Help, I'm going on a world trip with two small children, what should I take with me!?

For days, I've been making lists

Or should I say, months. Lists to ensure I don't forget mosquito nets, splitters, UV suits, DEET, first aid kits, and all the other essentials, whether or not to put them on the shopping list. For months I've been gathering, tidying up, throwing away, and buying everything I think will make our trip more comfortable. Things go out, new things come in. And people who know us will not say that we are minimalists. I fully acknowledge that. What I can't do is book the outbound flight (where to start?) and a return flight (where will we end up?). Much to the great frustration of the man who has figured this out to the last detail. He does all the research for the framework of our trip. What I could do is fill it in. With stuff.

We have traveled quite a bit before, within Europe but also to Bali with our eldest and to Morocco. In the past, my husband and I also traveled separately. He studied and ended up staying in Sydney, and I stayed in Bangkok. So, we have experience, but packing is new again. Every trip is different, every destination is different, especially with children. And when I hear that my niece left for South America with two small children and one suitcase for three weeks, I think: 'How is that possible?' So, packing... 'Pack for a week', they say. My heart says: 'pack everything you can and take it with you'. My biceps and my primal instincts say: 'Don't do it. Pack as little as possible. You don't need more'. A battle between prehistoric and modern instincts. Afraid of an uncomfortable situation in both cases. Important to note: we are going to travel through Southeast Asia for three months with two adults and two children (Pomm is two years old) and (Pleun is four years old). And then you want to be comfortable. In every possible way. We start in the Philippines on an emerging island. What we do after that, we'll decide on the spot. The Philippines isn't without island hopping, so that's key for our (my) packing skills. Just before Christmas, we fly to Vietnam and travel from north to south. As for accommodation, we will be somewhere between somewhat basic (to a certain level with children) and glamping, which will probably be a mix between our student approach from years ago and our more provisioned life now. Although I think we will ultimately opt for the latter. Knowing us.

A few tips so far

• Indeed, pack for no more than a week. After that, you'll want to wash - especially with children - if not sooner.
• Packing cubes are nice (but in our case not waterproof, considering leaking bottles), but you either need to have a lot of them if you're traveling with two children or only use them for the essentials, because that's all extra weight too. And that brings me to the next point... Every little thing weighs something and all those somethings ultimately just add up to weight.
• Bring a first aid kit with basic medication such as diarrhea inhibitors for adults, ORS, thermometer, paracetamol, Betadine, Sterilon, gauze pads, Luuf for coughing kids, clean needles and syringes, but don't forget the super glue. Ideal for narrow (!) but somewhat deeper cuts (and stitches not necessarily required or available and the edges not gaping). This is a selection of the most basic essentials and definitely worth taking to distant countries.
• Make sure to get well informed by the GGD doctors and your general practitioner. Seek information. Google a lot. Also on American and English websites when it comes to mosquito-borne diseases.
• Don't forget the DEET, as it's not always readily available everywhere. Another effective option, though perhaps not always sufficient in dengue and malaria zones, is the natural lavender deodorant roll-on or spray. It's a nice supplement. The citronella stickers for children are also good, but they are not natural.
• Also consider the environment and ask yourself if the sunscreen doesn't completely destroy the sea and its inhabitants. Google the substances that you would rather not have in the sea, but perhaps also not on your skin.

• Bring water socks or shoes and UV suits for the children, and remember to also bring hats and goggles.
• Wet wipes (baby wipes) are always a good idea, anywhere and everywhere, as well as the iPad and headphones (with limiter).
• Mosquito nets, whether impregnated or not, are convenient and nice, and a hanging system is essential. Even if it's just tie-wraps. And a roll of tape to seal any holes.
• A baby carrier is still nice for little ones. A stroller is not.
• If you're buying new clothes specifically for the trip, try them on as much as possible before you leave, because nothing is as annoying as clothes that are uncomfortable during travel and yet you have to take them with you. In poor countries, you could give them away, that's true. Small tip: avoid any clothes with synthetic fibers.

So far, our experience

Packed and loaded, and thankfully with less than some fellow tourists, we didn't do too badly with packing after all. And to go back to my cousin for a moment, they found one suitcase to be too little... By now, we are about 11,000 kilometers away from the Netherlands and we're about to find out if we have indeed packed well.

SANDRINE