MyCinnamonToast^® Family Travel

Tips for Traveling to London with Kids, Part 2

by Donna Schwartz Mills

Passports and Visas

The U.S. State Department requires that all citizens carry a valid passport -- even infants. So the first thing you need to think about is obtaining one for every member of your family.

While adults with existing passports are able to renew by mail, you are required to apply in person when applying for or renewing one for your child (however, children under the age of 13 do not have to be present -- only you). You need to bring your completed application form, proof of your child's identity and U.S. residency (usually a birth certificate issued by the city, county, or state), proof of your own identity (your passport, drivers license, green card, etc.) and two photos that comply with the State Department's rules for passports. You need to allow six weeks for your new passports to be delivered, so it pays to plan ahead.

Complete details and requirements for U.S. passports -- as well as printable forms -- are available here:

http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html

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.

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.

<-- Part 1: Saving Money on Airfare

Part 3: Kids Carry-On Bags, Coping with Jet Lag -->

If you have comments or problems please send a message to sruth@mycinnamontoast.com