Wheels, Wheels and Stroller Wheels

Hey Ya'll,

I dream of the day of being able to go shopping and not have to worry about what stroller I need to take or if I'm going to be able to get in the store with my stroller on my own. But we make it work here.

One of the things that is so different here in China from (in my limited experience) America is walkways and strollers. Never before in my life have I seen escalators and elevators and even store entrances blocked off so much so that you can't fit a normal stroller through.

Welcome to China!

I have found that it takes two different types of strollers (one with big wheels and an umbrella stroller) to make life work and even a really good baby carrier. In the beginning, when Pickle was really little, the umbrella stroller was not an option so that made going out on my own pretty complicated. But we eventually figured it out and he lived in the baby carrier for a long time. Now we have learned how to get around and when to use the big stroller and when to take the umbrella stroller, cause there is no way I'm putting Pickle in the carrier anymore...he is way to heavy. Ha!

The walkways here in Wuxi are not very even and at times make for a rough ride for the kiddos, but if you have a good stroller with big wheels it makes it a much smoother ride.

Yea...taking a stroller up all those steps.... No way! Baby carrier it is! 

We LOVE the Bob stroller and it gets around wonderfully everywhere we need to go, up and down stairs, off roading, whatever is need. 

Even our favorite Starbucks has stairs to climb to get inside. 

The umbrella stroller is great for shopping! Easy access in and out of the stores and up and down escalators and elevators. 

Do you see the blockades? My BOB in no way fits through there, so umbrella stroller it is! 

Even at the grocery store you have to have either an umbrella stroller or a great group of friends to help you lift it up and over the blockades. We love our friends! 

The big wheels on the BOB come in handy when you have to go up a few flights of stairs and you need to "bump" it up. 

Before moving over, take inventory of what you have and what you need. If possible, purchase the strollers in the states because you will pay much more most of the time for the same type thing over here. My umbrella stroller came from Babies R Us and was about $20. The same thing here goes for about $30.

In essence, with proper planning and knowing what you are in for, you will be just fine. We make it work every day...we just call it our "work out" for the day! So come on over and join in the stroller brigade!