在还未有小孩的时候，我和先生两人旅游时可谓非常轻松自在。有了第一个小孩后，我们协议不管是在国内或国外，将来也一定要挂着小孩一起走看世界，当然我们也已作好心理准备，可以想像接下来的旅程再也不会像以往那么简单轻松。现在我们有了第二个小孩，一家四口依然不减到处游玩的热忱。就这样不知不觉地也已踏入第六个年头，我们进行了无数次的国内国外亲子游，而且当小孩渐渐长大，我们也就越玩越轻松！
Travel is our passion and travel with children has become our lifestyle since we decided to show our kids the world. Before that, there was our whole lifetime of single and couple travel to every corner of the globe. Six years of continuous travel around the world later, we’re still exploring, just that our family vacations get better with each passing year and our kids growing centimetres!
常有朋友看见我们一直带着小孩到处走，会问我们，「不觉得麻烦吗？」他们觉得带小孩出门有许多琐碎的事必须照顾，小孩偶有突发状况，家长不能随心所欲享受旅程等等。
Even though things are bound to happen on family vacations, we felt it’s worth it for the great moments. We’ve had tantrums and time-outs all over the world, but we figure if we are gonna learn to master these behaviours somewhere, it may as well be on the go LOL!
对我们来说，带着小朋友一起看世界并不是一个负担，我们觉得带孩子一起旅行不但可以促进我们与孩子之间的感情，同时还可以让小孩接触到外面的世界，亲近大自然，体验每一次旅程所带来经验和惊喜。
The boys will only be boys once, so we’re just going to enjoy it. There’s no time like the present to start planning our next trip, and to show them that the world is vast, even when we are still singing “It’s a small world after all.”!
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该如何规划有趣的亲子游行程？
How to travel with kids, and enjoy it?
一直以来，我们都坚持规划适合自己的行程。自从开始亲子游后，对于行程上的安排也随之改变了不少，譬如说带着小孩去旅行就得排除享受按摩这类活动，虽然有些酒店会提供托儿服务，但我还是不放心让小孩在人生地不熟的情况下离开我的视线，当下会觉得没能享受按摩绝对是小事一桩，孩子能安全在身边才是我最关注的。至于行程的安排，我们都会配合小朋友的休息时间，例如我家小孩在下午时段需要睡午觉，所以在那段时间我们就安排到有冷气的咖啡馆慢享下午茶，大人也可以趁这时候坐下休息，毕竟小孩在吃够睡饱后情绪较为安稳。
As parents (and travellers) we go to great lengths to plan ahead for our family vacation. It is imperative when travelling with kids to prepare transportation, meals, fun activities and most crucially, rest time in between. Kids love to explore and don’t care for the time pressures of travel, so we’re more likely to all retain our cool if we factor the faffing, stalling, toilet stops and tantrums into our timeframe.
The first thing we do in itinerary planning is making a list of everything we are interested in exploring. Next, we make another list of things that our kids enjoy by googling to see what fun activities are possible for them at each destination. Our itinerary will ultimately revolve around their breaks, so as to find solace at a nearby cafe over high tea while the kids enjoy their afternoon naps.
寻找适合小朋友的景点，例如动物园是必去的、一些室内的游乐园、主题公园、迪士尼、水族馆、公园等等，另外再穿插一些大人想去的景点，让他们觉得旅程很有趣。
出发前，行程表里一定要把景点的活动、开放时间、交通工具规划好（最好是连后备景点和交通也准备好），并打印出来，整个亲子游就会水到渠成。就算遇到突发状况也能引刃而解。【小贴士】如果出发前熟读谷歌地图了解地形还能来场即兴探险而达到画龙点睛的效果。
In any case, anticipation is half the fun, so we also involved the children in the planning part, learning a bit of the history of where we are visiting and what things we want to do there. To date, attractions such as the zoo, indoor theme parks, underwater world and not forgetting, the Disneyland Resort where there’s one!
As always, do take note of the operation hours and transportation routes so as to make sure we arrived in good time. For a little bit of fun previewing our destination, go check out Google Street View or interactive map for a quick walkthrough!
适时调整旅行的步伐，不一定要坚持到所有景点打卡，不一定要全程忙着玩手机忙拍照，眼睛就是最好的相机，保持轻松愉快的心情旅游很重要。
When we have our lists, we pick ONE thing from each list to do per day as most likely that’s all we’ll successfully accomplish, and even the “successfully” part is not always guaranteed.
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如何收拾小孩的行李？
Packing for the little ones?
我们出门的行李，一直都尽可能越轻便越好，就算是自己开车，也一样不会带很多累赘的行李同行。例如我们四人游欧洲17天，只带了一件中型行李箱、一件手提行李箱、一个相机背包、一个小孩用品小包包，回程的时候再加多一件中型行李，朋友们都觉得不可思议！怎么可能把四人的冬装衣物日常用品等等统统塞进一件行李箱呢？！其实只要善用一些小工具（真空袋）和打包术就可以办到了。当然这一招并不适合喜欢在旅程中「表演」服装秀的朋友，我们对于旅行的衣着所注重的是方便实用就好，一些不必要的饰品都不纳入考虑范围中。
Trust us, travelling with kids is a whole different kind of circus than setting off with boots and a backpack in our twenties. With two children travelling on planes, trains, boats, buses and on foot, we can imagine that our packing style has morphed somewhat over the years. Even for road trips behind our very own wheels, we tend to pack and travel light, using packing cubes to organise our stuff, sorting items into sturdy, light-weight, canvas zipper bags to eliminate the stress of digging through our luggage. In our recent 17-day trip to Europe, all we brought along was a mid-sized check in luggage, a cabin size luggage, a camera bag and another backpack for the kid’s stuff, while returning with just another extra mid-size suitcase for our shopping excesses! To build their excitement for the trip, we would involve our children in the packing process, discussing what to expect and what we might need, and pick out a few toys, books and activities to enjoy on the road.
至于小孩的日用品，譬如纸尿片、奶粉、副食品，我们会先携带足够飞行时间需要用到的份量，余下的就待抵达目的地后再到当地的商店购买即可。携带轻便简单的行李，让我们在旅程中不会显得狼狈，因为要照顾两个小朋友，又要扛行李绝对是件很耗体力的事。但当你把随身携带的东西减少之后，你就不会因为要照顾太多的东西而觉得烦恼了，旅程自然变得轻松。
Necessity has been the mother of invention, and we’ve learned, and relearned, how little we really need to make a journey over the years. Fret not, almost everything can be bought abroad, even though it might not be the same brand but we’ll manage if we are willing to adjust our expectations.
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如何选择住宿？
Hotel or vacation rental?
我们通常都是通过 Agoda、Airbnb 这些管道预订住宿，并且会先参考一些 Traveller with kids 的评语。除了要选择 Kids Friendly 或 Family friendly 的住宿，地点也要交通方便，靠近便利店、景点等，还有远离治安黑区。
Hotels have perks (room service, meals, babysitting services, etc.), but vacation rentals mean we can make it our home and prepare our own meals, which might be useful if our children have a special diet. It’s a personal choice, but one worth thinking about, with plenty of options available on Agoda or Airbnb.
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如何选择交通工具?
Commute with more comfort and less hassle
如果是在高消费的区域旅行，最好选择步行、乘搭地铁或巴士。同时，也要上网查询孩子是否需要车票，以及方不方便携带手推等车。
Most kids love the novelty of travelling by train, bus and boat, so we tend to ditch the hire car and use public transport where possible so that they could soak up new experiences, excitedly absorbing each new sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.
如果是在低消费的区域旅行，我们就选择租车自驾，出发前必需先查看驾驶执照的限制，以及当地的交通规则和驾驶习惯。当然也别忘了租儿童安全座椅；或也可选搭 UBER 和计程车，但必须事前查询当地的安全性，选择信誉好的导游包车也是一项不错的方式。
With ride-sharing services like Uber and Grab (not available in some countries) are all the rage these days. The coverage and response time can be excellent and usually quite a bit cheaper than taxis or car services in many cities, but subject to the overall safety of your travel destination. Still, nothing beats taking your own wheels and moving about at will with a rented vehicle where the overall cost of living is inexpensive, but it’s always good to check the traffic regulations and whether you are comfortable with driving on a different side of the road (left-hand drive vs. right-hand drive)?
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如何解决小朋友在旅途中的膳食？
Eating right with the kids in mind
带小孩出门，饮食方面也是得注重的一环。为了避免水土不服的事件发生，我们的旅食指南就是：尽可能让小孩饮用便利店售卖的瓶装水，回到酒店煮沸水也是一样不直接用自来水。在外头用餐时，选择干净的餐厅，也可以购买一些面包随身携带，让小朋友肚子饿时可以解馋。
Long-anticipated travel is not without its nutritional challenges, and adding kids to the mix multiplies those challenges. There’s more to consider than packing a few extra snacks and baby wipes. Pack some travel-friendly snacks and drink only bottled water, so no one gets sick. Our preference is to enjoy a combination of restaurant meals and packed food to save some money while providing good nutrition!
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如何避免小孩在长途车程里发难？
Keeping the kids entertained while on the move
我们常在周末安排一些本地自驾游，目的地可以是丰盛港、乐高园一日游、笨珍、峇株巴辖、哥打丁宜看萤火虫、马六甲或海岛等等，这些地点两天一夜游已很足够。考虑到活泼好动的小朋友们在车程中会觉得闷，所以一般上我都会准备许多食物、书籍和玩具给他们。当他们在路途中觉得无聊时可以吃吃喝喝，或者玩玩具，玩累了就能自动入眠再充电。
In a tropical country like Malaysia, a family outing is just a drive away no matter what time of the year. We are fortunate that way but having said that, regardless of a day trip to LEGOLAND®, Pontian, Batu Pahat, Kota Tinggi, or a weekend staycation in Mersing, Melaka and other offshore islands, logging long miles in the car will certainly have our kids asking for snacks to ease the boredom. Apart from making regular pit stops so that they can enjoy their food, we would also try to “collaborate” with them on a list of boredom-busting activities such as games, music, videos, books and more.
若选择再远一些的地点如北马、关丹、吉隆坡、东海岸、甚至东马，所需准备的东西其实也相当类似，路途中我们会在大道休息站小歇，让孩子们可以活动一下，再继续旅程。我家两位小朋友应该是习惯了我们出游的节奏，一般上皆不会特别吵闹，这样的表现的确让我们的行程顺利许多啊！
For longer road trips further north to Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuantan and the eastern coasts or short haul flights to East Malaysia, our preparations were just as comprehensive. We were glad that our kids have grown quite accustomed to our travels and are generally quite well-behaved, freeing our attention to focus on getting to our destination in a peace of mind.
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如何避免小孩在长途飞行时吵闹？
Keep the activities coming to keep them occupied
今年我们完成了第一次的欧洲亲子游，这也是我们第一次带着小朋友挑战远距离飞行。出发前我有点担心两位小朋友在十多个小时的飞行时间里会不会有突发状况，所以我如常准备了他们喜欢的零嘴、玩具、画册等等，以备不时之需，加上我们乘搭的航班备有娱乐设施，同时还贴心派送玩具组给小朋友们，儿童餐点也很丰富，他们俩就这样撑过了漫长的飞行。
【温馨提示】在购买机票的时候，尽量避免转机以缩短飞行时间，直飞航班可以减少对孩子作息时间的干扰。
When we’re heading out on a long journey, we have a collection of stuff to be handed out once a while. Handheld puzzles, colouring books and even small packs of non-perishable snacks will pass the time on a long flight or car journey. Alternatively, we try to plan our trips around bedtime as a sleeping child is a blessing for everyone. If we have to make a connecting flight, be sure to leave a good amount of time, as the last thing we need is a mad dash through an unfamiliar airport. In short, try as much as we can to make the journey part of the vacation, so as to give ourselves ample time to stretch legs, visit bathrooms, eat, talk, play, and get ready for the next flight.
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万一小孩在旅途中生病了怎么办？
Don’t forget the medicine
每一次出游，我都会为小孩准备一些基本的药物防身，例如发烧、伤风、咳嗽、止泻、退热贴、蚊虫叮咬、防蚊喷雾、胶布、消毒喷雾、防晒等，远游人生地不熟，随身携带药物是非常重要的小锦囊，万一小孩在旅途中突然生病了或受伤，这些药物绝对可以解燃眉之急。当然，我也会在出发前先做好功课，上网查看我们的目的地附近有哪些诊所或医院。除此之外，记得购买旅游保险，避开高风险区域（疾病风险、恐袭风险），还有你也可以善用机场的医疗服务。把这些事前功夫准备好，就能避免在异地乱了阵脚。
Whether they’re out of routine, jet-lagged, or eating less healthily, kids always seem to get ill on holiday. Our travel first aid kit would always include medication for fevers, allergic reactions, upset stomachs, antiseptic wipes, bandages, plasters, sting treatment, hand sanitizer and thermometer. A wipe of the cutlery in restaurants where we’re unsure of hygiene, or a squirt of hand sanitizer when there are no washing facilities, can zap a few germs and prevent toddlers catching some common bugs. We also made it a point to read up on the travel advisory so as not to put ourselves at the risk of epidemic or security threats, while keeping a list of emergency contacts in times of need (touch wood!)
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带小朋友出门远游的确有较多的顾虑和事前准备功夫，根据我们的经验，只要在出发前把所有事情准备好，基本上在旅程中就不会出现太多的问题了。从二人游到三人游，再到四人游，我们只是换个心态出发，改变方式，透过旅行为我们和孩子留下满满的美好回忆。
Travelling is life-changing, and getting out of the daily grind and being adventurous makes us come alive. Our travels have been the best times of our lives, and family vacations are a great way for us to build memories and makes for awesome stories too. As parents to two very young children, we can hardly wait to start planning our next trip with them.
