you think dragging yourself and a baby around on planes and feeling exhausted is no different from taking the baby to the nearby park every day!! Then I must say, from the pre-trip packing, to transferring between various modes of transport, to changes in temperature and exposure to different races, skin colors, and faces—each change stimulates and excites the baby’s rapidly developing and sensitive sensory nerves. Parents who travel often with their children will surely notice how much their child grows during trips. Moreover, if you hope that your partner will share the responsibilities of childcare with you in the future, then that first family trip abroad during babyhood becomes especially important and necessary. I personally define this journey as a “midterm adventure for new parents.” Successfully navigating it yields great rewards, and going forward, the couple will have better teamwork and mutual understanding when it comes to caring for their child.
Since this is the addition of a new family member, both parents, after several months of training and adaptation, can test their ability and synergy to work together and overcome challenges through life in a foreign environment. Through 24-hour close interaction, it also allows the other person to truly appreciate how tough it is to be the primary caregiver. Isn’t that a very meaningful trip for a new family? (Of course, the kind of partner who refuses to share responsibilities will remain unhelpful no matter where you go. What I want to emphasize is that at the very least, they’ll get to see firsthand that caring for a child is made up of many simple yet tedious tasks that require love and patience—it’s not nearly as easy as one might assume.)

After all, traveling far with a newborn in arms is truly no easy feat. How should each aspect be prepared to successfully pass the test? Getting these two things right is almost 50% of the battle—the remaining 50% is a test of the parents’ on-the-spot adaptability and ability to work together.

Convenience of public transportation (especially the subway), good hygiene conditions, and safety are the top three factors when choosing a destination to travel with a baby. Typically, such countries also offer more comprehensive, baby- and parent-friendly environments and facilities. As for language and distance from Taiwan, Mommy Eel believes it depends on the individual. From destinations closer to Taiwan, such as Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore, to farther ones like San Francisco in the U.S. (San Francisco itself has many attractions, with highly developed transportation; visiting the Bay Area is best done by car, making it the top choice for a first trip to the U.S.), the South of France, and London in the UK… all are recommended countries or cities. The French find Asian babies quite novel—several times during meals, people would come over and ask if they could hold Eel.

The biggest challenge of traveling with an infant is dealing with all kinds of unexpected situations and resolving them. Therefore, after deciding on the desired country or city, choosing the right type of travel is key to the success of the trip. The most recommended options are either “independent travel + road trips to fixed locations” or a combination of both. For example, during our first trip to the South of France in November 2012, we focused on Nice as our main base on the French Riviera. Nearby destinations like Cannes and Monte Carlo were all within a day trip’s drive. So, we planned a three-day, two-night city trip in Nice, using walking, buses, and trams to explore this laid-back holiday paradise. Later, we picked up a rental car to drive to major nearby attractions and headed to our vacation rental in Toulon, Provence, kicking off a week-long mountain town adventure.
During our time in Provence, we used the vacation rental as our base, selecting one or two attractions per day. Considering Dad’s need for rest while driving, our daily itinerary followed the principle of “one far, one near, returning the same day”—much like living in Taipei, where you might set off early for a day trip to Taichung one day, and then sleep in a bit more to visit Taoyuan or Yilan the next. This way, it’s just like weekend travel in Taiwan, completely preserving travel quality while allowing for more relaxed infant care.
Following this principle, we took a boat tour of the Cassis Calanques fjords, drove to visit France’s most beautiful Grand Canyon, and explored Avignon on the banks of the Rhône, home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Palace of the Popes… We even managed to dine at Michelin-starred restaurants without letting the baby hold us back.

I remember a friend once asked me: “When you’re on a plane, what do you bring to keep Eel from getting fussy? I’m afraid the kid might act out and get kicked off by the flight attendant.” You’d be surprised—since Eel started traveling with us, I’ve rarely brought a bunch of toys on board. At most, it’s been a sticker book, and even after age two, the toys given out by airlines were enough to keep her entertained.
If you’re really worried about your child causing trouble on the plane, depending on their age and the flight duration, try to avoid letting the child sleep too much before boarding and find ways to distract them. Usually, once the lights go out on the plane, they’ll lie down and sleep right away. When Eel was five months old, a KLM flight attendant even complimented her, saying they’d never seen such an angelic baby before.

For infants under two years old flying internationally, ticket prices are usually 1/10th of the adult fare (usually referring to the base fare). Taking our trip to France as an example, Eel only paid a little over 2,000 NTD to travel. For babies under 70 cm (depending on airline regulations), you can also apply in advance to use an onboard baby bassinet, which will also get your seat adjusted to a more spacious and comfortable spot in the front row—truly a ton of benefits. If flying domestic airlines, please check with your carrier regarding infant ticket pricing, as it’s usually significantly higher than 1/10th of the adult fare. Additionally, for long-haul flights, you may opt for China Airlines’ new 777 aircraft, which now offers “family sleeper cabins” on routes to Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Frankfurt.
Another big perk of traveling with a child is that you pretty much get to skip the lines and enjoy priority clearance. Taoyuan Airport, for example, has a dedicated baby lane—be sure to make use of it. Strollers can also be checked in to be hung in the cabin compartment and will be unpacked upon landing, so you don’t have to worry about lugging it around a huge airport and getting worn out.

I’ve simply divided everything into four categories: medications, baby food, cleaning supplies, and toys.

[Medications]: Before departure, remember to visit a pediatrician to get a prescription for essential travel medicines, just in case. [Baby Food]: Eel was exclusively breastfed, which saved us the hassle of dealing with a lot of formula-related issues. All I needed was a multi-use nursing cover for situations where a nursing room couldn’t be found. On the plane, I’d prepare mashed bananas and apples for her, and I’d also grab a fruit or two from each hotel meal to meet her daily needs. Otherwise, based on her usual eating habits, I’d pack some rice crackers or similar. Once the baby is ready for family food, I suggest letting them sample whatever we’re eating—as long as you choose clean and hygienic restaurants. [Cleaning Supplies]: Diapers are consumables. For trips under a week, you can easily bring everything from Taiwan. For trips over ten days, I recommend bringing a one-week supply and buying the rest locally. Also, don’t forget to pack all of the baby’s everyday essentials. Traveling with a child means many situations can’t wait like they can for adults. Don’t think you can just buy things when you arrive—that’s often the culprit behind ruined trips or even the fear of traveling with a baby again. This August, when Eel turned three, we traveled to the UK, where the mom-daughter duo even went on a mini adventure in Edinburgh on their own. Eel is now three years and five months old and has already traveled with us through the UK, US, France, Japan, Singapore, and Indonesia\ … Every trip has felt like a power-up session, strengthening our bond and energy for the next journey. As the child grows, travel becomes an even richer training ground and source of joy. Once you’ve experienced this, you’ll never be able to let go of this tormenting yet sweet responsibility.

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