Traveling to Hong Kong with young kids
I have had many friends ask me for advice on traveling with kids to Asia before so I thought maybe best to just share with you all in one single blog entry.
This is just based on our experience 2 years ago when our son was 4 and daughter had just turned 2. We travelled from Toronto to Hong Kong (15 hour flight).
I hope you find something here to help you if you are looking for advice on planning a trip that requires long haul travel...or if you are simply reading...enjoy! :D
In our situation, we decided for both kids to sit with me (I am in the middle), with my husband sitting on the aisle seat of the middle row in case I needed him.
We travelled after my daughter's second birthday which meant she had to pay full price for the seat. However, we would have paid for it anyways even if she was 18 months. We travelled with her to Orlando when she was 11 months and it was too much trouble even at 11 months (for a 3 hour flight). I would say if you can afford it, buy the ticket.
On our return, the flight left at 4PM local time. Keeping into account that they must have been dead tired after 3 weeks in Hong Kong, the time worked to our advantage -- after settling in the flight, and eating one of the meals, the cabin lights are actually shut off at essentially 'night' time for the kids. On our flight home my son slept for 12 hours straight.
Sleep:
This was my biggest concern at the time. I had trained my kids to NOT fall asleep in the car so I was very worried about how they would sleep sitting up in a 15 hour flight.
I ended up turning our seats into 'campers'. I tucked blankets at the top of the seats and politely asked the people seating in front of us to let me tuck them in their seats too. This essentially kept their sleeping place dark and the kids seemed to like that.
The space was very tight but I managed to have them both lay flat in 2.5 seats (me taking the other .5 seat)
I ordered a kids meal on the way to Hong Kong>..... Big mistake. Not worth the change. Just order whatever others order. My son has a nut allergy so that was the only thing I watched for on our flight back.
For drinks, if you use a Foogle, open the cover when the flight ascends and descends. The pressure in the atmosphere can cause your liquid to explode when you open the cap.
I kept one bottle with just water and one with milk. Remember, when you check in you bring an EMPTY bottle with you. Once you are inside, you fill your bottle with water (or buy).
Both kids brought the monkey they sleep with at home with them. Make sure your kids bring something they can cuddle with. And as an afterthought, I should have gotten a lightweight blanket. We used the ones on the flight but by the second half of the flight my kids started complaining of being itchy.
After this trip I bought one at the airport (exactly the same - very lightweight) and use our own now
It goes without saying - wear something comfortable...maybe even PJs for the kids.
ALWAYS bring a second set of clothes on board for every one (not just the kid). I put them all in different Ziploc Bags so that I can find them fast
As it turned out, both of my kids vomited when we descended into Hong Kong so all 3 of us had to change!
My son was toilet trained by then but my daughter was still in pull ups. Even if your kid isn't fully toilet trained it might be a good idea to consider using pull ups instead of diapers for a simple reason -- they are easy to change!!!! The flight washroom is TINY and it is not easy to change diapers!
One complication we had was for my son - we had to bring his toilet seat cover with us (very bulky) because he could not go without it - and on a 15 hour flight we had no choice!
I dont' know if this is considered a toiletry but bring bags - in case someone vomits, or you have dirty clothes. There are some scented garbage bags in a roll you can buy at the Dollar Store - they come scented too as an added bonus.
I commissioned my husband for the task of getting a lot of videos, movies and games in different formats before the trip. It is going to add weight on your luggage but it is worth the hassle: we had an ipad, two nintendo DS, and a macbook in addition to the in flight entertainment. Get stuff the kids have seen and also stuff they have never seen but you guess they will like.
Colouring books and toys:
You have to be realistic and there is only so much you can bring with you on board. So we bring usually a colouring book and a notepad with some crayons and pencils and stickers. Remember: your kids will not be allowed to use any electronics when the plan ascends or descends so you will need to rely on these!
Headphones:
We did not realize how bad we would need PROPER headphones for little kids until we were there. Try to get something that is compact but that covers the little one's entire ear. They might not like it when you are shopping for it but once you are ON the plane, they will want it. The ones they give on the plane do not stay in their small ears.
I pack everything I can think of: Advil, Tylenol, Gravol, Benadryl are a must. And I ended up using Gravol (motion sickness) and Benadryl on the plane.
- Don't take out the best movies or toys during the first half of the trip if you can help it. Remember...it is a long flight!
- If you are traveling as a couple - take turns....when one is ok watching the kid, the other should be sleeping!
- Try to time things right (as much as possible) -- During the ascend, get your baby to drink milk or your toddler to have a lollipop (crackers are finished too fast...lollies are best). During the descend, because the flight starts descending about 30 minutes before touching ground (and after that there might be up to 20 or more minutes to transit), if your kid is sleeping, make sure you give them time to adjust. We made the mistake to let them sleep until the very last minute and we believe that is why they both started vomiting during the descend (yeah, it was not pretty).
Here are just some observations and lessons we learned. They may or may not work for you.
- I don't have a lot of better advice on this other than that. Eventually everyone will adjust but it's just one of those things we will just need time!
Health:
- If your kid has allergies you will have to be vigilant. The general public's understanding of food allergies in Asia is very different and they may think it's a matter of choice rather than a life or death situation.
- Our kids had hives for 4 days straight even though they never consumed any nuts. Thank God after the 5th day the hives subsided and we no longer needed to give them Benadryl.
- Always bring a light sweater with you in Hong Kong. The air conditioner and the actual temperature is so different it is very easy to get sick. Add that to the fact that your kid will most likely fall asleep in public at some point.
- Hong Kong does not sell Benadryl nor Tylenol on the shelf. It is by prescription only. Panadol is used more commonly for fever (that is why I am saying bring all the drugs with you)
- Bring a thermometer
- We were big on not crashing the kids - so we tried to keep their nap times as much as possible. You might think I was crazy for even trying but my motto has always been - "I'd rather be happy out with the family for only 1 hour than be miserable out for 4-6 hours". So we tried to break our days into 2 parts, giving the kids time to nap back at home anywhere between 3 - 5 PM
- After 1 week we started asking friends that were closer to consider buying take out and coming to our place for lunch/dinner. This is very rare in Hong Kong but we insisted it was better - and it was - because the kids could watch tv, play, take a bath and go to nap/bed. It was not as crazy busy or loud so that the adults can talk, and we did not have to go through the hassle of going from one place to the other carrying little ones
This is just based on our experience 2 years ago when our son was 4 and daughter had just turned 2. We travelled from Toronto to Hong Kong (15 hour flight).
I hope you find something here to help you if you are looking for advice on planning a trip that requires long haul travel...or if you are simply reading...enjoy! :D
Flight
Seats:
First of all, note that many long haul planes nowadays do not have the 4 or 5 seaters in the middle. So the first thing you must prepare for is to decide how you will sit IF you have more than 1 kid.In our situation, we decided for both kids to sit with me (I am in the middle), with my husband sitting on the aisle seat of the middle row in case I needed him.
We travelled after my daughter's second birthday which meant she had to pay full price for the seat. However, we would have paid for it anyways even if she was 18 months. We travelled with her to Orlando when she was 11 months and it was too much trouble even at 11 months (for a 3 hour flight). I would say if you can afford it, buy the ticket.
Time:
Beware of your flight's departure times. I never noticed until after our trip. Our flight left Toronto at around 10 in the morning. This made the check in process a rather easy process (no need to wake kids up early or drag them out late at night). However, it also meant that my 4 year old was absolutely awake for most of the flight. My 2 year old also stayed awake for most of the flight to Hong Kong. While my daughter slept a little, my son only slept for 2 hours.On our return, the flight left at 4PM local time. Keeping into account that they must have been dead tired after 3 weeks in Hong Kong, the time worked to our advantage -- after settling in the flight, and eating one of the meals, the cabin lights are actually shut off at essentially 'night' time for the kids. On our flight home my son slept for 12 hours straight.
Sleep:
This was my biggest concern at the time. I had trained my kids to NOT fall asleep in the car so I was very worried about how they would sleep sitting up in a 15 hour flight.
I ended up turning our seats into 'campers'. I tucked blankets at the top of the seats and politely asked the people seating in front of us to let me tuck them in their seats too. This essentially kept their sleeping place dark and the kids seemed to like that.
The space was very tight but I managed to have them both lay flat in 2.5 seats (me taking the other .5 seat)
Meals:
I ordered a kids meal on the way to Hong Kong>..... Big mistake. Not worth the change. Just order whatever others order. My son has a nut allergy so that was the only thing I watched for on our flight back.Snacks and Drinks:
Pack lots of snacks for them: goldfish, cheerios, lollipops (yes, lollies,keep reading), candies, etc. Remember it's a long haul flight. Offer variety. They will need to chew on something when the flight ascends and descends (I find descending is harder because it is longer)
I kept one bottle with just water and one with milk. Remember, when you check in you bring an EMPTY bottle with you. Once you are inside, you fill your bottle with water (or buy).
Blankies:
Both kids brought the monkey they sleep with at home with them. Make sure your kids bring something they can cuddle with. And as an afterthought, I should have gotten a lightweight blanket. We used the ones on the flight but by the second half of the flight my kids started complaining of being itchy.
After this trip I bought one at the airport (exactly the same - very lightweight) and use our own now
Clothes:
Dress the kids (and yourself) in layers. The temperature in flights can fluctuate and you don't want to be hanging onto thick jackets the entire time.It goes without saying - wear something comfortable...maybe even PJs for the kids.
ALWAYS bring a second set of clothes on board for every one (not just the kid). I put them all in different Ziploc Bags so that I can find them fast
As it turned out, both of my kids vomited when we descended into Hong Kong so all 3 of us had to change!
Toilettries:
If you have a baby, it goes without saying you will have to bring enough diapers. But aside from that, you should bring toothbrush and toothpaste, a face towel, and wipes. We always bring the Costco Kirkland wipes because they do not dry up and there is plenty for the entire 15 hour flight!My son was toilet trained by then but my daughter was still in pull ups. Even if your kid isn't fully toilet trained it might be a good idea to consider using pull ups instead of diapers for a simple reason -- they are easy to change!!!! The flight washroom is TINY and it is not easy to change diapers!
One complication we had was for my son - we had to bring his toilet seat cover with us (very bulky) because he could not go without it - and on a 15 hour flight we had no choice!
I dont' know if this is considered a toiletry but bring bags - in case someone vomits, or you have dirty clothes. There are some scented garbage bags in a roll you can buy at the Dollar Store - they come scented too as an added bonus.
Entertainment:
Electronics:
I commissioned my husband for the task of getting a lot of videos, movies and games in different formats before the trip. It is going to add weight on your luggage but it is worth the hassle: we had an ipad, two nintendo DS, and a macbook in addition to the in flight entertainment. Get stuff the kids have seen and also stuff they have never seen but you guess they will like.
Colouring books and toys:
You have to be realistic and there is only so much you can bring with you on board. So we bring usually a colouring book and a notepad with some crayons and pencils and stickers. Remember: your kids will not be allowed to use any electronics when the plan ascends or descends so you will need to rely on these!
Headphones:
We did not realize how bad we would need PROPER headphones for little kids until we were there. Try to get something that is compact but that covers the little one's entire ear. They might not like it when you are shopping for it but once you are ON the plane, they will want it. The ones they give on the plane do not stay in their small ears.
Medicine:
This is the most important thing you need to bring with you in my humble opinion. I have a son who is allergic to nuts so you can imagine my trepidation being on a plane full of Asians who are used to eating nuts!I pack everything I can think of: Advil, Tylenol, Gravol, Benadryl are a must. And I ended up using Gravol (motion sickness) and Benadryl on the plane.
Final advice about planes:
- Walk with your kid during the flight - as far as the flight attendants allow you to. It will be good for both of you to stretch out- Don't take out the best movies or toys during the first half of the trip if you can help it. Remember...it is a long flight!
- If you are traveling as a couple - take turns....when one is ok watching the kid, the other should be sleeping!
- Try to time things right (as much as possible) -- During the ascend, get your baby to drink milk or your toddler to have a lollipop (crackers are finished too fast...lollies are best). During the descend, because the flight starts descending about 30 minutes before touching ground (and after that there might be up to 20 or more minutes to transit), if your kid is sleeping, make sure you give them time to adjust. We made the mistake to let them sleep until the very last minute and we believe that is why they both started vomiting during the descend (yeah, it was not pretty).
In Hong Kong.
Here are just some observations and lessons we learned. They may or may not work for you.
Jet Lag:
- The biggest concern is jet lag. My kids at home regularly would wake up at around 7AM, nap from 2-4 and bedtime at 8PM. I knew that was not going to happen. On our first day there we tried to keep the kids awake until the very end. My daughter didn't last and fell asleep on my arms before dinner. I think we managed to put them to bed at a decent time (9PM). On the first morning they woke up at around 4 AM and we tried to tell them it was not time to wake up yet. We managed to keep them in bed till around 5 or 6 AM.- I don't have a lot of better advice on this other than that. Eventually everyone will adjust but it's just one of those things we will just need time!
Health:
- If your kid has allergies you will have to be vigilant. The general public's understanding of food allergies in Asia is very different and they may think it's a matter of choice rather than a life or death situation.
- Our kids had hives for 4 days straight even though they never consumed any nuts. Thank God after the 5th day the hives subsided and we no longer needed to give them Benadryl.
- Always bring a light sweater with you in Hong Kong. The air conditioner and the actual temperature is so different it is very easy to get sick. Add that to the fact that your kid will most likely fall asleep in public at some point.
- Hong Kong does not sell Benadryl nor Tylenol on the shelf. It is by prescription only. Panadol is used more commonly for fever (that is why I am saying bring all the drugs with you)
- Bring a thermometer
Toilettries:
- Even though we bought for us the adults everything in Hong Kong, we brought a lot of things with us for the kids: pull ups, wipes, toothpaste, soap (HK sells a lot of Johnson and Johnson products - we do not use scented products on the kids).To Stroll or not to stroll:
- We brought one stroller but I think we only used it no more than 4 times in 3 weeks. It was much easier to just carry my daughter and have my 4 year old walk with us. There simply isn't room for you to maneuver around. You might want to consider bringing a lightweight stroller to use at the airport and big parks (e.g. Disney HK, Ocean Park) but don't expect to be using it a whole lot.Lifestyles:
- The biggest challenge for us was the lifestyle differences. In Hong Kong nothing is opened until 11 AM. We tend to wake up at 6 or 7 AM. So we looked for playgrounds around where we lived and the kids spent quite a bit of time there in the mornings.
- We were big on not crashing the kids - so we tried to keep their nap times as much as possible. You might think I was crazy for even trying but my motto has always been - "I'd rather be happy out with the family for only 1 hour than be miserable out for 4-6 hours". So we tried to break our days into 2 parts, giving the kids time to nap back at home anywhere between 3 - 5 PM
- After 1 week we started asking friends that were closer to consider buying take out and coming to our place for lunch/dinner. This is very rare in Hong Kong but we insisted it was better - and it was - because the kids could watch tv, play, take a bath and go to nap/bed. It was not as crazy busy or loud so that the adults can talk, and we did not have to go through the hassle of going from one place to the other carrying little ones
Food:
- Bring cold water with you if your kids are like me - cold water isn't readily available in HK - if you ask for cold water you get lukewarm water
- Our kids did not drink anything warm or hot (unlike most kids in HK) so one of the first things we did was to scout for FRESH COLD milk. We eventually found 1L cartons in the supermarket.
- Chocolate milk at McDonalds does not mean Cold Chocolate milk - it means hot chocolate
- Be prepared to see your kids not eat as well out. We tried to have more control over their foods for Breakfast as we were out most lunches and dinners.
- Bring Prunes. Because their diet might be all over the place, we brought with us Heinz Baby Prunes, enough for 3 weeks. Each night we gave it to them to make sure constipation did not become a problem.
- In our case we went out to eat a lot of Chinese food, and after 3 days we decided to take our kids to Pizza Hut. My son was in heaven! Pizza! - small things make a big difference. Make sure your kids enjoy the trip too! Treat them pizza or McDonalds :D
Transportation:
- We wished we had known this earlier but here is the tip.....take a taxi. It is way cheaper than here in Canada and it is worth it. We took public transit for 2 weeks and it caused anger, fights and total frustration...in addition to wasted time. If you go to Hong Kong, you can call this number: 8100-8119 and they will send you a cab to your location. Apparently this way the cabs are cheaper too.
- During non rush hours and for short distances I would say taking public transportation might still be ok for you - I know my son thoroughly enjoyed the train rides!!!
Get a phone:
- Ask your hosts or friends to help you both get a mobile phone. It will come in very handy and it is very cheap!
Public Washrooms:
-I was very worried about this one, knowing that HK's public washrooms would not be as accommodating to parents of young kids. For my 2 year old, even though she was technically toilet trained in Canada, I told her to wear Pull Ups everywhere "just in case". I tried to get them to go to the washroom every time we left someone's home or were in a clean and nice restaurant or shopping plaza.
- We tried to get the kids to do their business in the morning (Since we had so much time!) so that we would not worry about it for the rest of the day too
- Always bring toilet paper, wipes, and/or enough Kleenex with you anywhere.
Ziplocs!!!
- Bring various sizes of Ziploc bags with you - I packed clothes and items in ziplocs - they sealed well and you can see everything that is inside!
Shopping:
- Unlike a lot of our friends we are not crazy about HK shopping. Having said that, we still wanted to do some shopping. But carrying 2 kids was almost impossible. So by week 2.5 we decided to do so separately. One would stay home with the kids while the other went out to get all they needed. Me, feeling much like a foreigner, did not venture out of my comfort zone and I stuck in the area for fear of getting lost, etc.
Documents and Money:
- I onced heard a friend's brother got mugged in HK. Remember, they can probably spot you as a foreigner and not only that - people like us (with little children) are prime targets...so just beware.
- Don't keep all your cash in one bag. Break it up. We had money in many different places 'in case' something ever happened.
The heat:
- Regardless of the month of the year I go to HK I am always in T-Shirts. Remember to keep hydrating the kids and bring with you water and snacks everywhere. Lunch and Dinner usually do not happen at noon and 6 PM
Structure:
- By definition a vacation should be carefree but we believe for our small kids they needed to know there was still some sort of routine in their lives. So aside from the nap or quiet time, we started giving them 'homework' in the mornings since we were never out in the mornings anyways. I simply got them to draw something they liked from the day before, or play with stickers, or something. Mornings also became a time for just the 4 of us, no visitors...and a time for them to just play like at home, for mommy and daddy to just hang around, and for us to give them a heads up on the day ahead of them.
Car Seats:
- No, in HK you do not need car seats.
Kids:
- I have cousins in HK and some of them have kids. We found the times we were able to schedule 'play dates' with them were fantastic for the kids. They just simply needed to play with other kids.
- When we went to Disney HK (by the way, Disney HK is the perfect size for the little ones - don't take them to Orlando until they are teenagers!), we arranged it so that other friends with kids of the same age could come with us - not only was it enjoyable for the kids - I personally enjoyed being around other parents!
Final words:
Prepare, but don't let the preparations rob you of the adventure you are about to take with your family. Despite the nerves, the worries and the issues we had to face, we enjoyed our trip. It is a fine balance to plan and to enjoy.
One thing I have learned in the 4 flights (x1 - 15 hr flight; x2 - 3 hr flight; x1 - 5 hr flight) I have taken so far with kids, and the handful of road trips with them...Time is passing by as we speak. Before we know it, these kids will no longer be little. They will grow up and vacationing with our kids will take on new challenges and blessings. You only get to do this once. For as much work as it is (and IT IS!), try to relax, enjoy it, and savour every moment of it!
Comments