Travel

Tips for Traveling to London with Kids
(Part 2 of a 3 Part Series)
by Donna Schwartz Mills

Be sure to read Part 1 to learn about saving on airfares, getting the proper documents with which to travel and more!

STAYING HEALTHY ON YOUR VACATION

The State Department issues plenty of warnings about health hazards for world travelers. Luckily, the British Isles are not a hotbed of diseases like malaria or yellow fever, and no special immunizations are required for entry to the UK or back to the United States. But you still may have a reason to visit a doctor while abroad.

I never fail to come down with something the first week we're away. (Probably because of the recycled air in the plane cabin, which a friend describes as a "flying Petri dish.") What's more, my daughter usually gets it, too. While British residents enjoy free medical care through the country's National Health Service, that does not apply to Americans -- and your health insurance may not cover you outside the country. So it is wise for international travelers to take out additional insurance for their trip.

You'll find an easy-to-order policy over at MedicinePlanet.com, which also features some nifty customized health plans for travelers:

Medicine Planet

Travelers medical insurance is also offered by the folks at American Express. This is a great option if you do a lot of traveling; you can purchase insurance for your entire family on a yearly basis which keeps you covered each time you go away. Plus, if you are enrolled in the Member Rewards program, you'll earn miles for your next trip.

Luckily, our family is usually only plagued by colds (especially when making the trip in the winter), so we get by with over-the-counter medication. However, a familiar brand like Tylenol is not easy to find in Britain, nor by its generic version, acetaminophen. That's because in the UK, the same drug is known as 'paracetamol.' I now pack our favorite cold remedies and any prescription medications we are using in a carry-on bag.

Be sure to include your thermometer. We forgot to do that one time and had to buy a new one there -- which registered temperatures in Centigrade. Translating 32 degrees C into Fahrenheit is not an exercise I recommend when you're worried about your child (although it might be a good math or science exercise for one of your older kids).

If your child is running a fever and you've run out of Children's Tylenol, go to the nearest Boots (a drug store chain founded back in the 1700's) and pick up something called Calpol. It accomplishes the same thing.

Should you run out of decongestant and need to buy more, you may be surprised when you get to the store: You won't find any! To get that package of Sudafed, you will need to get assistance from a pharmacist.

Most stores we visited had two lines at the pharmacy counter -- one for prescriptions and another for those seeking advice. Don't be shy; just get into the latter and tell the clerk what you are looking for. If you know exactly what is in the remedy you need (the main ingredient of Sudafed is pseudoepinephrin), let them know. If they suggest something that is unfamiliar, ask questions about what its ingredients and any side effects you might expect. On our last trip, I made the mistake of keeping quiet, and the remedy they gave me was so disorienting, I had to discard it.

PACKING YOUR KIDS' CARRY-ON BAGS

Carry-on bags for Economy passengers are often limited to one per person, so you need to pack wisely. Luckily, each of your kids is entitled to a bag, so this makes it possible to include items that will make the flight easier.

Make sure your kids have some activities to keep them busy. If your school-age children were given some assignments to do, the long flight is a great place to start. Younger children will be grateful for some coloring books, notepads, colored pens and crayons.

Include comfort items for your young children. Our daughter's bag held her pillow from home, her favorite blanket and one of the dolls she sleeps with (we limited her to just three toys from home; explaining how difficult it would be to get back anything we left in another country).

Tell your children how jet lag works and that they will feel much better when they arrive if they get a little sleep on the plane. Our 4-year-old agreed to turn off her little TV after just one showing of Pokemon 2000. With her comfy pillow and blanket, she had no problems sleeping and was probably the best rested member of our family.

SPEAKING OF JET LAG:

As miraculous as it is to travel thousands of miles in hours instead of days, you and your family are bound to suffer from jet lag. It isn't only the fact that you will have lost five to eight hours of sleep just by flying overseas -- but crossing all those time zones messes with the body's circadian rhythms, resulting in more sleep loss, as well as disorientation, dehydration and low immunity levels.

When I first started "crossing the pond," those symptoms kept me from enjoying the first week of my visit. Aside from the long, uncomfortable flight, it was the thing I dreaded most about international travel.

But before our last trip, a friend told me about an herbal, homeopathic remedy she tried that alleviated almost all her jet lag symptoms (everything but the ones associated with lack of sleep). It's called No Jet Lag, costs about $10 and is available at health food stores all over the country.

I'm skeptical of the claims of most herbal remedies, but decided to give it a try... and it worked! I have never had such an easy time adjusting to the new time zone. My husband, on the other hand, is a scientist -- and even more of a skeptic than I. He did not try it on the trip over... and he was miserable (especially since I kept bragging about how good I felt). That convinced him to try it on the return trip... and it worked for him, too. We will never go to Europe without this stuff again, and next time I will consult our pediatrician to see if it is OK for our daughter to take it, too.

You can read more about No Jet Lag and additional ways to combat the syndrome here:

No Jet Lag

Be sure to read Part 1 to learn how to save money on airfare and more! Be sure to read Part 3 to learn how to handle lodging and meals during your trip and more!