After a couple of challenging months, this somewhat stalled travelling circus was in ready to shake things up a bit. In desperate need for a change of scenery, Raffles suggested camping while Sugarpuff suggested we go ‘everywhere ever’. Me? I just wanted to breathe in a little fresh country air.  Which is how we found ourselves spending a week chugging around Central NSW in a JUCY Condo, our lime green home on wheels.

The JUCY Condo is a two-litre, five-seater, automatic Toyota Hiace, adapted into a four-berth, self-contained campervan. Incredibly easy to manoeuvre, the JUCY Condo’s smaller size but cleverly designed interior offered a winning combination of driving ease and space.

And while in Bathurst we discovered it certainly wont be winning the Bathurst 1000 any time soon, our Condo did itself proud tackling the hills and fast corners of the Mount Panorama Circuit.

Room on the road

While the JUCY Condo doesn’t come with an internal shower or toilet, the smaller campervan style vehicle provides an affordable, and perfectly comfortable, alternative to a larger motorhome. Van park communal facilities are perfectly pleasant (a big shout out to Jenolan Caravan Park in magical Oberon who have a particularly modern amenities block with lovely showers and an accessible bathroom) though upgrading to powered ensuite sites at some parks provided privacy and a little added convenience. If a loo is a deal breaker, JUCY does offer an optional cassette toilet that is easily stored for use in the event that there are no public amenities.

Sleeping four people, there’s a double bed in the elevated roof. This pulled out in seconds to create the perfect sleeping nook for the kids. I’m sure it would be fine for adults too but we were unable to test the theory as the kids quickly declared it their “cubby” and off limits to adults. Luckily, the day couch in the main cabin converted into a rather comfy double bed that said adults were more than happy with. The Condo comes stocked with toasty warm bedding for both beds, as well as a set of towels, which is hugely convenient as we forgot to pack ours in the excitement of finally getting back out on the road.

The fold out table between the sofa and passenger seats in the main cabin made for a perfect spot for us to play board games with the kids on colder nights. The kids also decided to hang a disco light they’d picked up at Parkes Observatory in our Condo for added atmosphere, though any actual dancing action was restricted to outside the van.

The JUCY Condo was also stocked with folding camp tables and chairs for use outside, which we took full advantage of on warmer nights.

The kids both adore the novelty factor of a campervan, while I love that everything we need is permanently in place inside and all we need to do is pull up at our allocated site at each van park and plug ourselves into the power. There’s no setting or packing up camp, no searching for a place to cook and clean – it’s all ready to go.

Stash and stow

We are notoriously light packers and had enough space for everything we needed, but the compact size means storage is a little light on in the JUCY Condo. If you tend to overpack, you might need to rethink your packing strategy. It did take us a day or two to get our heads around maximising our storage space and making sure things were easily accessible, but packing our gear into several smaller bags meant we could easily store it all in the compartments under the sofa/bed, which is accessible simply by lifting up the seat.

A space to store the outside table and chairs would have been ideal but we were able to just pop them on the floor in the back when not in use.

When not driving, the Condo can be powered via a power cable at powered sites, and there are plenty of internal power points and USB ports for charging all the kids devices. Super convenient.

What’s cooking in the Condo?

Self-catering in the our JUCY Condo worked out well. While we stayed in caravan parks which had camp kitchens, we mostly cooked over the gas cooker supplied in the Condo. There’s also a kitchen sink fed by a 55-litre fresh water tank and 60-litre grey water tank, a small but useful fridge, and a table that folds down to make prepping meals easy.

The kitchen has ample storage too with JUCY providing as standard a kitchen kit including plates, cups, cutlery, pots, pans and most cooking utensils one might need. Zippered pockets along the walls of the kitchen provided us with additional room for non-perishable groceries, meaning we were able to stock up on groceries for a few days meals.

If you want to keep things simple, we’d suggest just grabbing the basics and plan meals that require minimal fuss. Of course, fanatical foodies that we are, we ignored our own advice. We love to cook, wherever we are, and it was actually pretty easy to whip up gourmet treats on the go, with a sizzling egg dappled shakshuka and a fragrant prawn and chorizo studded paella drawing crowds of campers and proving definitively it really isn’t the size but what you do with it that counts (your kitchen that is).

Just remember to pack washing up liquid and dish cloths because you’re going to want to keep the small space as tidy as possible.

So, what’s the verdict on our JUCY Condo adventure?

Well, Raff and Sugarpuff are already begging for us to hit repeat and given the affordability and undeniable convenience of campervan travel, who are we to say no?

The post Family Campervan fun in a JUCY Condo appeared first on boyeatsworld.

The shimmering Grand Palace in Bangkok. © Aleney de Winter

While the garden of earthly delights that is Thailand used to be just a plane ride away, it is sadly out of reach for the immediate future. But the kids and I are hankering after the scent of temples filled with burning incense sticks and fragrant flower garlands. Oh, what we wouldn’t do for a whiff of pungent shrimp paste sizzling in a smoky wok, and the olfactory respite as fresh ginger, galangal and lemongrass hit same said wok.

In the silence of isolation, we’re even missing the beeping and honking of chaotic traffic and the cry of Thai market traders hawking everything from silk scarves to seafood on a stick.

We’re craving the bedazzlement of the glorious golds, reds and greens of the temples and the shimmering blues of the islands. And, of course, the smiles. How we miss Thailand’s smiles.

Exploring Wat Karon in Phuket © Aleney de Winter

And while we know they’ll still be waiting for us when the time is right,

And while we know that these things and more will still be waiting for us in dazzling Thailand when the time is right to travel, there’s nothing stopping us from enjoying all the colour, culture and cuisine that incredible Thailand has to offer, virtually. Here are seven ways to see and experience Thailand from your Sofa.

1. Take a virtual tour

Bangkok Food Markets © Aleney de Winter

Keep the cabin fever at bay with a 3D Virtual Tour of 10 fascinating provincial destinations around Thailand, including Wat Si Chum, one of the largest and most mysterious temples on Ancient Sukhothai, the delightful ginger bread house that is the Khum Chao Luang Museum in Phrae, and Wat Bang Kung, an ancient temple in Samut Songkrahm Province, built in the Ayutthaya period.

Or experience the highlights of Thailand on an immersive adventure with Contiki. Grab a coconut water (or a Mai Tai) and snuggle up on the sofa for a tour across the country, embarking on a food safari in tastebud-tingling Chiang Mai and tackling the street food markets of Bangkok before exploring leafy Kanchanaburi and the turquoise pools of Erawan waterfalls.

2. Learn the lingo

Get ready for your next visit by learning the lingo. You can download Thai language apps including the excellent Thai by Nemo, or head to l-lingo.com for a week of free Thai reading, writing and speaking lessons.

3. Order in

Thai Green Curry © Aleney de Winter

Speaking of food… While not all Australians are dining out again yet, and not every restaurant is open with the restrictions still in place, there’s no shortage of great Thai food available to eat at home. For Sydneysiders, Thai Town (in Haymarket) has a fantastic range of regional culinary specialties from the spicy Khao Soi and fresh and fragrant green papaya salad, to the ever-popular Pad Thai, to sweet Thai desserts available for takeaways and home delivery.

4. Cook up a taste of Thailand

Better yet, why not whip up your own Thai feast at home. Most Aussie supermarkets stock all the ingredients you need for authentic cuisine, and with plenty of inspiration to be found as Thai chefs have taken to teaching their tricks online. Our favourite virtual lessons are with Aroi at Home with Chat Thai x Hug Thailand, and not only because Chat Thai is our favourite Thai in Sydney. We’ve learned to whip up restaurant quality Thai dishes including pad krapao gai (stir fried minced chicken), yum nuea yaang (grilled beef salad with chilli jam), fried snapper with green mango salad, pineapple fried rice with prawns and more. The lessons have been streaming live on the official Hug Thailand FB page for the past eight weeks, but you can still find all the recipes and videos online! You can also try our own easy recipes for Thai Red Duck Curry or Mhu Grob Padt Prik Khing.

5. Learn the basics of Thai dancing

Thai Dancing © Aleney de Winter

Get immersed in Thai culture with a traditional Thai dancing session in your living room. Thai dance troupe, SiamSmile Group are introducing the elegant and expressive movements of Thai dance for kids online, with easy to follow instruction of a variety of Thai dances.

6. Master Muay Thai 

Muay Thai training with kids © Aleney de Winter

Get fighting fit with Muay Thai!  Thai boxing is the national sport and cultural martial art of Thailand, developed hundreds of years ago as a form of close-combat using the body as a weapon. Sydney’s own MuayThai Gym, PTJ – Photajaroen Muaythai Gym, is offering online training for those people who want to kick ISO’s butt!

7. Enjoy a spa sanctuary at home

Wellness team at Chiva Som Hua Hin. Image © Chiva Som

While I’m sure like me, you’d like to actually be in Thailand being massaged by some skilful soul at at the sublime Chiva-Som Hua Hin, you can invite their wellness advisors, practitioners and experts into your home with some of Chiva-Som’s most popular sessions, including one-on-one yoga and meditation sessions, Natural Fertility Consultation and naturopathic consultations, now available via Zoom.

And if you’re still craving that massage, get your partner (or the kids) to master the art of Thai Massage via the online tutorials at Thai Massage Training.

8. Win a trip for later

Longboat on a Phuket beach © Aleney de Winter

The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai Airways International are both celebrating their 60th Anniversary and are offering the chance for Thailand fans to Win a Thailand Holiday Now and travel later. The prize includes a return flight from Sydney to Bangkok with Thai Airways International or a luxury stay with one of their hotel partners in Phuket, Samui, Krabi or Bangkok. Entries are open until Sunday 31st May 2020 

The post How to enjoy Thailand from your sofa appeared first on boyeatsworld.

While we may not be able to visit South Africa in the immediate future, there’s nothing stopping us from inviting South Africa to visit us! There are dozens of new and interactive ways to enjoy all the riches that incredible South Africa has to offer from your sofa.

It’s no secret my kids fell head over heels in love with South Africa on their recent  conservation based adventures. You can enjoy a little peak of that here!

But right now anyone can enjoy a little taste of South Africa’s many temptations, without a plane ticket. From museum visits and cooking lessons with top chefs to spotting the ‘Big 5’ in real-time on a virtual South African safari, these virtual experiences are sure to help scratch your itchy feet until you #meetsouthafricaLATER.

Making history

Delve deep into South African history at the world-famous Robben Island Museum (RIM) – the former prison where Nelson Mandela served 18 of his 27 years of incarceration, and later went on to make his first speech as South Africa’s president. It is a must-see for anyone visiting South Africa and now, for the first time ever, guests can take a virtual stroll through the World Heritage Site, learning all about the history of the island and its famous prisoners.

In and Art

Cape Town’s centre for art and cultural expression, The Norval Foundation, has launched #60SecondArt for kids video clips via their Instagram account, focusing on one artwork or artist per day from the Homestead Collection or what’s currently on display.

South Africa’s first contemporary art museum – the incredible Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) in Cape Town is one of our favourite galleries in the world. And you can see it from the comfort of your quarantine couch through a series of 3D virtual tours as well as a collection of audio tours across the museum’s temporary and permanent exhibitions.

Big and buzzy Johannesburg has plenty of art to experiences online too, with the city’s ABSA Art Gallery also shining the spotlight on the works of young African artists as well as pioneering art masters through special 3D tours.

Tickle your taste buds

For a true taste of South Africa at home, renowned South African-born chef and food editor, Warren Mendes, has partnered with South African Tourism to create a series of virtual cooking classes showcasing popular South African dishes including Bunny Chow and Malva Pudding. Running across South African Tourism’s Facebook and Instagram channels from May 25, the six-part video-recipe series is specially curated to take home cooks on a culinary journey as Warren explains how to whip up some of the country’s best-loved dishes to give audiences a taste of South Africa. Followers will be encouraged to share their own re-creations for a chance to win an isolation care pack filled with South African wines, treats and ingredients.  Warren’s first recipe, for Bobotie, the national dish, can also be viewed here on South African Tourism’s YouTube channel.

And, of course, you can check out our tried and tested recipes for South African favourites including Bunny Chow, Samoosa, Hertzoggies and Melktert, right here on BoyEatsWorld. They’re sure to whet your appetite for future South African forays.

The great outdoors, indoors

For those keen on exploring South Africa’s stunning coastlines and mountains, especially those around the West Cape, there are plenty of high-quality live streams to give you a scenic fix. The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town has a static webcam that showcases the hotel’s exquisite views over the Atlantic Ocean coastline and Lion’s Head. And Wavescape has ocean-side webcams scattered across the Cape Peninsula including at Muizenberg, Noordhoek and Kalk Bay, a place we love as much for its snorting sealions as its golden beach.

If you’d rather a live peek at jaw dropping Table Mountain, there’s also a webcam that streams live across the Rietvlei Nature Reserve all the way to the magic mountain itself.

Sofa safari

To provide further inspiration for future travels and provide kids with some education from home on the majesty of nature and wildlife, you can don your khakis at home to catch a glimpse of some of South Africa’s incredible wildlife, including the Big 5 –– lion, leopard, rhino,  elephant and Cape Buffalo –– in real time on an interactive game drive.

Couch cruisers can join the rangers at Sir Richard Branson’s Ulusaba Private Game Reserve for a daily life virtual safari with the chance to spot the big five in real-time. If the timing isn’t right, you can catch watch the whole safari experience later on their YouTube channel.

Ngala Private Game Reserve and Djuma Private game reserves offer a daily sunrise safari from 2.00pm AEST, while luxury safari hotel group, andBeyond have teamed up with wildlife broadcasting experts WildEarth to live stream personalised game drives twice a day, with direct interaction with their safari guides, just as if they were in the safari vehicle with them.

But the kids favourite sofa safari experience is revisiting their adored Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve via their new series of educational videos called EleFun Escapes in the Wild. These fantastic safari sessions follow the wild daily happenings on the reserve whilst sharing fun and engaging facts about the fauna and flora of the African bush. Their aim of creating a new generation of conservationists appears to be a big success if my two wannabe rangers are anything to go by.

    Moving pictures

The Sydney South African Film Festival (SSAFF) is going online in 2020, screening nationwide from 16 to 26 May, with four feature films, four documentaries and one short film. Question and answer sessions, and interviews with the directors, are planned to run in conjunction with the films. The single premiere screenings are just $8.00 each or you can see all 10 films for $60.00. Tickets can be booked online.

Raise a glass

While the kids soak up South Africa’s art, eats and animals, mum and dad can get their wine on! Waterkloof wines, perched on the slopes of the Schapenberg in the Helderbergare are live streaming sessions on Facebook and Instagram covering winemaking, farming and tasting. While Aussies may not be able to access their wines in readiness, there’s still plenty to be learned from their experts.

Holden Manz Wine Estate  in stunning Franschhoek wine country is all centuries-old vineyards and picture book Cape Dutch architecture. But with lockdown locking us out of experiencing the-22 hectare wine estate for ourselves, the Holden Manz team are also inviting wine lovers to get comfy and enjoy a drop over virtual tastings and Q&As on wine and what it takes to run a winery live on FB.

The post How to enjoy South Africa from your sofa appeared first on boyeatsworld.

Written by Raff – Aged 11

This Australian summer has been a bit of a shocker. Mostly because of a horrific fire season that’s been made worse by an ongoing drought and unusually warm conditions that expert research suggests are the result of climate change.

While there are fires still burning, I can’t help thinking about the brave firefighters and organisations and individuals doing so much to help people who have lost their homes, people who have lost family and friends and also our injured wildlife. And I feel like I should be doing more.

So, I started thinking and did a little research about the kind of things a kid like me could do to help aid Australia’s bushfire recovery. And it turns out there’s stacks.

From donating a little pocket money and planting a tree to travelling to support regional towns and businesses, here’s my list of ways kids (and their adults) can help.

1. Educate yourself

It’s not only grown ups who need to keep up to date with news. It’s also important for us kids to learn about the fires and the communities that have been affected by them, from reliable sources, so we can use that information to help and to do the right thing.

2. Educate others

Talk it up. Use the knowledge you’ve gained through solid research to teach others how they can help affected communities. If every noisy kid uses their voice to spread the word on what we can all do to help, regardless of age, imagine how much we can achieve.

3. If you’re old enough to use social media, use it for good

Not only can you share the word on the best charities and organisations to donate money to, you can let people from overseas know that making a trip to Australia is always a good idea by shutting down all the fake news and sharing all the good stuff about the many awesome places that are open for business.

4. If you’re not old enough to use social media, go old-school

If you’re looking for things kids can do to help Australia’s bushfire recovery and you don’t have social media, go old-school. My sister spent a whole week of school holidays hand drawing posters to encourage people to donate and help save koalas. She used a stack of  old recycled paper and, with mum’s help, distributed them all over town. They’re all still there and she was stoked that some have been moved into prominent positions on community noticeboards. So a little act can make a difference. Pro tip: Don’t attempt to post them on the wall of the police station outside the PM’s House … in front of a patrolling police officer. But definitely hand the police officer one and let him decide whether he wants to put it up for you.

5. Donate some of your stuff

How excited would your parents be if you actually volunteered to clean up your room and clear out the stuff you no longer used or needed. Now, imagine how excited a kid who has lost everything would be if you donated your toys, clothes and books to them. This one is a win win for everyone. Just remember to donate via a reputable organisation like GIVIT who have the resources to distribute items directly to those most at need.

6. Support our firies

Can you imagine what a difference we could make if every kid donated just one week’s pocket money to our amazing volunteer fire fighters who have been risking their lives in the fires to save homes, wildlife and people? Seriously guys, what’s a few bucks between friends? You can, and should, donate here NSW Rural Fire Service ; VIC Country Fire Authority; SA Country Fire Service; QLD Rural Fire Brigades and WA Volunteer Fire Service

7. Help those who’ve lost their homes and love ones

Raise some money for the people who most need it via a lemonade or cupcake stand in your neighbourhood. We chose to sell some home grown veggies and a few jars of my special homemade kimchi to raise a few dollars for the awesome people at the Red Cross.

8. Help our wildlife

Love Aussie animals? Me too. So don’t forget to save a bit of pocket money to help out all our furry and feathered critters – from koalas and kangaroos and wombats to flying foxes and wild birds – who’ve been injured in the fires. Some of the best places to donate are The Rescue Collective and WIRES.

9. Adopt an animal

Why not take it even further and adopt an animal for yourself or as a gift for a friend to help  some of our threatened species. We adopted wild koalas for our teachers for Christmas from Port Macquarie Koala Hospital and there are several other great charities offering you the chance to help a wild animal in care.

10. Visit an animal sanctuary

Help those amazing wildlife workers who are supporting and caring for our injured wildlife by visiting and supporting their facilities. Just a few of those providing housing and care to our injured wildlife include Australia Zoo, Taronga Zoo, Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park and Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.

11. Leave out a little water

Leave out shallow bowls of water for animals and birds escaping from the fires and those dehydrated from heat and smoke.

12. Keep a rescue kit in your car.

Carry a cardboard box and towel in your car just in case you come across an injured animal that you can safely transport to the nearest vet (avoid snakes and other critters that might not be as grateful for the assist and instead report their location to WIRES so the experts can do their thing).

13. Encourage your parents to swap an overseas trip with a local one.

There’s never been a more important time to see Australia. Encourage your parents to swap an overseas trip to explore all the amazing places and experiences we have right here in our beautiful country instead. Many Australians rely on tourism for their livelihood, and 99% of the country hasn’t been affected by fires, so support them by exploring home. What about here or here or here?

14. Visit a fire affected town

Go one step further and skip town for a couple of days to support one of the many fire affected towns who rely on tourism for their livelihoods.

15. Skip breakfast 

Wait, what? As if. What I mean is skip the buffet at your hotel and pop into a local cafe or restaurant instead to help spread the love and support local businesses that are struggling. Better still, support the hotel and the local cafes and have two breakfasts. You know you want to.

16. Travel light

Turn your local trip into a treat and stock up on new toys, new books and new clothes, and even produce and presents for friends from local community businesses.

17. Bring an empty esky

That way you can fill up on all the food and supplies you need from local supermarkets, farmers markets and farm gates to support them as they rebuild.

18. Get fruity

Is there anything more delicious than fruit picked straight from the vine or tree? Yep. Fruit picked straight from the vine or tree at local farms that rely on passing trade. While you’re there, fill your Esky full of all the shelves full of yummy jams and marinades.

19. Visit and support Indigenous communities and businesses

First Nations people are very connected to the land and the mistreatment and neglect of our country, and the lack of consideration of their centuries of knowledge when it comes to sustainably caring for it, has caused deep hurt. Support them. Listen to them. Learn from them. The ancient knowledge of their ancestors is the future of ours.

20. Support responsible tourism

We need to get hands on and help out for the long-term benefit of our people, our wildlife, and the environment that sustains us all. So we should try to support responsible tourism projects that assist in the long-term sustainability of communities and the local environment.

21. Plant a tree

The number of trees we have lost that produce oxygen, provide shelter for native wildlife, as well as absorbing planet warming carbon emissions from the atmosphere, is beyond my comprehension. We need trees. So plant one. But not just any tree. Plant a koala compatible eucalyptus tree. Uncle Google tells me some of the more common ones are Tallowood, Swamp Mahogany and Forest Red Gum (I’ll have to trust him as I’m no tree expert). Or plant a whole forest of them, like my amazing friend’s Narelle and Tiah.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6_lIJSnS8K

If, like us, you live in an apartment and don’t have the space to plant one (I don’t think mum’s gonna approve of me growing a tree in our living room), just get someone like the Australian Koala Foundation or the Koala Hospital to plant one, or more, on your behalf.

The post 21 things kids can do to help Australia’s bushfire recovery appeared first on boyeatsworld.

With Raff about to make the leap to high school, and the invisible string that binds us continuing to stretch a little thinner as he navigates his own independence, it’s time for him to make the leap into the world of the mobile phone owner. But high school or not, he’s still a kid, and with his age comes the propensity to lose everything from his lunchbox to his pants (don’t ask). So, we’re going budget for his first phone. And in a case of impeccable timing, Alcatel have just launched two new smartphones with JB HiFi.

I have to say we have hunted high and low for a budget smartphone that looks cool enough for a high school kid to flash proudly about and that has all the things a pre-teen could desire in a device – in other words, a decent screen for streaming movies and web browsing plus a good camera and plenty of storage for games.  The actual communication bit? I don’t even know if he rates that as a consideration. But we certainly do.

Enter the Alcatel 3X

At just $299 the Alcatel 3X is a great low-cost option for a first smartphone, but is still packed with all the essentials including 64GN of storage, a triple rear camera plus Face Key and fingerprint security.

The Alcatel 3X measures in at 6.5 inches. Slightly taller and a touch narrower than some of its higher end equivalents, it fits more comfortably in a smaller hand.  Set up straight out of the box is so simple 11-year old Raff was able to do it himself, unaided, in about five-minutes.

And then he’s straight to the fun part! It’s HD+ Super Full View display is perfect for photos, streaming movies, playing games, and browsing the web. Speaking of photos, the Alcatel 3X has a 16MP + 8MP + 5MP triple rear camera, which is a huge hit. Equipped with smart scene detection for 21 subjects, all he has to do is point and click for the snappiest of snaps.

But in addition to the standard camera, there’s a super wide-angle lens spanning 102 degrees, and a portrait lens so he can get a little arty with his shots.

Alcatel 3X auto mode

Alcatel 3X portrait mode

Alcatel 3X wide mode

Best of all, the portrait mode is available in back and front camera mode so he can sass up his selfies with a little real-time bokeh action.

Alcatel 3X smartphone selfie portrait mode

A bunch of extra camera features like panorama, time-lapse and colour filters up the ante and when the lights go down, the low-light cameras also do a pretty good job. A light trace feature also offers more creative options with draw light, for capturing light painting, and capture light for city lights and stars, meaning more groovy night shots for creative kid snappers. The light trace feature also comes with a capture movement mode for cool waterfall effects that look like they’re straight off a DSLR. IN fact the camera features make it so versatile, it is the ideal device for Raff to capture all those magic moments on our travels. 

User experience

Menus boast a fairly standard Android look, with icons that are easy to identify. Though he can skip those altogether as the Alcatel 3X offers a silver Google Assistant Button, that enables him to access apps, search Google, set reminders and send text messages by voice, which he has done relentlessly since he got the phone, all in the name of research, of course. If by research, you mean asking for it to make donkey noises or tell fart jokes. In fact, we’ve been hearing Google Assistant’s dulcet tones so often, she’s like a part of the family.

Surfing the Alcatel 3X smartphone

Oh, and as for the actual phone bit, turns out that it works pretty well too. It should be noted that when it comes to calls and data, the Alcatel 3X at JB HiFi is locked to Telstra. But it boasts good audio quality and sound. In fact, it’s better than my own smartphone, which came in at three times the price.

For a first mobile, it appears Raff has won the smartphone lottery with the Alcatel 3X as it packs plenty of punch for its price.

Disclosure: We received a review unit for this Alcatel 3X smartphone review, but all selfie-snapping, Google Assistant abuse and opinions are our own.

The post Travel tech for kids: Alcatel 3X smartphone review appeared first on boyeatsworld.

My childhood consisted mostly of me tearing around my inner-city neighbourhood with the other local kids, free to roam and explore on our bikes and scooters. I walked to and from school and ran errands for my parents, all utterly unsupervised. And I lived!

Flash forward something something years and my kids have a childhood that’s quite the opposite. Sure, I take them adventuring around the world to off the beaten track destinations, but I don’t let them out of my sight. Regardless of the locale.

My name is Aleney and I’m an unapologetic helicopter mama. It’s been 30 minutes since my last helicoptering, but this time it was met with a defiant glare that screamed “back off” by my 11-year-old son.

I must clarify here. I’m not talking about hover over them when they eat or do their homework. And I don’t try to control their choices or desires. In fact, independent thinking has been encouraged since they were born. What I mean is allowing the kind of independence where I can’t control their environment, and I really struggle to strike the right balance between safety and freedom for my kids.

Maybe it’s the eight rounds of IVF it took to get them, maybe I’m just paranoid. But we do, after all, live in a dangerous world and barely a day goes by without news of child molesters, school shootings and bullying. A lot can go wrong without grown-up supervision and the fear that something bad will happen the second I look away is real, especially when we’re travelling.

Herein lays the irony. You see, travelling has turned both my kids into freedom seeking missiles… putting this mum’s helicopter out of service, so to speak.  The invisible string that binds my son and I is stretching to breaking point so as he navigates his own independence, I’m navigating the boundaries of letting go, just the right amount, so he stays safe, but also feels loved, protected and trusted in equal measure.

The former is a no brainer. Both my kids are more than secure in the knowledge that their hovering mama adores them. Thankfully, the wads of time we’ve spent together on the road has also gone a long way in helping with the latter because they know I trust them and believe in their fundamental goodness and maturity.

By my side they’ve gained the right tools to navigate complex maps, order food and use local transport in foreign languages, find their way out of challenging situations and work out what to do and where to go should they get lost.

They’ve learned not to take unnecessary risks and that talking to strangers isn’t always avoidable but should be done with proper care and consideration, and to be frank they’re better judges of character than their mother. These little chicks of mine are street wise.

And now they want to start flying the coop a little. And by following my helicopter mama 12 step plan, they (and their paranoid parent) are doing fine indeed.

12 steps to independence for your travelling tween

Step 1. Begin with trust. It’s the very foundation of every good relationship, regardless of age and kids need ours as much as we need theirs.

Step 2. Build their self-esteem. Raise them to believe in themselves and their own decision making. Confidence is the greatest gift.

Step 3. Let them choose The freedom of choice allows kids to feel they have control. Allow your travelling tween to make simple decisions related to you adventures … whether that’s letting them help choose your destination, where and what to eat, and even allowing them to pack their own luggage (just be prepared for them to end up with nothing but a couple of ill-fitting t-shirts, a single sock and a suitcase full of soccer balls at the other end).

Step 4. Teach them how to handle problems. If you do everything for your child, they will never learn to work their problems out for themselves, so involve your travelling tween in decision making and managing solutions when a problem arises on the road – like let them help with the navigating if you get lost (just be prepared to get a little more lost, without placing blame).

Step 5. Teach them how to cross the road. I know it seems like a no brainer, but I’m seriously gobsmacked at the number of kids I see running out into roads without looking.

Step 7. Have a plan. In every single city, we come up with a safety plan together should either of the kids (or their parents) get lost. That includes ensuring they know our phone numbers (if we’re on different sims) and the hotel name and phone number. Or having a definitive meeting place or go to in the event of getting lost.

Step 7. Teach them to talk to strangers. No that’s not a typo. It’s important to teach kids that they can indeed talk to strangers (if and when they may need help) but never to go off with them. They also need to know that a stranger behind a counter in a store is a safer bet than some random on the street.

Step 8. Establish the rules. It is imperative to set limits and basic requirements before you release your kids in to the wild. Skiing is a perfect example. My son is already a better skier than I am, and I can’t keep up with him on the slopes. So, we have rules in place where I must know what specific ski run he’s taking and he has to check in with me at the end of every run. There’s a little waiting involved but he gets the freedom to freak me out on black runs while I stick to the green and blue with his little sister. He knows his boundaries and if he brakes them, mama’s invisible leash will go straight back on and he’ll be doomed to green run hell.

Step 9. Ease into it at home. Letting your kids go out alone, even to the local store, is a gradual process and privileges should be learned and earned. Let your school aged child start by walking to school or to the local store with a friend. Then consider letting them do it on their own. Then, when it’s safe and appropriate, you’ll feel more confident to let them off the leash a little on your travels.

Step 9. Show them the way. If they do want to do something on their own, like head off to play in the games room, free of parental watchdoggery, make sure they know the way back. It’s not hard to get lost in a massive hotel where every floor looks the same.

Step 11. Get them a mobile phone. If they’re old enough to be allowed to take a walk somewhere on their own, they’re old enough for a phone. It’s amazing how much helicoptering can be done by text!

Step 12. Trust yourself. You’ll know when they’re ready and while you’ll never stop worrying, the more we teach them to be responsible now the more sensible they will be when they hit their teens. I hope.

The post 12 steps to independence for your travelling tween appeared first on boyeatsworld.

The whole world appears to be in a sorting, folding frenzy thanks to Marie Kondo, which surprises me because I thought her methods were kind of obvious. Though admittedly back when my mum taught us this stuff, 40 years ago, we didn’t call it KonMari, mum simply called it being organised while we called it anal retentiveness and swore behind her back, because we just wanted to lob our stuff in our drawers and go play.

When it comes to packing for travel I’ve been KonMari-ing the crap out of my suitcase for decades. Our family of four can live comfortably out of a single suitcase and a carry on, for weeks on end, without fear of smelling.

Here are my essential family packing hacks to ensure you travel smart and light, even with a couple of kids in tow.

1. Love a list

Any trip with kids in tows can be like herding cats, so will always require a little more planning. Packing is no exception. Write a packing list for every member of your crew and follow it.

2. Child labour

It’s a great idea to get the kids to pack for themselves but always check what they’ve packed before you go because there’s every chance instead of undies and shoes they’ve packed slime and eighteen stuffed toys.

3. Get real

Pack only the number of outfits that you need and make sure it’s clothing that travels well, fits you comfortably and goes together. Your suitcase is not a magical box that will suddenly make your rainbow tie-dye t-shirt match perfectly with your floral jacket and striped jeans, so start with one core neutral colour then add a few items that co-ordinate to add a splash of colour.

4. Leave it out

Let’s face it, unless one of your family members is walking the Oscars red carpet, you and the kids are not likely to need six ball gowns, three formal dresses, eighteen pairs of shoes and that ah-mazing frock you bought two years ago that you’ve never worn (because why start now?) – Ditch the “might wear” gear because let’s be honest, you won’t.

5. Made to multi task

Keep packing to just the necessities and aim for multi-purpose gear like zip-off trousers, wraps and plain t-shirts that go with everything.

6. Let the sun shine in

Don’t forget the all-important sun protection whether you’re going to the tropic or the snow. We always pack plenty of sunscreen, hats and our  sunglasses for every member of the family. For everything sunglasses we love Vision Direct  for their great prices and excellent variety of kids and adult sunnies.

7. Cell mates

Packing cells are your new best friend. Not only are they great idea for keeping things organised but you can use different colours for each family member to easily identify each person’s gear. 

8. KonMari your case

Correctly folding and rolling clothes maximises luggage space so it is easily identifiable and there’s room for more!

9. Keep it clean

We pack our shoes in those little disposable shower caps found in hotel bathrooms to keep dirty soles off our clean clothes.

10. Well heeled

Speaking of shoes, you only need two pairs, including the ones you’re wearing!

These should be walking shoes or sneakers and sandals (if its somewhere hot) or walkng shoes and boots (if it’s cold). If you have a formal occasion planned, lob in a pair of heels, and you can always get away with chucking in a pair of thongs if you’re heading to a beach, because they take up next to no space.

11. Put a lid on it

To avoid the opening your luggage to discover your shampoo has slimed everything you own, remove bottle lids and place a small piece of plastic wrap over the opening before screwing them back on.

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12. Make them mini

We never pack full size toiletries, instead using travel size bottles topped up with our at home products. Far more sensible and far less costly if you do spring a leak.

13. Zip it

Zip-lock bags are solid holiday gold! Pack a stack in different sizes, then pack some more. Not only can they assist in keeping your phone and camera sand and splash free at the beach, they make useful storage for all those little odds and ends collected along the way, and you can use them to store the snacks you steal from the breakfast buffet. Or is that just us?

14. Around the twist

Don’t get your knickers or your charger cords in a twist – coil them up and store them in a spare sunglasses case.

15. Charge it

Make sure you have all the correct chargers for camera, phone and laptops as well as the correct power converter, so you can plug them in!

16. Back up

Always pack a small additional fold up duffel because luggage tends to expand on the go. 

17. Carry on

Always pack a spare set of clothes for the kids, along with nappies if needed, and snacks for tots in your carry on case, just in case your checked baggage doesn’t end up holidaying at the same destination as you.

Head here for even more family travel hacks.

Disclosure:  Vision Direct generously provided us with a new pair of sunnies but all opinions, as always, are own. We’re sharing the love because, in all seriousness, they’ve made us all look like rock gods! 

The post 17 Essential family packing hacks appeared first on boyeatsworld.

When mum sat down to put together a list of her favourite Family Travel Instagram Accounts, we kind of got in to an argument. I mean, she was picking some cool accounts with lots of photos of pretty places and cute kids wearing pretty dresses, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but she missed so many I would have chosen. So I decided to put together my own list of 45 cool kid travellers you should be following on Instagram.

You see, what people may not know about our Instagram account is that, like our blog, my mum and I do it together because I am the “Boy” in BoyEatsWorld and I love to travel as much as she does, and I love to eat even more. Yeah, I know she does all the hard work but I help her with ideas and she lets me help choose which pictures to run, even the ones of my little sister, though we always ask her first if she is ok with our picks.

And it’s not just putting stuff on Instagram either. You see, given our total obsession with travelling we have this thing we do every morning where we all snuggle in bed together before we get ready for school to check out what other travellers have been up to on Instagram. It’s one of the ways my sister and I discover new places and get our inspiration for our own adventures.

But while mum fusses and faffs over her own list of family travel accounts I’ve rounded up my own and it is packed with instagram feeds chosen for the reasons that matter to me;

Are they travelling to places I’d like to go to?
Are they doing something different? 
Are the photos cool?
Do they inspire me to do something I’ve never done before?
Are the kids doing things that would scare the pants off my mum?
Are they kids I’d like to hang out with?

Here, in no particularly order, are 45 cool kid travellers you should be following on Instagram according to, and including, me.

Let me know who your favourite fearless, cool, travelling kids are, so I can check them out too.

Raffles x

Jaka @FAMILYCORELADVENTURES

Seriously, Jaka and his family travel to outrageously cool places that I’ve never heard of but now want to visit, like Ladakh. They love nature and getting to know the locals, which I reckon is just about the best part of travelling and their photos are epic.

Rui, Mas & Kik  @BYJETPACK

These guys just seem like really cool guys and they get to travel to ah-mazing places like Morocco and India. Plus they like to do crazy stuff and play guitars like me. I’d love to jam with them somewhere really wild someday.

Emmie @MUMPACKTRAVEL

I’ve met Emmie in real life a few times now and she is up for absolutely anything. She’s super brave and pretty funny. And she loves elephants and likes to travel as much as I do. I love following her and her mum’s account because they travel to loads of places in Asia, just like us. And because they’re super awesome.

Lauren, Ava, Will, Aby & Christian  @THEVONFAMILY

You know when you just know you’d like someone in real life? That is how I feel about the Von Family. They love travel and really embrace culture, the way we like to and they all just seem like really nice people. I like the pictures of the cool places they explore but mostly I like that happiness seems to jump out of their faces in every picture.

Kaylra & Savannah @YTRAVELBLOG

Kalyra is one of the coolest kids I’ve ever talked to and one of the first kidstagrammers I connected with.  She and her little sister Savannah are really adventurous and lots of fun. They travelled around Australia then moved to America where they are sharing the epic things they do on Instagram. Plus, Kalyra loves Harry Potter and climbing, just like me! I hope we get to go climbing together some time. Dressed in Hogwarts uniforms.

Hawkeye Huey @HAWKEYEHUEY

This kid is like seven or eight-years old and takes really good photos. His dad is a professional travel photographer though, so I guess that helps. But he inspires me to do better with my photos and I love seeing what he gets up to.

Austin & Carson @MACS_EXPLORE

Austin and Carson do all the outdoor stuff I love like mountain biking, kayaking, hiking and skiing. They seem to be really fearless and have explored some epic places like Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, which are both on my travel wish list. But mostly I like them because you can tell their family has loads of fun together.

Zev, Kai, Liam & Shem @WILDROOTSOUTDOORS

These guys may sound like a team of ninjas but they’re actually four super cool kids who love camping and adventures in the outdoors… and snakes and lizards. They’re like snake whisperers or something. I totally want to hang out with them, though I might pass on the snake bit.

Evelyn, Henry & Sadie @TRAVELBABBO

These kids are all about my age and I reckon they’re awesome. They travel to epic places like Antarctica, Chile and Easter Island but the coolest things is that as well as trips together, each kid gets to choose anywhere in the world they want to go every year and their dad takes them by themselves. I love travelling solo with mum (mostly because we get to eat the whole time) and I figure if I write it here she might get the hint and do the same.

Vivi, Maya, Toñito, Ricky & Mario @KIDWORLDCITIZEN

I love these guys so much. Of all the families we follow, this is the one that I feel the biggest connection to, even though I’ve never met any of them. I think it’s because when this multicultural family travels, they really immerse themselves into the culture. And because their parents, like mine, really seem big on teaching them to be globally aware. They are super adventurous, always smiling and they have travelled to some of the places I most want to visit, like Peru and Mexico.

Tess @TESS_COADY 

Tess rocks! She’s like 16, and is the first Australian snowboarder to win the junior world championship. I love the snow more than anything and she travels around the world to the best ski areas and her videos of getting air on her board are freaking a-maze-ing.

Louis & Aurélien @COUBESBROTHERSRIDERS

These dudes are totes awesome. They live in Switzerland and travel around Europe skiing and dirt biking and getting some serious action. I don’t really understand what they’re talking about because they speak French but their pics are wicked and I love following their adventures.

Mikio Orion @THEEXPEDITIONERS

This kid is only one-year old but he is already more adventurous than I am. He kayaks, ice walks and camps in the wildest places with his mum and dad. I reckon this kid is going to be the next Bear Grylls. I just hope he never has to drink his own wee.

Emily, Marie, Aysia @PEARCEONEARTH

These girls have been travelling full time for ages and doing school on the road. They’ve travelled to about 35 different countries and really get into the countries they visit. They explore the outdoors, visit galleries and museums, learn about the culture and volunteer to give back to the communities they visit, which I think is really important.They even celebrated Dia de los Muertos in actual Mexico, which is like my total dream. And I’m a teensy bit jealous.

Tiah @ALITTLEATLARGE

Tiah is only like five or something and she’s not into super wild stuff yet but she made my list because I know she will be one day and I just really love her. Her mum shares amazing pictures of their adventures and when I met her she was so cute I even let her beat me up. Not that I had much say in it. I think she might be a pro-boxer when she grows up.

The Meraki Three @TRAVEL.WITH.MERAKI

I don’t know these kids’ names, but they share really great photos of epic things like climbing on old airplane wrecks in Iceland and exploring the Grand Canyon. They’ve even visited Lapland, which is awesome because I was getting a bit suss about Santa until I saw they have actually met him … and his reindeers and sled dogs.

Ben @BENTUDHOPE

OMG!! This guy is a legend. He’s 17 and has been snowboarding since he was eight years old even though he has damage to his nerves from Cerebral Palsy (Hemiplegia). He travels to the frostiest parts of the world to improve his wicked skills and has competed in the Paralympics for Australia and in the X Games. His videos and pics on his Instagram are epically epic.

Cooper, Pepper & Woody  @SMITHSHOLIDAYROAD

These kids have so much fun everywhere they go. They go to unusual places like Mongolia, which I think is cool, and they do it all with Cooper’s wheelchair. The coolest thing is they never let obstacles get in their way. And Cooper is a foodie like me! I’d like to share an exotic feast with him somewhere someday.

Sugarpuff (& Me) @BOYEATSWORLD

Ok, I am totally biased but my little sister has to be the cutest kid in the world. Ever. And even though she is a little crazy, she’s the best travel buddy ever. She loves adventure and is pretty brave. Except at dinner time, then she’s a fussy pain. But still, that leaves more yummy food for me. (Oh, and you’ll find me here too.)

Alex  @ALEXHAYESS

Alex isn’t really a kid, he’s 19, but I can’t not include him becasue I’ve known him in real life since he was heaps younger and I think he is the coolest person on Instagram. He does all the things I want to do, like skydiving out of a hot air ballon on an inflatable reindeer and jumping off buildings into pools, even though I know stuff like that would make my mum go insane. He’s my ultimate scare your parents silly idol. And he is totally the nicest person ever.

The post 45 cool kid travellers you should be following on Instagram, now appeared first on boyeatsworld.

“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, travel for Mr Eats World and I meant finding a bargain deal for a random destination, chucking a handful of clothes, a camera and a toothbrush in a backpack and buggering off. But when two became three, booking a holiday suddenly required actual thought and planning, and to be frank, had me soiling my wrinkle-free, quick-drying, lightweight, high-performance cargo pants. 

But since that first family adventure, through four climates and four time zones with as many suitcases in as many weeks, we’ve racked up several hundred flights with a baby, a toddler or a tween in every imaginable combination, and have picked up a tip or two along the way.  In fact, so well behaved are Raffles and Sugarpuff in the sky that we often consider living on a plane. That’s partly due to dumb luck, partly to experience but mostly due to sensible planning.

So for the sake of your sanity, here we are sharing our 9 tried and tested tips for flying with kids …

1. The sweet seat

Don’t assume the airline will have you all seated together. Unless one of you is actually flying the plane. We once had an eight-hour flight out of Asia where our entire family was separated, including our three-year old, who was seated a ridiculous five rows out of reach of either of her parents.  It took an hour of me screaming and almost causing an international incident to get each of our kids seated with a parent. When you’re booking, it is absolutely worth paying that extra few dollars to select your seating, unless you actually want your kids scattered from one end of a jumbo to the other. And never sit a young kid, or their octopus like arms and legs, in an aisle seat as the food and beverage cart, and the hot beverages it ferries about the cabin, can be an accident waiting to happen.

2. The early bird catches the plane

Here are two facts. Flights get delayed. Kids get bored. Combining the two can result in shitty behaviour, from parents as well as kids.  If you want to avoid the possibility of tantrum inducing boredom, we suggest flying as early in the day as possible as early morning flights are much less likely to encounter delays. It is also wise to allow extra time for checking in for your flight as kids need time to faff, flounce, wander off and chuck the occasional tanty.

3. Leave the baby steamrollers at home

Most airlines will allow you to keep a lightweight umbrella stroller with you until you board your flight. Note the emphasis on the lightweight. Leave your eight-metre wide Hummer-pram hybrid at home – not only because it will be extraordinarily inconvenient in a crowded airport, but because it’s only going to go in the hold and become more burden than benefit. If you’ve got a tot in tow, a baby carrier will be your freaking saviour. Not only will one free up your hands for handling tickets, passports and other children, they also come in handy for calming unsettled tots on the plane.

4. “I don’t need to go” and other lies

Children have an uncanny ability to never need a toilet when presented with one. But given your little piss takers have hummingbird-sized bladders and an ability to hold on equal to that of one of those tipping bucket thingies at a water park, they’ll need one exactly 30 seconds after the option is no longer there. Make sure they go immediately before boarding, again before they sleep and, yet again before landing. And you’ll have remind them to go at regular intervals or you’ll end up swimming to your destination. And don’t feel bad about sticking toilet trained younger kids in pull-ups for a long flight…  it’s a heck of a lot less stressful than having them squirming when the seat belt sign goes on.

5. Ditch the designer duds

This is not the time to dress your children in their fanciest frocks. Our rule is layered sloth all the way. An uncomfortable child is an unhappy, fidgety child and the fastest track to a major meltdown, so chuck them in the finest trackie daks and rejoice in the quiet of their comfort.

6. Let me, or Netflix, entertain you

Let me state the obvious. Kids get easily bored. We pack each of our kids their own plane bags with the stuff they can’t live without. Though we now take responsibility for them off the plane as children have a heart attack inducing habit of losing the bloody things in airports (I’m looking at you Raffles).  We ensure each bag is packed with enough entertainment to keep them busy for the duration of the flight, taking into account random mood swings and a child’s inability to focus on one thing for more than eight seconds at a time. Essentials include a book, notepad and pencils, headphones and a fully loaded tablet, each.

We find computer games have a tendency to get the kids agitated which is the last thing anyone wants at 30,000 feet, so our sanity saving go to is Netflix. We download the kids favourite movies and series, like Trollhunters and Spirit: Riding Free, and the result is instant silence for the duration of the flight. Our other tip is to pack your own noise cancelling headphones and download a little something for yourself, so you won’t hear them whining when their batteries run out. Marvel’s The Defenders is a good choice for parents because you can pick up a ninja move or two to keep the kids under control if they do start to muck up.

7. Do feed the animals

Make sure you pack snacks. You’ll need enough to keep them going for the duration of your flight because the airplane meal that interests a child has yet to be invented. Snacks are especially important if you have a kid like Raffles who’d eat a flight attendant if he didn’t get fed at regular intervals.

8. Aim low and avoid disappointment

Make sure you fly with realistic expectations. Kids can be fractious, argumentative pains in the arse even at home, so why expect them to turn into a Stepford child when you’ve got them shoved in a small space with nowhere to move for hours on end? Throw out the rule book. No matter what your parenting philosophy, be prepared to negotiate, soothe, and bribe your kids to your destination.

But do remember, even if they are absolute angels from take off until landing, there will always be one of those self-entitled loud mouth passengers who won’t see the irony in the fact they’re complaining loudly to anyone who’ll listen about the merest hint of a whisper from a child. While you may be tempted to retort or try out one of the aforementioned ninja moves you picked up from watching Marvel’s The Defenders, do not engage. Instead focus on your child and remember that most people are nice.  And those who aren’t so nice? Stuff ’em!

The post 8 tried and tested tips for flying with kids appeared first on boyeatsworld.

This post was written in collaboration with Vision Direct 

I am what one would call a ridiculously light packer. Whether I’m travelling with the kids in tow or flying solo, I hate lugging luggage. So much so I’ve been known to rock a fortnight-long holiday with nothing more than a carry-on.

The kids on the other hand are notorious for trying to pack everything they own, except clothes, into our suitcases. But as we frequently fly on budget airlines with minimal luggage allowance, and I ain’t carrying them,  I am ruthless at eliminating items that aren’t essential or useful to reduce weight.

But there are a few travel items that this girl simply can’t live without and I insist on packing in my carry on. Here are my family travel essentials.

1. A quality travel organiser 

I carry a travel wallet less because I am anal, and more because I am a vague ditz who has a tendency to misplace things like passports, tickets and currency and ends up in a full blown panic attack every thirty seconds in transit. Thankfully, my much calmer and less ditzy children have become like an external memory bank and always watch when I put stuff away so when I cant find it, they can tell me exactly where it is, and don’t have to watch me having yet another embarrassing meltdown.

2. A set of spare clothes

Over the course of hundreds of flights I’ve only ever had one bag lost in transit, and though it found its way back eventually, I was stuck for days without clothes in a country that didn’t really accommodate the sartorial requirements of a 5’9 human. Suffice to say, I stunk. Ever since I make sure I pack a spare set of clothes in my carry on, in case my checked baggage doesn’t end up holidaying at the same destination as me. The kids too carry a change of clothes, but that’s more because they are total grots.

3. A vat of Rescue Remedy

Despite the huge number of flights I have survived, I have yet to overcome being a gutless wonder who is shit scared of flying, so I always pack a full bottle of Rescue Remedy, which I tend to knock back like water on take off and landing.

4. A stylin’ scarf

There is perhaps no other more useful garment in my carry on than a large scarf or pashmina. Not only does it double as a blanky on chilly flights, which is almost always stolen by one of the kids, it’s perfect for hiding the great blob of airplane food I always manage to spill on my shirt mid-flight.

5. Stolen slippers

Another in-flight packing secret is that I steal the towelling slippers from hotels for me and the kids. They weigh nothing, slip easily into our hand luggage and make the perfect fix for scuttling around the plane, hygienically.

6. A magic wand 

I’m as vain as the next person and Yves St Laurent Touche Eclat is hands down the best beauty product ever invented for travellers (or those folk with a tendency for rocking killer hangovers). I do not leave home without it. A touch under the eyes and a spot here and there and I can almost pass for a human being after a red-eye flight.

7. Some sassy shades

Sunglasses are another travel essential, and not just so I can swan through the airport like some kind of incognito celebrity, sweetie darling. While my sexy new Versace’s do come in handy for hiding my jet lagged eyeballs and accidental holiday hangovers, I also insist on the kids having high-quality eye protection with adequate UV protection because wearing sunglasses now will help protect them against eye problems later. A scratch resistant design is another must – because children!  The only catch till now has been trying to convince them to keep them on. The rocking Ray-Bans they chose from Vision Direct seem to have solved that problem because now they practically want to sleep in them.

8. My portable ER

You don’t have to pack a pharmacy, but an up to date travel first aid kit is essential for any travelling family. You can see our suggested essentials here.

9. A pack of pain killers

Separate to our first aid kit I pack both children’s Paracetamol and Ibuprofen, as well as the grown up variety for flights, because there ain’t no magical fly-through pharmacy at 30,000 feet and the on board first aid offerings aren’t necessarily going to cut it.

10. Gadgets to go

My camera, phone and laptop travel with me at all times (but all associated chargers holiday in our checked baggage, if we have any).

11. Kid-friendly entertainment

The kids always bring their fully charged iPads, packed to the brink with Netflix downloads, , which they carry in their own hand luggage along with their own headphones.

12. Universal adaptor plug

A Universal adapter plug is essential so you can plug in and charge up in transit wherever you are. Ours comes with a bonus USB charge port, making life even easier when you’re toting the amount of technology we tend to these days.

13. A fully loaded battery back-up

I also always pack a full charged mini battery charger because my phone always times its death just as I arrive somewhere and need it.

14. Swags and swags of zip-lock bags

Zip-lock bags are solid holiday gold! I always pack a stash in different sizes for phone cords, cables and sim cards as well for transporting half finished snacks.

15. Stacks of snacks

Speaking of snacks, if I’m travelling with the kids I also pack a few relatively healthy ones like nut bars, apples and dried fruit because the kids rarely time their rumbling tummies with cabin service.

16. A BYO bevvy bottle 

A refillable water bottle. Better for the environment than disposable plastic bottles, there’s usually a bubbler somewhere past customs that you can use to fill it before boarding to keep the fam hydrated.

17. The right attitude

My number one essential is to pack realistic expectations because when you’re travelling with kids, mishaps and the occasional tanty are bound to happen, no matter how carefully you prepare.

Disclosure:  Vision Direct generously provided us with our new sunnies but all opinions, as always, are own. We’re sharing the love because, let’s be honest, they’ve made us look like rock gods! 

The post Packing it: Our family travel essentials appeared first on boyeatsworld.