You could hear parents saying to each other, “That’s just what I need.” Riding it was easier with the girls inside – it felt less likely to tip over going around corners. With a bit of lifting, we did manage to get it in to the front garden, but while it comes with a wheel lock and is heavy, I was nervous leaving it out overnight.Being good, aspiring greenies, the next morning our first proper trip in the Christiania was to the nearby farmers’ market, a journey we usually make in the car. As a result, I had to rely on the fragile patience of drivers more than on a regular bike. On the other hand, the extra size meant I was more visible and was given more space.At home, one of the biggest problems with the Christiania became apparent It didn’t fit through our front door. It certainly looked sturdy enough, although riding it took a bit of getting used to.I like to think I’m quite nippy on a bike. But with this thing I had to become part of the traffic, rather than weaving through it.

This meant making a space for myself in the line at lights, and using the main road instead of narrow cycle paths. And how do you to carry the shopping home?

That’s where family cycles come in. While not yet popular here, cycles that can carry two or more children are a common sight in countries such as Holland and Denmark. I decided to see if my family was able to put the cars keys in quarantine for a week…
The ChristianiaThe first cycle we tried was the Christiania – a sort of backwards tricycle (with two wheels at the front and one at the back), with a large square box on the front with a little bench for children, and a red, convertible, soft-top hood. Perhaps this sight – of an animal of such extraordinary strength and power reaching out so gently to a woman who stands tiny before it – is a symbol of all we are about to lose..

There was an outpouring of grief and calls for elephants to be banned from the city for their own safety. Bombay has now announced plans to microchip the elephants so they can limit the number allowed in the city – only four are licensed.One of the more remarkable sights of India are the temple elephants of Tamil Nadu, who bless women by touching them on the head with their trunks. For us, walking, driving, or squeezing on to a cramped bus that barely leaves the doors open long enough to get everything on are usually the only options. Except, that is, for those of us travelling with two or more small children and all their paraphernalia.