Travel with baby.

Every trip I make, I spend months researching and planning. I am often in search of a few simple answers that will fulfill the formula for an excellent trip. I've always had a few simple criteria for choosing a destination:
1) I like to go to places that I know very little about. Bolivia and Laos, for example. I knew very little about these places before going there. It's like not wanting to see the previews before going to a movie - you have fewer expectations, more surprises and more to research - for me the research is almost as fun as the experience: full of anticipation, and satisfying my deep insatiable curiosity about the world. It is why we are considering visiting Slovenia in the fall.
2) Is the food any good?
Thailand and Vietnam certainly top the list in this category. Certainly our plans for Northern Italy is motivated by food, wine, coffee and more food.
3) And now: Is it kid friendly?
Yep, we have to consider it. I'd say Cambodia definitely is NOT kid friendly unless you'd consider poor medical facilities and motorbike travel safe for babies. Especially right now, while there is little to no benefit for Augusten, travelling responsibly involves considering his safety. Once he is able to get some value out travelling (once he's 5 or so) then it is our job to balance the safety issue with potential benefit. We met a woman in Cambodia travelling with her 8 year old daughter. She said at times she felt guilt for putting her daughter in questionable circumstances - no car booster seats in Cambodia, unless you consider the gas tank of a 100cc motorbike to be a boost. I assured her that the potential benefit to her daughter was so great that she shouldn't feel guilty. Imagine the wonder at eight years old wandering around place as magical and awe inspiring as Angkor Wat:

It will stay with her for a lifetime. She will also get a sense of the great poverty that people elsewhere live in. The most well rounded of my friends all had international experiences as a child.
Safety aside, it doesn't mean that we can no longer be adventurous about our choice or style of travel. Friends of mine who write a guidebook on Walking the Camino de Santiago took their toddler son along when they were updating for the 2nd edition. Click on the link to find out just how adventurous they were.
Europe is an amazing place to go with kids. For the most part kids are welcome everywhere, unlike North America where we have a serious dislike of children. In Europe, I believe that Augusten will be our icebreaker - he will help us meet the locals, a helper not a hindrance. He'll also help us to slow down.

So our plans are in motion: Northern Italy and possibly Slovenia this fall. My mother is considering renting a casita in Puerto Escondido, Mexico next winter. If so, Darren, Augusten and I will not miss that opportunity!
Check out Rick Steves' website. He knows more about getting the most out of travel in Europe and some of the best travel tips on packing light, finding "Back Doors": quiet (untouristy) towns, accommodations (be creative, there is more to life than a sterile hotel!), eating (never eat in your hotel restaurant - get out and explore! Eat street meat!), and indispensable travel skills.

Cinque Terre here we come!