Feeding a 1 year old while traveling..

Gone are the days when having a baby meant house arrest until the baby was old enough to travel! Traveling with a baby now is easier than it ever was. My first trip with my baby was to the United States when she was 5 months old. I did have some doubts on whether I could actually look after everything during the travel since it was a 24 hour journey with a 2 and a half hour layover.
It all started with the flight from Bangalore to Dubai which was a night flight. The night flights are a little easier if you are traveling with a baby as they can coincide with the sleep time of the baby. I did have a baby carrier which meant I could have my hands free. A stroller can also be useful since the baby can sleep in it during the layover and you can also use it as a temporary high chair. Since my baby was on formula, that did make things a little trickier. I had to have boiled water, formula powder, a transparent container in case the security didn’t let me through with the formula carton, sterilized bottles, a sterilizer. Bottle liners can also be used but I preferred to use the Milton solo travel steriliser with Milton sterilizing tablets. This steriliser could be used both with hot and cold water, hot sterilizing in a microwave and cold water sterilizing with the tablets. Also in flight once you clean the bottles, you can ask the stewardess to fill up the bottles with hot water. You can then close the bottles and keep them for half an hour as the steam from the hot water sterilizes the bottle. But do make sure the bottles are clean of all the formula residue before filling them with hot water. I also filled a thermos flask with hot water to make the formula. There are no restrictions on the quantity of baby products and also formula cartons pass the security check.
Next comes the solid food part. If your baby is on solids, do pack something your baby likes in case of delays or non availability on the flight. Some extra set of clothes, socks since the temperature can get cold at times, a small blanket (I prefer to use my own blanket even though some airlines do provide them) or a sweater, lots of diapers, some small toys, baby lotion. Also request for a seat with bassinet. This will give you some free time when the baby is asleep or you can use it for the baby when you need to use the restroom. Also the bassinet seats come with good legroom and large overhead bin space which is very useful when traveling alone with a baby. You might need some additional clothes for yourself as well.
Also I had read of how it’s important for the baby to suck on something during landing and take off but I didn’t see any discomfort in my baby. In fact, she was sound asleep for all the landings and take offs. In case this part of the journey concerns you, offer some milk which should do the trick of sucking. Some medicines for fever, upset stomach, thermometer, electrolyte solution specifically made for babies and any other medications the baby needs. I had her evaluated by the pediatrician and also asked him for a list of general medications needed during travel. Ask for an electrolyte solution that’s made for babies since there are some chances of dehydration in case the baby is extremely fussy in travel. I have heard of people giving Benadryl to make kids feel sleepy but I personally don’t prefer it since it can interfere in case of an emergency or otherwise. If possible pack a diaper bag that has all the baby stuff and a different bag for your things. I thought it was handy to have a small sling bag to keep my phone, some money and our passports.
These are the things that I used while traveling with my baby till she was 12 months old. I still use some of the things when traveling with her since she’s a toddler now. It’s a basic list that helps you modify it as and when the kids grow.

The short trail and the flight to DFW!

Grand Canyon has spectacular sunrises and sunsets. No wonder we did not want to miss on the sunrise after watching the beautiful sunset. Having a kid who is still an early riser did help us to catch the sunrise. There are various sunrise points both near the visitor center and on the Hermit Road like the Yaki Point, Mather Point, Pima Point and Mohave Point. We chose the Mohave Point because along with the sunrise it also had views of the canyon along with the Colorado river flowing through it. Also to note, usually during the peak seasons, there are shuttle buses that can take you anywhere in the national park since private vehicles are not allowed. But during winters, along with the shuttle buses you can drive around the national park in your Private vehicle.

The sunrise was around 7:30 am and we were at the Mohave Point by 7 am. There was sufficient parking for a few vehicles and since traffic was less, it wasn't much of a problem. The temperature was around -8 degree Celsius and layers of clothing is the best solution if you plan to be around for a while after the sunrise. The canyon has amazing views even before the sunrise with clouds surrounding the canyon top. You could see the Colorado river flowing through the canyon and it just made for the perfect picture. When you look at the river from the point, you feel amazed by nature that this river that you are seeing has carved out a canyon! And just as the sun began to rise, the canyon gave out stunning views in different hues of yellow and orange! There was a moment when I wanted to freeze the time, such was the beauty of the place.

The first rays of the sun falling on the Grand Canyon!

After the sunrise we thought of just driving along the Hermits Road up-to the Hermits Rest and back to the village visiting all the points along the way. We went to The Abyss next which has a 914m drop off, the Monument Creek Vista and the Pima point which offer canyon views. It was so peaceful at the Pima Point that just like the map points out, one could even hear the Colorado river!

Then we went back to the hotel for breakfast. The plan for the rest of the day was to checkout from the hotel, do a rim trail, drive to the watch tower and get back to Phoenix for the flight back to DFW. There was no complimentary breakfast but we got some ready to eat Indian breakfast and my daughter was on pureed food.

Sunrise at the Grand Canyon with the Colorado river in the background

The rim trail is a must if you are short of time to do the other trails. Since this was a first long trip and a one with trails after we had a baby, we weren't much comfortable to take the other trails. It starts from the Hermits Rest but we started the trail at the Mather Point and ended it at the Bright Angel Trailhead. The trail is unpaved from Hermits Rest to the Maricopa Point and the rest of the trail is paved. The trail is very scenic giving different views of the canyon. It took us a total of 2 and half hours. There is a museum in between after which the trail of time begins. There are explanations about the various layers and how they were all formed, how old each layer is and many other interesting facts all through the trail. Also, in the Trail of Time, there are samples of each layer of the canyon. If I am not wrong, the base is the Vishnu Schist and then its in the order of Tapeats Sandstone, Bright Angel Shale, Mauv Limestone, Redwall Limestone, Supai Group, Hermit Shale, Coconino Sandstone, Toroweap Formation and Kaibab Limestone. The Kaibab Limestone is 270 million years old and the Vishnu Schist is 1745 million years old! There are also fossils found in the Grand Canyon that indicate of a sea life. The Grand Canyon is amazing with a lot of facts and interesting finds. If you are short on time be sure to check out the museum and the Trail of Time.

The oldest rock layer, Vishnu Schist

The top 4 layers of the Grand Canyon

Can you spot the top 4 layers?

After completing the rim trail, we took a shuttle bus back to the parking near the visitor centre. 

From there we planned to go visit the Desert View Watchtower. There were a few view points on the way to the watchtower but since we had an evening flight to DFW from Phoenix around 9pm, we decided to skip the view points. The watchtower was designed by the architect Mary Colter in the style of Puebloan towers. The tower has murals representing certain aspects of Hopi life. The top deck of the tower is from where you can see panoramic views of the canyon and the Colorado river. The tower also has a balcony. Being short on time, we had a quick view of the tower, grabbed some refreshments from a store near the tower and we were on the way to Phoenix.

The murals on the inside of the watchtower

The roof of the watchtower

A closer look at the Colorado river from the watchtower

We were hoping to find some vegetarian options at some restaurants in Tusayan but again because of the time shortage, we managed with fruits and bread. On the way we stopped at a Subway near a gas station, got some food for us and the car! We somehow just managed to catch the flight with 15 mins left for the boarding to begin!
Back home we were greeted by a turbulent weather near DFW and we longed to be back at the Grand Canyon!

Off to the Grand Canyon.....

The Grand Canyon needs no introduction. The canyon carved by the Colorado river in Arizona is a marvel of nature. Layers, billions of years old, have been exposed as the Colorado river along with its tributaries cut their channels through layers of rock while the plateau was uplifted. For thousands of years, Native Americans have inhabited the area. There are 2 rims, south rim and north rim, among which only the south rim is open in the winters. The south rim has sunrise points, sunset points, trails, different viewpoints, restaurants, shops, hotels. You can find most of the information about the south rim here.

Las Vegas

We started the journey from Las Vegas after having breakfast. It was a 4 hour drive covering a distance of 272 miles. With a lunch break we expected to be there way before sunset but an accident near Kingman caused delay. But we still made it in time for the sunset! We saw the sun set over the Grand canyon from the Mather point which is one of the points known for sunset. There was a certain calmness from the sunset, something magical about the place. The different shades of the canyon after the sunset makes you feel one with the nature. I find it difficult to express the view in words!

The first view of the Grand Canyon

Sunset view

We had booked The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon which was outside of the national park in Tusayan. The hotel was a 15 mins drive to the national park. There are some hotels in the national park as well but since this was a last minute trip, we couldn't find any accommodations in the national park. We had a double room which had basics like a microwave, some stationary, and some toiletries. Being vegetarians we found it a little difficult with food. But it still was a good place to stay close to the park.

The room at The Grand Hotel

After the sunset it was time for dinner. The weather was around -1 degree Celsius in the evening which made it super cold to be out for long. Also the park ticket is charged per vehicle as well and its valid for 7 days.