backpack carriers on vacation in London ?

Hi all,

This might not be the right group to post this but I thought I would
give it a shot.

We're headed to London for a week with our 26 and 6 month olds. We
will be using the tube/busses etc. a fair bit to tour around London.
My initial thought was that a stroller would be cumbersome and we were
thinking of using a front carrier for the infant and a backpack carrier
for our 26 month old.

Does anyone have experience moving around London with toddlers and an
opinion on stroller (pushchair) versus backpacks?

Also, any recommendations on backpack carriers that are compact. The
one we have is fairly large (albiet sturdy) and might be a pain to fold
away at restaurants etc.

Thanks!

Kevin

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,

This might not be the right group to post this but I thought I would
give it a shot.

We're headed to London for a week with our 26 and 6 month olds. We
will be using the tube/busses etc. a fair bit to tour around London.
My initial thought was that a stroller would be cumbersome and we were
thinking of using a front carrier for the infant and a backpack carrier
for our 26 month old.

Does anyone have experience moving around London with toddlers and an
opinion on stroller (pushchair) versus backpacks?

Also, any recommendations on backpack carriers that are compact. The
one we have is fairly large (albiet sturdy) and might be a pain to fold
away at restaurants etc.

In London a lot (but not all) of buses and all tubes (except at rush hour)
are buggy friendly. You can just push the buggy straight on.
In my experience, the front carrier is great on buses/trains/tubes.
The back carrier is a different matter. It is too wide to comfortably walk
up the middle of the bus/train. You have to walk sideways like a crab! It
also is uncomfortable trying to sit down on the seats, so you end up
standing, and can easily knock someone with the back carrier, which you'll
almost certainly end up doing on a busy tube.
Personally I found the stroller easier on the bus/train even though our
buses are not buggy friendly and I had to carry #2 on and off and fold the
buggy up. I suspect it will probably be easier on the tube, certainly all
the stations should have lifts/disabled access.
Debbie

wrote:
Hi all,

This might not be the right group to post this but I thought I would
give it a shot.

We're headed to London for a week with our 26 and 6 month olds. We
will be using the tube/busses etc. a fair bit to tour around London.
My initial thought was that a stroller would be cumbersome and we were
thinking of using a front carrier for the infant and a backpack carrier
for our 26 month old.

Does anyone have experience moving around London with toddlers and an
opinion on stroller (pushchair) versus backpacks?

Also, any recommendations on backpack carriers that are compact. The
one we have is fairly large (albiet sturdy) and might be a pain to fold
away at restaurants etc.

The posters on uk.people.parents might be able to help - I've
crossposted this reply there.

--
Penny Gaines
UK mum to three

wrote in message
...
On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:29:00 GMT, in misc.kids "Welches"
wrote:


wrote in message
groups.com...
Hi all,

This might not be the right group to post this but I thought I would
give it a shot.

We're headed to London for a week with our 26 and 6 month olds. We
will be using the tube/busses etc. a fair bit to tour around London.
My initial thought was that a stroller would be cumbersome and we were
thinking of using a front carrier for the infant and a backpack carrier
for our 26 month old.

Does anyone have experience moving around London with toddlers and an
opinion on stroller (pushchair) versus backpacks?

Also, any recommendations on backpack carriers that are compact. The
one we have is fairly large (albiet sturdy) and might be a pain to fold
away at restaurants etc.

In London a lot (but not all) of buses and all tubes (except at rush hour)
are buggy friendly.

Ah but what about that gap?

If you pull the buggy off backwards I've never had a problem on any train.
Debbie

On Jan 24, 8:21 am, wrote:
Hi all,

This might not be the right group to post this but I thought I would
give it a shot.

We're headed to London for a week with our 26 and 6 month olds. We
will be using the tube/busses etc. a fair bit to tour around London.
My initial thought was that a stroller would be cumbersome and we were
thinking of using a front carrier for the infant and a backpack carrier
for our 26 month old.

Does anyone have experience moving around London with toddlers and an
opinion on stroller (pushchair) versus backpacks?

Also, any recommendations on backpack carriers that are compact. The
one we have is fairly large (albiet sturdy) and might be a pain to fold
away at restaurants etc.

Thanks!

Kevin

No particular experience with London, but maybe I can help you with
carriers. There are a lot of options for back carriers other than
framed backpacks that you might consider. There are soft
non-structured ones like the Ergo, Sutemi or Patapum that are more
similar to the sort of thing you are probably familiar with. Or, you
can try a mei tai like a Kozy or Babyhawk - there are a lot of brands,
but mainly WAHM companies. A wrap could be the most comfortable, but
has a higher learning curve. There is a lot of information at
www.thebabywearer.com - articles, reviews and forums if you have more
questions. (I post at the forums, but otherwise have no affiliation).

(If you are happy with your current front carrier, that's great. But
if not, you might want to look into a mei tai for the 6 month old.)

Oh, and btw, I love being able to travel without a stroller. Yes,
there are times when I appreciate it, but wearing your baby really
gives you a lot of freedom!

Good luck on your trip!

Irene

I'd have thought it would be fine, we don't go to London often, but whenever
we were there with kids, we always did use carriers, but don't dismiss a
lightweight pushchair for the older one, I'm pretty sure all underground
stations became accessible for the disabled a while back now, and the busses
are more and more modern with a large number of those that drop down to
allow easy access for a pushchair or wheelchair, even if they don't, with a
lightweight one you can usually manage to get it up the steps, or fold it if
necessary. I also wouldn't worry too much about restaurants and the size of
a carrier, you need to make sure you are carrying comfortably above anything
else.

Anne

Ah but what about that gap?

If you pull the buggy off backwards I've never had a problem on any train.

I seem to recall it's only a small number of stations that have a gap above
a certain small one which shouldn't be a problem and they announce and warn
you of it and it's still dealable with.

Anne

Hi,

I have used a backpack and a buggy (stroller) to get around the London
underground. I don't live in or near London, so my experiences are as an
occasional tourist.

The underground is underground (suprise!), and is accessed by flights of
either stairs or escalators (lots of them!). I imagine that somewhere there
are lifts to make it disabled friendly, but all the signs telling you where
to go are up the stairs/escalators.

If you are comfortable pushing a buggy onto escalators and across the 'gaps'
for getting on and of the trains, then the buggy is fine. I found this a
pain though. For us, the backpack was easier for navigating things. It is
true that it makes sitting on the tube harder, but your not on there for too
long and more often than not don't get a seat anyway. Also, for us, taking
the backpack meant that I had 2 hands free to hold other kids hands, hold
bags etc.

Have a good holiday,

Suzanne

"Penny Gaines" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Hi all,

This might not be the right group to post this but I thought I would
give it a shot.

We're headed to London for a week with our 26 and 6 month olds. We
will be using the tube/busses etc. a fair bit to tour around London.
My initial thought was that a stroller would be cumbersome and we were
thinking of using a front carrier for the infant and a backpack carrier
for our 26 month old.

Does anyone have experience moving around London with toddlers and an
opinion on stroller (pushchair) versus backpacks?

Also, any recommendations on backpack carriers that are compact. The
one we have is fairly large (albiet sturdy) and might be a pain to fold
away at restaurants etc.

The posters on uk.people.parents might be able to help - I've crossposted
this reply there.

--
Penny Gaines
UK mum to three

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 22:09:33 -0000, Suzanne S put finger to keyboard
and typed:

Hi,

I have used a backpack and a buggy (stroller) to get around the London
underground. I don't live in or near London, so my experiences are as an
occasional tourist.

The underground is underground (suprise!),

Actually, most of it isn't :-)

and is accessed by flights of
either stairs or escalators (lots of them!). I imagine that somewhere there
are lifts to make it disabled friendly,

No, there are not. The majority of stations on the London underground
are *not* accessible to wheelchair users, and if you have problems
taking a buggy on an escalator or up/down stairs then you will also
find them equally inaccessible.

Mark
--
Visit: http://names.orangehedgehog.com - British surname distribution profiles
"I need someone to hide under, should the sky fall on my car"

No, there are not. The majority of stations on the London underground
are *not* accessible to wheelchair users, and if you have problems
taking a buggy on an escalator or up/down stairs then you will also
find them equally inaccessible.

check out http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/maps/ there are links to maps as to
what stations are accessible, the only problem is, despite having a mark for
"inaccessible", many stations are not marked either way, which I presume to
be mean inaccessible, but it very much depends on the station, there are
some, e.g. covent garden that use lifts for everyone, but have a small
number of stairs, making them inaccessible for wheelchairs, but fine for
buggies with 2 adults. Depending on the size of your 26mth old, they can get
very heavy, I've travelled a lot round Seoul with a toddler, around 20mths,
who was incredible small for his age, about the weight of an average 9mth
old, but even with that, it got very tiring and if it hadn't been for the
fact a buggy was impossible on my route to and from Seoul, I would have used
one, as that underground was univerally accessible. With a map such as this
one, you should be able to plan it such that you don't need to be buggy free
every day, unless you really want to do that. I don't know what you plan to
do in London, but plan carefully for the kids, the kind of city break an
adult might do in London is not fun for a toddler, but they are probably too
young to enjoy any of the main children's attractions.

Anne