HONG KONG!
We are about to embark on day 3 of our adventure! We arrived in the darkness the night before last to Hong Kong, and were escorted by our dear friend's son via train to our adorable little apartment here in the heart of the city in the fish market district. The sprawling city scape is incredible, and reminded me very much of Manhattan NYC, as we too are on an island here in Hong Kong. I was stunned and amazed however, when the sun came up the next day to find that we are also surrounded by mountains beyond the buildings and that we are a couple of blocks from the famous Hong Kong harbour. The view is breath-taking from our roof-top patio, the picture above taken last night says it all!
On our 1st morning, we decided to explore the area to see if we could find a place to buy some groceries and drinks for our place. Within the very 1st 5 minutes on foot in HK, we stumbled upon a beautiful playground right on the harbour 1 block away, Olivia was thrilled. We were completely intrigued in finding countless Chinese doing tai-chi all over the place and in every direction! Some folks were even using the playground to stretch (hanging from the monkey bars) which gave us a little laugh. Only in Hong Kong do the children have to share the playground equipment with the grown-ups! It was completely inspiring to see the passion for good health and spirituality in this culture. Olivia tried a little tai chi too! Adorable.
We ate some delicious authentic Chinese foods, the most interesting was likely the tea-infused boiled eggs - who would have thought! I tried some yummy Congee and a few other unknown yummies. We had a great 1st day filled with exploration of the local markets (incredible fresh foods at every turn) and shopping at the Causeway Bay area - better known as "Time Square". This area completely reminded us of the big apple, only with more people which I didn't ever think was possible! We bought Olivia a couple of things and some pretty clothes, but we are forever confused by the HK dollar as it is 8-1 to our Canadian dollar ($8 HK = $1 CAN) so we still aren't too sure how much we spent! What we do know is that taxi's and food are very cheap, but accomodation is the 2nd most expensive in the world next to London. 1000 sq/ft of living space would cost upwards of $4 million in any given reputable area.
Our friends have been taking wonderful care of us, and we are so grateful. We met the maid that takes care of our friends and their families (almost all families in HK have maids, it's tradition) and Olivia took an immediate liking to her. This allowed Sam & I to enjoy an amazing child-less night out with our dear friend in Soho, an area packed with expats and people from all around the world. The terrain in HK is very hilly, it almost looks like San Francisco in areas, with very steep hills and there are hidden stair cases on every block to take you up and down the hillsides. There were countless high-end restaurants and clubs, and the streets were completely packed, it was such an amazing site. A side to Hong Kong I never imagined to exist.
We are still jet-lagged and poor Olivia has a terrible cough and cold, but otherwise we are so very excited to be here in HK. We're hoping the weather warms up, as it has been quite cool and windy since we arrived. Sam has done a little business with the boys, but mostly we're just taking in all the rich culture of this beautiful place. We have plans today for an exciting trip to "The Peak"and a harbour boat tour, with a laser light show out over the water. Exciting stuff, we can't wait for the sun to come up so we can get this new great day started!
Time to start PACKING!!
We are T - 5 days and counting until our incredible trip to the South Pacific! The greatest struggle I'm challenged with is this...wait for it.... PACKING! Not only is this the longest trip at 3 full weeks that we have ever been on, but the weather varies significantly between countries. Here is the weather trend for our dates of travel to each country as seen on weatherunderground.com:
Hong Kong - Hot - Highs of 25 C , Lows of 18 C - some rain
Melbourne/Sydney Australia - Warm days/cool nights - Highs of 21 C, Lows of 13 C
Nadi, Fiji - HOT HOT - Highs of 30 C, Lows of 22 C - some rain
Santa Monica, California - Warm days cool nights - Highs 21 C, Lows 11 C
Thus, we have 3 weeks of travel with quite cool temps., very hot temps. and rainy times too! Also a 5 night beach vacation smack in the middle! What in the world to pack? We are each allotted 1 big suitcase and 1 carry on (as per our personal rules of management, but technically we are permitted to check 2 bags each) but we will see how that turns out! I'm thinking "layers" is the best approach. Clothing that is great for warmer days with plenty of options to layer over and under. Any of you who know my daughter knows she ONLY wears skirts and dresses so this suits her just fine! She can wear tights/leggings underneath dresses with a jacket/sweater over top for cooler weather, and take off the layers for warmer days - she's an easy solve!
I, on the other hand tend to get a little carried away when packing. There is nothing that makes me crazier during travel than to NOT have the exact right outfit at the exact right moment (with all proper accessories) so I attempt to pack everything - just in case! Clearly that is not going to happen on this trip, and I will have to reduce the quantity of shoes and hand bags too - which will certainly pain me but I will survive (I secretly know Hong Kong is the shopping capital of the world AND the 1st stop on our trip - hehe!). I will have to do the "pre-pack" which is when I lay all the outfits and clothes out on the bed, then force myself to "delete" at least 10 items from that group. This usually works, but then when I discover extra room in someone else's suitcase, I hoard in on them and jam those 10 items in somehow! Okay, I'm starting to sound a little psychotic re: the packing...I think I may even be frightening myself.
Sam's clo
thes are always the most inconvenient travelers. He requires the super annoying "coat bag" for most trips, which adds a piece of very awkward luggage to the pile but is essential since most of his shirts/jackets/pants are dry cleaned items and need to be kept proper (I also sneak nice dresses into this little nook too). After a few trips of noticing him in the same shirt/shorts for 3 days in a row - upon questioning him regarding this, he then revealed that was all he brought! Most men somehow just aren't quite as certain as females are regarding the essentials when traveling, thus I have him choose the clothes he wants to bring, and then I work my magic.
Luckily we have laundry available courtesy of our dear friends abroad, so we will do a wash before leaving Melboune on our way to Fiji. This we be of a great help for sure. Also shopping is available at any turn so we sometimes buy new and give away the old to homeless or local folks in need. That always makes everybody happy.
Hong Kong - Hot - Highs of 25 C , Lows of 18 C - some rain
Melbourne/Sydney Australia - Warm days/cool nights - Highs of 21 C, Lows of 13 C
Nadi, Fiji - HOT HOT - Highs of 30 C, Lows of 22 C - some rain
Santa Monica, California - Warm days cool nights - Highs 21 C, Lows 11 C
Thus, we have 3 weeks of travel with quite cool temps., very hot temps. and rainy times too! Also a 5 night beach vacation smack in the middle! What in the world to pack? We are each allotted 1 big suitcase and 1 carry on (as per our personal rules of management, but technically we are permitted to check 2 bags each) but we will see how that turns out! I'm thinking "layers" is the best approach. Clothing that is great for warmer days with plenty of options to layer over and under. Any of you who know my daughter knows she ONLY wears skirts and dresses so this suits her just fine! She can wear tights/leggings underneath dresses with a jacket/sweater over top for cooler weather, and take off the layers for warmer days - she's an easy solve!
I, on the other hand tend to get a little carried away when packing. There is nothing that makes me crazier during travel than to NOT have the exact right outfit at the exact right moment (with all proper accessories) so I attempt to pack everything - just in case! Clearly that is not going to happen on this trip, and I will have to reduce the quantity of shoes and hand bags too - which will certainly pain me but I will survive (I secretly know Hong Kong is the shopping capital of the world AND the 1st stop on our trip - hehe!). I will have to do the "pre-pack" which is when I lay all the outfits and clothes out on the bed, then force myself to "delete" at least 10 items from that group. This usually works, but then when I discover extra room in someone else's suitcase, I hoard in on them and jam those 10 items in somehow! Okay, I'm starting to sound a little psychotic re: the packing...I think I may even be frightening myself.Sam's clo
thes are always the most inconvenient travelers. He requires the super annoying "coat bag" for most trips, which adds a piece of very awkward luggage to the pile but is essential since most of his shirts/jackets/pants are dry cleaned items and need to be kept proper (I also sneak nice dresses into this little nook too). After a few trips of noticing him in the same shirt/shorts for 3 days in a row - upon questioning him regarding this, he then revealed that was all he brought! Most men somehow just aren't quite as certain as females are regarding the essentials when traveling, thus I have him choose the clothes he wants to bring, and then I work my magic.Luckily we have laundry available courtesy of our dear friends abroad, so we will do a wash before leaving Melboune on our way to Fiji. This we be of a great help for sure. Also shopping is available at any turn so we sometimes buy new and give away the old to homeless or local folks in need. That always makes everybody happy.
Clothes are the easy part to the packing, it's all the "other stuff" that makes it tricky i.e.: pharmaceuticals, sunblock, bug spray, rain gear, hair tools and products, toys & books, toiletries, accessories, etc.etc. The list goes on and on. Well, it's a dirty job to do the packing, but someone has to do it! As a treat to myself, I bought a nice new suitcase with some Christmas gift money, and can't wait to crack her open today! She's a beauty with 4 wheels for rolling and is purple!Planes, trains and automobiles. Transit on our trip!
Traveling with tots in tow is never an easy feat! They have many needs to keep them safe and many pieces of "gear" which all seem to be massive and cumbersome! When we travel, we rarely bring along a car seat as they are huge, heavy and more trouble than they are worth. They need to be checked in to large items or used on the airplane correctly - which Olivia would NOT like, as being restrained for many hours in a car seat would be upsetting and uncomfortable for her. Some parents choose to do so, and that's great too. On Caribbean island trips we don't need one because we are on the resort and if we go anywhere we are in a bus or trolly. In big cities we arrange cars with car seats to pick up and drop us off at the airport, then we use our 2 feet or public transit to get around. We ALWAYS bring our beloved stroller (there's a whole post on the stroller somewhere) but a car seat we have never done, until NOW!
CARSSince we will be flying across the pacific and arriving in Hong Kong, we are going to be staying with friends. Also in Melbourne. We hardly want them to feel responsible to worry about Olivia's car seat, so we bought her a wee travel one! It's the Graco Disney pink princesses booster seat without a full back. It's not one we would use in our cars here at home for any distance of travel, but for getting around while away it is perfect. It is regulation and she loves it, and we can pop it into and out of cars no troubles. We will save lots of money on hiring taxi's and limo's with the seats already installed AND it fits in the suitcase no problem! So I think we have solved that dilemma for this trip, as we are going to be needing to get around some huge cities and interesting places such as HK, Melbourne, Sydney, Fiji AND L.A.. It's great that she meets all height restrictions and will be at the weight restriction any day now. We may even rent a car along the way some place if we are brave enough to drive on the wrong side of the road! Then only place we have ever rented a car is in San Francisco where we drove from S.F. to Napa Valley for wine touring. We've done that trip twice - an AMAZING experience! I should post about that some day...
SUBWAYS
In big cities when not in cars, we rely on subways for the most part. Especially in the huge cities like Paris, N.Y., San Fran etc. but the key to the subways with the little one is to have and use the light weight stroller and when she gets too big, hand holding at ALL times will be the big rule. I'm not a fan of taking Olivia alone on the subways (without Daddy) in N.Y.C. but for some reason I feel safe in Europe??!! Personal preferences I guess. I'm guessing the big cities on this trip will have terrific efficient subway systems too. One thing I'm certain of, is that we will be keeping her in strollers as LONG as possible because we have one busy little girl that loves to explore! Subways are the cheapest method of transit (and sometimes most efficient during traffic times) but there is always lots of walking before and after rides so the stroller is needed for those tired little leggies.
PLANESI know some parents use their car seat or the "C.A.R.E.S." restraint system while flying. This is a 5 point belt system harness like a car seat that attaches to the airplane seat. It is allowed and meets requirements for most airlines. We don't use the C.A.R.E.S. system and feel comfortable and safe with Olivia in just a lap belt since she turned 2. Before she was 2, we had her as a lap child. She is such an avid flyer and knows the rules about the belt (when sitting might as well be buckled in and always when sleeping and when the light is on) and she doesn't mind the buckle at all.
DIFFERENCES
Each parent is different and makes different choices for their child's safety while in transit. Some use a car seat on airplanes and never use the subway systems. Others I have seen jump into a cab without seat belts and a 2 year old on their lap. It is all about what each parent feel comfortable with. Different cultures have different perspectives on transit with children and the laws of in foreign countries are different as well - North America and parts of Europe have the the most stringent laws. My belief is as long as Olivia is as safe as possible, we are comfortable with the decisions we make regarding transit while away from home.
Change of plans and itinerary - but VERY exciting!
We are getting VERY excited about our trip Asia & the South Pacific!
So we purchased our Circle Pacific "One World" tickets with the itinerary below, and of course we were wanting to make changes right away - LOL!
After booking the original trip that included a few days in New Zealand, when I went to book the hotel and make fun plans for our family in NZ, things got tricky. I can only dream how beautiful New Zealand is, but we were flying into Auckland (which is also very interesting) and I realized we were going to have to spend a heap of money to fly from Auckland to other "tourist" mountain places to get the true New Zealand experience.
If we are traveling all the way around the world to a place, I feel it's important to "do it justice" by seeing the best of what that land has to offer, and I knew with NZ, that wasn't going to be possible with a 3 year old. She wouldn't be interested in flying to high mountains and seeing the beautiful sights and landscape. She would be bored, antsy and wishing there were some kids around to play with. SOOOoo all that being said, we made 1 big change and swapped New Zealand for FIJI!!
Since we are traveling to the land down under during their "fall" season, the temperatures are mild, but on the cooler side and not a beach kind of experience as most would imagine when going to these countries. However Fiji is north east of Sydney (4 hour flight) and warmer with temps. of 30 C most days! The price of accommodation at the 4.5 star Raddison on the beach with a 4.5/5 trip advisor rating was $77 a NIGHT! 1/4 the price of a good hotel in Auckland. That was the final selling point for Fiji, so we are booked to spend 5 nights on this incredible island! We are SO excited and thinking we will be needing some "chill and relax" time in the middle of our big adventure!
We are also skipping the 2 nights in LA and staying just for 1, as we are guessing by that time we will be exhausted and wanting to get home already! We are making up that night in Sydney, so we will have 4 nights in Syd. after we are finished relaxing in Fiji. PHEW! So lots of fun plans sorted out and we can't wait to pull out those suitcases again next week!
We are getting VERY excited about our trip Asia & the South Pacific!
We bought "One World - Circle Pacific" tickets. That is a base fare airline ticket that allows you to make several stops around/across the Pacific Ocean. What we will be doing is literally a circle around the Pacific as seen above! Although they are pricey tickets, it's really the only way to go because each flight is a one way ticket, and buying that way would be even more expensive. SO we have finalized the purchase of our Circle Pacific tickets and will be flying with Cathay Pacific and Quantas airlines, 2 of the nicest airlines in the world!
Now that we have our tickets, here is our itinerary!
March 14th - 19th - Hong Kong, China
March 19th - 23rd - Melbourne, Australia
March 23rd - 28th - Auckland/Great Barrier Island - New Zealand
March 28th -April 1st - Sydney Australia
April 1st - 3rd - Los Angeles, USA
April 3rd - Toronto, Canada So there you have it! We are able to make changes to flights at any time for $125 per person, so if we are loving a certain location, we can stay longer or leave places early. I love that feature, as it leaves you so much flexibility!
Phew, now that huge stressful part of traveling is complete, next are the hotels at all our stops! We are VERY lucky to have wonderful friends to stay with in Hong Kong and Melbourne, which will save us lots of $ to spend on hotels in New Zealand, Sydney and L.A. This will be our 2nd biggest cost for the trip after the Circle Pacific tickets. I think I have found a great hotel in Auckland, New Zealand for a great price. It's not a 5 star, but it's very nice, in the best area & near the harbour where we will sail from to the Great Barrier Island for an over night, possibly 2! That will be the highlight of our New Zealand experience for sure!I emailed our wonderful Aussie friends to ask where they recommend in Sydney, as well I spend plenty of time searching sites, reading reviews and communicating via travel forums.
Here are some very useful websites:
Hotel Reviews/Forums - www.tripadvisor.com
Travel Forums - http://www.travellerspoint.com
