Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Despite such exceptions, there are very few child-oriented facilities in the region. In most hotels there are generally
no discounts for children. Likewise, on public transport, if you want a seat it has to be paid for. Most local children
travel for free on buses but spend the whole journey on their parent's lap.
In addition to the length and discomfort involved in road journeys, possible concerns include the scarcity of medical
facilities, especially outside major cities, and the difficulty of finding clean, decent bathrooms outside of midrange and
top-end hotels. Canned baby food, powdered milk and sometimes also baby cereal (usually with sugar in it), disposable
nappies, wipes and other items are available in most capitals, but not everywhere, and they are expensive. It's best to
avoid feeding your children street food.
There are other factors to bear in mind when travelling with kids. The rainy season may mean that temperatures are
lower, but the risks of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases are higher. At all times, bring mosquito nets along for
your children and ensure they sleep under them. Bring child-friendly mosquito repellent and long-sleeved shirts and
trousers.
For more information and hints on travelling with children, Lonely Planet's
Travel with Children
is highly recom-
mended.
Customs Regulations
Except in CFA (Communauté Financière Africaine)-zone countries, the import and export of local currency is either
prohibited or severely restricted to negligible amounts, although enforcement of this regulation is fairly lax. As part of
their fiscal control, some countries use currency declaration forms. More commonly, control consists simply of asking
how much currency you have. Or, you may occasionally be asked to open your wallet or show the contents of your
pockets - a wallet bulging with cash is likely to prompt underpaid and ever-hopeful airport agents (ie police and cus-
toms officials) to suddenly discover (ie invent) fictitious currency regulations that you've just violated by a sizeable pro-
portion of the amount you have in your wallet.
It's worth doing a bit of advance planning to avoid a scenario like this. Divide your money and store it in several
places so it's not all in one lump, and try to look as savvy as possible when going through customs checks. Responding
creatively to questions is also helpful, for example explaining that you rely on a credit card for the majority of your ex-
penses (be prepared to show a card), or (if it's true) explaining that you're just in transit and thus don't have much
money with you.
