Antigua: Travel lessons learned
Coming so soon after our Florida trip, I didn’t think there’d be too many travel lessons to learn from my trip to Antigua. Foolish, foolish. There’s *always* something to learn when travelling with my daughter – I’m not sure if she deliberately keeps me on my toes when we’re away?
press trip*
It’s not just a change of destination: after only a few weeks, she seems different – both in terms of how daring she’ll be, how stubborn she’ll be (clue: enormously) – and how family travel can vary wildly from one month to the next…
1. Jetlag is not consistent
After our five hour time difference to Florida, I thought Antigua would follow suit – one horrific 2am start, whatever I did (yep…) then much closer to a normal routine from day 2, albeit with early starts (nope…).
Far more 4.30am starts than I wanted this time, more crashing out on a sunlounger for her, about the same amount of tetchy impatience on both sides.
Finally a 6pm to 6am routine kicked in after a few days, plus a realisation from her that doing stickers at 5am would backfire later, and we all had a lot more fun. Also, I got a lie in until 9am this morning back at home!
2. How to do the stingray shuffle
I love stingrays – I’ve swum with them twice before in Bora Bora and off Grand Cayman and they are ridiculously cute. Unless you attack them or tread on them, they’re not going to harm you either.
Which is why you check your feet before stepping off the boat, then do the ‘stingray shuffle’, scuffing along the seabed so you don’t accidentally squash one.
They hear you coming a mile off and swim out of the way if they are buried in your path. A lot more to come on our Antigua stingray experience too.
3. Antigua is the perfect underwater introduction for kids
I’ve come across scuba style underwater experiences for kids aged four and up. At three, Minnie isn’t even ready to pick up goggles, let alone a mask and snorkel.
But the sea in Antigua is so incredibly clear that you can wade out to the rocks in Long Bay (for example) where she could watch the brightly coloured fish through the water.
Combine that with those stingrays, where she was persuaded into the water with them – unlike some adults! – and she’s a bit in love with the underwater world. A healthy Octonauts obsession doesn’t hurt.
4. I need a proper waterproof camera
Even a waterproof case for my phone would be a start. Kicking myself that I forgot to think about it until a bit too late – and crossing my fingers that the old-fashioned waterproof disposable I found in the cupboard won’t be a washout…
5. Kids club is on the menu
Whenever I’ve left Minnie at a kids’ club before, I’ve done it in the knowledge she will scream and cry in heart-wrenching fashion as I leave. Only the fact that she goes on to have masses of fun persuades me to do it.
This time, at Verandah Resort & Spa, she volunteered to stay over the option of coming to the beach and asked to go back every day after that.
Usually for around an hour, two max, but I savoured every silent second.
6. Factor 50 is essential
Well, duh. Obviously the Caribbean sun is incredibly fierce – and it shone pretty much constantly barring one cloudy day.
Minnie has inherited my pale skin, but even staying indoors at the peak of the day, UV protective swimwear and hats wouldn’t have been enough with liberal lashings of SPF50+.
I’m a big fan of Ultrasun as it’s perfect for sensitive skin, and the big bottles mean I can nick it as well. It’s once-a-day and good if you’re in and out of the water. I still came home with strap marks, and I dread to think what shades of lobster I’d have gone without it, let alone Minnie.
The aftersun is fabulous too, although thankfully the range – including some lovely lip protector – is efficient enough not to make it essential.
7. Travel increases fussiness
Minnie is far fussier around food than I’d like – she’s not terrible and is great in many ways, I’d just love a three-year-old who’ll try anything. (Non-existent? Really). Travel only seems to intensify that…
Even pizza was rejected out of hand. Fortunately we got through the first days on yoghurt, fruit and bread, before finally persuading her to have cheesy/tuna pasta and a few other items.
She seems no worse for it, and most of the other kids on resort seemed to be doing something similar. Still drives me up the wall…
8. And stubbornness…
Tiredness and hunger didn’t help our daily battle to get suntan lotion on and get her dressed every morning. It also turns out you can have time out on a stool-free beach… Improvisation is my middle name.
9. But it’s always worth it
Did you have a good holiday, I asked? ‘It was brilliant!’ she announced. Forget jetlag, grumps and arguments over hard-boiled eggs – that’s the memory that stays.
Disclosure: My trip was courtesy of Elite Island Resorts, as part of the #eliteislandfamilies blogathon. My Ultrasun was provided for review. All opinions and iron-willed threenagers remain my own.
All images copyright MummyTravels
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Sounds amazing Cathy despite the threenager woes! I thought travelling was supposed to be easier as they get older!!? Lol. I stood on a stingray in Thailand (yes ouch) so am a huge fan of the shuffle! Great post…love the pics.
Thanks! And it was absolutely amazing – honestly, I do think it is easier now she’s older so hopefully that trend will continue. Looking back to St Lucia, which was just under 18 months ago (and where she got an ear infection), we could have a lot more fun together and being able to communicate with her helps so much. Well, except when I’m yelling at her to come here and put the suntan lotion on… 😉
Antigua looks like paradise, what an amazing destination to visit and I think you’re fantastic traveling so far with a little one in tow, go you! I would love to travel to a place like this with my boy, I know we’d all love that crystal clear water… even if there are no stools for time outs 😉
Thank you! I think it gets easier with practice – and Antigua was so amazing, it’s definitely worth the occasional stresses of long-haul with a three-year-old.
Ahhh, this looks incredible! What a well-travelled girl little Minnie is! We’re big fans of Ultrasun too – such fab stuff, it’s worth paying for. I think I would have been a bit scared of the stingrays, so well done Minnie for getting in the water with them! I look forward to reading more about your adventures x
There were definitely a few adults who were either in the water for about two minutes or refused to get in at all – one thing I do love about all our travels together is giving her the opportunity to try these things so young as well.
It sounds like you had a wonderful time. And what a bonus Minnie asked to go back to the kids club – we had that this year too and isn’t that hour or two bliss? I think I snored! I’ve always wanted to swim with stingrays, so look forward to hearing all bout that! Hope the jetlag isn’t too bad this side of the trip
It really was fantastic – and the kids’ club was wonderful, especially as she was having huge fun there too. It’s a slight struggle to get out of bed still! (But that might be partly autumn…)
Oh wow Antigua looks amazing! Your daughter is so well behaved, such a great traveler! All kids get tired & over hungry when at the beach & they will never voluntarily leave it. That’s fabulous your daughter enjoyed the kids club & got into the water with sting rays! What an adventurer x
It’s a gorgeous place – and we had such a great time there, she is a mini adventurer at times (and practice definitely makes perfect when it comes to long plane journeys with her!)
What a fantastic trip! I’ve been keeping up with it on your instagram, and it looks wonderful! I just got back from a press trip to Palm Island, which is another Elite Island Resort, the other week and it was absolutely incredible!
I learnt the Stingray Shuffle back in the 90s when I went to Antigua, and then again in Australia. You definitely don’t want to step on one!
Also I absolutely love your daughter’s name. My great grandmother’s name was Minnie and I’ve always had a fondness for the name.
C x
Thanks – have been watching your idyllic Caribbean adventures on Instagram too 🙂 The Grenadines look amazing, wonder if I can work my way through the group and head there for number 3! And thank you too about Minnie, although it’s actually her blog name only (although was on my shortlist of names I love, so meant I still got to use it).
It looks beautiful! I can imagine Monkey in the water its so clear and meeting sting rays! Ive not heard of that brand of suntan lotion before, do you know if its suitable for kids with ecezma? I am always on the hunt for an alternative and ideally want a factor 50! Lovely that she had fond memories 🙂 looking forward to your next adventure. x
It’s free from lots of nasties so it’s great for sensitive skin – my daughter sometimes gets patches of contact dermatitis from other products and we’ve never had a problem with that. In fact the Ultrasun aftersun seemed to put the finishing touches to clearing up the last set, and the once-a-day 50+ just makes life so much easier! Especially when all they want to do is splash around in that lovely water 🙂
Wow that looks beautiful, I’ve never been to Antigua. We’re planning our first abroad holiday for next year so will have a 3 and 1 year old, eek, slightly nervous about it!
Exciting! I think that’s actually a great age to try – the 1yo is probably little enough not to want to run around too much, and the 3yo is old enough to entertain themselves a bit on the flight too. I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic time – sand, sea/pool and ice cream basically get my daughter’s vote, wherever we are 😀
Wow, what an amazing holiday. Sounds like you both had a great time, even with the threenager issues. We’ve all been there – in sympathy
We did have a wonderful time – and might as well have the threenager stubbornness on a gorgeous island!
I am in love with the idyllic photos of Antigua it is such a beautiful holiday destination . Sounds like your little one is a cheeky monkey that is for sure and I love when you improvised time out lol!
It is such a stunning place, everywhere you look that turquoise sea.
Looks divine! We’re yet to venture abroad with our 21 month old and it’s the thought of it that puts me off but I’m sure it would totally be worth it! #bestworst
It was fabulous – and don’t be put off by the thought, it really is worth it! Even a bad flight (and you might not have one…) is only a tiny bit of a week away…
Such a great post – we all learn so much each time we go away, don’t we. So glad Minnie loved it too. And let me know when you find that great waterproof camera….
Thanks! I think so – even trips quite close together, I’ll learn something new. Not least that there’s always another gadget I want: a waterproof case for my phone is probably the first step, but I am wondering about a Go Pro (as well as a new phone, possibly an Olympus Pen or a Lumix… the list goes on!)
Love this post Cathy! The stingray shuffle brings back lots of fun memories:)
Thanks! 🙂 And definitely – once you’ve shuffled, you don’t forget…
This is fantastic advice. I love traveling and I am always worried how difficult it will be once I have children. I’ll have to bookmark this, definitely.
Thanks! And it’s definitely doable with a bit of planning.