Packing with Children
The holiday season is around the corner and it’s time to meet our family and friends. Many of us will be traveling out of the country, and some of us might be traveling alone with kids. Therefore, if you are traveling alone and need a helping hand, consider hiring a travel companion. There are many steps to getting ready for your trip. These include planning the trip, purchasing tickets, making reservations and finally packing. In addition, if you are traveling with kids then you need to do some extra planning.
Bridging the Cultural Divide When Grandchildren Are American-Born
When the grandchildren are American-born, everyone in the family needs to figure out a way to bridge the cultural divide. Culture does not pass down through the DNA. Rather, it is more about sharing the same cultural environment. Spending time together is the best way to get to know each other, seed your grains of values and ethics slowly one at a time. You don’t need an extravagant vacation; it is more about quality time together. Conversations about daily life, school, work and friends do not seem to be very exciting, but it is the foundation for building a relationship over time.
Snack Ideas for Kids on International Flights
International travel can be tiring and exhausting especially if you are traveling alone with kids. Last year I traveled with my 7-month old infant daughter, and later realized that maybe I could have packed some snacks to make my trip even more worry free. I have shared with you my experience of traveling with small children in my last blog, see https://tripcompanion.com/blog/traveling-with-small-children/, so let’s discuss the variety of kid-friendly snacks we can carry on flights.
My In-Flight Asian Brown Bag
Unless you are lucky enough to be traveling in first or business class, you’ll probably find most in-flight meals and snacks are not very appetizing. On some long haul US domestic flights no meal at all is provided. In that case, you need to bring your own food or make a purchase before you board.
Traveling to India for Diwali?
Diwali (”The Festival of Lights”) is one of the most popular Hindu festivals celebrated throughout the globe. If you are planning to travel to India during Diwali, you will experience lots of fun and excitement. During Diwali, all of India is decorated with lights. People worship the Goddess Lakshmi (Hindu Goddess of wealth), light firecrackers, wear new clothes, and exchange gifts and sweets. Diwali is the time when families and friends meet, and if you are planning to visit India during Diwali, here are some tips for you.
Mid-Autumn Festival in San Francisco Bay Area, USA
The mid-autumn festival falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month in the traditional Chinese calendar. It celebrates the harvest and is an occasion for family gatherings and reunions. This year the festival falls on Sunday September 27, 2015.
Enjoying Changi Airport When You Have Long Layover
After our family visit in Penang, Malaysia, we again transited through Changi Airport (the World’s best airport) for a few hours during the daytime on our way home. Now, the fun part really began. I love airports! I enjoy window shopping and browsing the duty free duty shops.
How I Relaxed in Changi Airport During a Long Layover!
When your family lives on different continents, a family get together makes cross-country Thanksgiving travel seem trivial.
The last time we returned to Penang, Malaysia, we had a short transit in Hong Kong and then flew into Changi Airport—the World’s Best Airport 2014–in Singapore just after midnight. We had an early morning connecting flight to Penang, Malaysia. We were looking at a long 8-hour layover, which is not long enough to be worthwhile to book a hotel away from the airport.
Traveling with Small Children
Last year I traveled to India with my 7-month-old daughter to attend my brother’s wedding. I was excited, but at the same time worried about traveling with an infant. As a new mom, I needed to make sure that I had everything planned and ready for the trip, so that my little one could experience her first flight as comfortably as possible. I talked to my friends who had also traveled with infants and made notes. I made a list of all the things required for the trip. I bought some items and borrowed the rest from my friends.
Activities for Long Term Visitors to the USA
When family visits from halfway around the world, they stay for as long as possible—sometimes for months. Staying for a longer time might be because they can’t afford to travel back and forth, or because they want to help out with a new baby or other major life change, or they simply miss you and want to spend as much time as they can with you.
After catching up with relatives from out of the country, however, most people eventually run out of vacation time and have to return to work before their guests return home. Isolation by staying at home alone is not healthy even for older adults. What can your long-term guests do while you are at work and the kids are at school?