Any experience traveling to Colombia with a baby?

[paiav]

This is a long shot, but we're headed to Colombia with our 7-month old, and I'm trying to gather experiences from people with first-hand knowledge. In particular, I'm concerned about the car-seat situation. From what I google, it doesn't sound like car seats are commonly used there, and the seat belts don't lock like they do here in the States... Trying to figure out if it's even worth it to haul our car seat there if we won't be able to actually use it/

Anyway, if anyone happens to have experiences to share, thanks in advance

[VillainV]

Still using an infant seat? Those are fairly easy to install without a base even with non-locking seat belts (most have the lock-off built in).

[aleb]

Where in Colombia? I've been several times with my kids and have never taken a car seat. The use of car seats largely depends on the city.

[Jalapeñomel]

I deleted because not helpful.

[paiav]

Thank you for the replies so far! We are still using the infant car seat (Chicco keyfit 30), but I've never installed it without the base, or examined whether there's a feature that will lock even if the seat belts are unlocking. I don't have much (any) free time before we leave, but I'll try and investigate...

We will be in Cali. We are flying into Cali directly, and it's a short trip, so we don't really have plans to travel beyond Cali.

My husband is determined NOT to haul the carseat along because it's so darn bulky. The idea of driving with her NOT in a carseat makes me sick with anxiety. But if I'm going to lobby hard to bring it, I want to be sure we can use it when we get there.

[miamigirl]

Will yo be renting a car? Cars in Colombia are not much different than in the US, you shouldn't have a problem installig it. Most of them won't have latch though, so make sure you know how to install using the seat belt.

[VillainV]

Dec 12, 2015 22:27:28 GMT -5 paiav said:

Thank you for the replies so far! We are still using the infant car seat (Chicco keyfit 30), but I've never installed it without the base, or examined whether there's a feature that will lock even if the seat belts are unlocking. I don't have much (any) free time before we leave, but I'll try and investigate...

We will be in Cali. We are flying into Cali directly, and it's a short trip, so we don't really have plans to travel beyond Cali.

My husband is determined NOT to haul the carseat along because it's so darn bulky. The idea of driving with her NOT in a carseat makes me sick with anxiety. But if I'm going to lobby hard to bring it, I want to be sure we can use it when we get there.

I have the same seat.  I actually just looked up the owner's manual, and it says NOT to do the seat-only (no base) installation with non-locking seat belts.   smile.amazon.com/Remo-RHYTHM-Bongos-Diameters-Graphics/dp/B0002Q1XNA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449893047&sr=8-1&keywords=bongo+drums+for+kids   Pg 37 at the bottom.

However, I've done the base-only installation with locking seat belts lots of times and it's super-easy (look at the manual, and watch some you-tube videos).   Are you sure the seat belts aren't self-locking?  

[paiav]

Dec 12, 2015 22:31:31 GMT -5 miamigirl said:

Will yo be renting a car? Cars in Colombia are not much different than in the US, you shouldn't have a problem installig it. Most of them won't have latch though, so make sure you know how to install using the seat belt.

No car rental. Transportation will all likely be taxi, Uber, or a hired driver of some sort. I have very little information, because my husband planned this trip (it's his friend who is getting married), and... he's not a planner.

[paiav]

(For some reason the quote function is suddenly not working.. I'm replying to VillainV's post above.) Thanks - now that you mention it, I remember looking the car seat up before our last trip and finding that same information, which is why we ended up hauling both car seat and base with us on that trip.

Everything I've been able to google says the cars there don't have locking seat belts, but that is admittedly limited information. I haven't been able to find much on this subject, and I only have a few more days before we leave... ack!

[cookietime]

Do you have a seat for her on the plane or is she lap-sitting? We haven't been to Columbia, but we did travel internationally with DD when she was still in the infant seat. Once she didn't have her own seat on the plane and we checked the carseat at the gate, and once she had her own seat and the carseat fit on the plane and she sat (and slept a little) in it. We never had a problem installing the carseat with just a seatbelt, but the countries we were in had locking seat belts.

Are you staying at a hotel? Could you call and ask the hotel staff what's standard in the area? Personally, I think I'd rather take the carseat and hope to be able to use it, than not have it if it is possible to install.

[paiav]

Dec 12, 2015 22:44:05 GMT -5 cookietime said:

Do you have a seat for her on the plane or is she lap-sitting? We haven't been to Columbia, but we did travel internationally with DD when she was still in the infant seat. Once she didn't have her own seat on the plane and we checked the carseat at the gate, and once she had her own seat and the carseat fit on the plane and she sat (and slept a little) in it. We never had a problem installing the carseat with just a seatbelt, but the countries we were in had locking seat belts.

Are you staying at a hotel? Could you call and ask the hotel staff what's standard in the area? Personally, I think I'd rather take the carseat and hope to be able to use it, than not have it if it is possible to install.

She is lap-sitting. We are staying in a hotel. Calling is not a bad idea. I don't speak Spanish (sadly), but chances are probably fairly good that someone at the hotel will speak English

And yeah, I, too, would rather have the car seat along than not.  But I'm trying to gather as much info as I can in the meantime.