Forget knitting and false teeth, the new generation of grandparents are out and about and living it up. A few years ago, retired American tourists started displaying bumper stickers that declared, "We're spending the kids' inheritance". And what started as a joke has become a reality.

It will come as no surprise to most parents that the two most stressful things when travelling with a young family are keeping the children content and packing all their stuff, according to new research. Happily a little bit of forward thinking can help relieve this stress.