Exploring travel styles with and without a nanny

Like many of us, I grew up with a travel bug. Travel was and still is pure joy and the best reset I’ve experienced. I studied abroad to be able to travel more, I only accepted job offers that involved intensive travel, and I married a partner who also loved planning grand expeditions and thrived on exploration. When our daughter came along, the meaning of travel changed entirely. The preparation, the planning, and the journey (and the guilt) all transformed. We were no longer able to take long hikes, dine in extravagant restaurants, or be wildly spontaneous. The change was enthusiastically welcomed. However, there were moments when we still needed time to ourselves for our sanity! I went on a quest to ask other parents how they carve out time for themselves on their trips. Masala features two travel-passionate mothers on how to juggle and also enjoy every single moment of the journey.

Bhavya Kapoor Kumar

Founder of Brushtroke, mother to a 3-year-old and a 10-month-old

Ever traveled with a toddler and an infant? Bring help. And chocolate. Maybe wine too.

Traveling is our love language. It keeps us alive, keeps us happy, and honestly, keeps us from losing our minds. Wanderlust isn’t just a buzzword in our house—it’s therapy, date night, adventure, and adult conversations all rolled into one. So naturally, when we had kids, we wanted to keep exploring. But let’s be real: traveling with little ones isn’t exactly a vacation. It’s more like relocating your chaos to a new timezone. So far, we’ve taken them to seven countries (and counting). Doesn’t matter if it’s a laid-back beach vibe in the Maldives or Mexico or a full-blown sensory overload in India, help is always the MVP.

Back in the U.S., we had an au pair—amazing, but between hourly pay, strict time limits, and the rule that they couldn’t share a room with the kids, it felt like planning a second vacation.

Now that we live in Bangkok, help is more accessible, but it’s still not as easy as tossing the nanny in a backpack. There are passports, visas, hotel rooms (yes, plural), flights, and meals; every trip takes planning (and budgeting). But we do it anyway. Because traveling with a 3-year-old and a baby under one? That’s an Olympic sport. An extra pair of hands turns survival mode into actual joy. Even the smallest things, like sipping overpriced airport coffee in peace or using the restroom without an audience, feel like a luxury.

Then there’s the magic moment: the kids are asleep, the nanny’s on duty, and we sneak out for a cocktail under the stars. That’s the balance we live for. It’s when we stop being co-managers and remember we’re actually married. Full conversations at a jet-lagged date night that reminds us we’re still us. Slightly sleep-deprived, but still us. And it brings us joy to see our helpers experiencing the trip too. We stay in the same hotels, eat at the same tables, and explore side by side. Like that smile our nanny had when she saw the Taj Mahal. Seeing her face light up in front of that monument was one of those moments that reminded us how travel is a gift for everyone involved. Yes, it’s an effort. Yes, it’s costly. But so is packing 48 diapers. We’ll make the money back, but today, if it takes a village to raise a child, ours gets a boarding pass, too.

And one day, when the kids are older and the chaos has calmed, we’ll look back at these wild, messy, joy-filled trips and say: we actually did that—the tantrums at takeoff, the stroller acrobatics at security, the mid-flight diaper blowouts—we’ll remember it all. Fondly. Somehow. Because even in the madness, we were out there, making memories and proving that yes, it is possible to travel with tiny humans…as long as you bring Yakult, backup, and a sense of humor.

Chandini Gulrajani

Restaurant owner, mother to a 1-year, 9-month-old

Honestly, trying to see the world with my little one, who’s not even two yet, and doing it all without a nanny? Man, it’s been a complete rollercoaster. We’re over 10 trips in now, and I’ve learned more than I ever thought possible. We’ve hopped around to some amazing places, like the canals of Amsterdam, the beaches of Bali and Samui, the bustling streets of India, and even the crisp air of Zurich. The absolute biggest hurdle? It has to be just keeping everything together and sticking to some kind of schedule, especially when you throw in jet lag that hits us all like a ton of bricks and being in places where everything feels brand new and a little disorienting. Looking back, I’d say places like Samui and maybe Amsterdam felt a touch easier to navigate without extra help. Perhaps the slower pace or more straightforward layouts made a difference. Privacy is a big thing for us, and since we both work, these trips are our special time to really connect with our baby without the nanny around—it’s amazing how much she develops between each adventure.

If you’re even thinking about your first trip solo with your little one without that extra pair of hands, my number one, absolute top tip is this: pack as light as humanly possible. Seriously, you will thank me endlessly later. And the other crucial thing? Be totally ready to just toss your beautifully laid-out plans right out the window; spontaneity is key! When it’s naptime, and we find ourselves stuck in the hotel room, I’ve basically become a professional multitasker. My tablet has become my best friend. I’m constantly downloading shows or books, anything to just keep me from completely losing it while she’s finally getting some sleep. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, I can even sneak in a little bit of work or a workout.

To make sure we both get a break and don’t completely burn out, my partner and I have this system of taking turns. One of us will be fully on kid duty, doing whatever toddler-focused activity is on the agenda, which gives the other person some precious ‘me’ time. It might just be a quick walk around the block or the simple luxury of a coffee enjoyed in peace, but honestly, it makes a world of difference to my sanity levels. We’ve kind of naturally fallen into our roles. He’s definitely the luggage and transportation guru, handling all the heavy lifting and navigating unfamiliar public transport. I’ve become the go-to for all things meal-related and keeping her entertained.

Exhaustion? Oh my God, it’s a very real thing. We practically live on coffee and make a serious effort to get to bed at a decent hour, although that doesn’t always happen! And you know what? I’ve picked up a few sneaky tricks along the way. WhatsApp video calls have been a lifesaver—we can keep an eye on the baby monitor virtually when she’s sleeping, which actually allows us to have proper date night meals in the hotel’s restaurant sometimes. When we do eat out with her, we’ve learned to be strategic: we look for restaurants with simple menus, order super-fast, and just take turns feeding her so at least one of us can attempt to eat a hot meal. Honestly, things like fruits, little tubs of yoghurt, and just generally easy snacks have saved us more times than I can even begin to count. It’s definitely not always glamorous; there are definitely meltdowns and chaotic moments, but every single trip has been an incredible adventure, and honestly, it’s absolutely worth it.