Ooooo, You guys should buy Retroduo portable device too, since y'all still have the original cartridge.
I know the minority of the video game enthusiast would love a hardware emulation or port instead rely on software or software emulation. I'm kinda good and feel blessed that we have a hardware port for this one and most importantly dragging it to the hotel in another country.
BUT, the hardware disadvantage is lie on Pokemon series, as you watched that you could not do hardware transfer from original Gameboy to 3ds. while that's a bad news? the good news is that you could transfer your pokemon from GBA and above using the hardware trading cable and wireless transfers.