Travel Preparation {tips - #kid travel with #dietary #restriction}

Yes, it is that time of year again.  We are getting ready for our annual visit to go to our other "home" a couple of airline rides away.  Every year we go back home - well, at least for me it is back home to the place I grew up - to Tuttlingen, Germany, a medium size city in Southern Germany.  We usually fly into Zurich, Switzerland as it is the closest and to me easiest airport to get to/from Tuttlingen.

It is also the time of year when the girlies go to school in Germany for a couple of weeks, while I work and visit with some of my clients.  Yes, the girlies do go to school in Tuttlingen; to be exact it is the school I went to as child and my Mom taught at for many years.  This year will be Mia Rosies' first time at the school, and Alena will be going to third grade.  It is a great experience for the girls and fully immerses them into the language as well culture. No worries, both girls have known many of the other children for years.  These are the same children Alena first went to Kindergarten {she started when she was three and went for a month} and has been back every single year.  Mia Rosie also has been to Kindergarten with many of the children she will meet again in her German classroom.  Let me just tell you,  that I am so grateful for my mother and the school in helping to arrange all of this.

Summer 2012

For the children it is a natural experience to travel to Europe; I understand that we are very fortunate and am so thankful for that.  Travel was something that - when Alena was first diagnosed - we were not sure how it would be possible.  We read so many scary things about Classic Galactosemia, the diet and I was at a loss to understand how it could be possible.  In all honesty, I had no idea what her and our life would be like..but let me tell you.  Travel is absolutely 100% possible without any compromise!!! Yes, it may take more work but what that most certainly is not a deterrent for us.  So this is what we do.






Since we travel international, we order vegan meals for both girls {not that great but they do get a tray}

I pack lot's and lot's of food.  Our first flight will be from PDX - JFK and I will be making sandwiches, pack fruit, some cookies and - most important - gum (!).  The girls do not often drink soda - yes, because I block it friends - but this is the time they can get their soda {lemon/lime}.

My plan is - fingers crossed - to get a "safe" sandwich plus some fries for the girlies at our stopover to make sure they are fed and - wishful thinking - tired for the last/longest leg of the flight.

Summer 2012

Oh, and yes I have found it is best {plus the most fun for the girlies} when I pack the food for each girl and they can take it out when they get hungry.  No need to ask the mothership.  Along with the food, I also pack a new book, some markers, a notebook and some other fun little games into their backpacks to be found while we are in transit...





This time we will also enjoy a family vacation at the end of the trip and we will staying in a coupel different hotels.  I will tell you more about that plus the planning involved as we get closer....so stay tuned...