Sultan Cave Suites: Your Home Away From Home

Nestled in the heart of Cappadocia, the Sultan Cave Suites are a true gem. This luxurious boutique hotel features unique cave rooms and suites carved into the natural rock formations, providing an unforgettable stay. Each room is beautifully decorated and equipped with modern amenities, ensuring a comfortable experience.

The panoramic terrace at the Sultan Cave Suites is an Instagrammer's dream. With stunning views of the Göreme valley, hot air balloons soaring in the sky, and cozy seating areas, it's the perfect spot for a morning cup of Turkish tea or an evening glass of wine. Not to mention, their friendly resident dog, Izzy, loves to join guests for some cuddle time.

Exploring the Mystical Land of Cappadocia

Cappadocia is famous for its unique landscape, and the Sultan Cave Suites provide an ideal base for exploring the region. A short walk from the hotel takes you to the bustling town of Göreme, where you'll find charming shops, delicious local cuisine, and the fascinating Göreme Open Air Museum.

Don't miss out on a hot air balloon ride during your stay – it's a bucket-list-worthy experience. Soaring above the enchanting landscape of fairy chimneys, cave dwellings, and unique rock formations is truly magical. The hotel can help arrange this unforgettable adventure for you.

Indulge in Delicious Turkish Cuisine

One of the highlights of my stay at Sultan Cave Suites was the scrumptious breakfast spread. Served on the terrace, it featured a wide variety of local delicacies, fresh fruits, pastries, and more. Trust me, it's worth waking up early for this feast. For lunch and dinner, you can venture out into Göreme and try some mouthwatering Turkish dishes like manti, pide, and baklava.

Final Thoughts

If you're planning a trip to Cappadocia, Turkey, I highly recommend staying at the Sultan Cave Suites in Göreme. From the luxurious cave rooms to the awe-inspiring views and top-notch amenities, this hotel guarantees a truly memorable experience. We can't wait to return and explore more of this magical region. Happy travels!

Part 1: Castle Grounds Fun
We started our day by checking out the Český Krumlov Castle, which sits on a hill with a great town view. The castle grounds are huge, and our toddler had a blast running around and exploring all the cool gardens, courtyards, and secret spots. We also took a castle tour that turned out to be super toddler-friendly. Our guide was patient and fun, ensuring our little one had a great time while learning something.

Part 2: River Boat Chill Time
After the castle, we hopped on a boat ride along the Vltava River. It was a super relaxing way to see the town and cool off on a hot day. Our toddler loved being on the boat and watching the ducks and swans in the water. We also got to see some of the town's landmarks, like St. Vitus Church and the old Minorite Monastery.

Part 3: Yummy Lunch at a Cozy Cafe
Post-boat ride, we grabbed lunch at a local cafe, and guess what? They had a play area for kids with toys, books, and games! Our little one played while we enjoyed our meal and took a break. They even had a kids' menu and high chairs, so it was perfect for families.

Part 4: Art Center Hangout
Next up, we visited the Egon Schiele Art Center. Even though our toddler didn't really get the art, we had a good time. The centre had interesting info about Schiele's life and work, and the air-conditioned galleries were a nice escape from the heat.

Part 5: Ice Cream and Souvenir Shopping Fun
Of course, we couldn't leave Český Krumlov without grabbing some ice cream and shopping for souvenirs! We stopped at a local ice cream shop for some tasty treats and then wandered around the town's streets, browsing the shops. We found lots of cool souvenirs and gifts to take back home, and our toddler had a blast picking out toys and trinkets.

Conclusion:
To sum it up, Český Krumlov is an amazing spot for families with toddlers. It's got history, culture, and loads of fun stuff to do, all in a super cute setting. We highly recommend checking it out, and we're sure you and your kiddos will have an awesome time!

1. Speedy Metro Transit: One of the fastest and most budget-friendly methods of reaching the city center from the airport is by utilizing the metro. Operating 24/7, the metro gets you to the city center within 35-40 minutes. This option is perfect for light travelers comfortable navigating public transportation systems. Visit Istanbul Metro's official website for more information on routes and ticket prices.

2. Convenient Havabus Shuttle: Another viable option is the Havabus, a shuttle bus connecting the airport to several city center destinations. This comfortable and affordable choice drops passengers off at prime locations, such as Taksim Square and Sultanahmet Square. The travel time is roughly 45-60 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. Check out Havabus's website for schedules and fare details.

3. Luxurious Private Transfer: For a more lavish and stress-free experience, consider booking a private transfer. A private vehicle will pick you up from the airport and transport you directly to your city center hotel or destination. This option is well-suited for those with ample luggage or wanting to avoid crowds. Popular private transfer providers include KiwiTaxi and Welcome Pickups.

4. Taxi Convenience: If you favor the ease of a taxi, plenty are at the airport. However, be cautious, as some drivers may attempt to overcharge tourists. Ensure you agree upon a price before your journey. Taxi travel time varies between 30-60 minutes, depending on traffic. For reliable taxi services, you can use apps like BiTaksi or Uber.

5. Scenic Ferry Ride: For a picturesque and unique journey to the city center, take a ferry from the airport to Kadikoy, a district on the Asian side of Istanbul. You can board another ferry from Kadikoy or use public transportation to reach the city center. The initial ferry trip lasts approximately 20-30 minutes, offering breathtaking views of the Bosphorus. To view schedules and ticket prices, visit İDO's website.

In conclusion, Istanbul's diverse transportation options ensure a smooth journey from the airport to the city center, regardless of your chosen method. Select the option that best aligns with your needs and preferences to kick off your Istanbul adventure. We trust this guide, complete with providers' links, has assisted you in making an informed decision!

Istanbul has long been one of my favourite cities and I was very excited to bring Simona and Olivia to experience it. And this time around we were lucky enough to stay at the Ritz-Carlton.

The hotel is located right next to the Besiktas stadium and just a short walk away from Taksim square. Originally we had planned to stay at a hotel in the Sultanahmet neighbourhood but we soon discovered that the location of the Ritz Carlton is really convenient.

Getting there

We took the Havabus from the airport directly to Taksim which took about 30 minutes. From Taksim, it was only a 5 minutes walk to the hotel. Of course, you could take a taxi or arrange a direct transfer with the hotel but we found the Havabus to be super convenient.

Getting Around

As mentioned above, you can just walk to Taksim square which takes between 5-10 minutes. from Taksim square, you can continue to walk along Istiklal Caddesi which is one of Istanbul’s main shopping destinations. This brings you all the way to Galata Tower.

Alternatively, Kabatas tram station is just a 5 minutes walk from the hotel. From there you can take the tram to Eminönü or Sultanhamet.

Also super close to the hotel is the Kabatas ferry terminal where you can take a ferry to Kadiköy which is on the Asian side of Istanbul.

Our room

We stayed in room 1422, a park view room. Our room was super spacious and comfortable. It had all the amenities you would expect and one highlight for me was the Nespresso machine as it always makes me happy to start the day with a good cup of coffee. The other highlight was the super comfy bed. In general, our room was very big. Even the bathroom was very spacious. This was great for Olivia who likes to run around and explore. You can watch the room tour video above to get a better impression of the room.

Breakfast

One of the most important parts of a hotel stay is the breakfast and in the case of The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul, this is an absolute highlight of the hotel. A) because the quality of the food is fantastic but also B) because the view over the Bosporus, which you will have during your breakfast, is breathtaking.

Would we go again?

Yes, absolutely. We really liked Istanbul and the Ritz-Carlton and would be happy to stay there again on our next visit.

So what is so special about the Southern Ridges in Singapore? It's a trail consists of one of the highest hills in Singapore, Mount Faber, a series of spectacular walkways/bridges, and a few parks. If you have experience in any treetop walks and wish they were longer, this is for you - you will love the Forest Walk and Canopy Walk. 

If you need shades but your kids are after outdoor play, go to Hort Park. You will find not only playground but also a Nature Playgarden for little adventurers and curious minds. You will be glad that they burn all their somewhat excessive energy and therefore sleep well at night without making a fuss. 

In the event that you would like some peace and quiet time, you will enjoy the tranquillity of Kent Ridge Park. You can get into the zone practicing Tai Chi or yoga, or simply sit on one of those benches and enjoy free music brought to you by the birds, trees and wind, while you try and listen to what your heart has to say.

Here's a 5-minute timelapse video to give you an idea on how it looks like to walk from Mount Faber to Hort Park.

There are multiple entrances/exits and different levels of difficulty along the way (mainly referring to stairs; it's generally an easy walk). You can choose one section or do the entire trail. For Nils, his route has been adjusted several times over the years due to changing circumstances. 

What's our route? 

Before our daughter was born (i.e. If everyone can walk independently and stairs is not a problem)...Start with lunch at Vivo City, then move towards the starting point of the Marang Trail through Harbour Front station (Exit D). Challenge ourselves with the steps and reach Mt Faber. Takes about 15-20 minutes. 

Enjoy the views: Harbour Front and Sentosa on one side and city view on the other. 

Tip: Visit the toilet at the Mt Faber cable car station (Faber Peak). You'll not be the only one taking photos! 

If you prefer not to walk up to Mount Faber, or you have a pram/stroller or wheelchair, cable car is an option to skip the stairs. It takes you from Harbour Front Centre (next to Vivo City) to Mount Faber directly. The cable car ride only takes around 5 minutes, and it offers a different perspective of Singapore, but the fee is quite high for one-way or even round-trip tickets. If you are a resident of Singapore, we recommend that you purchase an annual pass. It gives you unlimited access to the 2 cable car lines. We find it very value for money. 

Continue on through the photo hotspot, Henderson Waves - highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore - to Telok Blangah Hill Park. 

Following the path, you will go down a rather steep slope and it gradually brings you up again. On your right, you will pass by the entrance to Alkaff Mansion, which was built by a prominent family about a hundred years ago, and it's now converted into a dining and event space. 

After some winding, gentle uphill walk, you will reach the starting point of the Forest Walk. 

For the next 30 minutes or so (or longer if you like birdwatching or ants hunting), you will walk on an elevated walkway with canopy on both sides at your eye level. It feels amazing to be in this place, where you "integrate" with the nature for a brief moment. It is not built with concrete and, as our daughter put it, there are "holes" at the bottom of the walkway , but don’t worry, you almost don’t feel it and can't really see the forest floor with all the trees around. 

The end of Forest Walk marks the beginning of Alexandra Arch, which is a bridge that brings you across the Alexandra Road. 

From there, you're within a short distance to Hort Park. Hort Park is quite a popular place for weddings and events. You will also find toilets, changing station, drinking water, vending machines and a restaurant within Hort Park.

You'd better prepare some S$1 coins if you're going with kids. You can get fish food and feed the fish and tortoises in the pond! 

For those who go with kids, you may need to spend some time in Hort Park. Not only does it house multiple gardens with various types of plants, it's also equipped with playgrounds and a Nature Play Garden area for kids to explore. There is a sandplay area at the playground, but it's usually quite quiet as it isn't in the shade and it does get quite hot in the afternoon. Nature Play Garden is for older kids and it's not stroller friendly. 

(Note: Now that we have a daughter and still need to bring a stroller with us, we only go until  the greenhouses at Hort Park and then turn around and walk back to Mount Faber. Why? Read on, please.)

After passing by the greenhouses at Hort Park (most of them not open to the public), you'll walk up some gentle slopes and see a wooden walkway above you. That's the Canopy Walk. 

Before embarking on the Canopy Walk, you'll first need to climb some stairs. Just 2 minutes up. We have yet to find a way to reach there without taking the steps - please let us know if you know of a stroller friendly solution...

Going up to the Canopy Walk

Canopy Walk begins!

The path leading up to Canopy Walk. View from Canopy Walk.

Canopy Walk is much shorter than Forest Walk, but it's a great experience to be there regardless. People rarely just simply walk pass without taking in the views. 

Kent Ridge Park is there to welcome you when you have completed the Canopy Walk. Compare to all of the places mentioned above, Kent Ridge Park is the most quiet one and has lots of shades. 

Depending on the weather and company, we get to our finish line differently. One option is to take the route on the left, which translates to a few flights of stairs down, a step slope down the Vigilante Drive, and a winding narrow pedestrian walkway along South Buona Vista Road with cars on the left and trees on the right. 

Another option is to take the route on the right, which means going down some stairs and slope to reach a pond and then continue to walk through the Science Park. 

Either way you'll reach the Kent Ridge MRT station (circle line). If you walk leisurely but not making many stops, it takes about 2.5 hours from Harbour Front to Kent Ridge MRT station. When it was just the two of us, we could easily complete within that timeframe. But when we went there with visiting friends and family, it usually ended up to be a 4-5 hours walk, with photo, toilet and snack breaks. 

Generally speaking, it's an easy walk for the most part of it. However, if you go there with elderly and kids, or you need to avoid the stairs, then you can either take the cable car option mentioned above, or get to HortPark by bus/MRT (Pasir Panjang or Labrador Park station) and walk to Mount Faber and back. As long as you want to do it, it's possible! We have been there many times with a pram/stroller! 

Here are some of the things you may want to bring with you: mosquito repellent, sunscreen, coins (vending machines and fish food), water/water bottle (there are a few drinking water fountains/dispensers), hat, and a camera. Comfortable clothes and shoes are recommended, though we have seen people wearing dress, heels and full makeup and seemed to be at ease...

Last but not least, since we're going through the toilet training challenge parenthood has kindly offered us, we are acutely aware of the needs to know the location of toilets...Basically there is at least one in each park, and they are up to around 35-40 minutes apart. 

• Mt Faber: Cable car station (Faber Peak) and a public toilet near the Mural Wall of Singapore History 

• Telok Blangah Hill Park: There is one between Henderson Waves and Forest Walk

• Hort Park: There are two, one near the fish pond and restaurant, and another one near Nature Playgarden. 

• Kent Ridge Park: There are two

Go and explore Southern Ridges in Singapore! Leave a comment here or contact us if you have any questions or suggestions! Happy exploring! 

Singapore is an amazing  place and it offers so many fantastic photo locations. Even after 6 years, we continue to discover new and cool places that inspire us to take family photos. 

In this post we’ll share some of our favorite locations in Singapore.

1.  East Coast Park

We go to East Coast Park at least once a month and it is one of my favorite locations. You have so many nice beaches to choose from and there is always a nice breeze, which makes it a good place to take pictures of babies who should avoid very hot places. There’s also a huge playground close to McDonalds and the whole park just feels very family friendly. 

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2. Marina Bay  

Nothing screens Singapore more than having the iconic Marina Bay Sands as a backdrop. We love this place for taking pictures with a very urban look. 

3. Chinese Garden

The first time we went to Chinese garden was when Simona was still pregnant with Olivia. I was blown away by how beautiful this park is and it remains my favorite photo location in Singapore. Over the years we’ve had 3 photo shootings and I am sure we’ll come back many more times. 

4. Duxton Hill

We love Duxton Hill. It gives you all kinds of interesting backdrops: Shop houses, back streets, industrial, you name it. And on top of it all, there a lots of nice cafes and restaurants to choose from, should you get hungry while shooting pictures.  

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5. Joo Chiat / Katong

We live here, so this is our neighborhood and we absolutely love it. We usually try to stay away from the usual spots at Köln Seng Road and instead prefer to get lost in the back streets. 

6. Sentosa

Sentosa is mainly about the beaches. Our favorite one is Palawan Beach. It offers some shade and nice back drops. I still remember, just after Olivia learned how to sit, we brought her to Palawan beach to take photos. 

7. Vivo City / Sentosa board walk

Very close to Vivo city is the Santosa  board walk. It connects mainland Singapore with Sentosa and you can walk all the way and enter Sentosa free of charge. Apart from that it’s also a fun photo location.  

8. Marina at Keppel Bay and it’s beautiful board walk

This is another location close to Vivo City. It feels very urban with it’s mega yachts and board walks, it leads all the way to Labrador Park and makes for a very nice walk. 

9. Labrador Park

Beautiful greenery and coastline. Labrador Park has a lot to offer, including a mini lighthouse.  

10. Gardens by the Bay and Marina Barrage

Marina Barrage is probably the best place to shoot if you want to have the Singapore Skyline as background. It’s also not to hot due to the wind and easily accessible via gardens by the bay.  

11. Mac Ritchie Reservoir

We used to go there very often and walk the whole round around the reservoir. Unfortunately that’s not very stroller friendly. So since Olivia is born we only go to the areas that are easily accessible.

12. Raffles Marina

This is probably one of the less known locations but I think it is absolutely stunning. It’s very close to the Tuas Link and easily reachable via MRT. Just take the Green Line all the way to the last stop. 

 13. Toa Payoh Town Park

We’ve only recently discovered this place but we instantly fell in love with it. Look at the pictures and you’ll know why.  

 14. Botanic Gardens 

This is another classic location and it absolutely deserves to be. Our favorite area is the orchid garden.

Gear we use for our family pictures:

Nils:

-Canon 6d mark II

-Sony a6400  

-Canon EF 50mm 1.2

-Canon EF 85mm 1.2

Simona:

-Fujifilm XT-3

-Fujinon 35mm 1.4

We’ve read a lot of guides about air travels with babies and while we found most of them helpful, they also seemed incomplete. While you usually read about how to deal with your baby’s ears and the air pressure, you rarely read about how challenging it is to bring your child, the stroller and all your carry on luggage through security, especially when you are traveling alone. Or have you thought about how you deal with going to the bathroom (you yourself) if you are traveling alone with your baby? While we might not have the perfect answers to all these issues, we want you to know about them so that you know what to expect and don’t get totally stressed out the day of the trip.  

So far we’ve been on 30 flights with Olivia, half of them long haul.  Her first flight was when she was 8 weeks old and her longest flight was around 13 hours. We will share with you what we have learned so far to help you have a more relaxed trip with your child. 

Firstly, we want to talk about what age is a good age to go for your first flight. As I have mentioned, Olivia was only 8 weeks old at the time of her first flight. It was a relatively short flight (about 2 hours) and it was meant to be a trial before a much longer one that we would take soon after. Many people were surprised that we would go on a plane so early and there are some valid reasons against it (mainly the germs); however, there are also some good reasons for it.

1. Sleep: Infants sleep much more than a toddler. 

2. Practice: Get the child used to air travel.

3. You want to travel: Let’s be honest, a lot of us were seasoned travelers long before we became parents. We don’t want to stop traveling just because we have children now.

4. Almost free tickets (for children below 2 years old) and priority boarding ;).

What we've learned so far is that it is actually relatively easier to travel with a baby who is less than 6 months old because they are not mobile. Once they can crawl or walk or even insist on sitting upright, forget about them sleeping peacefully in the bassinet while you are watching the latest Hollywood blockbusters. It’s more likely that you will walk up and down the aisle with them. 

Preparations   

Well, you might have guessed it but the key to a more peaceful air trip with your child is preparation, and we’ll try to help you with that. 

Booking the flight

-Think about the timing of the flight. Night flights are usually the best as your child will be tired and has the best chance of sleeping. 

-Next, make sure you book a seat that has a bassinet for your baby to sleep in. When you book online, it is not always clear which seats have bassinets. It is usually the best to call the airlines to make sure. And make sure you call well in advance as these seats usually sell out quickly.  

Get yourself familiar with the process

If you are not a frequent flyer, then airports might be intimidating for you even if you travel on your own. But even for experienced travelers it’s important to think about what is different when you are traveling with a baby (e.g. bringing stroller and milk or water through security).

Check in
-When you check in, make sure to confirm again that you have a bassinet seat.

-You’ll have the choice what you want to do with the stroller. You have three options:
1. Check it in with the rest of your luggage
2. Keep it with you and hand it over to the staff right before you board the plane.
3. If you have a stroller that you can fold to a very compact package, you will be allowed to bring it on board and put it into the overhead compartment. We chose the Pockit Plus which is absolutely tiny and easy to fold and open up. 

https://amzn.to/2WSaVOc

Immigration

Immigration is usually straight-forward and not much different to when you are traveling alone, except that automated gate is not for you anymore. However, you can watch out for priority lanes for families with small kids.  

Security check

-Again, there might be a priority lane for families. 

-Stroller: If you decided to bring your stroller to the gate, then you will need to go through security check with it. You will need to fold it up and run it through the x-ray machine. You will as usual also need to empty all your pockets and then carry your infant through the metal detector. If you are traveling alone, this can be quite challenging. Better practice folding and unfolding your stroller and make sure you pack your carry on luggage in a way that it will make security screening as smooth as possible. 

-Liquids: When traveling with an infant, you will worry about bringing milk and water bottles on board. We have been traveling extensively throughout Europe and Asia and have never had any problems. Even getting frozen milk through the security screening was always okay. However, this might not be as easy when you are traveling in North America. 

Boarding

Boarding is another moment where you can get a bit stressed because you have to grab all your bags and your child at the same time. If you have the stroller with you, you will also need to fold it up now and hand it over to the airline staff or put it into the overhead compartment. A lot of airlines offer priority boarding for families traveling with young children. This is really great and reduces the stress. We have found that Lufthansa is especially good at this. They even offer a special seating area right in front of the gate for all the families. Unfortunately Singapore Airlines is not quite as good but while they don’t announce priority boarding for families, they will usually still let families board before economy class. Just go to the gate and they will let you board at the same time as the Star Alliance Gold members.

Packing

Packing is a huge part of the preparation process and everyone has their own philosophy. We will mostly discuss what we recommend that you bring in your carry on and what to keep in mind.  

If you are lucky enough to have a bassinet seat, it means that you will not be allowed to have any bags with you during take off and landing. However, you will still want to keep at least these things (depending on age) with you all the time:

1. Pacifier/milk bottle (if not breastfeeding)

2. Water bottle

3. Snacks

4. Something for distraction. In our daughter's case books work best but some might prefer a toy. 

5. Tissues/wet wipes

In order to still keep those things with you, you should pack a small seperate bag. We have this awesome Penguin backpack that our daughter can carry. It is small enough to store it in the seat (e.g. next to the armrest) so that the flight attendants won’t ask you to put it into the overhead compartment during take off and landing. Bonus point: You can pull out the Penguin’s tongue, which serves as a game and is a distraction that has helped us calm down one of our daughter's melt downs on a flight. 

Well of course, you need to bring a lot of diapers (more than what you would normally bring when you go for a day trip) and a changing station/pad. Believe it or not, on our first flight with Olivia we had checked in, went through immigration and then suddenly realized that we had run out of backup diapers. Luckily we found a drug store at the airport that sold diapers.

Make sure to bring spare clothes because overflows happen. And they seem to be even more likely on airplanes (yes I know, it is a conspiracy). We really can’t stress enough how important it is to bring at least one set of spare clothes, depending on the duration of the flight. You may also want to bring some plastic bags or a waterproof bag to put any soiled clothing. 

Bring warm clothes as it can get really cold on some flights, especially night flight. We always bring a warm jump suit for our daughter. 

For take off and landing, bring something to suck on or drink. We always bring a pacifier and this magic cup. 

The day of the flight

The day of the flight can usually get a bit stressful with all the packing and preparations. Children can sense this stress and in return can get a bit cranky. Try to stay calm, it will really help keeping them calm too. It can also be a good idea to include your child in the packing by giving them a small job. They love it and it keeps them occupied.  

Next thing is that you want to make sure they are tired when getting on the plane so try to manage their sleep cycle accordingly. However, this is a VERY fine line because if they are too tired, they will just have a melt down any time before you reach your seat on the plane.  

Also take note of their poop cycle throughout the day so that you can try to predict if and when they will poop during the flight. Hint: Take off and landing are somewhat inconvenient ;). We had an experience with flight attendant knocking on the toilet door while we're changing a nappy before takeoff. 

A strong recommendation would be to eat before getting on the plane. Why? Well, have you tried to have a toddler on your lap and eat? I have been on flights where the space was so tight that I could not even fold down the table with our daughter on my lap. So in order to not get hangry, try to eat before getting on the plane and bring your own snacks. 

Lastly make sure you go to the restroom before getting on the plane.

Okay so you’re on the plane now

First thing that always comes to mind is air pressure and how to help your baby cope with it. The truth is, we never had any issues with this. This is what we do and it really helps: 

- Breastfeeding during ascend and decend.

- If daddy is traveling alone with the baby then give a formula bottle, water bottle or simply a pacifier. 

The next thing is diaper change, especially the timing. Honestly, this can be quite tricky. Once our daughter pooped before take off but right after the plane had begun rolling to the run way. I still managed to go to the restroom and change her but one flight attendant was not so happy about it. Definitely try to change the baby’s diaper before you get on the plane but of course you can’t control their poop cycle. Our best advice is to try to go with the flow and not to get frustrated. 

Keep healthy snacks for your child and perhaps for you at hand. Keep offering the snacks to your child because a hungry child is a cranky child.

If you think you can just switch on the onboard entertainment system for your child and let them watch the latest animation movie, then think again. Our daughter is almost two years old but she won’t watch any movie for more than 30 seconds. Children are much more interested in walking around and interacting with other passengers. So walk up and down the aisle (or staircase) with them.

One of the biggest challenges is probably going to the toilet when you are traveling with a baby alone. For guys this is actually still doable, as you can leave the baby on the changing table while your are peeing but for women that’s not an option. You either need to ask someone to look after your baby while you go to the restroom or you find a way to hold the baby while you’re sitting on the toilet. 

After landing make sure to pick up your stroller right after getting off the plane, if you have chosen the option to check in the stroller at the boarding gate. 

Are you feeling overwhelmed? You shouldn’t! It is not as complicated as it sounds and it all gets better with practice, it really does. Just make sure you set the right expectations to avoid stress or disappointment. After all, you know that all babies and children cry at some point. 

That’s it. We would like to hear what your thoughts and experiences are. Please share and comment below. 

When Simona and I went to Bangkok together for the first time, about 5 1/2 years ago, we staid at the Renaissance. So we thought for this wedding anniversary trip, it would be a good idea to come back to the same hotel. Especially since we both really liked it. 

A video summary of our stay at the hotel :

Location & surroundings

The hotel is located very central and in walking distance to Bangkok’s main Shopping Malls (Central, Platinum, SIAM Centre and Paragon).  

The Chit Lom train station is only about 100 meters from the hotel but you can even walk to the next interchange station (Siam) in about 10 minutes. 

Entrance & Lobby

Room 

We were lucky to be upgraded to a Studio Suite which offers plenty of space for Olivia to run around and explore things.

The suite is designed in a modern style, using lots of wood, marble and stainless steel. The bathroom is separated from the bedroom through a giant window instead of a wall which gives the suite an even more spacious feel.  

The most important area is of cause the Bedroom. Look at this giant and super comfy bed below. We were absolutely happy with what was offered.

Bathroom

Executive Lounge 

I always love to have lounge access because I love coffee and I feel happy knowing that I can quickly get a cup of really good coffe at any time. Apart from coffee and other refreshments around the clock, the lounge also offers breakfast, high tea, an open bar and canapés (see details below).

When I first heard of it, I became curious because it gives unobstructed views of the ICC tower, the place where Simona and I got married. So I thought this was a very cool location for a small family photo shooting. We later found out that it is located very close to the hotel where we stayed just before the wedding so that gave it extra romantic bonus points. So when we headed back to Hong Kong for Chinese New Year, we fitted the Instagram Pier into our busy itinerary. 

History
The Instagram Pier is located on the waterfront of Sai Wan, Hong Kong. It was originally a container terminal but the cargo dock has become a popular attraction and location for photographers. It offers great, unobstructed views of Victoria Harbour, the Hong Kong skyline, sunsets, old lamp posts etc.

You can read more about the history on Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instagram_Pier. 

Our little shooting
 We arranged a little shooting with the ICC tower in the background. Have a look at the slideshow below.

Finding the Pier

We chose to walk from Central to the pier. For the most part, you can just walk along the waterfront all the way from Central. 

The closest Tram stop is Shek Tong Tsui Terminus.  Once you get close, you'll see lots of people so it's difficult to miss. 

A lot of people could not believe that we would dare to do such a thing. They said it would be too stressful, and not worth it, because Olivia won’t remember anyway. Let’s break it down to see what was stressful, what was rewarding and did Olivia actually enjoy it?

The flight: This was Olivia’s third flight to Europe, so we had some practice. However, the fact that Olivia walks now, really made things more difficult, as she does not want to sit still. Luckily it was a night-flight, so she slept about half of the 13 hours flight time. To sum it up, I would say the flight was no fun but very manageable. It is actually tougher to deal with her jet lag after the flight than the flight itself.

A lot of people think that it is better to wait before taking their kids on a plane for the first time but I actually think the sweet-spot is when they are around 6 months old. By then they are less fragile than newborns but they still sleep a lot and most importantly, they can’t walk or crawl yet and are happy with sitting or lying down the whole time. Once they can crawl or walk, they won’t want to sit still.

The drive: We’re lucky that Olivia is one of those babies that doesn’t mind being in a car. Of course she gets bored sometimes but overall she did really well. There was only one time when she got cranky and that was when there was a total stand still on the German Autobahn and our car didn’t move for over 2 hours. We eventually took her out of the car and walked around. Cool huh?

The move from hotel to hotel: The biggest hassle was actually moving hotels. Being on a road trip means that you change locations every night or at least every other night. That means that you need to pack and unpack very often. With all the stuff that you need to bring for a baby, that is quite a lot of work. Our recommendation, get a big car so you can bring multiple bags, which makes packing easier. We also brought a travel crib which helped Olivia not having to get used to new beds every night.

You can see how much fun Olivia has when she explores a new hotel room.

The sights: To be frank, Olivia does not care for scenery, architecture or sunsets, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy travelling. You can really see how she gets stimulated by new environments, languages and meeting strangers. And of course she enjoys the pasta, pizza, breads, sausages, ham and so on.

And don’t forget, these pictures that we took during the trip will last a life time.

The stairs: Coming from Asia, where cities are modern and wheelchair / stroller friendly, we did not put enough thought into how we would cope with those medieval European towns and villages. We would have thought about getting a good carrier if we had planned to go hiking but let me tell you that Venice has a lot of bridges and all those bridges have stairs and a good carrier would have been amazing to have. So please, if you go to Venice with a baby or a toddler, make sure you have a really good carrier. Apart from Venice, it was mainly Cinque Terre, were we had challenges with our stroller. All in all, I would say that it was nothing that made us enjoy the trip less. I tried to look at it from the bright side and declared all the carrying to be my new work out routine.
We hear that the carriers from Little Life are very good but we haven’t had the chance to test them yet.

The parents’ experience: So was it worth it, with all the hassle? For us it absolutely was. For sure it is more difficult to travel with a baby or a toddler but with a bit of preparation it is going to be at least as rewarding. Of course there are things we would do differently, like bringing a really good carrier or trying not to change hotels every night but we didn’t experience any showstoppers.

Going forward we want to travel even more with our girl. If you have any advice to share or want to recommend some destinations, please let us know. Also, don’t hesitate to ask us any questions.

In Singapore staycation means that you stay in a hotel in Singapore, typically for a weekend.

We love a good staycation. It takes you out of your daily routines and makes you explore a new neighbourhood and all of that without having to deal with the hassles of air travel. Especially with a toddler this is a great benefit. We usually try to do each staycation at a new hotel. This time we chose the THE VAGABOND CLUB SINGAPORE. The hotel is located in between Kampong Glam and Little India which means that there are lots of sights to explore within walking distance.

THE VAGABOND CLUB SINGAPORE is one of Singapore’s finest boutique hotels and has its very unique, french salon style. That was one of the main reasons why we chose it. We knew that we wanted to take photos there and we thought this might be a little bit more interesting than an ordinary hotel.

Our room was lovely - decorated with lots of cool details and definitely a unique design. Olivia also liked it as you can see in the room tour video further below.

Entrance / study

Bedroom​

Wardrobe with coffee machine​:

Bathroom:

The bathroom is small but functional. The amenities looked nice. No tooth brushes in order to safe the environment but if you need one, just dial 0 on that retro phone and you’ll get a tooth brush delivered in no time.

Look how much fun we had with a mini shoot in the bed: 

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We also compiled a short video giving you a quick room tour:

Breakfast​ - for me one of the most important parts of any hotel stay. The Vagabond Club does not offer a buffet breakfast, you can instead choose between a few classic breakfast options that have super cool names like “Leaner than a vegan YouTuber ”. I found the portions a bit small but that was also because Olivia ate most of my breakfast. Generally I felt that the highlight of the breakfast was more the setting than the food. There was a free flow of excellent coffee so that made me happy.

So how did we like The Vagabond Club? Well, Olivia loved it. Any hotel that has an Elephant, a Rhino and a monkey in the lobby is fine by her! Nils? Was easily won over by the good Coffee! Simona? Simona loved the unique style, professional service and the fantastic location!

Even though we’ve stayed in Singapore for years, Simona 10 years, Nils 6 years and Olivia all her life ;), we are not familiar with this neighbourhood. So it was an excellent opportunity for us to go exploring.

First we went to the nearby City Square Mall which has an excellent Japanese supermarket (Don Don Donki) and food court. The food was amazing and it was only a short walk from the hotel.

Later we explored an area called Kampong Glam, where Sultan Mosque, Arab Street and Haji Lane are popular places among locals and tourists alike.

If you want to get a better overview of all the cool places in this neighbourhood, then watch our friend’s street walk video:

What has drawn us to Iceland are mainly the spectacular landscapes. Both Simona and I like photography and with the new drone arriving a few weeks ago, this really was the perfect destination. You can see some of our best drone shots in the video below:

Arrival & Reykjavik

Getting to Iceland was quite a long journey for us from Singapore. First we had to take a 13 hrs flight to London, where we connected to a 3 hrs flight to Iceland. We arrived at Keflavik Airport where we picked up our rental car and moved on to Reykjavik which is about a 30 min drive from the airport. Reykjavik is a small town of approximately 120,000 people which offers some interesting modern architecture as well as nice bars, cafes and restaurants. Unfortunately all this comes with extremely steep prices. 

Golden circle
On our second day in Iceland we left the capital to travel the golden circle, which is a group of destinations around the capital. You can visit all of them within more or less a day. That makes it very popular with tourists who come to Iceland on a stopover between US and Europe. First, we went to Thingvellir National Park which lies in a rift valley, where tectonic plates are slowly splitting apart from each other which creates a deep fissure. We walked around for about two hours. The park is nice but nothing overly impressive, so we were excited to move on to the geysers at Haukadalur. The highlights are Strokkur geyser and Geysir. Strokkur is quite impressive as it erupts every 6-10 minutes at a height of 15-20 meters, which makes it very tourist friendly. More impressive at 70m height is Geysir but we didn't get to see it as it only erupts infrequently. For me the geysers are the highlight of the golden circle.

Next, we continued to Gulfoss waterfall. An impressive double waterfall that can easily be accessed via staircases and boardwalks. 

Beyond the golden circle:
Frankly, the biggest highlights are not found in the golden circle. below is an overview of our favorite Iceland spots.

Skogarfoss waterfall
The Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland with a width of 25 meters  and a drop of 60 meters.  There's a path next to the waterfall which takes you all the way to the tope which allows for spectacular views. Luckily we brought the drone so we didn't have to walk up there. I know it's cheating but flying the drone is so much fun. 

Nameless waterfalls
On the way to Höfn we came across these stunning waterfalls. Unfortunately I have no idea what their name is. We just stopped for 10 minutes and took these shots: 

Skaftafellsjökull & Svinafellsjökull glaciers
It was the first time for us seeing a glacier up close so we were both very excited and I must say we were not disappointed at all. 
We arrived at Skaftafellsjoekull quite late and we were worried that we would not reach in time to still have enough daylight to take pictures. Luckily the walk from the car park to the glacier takes less than 30 minutes so we still had enough time to enjoy the sunset. This was a very special experience that both of us won't forget for a long time.

The next day we headed to the neighbouring glacier - Svinafellsjökull. The glacier is equally impressive. It was very windy that day and the Mavic was struggling but it kept really steady and delivered some great shots. Unfortunately this time no sunset pictures.

Jökulsárlón (Iceberg lagoon) & Diamond beach
Diamond beach is a black beach that is covered in small ice fragments from the iceberg lagoon near by. Simona clearly had a lot of fun.

The iceberg lagoon is just next to the diamond beach. It is a small lagoon floating with icebergs of various sizes. I was amazed by how blue the ice is, even though you can't see it in the photo. 

Höfn & Hofellsjökull Glacier
Next we moved on to Höfn. Höfn is a nice little town in the southeast of Iceland. We stayed there before moving further on on the ring road. 

Close to Höfn is another beautiful glacier called Hofellsjökull Glacier. It is a bit difficult to find and I would defiantly recommend to take a 4x4 if you want to go there. On the upside, we were the only people there and the glacier was very impressive.

Dyrhólaeyjarviti view point & Reynisfjara beach
Among our last stops were these two rough black beaches. I love Iceland's black beaches because they build such a stong contrast to the snowy landscape surrounding them.

Final words and recommendations
First of all, I can't believe it took me this long to go to Iceland. It is only a few hours flight from Europe and its landscapes are absolutely mind blowingly beautiful. So if you live in Europe, your next trip should definitely be Iceland.

Secondly, the most impressive landscapes are beyond the golden circle. If you only see the golden circle, you are not doing Iceland justice. So if you go to Iceland on a stopover, please make sure you spend more than one night there and see some glaciers, the diamond beach and a few other highlights.

Unfortunately I must also say that Iceland is really really expensive. However, I feel that it is definitely worth it,

I am very happy that Simona and I came to Iceland on our baby moon trip. A trip that I will always remember.

Mr. B surprised his wife by booking business class ticket for our 11-hour journey back to Frankfurt! 😍

The check in counter only opens 2 hours prior to the estimated departure time. The check in process was quick.  

After going through the security screening and passport control, we went to the business class lounge - it's on the left of the passport control.  

The service was so so, but overall the flight was good. It's very comfortable and relaxing. ☺️ Definitely a good ending for our honeymoon 😍

We'd chosen the NWR Sossus Dune Lodge because it's inside of the gate. The advantage is that we didn't need to wait until the gate is open to enter the park. That gave us the opportunity to join the sunrise tour and arrived at Deadvlei much earlier than other groups (staying in other places).

That was probably the only good thing about it. In fact, I was (and still am if I'm honest) quite upset with the entire experience with this NWR lodge.

When we booked in May, we were told that all the chalets had been taken, except the honeymoon suite. We were quoted a rate of 3,500 Namibian dollars (roughly USD 250). It'd been very difficult to communicate with them. I asked to book certain dates but they responded in one line saying that other dates were available, without mentioning that the dates we wanted were full. The response time was long and so I had to call them. They could check availability on the phone but I wasn't allowed to book on the phone.

Because of the the availability issue, we had to move our itinerary around to fit this in. When we finally received the invoice, it stated 6,600 local currency per night! That's like USD 470 for a night, without breakfast. When I asked about it the rate difference, they simply said they'd quoted a wrong fee. It's higher for the dates we wanted because it's peak season. I asked them to honour the rate they'd committed and they refused.

It was already frustrating enough...Then for payment, the only option was to pay by credit card. The credit card form required us to fill out not just the card number, expiration date and name on the card, but also the cvv. When asked if it's possible to do it on the phone, they said no.

Okay, so I moved on to ask about the sunrise tour. I was told that we need to book in advance. I'd confirmed to go ahead...and chased many times...Finally I received an email confirming it when we were already on our honeymoon trip in Africa.

Fine, so we arrived, checked in, and the staff apparently couldn't find any booking for the sunrise tour. We booked it immediately and there was still space available. We were told that our suite was ready and were given a key. We had to walk all the way until the end to our suite.

The door was open and we went in. There was a staff cleaning the room still and asked us to go outside. I didn't want to do that because the sun was strong and I didn't put on sun screen. Eventually another staff came in and asked us to go to the day bed outside. What kind of treatment is that.

After coming back from dune-seeing, we had dinner at the lodge. The restaurant wasn't even full so I couldn't believe that all the other 48 chalets were completely occupied!

When we checked out, we had to settle the bill for the dinner. They told us that their credit card machine was broken and asked us to drive 10 mins to the closest ATM to withdraw money. They only accept local currency, not even US dollars or Euro. Then, Mr. B found other credit card payment slips on the counter and it was dated that day! They then changed their mind and said it worked earlier that day but then suddenly didn't work anymore.

Mr. B was upset and asked them to fix it. At first they didn't want to and just asked us to drive and get money. Mr. B started to complain and they got nervous and ran around and looking for another person to come...At the end they fixed it and rhe payment went through successfully.

So far we've travelled to 23 countries together, and stayed at different types of accommodation, but this was the worst experience ever. Plus, it's pricy!

If not for the sunrise tour, I strongly do not recommend anyone to stay there...

After having breakfast at Namib Naukluft Lodge, we were on the road again, going to the last stop of our honeymoon - Sossusvlei. 

Sossusvlei was the place that Mr. B really wanted to visit in Namibia, and of course Mrs. B had never heard of this place before doing research for our honeymoon 😆 (Like pretty much everything else)

We checked in at the NWR Sossus Dune Lodge and dropped our bags, then Mr. B couldn't wait to jump back into the car and do some dune-seeing. 😉 

Elim Dune was our first dune as it's the closest to the entrance. It's not challenging to "climb" up there and it was a good start. 

​As we drove along the paved road (yup, unlike the roads going to Sossusvlei, they actually invested in paving a road that leads up to various dunes), we saw more and more dunes. Some small, some big. Some low, and high. Some were in S shape, and some were in star shape (in the case of winds coming from different directions).

Our next dune was Dune 45. We were guessing (me asking this question in fact) how the name came from. I asked Mr. B if it's because it's inclined 45 degrees (I admit that it's quite a nonsense guess) 😅 Mr. B on the other hand thought they just simply put a number to every dune, and that one was number 45.

I'm a more romantic and imaginative (i.e. unrealistic) person while Mr. B is more logical and realistic and focuses on practicality. His as-a-matter-of-fact tone and the unromantic "answer" naturally made me raised my eye brow 🤔 (if not rolling my eyes 🙄)...

Anyway, we reached Dune 45 and parked. Around 8-10 people were on the dune. We saw some of them had taken off their shoes, and so we did the same - we had our shoes on when we walked up the Elim Dune, and that resulted in Mr. B's shoes filling with sands (well, a good way to bring authentic souvenirs back).

As soon as we started walking up, I announced that I would only go up to halfway and not to the top. It's quite exhausting but not unmanageable, yet the height was freaking me out. Mr. B attempted to comfort me by saying that I wouldn't get hurt/die even if I would fall.

My counterattack was: I know that I most probably wouldn't get hurt if I took an extreme roller coaster ride, but it doesn't mean that I wouldn't be scared to death. 😏

That was mean, I know. But I was just so so frightened! That's exactly what Mr. B couldn't understand - in general I'm very excited when I go on glass-bottom stuff like the Tower Bridge in London, and tower in Auckland and Melbourne, and really really wanted to go to the glass bottom bridge at the Grand Canyon (sadly we didn't go to that bridge because we couldn't fit it in to our schedule). So he just couldn't understand why I'm scared of height. 😒

Frankly, it's not super high. But each step I put forward made the sands around my foot fell to the side...and as we walked up, the "path" was getting more and more narrow...plus there's no fence...

I did try to push myself to slowly go up more and more, and just stopped when I was almost at the top because my feet wouldn't move anymore. I was glad that Mr. B went on and completed this for us. Meanwhile I couldn't stand to stand up so I sat down to rest.

The break proved to be good, as I was more courageous when I walked back down 😉 I even proudly told Mr. B that I could go down myself without his help. Hearing this, he went down to the ground in what seemed like 5 steps! 

Alright, time to go back to the lodge before the gate is closed. We went to bed early as there's a sunrise tour the following morning!

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This morning we got up at 4am and had breakfast at the lodge before setting out for our sunrise tour. It's a tour organized by the lodge and needed to book in advance. It took almost an hour to drive to our destination. Since it's dark, there's nothing to see so we just slept. There were two other couples in the tour.

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As soon as the guide killed the engine, he said, "Today the weather is very...together!"

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"Together"?!?! So I asked Mr. B and he heard the same thing. 😂 What does that mean? I couldn't help laughing!

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We got down the vehicle and saw the sign 'Deadvlei'. Yay! Finally were here! We walked in the dark for a while...and the sky started to light up a little bit...I was wondering what's happening as we were supposed to watch sunrise?!

The tour guide stopped, observed the sky, and said it should have been cleared by then...so he thought we wouldn't see the sunrise. Great news for a sunrise tour! Since it's so cloudy, he asked if we would still want to climb up the dune to take a look. Everyone said it's ok. Nobody seemed to be disappointed. 😆 The guide told us that this kind of weather only happens a few times a year, so we were very lucky.

Since we were already there, we walked towards Deadvlei...It's misty. I didn't know how it's supposed to be, but it looked very mysterious and cool to me!

We stayed for an hour or so and had breakfast with the group. Through the conversation we got to know that the other two couples - from UK and France - had flight delays and the British couple still hadn't gotten their suitcase. No wonder they were dressing like summer when it's 6 degrees! One really shouldn't judge other people without trying to understand what's going on.

On the way back to the lodge, the guide was telling us about the dunes like Big Papa, Big Mama and Dune 45. Apparently, it's a national park and so the government numbered all of the dunes. So, right, Dune 45 is just number 45! 😑 Speechless...

The tour ended when we're back at the lodge. After packing, Mr. B decided that we should go back to Deadvlei. We drove to the end of the paved road and parked. From there, we took a "shuttle" (fee applies) to Deadvlei. The drive was less than 10 mins, but you can't go in unless you have a 4 wheel drive (or on foot). Don't forget to buckle up! It's bumpy!

There were significantly more people than in the morning - of course, the NWR Sossus Dune Lodge is the only lodge that's within the gate, so you can only go on a sunrise tour if you stay at that lodge (That's the reason why we still booked that lodge even when it's pricy and the service was bad). If you stay in other places, you'll need to wait for the gate to open at 5:30am. By the time you reach Deadvlei, it'll be around 6:30am.

With a clear blue sky and a rather strong sun, Deadvlei looked very different! But either way it looks very unreal Haha!

Here's a 360 degree video of Deadvlei when we went back for the second time - when it's "normal" and showing very vivid colour.

It's an amazing experience to be there at Deadvlei, no matter it's foggy and misty or when it's at its normal self. If you have the energy and time, you could climb up the dunes nearby to get a better view.

Our honeymoon is almost coming to an end...We'll soon go back to our reality...😓

We've driven back to the Namib Naukluft Lodge to stay for the night...Then tomorrow we'll head back to Windhoek, and from there we'll fly "home" to Frankfurt...

Leaving Swakopmund, we headed towards Sossuvlei. Before going to Sossuvlei, we stayed at the Namib Naukluft Lodge for a night. 

At first there was paved road...after a while, it became gravel roads. Our African massage returned, only that it's moderate and not as strong as those in Kenya and Tanzania 😅 It was hot in the afternoon...Can't imagine how it would be in Summer ☀️

At one point (lost track of time in the middle of the bumpy roads that looked more or less the same), Mr. B caught a sign on our left - it read 'Tropic of Capricorn'!!!

This was unexpected, as I didn't actually know we would cross this "line". Having lived 2/3 of my life in a city where it's so close to the Tropic of Cancer, I've never been to anywhere that marks its existence...(Now that I think about it, we're living quite close to the Equator now, and have been to places that are very close, if not on the Equator, but never saw a sign like this...Maybe need to do some research...Hmmm...Next challenge would be the Arctic circle?! 😁)

The journey to our destination of the day, Namib Naukluft Lodge, was otherwise uneventful...with plenty of dust, gravels, rocks and sparse grassland to see on the way.

In the middle of nowhere, the Namib Naukluft Lodge stood in front of a small rocky hill. The lodge was small but it had uninterrupted electricity and water (not entirely sure how they did it).  

​Here's a video showing 360 degree view of the Namib Naukluft Lodge. 

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Since we only booked the room 2 days before arrival, the staff at the front desk wasn't able to locate our booking...and at first we couldn't connect to the WiFi there...

After an hour finally it's settled and we were shown to our room. It had 3 single beds, a bathroom with shower and a terrace.

It's still early so we explored the area around the lodge a little bit. 

We had dinner at the lodge as there's no other option. The soup and dessert were served to us, and the rest was buffet - some salad dishes at a corner of the restaurant, and pots and pots of stew around the fire outside. They served rice, bread, potatoes, veggies and meat. For meat, they had chicken, beef and oryx.

All those kudu, oryx etc stew in Africa made me raised my eyebrow, and I thought how double standard I was because I've never felt that it's a problem to eat chicken, beef, pork, lamb etc...

The stews went very well with rice and it's comforting to have such food in a chilly evening. 

The next morning we had breakfast at the lodge and left for Sossuvlei!!