My favorite family travel wallets

August 30, 2013 by Ann

On a whim one day, I bought a travel wallet. It is now one of my favorite pieces for travel document organization. Being an expat, my passport is generally needed more frequently than it was in the states. Being a family of four, it only makes sense to put them all in one place. Being cheap, I loved only spending 3 EUR. However, I’m really itching for a new travel wallet for all of our passports. My wallet is ok, but it is really only meant for 1 person and it makes it difficult to stuff 4 passports, 4 resident’s cards, 3 resident’s papers (for some reason, my daughter doesn’t need one – weird, eh?), plus our Netherlands annual museum pass, our Sea Life/Lego Land Discovery Center annual passes, our frequent everything cards, and currency for both the US and Europe so we can always have small change available.

On my search for a new wallet, I came across some treasures and wanted to share them here. What I love is that they are handmade. They are unique. They are well crafted. Best of all, they are for families. Take a look.

Please note: I am not affiliated with any of these companies. These are just wallets I saw, I liked, and now I want to share with my readers. I get no compensation for any purchases.

My favorite family travel wallets

Tracey Lipman Collection

Family passport wallet by Tracey Lipman Collection

Family passport holder by the Tracey Lipman Collection

Tracey makes her passport holders in Israel using a variety of beautiful fabrics. The custom holders can hold up to 12 passports, so you have to have a pretty large family, or have multi-citizened family members, to require two holders. There’s space in the middle for tickets and change. My favorite aspect of this wallet are that it can be zipped shut and used as a wristlet. Seems like the perfect way to hold the passports while at the airport and still be able to hold your toddler’s hand and pulling the carry-on bag.

They are currently priced at $35 each and will take 1-2 weeks to deliver once ordered.

For more of her great designs, visit her shop Tracey Lipman Collection.

Pecan Tree Creations

Family passport wallet by Pecan Tree Creations

Shannon’s design for her family travel wallet is both practical and beautiful. They can each hold up to 4 passports. Because of the way the pockets are positioned, and the use of the elastic band, there is no worry that the passports will fall out. Smaller families can use the extra space for boarding passes and confirmations. Larger families will appreciate being able to keep their passports away from other documents and money while traveling.

These are currently priced at $14, comes in a variety of patterns, and can be customized on request.

For more of her great designs, visit her shop at Pecan Tree Creations.

Blissful Patterns

Family Travel Wallet by Blissful Patterns

Shannon at Blissful Patterns offers two choices for families looking to update their passport wallet. For those with some sewing ability, she sells her Family Passport Travel Holder pattern. You can then use any fabric you like, and update them to the season if you please (or maybe even make them themed to your trip – imagine the possibilities!).

For those like me, with absolutely no ability to sew (not even hem!), she can custom make them to your liking. The pattern above holds up to 4 passports, 3 loyalty cards, boarding passes, plus they have a pocket for change, cash, and a pen or two.

They are also designed so that the passports can’t fall out of their pockets when closed.

The patterns are currently $8.50, with custom wallets priced at $45.

To order one of her patterns, please visit her store Blissful Patterns. If you’d like to order a finished product, you can do so at Blissful Sew. Message her if you are looking for a more custom wallet. She is very quick at responding.

Please note passport sizes are different for different countries. Double check that the wallet you want will fit your passport’s dimensions before ordering.

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Phone Photography Apps

August 15, 2013 by Ann

At the end of every traveling day my kids are exhausted and mellow. And when they go to sleep, I have something I rarely have: time to think.

Sometimes I use this time to read, sometimes I use this time to sleep, but often I want to get crafty. Problem? Have you seem how much the average family with two young kids has to pack when they go on vacation? The one time I have time to play with paper and glue, I don’t have space to pack paper and glue. Fortunately, I always have my phone with me: the indispensable tool that also houses my book collection, recipes, travel plans, and camera. (It’s rumored I can dial numbers and talk to other people with it, too, but I wouldn’t know about that!)

When I started using my phone’s camera, I wanted to stay as true to the original photograph as possible. Eventually, I started playing with Instagram’s filters and wanted more. Then, I discovered the phone camera apps.

I was hooked. While Instagram’s native filters are fun for a quick fix, there are other apps that give you more creative freedom. Then you get to tweak the photo as you want.

Here are my favorite Phone Photography Apps:

Photography Planning

Magic Hour

Any decent photography book, course, or resource will tell you how important light is. The best light happens in what is known as the golden hour. It’s the time right around sunrise and right around sunset. As a traveler, we might not always know when that is going to happen when we’re away from home. As a mom, we might not always want to try to figure it out. Enter Magic Hour app. It lets you know when the magic hour will start and end each day depending on the city you are in. You can plan your day accordingly if you need to. Price: FREE

If you read my last post, you’ll know why this is a great app to have. Paul from A Luxury Travel Blogs encourages parents to go outside while the kids are still sleeping to capture the sites. Instead of trying to guess when you should wake up to catch the right light, this app let’s you know. Sleep in until the last possible minute, please!

Screen shots from iTunes store

Magic Hour iTunes App

Editing Photos

VSCO Cam

This is a free and easy app that not only gives you access to some filters, but controls how strongly you can apply the filter. Most of the time any photos only needs a slight tweak, but Instagram’s filters make you commit completely. VSCO Cam lets you change it just a bit if you want, or a lot if you prefer. You can then export the photo to Instagram. I have one gripe. When exporting, VSCO Cam will automatically crop the photo. If it doesn’t crop the way you want it to there’s still a fix. Just save the updated photo to your camera roll and open in Instagram as normal. Price: FREE

Here’s an Instagram I edited with VSCO Cam:

Please note: Unless you’re a professional, don’t over filter your photos! Just enhance them. Practice as much as you want, but only publish the best!

Adding Details

Rhonna Designs

This app has some filters, but what I really like about it are the other things you can add. There are different designs, sayings, and fonts for you to put on top of your image. You can resize them, change the color, turn them on their side. It’s a lot of fun. The best part is that the app includes a ton of images and fonts. Unlike similar apps, you can do a lot with what’s included without having to buy more upgrades. Price: $1.99 with an extra pack available for $0.99

Here’s an image I recently added on Instagram using Rhonna Designs. There are a a whole section of travel related sayings included.

and here’s a more subtle image where I just added the little doodles in the corner.

and here’s a less subtly edited photo that I did when I first got the app. I tend to keep these types of photos on my phone instead of publishing on Instagram, but you can see where it can be fun if you like this type of stuff – which I do!

Printing Them Out

Groovebook

I don’t use this because I’m not in the US, however, I may try it the next time I go. Every month you can select up to 100 photos taken on your phone (not just Instagram photos) and Groovebook will print them out into a little book and ship it to you. The pages are perforated for easy sharing. You can order extras to send to family and friends. Love this idea. Price: FREE to download. The subscription service is $2.99 a month for processing and handling. You can cancel at anytime.

Other Photo Apps

i haven’t tried these, but I wanted to include more options for you:

Halftone It’s all about the kids. Turn your pictures into a comic strip. Enough said. Price: $0.99

InstaFood This is one of the apps I want to try for the wrong reasons. I laugh at the idea that I have enough time to take a photo of my food while I’m at a restaurant. I laugh at the idea of going to a restaurant. Street food is where it’s at for us most of our trips (which is fine since I love street food, so don’t feel bad for me). One day, though, I will go out on a date with my husband while on vacation, take a photo of our food, and use this app to add the restaurant and the meal. Then I will look at that photo later to remind myself that I do enjoy eating out. I feel like I’m going on a tangent. Price: FREE

InstaPlace Puts the location directly on the photo. They can even put the altitude on the photo. Wish I had this when I was in Switzerland earlier this month! Price: FREE

InstaWeather Puts the temperature and place on the photo. If I use this the next time I take a photo in Florida, will it subconsciously help me feel warmer when I’m back in Germany in the winter? I’ll let you know! Price: FREE

Lumie Get the “bookah” effect on your photos. Nice effect for those romantic Paris trips, or looking at holiday lights. Price: $1.99

ShakeIt Photo App Take a photo, watch the photo appear like a polaroid pictures. You can even shake the camera to help the picture develop fast. Yes, you can shake it like a polaroid picture! Price: $1.99

Wood Camera This app was developed by professional photographers who wanted more control over editing their phone photography. Price: $3.99

Whew! That’s a lot. Do you have any favorite camera apps that I should look at the next time I have some down time (which will be September 2 at the earliest 🙂 )

This post is part of the new Instagram Travel Thursday linky hosted by Skimbaco Lifestyle, Destination Unknown, Child Mode, Hines Sight Blog, Live.Do.Grow., House of Anaïs, Luxury Travel Mom. Click on any of those links to access all Instagram travel posts.

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Filed Under: Family Travel, Memory Keeping, Product Reviews, Thoughts, Travel Advice Tagged With: apps, familytravel, igtravelthursday, iphone

Travel with Kids: Photography challenges

August 13, 2013 by Ann

One of the most challenging aspects of traveling with young kids: taking great photos. I need time to adjust settings on my camera, find an interesting perspective, and snap a photo. I find myself keeping everything on auto and hoping for the best.

I asked some other family blogger friends how they do it, and here’s what they said:

Photography tips from the family travel blogging pros

Get the kids their own camera

“There comes a time when taking pictures with your kids around becomes as inherently difficult as actually taking good pictures of your kids, both of which are important when trying to record memories of trips that you take. It took us a while to figure out that a good way to give ourselves some time to snap pictures that involve more than just a quick click of the camera is to involve our kids in the picture taking themselves! We bought our now 5-year-old his own camera when he was almost 4 and he takes it with us everywhere, snapping away, so not only do I get some time to try to create a photographic masterpiece but he has the opportunity to express himself creatively as well!” – Andrea from Passports and Pushchairs (for more on this topic from Andrea check out her post Through Their Eyes)

Get the kids involved

“Get your kids to take some! I’ve always been pleasantly surprised by our daughter’s photos over the years. and, if they have their own camera, you’ll have time to work on your own photos. You can say, let’s take photos of this beach and then have a few minutes to do it yourself.” – Jessie from Wandering Educations

I took their advice and gave my son the camera. Here he is reflected in the window as he took a picture on Lake Zurich.

I took their advice and gave my son the camera. Here he is reflected in the window as he took a picture on Lake Zürich.

Get professional

“Think like a newspaper photographer. With little kids around, you’re not going to have the time to carefully compose a photo, wait for the perfect lighting or fiddle with your camera’s settings. But then again, neither do professional newspaper photographers. They’ve learned to move quickly, get the shot they need, and then get on with their day. Always have your camera ready, and just grab the shot when it comes around, even if it means carrying your little one on your back while taking the photo on the run.” – Micki from the Barefoot Nomad Travel Site (for more on this topic from Micki, check out her post Can You Take Good Photos With Little Kids in Tow? Some Tips)

Do what you can to get the shot. Photo courtesy: The Barefoot Nomad Travel Site

Get help

“If pictures are of utmost importance at a particular moment, I have someone else with me or ask Munchkin to sit in a stroller with a snack for a minute. That is about to no longer work at 4.5 year old. So, I am investing in a GoPro for me, but it will be ‘his’ when needing to take photos. That way he too feels like part of the action. They have a screen you can add to the GoPro to make this feasible, and it is the perfect size and also fairly indestructible” – Lori from Expedition Mom

Get some time alone

“Taking time out to take photographs and not boring or neglecting your children at the same time isn’t always easy. One way around this – if your children aren’t always up at the crack of dawn or if you have an understanding partner who will watch them for an hour while you go out to play with your camera – is to get up early. The light is at its best either close to sunrise or sunset, so this is actually one of the best times to be out with your camera anyway. It’s also a time when fewer people are about (if you’re wanting some ‘quiet’ shots). Here’s a shot I took in Crete, using this method just after sunrise.” – Paul from A Luxury Travel Blog (Side note: Tune in on Thursday to get a tip for figuirng that golden hour when you’re in a new destination.)

I wouldn’t think photos like this would be possible on a family vacation. Get out early and alone and you can catch the light when it’s right. Photo courtesy: A Luxury Travel Blog

Get a sense of humor

“A decent camera with good auto settings helps – when we’re out and about we often leave ours in “sports” which is good for capturing action or, in our case, moving targets. A couple of years ago we were in a promo for Disney World and it was 7am and freezing on Dumbo. Plus, when my kids are enjoying something they make what we call an “all business” face which looks a lot like a scowl. In order to make it look like they actually were having fun, I made up what I call my stage mother song, “pee poo, pee poo fart, pee poo pee poo fart.” The kids burst out laughing, and we get happy pictures ” – Corrine from Have Baby Will Travel

Get surprised

“Can’t get your kids to smile? Give them a little tickle as they sit on your lap. Better yet, don’t go for the smile. Tell them to act surprised. You will get even better faces.” – Keryn from Walking on Travels (for more on this topic from Keryn, check out her post Photo Tricks when Traveling with Kids)

A huge thank you to everyone who helped me not only figure out how to manage this, but to know it is possible to take decent photos with kids in tow. I will definitely have to remind myself before our next trip.

Do you have any more tips you’d like to add?

This post is part of Travel Tip Tuesday with Suitcases and Sippy Cups and Walkingon Travels. Check out their links to see more great travel tips.

Tips for taking pictures while traveling with kids – via Travel Turtle

Filed Under: Family Travel, Memory Keeping, Thoughts, Travel Advice Tagged With: familytravel

Travel Turtle Road Trip, Summer 2013: Introduction

June 28, 2013 by Ann

For some reason, other than an annual trip to Amsterdam which we decided to skip this year, we don’t travel too much over the summer. This year, however, we decided to venture outside of our immediate state and see something new. I wanted to take you along for the adventure. And while I wish I meant that literally, I mean via this blog.

I’m always interested in how people plan their trips. When there are a million options out there, how do people pick one choice over another? So, I thought I’d bring people into my planning process for our Summer 2013 road trip.

This picture has nothing to do with the post, except I like having pictures in my posts…

Right now I’m at the beginning stages

Not too much has been confirmed.

What we think we are doing so far

Nürburgring Race Track: Back in May I found a post on JDombs Travels. Her husband was a race car driver for the day. I was familiar with this race track because I lived near it in high school, but never thought of driving it. I’m still not going to, but my husband is… I even tweeted about it:

@jdomb thanks to your nurburgring post, I finally figured out what to get my husband for his birthday tomorrow!

— travel turtle (@Ann_Travels) May 30, 2013

Traben-Trarbach: Nurburgring is in the Mosel area of Germany. We’ve stayed in Cochem in the past and in looking for places to stay this time, my initial thought was to go back to Cochem. Then I saw a post on Google+ that changed my mind. The Traveling Canucks suggested 9 European cities worth visiting, and one was Traben-Trarbach. This village is also on the Mosel and will be an ideal place to stop. We’ll either be there while the vines are ripe with grapes or during wine festivals, either way we’re happy.
Zurich, Switzerland: Our good friends have recently moved to Zürich. This will be the final stop for our roadtrip before we turn around and head back home.
Rhine Falls: Realizing there’s quite a bit of Europe between Traben-Trarbach and Zürich, I took to social media again. This time, I asked my Facebook followers for any suggestions. Selena from Oh, the Places We will Go! linked me to her posts about Switzerland, but highlighted Rhine Falls. BINGO! I love waterfalls, so this is a must-do.

Our next parts of the planning process

We still have to settle on dates. Once we know when and for how long, we’ll be able to fill in the blanks: figure out our route, learn more about the specific destinations, find activities for kids and adults, and book accommodations, that’s it!

I also want to try some of the great “occupying kids on road trips” pins I’ve seen on pinterest. I’ve been pinnig some of my favorites and will put a lot of those into practice, maybe creating something to cater to our trip.

More about this series

The primary reason I’m doing this series is to show how I plan travel. Not just for you, but for myself. I’m curious to see how much we think we’re going to do (this post), how much we plan for (probably the next post), what we actually do (the third post), and how our family felt about it all (the last posts).

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Filed Under: Family Travel, Travel Advice Tagged With: familytravel, Summer Road Trip 2013

Amsterdam’s Science Center NEMO

June 26, 2013 by Ann

The first thing my 20 month old noticed when we walk into the NEMO science center in Amsterdam was the bubbles stations. He forgot the year before when my husband tried to stand inside the a large bubble and it popped. My poor baby cried until we distracted him with all the buttons in the next area. (Poor baby being my son, not my husband)

This time, my toddler wanted to try it for himself. The problem? Too many big kids. So, while we tried to get him to use some of the other bubble making tools he eventually lost interest. Which was ok because there were many new and exciting activities waiting for him. (Side note: they import their soap used in the bubbles from the USA!)

Fact: The only time you can take a picture of an excited toddler inside a science center, the moment he sits down on one of the exhibits.

Of course there were tons of exhibits waiting. Science Center NEMO is huge. I would soon rediscover its five floors by chasing my little boy. He ran from exhibit to exhibit to exhibit. Between my husband and the grandparents, someone was always trying to rein him in. Since I was super-pregnant with our daughter, I got out of a lot chasing duties.

TIP: don’t want to be responsible for chasing a toddler around? Go during your third trimester!

He was worse than a pinball because of all the other pinballs running around him.

This place is great for all ages!

The first time we visited NEMO Science Center our son was only 8 months. Since he wasn’t walking yet, we tried the Age Machine. We took a picture of ourselves, then moved a dial to see what we looked like as a kid and what we will look as we age. My husband as a kid was eerily accurate. If this is any indication, that means my son will not be the best looking old man.

I loved this exhibit. You take a picture of yourself and then you can see what you like like as a kid and as you age. This is my husband as a kid. It looks exactly like him.

I loved this exhibit. You take a picture of yourself and then you can see what you look like as a kid and as you age. This is my husband as a kid. It looks exactly like him.

Unfortunately, if it’s accurate this is what my little boy will look like when he’s old. (He kind of reminds me of my mom!)

My son’s favorite exhibits had one thing in common: buttons. Still, there was one button that stood out in a room of buttons. He’d spot this button from far away and we knew what was about to happen. Arm extended in front of him, raised with his finger ready to push, he’d start running. Then the four adults in our group would look at each other. Using just our eyes for communication we would assess who was closest, fastest, and who he was most likely to listen to. Most likely it was grandpa. So, grandpa would go after W before W got to his favorite button of them all: the elevator button.

Fortunately the elevator button “exhibit” wasn’t his favorite. I think that honor goes to a ball exhibit called Machine Park. I’m not entirely sure what the point was since there were several stations, each doing something different. At the one my son picked he had to grab a ball and push a button. The ball would eventually make its way around, get dropped into a bucket, and the process would start again. You could even get a progress report. He’s going to make a great line worker some day.

He also loved one so popular with kids, it was hard to read what it was about. The kids were covering a lot of the explanation and doing the experiment. I think it was about water purification. Warning: toddlers don’t care about purification as much as they care about water. He ran in and minutess later, after his grandfather caught up with him, they both came back to us soaked.

Addressing sexuality in a science center

As for the adults in our group, we got the biggest kick out of the Teen Facts floor. It’s about sexuality and the changes teens experience during puberty. You know you’re in a science center in Amsterdam when…

Within this area a separate area restricted to 18 year olds. I’m too much of a prude to go into details, but I will say that it was a discrete area. A staff member kept young kids out.

Back to the unrestricted area. Along one wall there was a cartoon showing the development of a boy and girl from baby to teenager and repeat. It was really cute and a reminder of that awkward puberty stage. You can watch the video here, I highly recommend it.

The funniest exhibit definitely goes to the French kissing booth. Here you tongue battled with anyone you wanted, but not how you think.

French kiss strangers!

Take a break from it all

The highlight at NEMO was the rooftop. Along one side of the building there’s stadium style seating with views of Amsterdam. When we were there in 2011 the rainy weather kept people away. In 2012 I left the grandparents with my son so I could enjoy some quiet time alone. Not going to happen. The sun was out and my peaceful city-escape was crowded with school kids running around and enjoying themselves. When I noticed the water fountain that all the kids were jumping in I texted the family: hey, don’t bother meeting me up here, no way W will ever leave. Meet you downstairs.

Amsterdam views from the rooftop. This was a rainy day, but you can see the potential if it was sunny.

There are even fun learning opportunities up here!

Practical information:

NEMO Science Center is a 15 minute walk from Centraal Station, next to the public library
Hours of Operation: Open Daily from June to September (10:00 am – 5:00 pm), closed on Mondays the rest of the year. Also closed on New Year’s Day, Queen’s Day, Christmas Day
Admission: Free for kids 3 & Under. As of this post, it is EUR13.50 for everyone else, more details here.
There are restaurants and cafes in the museum. You can also bring your own food and eat in designated areas.
There are lockers for visitors, available for a small fee.

Tips:

I recommend buying a ticket online to avoid the line, there is a small fee to do so.
Weekdays are busy with school trips and weekends are busy with local families. It’s big enough that you can still enjoy yourself.
Bring an extra pair of clothes so your kids can enjoy the water exhibits without hesitation.

I recommend this to: anyone with the slightest interest in science or fun, regardless of age. Yes, we are even taking out childless friends who are visiting from the states. I’ll let you know how they like it.

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Filed Under: Family Travel, Travel Advice Tagged With: familytravel, Netherlands