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I mean c’mon there is not one reason, look at th I mean c’mon there is not one reason, look at this view from the top of the Kloof Corner hike! The biggest way we’re able to afford traveling so much is by letting the deals dictate where we go. Cape Town has been on our bucket list forever but with flights typically costing $1,200-$1,800 it hasn’t been a priority. But when Scott’s Cheap Flights (now called Going, I don’t like the new name but that’s besides the point) dropped this Cape Town deal for less than half of what it normally costs we jumped on it!

So often I hear “but there are no deals during school breaks”, YES THERE ARE! We went to Cape Town for Thanksgiving and the girls get the entire week off of school so they missed no days. Plus since there seasons are opposite it was late spring and the weather was amazing. Scott’s emails deals directly to your inbox for the airports you choose (we select our home airport and airports we can easily fly direct to and always have cheap flights because sometimes it’s worth flying to a city for a deal (known as a repositioning flight). They offer a free version but you don’t get all the deals so we have the Premium subscription which costs $49 for a year and you can tap the link in my bio and use code TRAVELINGCHILD20 for 20% off. They have an Elite membership level for business class seats. Because someone always asks, yes they give deals for nonstop flights but please remember you can’t fly everywhere nonstop. Beloved if you’re going to Thailand from the US you’re going to have a layover.

Anyway when in Cape Town you must hike, there are so many amazing ones! This Kloof’s Corner hike is perfect for sunset. It’s not stroller or wheelchair accessible as there are stairs but if Jordyn and Kennedy can hike it in 40mins (one way up) I promise you don’t have to be super fit!

P.S. when booking a flight from the US you have 24 hours to cancel & get a refund (on flights booked 7 days in advance). So many ppl told me they hesitated on this deal because they had to see if they could get off work/what dates worked for their travel partners. Always book first, think second & just cancel within 24hrs if you can’t make it work! What’s the best flight deal you’ve booked?
Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! Here’s every Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! Here’s everything you need to know about getting into South Africa (save + share this post):

1. Your passport must be valid for 30 days after your scheduled date of departure.

2. You must have 2 consecutive empty pages in your passport.

3. There is no visa required for US citizens for visits less than 90 days.

4. There are no shots required to travel to South Africa, unless you are traveling from or transiting through yellow-fever deemed countries, then a yellow fever shot is required. You can find a list of these countries online.

5. South Africa has opposite seasons than the US so our winter is their summer. December to February are peak travel due to the weather but if you visit in November like we did you’ll get good weather and avoid the massive crowds of peak season.

Have you visited South Africa? If so, which part? If not, is it on your list?
Because why do y’all do this to us trip planners Because why do y’all do this to us trip planners? Are you the one in your group that plans the trip or do you just show up? If you’re the planner tag your friends 😅. If you just show up do you look at the itinerary or ask all the questions even though the info was given to you 👀?

Original reel idea credit goes to @kryssedeal, sis really nailed exactly how I feel!!
#sponsored Last year we were able to cross some am #sponsored Last year we were able to cross some amazing places off our bucket list. We want you to do the same so we’ve teamed up with @vrbo to give you the opportunity to win $3,500 and turn your bucket list trip into a book-it-list one! 

Just head over to the giveaway post on @vrbo, make sure you’re following them and tag 3 people you’d want to join you on your trip! 

So what is your book-it list vacation this year?

*T&Cs apply – link in bio

 #VrboTogether #BookItList
Things to do in Istanbul (save and share this post Things to do in Istanbul (save and share this post):

1. Visit the various houses of worship like Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque. Suleymaniye Camii, Ortakoy Mosque, Chora Church and the Camlica Mosque

2. Tour palaces like Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace

3. Climb the Galata Tower for amazing views of Istanbul. You can even enjoy a meal here at the restaurant on the top floor.

4. Take a cruise of the Bosphorus to see both the European and Asia side of Istanbul.

5. Visit the cities Bazaars, the Grand Bazaar where you can shop your heart out and the Spice Bazaar where you can eat your heart out. Don’t leave without trying a Turkish delight!

6. If you want to go shopping Istiklal is the place to do so. They have a wide range of stores including international chains like Zara.

7. See a Dervish show at Hodjapasha.

8. Walk across the Galata Bridge to see fisherman at work and then walk under it to taste their fresh catches.

9. Take a day trip to the Princes’ Islands.

10. Experience a Turkish Hammam.

11. Explore the neighborhood of Balet, enjoying the colorful building and have some traditional Turkish tea or my favorite Apple Tea.

12. Turkey has some amazing food so go on a food tour or take a cooking class. If you don’t do either just make sure not to leave without having a traditional Turkish breakfast!

I recommend at least 5 days in Istanbul but you can easily spend a week or more exploring the city.

Have you been to Istanbul? If not is it on your list? For those that have been what was your favorite thing to do?

#istanbul #bucketlistadventures
Our Egypt Itinerary (save + share this post): 3 n Our Egypt Itinerary (save + share this post):

3 nights Siwa: Shali Fortress, 4x4 safari in the Great Sand Sea, sunset on Fatnas Island, emple of Amun and Temple of the Oracle, take a look or a dip into Cleopatra Spring, Mountain of the Dead, House of Siwa Museum, float in the salt lakes.

5 nights Cairo: Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx,  Egyptian Museum, Saqqara, Khal Al Khalil, Old and Coptic Cairo: Hanging Church, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Al Azhar Mosque and the Fortress of Babylon, see an Al Tannoura Egyptian Dance Heritage Show at Wekalet El Ghouri. For a break from the historical things with kids spend a day at Dreamland Park, Kidzania, or Ski Egypt. Stay at Marriott Mena House.

3 nights Luxor: Hot air balloon ride, Luxor Museum, Mummification museum, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Temple of Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Colossi Statue of Memnon and Hatshpsut

3 nights Aswan: High Dam, Temple of Philae, Nubian Villages, Sail on the Nile by Felucca, Nubian Museum, Abu Simbel

On the way to Aswan from Luxor you can also stop to see the Temple of Horus and Kim Ombo Temple. If you have extra time visit Alexandria, Bahariya Oasis, and White Desert National Park to see the White Desert.

Have you been to Egypt? Is it on your list? There is so much to see outside of Cairo! 

#bucketlisttravel #cairoegypt #luxoregypt #aswan
OUR MOROCCO ITINERARY (save + share this post):

🇲🇦2 nights Chefchaouen- painting class, hiking, enjoying the Blue City and more.

🇲🇦3 nights Fes- Royal palaces, Moroccan dance class, visit the tannery and more

🇲🇦6 nights Marrakech- Majorelle Gardens, explore the Medina, explore the various mosques, stay in a riad, take a Moroccan cooking class and more.

🇲🇦3 nights Sahara Desert- ATV tour, sand boarding, Bedouin experience and more.

For all the details of each trip tap the link in my bio for the itineraries of each city. Have you been to Morocco? Is it on your list?

P.S. the girls were 3 and 5 on this trip

#moroccotrip #thisisafrica #travellingwithkids

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Light Packing Tips

September 22, 2017      Trip Planning Tips

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more information. All opinions are my own.

Packing light is key when traveling with kids and especially when you tend to city hop like we do. On our most recent trip to Europe we visited Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Brussels. Constantly on the move every few days and going up and down the stairs, as most apartment buildings in Europe do not have elevators, packing light was an easy way to reduce frustration. For this week long trip pictured below is all we packed. Had I chose to purchase diapers in Europe or if Kennedy was no longer in them I could have ditched the Dory suitcase as it was only filled with diapers and wipes.

suitcase against the wall

Child suitcases can become annoying really quickly. Jordyn loves to pull her own suitcase but sometimes when we are in a rush it slows her down or if she gets tired of course it then becomes your responsibility to hold it. I love that her Dory suitcase has a strap on the back that goes over the handle of my suitcase so I can push/pull both with only one hand. So how do I pack for a family of 4 for a week in one suitcase?

​Clothing
When deciding on our clothing for a 7 day trip I only pack 3 bottoms per person. Jeans, especially men’s are very heavy and take up a lot of space. You really don’t need a different bottom for each day, you can re-wear. I pick darker bottoms as they typically go with more tops and if I get a little dirt on them it’s not noticeable.  I pack 1 shirt for each day. If the weather is warm where you are going packing dresses for women and shorts for men over jeans will also save you space and make your suitcase lighter. Since we typically stay at Airbnb’s they usually have washing machines and I always pack travel size detergent or a few detergent pods so we can do laundry half way through the trip if necessary. If your thought is “I might wear it, let me pack it just in case.” PUT. IT. BACK!  Lol but seriously, it’s like the shirt you always want to give away because you haven’t worn it in years but you somehow decide in your head you will because you like it but then of course you never wear it. The same thing will happen with this extra outfit you’ve convinced yourself you need on this trip, just leave it at home. Remember the less options you have to choose from, the quicker you’ll be able to get ready and out the door to start your adventures.

clothing laid out to be packed in suitcase 

This is exactly what we packed in one suitcase for our week long Euro Trip. Details below on how we fit it all in one suitcase weighing 43lbs total!
​
​Shoes
Shoes can take up a ton of space in your luggage and they can be very heavy. I always coordinate our clothing so we can get away with wearing the same shoe with each outfit. This way we only have the shoes we are wearing on our feet the day we leave and we don’t require any space in our luggage to pack shoes. Worst case we will each have two pairs of shoes with the heaviest one being worn on our travel days to save weight in our bag.

Toiletries
We put all of our toiletries in travel size clear containers and I label with a permanent marker. The pressure from airplanes can cause items to escape so I always put each of them in a snack size zip lock bag to prevent spillage. I then put everything in one of our packing cubes.


​Packing Cubes
If you don’t have packing cubes you need to get some! My friend used them on our trip to Australia and I was amazed at how much she could fit in them plus how organized her bag was. I immediately ordered some and they are the best. Here’s why:

They help us stay organized! I ordered a different color packing cube set for each of us. This helps automatically know whose clothes are where in case of an emergency. I wish I had these in Australia because I was de-boarding a flight when Kennedy had an explosive diaper. Poop was all up her back and her pants and shirt were done for. When went through our bag I pretty much had to take everything out since her clothes were at the bottom. Had I had packing cubes I’d simply grab her color cube without disorganizing my entire bag and then having to repack everything.

They turn your luggage into drawers like at home! Everyone packs their cubes a different way. When we are traveling to multiple cities in one trip I will pack mine based on city, putting the outfits I plan on wearing in each city in one cube so I only have to open one and everything else stays organized. However, when staying in one place an entire trip I might pack based on item: underwear and socks in one cube, shirts in one, and bottoms in the other. Instead of unpacking everything I will just put my cubes in the drawers and everything is easily accessible but also stay together and organized.​

packing cubes laid out on a bed

​The black cubes have all my husbands belongings, the red has Kennedy’s, the yellow/black has Jordyn’s, the big yellow one has mine and the small yellow has all of our toiletries.​ Below they all neatly fit into our regular sized check in luggage.

suitcase packing using packing cubes 


Here is our bag with all of our stuff all under the 50lb maximum weight for a total of 43lbs!

suitcase being weighed at the airport 

​The packing cubes seen in our suitcase above are from eBags and you can get them here. However, I recently started using packing cubes from EzPacking. The reason is because I love that they too also come in various colors so we can each have our own set but I also like that they are completely see-through on the top so you can see everything inside. Most importantly I love that they are completely sealed which keeps the stench from your dirty clothes away from your clean clothes especially when traveling to multiple cities on one trip. Use promo code ‘thetravelingchild’ to save 15% off EzPacking packing cubes.

ezpacking cubes on a bed filled with clothes

 

​What packing tips do you have? Drop them in the comments below!

The Traveling Child is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

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Comments

  1. Elisa says

    November 4, 2017 at 11:42 am

    Ok you have me convinced on packing cubes. I seriously LOVE your blog. I travel at least once a month with our almost 7 month old, usually by myself and your blog has helped me so much. I recommend it to everyone! ❤️

    • Monet Hambrick says

      November 13, 2017 at 7:44 am

      Awww, thank you so much Elisa!!! That means so much to me and I am so happy it has been so helpful to you. Yessss, packing cubes are life, I swear by them now!
      Monet

  2. April Kitchens says

    November 14, 2017 at 12:28 pm

    Girl I need those packing cubes!! And definitely a ziplock for toiletries. Thankfully Target has a few of the brands that I like in travel sizes and I just refill when needed.

  3. Zuli says

    November 18, 2017 at 4:08 pm

    Ok! I just figured out what I’ll be getting us for Xmas! I like to do a family gift, and what better gift than the gift of travel?! I have so many ideas for road trips, and, hopefully, one big trip that will require a plane for next year, and these packing cubes will be perfect!

    • Monet says

      November 20, 2017 at 7:30 am

      Hi Zuli!
      Yes, the gift of travel is truly amazing. Packing cubes have seriously changed my life lol, I hope they make it easier for your family to pack light and stay organized as well!
      Monet

  4. Tiffany Haywood says

    November 20, 2017 at 6:48 pm

    You definitely have this down to a science and a skill I have not mastered yet. I will be adding this packing cubes to my shopping list for our next trip for sure.

  5. Stephanie Saint-julien says

    January 11, 2018 at 3:24 am

    Seeing this blog gives me life !!!! I swear because I live in Miami where I dream everyday of traveling especially with my 1 y.o. son Aiden and Boyfriend Tyree. This gives me the extra push to travel because I always wondered how in the world can travel with a baby it must but hard. But now looking at things in a different light I thank you for this great info. Hope to be on the same traveling path to.

    • Monet says

      January 11, 2018 at 7:20 am

      Hi Stephanie,
      We live in South Florida too!! I won’t lie it’s hard sometimes but that’s just being a parent in general so I’m like might as well have some of those hard days be in some of the most beautiful places in the world. Take advantage of the free flights for your son while you can!!!
      Monet

  6. Carmelita Watkins says

    February 11, 2018 at 7:02 pm

    Hello, I have a question…When you pack for 4 people is the luggage you used a carry on luggage or a check in luggage size?

    • Monet says

      February 11, 2018 at 7:07 pm

      Hi Carmelita,
      When it’s all four of us we use a checked luggage sized suitcase.
      Monet

      • Carmelita says

        February 12, 2018 at 1:45 pm

        Thank you!

  7. Orliande says

    May 31, 2018 at 5:28 am

    Hi
    I used different size bags that you roll to let the air out then zip and lay then flat. Takes up no space. I might get some cubes for toiletries and shoes

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Hi! We’re The Hambricks

Hi! We’re The Hambricks

If kids live there, kids can visit! That's our motto and you'll often find us exploring destinations most don't find "kid friendly". We've traveled to 35 countries on 6 continents with our children since they were 10 weeks old and share tips to make it easier and affordable. But mom and dad are people too so we also write about solo travel, baecations and girlfriend getaways.

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