Babyfriendly Singapore?

As I mentioned in my previous post, we spent our Christmas and New Years in Singapore. Being BabyS’ first trip abroad and travelling so far I was expecting the worst. Everything from a screaming baby from Oslo to Singapore to BabyS not handling the heat. As they say, “Hope for the best, expect the worst”. The long flight went beyond expectation and BabyS slept most of the flight, wohoo!

Arriving safely at our destination we went to a department store to stock up and get an idea of what was available. Especially stuff we have never bought in Singapore before, like diapers and babyfriendly food. Along came our first shock….diapers in Singapore are expensive! I know that the “war” between department stores here in Norway has left us spoiled with diapers costing next to nothing. But wasn’t prepared for such a big leap. I had been warned that BabyS size might be hard to find, especially in countries where potty training starts early. Size not a problem….especially since BabyS is quite small for her age.

An issue we had to find a solution for, was a stroller. Do we bring our own? Rent? Borrow – from whom? With a well-stocked cousin I got to borrow a stroller for BabyS. Thank you Janet! After a few days use I did notice a few things when it comes to use of strollers in Singapore.

- There are elevatores everywhere, just expect to wait for your turn. The elevator is always full up! Escalators are a good option.

- Public buses require you to fold up your stroller before boarding. (So not used to that from Norway! In Norway you can just roll onto the bus, provided there is room – which is up to the driver) Having money for a taxi is an option as taxis are cheap and always available.

- Most eating places we went to had high chairs for toddlers. (You know, the cheapest one from IKEA –  called “Antilop”) If they didn’t have a high chair they could stack chairs to provide the hight needed – but not a very safe option if you have kids that don’t sit still while eating . We have a Sack’n Seat – but we didn’t always remember to bring it with us.

This is turning out to be a longer post than I initially thought….so I think I will bring to a halt here – or I’ll never get this post out. Let me know if there is anything you want to know about my experience with bringing a 19 month old to Singapore. After fire weeks I think we covered the basics.

- How do you prepare for a long haul vacation?
- Have any experiences you wish to share?