A Trip Across the Pond

We found out last Thursday afternoon that John was wanted in Bath England for Monday morning. We were getting ready for a week long trip to Blind River which we cut short to be back in Ottawa on time to catch a night flight to England on Wednesday instead. While I was disappointed to have to make a long trek to see my folks only to turn around and go back to Ottawa a few days later, I was very excited about my second trip to Europe. A trip I would be making with my baby boy and husband nonetheless!

The last minute trip did cause us (especially me) a lot of stress. John was in Philadelphia and so I had to run around with Rowan in his stroller for 2 days to get passport pictures, the car cargo rack (so that we could lug all of his stuff and the dogs with us where ever we go), get Rowan's allergy tests done and then apply for his passport. It may not sound like a lot of things to accomplish in 48 hours but it was. Rowan was in his car seat for no less than 6 hours per day and was very cranky by the end of it all. So was I come to think of it. My anxiety was fueled by the passport office who didn't like his photos, who wanted a ticket before giving me his passport and then who, when I had my ticket, questioned why Rowan's name wasn't on the ticket. In the end all of the bumps were ironed out and on Wednesday just before heading to the airport we picked up his passport and were on our way.

And here we are--in Bath, England. John and Rowan are both fast asleep as I write. My boys are exhausted after traveling to Blind River and back and then getting on an airplane the next day. In total we have traveled 29 hours in the past 5 days. That's enough to knock anyone on their bum, especially if that anyone is a 2.5 month old or a tired daddy who barely got any sleep in the days leading up to our trip. I am exhausted too but I think that caring for Rowan has trained my body to deal with intermittent and interrupted sleep. I am looking forward to exploring the city tomorrow with my bright-eyed little man staring at me out from his Quinney. Watching him watching me is my favourite thing to do these days and I can't imagine a better place to do the watching from than the streets of a quaint old town! I wonder what we will find?

Here are a few things that our first family trip away from Canada has taught me (not in any particular order):

1. Babies need a ticket no matter what the on-line booking site says.
   
2. You can only purchase the ticket for a baby by calling the airline directly (at least this is how Air Canada works)
3. Calling the airline is a good idea because the agent will give you a bulkhead seat which has a bassinet attachment.
4. You need a ticket with mention of the baby in order to get the baby's expedited passport.
   
5. Passport employees can be real jerks even if you are visibly upset and have a screaming baby on your hip.
6. The world would be far more chaotic without good friends (Thanks Angelina for bringing us our ticket and sitting with Rowan!)
7. Flying at night with a baby is a good idea because they sleep the whole way (if you have the bassinet which you aren't guaranteed to get even if you have a bulk head seat because they only have 2 on board at any given time).
8. Car seats get checked. Strollers can go to the gate where they are put on the sky check.
9. Sky check doesn't mean "No damage".
10. Hiring a car is a good idea when traveling with a baby, a stroller, 4 large suit cases and a car seat.
11. Ordering a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet means you eat first on the plane and it actually tastes good.
12. There is such thing as lacto-ovo chocolate cake!
13. Driving a stroller full of groceries and baby is risky business. Good thing the basmati rice was the only casualty.
    
14. No matter what the photographer says, baby passport photos should be as perfect as possible if you don't want any fuss.
    
15. Second sets of passport pictures do not need to be signed by the guarantor (we didn't need to do this but when our photos were questioned they told me I could just take Rowan downstairs for new shots and come back).
16. The passport people may say they will call your guarantor but they don't.
    
17. Flying with a teething baby is hell (this is based on the poor mom flying solo with her 8 month old boy who cried the entire flight as our angel snoozed. By the way, Rowan was the same size as the 8 month old).
18. 2.5 month old's can fit into size 6-12 month clothing (I learned he fit into all of his clothes when packing for this trip).
19. England has a much wider selection of healthy foods in the grocery stores and it is safer for people with allergies because everything comes with an allergy allert on the label.
20. French and Italian bakery bread are generally milk and soy free but you need to consult the bakers (who are wonderful in England).
21. Canada and the US are either super paranoid about terrorism or really like plexiglass. In England, the customs agents sit behind a normal desk and actually get out to look at your sleeping baby.
22. The Bonkie (http://www.babybonkie.com), although it may appear to be trendy version of a straight-jacket to some, is a LIFE SAVER.
23. Men with loud coughs scare the shit out of anxious parents but don't seem to affect a sleeping baby.
24. Avoid the red wine on flights. There is a reason it is free.
    

Tomorrow Rowan and I will walk daddy to work and take in the sights. I simply can't wait.