A few weeks ago, I overheard my father-in-law ask my husband (over the phone) when we were going to China next. I gave my husband a knowing look. We've travelled to China twice since we've been married, once when our daughter was fourteen months old, and then three years later, when our daughter was four and our son was fourteen months.
Both trips were exhausting, stressful, and required months of planning, largely because we travelled with babies. Both my husband and I had travelled to China by ourselves a number of times before that, and even those trips were tiring and required lots of planning. Keeping a Cheng baby happy on the 14+ hour flight required backpacks full of extra diapers, clothes, medications, and toys.
Once we were in China, we then faced new stresses and challenges: how were we going to get around the city with our kids? What were the kids going to eat when we met family and their friends at restaurants? Where were the kid-friendly places in Shanghai and how could we get to them?
By the end of our second trip to China, we had tried and true "tricks" for traveling around the city (avoid rush hour), restaurant dining (ask the host to order soup noodles), and keeping the kids entertained (short trips to parks in the neighborhood). But we also made a pact to never again make this long trip with young kids (i.e. under 2 yrs)--it was just too difficult.
So when are we going to China again?
We aren't--at least for now, but we are sending a family representative next fall--my husband. He'll be going on a short genealogy trip--to collect stories, photos, and information about his ancestors (more on this later!). He heard many stories when he was young, but in the last few years, several of his family's key story-holders (grandparents and great grandparents) have passed away. He feels the urgency to record his family history before the stories are lost or forgotten. By travelling alone, he'll be able to focus on collecting this info and move quickly around the city.
How do you approach family trips to China? Do you travel together or make the trip alone?
(2006 trip to China) (2010 trip to China; stopover in Japan)
Both trips were exhausting, stressful, and required months of planning, largely because we travelled with babies. Both my husband and I had travelled to China by ourselves a number of times before that, and even those trips were tiring and required lots of planning. Keeping a Cheng baby happy on the 14+ hour flight required backpacks full of extra diapers, clothes, medications, and toys.
Once we were in China, we then faced new stresses and challenges: how were we going to get around the city with our kids? What were the kids going to eat when we met family and their friends at restaurants? Where were the kid-friendly places in Shanghai and how could we get to them?
By the end of our second trip to China, we had tried and true "tricks" for traveling around the city (avoid rush hour), restaurant dining (ask the host to order soup noodles), and keeping the kids entertained (short trips to parks in the neighborhood). But we also made a pact to never again make this long trip with young kids (i.e. under 2 yrs)--it was just too difficult.
So when are we going to China again?
We aren't--at least for now, but we are sending a family representative next fall--my husband. He'll be going on a short genealogy trip--to collect stories, photos, and information about his ancestors (more on this later!). He heard many stories when he was young, but in the last few years, several of his family's key story-holders (grandparents and great grandparents) have passed away. He feels the urgency to record his family history before the stories are lost or forgotten. By travelling alone, he'll be able to focus on collecting this info and move quickly around the city.
How do you approach family trips to China? Do you travel together or make the trip alone?
Has family history ever been a focus of one of your trips?
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