Have stroller, will travel.

How many of you spent an inordinate amount of time choosing a good stroller? You would have got advice from everyone, stopped mothers on the street, gone to countless stores and looked at every website you could. Some of you may be happy with the choice you finally made, some not. Whatever the result I'd love to hear it!

Some strollers are best for newborns, some better for toddlers, some easy to fold up, some good for running with and some maybe nice and versatile. There is no perfect answer.

Here are a few that you have all told me about. I am only interested in strollers that are good for traveling with. The things I look for are ease of use (both getting around and folding up), compactness and versatility.

Please tell me your favourite and I will add to the list. I am not going to rate them but maybe when you go to buy one we can arm you with a handfull of suggestions from seasoned travellers.

Rock 'n roll...

Bugaboo Bee

This is the stroller we bought. I have already talked about it in a previous blog but basically we find it easy to use, it was great from the minute she was born, it can face us or later we will face her out to the world, it is lightweight, pretty and when you get to know it, it is easy to fold up and put in the car, on a plane etc. My friend Helen said she decided not to use this one because the ladies in the store couldn't work it. I had the same thing when I went but a quick look at the video on the Bugaboo site fixed that. But I should point out that one of my favourite things in the world is putting together Ikea furniture so I could be unnaturally (and nerdily) predisposed to this kind of thing.

The QuickSmart™ Easy Fold Stroller

This is the stroller my friend Lara suggested and is featured on the Equipment page. I haven't seen it in person but the video looks pretty good! 

The Baby Jogger

Here is a comment from my friend Helen (her and husband Clark are other traveling gypsy types like us). I love how they finally came to their decision - very proactive!:

In my research (and believe me there were far, far too many hours spent in front of my mac and far too many trips to baby stores across Europe) it became quickly apparent that there was no 'ideal' pram for our specific travel needs. Or at least what I perceive our needs to be - as we're still 7 weeks away... yikes.

I was seeking the ultimate: super compact, really light, fully reclinable/reversable seat, easy fold, car seat adaptable, well hooded, fabulous stroller!Let me tell you it doesn't exist...

The closest is the Quinny Zapp but it doesn't recline! Actually that's not true they have recently released a seat section that will recline, which we were super excited about, only to discover that the recline section is non-collapsable; which completely negates the Quinny being the world's most compact stroller. Oh well.

We then moved on to the Bugaboo Bee. Yes it is extremely cute and has the most divine ride and turning circle but we had a nightmare reversing the seat and collapsing it and after two assistants in 2 different shops told us “Oh this one must be broken..." as they struggled with it AND finding broken Bugaboos on the shop floor (from some more forceful customers) we decided we'd probably break it within the week.

Well my partner Clarke was MCing the circus stage at a gig at the Bristol Harbour Festival while I (mostly) checked out the serious "pram porn" in the crowd. Their were hundreds of strollers and prams it was unbelievable! By this time I'd moved on to interviewing parents about their pram/strollers- "Hi, I'm sorry I know this is a bit weird but, are you happy with your pram?" - and cataloguing favourites on my iPhone. Yep, I told you I had it bad.

I thought this was embarrassing Clarke but it actually inspired him to run a spontaneous stroller competition on stage!!!He invited three people and their respective wheels up on stage then tested the prams for off road (drive over his body), for comfort (he rode in them) and then, the ultimate, collapse your pram as quickly as possible and hold it over your head.

Wow.

As two struggled one lady’s pram collapsed with a single one handed lift.Under 3 secs! There was a collective gasp from 50% of the crowd as all the pram pushers wondered what the hell is that thing???She won the competition and we finally found our stroller. 

We’ve ordered it in the states as it’s way cheaper. Along with the car seat adapter and travel bag. Next year it will come to Europe and New York with us so I’ll let you know how it travels.

And then there is of course the ol' staple MacLaren which I have never heard a bad word about and I see plenty of them in the playgrounds around the world so they have to be doing something right!

So there you go. A little bit of food for thought on the stroller question. I am, as always very interested in hearing your views and opinions so keep the comments coming!

x Ali

3am...3am... Eternal...

I am writing this blog from the couch at almost 3am with KLF haunting my weary brain...

I will write a full blog in the next couple of days about what I have learnt about jet lag in the last week. I have new theories about 'length of flight versus time difference', and 'why sometimes the easiest flight = the hardest recovery'.

But for the moment I will just share this little gem:

'Maybe think twice before flying twice through timezones in one week and follow that immediately by going to a wedding.'

I'm just sayin' is all....


I am also working on a blog entitled "things I have bought that turned out to be crap". Gripping stuff.

I hope you enjoyed the guest blog - do you have one you want to send me? Or do you have a nomination for "best travel strollers & prams"? I'd love to get your comments.

So goodnight, and from the Ancients of Mu Mu themselves I shall point to the fact that time is indeed eternal.

X

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad (I know! How exciting! I got it for my birthday!)

Location:London

1st Guest Blog!

Hello all,

I have had some great responses to this blog and I have asked a few people to write down their tips &/or experiences so I can make then a guest blogger for the day.

So, here is our very first guest and it is none other than the lovely Fahey Younger who is a comedienne and fellow arty/carnie traveller. She has two beautiful boys Mo & Spike (here they are looking awesome):

and travels a lot with them so here goes:

Travelling w/ kids is a lot of fun - fun that dissipates somewhat as they get older. heh!

You pretty much hit all my tips especially - get a bassinet seat on the plane.  Covering an  "I don't want to miss out" baby w/ a muslin so they can sleep!   And I couldn't agree more.  The better the class the easier the travel - plus it's fantastic to hit the pointy end of the plane w/ a baby in your arms as the looks on the faces of the other passengers is priceless!  heh

Just a hint (mainly for flying within the US) if you're formula feeding, you'll generally take the water and the powder separately.  Some baggage checkers are morons and wont want to let you take cooled water in a bottle.  Even while you're holding a new baby.  Be prepared you'll have to pre-mix it or ditch it or fight.  Guess which one I chose?  heh

Some airlines are better with kids, Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines are the BEST. Hands down.  United and Qantas, awful.

For pressurising little ears.  I always try to reserve some bottle for take-offs and landings - cause babies are crap at chewing gum.

Bigger kids - this is my absolute number one tip for a long haul flight.  Before you leave, hit the Toy Aisle at KMart and buy up a bunch of little toys.  The biggest hits are always tiny containers with ATTACHED lids, little battery powered fans that light up, toy cars, stretchy frogs (don't ask me what they're made of I have NO clue but they're stretchy and stick to windows) - really anything cheap and small.  Then, you wrap each one.  Lots of tiny presents.  Then you just dish them out as the flight goes on and the kids get bored.  We tend to buy 1 toy per 2 hours.  FAIL SAFE!  They're small enough to cram in your handbag/carry on just remember, don't buy anything that makes a noise!!  That has worked for us since Spike was 10 months old.

This is a fantastic site, we use a lot http://www.travelswithbaby.com/planning/baby_gear_rentals.htm

Those hire companies are extra fabulous, not just for cots and car seats but for things like the beloved Jumperoo.  Certainly too big to travel with but essential for Mumma's mental health. :-)

We have always travelled w/ the fullsize pram too (A hulking big Zekiwa and now a sleeker Love n Care) and have never had a problem.  I don't check the pram, I wheel it up to the gate and the hosties will take it from you there and 99% of airlines will have it at the gate when you get OFF the plane.  Voila I say.  VWAH-LAH!

So there you are - a great few flying tips from the excellent Fahey - feel free to leave your comments and if anyone else wants to write a guest blog email me at info@alimcgregor.com

Next up 'traveling strollers' so feel free to send me your favourites to go into the mix.

x