Introducing Just Diaries Travel and their delightful 3-year-old daughter, Nara. When it comes to travelling with kids, it can be both thrilling and fulfilling. However, it also requires some careful planning and preparation.
In this article, we’re excited to showcase Just Diaries Travel, a family who recently went on a trip to Puglia with their 3-year-old child. Just Diaries Travel generously shares their thoughts, adventures, and helpful advice for travelling with young kids.
From must-have snacks to essential activities and preferred modes of transportation, Just Diaries Travel gives us a firsthand glimpse into their family’s travel adventures. Discover invaluable advice for making your journeys with kids more enjoyable and stress-free. Find out more about these incredible adventures in the interview below.
1. How many kids do you have and how old are they?
One adventurous – almost 3 years old daughter, Nara.
2. When and where was the last time you travelled with her?
We had day trips and long weekend road trips in almost every month. Our last holiday was in Puglia, a region in Italy.
3. What was that experience like?
Travelling with baby and travelling with toddler are super different. They both have their perks, but we really enjoyed our first car-rental experience abroad. It made it far easier to city-hop even with a toddler. She already had her voice heard in making decisions like which street to walk and what to eat. This is as epic and surprising at the same time, leaving us in super fun situations.
4. Where do you plan to go to next?
After travelling to 4 countries and more than 60 different places in our home country Hungary, this summer 2023, we’ll be fulfilling one of our biggest dream (travel-wise) as we’ll be exploring one country in Asia.
5. What’s it like travelling with your child in general? Have you adapted anything on your trips to suit them?
Fun and exhausting. Mostly both. In all seriousness, it’s a pleasure to witness how a child’s personality shows through our travels. She’s courageous and very adventurous. Adaption-wise, yes, we changed a lot compared to our couple-style travel, but that’s normal. We try to keep in mind the limitations: she requires a bit of a slower paces travel, and some more stops to play etc… Was it easy in the beginning? I don’t think so. Just as much as she needs to adjust to the outside life, we needed to adjust to her. But it’s safe to say that if you’re happy, your child will be happy too. And we love exploring new places. So far, she does too.
6. What are you child’s favourite travel snacks?
We try to offer the good stuff in fruits and vegetables, but let’s be real. Sometimes a handful of millet balls is all it takes to have a happy road tripping toddler. In earlier phases she loved fruit purees. Now she
consumes fruits, date bars, party pretzels, and whole grain snacks on the go.
7. Do you have any activity essentials for your toddlers on flights/trip?
Over the months (years would be a bit exaggerating), we collected a few stable points in our toy arsenal – that are strictly small, and compact versions. In this way, we can always adjust based on the trip that we are taking. Generally speaking, small magnetic toys from Purple Cow, stickers, and water colours are always at hand. But, we also pay attention to bring 1 small item, that connects and engages her to the destination, or the type of travelling we’re onto. For example, we brought a small teddy bear when visiting a bear sanctuary. We also got a small airplane when we had our first flight together.
8. Do you prefer to travel by train, plane or boat?
We haven’t experienced travelling by boat as yet but I would say both train and planes are just fine. It’s more like the destination or our financial plan of the journey that shapes the choice of transportation. So far, everything went really well.
9. What’s your ideal family vacation?
Every trip is a core memory to me. We won’t get back the time of our first flight to Portugal, our road trip in Croatia when she was 2, and eating pizza together in Italy at 2.5 years. I’m a super hardcore planner. I always try to reach near perfection. But, I do remind myself every time how valuable our time spent together is, making the travels extra more special.
10. With young kids, do you prefer early morning flight or late-night flights? Why?
In August, we’ll have our first red-eye flight and I tend to gravitate towards late night flights. I choose this simply because it’s easier to adjust into the night routine.
11. Any travel tips you swear by?
You’ll need flexibility. And your willingness to resolve situations that crop up. With babies and toddlers, plans are never written in stones.
12. Travel gadgets or essential you recommend?
The anti-spill silicon snack holder was a game changer as well as the packing cubes. The reusable Boc’nRoll sandwich wraps turned out to be much more versatile than just a sandwich wrap too. Nowadays our foldable travel potty seat is what made the outings way more comfortable. Tech-wise the airtag and the Flextail portable pump are our current favourites.
13. Do you have basics you always put in your medicine kit?
We differentiate 2 types. The small emergency one includes pain killers, octenidine based disinfectant, gauze/bandage, and sunblock. We opt for this when we know there is a pharmacy nearby. Then we have the bigger jumbo pack. This consists of antihistamine, ORS liquid, burn gel, tweezers and some trip specific things. We bring this along on more secluded stays. But, to be honest in general the smaller pack will serve you just fine.
Shop this trip
Destinations: Puglia
Activity essentials: small magnetic toys, stickers, water colours.
Travel gadgets: air tag, packing cubes, foldable travel potty seat, Boc’nRoll sandwich wraps, Flextail portable pump
Essentials in medicine kit: Pain killers, octenidine based disinfectant, gauze/bandage, and sunblock
About JUST Diaries Travel
ST is the founder of Just Diaries Travel who is fueled by an endless passion for travel. For more than 3800 days, Just Diaries Travel shared an incredible journey. They explored 17 countries together (and an additional 14 countries individually). In 2021-2022, they embarked on a memorable adventure across their own country, with their little one on board, who has now blossomed into a toddler.Join them on Just Diaries Travel Instagram where they showcase their epic experiences, inspire others, and connect with like-minded individuals. Discover valuable tips and tricks, and become part of a community of passionate travellers.
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