Singapore 2017: Bringing a Lot of Firsts
This is a freakingly outdated post. In fact, about 2 and a half years had already passed since this travel occurred but it's still worth sharing as we had a lot of firsts on this trip.
As a young married couple with a 1.5-year old baby boy, it was never part of our plan yet to travel internationally. Traveling outside the country is very costly. Not to mention the hassle of having to think about spending in a different currency and the potential language barriers.
We found out that my husband had been required by his company to go to Singapore for 2 weeks as part of his training in his new job at that time. As expected from a travel for work, his accommodation, food, and transportation allowances were to be paid for. It so happened that his travel date fell within our church wedding anniversary so we decided to grab the opportunity to celebrate there and enjoy some things we don't usually spend on while saving a bit.
There is a lot to write about our travel to Singapore such as the things we did and the people we met, which I will write on a separate blog post. This particular one is all about highlighting our firsts as a family, which also serves as an introduction to our actual itinerary.
First time to be far from our papa
Filing a 2-week leave from work was not feasible for me so we decided for my husband to go to Singapore first and we would just follow a week after. It would also be more expensive in general if we would stay in Singapore longer. In addition to that, his flight was booked through PAL and ours was booked through Cebu Pacific in order to cost cut. We would not be traveling with him to and from Singapore but we made sure we have almost the same flight schedule going back to the Philippines
On November 18, 2017, we dropped him off to the Ninoy Aquino International airport for his flight.
The week he's away was the very first time we've been apart for a long time. It was more than what we're used. We counted the days we would be together again. Yeah, we're clingy. It felt like a long distance relationship. We had to go through a lot of video calls everyday in order to keep in touch. It was not easy and it made me feel more eager for the time to come for us to be reunited again. We were used to sleeping in one bed and at that time, only Axel and I slept in our bad so it was a bit lonely.
Thankfully, the week passed by quickly and without noticing it, Axel and I were soon bound to be with papa!
First time to travel alone with an infant/young toddler
The biggest challenge I truly worried about was our flight from Manila to Singapore. It was my first time traveling alone to a foreign a country PLUS with a very active 19-month old in tow. In order to prepare for this, my husband already brought most of our stuff since he had extra check-in baggage with his PAL flight. On the 29th of November 2017, we only had to bring a hand carry luggage and our trusty diaper backpack for the trip. I opted to babywear Axel in the airport since it made it easier for me to move around.
Checking in to our flight was not a walk in the park but it was not bad. The great thing about being a mom with a toddler in an airport was that people everywhere were ready to assist you. We were also on the priority lane so we did not have to wait too long to get it. I truly appreciated the many people (Filipinos are not so bad after all haha!) who assisted us as much as they could.
We were also lucky since there was a play area very near our boarding gate. Time passed by quickly as the little one played with the other kids. We didn't even notice that it was already time to board since Axel was having so much fun. I even had a hard time getting my little one to leave the playground.
Since we're in the priority lane, we were the first to board the plane and be seated. It was nice since we had some moments with just us in our seats.
Luckily, we were seated beside two very nice ladies who were able to entertain Axel until we've arrived. We were assigned to an aisle seat but Axel wanted to be by the window that he unbashfully jumped on to the lady and peaked outside. I wanted to take their pictures for the souvenir but I was shy to do it. Axel was on her lap throughout most of the flight except the times he'd breastfeed or have snacks.
I also had a few clumsy moments when feeding Axel with his snacks but the flight attendants were very helpful. Generally, I felt well assisted throughout the whole flight, especially during those times I felt panicking. It was actually a very pleasant plane trip. I worried to much that Axel might be fuzzy during the trip but he was behaved and playful the whole time.
First out of the country trip
Traveling outside the country has not always been within reach in our plans. We always find it too expensive and there's just too much to deal with. Imagine having to compute every time you make an expense since you're spending in a different currency! Even though Singapore is generally an English-speaking country, there's still that culture difference we needed to get ourselves used to. Yes, it could be fun to immerse in such but it could be also stressful if you have a kid with you and things can be unpredictable.
Upon our arrival, we were welcomed by the nice smell of the Changi Airport and the amazing Singapore night sky. It wasn't my first time there but it was my first time to arrive as a mother traveling alone with her young toddler.
First travel with just the 3 of us
Being a young couple and first time parents that we were, we normally just come with our relatives when going on vacations since it's much easier to have some help around. The travels we've had so far were just within the Philippines so it's such a big leap to journey to a foreign place with just the 3 of us.
It was a bit scary but mostly thrilling. We were so happy to be with papa after that long week that we've been away from him. It was also such an exciting moment at that time when papa finally picked us up from the airport that at last, we're here in Singapore, just the 3 of us in our adventure.
"The greatest gifts we can give our children are roots and wings." - Hodding Carter
There's a debate whether it's worth it to travel with a very young child. Oftentimes, the argument is that a child as young as a year and a half years old won't remember any of it. So why do it with them? Why bring them? On the other hand maybe, this kind of travel is mainly for the parents and not for the child.
"In the end, kids won't remember the fancy toy you bought them, they will remember the time you spent with them." - Kevin Heath
As for me, it's simply spending time and enjoying moments with my family. Axel may not have remembered everything but I believe experiences like this contributed and will continue to contribute to his growth and development. For me and my husband, it's also a way for us to nurture and strengthen our relationship as we face new challenges and adventures. So anything is worth it when spent with your family, especially if it also brings you to a lot of your FIRSTS.
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