Panic mode - help me pack for European tripin 11 days...

[deborah_r]

It's a long story as to why, but we are suddenly preparing for a trip to Austria. It was a possibility, work-related for DH, now it is happening. I am completely freaking over what to pack! I don't know if DS has enough warm clothes, because I don't buy much cold-weather stuff for him, considering we are in So. Cal. Fortunately I think the Gymboree 3-in-1 jacket and LL Bean bunting I got off ebay last year still fit. But the bunting is just fleece. He doesn't have a snow bib/snowsuit or anything like that. Definitely has no snow boots.

I guess, if anyone feels like it, can you list your must-haves that you would pack for yourself, your spouse, and your child? Anything that pops into your mind, no matter how obvious! I'm hoping more experienced travellers will think of things I might not.

Also, if anyone has good travel tips for Austria, please feel free to list them here or send me an email. We have been there once, went to Krems, Salzburg, and Vienna. Oh, we will be there about 10 days.

Thanks!

[jbowman]

Deborah,

I LOVE Vienna, and since you've been there you know how great it is! The Natural History Museum (Naturhistorisches) there is wonderful, and might be fun--for a limited time--with a small child. Here's the website:

http://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/


The Kunsthistorisches Museum is the best art museum in the world, IMHO, but Kai might not appreciate it as you would! You might consider going to the Vienna Prater, an amusement park known for the Riesenrad--a large Ferris Wheel. That might be a fun place to visit! There's also a rose garden that's nice. And Kai might enjoy just riding around the "Ring" on the s-bahn!

Have a wonderful time! If I can think of anything else, I'll post it!

[HGraceMom]

I just picked up some cold weather gear for DD at Target - warm boots (look like UGGs) for $14 - Maybe you could try Kohl's for a less expensive coat? We live in the depths of winter most of the year (ok, it's Michigan, but still so darned cold!) and DD hasn't yet worn snow pants - I layer her clothes, add hats, mittens, scarves, etc. and she does really well. If you think you'll need "play in the snow clothes" how about layers of sweatpants, leggings & long socks (maybe even tights underneath - no one will see them!)

This may be TMI... but the best European travel advice I ever received was to pack throw away underclothes - socks, underwear, etc... There's nothing like unpacking after a wonderful vacation & not thinking about absolutely immediate laundry requirements. We save the "borderline throwaway stuff" in an unused dresser drawer just for that purpose.

Happy Travelling!

[papal]

I have no idea about clothing requirements but just wanted to say HAVE A FABULOUS TIME GIRLIE!!
Instead of buying things that you may never use when you come back, if there is anything you need, maybe someone here can just loan you the stuff for 2 weeks? Just a thought.

[alkagift]

Deborah,
Hit www.ricksteves.com. The site is packed with stuff--not only about the locations but about how to get around. I'll attach the tips link below. Keep in mind that the site is slanted to a low-impact carry it yourself type of person, some who are into the hostel thing and on a budget, so there's all types. In the "graffitti board" area people have posted their experiences at local restaurants, hotels, etc and that is helpful too.

For yourself, I recommend anything tencel--shirts, skirts, etc. I got some deals at REI for that. One jacket for you, longish. An UMBRELLA! (Tiny one.) I went to Rome about this time two years ago and black shirts, skirts, and pants worked. I wore red, cream and pale blue as contrasting colors and it worked out great. Bring comfy shoes, I got eccos and they were wonderful--you'll be walking a lot. Avoid jeans (too heavy, mark you as a tourist and most people aren't wearing them), baseball caps and white tennis shoes. Carry tights for you for warmth--consider buying them for Kai too (he won't know!). I would carry sweatpants for DS with polyester in them for warmth, Target carries some, I think. Get one fleece footed pajama set for DS--they are light and easy to wash and dry in one night if necessary.

HAVE FUN!!!

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/home.htm

Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, 5/19/03

[jec2]

Oh, how thoroughly exciting.

Pack toothbrush and underwear. The rest you can buy there !!! ;)

[ethansmom]

Deborah,

I saw this post after emailing you. I'll definitely get the boots in the mail this afternoon! Also, we have 2T black snow pants and a 24 month fleece bunting you are welcome to borrow. Just email me and I'll add them to the boots.

Have fun!

[american_mama]

I live in Belgium, which is at least an 8 hour drive northwest of Austria, but I don't think you'll encounter snow on your trip unless you are in the mountains. It's colder here now than in upstate New York, where my parents live, but I don't think it's snowing anywhere in Europe yet. I doubt you'll need snowboots.

Instead of a snowsuit, I bought my DD a foot muff thing for her stroller, which kept her legs and ankles warm (her pants were always riding up). Tights or leg warmers would also have worked. (My sister sent me some child leg warmers from Target that were dirt cheap. They look a bit funny and I rarely used them, but they are pretty easy to get on and off over shoes and clothes.) I think a snowsuit would be a bit of a pain due and take up lots of space in your stroller basket.

Bring sippy cups, a special toothbrush and possibly dishwasher detergent to wash the valves and cap, and washcloths for yourself and son. Some hotels don't supply them. Bring some cloth diapers for your diaper bag for spills, runny noses, etc. and some pocket Kleenex for the same thing (and the occasional missing toilet paper in public bathrooms). Be prepared to change your son on the floor of some bathrooms (for me, that meant a BIG changing pad), since you can't count on diaper changing stations as much as you could in the US. And bring a small thing of hand sanitizer should the soap be missing in a bathroom,or just use your baby wipes. And maybe some little bags for throwing away smelly diapers; I occasionally felt self-conscious leaving a big stinky diaper behind me even if I was never going to see the store or people again.

Bring disposable bibs or a couple washable bibs, NOT cloth, which won't dry. Wal Mart sells a nice wipable one that snaps together at the bottom to make a pouch to catch dropped food.

Bring lots of clothes or bring few and the means to wash them. Your son will probably spill something every day on his shirt (and maybe pants too) and be unable to re-wear it like an adult could.

I suspect you will have absolutely no trouble buying diapers and wipes there. Pampers (and often Huggies) is a huge brand everywhere, and it's much easier to pack just a 3-4 day supply and then buy a small pack when you get to your destination. Same thing with wipes. If you bring wipes from the US, bring ones in a soft sided case that will squish down as you use them up.

Bring a plastic bowl or two for feeding your son, plus lots of spoons (so easy to lose). If you are still giving him formula, DO bring as much as that as you will need since formula brands are different here and you can often only buy formula at special drugstores with no weekend or evening hours.

For toys, bring some toys for motion (small ball or beach ball you can deflate and pack easily, maybe a pull toy with a string), some noisy toys (like a pretend cell phone or remote control - many dollar stores sell these in the older kid toy section), some books (board books pack well but paperbacks are lighter and thinner), maybe some crayons, maybe a bead necklace (party supply or craft stores usually sell these, and my DD loves them). And bring a lovey and familiar blanket for your son if he cares about them, or if you (like me) have a superstition that they will make your child sleep better.

Find out if the hotel has a travel crib (they may call it a cot, British English for crib) they can put in your room. In our European travels, this has usually been a pack n play, and it is much easier to use theirs than lug yours around.

For sightseeing, we have usually just dragged our daughter around with us, with greater or lesser success. Plan on doing only 2 tourist activities a day, and try to find some convenient playgrounds or parks where your son can move a little. When I accompanied my husband on a business trip to Germany, I planned one morning activity that would hopefully be fun for Amara (train museum, toy museum) and one afternoon activity that was fun for me. It worked well, even if she was slow to fall asleep to allow me to enjoy the afternoon activity. Some tourists return to the hotel for their child's nap and others (Like me) just cross their fingers and hope the child will sleep in the stroller.

Oh, i'd recommend stroller rain shields when traveling since you never knew when to expect rain or wind. Posters on the stroller board were just raving about a $10 Graco rain shield at Babies R Us (do make sure it fits your stroller first). The rain shields are great for blocking wind and keeping your little one warmer.

Definitely bring a small umbrella for yourself! And a hat, gloves, and scarf for yourself. At this time of year, you can keep yourself warm with a lightly lined jacket as long as you have the hat, gloves, and scarves to help. I am still wearing my fall coat with a flannel lining, but I am often cold in it if I don't have a scarf.

If you are not averse to it, bring children's Benadryl or a similar product to make your child drowsy on the plan or possibly even in the hotel room at night. Pack it in your carry on, not suitcase. Possibly test your child with it first to make sure he doesn't get hyped up on it.

It's a great adventure traveling with children, much more work than traveling as an adult and with fewer of the obvious tourist rewards, but you can enjoy the slower pace, have experiences you'd otherwise never have, and feel less lonely than you might if you were on your own without hubby. Look for the rewards and you'll find them. Have fun!

ETA: Here's a good weather website for 2, 7, and 14 day forecasts in Europe. You can even see the hour that rain or clouds are likely to appear.
http://www.metcheck.com/europe/forecast_48hours.asp?locationID=603
Here's a converter for Celsius to Fahrenheit.
http://www.cimko.com.tr/About/Cf.htm

[egoldber]

I'm more of the less is more camp. I figure if the Europeans don't need it for their kids, then do I really need it for a vacation? But that being said, I would bring a washable/wipable bib or 2 (like the Bumkins ones) and a couple sippy cups. But other than that, I would pack like normal trip. In fact try to bring signigicantly LESS than you do for most trips! I'd rather spot wash shirts at night than pack 10 days worth of clothes.

I would also bring the most rugged stroller you have. Lots of cobblestones and lots of public transport make for a need for a heavy duty stroller.

Just a thought, does Kai have a passport? He DOES need one!

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

I am so excited for you...and want to insist you pack ME!!!!!!
No advice on packing but had to send you off with huge hugs of excitment!!!!


Neve and Tristan born Feb 25, 2003
* EDD 3/19/05 IT'S A GIRL
* DOSSIER IN THE HANDS OF TRANSLATOR

http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan

[slknight]

Oooh, sounds like fun! Never been there so no good advice. Seems like the PPers have got a lot of it covered for you. But did want to chime in that we've got a ton of cold-weather clothes if you want to borrow any. Just shoot me an e-mail. I don't think we'll use them all in the next few weeks. At least I hope not!

[C99]

My FIL just got back from Germany today. He said that the weather was very similar to how it is here in Chicago (60s), but with more rain and fewer turned leaves. I don't know if Austria will be very different weather-wise, but my guess is that it's not going to be cold enough to need snow boots in Vienna in early November.

I actually wouldn't pack a ton -- especially if you are going to be taking public transportation a lot or exclusively while there -- PnP if the hotel doesn't have a crib, crib sheets from home, blanket, batteries, electricity converters, clothing, diapers, mittens-and-hat for everyone, travel umbrellas, and good walking shoes.

[momma_boo]

If you are taking some sippy cups, buy the Palmolive Dish Wipes. Just take a couple in a ziploc bag and just cut a small square to use each time. It was great on a recent trip we took. Oh, they are also handy if you are taking some of the washable bibs. This way you don't have to deal with having to get soap and a sponge to clean everything.

For myself, I bought a pack of the Oil of Olay face wipes (figured it was one less bottle to take along) and those worked out really well and I've continued using them ever since.

Sounds like it'll be a great trip!

I'm not sure how cold it is, but I'm not sure you'll need a snow bib/snowsuit yet. It's been mostly in the 50s in the New York area and DD has been wearing a winter jacket most of the time. The bunting you already have would probably work out well if you're outside and walking around.

Hmmm. Going from So Cal to Europe sounds like a long journey. We went from NJ to Hawaii and survived! If you don't have one yet, I would highly recommend a magna doodle (aka Doodle Pro). We also brought along our laptop to play DVDs for DD and also purchased an additional battery for the laptop (which was good b/c the plane didn't have the capability for us to plug into it). I also brought the Crayola Magic markers that only work on their special paper. Also some erasable crayons and a notebook. A couple of new books. Plenty of snacks! (I had raisins as my secret weapon). I didn't bother with milk during the plane ride. Mostly just gave her water, so that I didn't have to worry about keeping anything cold, putting in some apple juice for a treat once in a while.

[newbelly2002]

Like Karen, I'm also here. I'm in Berlin which is significantly north of Austria and while it *has* been cold (a week straight of high 30s low 40s F weather) we haven't yet seen snow. Dante has occasionally broken out his lined shoes, but nothing even close to snow boots, bibs etc yet.

Things you'll need: a hat, scarf, long socks and mittens/gloves for everyone--especially for Kai. If you can't scrounge them up before hand you can buy them for cheap in H&M or C&A, both major departments stores on the level of Old Navy in price and quality. They have all their little boys winter stuff out now for very cheap.

Disposable bibs (the Europeans are not into the throw away culture, and thus to my knowledge do not exist here)

Heavy duty stroller. As Beth said, the cobblestones are rough and strollers *are* allowed on public transporation, with the child still in them--buses, streetcars, subways and the like. You want something you and Kai will both feel secure with. To that end, also a rain shield and a foot muff or heavy blanket that you can wrap around.

For the cot/crib, be aware that you will most likley be given a heavy puffy down comforter as a blanket for Kai. If you're not comfortable with him having that, then be sure to take an extra blanket (maybe the one you're using for the stroller) or thick pajamas. Germans (and I'm imagining Austrians) tend to keep their houses and hotels a tick cooler than the average American.

Childrens Benedryl, Motrin and Tylenol--or some variation thereof. Children's medicines are a little tougher to come by. And, FYI, what is available is usually only in suppository form for kids under 2.

One option is a pack of straws instead of sippy cups. I find straws a little easier to manage than dealing with a sippy cup when we're out and about, but that's a personal preference.

Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions and have an absolute blast!

Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/02

[bostonsmama]

A laptop is great if you have it, but remember that taking any appliance (curing iron, bottle warmer, hair dryer, mini stereo, etc) requires the use of batteries or a converter because the power is 220v instead of 110v (like in America). On the rare occasion, usually when staying at hotels that cater to Americans, there might be a single 110v outlet, but usually it's just for electric razors.

I also agree with PPs that you won't need a snow suit. I lived about 4 hours north of Innsbruck, Austria (southern Germany) for three years and this time of year was mostly chilly and rainy...but no snow. I had the best luck of not looking like a tourist by wearing clothes in layers in subdued tones: a white tee shirt, a grey LS button up, and a warm black cotton sweater, with an occasional hip-length rain jacket/wind breaker for outside walking. And plenty of Europeans wear jeans....just not the baggy kind that sag down to your knees or the tight ones that show your pantyline. Either way, I found khaki pants to be most versatile and comfortable....as they can pair with a poplin button down and doc martens for museum tours, or a cashmere cardigan, heels and pearls for an elegant dinner or theater performance.

But don't worry too much about blending in; you'll immediately be noticed as an outsider the minute you open your mouth and speak English! I found that a little pocket language travel guide of German was MOST helpful....I was even able to book a hotel, order dinner, buy some souvenirs, and ask where the nearest ice cream shop was. You might also check out a Fodor's or Frommers Guide to Austria from your library (so fascinating...and a 21 day loan should get you there and back for free). A good way to deal with that AWFUL 9-11 hour transcontinental flight is to practice some German phrases with your son, like Gruss Gott (a popular greeting), or Guten Morgen (Good Morning) & Guten Abend (Good Evening), and Auf Wiedersen (Good Bye). The customs guys always smile when they see children try to speak the language!

Oh, and get a few euros exchanged before you get there. Banks/booths at the airport DO NOT usually have the best exchange rate. And MOST places that lie outside big city limits (and even some within it) don't take credit cards! Also, you might want to buy a payphone card when you get there (keep it cheap)...as there are many payphones that don't take change. The payphone card has a chip that gets read and keeps track of how many minutes you've used...I think Deutsche Telecom runs this program...but ask around at the hotel. And one last thing, depending on how much money you have/would like to spend, I would try to bring whatever you can, as it can be SUPER expensive to buy simple things such as diapers, deoderant, shoes, clothing, etc. Governments tax items to death over there (16% in Germany), which is built into every price...so the price you see is the price you pay. HTH...sorry so long.

[calebsmama03]

Never been to Europe, but wanted to say have a WONDERFUL time!! What fun :)
Lynne
Mommy to Caleb 3/3/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif[/img][/url]
Oh my!! #2 5/05

[pritchettzoo]

Don't forget to vote ahead of time or get an absentee ballot. ;)

Have a wonderful trip. Send us a postcard!

Anna

[deborah_r]

Thanks for the offer, but I think those would be too big on my little peanut! Can't wait to see the boots!

[deborah_r]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I also have family visiting right now, so I haven't been on the boards as much. I will reading through all of these great ideas, thank you!!!

[american_mama]

Yes, don't forget to vote. Contact your local elections office and ask what to do. I've done it, it's not too hard, and it's very civic!