Doing this changed everything: I took a vacation without my two kids under four! 🤫 -Eileen
My spouse got an opportunity that felt once in a lifetime. It’s our 10th anniversary and we have two young girls, but we decided to call in all the favors. Grandparents, brother-in-laws, girlfriends, doulas, and sitters all pulled together to help get us in the air and to #Hawaii: Without the kids! 👶🏻👧
Did I feel super guilty? 1000%. I hemmed and hawed over this for weeks, thinking they were too young and we were being selfish. No one else I knew left kids this age to do a trip.
Putting aside the immense privilege I know I have to even be able to have this opportunity, I’m so glad we did it. My husband and I are stronger for it and felt like adults again. We came back refreshed and ready to tackle all the chaos head on. My body felt better. My mind felt better. All the intense planning was wonderfully worth it.
And I didn’t even have to share my shave ice 😂
Life doesn’t end with little ones! I am with them full-time and give 100% as much as I can. We’ve gone to four countries and eight states with them so far. Very, very, very fortunate to find a way to keep travel in our lives, post kids, but that also includes traveling without them. 🧑🧑🧒🧒
Would you consider going somewhere without your young children if you had the chance? Would you prefer to just take them with you?
#visitoahu #tenthanniversary #coupletravelgoals #travelwriterlife #hawaiiadventures #mahalomahalomahalo #travelwithoutkids
Do you escape the snow in the winter or embrace the cold? ❄️
We’re obsessed with Echo Lake State Park in New Hampshire. I think it’s even better in the winter. Swimming in the aquamarine waters is always a treat, but seeing it frozen over was magic. My toddler had a blast sliding around. It was the perfect mini adventure in between skiing at nearby Cranmore mountain.
Lots more coming! Stick around!
#wintertravels #visitnh #livefreenh #discoveryournew #icelakes #echolakestatepark #toddlertraveler #toddlertraveller #dronefreestyle #slowtravelling #newenglandtravel
This clip is going VIRAL on Pure Wander’s TikTok!
I caught people jumping into the harbor today! I know it’s 55 degrees out but cool ya jets. 🤣 -Eileen
#visitboston #beersoverboston #barstoolsports #visitbostonma #bostonmassachusetts #visitnewengland #slowtravel #polarplunge #couple-goals
Traveling with toddlers/babies CHECKLIST: save this post! 👶🏻👧
This is what I used for a three-year-old and a five month old on a Round-trip flight and small road trip:
👶🏻👧Doona stroller for the baby, with base for the car seat. I did not to bring a stroller for the toddler because I could wrap the baby and if the toddler got tired enough, she could jump in the stroller.
👶🏻👧Car seat for the toddler in a car seat bag. Some people gate check this, we opted to check it with bags before going through security. We got a travel car seat that can get beat up so we don’t worry about it. Inside the bag is the toddler car seat, the Doona seat base, extra diapers, our winter coats, and a sleeping bag for the toddler. This saved us lots of space in the suitcase.
👧For the toddlers flight, we packed a tablet, headphones we practice with beforehand, tons of special snacks, and no mess coloring things. I prefer things like the scratch pads and colorform stickers, because dropping markers/crayons on the plane is a pain in the butt!
👶🏻For the baby on the plane and the trip, I brought my trusty Moby wrap, formula and bottle, a teether, and Binkies with the straps to clip on to her.
Besides clothes and toiletries, I also brought:
👶🏻👧A portable highchair. It may seem extra but you’re gonna want somewhere to put your baby down besides the floor!
👶🏻👧A blowup toddler mattress, which we ended up not using because she opted to sleep in the big bed in the second bedroom of the rental. Quick tip: roll up towels and stuff them under the fitted sheet to prevent toddlers from rolling out of bed!
👶🏻👧A white noise machine they’re familiar with, a close circuit monitor so we don’t have to rely on Wi-Fi, and a black trash bag and tape in case we need to blackout windows for naps.
That should get you started!
I have some special codes and discounts, feel free to DM me if you plan on investing any of this equipment! I’m
🫠 Tag that travel friend that’s been ghosting you and call them out! 😂
Hey there, I’m Eileen! Here’s some fun facts about me:
I currently live outside of Boston, Massachusetts. 🇺🇸
I lived longer than a year each in Western New York state, Spain, and the UK. 🇬🇧
My British spouse and I have been together a decade!
In 2020 and 2023 I had two girl babies 👶🏻👶🏻 I take care of them full-time.
Ziggy is my five-year-old rescue pit 🐶
I’ve had my blog Pure Wander for 11 (!) years ❗️
I’ve oscillated between part-time and full-time freelancing for nearly 15 years. I do everything from Content marketing and digital strategy to travel journalism and project management. ☑️
I fall down a lot in yoga class. 🧘♂️
I have mild anxiety and depression that comes and goes, and manifested in some big fears of flying a few years ago. I’ve worked hard to manage it! ✈️
My favorite places on the planet are southern Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Curaçao.
My dream destinations are India, Mozambique, Croatia, and Vietnam.
And finally, I used to mostly post landscape/culture photos on my socials for years, but I’m really trying to find like-minded people and connect with more amazing travelers out there. I can’t do that behind the camera well, so I’m putting myself out there a little more every day! So please say hi and tell me how about yourself below!
Even if you see more of me now, I still first and foremost hope to tell other people stories, lift up other voices that are marginalized are usually unheard. Watch this space, exciting things are to come!
SAVE this post for baby flight tips! 👶🏻
We did it: baby’s first flight! I am absolutely shocked, but it went so super smoothly. What did we do to prepare the toddler and the four month old?
👶🏻 Diaper bag was packed with formula, bottles, extra diapers, blanket for changing, and my @mobywrap
👶🏻 I had the iPad charged and movies downloaded for the toddler, as well as a White Noise app just in case for the baby
👶🏻Everyone woke up really early so we had sleepy comfort items ready in the car
👶🏻All rules went out the window, and the toddler could snack on whatever she wished
👶🏻We had TSA pre-check to make security as easy as possible, we checked our bags and a car seat at the desk, and took the @doonausa stroller with us for gate check
There’s lots more to say about the whole process, but that’s for an upcoming post on Pure Wander. Overall my three-year-old just hung out and watched some shows and colored. The baby slept in the wrap that I wore onto the plane for more than half the flight, she got up to eat, then just hung out, until we landed! Really hoping for a repeat performance on the way home. But I’ll take it for the way down, it made everything else so much less stressful. Prep prep prep fams! You can do thissss!
At four months old, she’s got her passport! 👶🏻 We are lucky that my husband is originally from the UK so she could get her British passport as well. It doesn’t matter too much now living in the US, but it might open opportunities for her future education or ease of travel/ living abroad.
If you’ve ever thought about dual citizenship for yourself or your kids, let me know! I’d be happy to help if I can. -Eileen
I was lucky enough to be in Disney World on opening day is Toy Story Land a few years ago!
🌎SAVE this post for the next time you go to Disney World! 🌎
Be sure to ride the Slinky Dog Dash coaster, experience the Alien Swirling Saucers, and explore the larger-than-life Toy Story characters. Don't miss the chance to take fun photos in this whimsical, toy-filled environment!
Don’t miss the interactive queue at Toy Story Mania!, an immersive 4D shooting game. You can also catch performances by Green Army Men, who interact with guests in a playful and entertaining way. Keep an eye out for character meet-and-greets, as Toy Story characters often make appearances for photos and autographs.
Woody's Lunch Box is a quick-service restaurant offering classic American fare with a playful twist, such as the "Totchos" – tater tots nachos. Additionally, there are various snack stands offering treats like Toy Story-themed candy apples and popcorn. Keep in mind that offerings may change, so it's a good idea to check the current menu for the latest options.
I can’t wait to bring my daughters someday soon. Are you pro Disney or think you’ll pass? -Eileen
No but for real go to therapy.
All of a sudden, in the middle of my travel writing career, I became absolutely terrified of getting on planes. It took a lot of therapy, some medication, body movement, meditation, and all the bells and whistles to get my sh*t together again.
I’m so thankful I prioritized my mental health because it allowed me to stay on the road and keep experiencing some pretty amazing things. I still do regular checkins with my therapist, and take antianxiety medication - this has possibly saved my life.
But I totally get it. I’ve definitely gotten on a plane and peaced out instead of dealing with my ✨issues✨ at least once, lol. We are all allowed an escape once in a while.
There are several shipwrecks right off the beach in Carlisle Bay, Barbados. Plenty of catamaran tours and private snorkel/scuba excursions will take you there! But if you’re a strong swimmer, you can go out yourself from the beach.🏝️ The closest is only a couple hundred feet away.
Here’s all the different wrecks from the closest to the shore to the farthest: Barge, Cornwallis, Berwyn, Bajan Queen, C-Trek and Eilon. This wreck is only 10 feet from the surface, so you can almost touch it if you’re feeling brave! 🤿 The biggest wreck is the Bajan Queen at almost 120 feet long.
Tell me if you’ve seen other shipwrecks this close! And feel free to visit Pure Wander for the whole Barbados guide.
The famed wild deer in Nara, Japan, are so used to tourists they “bow” to get treats! 🦌 It’s only an hour outside of Osaka to get there and you can spend the whole day marveling at the gorgeous temples and people watching. Those not used to wild animals are the funniest: people run screaming with deer chasing after them 😂 You can buy government sanctioned biscuits at several different vendors to make sure the deer stay healthy too. Don’t miss a soft serve matcha ice cream on your way back! 🍦
With intentions of love, peace & healing, the Water Lantern Festival is a memorable, immersive evening. Just outside Boston, this experience has hundreds on a sandy beach writing well wishes onto rice paper, which floats along the water as the sun goes down. There’s also live music, food trucks, vendors and decorations. You can catch these water lantern events around the globe!
I’ve always dreamed of seeing this in Asia someday …. The Boston event was a close second!
Continuing to travel a bit local while learning to adapt with two little ones. We brought nanny to C M Smith farm for a little classic New England apple picking 🍎 it’s 45 minutes outside of Boston then offers all the bells and whistles when it comes to a fall afternoon out. Get hot cider donuts, munch on apples while you pick, grab some pumpkins and say hi to the farm animals. Definitely get an ice cream if you want to feel like a true New Englander — even if it’s 40° out 😂 Parking is plentiful and the drive is lovely with lots of fall leaves.
Are you into fall activities? Do you like to travel in the fall? If you have kids, have you brought them apple picking? If you don’t have kids, do you like to go yourself?
Best coffee and beer and central Massachusetts! ☕️ 🍻 Start your day with a strong cup from the Acoustic Java roasters in Worcester, and round out the afternoon with some tasty IPAs at Treehouse Brewery only 20 minutes away. There’s often food trucks and plenty of outdoor space to enjoy a few more sunny days this fall. You can make a whole weekend of visiting central MA with the crew: Visit the blog for more personal tips from a Massachusetts local! -Eileen
Skiing in Turkey at Mt. Erciyes!
