AK on the GO

My cohort in travelocity, Scott McMurren, is adamant about vacations being more for parents than kids, and to a certain level I believe he’s on to something. Change of scenery, release from work-a-day grinds, experiences far from the home front’s usual schedule of activities; all that. Take road trips, for example. Our family schlepped a million miles each summer in the old VW Bus along roads certainly less traveled just so my parents could show us things like Glacier National Park and Yellowstone’s Old Faithful. How dare they? I would have been happy staying at one place the whole time.

I am, however, a firm believer in planning a trip to benefit the whole fam damily, now that I have kids of my own and happen to live in a state so vast nobody could road trip it in an entire summer even if they did as my parents and drove all night and all day and fed us sardines and crackers in between campgrounds. Alaska takes planning, careful and considerate attention to details, and a basic knowledge of the 49th state’s little conundrums, travel-wise.

The AK ontheGO.com mailbox occasionally fills up with inquiries from parents wanting insight on their upcoming trip to Alaska. Not the fault of incoming visitors but more the guide books who promise an easy, smooth trip up the Parks or down the Seward (highways).

Alaska’s roads are few in number and many in vehicles during the frenetic summer months of May-August. Everyone, it seems, needs to get somewhere right now, and woe is you if punctuality is important. We laugh here about our two seasons, Winter and Construction, neither of which is conducive to a road trip with a minimum of fuss. Our highways, too, are not the six-lane, expressways to heaven type, either. Two lanes, one each way, with little room for pull-outs or passing leave long lines of frustrated drivers as they cruise along behind an RV doing 35 for hours on end.

Our advice for the road tripping fam visiting Alaska for the first time? Take it easy, just like the Eagles sing. Try one of our itineraries from the successful 2010 season and work from that. Each trip was carefully orchestrated to accommodate a 6 year-old and each has a number of stops along the way for break time and/or photo ops, plus a wealth of contact info from the many vendors and businesses happy to work with families. Worry not, you’ll see as much Alaska as anyone, but without overextending the kids or yourself.

Expect delays. Alaskans know this, and bring a car full of games, snacks, drinks, and blankies to sustain a bored young one while the grader or roller smooths out a new road surface and a pilot car demands a wait for the next lineup. AK Dad brings the New York Times to sustain him, and I read the Milepost, a bible for road-loving folk.

Slow down. You spent a lot of money to step foot on our tundra, why not travel at something slightly under the speed of light and really show the kids a good time? Stay in Anchorage a while (it really is the best place to begin a trip with kids). Visit the Alaska Zoo, hike up to Arctic Valley, pick some berries, rent a bike and ride the 11-mile Coastal Trail, see the Alaska Botanical Garden. Then pack up the rental chariot and drive someplace else, if you wish.

Some families swear by picking one geographical section of a state they plan to visit and staying there, counting on future trips to add to the pins on the map and ensuring a full and complete vacation each time. Many guidebooks do provide this worthwhile service and it is up to we  travelers to set the necessary family limits. The point is to provide value-added experience with a minimum of freaking out, and we’re always up for that. Especially when the freaking out is on my part.

And nobody wants to see that.

Getting sick on vacation is no fun for anyone. A few essentials can ease everyone's misery.

My hair is not combed, I’m on my fifth cup of coffee, and the fuzzy slippers AK Grandma gave me for Christmas have cough syrup splashed all over their pleather insteps. If you haven’t woken up and figured out by now AK Kid is yes, indeed sick again, let me be the first to <sarcastically> say: Duh!

Perhaps you can tell I’m good and sick of his being sick; I lay all blame upon the halls of learning where, I can personally attest (since I go “help” in Kindergarten every Wednesday morning) that five and six-year olds are the germiest germ-breeders there are. Shoot me if you think I’m wrong, at least I’ll get some sleep.

I have discovered this academic year one more truth that relates to the concept of family travel and illness, that of the crowd/bug equation. More people, new people equals more sickness. Like Kindergarten, airports, train stations, and children’s museums are harbors for viruses of any name and/or shape, and when we embark on that well-planned, savings-account-depleting trip of a lifetime, sometimes those little germies hitch a ride along the way. Usually at the worst possible time.

Anyone who has spent a week of vacation soothing sore throats or wiping boogie  noses or cleaning up barf from the $400-a-night hotel carpet knows that being prepared can make at least some difference between a manageable trip and a miserable one, poopy pants and all.

This morning, in between wiping down every light switch and doorknob in the house and searching frantically for the Motrin, I began assessing our Family Travel First Aid and Illness Packs, figuring at least something good might come of these last three days of sickness. This, of course, spurred me on to creating a list of Good Stuff for other parents who, like myself, occasionally think about needed items for said Pack long after they are needed and well into the wilderness of Alaska where the closest Target Pharmacy might be 400 miles South. Damn.

Good luck. Feel free to comment below with your own Sickness Pack Suggestion; I’m not proud, I’ll take any idea that makes my trip more fun and less falderal.

AK FAM’s TRAVEL SICKNESS and FIRST AID PACK: (we keep ours in gallon-sized zipper bags; prescription meds in one, miscellaneous in another)

Prescription Medication + 2 days (in Alaska, pharmacies are few and far between sometimes): Also consider a pre-illness/condition script if someone in your family has a chronic condition that could potentially flare up away from home.

Motion sickness remedies: Ginger candy, Dramamine, Sea Bands.

Pain reliver/fever reducer: Pick your favorite. Chewables are our fav now that AK Kid has reached age 6; less mess! Don’t forget a spoon and/or medicine cup if you choose liquid.

Ear drops: Soothing for minor earaches while away from home. Many natural remedy brands available.

Antihistamine: Benadryl, Zyrtec, etc. Again, the meltaways are great for older kids. This is not just for stuffy noses; remember bee stings and other allergic reactions!

Cough syrup: Suppressants are handy when staying in a close-in hotel room and one of you is hacking up the proverbial lung. Ask your physician for his or her advice, but cough syrup has saved our sleep more than once.

Hand sanitizer/wipes: Oh yes, I wipe everything down. All the time. Tray tables, arm rests, those doorknobs and hotel telephones. The kids. AK Dad. If it is within reach, it gets swiped. Carry in your backpack all the time and don’t let anyone eat until they wash, wash, wash their hands.

Sunblock/Lip balm: Even in Alaska, particularly in the Interior, where summer is long and often hot (I’m not kidding). Sunburn sucks for kids. Put on multiple times throughout the day, and don’t forget the ears and nose.

Plastic bags: For so many reasons. Storing tissues, wet clothes, and, you know, the barf.

Tummy medicine: Pepto Bismol, Little Tummies, Immodium.

FIRST AID STUFF:

Bandages: Multiple sizes and shapes. Throw in a roll of adhesive tape AND duct tape. Yes, it keeps those bandages on.

Antibiotic ointment: Lovely to have. Makes those boo-boos feel better fast.

Scissors/Nail Clippers: Good for hangnails or cutting tape.

Dental floss: Not just for teeth, anymore. Use in a pinch for fishing lines. No, really, it works.

Instant ice packs: Great for bruises but also fevered brows. Ahhhhh.

This is a partial list. AK Fam tends to travel light, but you may choose to add more things specific to your crew. I also carry my pharmacy phone number, since many a trip we’ve had to find the nearest outlet to fill a forgotten prescription or ask advice. Keep your pediatrician’s number handy, too, for a short phone call can alleviate concerns and help make everyone feel better, stat.

Actually  need to see a physician? Check with a local visitor’s bureau or the Concierge at your hotel. Anchorage and Fairbanks both offer a list of clinics and can direct visitors to the appropriate location.

Prevention, of course, is the key, but AK Fam knows better than anyone how fast kids can become sick. Remember the basics and you’ll have them bouncing back in no time.