We made it to Mongolia and back! (…well, a couple of months ago)
I was a little nervous about flying internationally alone with a lap child, but it turned out to be easier than I expected—Grant is a natural traveler.
He made the trip simple because he mostly slept on the plane. No medication involved—he takes after his mama and sleeps well in transit.
While preparing, my mantra was “hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” On advice from his pediatrician I packed a small amount of Benadryl in case he had trouble falling asleep; the doctor preferred a little help over an overtired baby. Thankfully, we never needed it.
What really saved us was a portable travel mattress I bought a few days before the trip. It made Grant comfortable for naps and gave me enough freedom of movement to rest too. It was worth every penny.
Adjusting to the time difference took a few days—Grant woke at 4–5 AM at first and was ready to play—but within three days he was back on his usual schedule with two naps and a regular bedtime. I was so impressed.
Seeing him happy and comfortable in my home country was a huge relief. He adored spending time with his grandparents, aunties and cousins.
He especially loved grandma’s cooking—I’d never seen him eat so well. I even felt a little guilty, wondering if I should have fed him more at home.
Below he’s exploring my hometown, Erdenet: a clean, colorful city I love.
Grant enjoyed playgrounds and playing with other children. He was especially fascinated by cars, tires and anything round.
One of his favorite pastimes was sitting on the fourth-floor balcony, legs dangling through the gap, watching cars go by—so content and curious.
He also loved pretending to be a big kid on adult bikes—so funny to watch him try to keep up.
The highlight for him was definitely playing with his cousins—so much joy and energy together.
Saying goodbye to family was bittersweet—we missed daddy a lot back home, but the memories we made were priceless.
Also worth noting: Grant has adventurous taste for his age. At Tokyo airport he preferred ramen over pork gyoza—kids surprise you!
We were fortunate to have an empty seat beside us on the return flight, so Grant got more space to sleep on his little mattress. It really was the best purchase for travel.
Traveling to Mongolia with Grant was a wonderful experience. I’m looking forward to many more trips together.
If you have questions about traveling with a toddler, leave a comment and I’ll share tips from our experience.