Confession, I am not a lover of camping. However I love festivals and when camping is needed on one of our global adventures, I grit my teeth and bear it. At least with festivals, alcohol is generally involved to help! However, we were really keen to get to a festival this year, as we haven’t been since we moved back from Australia and having Kitale didn’t put us off at all.

We have wanted to go to Wilderness for a few years and it seemed perfect for our first festival with a bub.

Wilderness did not disappoint and is the perfect choice for families and kids of all ages – I couldn’t recommend it enough – we are already signing up for next year! Not only is the music great, but you can catch amazing talks and debates, enjoy the beautiful outdoors (did I mention the lakeside spa?!) and take part in lots of workshops. The food is fantastic and you don’t have to worry about finding something other than chips and burgers to feed the kids, as there is so much choice – where else can your babe tuck into a healthy Deliciously Ella feast?

Anyway I could talk about Wilderness all day, but thought I would share a few festival essentials that we found really helpful with Kitale, as I found it difficult finding tips before we went,

• Ear defenders – we have the Baby Banz ones which are great and look fab too. Great for watching live acts. Kitale wouldn’t keep them on when on the move but when asleep, they were a life saver.
• Baby carrier – Great for us as Kitale is still little and not walking. I think next year we shall have to upgrade to a little cart. We have the Baby Bjorn One which is so comfortable and means you are hands free and we get to dance with our lil lady.
• Portable cot – we have a great Deryan pop up cot that we always take travelling with us. It was the perfect size for our tent, Kitale slept in it most nights but also crawled in with us. It does get quite cold at night, so we made it really snug with lots of blankets underneath and a sheepskin rug.
• Warm sleepsuit and growbag – we needed to keep her warm, so layered Kitale up in a vest, warm sleepsuit and a 3.5 tog growbag.
• Puddle/rain suit – we were lucky with the weather and only needed to use her puddle suit one evening. But definitely one not to forget and also when it is as cool her unicorn suit.
• Camping stove and washing up bowl – thankfully one of the other Mums had all the camping gear.  These were essential for waming milk and keeping bottles clean.
• Snacks – Ella’s Kitchen and Tilda Kids to the rescue. Great to just have a lots of these on hand throughout the day. However as mentioned before, Wilderness had such a great selection of food. Although Kit’s favourite (and ours!) had to be Anna Mae’s Mac and Cheese truck!
• Evening prep – get the kids in their sleep suits, and make sure you have everything eg. dummies bottles, snacks before you head out. Also make sure you have everything set up at the tent before you go, so its easy to transfer them into their bed when you get back when its dark and you aren’t fumbling around! Also double check your tent is set up properly, ours collapsed on us the first night!
• Festival outfits –  Kitale rocked tutus and gold leggings at Wilderness. Sorry I couldn’t help myself!
• Great company – we went with some great friends who both also had one year olds. It was great seeing all the babes together and just easy to get around as we were all responsible for lil humans!
• Grandparents – not an essential but we were lucky enough to have Jon’s parents come pick Kitale up on our final night 🙂 which meant Jon and I got a baby free night festival night in as well! Where would be be without Grandparents!!!

Easily the most famous waterfalls in the world, Niagara Falls is also the largest by the sheer volume of water that powers down over the crest – apparently more than six million cubic feet every minute. So definitely a sight to behold… if we were able to see it that is!

So my title is a bit misleading, we definitely got to experience the might of Niagara Falls and I am so glad we visited,  its just the trip we took to see it wasn’t that great. We only had a short time in Toronto, before we had to head to Regina for my cousin’s wedding. We were unlucky that the only day we had to see the Falls was one of the wettest and foggiest Ontario had seen recently. We were also travelling with my extended family (12 of us), so a guided tour was the best option to take all of us to meet everyone’s needs from kids to older parents. In hindsight, we would have just hired a car and driven ourselves and its definitely what I would recommend others to do.

I am not a fan of big organised tours and this trip reminded me why. Big coaches, having to stick to a rigid schedule, being ushered to places that we didn’t really want to go and constantly clock watching, rushing to get back to the coach on time. I don’t want to tarnish all tours with this brush, but with this trip meant we didn’t really the experience.

Niagara Falls is obviously a huge tourist spot, so don’ expect the most natural of settings, but there is lot to see and do there. We only had time to run down to the Hornblower boat – which thankfully saved the day. Although pouring with rain and foggy, the boat takes you right up to the thundering Horseshoe falls. The sound of the water is deafening and you feel very insignificant as you look up at the torrential wall of water pounding down towards you. It’s also great fun, all dressed in red ponchos (the Maid of the Mist on the American side wear blue) getting absolutely drenched – just like a theme park ride.

Kitale stayed warm and dry under the poncho and thought it was all great fun. She was completely entranced by the water and the massive swells beneath the boat.

After rushing back to the coach we had a quick stop off at the top of the falls. The fog cleared slightly so we could see where the water drops off – no wonder people used to think the world was flat. Looking down into the mist, it feels like you’ve reached the end of the world.

If we get the chance to visit again, I would definitely take the opportunity to do the walk behind the falls and perhaps treat ourselves to a helicopter flight to see the Falls in all their glory (we had actually planned this but due to the weather all flights were cancelled). Oh and as I stated before, drive ourselves there.

This trip was just a little reminder that not all adventures are what you planned and expect. However we always try to make the best of everywhere we go and sod it, we were at blooming Niagara Falls!

A lot of people have said that we were brave to travel so far with Kitale, when we recently visited Australia, Vietnam and Cambodia. We definitely wouldn’t call ourselves brave, as travelling is second nature to us. However people ask us why we do it, comment on how hard it must be and say they couldn’t/wouldn’t do it with their children. Yes the trip was hard sometimes and definitely different to our travels previously but that aside, it was bloody fun and frickin amazing and I can’t wait until our next trip! Anyway here a few reasons why I think you should travel with a baby.

• Quality time as a family. With no work distractions, day to day routine, computers, TV’s and in some places phone reception, we actually all focus on each other. I find that I am much more ‘present’ and give Kitale my full attention (not watching notifications ping up on my phone every few minutes) and feel we bond even more.

• Kitale made it easier to meet new people and travelling with her broke down a lot of barriers. It didn’t matter that we didn’t have a common language, one smile from Kit and they were sold. We had countless conversations on public transport and markets that we would have missed without Kit. We even got upgraded in a two of our hotels because of Kit and airport security whizzed us through the express lanes.

• I hope that we are helping Kitale adapt to new situations and also become more social. Things like staying in different places means she learns to adapt to different surroundings. As we continue to travel, I hope this gives her the patience to deal with different situations when she is older. Kitale has never been shy and in Vietnam and Cambodia that definitely wasn’t an option. Kit met so many people, from different cultures and walks of life and she absolutely loved it. In fact she found it harder when we got home as she only had Jon and I at home to entertain her!

• Seeing the wonders of Angkor Wat and cruising around Halong Bay was amazing but what was even more magical was seeing Kitale’s reaction to everything around her. Seeing her touch a stone column that is more than 900 hundreds years old and watching her mesmerised by the wake of the boat, are things that I will never forget and will love telling her about when she is older.

• Some may think us selfish, but Jon and I still want to see the world and its even better now that Kitale is here to experience it with us. When we were pregnant our biggest fear was not about sleep, it was whether we would be able to travel with a baby!

We lived in Sydney for nearly 6 years, so this wasn’t a exploration trip for Kitale and I, it was a trip to see good friends and family. It was a hard decision leaving our life in Australia and it was only until recently, that Jon and I have felt settled in the UK – however they do say once you have lived elsewhere you are never truly settled. After finding out I was pregnant, I immediately knew a trip to Sydney was a must do, to introduce Kitale to her second home and Aussie family.

We had a fantastic, albeit a challenging time, because of the devil that is jetlag (don’t worry I’ve saved a whole other blog post for a rant about that one!). Sydney still felt like home and as I drove over the Harbour bridge, overlooking what is hands down one of the best views in the world I felt the tug of my heartstrings and was calling Jon telling him that we needed to move back!

Anyway as I said this isn’t an emotional blog about our time here.  I thought I would share some of our fave places in Sydney, so in no particular order;

• Opera Bar – for a huge tourist spot, this bar/area is surprisingly easy to get a spot at. It wraps right around the harbour, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge smiling in front of you, keeping watch as the ferries come and go. And the sails of the Sydney Opera House sit right behind you catching the rays. This is the best spot in my opinion to get a photo of the harbour and we have spent many days drinking the day away here.

• Glebe Market – Glebe was the first place that Jon and I lived together. Originally a student suburb, it has now been gentrified – however I can report that it has not lost its charm. On Glebe Point Road you can waste a whole day mooching around lil vintage shops, cafes and bars and if you are there on a Saturday wonder Glebe Market. Full of vintage finds, craft stalls, locals selling clothes and jewellery, food vans and busking musicians – it’s a place not to miss!

• Taronga Zoo – this is hands down the best zoo in the world. Where else can you see so many amazing creatures with the backdrop of the majestic Sydney Harbour?

• Tamarama,  Milk Beach and Shelly Beach – So I can’t just pick one favourite beach! Yes, Bondi is a must see if it your first time, but if you have longer don’t miss these beauties. Tamarama is a great stop off and the most picturesque beach on the Bondi to Coogee stretch. Milk Beach is a small secret beach cove on the harbour and isn’t really on the tourist trail. You have the beautiful Harbour in front of you and the wonderful Vaucluse House behind you. This is also a really safe beach to swim at of the calmer Harbour waters. Shelley Beach is located in Manly and forms part of Cabbage Tree Bay, a protected marine reserve which lies adjacent to North Head. Again its a great swim spot and also teaming with marine life, so great for snorkeling.

• Newtown  -if its cool you are looking for, head to bohemian Newtown. It’s a vibrant inner Sydney neighbourhood, with a thriving music, theatre, design and restaurant scene – so you are completely spoilt for choice here! There is too much to do, to list here, so I’ll let Time Out do what they do best!

• Vaucluse  – We were lucky enough to live here before we left Australia in a cliff edge apartment close enough to spit into the ocean  – someone remind me why we left again please?! Walk the stunning Waverly cliff walk, and follow it to Watsons Bay where you can treat yourself to the best fish and chips from Doyles. During May and December you can witness the great humpback whale migration – it’s just magical.  We were lucky enough to watch this from our living room and you never tire of seeing a whale breach the water and looking out for the amazing tail fin to slap the surface.

• Bundeena – If you want to escape Sydney, The Royal National Park is a must do. It’s amongst the oldest national parks in the world and is just an hours drive from Sydney or a 30 minute ferry from Cronulla. You can spend the day hiking, fishing and of course relaxing on one of the numerous stunning beaches including our favourite Wattamolla.

• Blue Mountains – if you are after a bushwalk, there is no better place. It is a real rugged landscape with valleys, waterfalls, and rugged tablelands. It’s a complete change of pace and escape from the city. It holds a special place in my heart as it is where Jon asked me to marry him!

• Arts and culture – there is always something going on in Sydney. Head to the Museum of Contemporary Art , which always has a great exhibit on. If you are in Sydney in May, don’t miss Vivid Sydney , which is an annual outdoor lighting festival with immersive light installations and projections. If you are there in October take in Sculpture By The Sea , where you will find more than a 100 sculptures on the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk.

• Manly Ferry –  No matter how many times I get this ferry, I never get bored with the journey and to think this is many people’s daily commute to work! Even when the weather isn’t great, you can catch some great stormy skies on this trip. This trip always made me feel like I was going on a mini holiday. At the end of the 30 minute trip you have wonderful Manly to explore, perhaps starting with a drink and some food at the Manly Wharf Bar.

TAKE ME BACK NOW!!!

Reunited with my bestie and our babes meeting for the first time

Stormy Coogee

Kit’s first feel of sand

Stormy Bondi

Where else in the world can you get two of the best sights in the world in one picture!

My ladies for life, on the other side of the world but always in my heart

This was our holiday within a holiday. When we made the decision to go to Vietnam, we immediately decided that we wanted to visit Angkor Wat. However, if you’d asked me at 4am, the time we had to leave for our flight from Ho Chi Minh, I would have given you a different answer! Everyone tells you, while Angkor Wat is amazing, it’s very touristy and we learnt that as soon as we arrived at the airport to check in – the queue to check in literally snaked out the front door. However Kitale worked her magic once more and we we were whisked to the priority check in desk. So my first tip is to leave plenty of time for queues at the airport.

As we flew into Siem Reap, over vast green fields and meandering rivers, Jon and I knew we would love Cambodia. It wasn’t over populated and there weren’t lots of roads or buildings ,so we already felt a sense of calm. Siem Reap’s airport looked very new, we didn’t have a visa but hot footed it into the arrival hall to get one. It was super efficient! All you need is a passport photo – don’t worry they can take your photo there. There is a line of officials, who from the moment you hand over your completed visa application form (which you will receive in the departure lounge or on the flight to Cambodia), each have a role to play in ensuring the whole process takes no more than 5 minutes. You can also apply for a eVisa before travelling.

We rolled out into the heat of Siem Reap, looking for a taxi, as our email to the hotel for an airport transfer for some reason hadn’t been responded. But as luck would have it we found a rep waiting for another guest. They were fantastic and apologetic for not responding and whisked us straight into an air conditioned car to our hotel.

We stayed at Memoire D’Angkor Wat Boutique Hotel. It was a lovely hotel and the staff were amazing. Once again we were balled over at how much the Cambodians loved babies. We had a lovely room with a balcony and daybed, they provided a cot and they also had high chairs in the restaurant. It had a lovely pool with fab swinging beds where we could sip cocktails and smoothies – plus great for Kit naps. I would highly recommend booking a hotel with a pool if you are visiting Siem Reap in the summer – believe me you need that dip after a day of temple visits!

In true Carson style we hadn’t booked any guides/tours for the temples, however definitely knew we needed one. We found our guide simply by asking some other guests whilst sat around the pool. Sothorn from Happy Angkor Wat Tours was fantastic – very professional and full of knowledge about Angkor Wat, Cambodia and it’s history. We were keen to do one day of temple viewing with Kitale, since it was so hot. Sothorn took us to four most famous temples and we even had time to come back to the hotel in between temples for lunch, a swim and a nap for Kit. Most importantly he knew the times to avoid the big tourist buses, which meant we got to enjoy some parts of the temples to ourselves! Also we had an air conditioned car to escape into after each temple and Sothorn provided cold towels and water throughout the day. We paid $60 (a great price and approx £46) for all 3 of us for this tour and it was worth every penny! The entrance to the temples was excluded – it is $37 for a day pass and $62 for a three day pass.

The temples of Angkor Wat are simply magical! It felt like we had travelled to another world where ancient Kings used to roam. The Khmer carvings and architecture is so overwhelming, it takes your breath away. I actually can’t do them any justice in any blog post or photo.

Kitale wont remember any of this but even she was mesmerised. Seeing Angkor Wat with her, made this trip even more special for us. We found it quite easy to see the temples with her, even if it took us longer, as we kept getting stopped by others wanting to say hello or take Kit’s photo! Children under twelve are not allowed in the central upper level, however my lovely hubby let me go up, while he watched Kit. It was great to take in this gallery on my own for 20 minutes – I really did feel a sense of calmness and serenity.

Apart from seeing the temples we spent our other days relaxing in Siem Reap. The one thing travelling with a baby teaches you to do is to slow down. We took time out at the pool – Kitale loves the water – wandered around the markets (the Old Market is cheaper than the Night Market) and wasted hours away in cafes and restaurants. We enjoyed Fresh Fruit Factory , Sister Srey Cafe where everything is organic and supports local students. New Leaf Eatery , who also donate profits to various community projects and Indochine , which has some great colonial styling and of course yummy grub! I would also recommend getting some spa action at one of the many massage/beauty palours – however look around for a good price and also take a look at treatment rooms. Many look lovely from the outside but some of the rooms can be quite grubby.

If you are looking for night life, head on down to Pub Street – think Koh San Road, Bangkok. Good for a night or two but not great if you have a babe to put to bed and a little touristy for our liking.

Would definitely recommend a baby carrier if you are travelling with a baby, it would be difficult seeing the temples with a buggy. Kitale got very used to falling asleep in her Baby Bjorn, but you could use a buggy to get you around the town in Siem Reap. Final tip is to take US dollars, which are accepted everywhere. We definitely want to go back to Cambodia and discover more of the country.