Really...it's not that bad

Ugh I was reading a CNN article earlier today written by a woman who clearly has no interest in kids and went on to list all the reasons why. Now, I've got no issues with people who don't want kids. Heck, at one point I wasn't sure I wanted kids. It just bugs me though that, among her other reasons for not having them, traveling was her biggest one. Why? Why is it that so many people detest the thought of traveling with their children? I really want to know. Was it because of a bad experience? Are they afraid it will be a bad experience? It's true that it's not always pretty and I've had my fair share of moments when I just wanted to burst out in tears because I was so tired but really, it's not the end of the world. Your traveling life doesn't have to end just because you've added a little one or even little ones. You don't have to be trapped into a life of lame vacations! Get out! See the world! Don't let diapers stop you! Just buy some when you get there.

Don't give in to the thought that traveling with kids sucks!!!!

Annnnnd we're back

Wow, internet is hard to come by in Tunisia! Tunisia was great all around. Sorry it's been a while since I posted. We pretty much had no internet the entire time we were there and then I was sick right after we got back. I guess I had too much fun!

Here's the low down on Tunisia!

The good

• Very child friendly - At least I think so. Maya loved it and had a great time roaming around all the ruins going on "adventures." The Tunisian people looooove children and Maya was always greeted with a smile or a pat on the head. Because of it being a former French colony there is a lot of familiarity in terms of food and drink which will help out. A lot of the cafes are accustomed to catering to tourists and usually offer a fairly western menu but there are still lots of opportunities for the kids to try new things.
  

• The history is absolutely amazing. From the third largest coliseum in the Roman world to the ancient cities of Carthage and Dougga, there are amazing sites around every turn. The vast quantity of incredible Roman mosaics alone are worth the trip.

• It's definitely pretty laid back there. There are tons of cafes and with so many cities sitting right on the Mediterranean it's easy to find yourself wastng away the hours looking at the beautiful coast soaking in the sun.

• It's cheap as all get out. Even the dollar did well there and that's saying something! Taxis are dirt cheap (though you have to watch the drivers like a hawk to make sure they dont touch up the meter). A stop off at a cafe for coffee for 3 people will set you back about...oh $2. I had a steak with Roquefort cheese sauce, fries, some spinach thing and bread for a whopping $9.

• It's olive central. If you love olives, Tunisia is the place to go as there are millions upon millions of olive trees. Ive never seen anything like it in all my life. Miles and miles of groves.

• The landscape is gorgeous. You wouldnt think so since it's a North African nation, but it really looks like southern Spain or Italy. They even have the tall skinny pine trees like the ones in Italy. Combine that with the beautiful, silvery green olive trees and you have yourself an idyllic place to be.

The bad

• It can be tough to find people who speak English so brush up on your French. Learn the basics of shopping, ordering food, and telling time. You'll need all of those things. Most of the people in the hotels speak English, but once outside the hotel you'll need to speak French.

• It's a little trashy. Not like gross but there's a lot of litter. Just something to keep in mind.

• With so many museums, historic sites, and beautiful beaches it's a tourist hot spot for sure. Visiting in the off season is a good bet and you avoid the oppressing heat of summer too!

• Outside of Sfax and a few other cities, there are a lot of roadside restaurants that butcher lamb right there on the porch. It's excellent lamb and you should make an effort to stop at one but be warned that it can be a little graphic to watch/look at.

• Watch out for people who want to help you. They just want to "help" you so they can then ask you for money. We found ignoring people who randomly approach us to be the best idea. All the more reason to brush up on your French.

• Logistics can be difficult mostly because of the language barrier. Some of the best ways to get around require some fortitude and aren't for amateur travelers. Things like the louagge. We did it, but it might freak some people out hopping into a van with 6 other people you don't know going to someplace you've never been before.

All in all I'd say Tunisia is an awesome family destination and well worth the trip if you can make it. I would recommend it for those families that are a little more seasoned unless you just plan on going to one of the beach resort areas. If you go to Carthage, definitely wander your way over to Cafe Neptune. It's incredible eating right on the coast for an excellent price. Order the clams. They're to die for!

Countdown to Camels!

Yes folks, the countdown has begun. If it weren't for Christmas distracting me, I'd already be in a tizzy about going on a trip in just 4 days! We've got our day trip in Germany planned out to deal with our 10 hour layover in Frankfurt. Yes, that's right. 10 HOURS. Oh well, we'll load up on schnitzel, gluvein, and maybe even some good German strudel before we head back to the airport to finish our trek to Tunisia.

I'm getting soooo incredibly excited about Tunisia. I really think it's going to be awesome. Everyone I've talked to so far says that it's great and is an absolute must see. And who could deny that with places like this!

Tunis

Dougga

Photos courtesy The Tunisia National Tourism Office

Absolutely amazing. Maya said she thinks she'll get to ride on a camel named Alice. My cousin's husband is thoroughly jealous that we might get to go to where they filmed some of the Star Wars stuff as he's a big Star Wars buff. I'm sure it will be one giant tourist trap but hey, anything for Star Wars!

Now I have to go wrap about 8,000 presents. OY!

The International Friends Club

One of the coolest things about traveling for us is definitely meeting new people and keeping in touch with them. Take our friend Bill for instance. Bill left today to go back to England after spending ten days with us. It was a great visit and we got to do all kinds of cool things that we normally dont think to do like go to the new Air and Space museum and chilling out at a winery. We actually met Bill a few years ago through his friend Robin who is the son of Ollie and Lynn, the couple we met in Italy 5 years ago. Did ya follow that?! Anyway, since meeting Bill we've gone on a few trips with him and gotten together with him when we've gone to England along with a whole slew of other English friends. It's really awesome to have this whole other place in the world that has a whole group of people that I honestly consider family. At least once on our visits there we have a huge dinner out somewhere where there's like 15 of us. It's just so much fun and has created so many memories. Everyone there is such a joy to be around, including Bill. The man did my dishes every night after dinner for pete's sake! Oh and he loves sci-fi/fantasy stuff too so he's extra awesome in my book lol.

Then there's our good friends in Spain who hosted us for a week last summer Xavier and Lourdes. We met them in Argentina at La Bombanera stadium about 3 years ago. They are just some of the nicest people I know. I think Xavi is quite possibly the happiest man on Earth. I dont think I've ever seen him not smiling. Lourdes is great too and now they are the parents of a beautiful little girl. I can't wait to see them again and introduce Maya to their daughter.

When Josh was in Peru a few weeks ago, he met a Brazilian couple that he's kept in contact with that we may go visit. We also have a friend with family in India and she's been telling us we're welcome to come out sometime. The list just keeps growing! It's so much fun though. Honestly staying with someone in their home in a foreign country is just the best. The experience is completely different and it's so much more fun. So, go on a trip and get yourself some new friends!

Rethink that luggage tag

I have a subscription to Real Simple magaizine which I luuuuuurrrrrvvvvv with all my heart. If you dont have a subscription to it get one! Seriously it's awesome. But, I digress. Anyway, today I was drooling over this month's issue when I came across a little teaser telling me to check out the section on their website for travel. So, being the dutiful read that I am, I did and I picked up two very valuable tips that I had never thought of (among other things).

Tip 1. Call ahead to order room service

I can't count the number of times I've arrived at a hotel late at night "hangry" (yes hangry...that would be the raving lunatic stage when I get so hungry Im angry). Seriously, Im like the Incredible Hulk when it comes to food. I keep telling my husband "Don't make me hungry. You won't like me when I'm hungry" right before my skin turns green and I destroy the nearest physical object. Apparently you can call ahead to your hotel and order room service to be delivered to your room once you arrive. Not all hotels do it so be sure to call before you leave on your trip to make sure they do but holy fagioli, who knew?!

Tip 2. Be smart with your luggage tag

I, like everyone else, just slapped my address and phone number on my luggage tags thinking "Great, now if my bag gets lost they'll know where to send it!" According to Real Simple this is a no no and I agree with them. Putting your full name on your luggage 1. is a big neon sign saying "Hey this person isnt at home, go steal their stuff" and 2. can identify you as a female making it more likely that unsavory types would pick your bag to rifle through. Hey, it happens. Also, for contact information it's much better to list your hotel's address and a number you can be reached at while you are gone as opposed to your home address and home phone number. I mean, really, what are those going to do for you anyway? You're not there!

For more tips from the good people at Real Simple, check out their Travel Advice section

Oh and P.S. yes, I know I havent posted in 20 days. Im preparing for my wet noodle lashing now. :(

World's Scariest Runways!

I had a good chuckle when I saw World's Scariest Runways on Travel & Leisure's website today. Maya's favorite part of plane rides is "blast off" better known as take-off. She also likes landings though those are my least favorite. Im always reminded of the joke some comedian did that goes something like this

Guy 1: Hey! If one of the engines go out where do you think the plane will take us?!

Guy 2: All the way to the scene of the crash

*Badoom-chhhh*

I've had a few white knuckle landings in my day but these all take the cake. Even funnier is that one of our local airports, Reagan National Airport, which we use regularly, is listed. Oops lol. Actually, landing at Reagan at night is truly one of the most beautiful sights you will ever see. You zoom along the Potomac banking left and right, all while looking out the window at the beautifully lit downtown area. Most of the other runways, though, look terrifying. Like the one in Lesotho where you have to fly off a cliff and pull up until you start flying. Talk about buckling your seat belts. And remind me never to go to any beaches close to Princess Juliana International Airport on St. Maarten because the only thing worse than a cloud blocking the sun is a giant four-engine jet airplane...

If you want to see pictures from the other hair raising runways check out Travel and Leisure's slideshow

Baggage Claim

So one of my guilty pleasures is luggage stores. Yes...I'm that lame. I don't know if you've ever been to a luggage store or not, but I feel sorry for the weary traveler who walks into one. There's usually easily over 100 different options and not all luggage is made alike in quality or purpose. Then there's all the various things that go in the luggage. Oh and don't forget the 200 different kinds of carry-on bags.

Josh and I put quite a bit of thought into our last luggage purchase. We got the Heys 4 wheel 360 Spinner set made of lightweight carbon-fiber laced plastic. WHEW! Honestly, if Trunki made a grown up version of Trixie, I would have bought that. Sadly, I had to settle for adult luggage. But the Trunki is a good example of buying luggage that serves many purposes. It's hard-sided making it a good option for kids as they really could care less about how much wear and tear their luggage gets. It's relatively light weight and Towgo has more than one way of holding the bag. The inside is somewhat compartmentalized allowing you to open it without stuff getting everywhere. Finally, there is, of course, the fact that kids can ride on it which makes it fun for them and gives them something to do.

With the exception of riding on your luggage, these are all the kinds of things you should look for in your own luggage. Hard sided vs. soft sided is a bit of personal preference but if you travel a lot, I'd recommend a flexible hard-sided bag. They're like a Timex. They take a licking and keep on ticking. You'll also want to have more than one way to carry your bag. Our Heys luggage has 3 handles and I use all of them. And, again for our frequent flyers, lightweight luggage is a must especially now that they are cracking down on bag weights and increasing fees. The biggest mistake you can make is assuming that any old suitcase will meet your needs. That's the surest way to drop a wad of money on something you'll end up hating. Take some time to think about how you'll use it, where you're going to take it, what you're going to put in it, and how long you want it to last. If you do that, you're sure to find luggage that will last you a while.

Think Before You Pack

This week's theme is Packing! Since I didnt get a chance to make my video last week about packing your carry on I thought I would dedicated this week's posts to packing bags of all sizes! I may not be able to get a video done and I'm without a regular camera this week because Josh is in Peru but I'll try to paint pictures with my words :D.

Today we're going to talk a bit about packing and how to plan for packing. Yes, I said plan for packing. There's a lot to consider when you're going on a trip, especially if you're taking small ones along. It's easy enough for you to make it without your favorite shirt, but that might be a devastating blow to a child. OK maybe not devastating, but enough to make the little ones unhappy and no one wants that.

When you're thinking of wardrobe choices keep in mind that taking coordinating separates with maybe one or two pairs of shoes (and this applies to children as well) really is the essential thing. So for a 10 day trip you can take say 4 shirts in the same color range and 3 pairs of pants, also in that color range. Then take two pairs of shoes that will look good with all of those items and that's all you really need. Unless you're going someplace where you're going to sweat more than Elvis giving a concert in the 70s all of your items can be worn more than once. The caveat to this kind of planning is that kids get their clothing dirty much faster than adults do. Maya, as with many other kids, loves to wear her meals. In this case, you may want to take a few extra outfits just to cover your bases.

Other things to consider when you are planning your clothing choices is not only the temperature but also the elevation of your destination and whether or not you'll be someplace windy. I dont know how many times Ive been caught freezing my behind off because I didnt bring a sweater with me on a day when we ended up going up in the mountains or on a cruise with the wind whipping around me. When you pack your day pack you may want to take a quick glance at the things you know you will be doing or the things you are considering doing so you can be sure to get everything in.

When things go sour

Sour stomach that is! Yes my friends, I'm talking about air sickness. Even worse is air sickness in kids because kids love nothing more than to say "I feel sick" which is always instantly followed by proof that they do, in fact, feel sick. One of the worst culprits of air sickness is getting over heated. In planes where there's lots of people and even less air circulating, it's easy to get overheated. For children, whose bodies haven't fully developed the ability to regulate their temperature well, getting overheated is an easy task. Here are some tips for keeping that queasy feeling at bay:

• Keep a t-shirt in easy reach if they aren't wearing one already for a quick change if your child starts to get too hot.



• If they start getting that special feeling, put a cold, damp paper towel or wash cloth on the back of their neck.



• Look for warning signs of dehydration which can lead to nausea and overheating. Flush cheeks, sweating, and dry lips are all signs that your child needs more fluids.



• Keep some mint or ginger flavored items with you, both of which have been shown to help with nausea.

If the worst happens and your child gets sick, try not to despair. It happens to the best of us. Try to calm them down, take them to the bathroom if you can and try to cool them off. Check with your child's doctor beforehand to see if you can give them any over-the-counter medications in the event your child is suffering from food poisoning. If you can give them medication be sure to pack it in your carry-on so it's available. If food poisoning is the culprit, it is essential to give your child as many fluids as they can take as they can very quickly get dehydrated.

You don't need the kitchen sink...really

I was recently talking to a friend of mine who was stressing out a bit about taking his young son on a long international flight. One thing I told him about was my 8 hour rule. Take what you will need for the length of the flight plus eight hours and THAT'S IT. I'm also a big proponent of not taking too many toys and things. If it's your child's first flight they will probably be more interested in exploring their surroundings than playing with a bag filled to the brim with their toys. Toys are old, planes are new and everyone knows that new always trumps old with kids. Even if it's their second or third flight, they are probably still going to be more interested in the novelty of flying than in anything you take.

When Maya was a baby my carry on looked a lot like this

• One diaper for each hour of the flight plus 5 more (hey this is one area where less is NOT more)


• Two changes of clothes


• Three or four small soft toys (soft because they can be squished into small spaces)


• Toiletries for me (in case my bags got lost)


• A baby first aid kit (baby Tylenol, teething gel, band aids, itch cream, alcohol wipes, q-tips, Neosporin, etc.)


• A few bibs


• Pre-measured formula packets (each packet made 2 ounces of formula); enough for the flight plus 8 hours


• Unopened jarred baby food


• One feeding bottle with disposable bags, two nipples

This was pretty much it. Surprised the list isn't longer? That's because the thing to remember is that anything you need for your trip can be procured when you get to your destination and there's no reason to take everything on the plane with you. If you want to take more toys than this for your trip, pack the rest with your checked luggage or, if you all your bags are carry on, put them in the bag you don't plan to get into. You just don't need a lot of stuff because all it does is weigh you down and make everyone, including your child, miserable.

It's Survive a Plane Ride Week!

First, wow I have fans! Sometimes I thought I was writing into the great ether, but Im so glad to hear that at least some of what I've written has helped! Sorry it's taken me a bit to get back but things have been a changin here in the Young household. Soon after my last post we packed up and went to a wedding in Seattle, then Maya started kindergarten and my brain went to mush adjusting to having to actually think about fixing food for someone a day before they're going to eat it and making sure she hasn't squirreled anything away in her backpack. Darn you mommy brain!

In an effort to make the blog a bit more coherent Im trying out a new idea which is theme weeks. This week is Survive a Plane Ride Week because it is indeed something you have to survive through to get to where you're going, sometimes barely surviving. I've heard and experienced all kinds of horror stories about traveling so hopefully this week I can help you survive a few of those horrors.

My first tip of the week is a little something I like to call a "plane pack." One of the tips I always give to other parents is to put together a pack of toys, games, etc. into a small, mesh bag or other kind of bag you can quickly take out of your carry on and put underneath the seat in front of you. This keeps you from having to get into the overhead constantly which is both annoying and a safety risk. The size of your plane pack will depend on the length of your flight. Something like the one pictured below would be good for a flight of several hours...well for Maya at least lol.

This is Maya's plane pack closed up. I prefer to use mesh zipper packs so I can see exactly what I'm looking for. This is a small version. Maya has a slightly larger one that she takes on international flights that holds more but this will give you an idea of what Im talking about. This pack is about the size of a 5x10 photo so it's small but it has a lot in it.

As you can see, these plane packs can pack quite a bit. I can fit Maya's dolls (and yes, I have great personal shame for the brand of dolls *sigh*), a zippered bag of markers and crayons, a mini watercolor set, and a small pad of construction/scribble paper. It's enough to give her several different things to do while not taking up a lot of space.

Obviously, now that she's 5, Maya's needs are different than a smaller child but you can easily fill a plane pack with toys appropriate for any age. The key is having them in one pack that you can quickly take out of your carry-on. Believe me life is much easier when you dont have to have stuff all over the floor at your feet or up in the overhead where you have to scoot in front of the guy snoring away in his seat.

Later this week I'll have a video on packing your carry on and some more tips and tricks to get you through so keep reading!

Shipping bags? Really?

I keep seeing article after article suggest that people pay to ship their bags rather than pay to check them. Now, I agree that paying to check bags stinks but really...shipping? I've got several problems with this but mainly it's the cost. Using my trip to Tunisia as an example, to ship a 30lb bag (the average weight for an international trip for us) it would cost $667.84 ONE WAY and it would take 6 days to get there. Being a bit more realistic I tried seeing how much it would cost to ship it to Seattle for my brother's wedding. The cheapest option is $126.83. The big bad airline United charges $15 for your first bag and $25 for your second for a whopping $40 if you check 2 bags. Hmmmm which one will I pay.

Cost aside, who wants to have to send off half their clothes up to a week ahead of time to a destination? And if it gets there early will the hotel accept it? What happens if it gets stuck in international quarantine? There are just way too many ifs and, frankly, way too many decimal points for me to justify doing this. Maybe this will be a good reason for everyone to learn to do my favorite thing...pack less!

A Tale of Two Humps

So our trip to Tunisia is starting to take some shape. I dont know why but I always think of North African countries as this weird entity in and of themselves. Everytime I stop and think about the fact that they are in Africa I say "Wow, Im going to AFRICA!" So it looks like we'll spend some time in Tunis, then take a train to Gabes to dork out on Star Wars stuff, then head up to Sousse and back to Tunis.

Maya is very excited about the prospect of riding a camel. She seems to be not at all phased by my warnings that they are, in fact, gross animals. She just wants to ride one. We watch a lot of Discovery channel so she's constantly seeing camels on TV and is completely enamored by them. We'll see how she feels about the reality lol.

Hopefully, Tunisia with Maya will be better than China. China was just too much for her I think. Too much of everything. Today she told us that she didn't like it because we talked about it too much. I've been pretty mum about Tunisia (mostly because I want to avoid the horrified looks of others who can't believe we'd go there) so hopefully she won't be tired of it when we go there. I think it's good for kids to experience things that are far outside of the realm of their known world but, as everyone knows, sometimes too much of a good thing can be bad.

Unpacked Goes to the Potty

Alright, Im going to deal with a "smelly" issue but one that strikes fear into the hearts of even the most hardened traveler: weird bathrooms. This is all brought on because I kind of chuckled the other day when a friend of mine posted a picture of a "gross" toilet in Hong Kong and it looked just like the one in my house. The toilet bowl half filled with water weirded her out. Conversely, when she showed me a picture of her toilet at home I told her how we hated those toilets. She couldn't believe it. To each their own we decided.

It's always a bit of a harrowing experience when you are on a trip and come across facilities that are, well, less than stellar. If you're traveling with little ones it's even worse because they don't always understand that this is IT. (Actually, it may potentially be worse with teenagers because they are more prone to be grossed out but seeing as Maya s only 4 I have ten more years to desensitize her. ) Maya and I had some "fun" times in China dealing with their public bathrooms as 90% of the bathrooms there have squatting toilets not to mention they usually left a lot to be desired in the cleanliness department. If you think changing a diaper on an airplane is hard, try getting a wriggly preschooler to squat over a toilet and not hit anything!

Sometimes the bathroom may have normal fixtures but be dark as a cave. Ive gone in ones where you practically needed a flashlight to find your way around. I wont even talk about the most evil of all evils, the port a john. That would just be too much for you tender readers. Then there are the ones that have no working sinks or where you have to pay just for the pleasure of having toilet paper. Those are awesome

I know this isnt the most pretty of topics to write about but hey, Im here to help. I'm suffering for YOU! OK, maybe not but I'm sounding the warning call at least. Be prepared for ANYTHING when you're on travel, especially weird bathrooms.

Where'd I go?

Wow slacked off there lol. Sorry!!!! That second week in China was just so draining and, now that we're back, Im even more drained.

So the last week we went to Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors and to Gui Lin which is quite possibly the most beautiful place Ive ever seen. Just gorgeous with an almost unnatural beauty. After that we headed back to Beijing for all of about 18 hours, squeezing in a visit to the Lama Temple which was awesome, and then it was back to the states. Oh and to work the very next day. OUCH!!

So overall I would say the trip was good but really I ended up having a bit of a love hate relationship with it. I LOVED seeing all the sights. They were just amazing. I didnt love the dirt, smog, congestion, and cleanliness issues that come with going to China. In the end, I loved it but at the same time, Im not in a hurry to go back. I'd go back to Gui Lin and Shanghai maybe but probably not with Maya.

As for Maya, well, let's just say China wasn't on her list of favorites. I think it was just too much for her. Too much to look at, too many things she couldn't do (for safety reasons), too many people wanting her picture. I think it was just overload and that combined with turning 5 soon (and thus knowing the answer to life, the universe, and everything) it was just too much. I'm STILL battling with her some even now that we're back at home. I think she's maybe still adjusting. OK I'm HOPING she's still adjusting. The good news is that she seems very happy to hear that our next international destination, Tunisia, is probably going to be a lot like Turkey. I really think she wishes all of our trips could just be to Turkey because she loved it there. Oh well. Hopefully we can get back into a more normal system and she can be normal again. Please, please be normal again :p

Don't forget to check out Josh's gorgeous pics! You can find them here:

Beijing

Shanghai

Xian

Gui Lin

Shanghai: China for the Sheepish

If you're concerned about traveling too far out of your comfort zone but would like to visit Asia, I have a place for you and it's called Shanghai. Glitzy, modern, fresh and familiar, Shanghai is the place to go if you want to experience China but not feel too much like you're in the twilight zone. We arrived here yesterday and are staying in the Daning area of Shanghai. We are right across the street from a huge western influenced pedestrian shopping area. When I walk outside I feel like Im right back at home. Usually, I shy away from these kinds of places when we're on travel and enjoy fully immersing myself in the local culture of wherever we are. I have to say though, it's nice to have at least 2 days of home away from home before we head off for the more out of the way areas of Xi'an and Guilin.

Downtown Shanghai is reminiscent of London and New York with huge shopping areas, lots of skyscrapers and beautiful museums. If you took away the signs in Mandarin you wouldn't know you were in China. Shanghai boasts a whopping 6,000 skyscrapers as well as the famous strip known as The Bund. Heavily influenced by it's past ties with the English and French, Shanghai is a modern city with it's eye on the future. Despite being treated as a bit of a step child in 70s and 80s, it is making a resurgence as China's premiere city for foreign travelers.

Of course, all of this could possibly be influenced by my euphoria after getting the most amazing hour long foot massage downstairs in the spa for the horrifically low price of $30 USD. At least there's one place in the world where the dollar is worth something!

Saying Goodbye to Beijing

Today was our last full day in Beijing. Tomorrow we leave for Shanghai for two days. After that it's Xi'an and Guilin. These past couple days ahve been pretty relaxing. We took a taxi out to the Summer Palace the other day which was just beautiful. Of course, there were the droves of people wanting pictures with Maya but overall it went well. The Imperial Summer Palace complex is huge with many beautiful buildings and temples the most beautiful of which was the Temple of the Fragrance of Buddha. There was also the beautifully restored Long Corridor which was a covered walkway spanning several hundred feet with over 14,000 intricate paintings on the ceilings.

Yesterday we accomplished almost nothing with the exception of going to the Silk Market. The Silk Market is know world wide for being the place to go for high quality fakes. They had fake everything from Polo Ralph Lauren to Dolce & Gabbana. Going there with Maya proved difficult as she wanted to say hi to anyone and everyone which just got them engaged in conversation. While we didnt stay long we did manage to score and incredible carved wooden mask. It's so awesome. I can't wait to hang it. Maya even got a four faced buddha out of the deal which she was very happy about.

Today was Hou Hai area and the Bei Hai Park area. Maya loved walking around and seeing all the fish. We even got her a little parisol to walk around with.

So far I've been a little disappointed in my findings for things for kids to do. I know there is stuff to do, but it's not as readily accessible as I thought it would be. We've shied away from the zoo and the aquarium just because of worries that the quality wouldnt be that good. Beyond that, Ive not seen one playground. It's really a shame. Hopefully, the other cities we visit will boast more kid friendly areas.

Travel Immunizations, Better Known As Evil Pain Sticks

So today I took Maya to get her one and only travel immunization for this trip. I got her vaccinated for Hepatitis A. There are no required vaccinations for travel to China, only recommended ones. They are Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, and Malaria (through taking anti-malarials). I chose to only get Maya the Hepatitis A because it's water and food borne and is much more damaging than Typhoid Fever. The travel consultant actually told me that many pediatricians are now adding Hep A to the list of regular vaccinations for children because it is becoming so prevalent in places like daycares so Im glad I got it for her. All of the others can be avoided through simple but very important procedures such as hand washing and wearing insect repellent that is at least 30% DEET (which is generally safe for children over a year old as long as you wash it off every night).

So back to the appointment... I thought things were going well. When we got to the office Maya realized that everyone was wearing lab coats and asked me if it was a doctor's office. I said "It's a special doctors office for people who are taking trips." She asked me if she had to get a shot and gave me that "Dont lie to me" look so I told her that yes indeed she had to get a shot. She seemed to take it well and was joking and laughing. That is, until we got back in the office and she felt the alcohol swab on her arm. Once she felt the swab, she totally freaked. It eventually took three of us holding her down to give her the shot. I felt so bad. I thought she would get somewhat upset but nothing like how she reacted. It was almost as if we were coming at her with a red hot poker. I was really taken aback by her reaction and now Im dreading getting her up to date on her regular immunizations next week as she has to get 4 shots. She might be getting a tranquilizer for that one because I dont think even numbing the area will work. The very sight of the needle seems to set her off. Ugh. Thankfully after this she should be done with the exception of getting one more Hepatitis A shot which will cover her for life.

Three Weeks Until China!

So our big trip is just three weeks away!

Ive decided Im taking very little clothing and I'll just wash it out a lot. I'm taking three shirts and two pairs of pants. Im taking all long sleeved/long pants that can be rolled up because I want to make sure we have protection in Guilin but I dont want to be taking extra clothing. I was going to buy stuff at REI but man it's just so expensive and old navy has a sale goin on so I got these in this color and a dark grey



and this in khaki, olive grey, and a rusty red color called Indian Clay


I definitely want to get some good quality sneakers though and those might cost a bit. Im also considering getting a travel vest so I'll have something to put my shiznit in while we're walking around. I got Maya two pairs of roll up pants, I just need to get her some lightweight long sleeve shirts. She an I both will benefit from the long sleeve/long pants stuff too because we are both very fair skinned and burn at the very sight of the sun.

Maya has to get at least 6 shots in the next 2 weeks, poor thing. I'm definitely getting her a Hep A shot but Im waffling on the Typhoid. I just dont know if she REALLY needs it but since it's water borne I guess its better to be safe than sorry. They're $80 a pop though so ick. She's already got Hep B and all of her other regular vax I just need to get her her last booster shots which is where the other 4 shots come in. Even with the shots I'll be like the hawk I always am. No fresh fruits or veggies, bottled water only (even for teeth brushing), no ice, no street foods, all meat cooked to within an inch of its life and lots and lots of hand sanitizing.

Most places we've been I havent been too worried about sanitation. Egypt I was a little worried but we did just fine. China has me a little on edge when it comes to sanitation but Im sure it will be ok as well. I think China is a lot like Egypt in that there is this kind of shellac of niceness that is put up for the tourists but without much work you can get to the really ugly underbelly of grossness. We just have to be careful. That statement has nothing to do with the actual people of China, it's just a reality when you are dealing with a rapidly growing, industrialized nation. We went through it too.

So anyway, I feel like I have so much to do!

All Roads Lead to China!

Ack! I never did update about my second day in Lancaster. My friend Jes is never going to forgive me. Well real quick, the second day there consisted of waking up late, eating a glorious breakfast complete with a caramel macchiato procured by Mr. Wonderful himself, Duane (Jes' husband). Then we drove around the surrounding area and even stopped to take a look at a bald eagle's nest. That thing was huge!!! Of course, there was more Sonic but after that it was time to go :(. I had such a great time and I can't wait to go back!

Now onto our next adventure...China. We leave in just about three weeks. Wow, three weeks. I never thought I would ever in my life say "In three weeks Im leaving for China." Im excited and nervous all at the same time. Josh has been happily procuring more and more photography equipment for the trip, mostly at my encouraging. He's got a great lightweight tri-pod, a new fisheye lens AND a brand new Nikon D300.

I have been busy planning what to take. We are planning to pack extra light on this trip so I think Im going to invest in some good quality travel clothing that can be quickly washed out and dried. Good quality travel clothes can be expensive but, if youre like me, they can also be worth the cost because the quality is so much better. Paying more once for something that will last for years through trip after trip after trip is much more cost effective than buying cheaply made clothes that fall apart after one or two trips. I put clothes through their paces so I want something sturdy. Today I was looking at both Cabella's and Columbia Sportswear who both seem to have some great items like zip pants that can turn into shorts and long sleeve shirts with tabs so you can roll up the sleeves. Also, they are all made from good quality, breathable materials which will be really important. So Im off to do some shopping!