That Time we Got Stuck in Turks & Caicos {Tips for Traveling Out of the Country with Kids}

“Um, Mom? It’s me. No worries but our plane’s engine wouldn’t fire during takeoff and the local mechanic couldn’t fix it so after spending 7 hours at the airport it looks like we’re going to have to spend an extra night here in Turks & Caicos…”

Sounds like a dream come true, right? Accidentally getting stuck in paradise? Well, if we had been back at Beaches again it would have been, but USAir had other plans. Since our cancelled 3:30 flight was the last one that day, we were stuck there for at least one more day (some were there even longer because there weren’t enough flights). Needless to say, we learned a lot in those 24 hours (and the trip in general) about traveling with kids out of the country.

Along with the practical tips below, traveling comes with many life lessons too. Lessons that can’t be taught in a classroom, lessons that will be the most important when venturing out in this great wide world someday. Despite the snafu, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

So CHEERS to life lessons! Here’s what we learned, I hope it helps get you safely on your way to international locations with your kids (and back again, too.)

You’ll Need a Passport

I know, duh, but since each Caribbean island is different this is an important tip. Everyone, even kids and babies, needs a passport when you travel out of the country and Turks & Caicos is no exception. Getting one isn’t that difficult as long as your paperwork is in order. We applied in August and received them a few weeks later. A few things to note: both parents must be present when applying (if not, you’ll need to have notarized paperwork giving permission), and different passport centers have different wait times to get in for an appointment. Our closest post office that processes passports had a ONE MONTH wait time for an appointment, whereas the one a few towns over got us in the next day. I’d apply for passports as soon as you booked your trip, and then put them in safe place (and RECHECK a few weeks before you go! Don’t look for them the day before only to find out they’re not where you thought they would be.)

Have Cash on Hand

Someone in our conference group suggested having at least $20 in local currency on hand ‘just in case’, and I’m so glad that they did– because while Beaches is all-inclusive, it’s good to have some cash for emergencies as we soon found out.

For example, the hotel that USAir put us up in was not near any food, so we called for a pizza to be delivered and it cost $44. Thankfully we had a little cash on hand and Turks & Caicos takes US dollars. Plus we needed tips for the taxi drivers to and from the cut-rate hotel. Since there was no food, our breakfast consisted of a $7 bag of Chex mix from the T&C airport when they opened their stores the morning we flew out.

Our $44 (plus tip) pizza:

Have a Hotel in your Back Pocket (ie, Just Go Back to Beaches)

As we deplaned the broken plane and ran to the ticket counter to rebook, we were so clueless about what was happening that we took the hotel that USAir offered. The hotel they sent us to was SO far down from Beaches it was quite a shock. On the surface it looked clean which is why we didn’t bail (especially since we were leaving for the airport at 6AM the next morning) but there were definitely issues. First of all, there was a sign warning not to drink the water there (um, helllo, toothbrushing?!) And they didn’t have vending machines, so once the ‘lobby’ closed, there was no way to get fresh water. There was no food there AT ALL. They didn’t have glass windows in the bathrooms, just screens with some holes in them. All in all, the adults didn’t sleep a wink but the kids were very flexible and totally fine (missing the waterslides at Beaches, but fine). Had we been placed on a later flight, we would have 100% have gone straight back to Beaches and enjoyed the comfort, hospitality, and drinkable water. Lesson learned!

ahhhhh… Beaches!

Have Snacks

Before we left, I packed a gallon sized bag of snacks for the plane and also some gluten-free snacks and bars for myself. We ate most of it while getting there, but still had a little leftover– and thank goodness we did! As I mentioned before, there was no food at the hotel and when we tried to walk to dinner, the local diner was closed (and also there were packs of wild dogs running around, which was probably FINE but we just didn’t KNOW THAT at the time). So the only food aside from our $44 pizza was a bag of gluten-free pretzels and some Cheerios. Those became lifesavers as we waited at the airport before any stores were open– tired, hungry, and a teensy bit grumpers.

notice he’s making an X, the international sign for ‘Back Off, Mommy…”

Phone/Internet

Once you leave the US, your cell phone and data rates can SKYROCKET! Be very aware, especially if you have teens that like to text– otherwise, you may end up with a phone bill in the thousands. <——- this actually happened to someone!

Check with your carrier ahead of time as to what their rates will be, and perhaps arrange a special plan for when you go. As for us, we put our cell phones in airplane mode and then turned ON the free wireless (starting in December, wi-fi at Beaches will be FREE for everyone!)

Credit Cards

Another hidden fee may be credit cards. Check with your card company to see if there are foreign transaction fees on your card. Usually they’re in the 2-3% range so I didn’t stress about it, but when I got back I realized that if we’d had to book an extra night at a resort then that could have really added up! Also, you may want to let your card company know you’ll be traveling ahead of time so they don’t assume it’s a suspicious transaction.

Read Up Ahead of Time

the hotel manager had the courtesy to look chagrined when she put us in Room #13…

I wish I’d known more about the island before going. Since I thought we’d only be at the resort, I didn’t know about other hotels, safety issues, and the like. Turns out, Turks & Caicos is an extremely safe island. The people are wonderful and very hospitable. But when you’re walking in a deserted area at dusk with two kids to a closed diner and there’s dogs running wild in packs around you, that may not be apparent. A guidebook in hand would have done a WORLD of good.  We were lucky the taxi driver gave us his number and arranged to come get us the next day (at 6AM, no small feat!)  We certainly didn’t know how to get in touch with anyone, or have phone numbers for taxi drivers and the like and we didn’t have wifi. A ‘cheat sheet’ of numbers would have been helpful for sure.

Don’t Drink the Water. Probably.

We were so spoiled at Beaches. They filter the water and you don’t have to worry about eating the fruit, or ice, etc. But once you step outside those doors it may be another story. Unless you know for sure, err on the side of caution and don’t drink the water! Do everything you can to find bottled water and use it for drinking, toothbrushing, etc.

Have Plenty of Activities for the Kids

Have A LOT of things for the kids to do. Even if your trip goes 100% smoothly, there WILL be lines and flights or car rides or downtime to contend with… now add in delays, or cancelled flights, or ‘the witching hour’ and you’ve got a recipe for a meltdown on your hands. Here’s what we had on hand:

• a LeapPad3 for each kiddo (review coming this weekend)
• my husband’s iPad, loaded with a few favorite movies
• magnetic train set in a tin (great for entertaining my son at restaurants while waiting for food!)
• sticker books
• kids headphones

Having a few different activities in our bag of tricks allowed us to meet the needs of each kiddo. We even packed carry-on bags for each child, filled with their special toys/books as well as snacks and a change of clothing. We used their school backpacks but I’m loving these rolling animal themed luggage bags from Skip Hop.

{here’s links to the above products if interested}

What an adventure we had, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Sure, traveling with kids (especially out of the country) takes a little extra planning but saying it’s worthwhile is an understatement. Not only did my kids learn that the world is a huge place, they experienced lessons on patience, compassion, geography, being flexible, and meeting new people.  My kids were thrilled by hearing different accents, seeing an ocean so blue it defies imagination, noticing how even huge cities look miniscule from the air, and of course the many delights found at our resort. But even when faced with adversity– cramped together in a small room with undrinkable water– they learned how lucky we are to be together and truly living.

{Check out 10 Things to Know Before You Go to Beaches Turks & Caicos!}

Stepping off my soapbox. Now go get your passport, and fill that thing up with stamps from every place your heart desires to go! Off to plan our next adventure…