Korea: the Land of Free Rental or Cheap Rental Fee of Baby Strollers...

Since we got a bigger than usual stroller from a friend, and that still occupies a lot of space even when folded, we don't really bring it along with us when we're travelling.  SooAe prefers the carrier or just being held around anyway... 

The humongous Babyra stroller we got from a friend...

Huge basket underneath is a plus though....

(Picture was taken when she was just 6 and a half months old.

She loved the short trips to the mountain park and side of our building

to view the wild flowers.)

The first time we brought that humongous stroller with us, Alex got irritated when he saw an "ajumma" borrowing a baby stroller from LotteMart's customer service counter(?).  Since then, we only bring her carrier when we go to marts.  Sadly for this mart we frequent than Emart or Homeplus, they removed the basket underneath.  

A Capella stroller, if I'm not mistaken.

No basket underneath.

Uh-oh! 

One good thing about it is that I can reverse the handle

such that SooAe can view me and sit still or contented

while being wheeled around.. 

Shinsegae/E-mart and Homeplus and the other malls (like New Core) have strollers too and mostly still have their baskets underneath.   Borrower is asked to show/leave an ID or contact number if IDs or membership cards aren't available. 

Also a Capella stroller.. 

Worrying about sanitation?  Strollers are sprayed and wiped with antibacterial agents before being handed over to the borrower.  They also inspect and then sanitize the stroller again after having been returned. I always have my wet wipes and alcohol with me.  Better safe and sure than sorry...   

(Selected?) Family parks lend strollers for free too.  So while planning for your trips, you might wanna check out the target site's homepage for information on baby stroller rentals.

Last summer, Alex suddenly decided to bring us to a park in Seoul.  While at work, he called me up to tell me to research about Seonyu park.  I was surprised to read about the free baby stroller rentals.   How I wished though that they also have an office just right after the very long land bridge going to the island.  We  had to walk from one end of the island to it's other end just to get a stroller.  The parking lot itself was far enough from the bridge. When visiting, it's better to take the bus mentioned in their site and just get off the station which is really very near the park administration office. 

A Capella stroller too...

Sorry for the photo but this was the best shot I got with the park's stroller...

Basket underneath is actually small and since there were dusty parts in the park,

I preferred to carry around SooAe's diaper bag than

stuff it in the basket.

(SooAe was 8 months here.)

For our early autumn trip last 2011, Alex brought us to Nami Island.  Sturdy baby strollers are for rent at a minimum fee of 3,000KRW for one whole day.  We have an "all seasons" cover for our stroller I actually brought with us but Alex insisted that I leave it behind while I was preparing our things to bring to the island.  He said for sure, the strollers for rent also had protective covers fit for the season.  And to my frustration, they didn't have and so when it got so windy, I had to wrap SooAe in her blanket and put down the shade that she protested a lot.   So make sure you bring along an appropriate stroller cover when you wish to visit the place without bringing your own stroller.  I suggest renting one though.  It will surely save your own stroller's life (especially the wheels) from the not so smooth surfaces or paths... 

Dad was trying to pacify her.. 

She always prefers the carrier... 

(At Nami Island when she turned 9 months old.)

Only last Friday, my Korean mommy friend, Eugene, brought me and another Korean mommy friend to the Kintex' 12th Mom and Baby Fair.  Stroller rental was also for free.  The stroller was big alright but the basket underneath wasn't enough for me.  So with SooAe's jacket, warmer, carrier and baby bag in it, I hardly had enough room for the books I bought.  I held them all with my free hand while I had a hard time making SooAe stay in her seat too while I wheeled her around with my other hand.  In the end, I just used the carrier and used the stroller as a shopping cart.  

The Expo ends today, February 12.

Hurry!

(I forgot to check the stroller's brand name but it has "ryan" on it.

There are actually several brands to choose from.)

Strollers are definitely indispensable but they've also become a hot (not to mention pricey) fashion item that I find "babywearing" more  practical (and still appealing to SooAe), considering there aren't marts or subway stations reachable by foot nearby.  So I thank the marts and parks and these events that provide Mommies like me with strollers that will somehow take the load off my shoulders such that I can safely enjoy my dose of caffeine while doing my shopping or site seeing... ^^,