We Made It!!

I made it through my first full day of daycare (knew I would), and my moms made it too! Mommy came to visit me at lunch, which was a good thing because I decided to be difficult and refuse to eat anything for the daycare teachers all morning. Just trying to keep them paying attention- don't want to be too easy on the first day ya know.

In non-daycare news, I am completely crawling now- sometimes on my belly army-style, and sometimes up on my knees, depending on how fast I want to go. I have also started to show in interest in pulling myself up on things. Every day I do something new! [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Keep Your Fingers Crossed for My Moms

Tomorrow is my first official day at daycare. Mama is going back to work (booooo!) and I'm off to see the wide wide world. Or at least the infant room at daycare. Mommy is going to come see me at lunch (yay!), but otherwise, they will have to be apart from me all day. I am going to be fine- living it up with lots of toys, sunshine, new friends, and great caretakers. They, on the other hand, well, I'm worried! [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Such a ham

Here is me before I realized the camera was out...


and here is me after :) [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Daycare

Ready for Daycare!

Yup, banana's all packed...

Oh, was this for daycare?

So this morning at daycare went well. I hung out with the other kids, had some diaper changes, and even went outside for about 1/2 hour. I am going to be the second oldest (and biggest), which is kind of fun. Of course I was tired before I even got there, and exhausted by the end. I almost never got to sleep, but they turned out the lights (just for me) and i took a short nap. Tomorrow Mama and I are going to enjoy our last day together, and then Monday I'll start full-time. Worse for Mama and Mommy than for me. :-) [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Apples!

Yup- the new compuer is here. We're still figuring it out but expect to have more pics to upload tomorrow- we're in the process of the great PC to Mac migration as we speak.

In other news about ME, tomorrow I am going with my Mama to visit my new "home away from home," aka daycare in the morning. My mama's a little sad about it, but I'm excited. What's wrong with a place where I get to play with 5 other little guys and have 3 teachers to pay attention to me all day? And where I get to go outside and play twice a day? I don't "officially" start until next week, but we're going to ease into it. My bag of diapers, wipes and sunscreen is all packed and I'll let you guys know how day one went when we get home. [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Traveling with an Infant: Travel Gear

Because the old computer is still wacky and the new computer is somewhere between Shanghai and here and not due to arrive for another 36 hours or so (but who is counting!!), I'm turning it over to my moms again for the final review relating to our Thailand trip: gear.

We really didnt take much with us to Thailand- in fact, on the way over we didn't even check any luggage and only had carry-ons (coming back was a different story because of all the crap we bought!). The primary things we brought for Gus were diapers and clothes, but we did bring the following 3 pieces of gear that are worth talking about.

Stroller: MacLaren Volo

We got the MacLaren Volo as a gift before Gus's birth and purchased the accessory pack (rain cover, padded seat, and carry bag) ourselves. Honestly we didnt use the stroller very much, if at all, in Thailand. We use this stroller all the time at home- it is super light and folds up super small. Thailand is generally not stroller/pram friendly at all, especially Bangkok where so much transport depends on the river, and getting a stroller on and off a river taxi ain't something I want to try. It was a huge help in the various airports, however, and folded up quickly and easily each time we had to do the security screening run around. We ended up not using the padded seat from the accessory kit because it made the stroller harder to close in a pinch, such as when standing in front of the xray machine belt with 20 business men behind you giving you dirty looks for daring to bring an infant to the airport at all and then daring to be in front of them in the security line (and it also made the seat too hot for Gus). We didn't use the rain cover because we only used the stroller inside. We did get alot of good use out of the stroller cover, which ended up a little worse for wear after the various airplane baggage compartments, meaning it did it's job keeping the stroller out of the line of fire. The only negative to the bag was that most airline staff couldn't figure out that there was a stroller inside the bag, causing serious delays with gateside return.
The downsides to the Volo in general are that it is sometimes TOO light, making it impossible to carry any substantial bag(s) on the handle area without tip-over threat, even with a big 6 month old as counterweight. Another downside is that, unlike some other MacLarens, it doesn't recline and the straps dont get small enough to comfortably seat a child of 6 months of below. Even Gus, at his strapping size and 7 months of age, doesn't fit perfectly yet. The final downside is that, like pretty much every stroller out there, the basket area is so small it fits pretty much only one toy and a cell phone. Despite these minuses, there are lots of pluses and we still use it 99% of the time we use a stroller (our Peg is great but too bulky for quick trips)

Baby Carrier: Ergo

The house is split on this one. Mama loves it and Mommy isn't a big fan, at least in the front carry position. We used this in Thailand almost all the time because it kept Gus close to us and away from car exhaust, and made it easy to squeeze into tightly packed boats and night markets, to ride in longtail canoes, and to travel uneven sidewalks and dodge crazy traffic. It's a little expensive, but if it suits your frame (it fits Mama great and Mommy not so great) it is wonderful. It's great for travel because it is small and soft enough to pack but substantial enough for a larger baby/toddler, and shifts the weight to your hips so unlike a Bjorn or sling, your shoulders and back aren't killing you by the end of the day. The downsides are price, that it needs to fit your body shape to be comfortable, and that there is no forward facing option on the front. Gus isn't big enough to see much in the back carry position, and in the front carry he can't see much either.

Changing pad Kit: First Years Fold & Go*
This was a great thing to have handy. it is a changing pad that includes two mesh pockets, one for diapers and one for wipes, a carrying strap, and a zipper pocket on front. Depending on what we were doing that day (sightseeing, traveling, etc) we switched between a typical diaper bag and a backpack, so it was great to have the "diaper stuff" in one easy to grab location. We could just grab the kit and take it to the airplane restroom for a change, or toss it into whatever bag we were carrying that day.

* this link is for the auto version- we have the non-auto version that we bought in spring 06 from Target, but I can't find it online. [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Pictures from this weekend

Me, Henry, and Alex

Sitting on the dock of the bay...

Unababy

Me n the guys (Charlie and Henry)

Charles and Alex caught a crab!

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5000 Sunday

We just got back from the Hyatt Chesapeake for Mama's "work" event. I say "work" in quotes because apparently "work" consists of getting facials and massages, a crab feast, and an all-expenses paid weekend to hang out with other work folks. I guess "evil law" has some perks. I think they did it just to make her feel better about starting work again in a week.

Even though I had no spa treatments (Mama says I dont need a facial anyway), I had fun anyway. Got to hang out with my friends Henry, Alex, and Charlotte, and also saw Charlie and Adeline too (all kids of Mama's work people). Henry even held me on his lap. He's getting so big. My favorite part was the swimming, even though it was a little overcast and chilly. They have a huge indoor pool and hot tub, and I swam around with my moms and also floated on my baby inner tube.

Hope to get some more pics up this week, but our notebook computer (from which most blogging occurs) is on the fritz. First the sound went. Then the USB port went. So we finally gave in and ordered a new MacBook Pro and it should be here by the end of the week- the first time my moms have gotten an Apple computer since they were in middle school, but we hear great things about them and are looking forward to it. The only downside is that it doesnt support Picasa, which I love to use for blogging pics. Oh well, I'm sure iLife will have good options also...

In other news, I had my 5000th visitor to this blog while we were away. Can you believe it? it's small change in the greater blog world, but as this blog is about, well, not much, other than me i'm excited. And my moms are too. Who knew a little guy like me would be so popular??? [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Happy 7 Months to Me

It's my birthday and I'll crawl if I want to (or almost)...

So our computer is on the fritz so I cant post any birthday pics, but wanted to give my fans an update. I am right on the line - in minutes, or hours, or days I will be crawling forward. I took a few "crawl steps" forward at Uncle Mike and Uncle Dennis's yesterday, then got too tired and couldn't do it anymore. But I'm working on it all the time. I even sleep in a semi-crawling position. I'm also becoming more vocal and expressive. I also eat a number of foods, with various levels of enjoyment- avocado, sweet potato, pears, squash, banana, and apples. This weekend we are away again (thanks Jennie for housesitting) this weekend with Mama's work people, so once again NOT sleeping at home. Anyway, I'll post some pics when I get back. [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Happy July!

Banana Face

Rasberry King

Happy Baby in Bug-Print Diapers

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Wildest dreams

This blog had a visitor from Slough, UK. For those of you not in the know, is where one of my favorite (favourite?) shows, The Office (BBC version) takes place. I wonder who it was, and whether or not they have ever been in the Territorial Army...

(apologies to any non-Office fans who don't know what the heck I'm talking about- be relieved, more Gus pics soon!) [JUMP TO FULL POST]

It's Getting Hot Out Therre...

Almost too hot to blog! Only thing I have to report is that I started swim lessons last night, and did great. I have yet to develop the fear of water that some of the older kids have, which is wonderful. Didn't like getting water up my nose (thanks alot mama), but I didnt even cry. Okay, going to try to go cool off... [JUMP TO FULL POST]

More Maine/Camp Runoia Pics

Baby central


Me and S'miller

Canoes

Ah, Camp

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Maine

This weekend we went up to Maine for the celebration of Camp Runoia's 100th season. Both my moms worked and met there, so without camp, I probably wouldn't be here!!! Too bad it's only for girls, cuz it seems like a very special place to spend some summers.

I want to give a special shout-out to all my blog readers who I met in person this weekend- you know who you are and you all know you love me even more in person!

Our friend Nancy let us stay at her cabin (thanks!), and I got to hang out with her and my moms' friends Emily, Jessie, Dave, Josh, and their little ones (my new friends) Abbie, Jack, and David. We set up a "baby central" area at the lobster feast at camp and just kicked it on our blankets for a while. other than camp, we hung out at the cabin, went to Big G's (which I found out *isn't* actually named after me), visited Freeport, and had ice cream at Giffords. All in all, a good Maine weekend. [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Frustrating

It's frustrating that I can finally move but can only go backwards!

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My adventures with avocado

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I love my special peeps!

With Uncle Mike and Mommy for Uncle Mike's birthday- we all called ahead to coordinate our outfits with blue polo shirts!

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Travel to Thailand With an Infant: Hotels

Back to your regularly scheduled travel reviews.

We stayed at 4 hotels during our trip. In Bangkok, we splurged on the Peninsula, rated one of the top hotels in the world. We booked on AsiaRooms.com, saving *some* money, but it was still pretty pricey. In Chiang Mai, we went towards the other end, opting for the Galare Guesthouse, which was about $22 a night or so. In Koh Samui, we stayed at the resort where the wedding was held- Rocky Resort, which was probably in between the two price-wise. Lastly, the night before our early a.m. flight, we stayed at the Amari Airport hotel, which is connected to the airport.

The Peninsula, Bangkok

Though technically not in Bangkok but instead another area across the river, this place deserves its praises as one of Bangkok's finest hotels. From the moment the manager met our car at the door and whisked us up to our room to check-in there upon arrival the service was excellent. The rooms were posh, clean, and all have views of the Chao Praya river in Bangkok. The rooms were all automated, including fun techie additions such as bedside controls for alarm, lights, curtains, etc. The bathroom was huge, with double sinks, separate shower, separate toilet (a phone in every area except the shower, even the tub had a speaker phone), and had a tv above the tub. Although I never asked for infant services, because we had told them we wanted a car with an infant seat in it from the airport, upon our arrival there was a Graco Pack n Play set up for Gus, along with a whole basket of baby products and diapers. That was a nice touch. To get to Bangkok proper, the hotel had its own teak shuttle boats that crossed the river and dropped off right below the skytrain stop. The pool is gorgeous, with a wonderful view of the river and Bangkok skyline. There were several "salas," cabana-type things with two cushy lounge chairs, a table, and a ceiling fan. They often came around with free snacks, like mini-ice cream cones or pineapple. Our last day, we were able to store our luggage and sit by the pool after we checked out and then use the fitness center bathroom to shower and change. The fitness center bathroom reminded me more of a spa (one is slated to open there later this year), which blonde wood lockers, slippers, etc.

The downsides to the hotel were cost of amenities and concierge service. By amenities I mean food, souveniers, laundry, etc. The restaurant food was good, but in a city where a decent lunch can cost less than a dollar, paying typical new-york-hotel prices makes the food not the best value. Laundry was literally 10 times what it cost at the hotel in Chiang Mai (which in turn was about 25% more expensive than non-hotel options in town). The car from the airport was pricey too, especially since the driver did show up with that infant seat we wanted, but it was not installed!!! (and after a 26 hour flight neither of us could figure out the thai instructions to do so). The concierge service was hit or miss. One concierge arranged to change our train tickets and have someone actually go to the railway station to turn in the old ones and pick up the new ones. That was great. Some of the concierges, however, were less helpful, slightly rude, and would not give info about any options other than organized tours for which the hotel got a kickback.

The Galare Guest House- Chiang Mai

This place was wonderful as well, although in a far less opulent way. Although we arrived before check-in time, they made an effort to get us into rooms right away. The rooms were clean and comfortable, if a little dark and lacking any view. All the rooms opened to the outside, and those on our floor (the second floor) had little nooks with tables and chairs outside where folks could sit and read, relax, have a beer etc. The grounds were pretty, and the guesthouse restaurant was right on the river which was nice. The staff was very helpful with everything, even taking Gus while we ate and entertaining him (aka treating him like a prince), and we used a driver that was on-site (dont know if her travel agency just works out of the Galare or if it is owned by the Galare), and the driver was wonderful. More like a guide, and very friendly. All food was available by room service or from the restaurant during mealtimes. Although the kitchen closed, drinks were available for purchase 24 hours. The location was great also, kind of tucked away, but within walking distance of the night market etc. We did have a few tiny ants in the bathroom, but other than that no complaints.

Rocky's Resort, Koh Samui

I have very mixed feelings about this hotel. The rooms (including bathroom) were absolutely breathtaking, the beach pool was great (the garden pool was so-so), and the food was good. The beach was small but enjoyable, although not the white sand we had pictured. And there's nothing like having an hour-long massage every day in an outside sala by the for $12.50 an hour. They also put on a great wedding for my cousin. However, there were several service problems that led me to believe that their usual smiling attitude was merely superficial. First, we had specifically booked the room category we did because we were told we could have a late checkout, keeping the room until 6pm. This was key because the wedding was at 5 and we were leaving mid-reception to catch our flight. So we needed somewhere to get ready, for Gus to nap, etc. Before we booked we confirmed we could have the room until 6, and were told yes, without any reservation or caveats- they didn't say, for example, subject to availability or anything like that. After we paid, however, we received an email saying that someone else was checking in and we couldn't stay past noon. they wouldn't do anything else for us, so our cousin got involved, and based on her complaints they agreed to give us an unrenovated room to change in etc. Although not ideal we took it- it was better than nothing, but quite small and run down. They could have at least removed the giant dead cockroach and lizard from the windowsill! We were told that we had to be out of the room at noon (the owner or manager had said 2 when we checked in, but the receptionist changed it to noon), so we packed up and headed to reception at noon as instructed- the receptionist was at lunch, so we had to wait almost an hour for her to return. Wouldnt have been a problem if they had just told us to come later. They also messed up my mom and her friend's massage time by double booking with another couple. They then just looked at the appointment book and said "sorry, no other appointments available before you leave" and didnt make any efforts to work it out. Considering that this was not a cheap resort, these things, though not big, were annoying.

Amari Airport Hotel Bangkok Airport

This one is easy. Great place to stay before or after an early flight (or for a day room), not much else. Downtown Bangkok can be up to an hour away from the airport, depending on traffic, so staying downtown means getting up way early. Nothing special here, and a little run down, but that is understandable as they are opening a new int'l airport in Bangkok this year so why should they renovate? We didn't eat here or take advantage of any other amenities, so i cant comment on that. We booked on AsiaRooms again, and rack rate may not be worth it unless you really value that extra sleep. [JUMP TO FULL POST]

today i had a rash

when I woke up. I had it all morning. It resolved on the way to the doctor's office. Of course. The doctor said it wasn't anything to worry about and that it probably wasnt an allergy to my new favorite solid food, sweet potato. Thank goodness. Oh well. At least I got the examining room with the firetruck bed. [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Sweetie sweet potato

Hey mommy! The sweet potato went over even better than the avocado.  [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Monday morning picture madness continues with ...

a Tripp Trapp collage.

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what?

The standinator

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Monday-Morning Cuteness

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Victory!

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World Cup

Go Italia!! I'll be spending the afternoon with my moms watching the championship game. A great end to the weekend- Friday night we went to Green Field with Uncle Mike and Uncle Dennis to celebrate Uncle Mike's "I am very old now" birthday. Saturday I went to my first kid's birthday party for my friend Alex, who just turned three. It was fun, but the cake was not made of avocado so I couldn't have any! :-( Afterwards we went to Great Beginnings and got me some wicked cool stuff, including the new Tripp Trapp, complete with baby rail. Even though it doesnt have a tray, my moms expect it to be the best highchair ever because I can sit at the table with everyone else. Instead of a tray, I got a cool suction cup hippopotamus placemat instead. We'll see how it goes. Then I slept and my moms ate California Pizza Kitchen- all in all a good day. This morning we went to Ikea for breakfast (99 cents!) and to get some storage bins. So hopefully a win by Italy will be the icing on the great-weekend cake. [JUMP TO FULL POST]

Travel to Thailand With an Infant: Planes and Trains

So before we left, my moms tried to search for information about traveling to Thailand (or anywhere really) with an infant, aka me. All they could find was basic stuff about whether or not to give your wee one Benadryl on the plane, not to drink the water, and how to get babies to clear their ears on takeoff and landing. So now that we are back, I'm going to let them use my blog to post some of the info they want to share with other folks who might be thinking of doing a similar trip. I think they are going to start with reviews of the airlines and the overnight train:

Long-Haul Flights

For our long-haul flights, we flew business class using American Airlines frequent-flyer miles. This involved a very extended routing- IAD to LAX to NRT to BKK on the outbound, and BKK to HKG to LAX to IAD on the inbound. I'll start by saying next time we will probably fly Thai Air or Singapore Air's "premium economy" service direct to Southeast Asia from New York or Newark rather than trading an extra 10+ hours each way for biz class.

American Airlines- First (between IAD and LAX)

Although AA is my preferred airline in the states, there is nothing particularly special about flying them, even in first, when compared to the long-haul flights (or even short haul) on asian carriers. Just your basic to and fro. Gus had a seat on these legs although he didn't use it ont he way back (red-eye) and just slept in his mom's lap. Even though he was ticketed, we were never offered service items for him (towel, meal, etc). Not a big deal to us, but I know parents who want all the meals they paid for. You can't check in online for an infant, which makes sense, even if they are e-ticketed. No problems with gate checking the stroller- in fact AA was the only carrier that realized the grey bag that said MacLaren on it with a gate check tag on it was, in fact, a stroller and actually returned it planeside without asking.

Japan Airlines- Business (long-haul from LAX to NRT; short haul NRT to BKK)

JAL was our favorite airline of the trip. Although the ticket counter staff were not the friendliest, the gate agents and flight attendants were wonderful. The "shell seat" in business allowed enough room for Gus to share a seat with either of us with both mom and gus having enough room to lay down in the seat. We had the bulkhead/bassinette seats but did not use the bassinette because we didn't think he'd sleep in a big mesh basket sitting on a shelf on the wall. The downside of these seats (other than no storage room in front) was that the bassinette position is in the "downstairs" cabin of business class, and they kept turning the lights on and off at weird times, interrupting sleep. We "preordered" diapers and got a JAL Baby Cruise bag, which included premium (Nepia brand) diapers (6 on the long-haul, 2 on the short haul), JAL baby-cruise-branded Nepia wipe packets, and a disposal bag. We could have gotten a baby meal also, that comes complete with airplane-shaped spoon. Halfway through the flight we were brought a tray and allowed to pick a new toy from a selection of airplane-related toys (that are probably not safe for under-threes, but...) Changing tables were in about 1/2 the bathrooms, and the flight attendants were helpful with getting in and out of the bathrooms, putting the tables down, etc. Flight attendants were also great about helping us deal with the fact that one of us had Gus on our laps or in our seat the whole way, such as by placing both food trays on one tray table, serving meals late or early, etc. They brought the stroller to us planeside in NRT and BKK, but only after being asked upon landing. Overall, both flights were fantastic and we had great service. Other than the ticketing agents, the only negative to report about JAL is that the biz lounge at LAX (shared with Qantas) is tiny and staffed by thin-lipped librarian-types who were not welcoming at all and seemed a bit annoyed at the baby's presence. The small size also created a pin-drop silence where we didn't feel comfortable with a baby who, although not crying, does make some noise sometimes. So we just got snacks and headed out, no lingering

Cathay Pacific- Business (long-haul HKG to LAX, short-haul BKK to HKG)

Although we were excited to fly Cathay based on the rave reviews it generally gets, we were a little disappointed with their baby-related service. We did not use the bassinette because we wanted a non-bulkhead seat for the storage space -it is convenient to throw the diaper bag, toys, etc under the seat in front- but it turns out the biz seats dont have any room for underseat space on any of the seats. Not a big deal, but something to know in advance. As with JAL, we also preordered diapers for these flights and received a mesh mustela bag for each flight. The bag, although it was fancier in a zippered mesh bag as opposed to the plastic JAL baby-cruise one, was a little lacking in content. The bags, for both long-haul and short-haul, each contained the same things, including a mere 2 PetPet diapers for each flight. 2 diapers doesn't cut it on a 14 hour flight. The bags also had no wipes. Instead they had samples of Mustela diaper rash cream and mustela baby facial moisturizer. Although I'm sure those are great products, wipes would be handier. Honestly, i seemed more a way to promote Mustela than make diaper changes convenient.
We were most disappointed that we received no/little help with the baby. In fact, the flight attendants were so inattentive to the point that when Mom 1 was holding Gus and couldn't put her tray table down because of it, the flight attendant ignored Mom 1, talked only to Mom 2, and wouldnt even bring or offer Mom 1 food or drinks unless Mom 2 asked, and even then did so slowly and begrudgingly. Quite a change from JAL. No help with changing tables, etc. One other thing to note is that Cathay requires the use of infant seat belts (the kind that loop through the adult seatbelt) so ask for it right away- Gus had already settled in and fell asleep and we had to wake him to put on the belt when they finally gave it to us and told us it was mandatory. On both flights, we had to wait until everyone else was off the plane (cuts down on one of the perks of biz class- being one of the first off the plane) before they brought the strollers. In LA, even though the stroller bag had a huge "deliver to passenger at gate" tag on it, they did not bring out our stroller with the rest because it was in the stroller bag and they didnt know it was a stroller. Which I guess would be fine, except then what's the point of tagging it? The seats were similar to JAL, a bit narrower and no footrests, but still comfortable. On the plus side, the food on Cathay was great, better than JAL, and the Cathay HKG business class lounge was superb. They have 2 bars, showers, a game area, and a noodle bar where you can order from 4 kinds of fresh noodle dishes. It was also huge, bustling, and had other children in it, making it a more comfortable atmosphere for us.

Short-Haul Travel Within Thailand

Bangkok Airways- coach (Chiang Mai to Samui; Samui to Bangkok)

This cute airline, selling itself as Thailand's "Boutique" airline, was fine. It flies planes about the size of a regional jet here in the states, brightly-colored, cheerful looking planes that fly to touristy places, such as Siem Reap, Koh Samui, etc. Our only baby-related difficulty with them was that, when I called their local (US toll free) number before booking online from the states, I was told there was no charge for infants under 2. Upon arriving at the Chiang Mai airport to check in, we were told that we did need a ticket for him to sit as a lap baby. It was inexpensive (10% of adult fare), but a hassle to arrange for the ticket at the last minute. The planes were simple and small. Unlike US carriers, they served a meal on all flights, even the 1 hr flight from Samui to bangkok. We actually skipped the meal coming back b/c of the roaches we saw crawling around our seats, but we were in the bulkhead directly behind the galley. At first I was surprised that roaches would live on a plane, but then I thought that most airplanes probably have 1 or 2 that you usually just dont see. This airline offers, but does not require, an infant lap belt.

Overnight Train, Bangkok to Chiang Mai

For less than about $30 per person, we were traded one hotel night and take a 13 hour train ride. We were in the first-class car (all westerners) with airconditioning. The compartments are tiny, with a small sink, a window to the hallway and a window to the outside, and a large sofa-type seat that converts into 2 bunks. We had 2 adjacent compartments with a connecting door, and opening the door made it much more spacious. There were built-in racks and compartments for luggage, but these were used by the staff to store the blankets, linens, etc. On request, the train attendant made up (and took down) the beds. Clean linens, but thin blamkets. Not a bad ride- the train was a bit worse for wear and not quite as nice as some sleeper cars in the US or Europe, but not bad. Just old. Meals were available for purchase if you wanted, but we just bought snacks and brought them along (incuding dunkin donuts from the train station). Gus slept fine on the train, although the bunks are not ideal for a baby- the wall next to the bottom bunk has a big net (to hold water bottle, book, whatever) and a big metal hook (used to hold the seat in place when it is not a bed). Gus got caught in both of them when he wiggled around in his sleep or when trying to get to sleep, so the only option was for him to sleep on the outside (no railing), which meant his mom didnt get much sleep because she was trying to make sure he didnt fall out of bed.

Next review: hotels

Hanging in the Cathay Pacific Business Class Lounge

Boarding the Bangkok Air Plane


Giant "JAL Baby Cruise "Baby


The train compartment.

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Koh Samui

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