International Travel...Hmm...What to bring?

Well, as we prepare for our week-long trip to Zadar, Croatia with two small children, the question lingers...what do we bring? Both of them are in diapers, the baby only eats specific foods, and we need a crib. Do we dare try to bring enough diapers and food AND a crib? Not to mention, beach toys, towels, clothes, sandals, etc? Without paying for extra baggage, we would never fit it all. So here are a few tips that we have learned along the way to make traveling with children (internationally) just a teensy bit easier.

**Find lodging that has a baby bed. This is really rather easy to find. Even many apartments and villas will have a baby bed for you, though they are personally owned by an individual. Many times they will just ask their neighbors and borrow it for you:)

**Buy diapers at your destination. Pack just enough diapers to get you through your travel time, plus enough for one more day (in case of poor layovers, late/delayed flights, sick babies, etc.). Babies in most parts of the world use diapers. They are not hard to find. (In Europe we find the best selection in drug stores as opposed to small grocery stores.)

**Buy food at you destination. I suggest bringing snacks in small plastic ware (like Tupperware or Gladware) That way, when you buy more snacks and foods later, you have a place to store them. In many places around Europe you will find open markets and grocery stores with such beautiful fresh produce, you likely will not have trouble finding something to feed your children.

**Pack one outfit per day, plus one, for the children. If you're vacationing for a week or less you may not want to bother with doing laundry. Though, for anything longer I would suggest packing a travel size laundry soap and looking for a laundromat at your destination. Trying to pack that many clothes into limited suitcases can be more hassle than its worth.

**Toys? Don't worry about them, other than what you need to get you to your destination. There are so many new things to do and experience that most children hardly need a toy to keep themselves happy and occupied. A new leaf, a lake, a beach, an ice cream cone;), a playground now and again, and they're set. And by the time you're ready to settle down each night, they're so tuckered out that they can't usually be bothered with playing with toys.

**Bedding? Don't forget your child's favorite blanket and/or softie. (Like I really have to tell you that, right?;) And we have also found that bring an extra blanket for the baby is also a good idea, as many places do not have small blankets for them.

We hope that helps you out on the last of your summer travels. Maybe there are some out there who have not yet started school, giving you one last chance at a summer vacation.

I guess I had better get packing.