travelling with 2 1/2 year old

[dajoma]

Hi mamitas,

I have agreed to take my daughter to Mexico to visit my abuela in Queretaro. We will be flying to D.F. and also spending a few days at my aunt's condo in Acapulco. This will be my first time taking the bus and travelling around with my daughter in Mexico, although I have travelled extensively around Mexico. My parents took us in January to a resort along the Mayan Riviera, so I am not quite counting that trip. This time we will be delving into authentic Mexico.

I never had second thoughts about visiting Mexico, it has always been my other home. But somehow being a mom makes it different. I wonder if anyone living there can offer me any advice or insight into the current situation. We are vegetarian, so that is another challenge that we will have.

I am planning on taking the car seat, seems so much safer. However, will it really be useful? Can I hook it up on buses? I remember that taxis sometimes don't even have seatbelts.

Thanks for any tips or info you can share. I can't wait to feel some warmth, it has been so cold this year in Canada, we had very few hot days.

[mamadeuna]

I haven't ever traveled on the bus with my daughter, so I didn't pay much attention to seat belts, etc. We always took the car seat with us on trips to Mexico until our daughter was booster age, but usually it would just end up sitting in the house, but it made me feel better to be able to use it if the situation allowed. As far as food, I've never had a problem finding vegetarian options in Mexico. Even at the bus stations I've always been able to buy a cheese sandwich and fruit. I guess in that sense Mexico offers better options than in the U.S. - just try getting a banana at a fast food restaurant here!

It sounds like you are a seasoned Mexico traveler, but since you mentioned you have not done it with child in tow, you may not have experienced yet how much more accommadating Mexicans tend to be regarding children. My experience has always been that life is much less segregated into child-appropriate and non-child-appropriate settings than in the U.S. It seems there that children are usually welcomed, even expected, in most situations, whereas here I've often sensed that people are less tolerant of children and their childlike ways in many settings - as though children should be kept at home, at school, or on the playground only! For us, traveling in Mexico and Central America with a small child has never presented any problems other than those you'd experience anywhere, i.e. tiredness, being in a strange environment, etc. Just make sure you always have toilet paper and wipes!

[almadianna]

You are right that you cannot install them on buses or in taxis... but if you have a private car then you car.

mexico is really easy on kids because the culture accepts kids everywhere. Being veg is easier in mexico for me because there are options about having things like a quesadilla, beans, flor de calabaza, huitlacoche, etc...

[dajoma]

almadianna - you are making my mouth water!
mamadeuna - thanks for sharing how positive your experience in Mexico has been. I have always loved my visits to Mexico. Whenever I step off the plane there, I always feel a sense of returning home even though I have only lived there for brief times.

I think my main concern with being veg is all the lard and chicken broth that is added to things like beans and rice. But, quesadillas are certainly a good option while we still eat some cheese. Lately I have been teetering on whether to make the leap over to vegan (I guess that is for another thread, wink). I am really looking forward to loading my dd and myself up with fresh fruit. My plan is to take a bunch of dehydrated snacks to keep some consistency with our diet.

To take the car seat or not take it is a tricky decision because we will be travelling by bus from the airport to Queretaro, but we will also most likely have some times when we will be in a relative's car.

[mamadebug]

We love going to Mexico as a family - super family oriented. If you search around a bit, you should be able to find the food you need. We have traveled quite a bit with DS, especially when he was a baby. I have always taken his car seat to Mexico, and we use it in my MIL's car. When we are in taxis, which isn't often, we go without (no flames, please), but not out on the highway, only around town. I don't know if I have ever taken a bus in Mexico with DS. When we have traveled in Europe, I haven't even brought a car seat. I have traveled by bus and metro there quite a bit, and I have never seen a way to attach a car seat. I have taken taxis a handful of times there as well, and skipped the car seat.

[almadianna]

I have taken busses many times in Mexico and never once seen a carseat or even a way to install one so I dont think that I would.

[dajoma]

Thanks for more responses.

I decided to email Primera Plus (the bus company we will need to use to take the bus from the airport to Queretaro) and I was told that some buses have seatbelts and some buses don't. So I think I will take the car seat. It will come useful on the plane and I know that we will most likely need to travel the occasional time in my aunt's car and I am just not willing to do that without the car seat. We have a Britax and I don't look forward to lugging it around, but my daughter's safety is most important to me.

I keep dreaming about the fresh fruit, nopales and guacamole.