Family

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First Time Colorado Ski and Snowboard Tips for Families

First Time Colorado Ski and Snowboard Tips for Families

This year we took our first ski trip to Colorado as a family of four.

It was my first time in Colorado in the winter and our first time attempting to navigate Colorado’s many iconic ski destinations.

If you are like me you may be wondering where to begin? Although there are countless answers to this question I hope to provide you with some Colorado ski and snowboard recommendations that will allow you to maximize your time while saving money and having more fun.

Colorado skiing is expensive

In case you didn’t know skiing or snowboarding in Colorado is expensive! Especially if you plan to visit some of Colorado’s bigger, world-renown destinations. These include Breckenridge, Vail, Copper Mountain, Steamboat Springs, Aspen, Keystone, and Beaver Creek (to name a few).

The good news is, if you plan early you can save a boatload of money while still hitting some of the best ski resorts Colorado has to offer.

Do not buy single-day tickets

The first rule of thumb is if you plan to ski more than one day avoid single day tickets like the plague and buy a multi-resort season pass. There are two passes that most visitors use, this includes the Epic Pass and the Ikon Pass. There is also a third, lesser-known option called the mountain collective.

If you have never purchased a season ski pass before this may at first sound a bit excessive. But when you price out a single-day lift ticket versus a season pass for even a 3-4 day ski vacation the pass will always win. And if you live in a region close to resorts included in the season pass the savings will grow exponentially.

As a Northern California native, both the Ikon and Epic passes offer good value. But for those wishing to include a Colorado Ski vacation into their winter plans, I believe the Epic Pass makes the most sense, especially for first-timers looking to explore multiple Colorado ski destinations all within a modest geographical radius on a single trip.

If you do have to buy single-day tickets buy online at least 7 days in advance

If you have come across this article too late or you were nervous and missed your opportunity to buy a season pass while you still could (like I did) then you are going to have to purchase resort day passes.

When I was a young lad you could buy discounted lift tickets from local retailers for $30-$40 and multi-day tickets for about $60. These days are gone! At Vail, a single-day lift ticket can easily set you back $200 if purchased at the window. Yes, you read that correctly! Children’s tickets while less, are hardly a bargain.

If you buy online the night before you can save about $8 per ticket. The savings go up the further out you purchase your tickets. Since we have never been able to make big vacation decisions as a family more than 1-2 days in advance it’s rare we have saved more. But, buying online will always save you money when compared to buying at the window even if done on the same day. So buy your tickets online at the very least.

Choosing the Right Season Pass for Your Needs: Epic vs. Ikon vs. Mountain Collective

Once you start your search you will realize that season passes come in all shapes and sizes. Beyond the basics Ikon vs. Epic, for example, there is Epic Local and Epic multi-day passes, those with and without blackout dates, etc. etc. The Ikon pass offers a discounted “base pass” option and if I were a betting man, there will be many more options in the years to come.

The various passes are in a state of flux and choosing the right one may not be immediately clear as your plans may not be clear at the time of purchase.

The truth is, you may not know until you go and that is OK. After two winter ski trips, one to Utah last year and now to Colorado this year I have finally started to figure things out. And I can guarantee you I could have done it cheaper.

The Ikon Pass gives skiers access for up to 39 destinations like Copper Mountain, Winter Park, and Eldora on Colorado’s Front Range. It also includes a lot of other great mountains across the West, including Jackson Hole, Banff’s Big 3, Steamboat Springs, Mammoth Mountain, and Alta Snowbird.

The Epic Pass gives up to 69 resorts (30 for the Epic Local pass). These include some icons such as Vail, Whistler, Breckenridge, Stowe, Park City, and Telluride. There are also lots of options for travel as far as Japan.

Finally, traveling skiers should not ignore the Mountain Collective Pass. It gives 2 days each at 17 resorts, so if you want to really stretch your legs this winter, it’s worth investigating. It comprises resorts like Aspen, Alta, Banff, Big Sky, Jackson Hole, Taos, and more.

Ultimately, you should consider a few factors when making this decision. Where do your friends ski? Do you want to hit one mountain for many days or travel to various mountains through the season?

The Ikon Pass gives North American skiers a lot of opportunities to chase powder through the season, so it’s a real winner for those who want to travel.

The Epic Pass hits some real gems of the Colorado high country. Vail and Beaver Creek are legends, and with day rates in the $200 range, a few trips to either will quickly pay for the season pass.

You HAVE TO buy your Season Passes Early

If you think you can wait until you have booked your Colorado ski vacation to buy your passes think again.

Season Pass ticket companies are onto this so they have a window of opportunity that closes early. In 2019 the last day to buy and Epic Pass was Sunday, Nov. 18.

Discovering when season passes go on sale is more difficult than finding US nuclear launch codes, but they tend to go on sale in the spring around mid-march.

When you buy early you will save more moola and if you are serious about purchasing don’t wait. Epic allows you to make a $49 non-refundable early purchase with the option to pay off the rest later. This is a good option if you are on the table. It allows you to secure the best price with minimal risk.

Every one of these passes encourages you to sign up for a newsletter so that you can be alerted to when these passes go on sale. This is both annoying and good marketing. I have signed up for each of the mountain season pass newsletters this year in hopes of making a better early comparison which I will publish for you next year.

Buddy Passes are NOT a Good Deal

In case you were thinking (like me) that you could buy a couple season passes and then purchase buddy tickets for the other members of your family to save money think again.

Buddy passes advertise “up to 40% off” tickets for friends and family. But, when you go to buy your buddy pass you will soon realize that the “discount” is more like 10-20% and $15 off a $180 lift ticket hardly seems like a good deal.

So don’t bet on the buddy passes. The buddy pass is best given to friends who do not ski often and may be coming with your family for a day on the slopes. It is NOT a cost-saving tool for families.

Where to stay for an Epic Colorado Ski Vacation

Since I purchased an Epic Tahoe Local Pass I will share my experience, but your needs will vary depending on your itinerary and what pass (or lack of pass) you chose.

We went all-in on our Colorado ski vacation about 6 weeks prior to our departure date. This may have been unintentionally good for airline tickets but bad for ski accommodations since many condos and smaller hotels book out 12 months in advance.

There are few options for affordable ski-in and ski-out within 2 months of booking. Mountain resorts, of course, have lodging on site but during peak times it is very expensive. Plus true ski-in and ski-out is relatively hard to find in this area at a reasonable price.

We chose the town of Frisco Colorado as a home base for our family Colorado ski vacation.

Frisco as a Homebase for Your Corado Ski Vacation

Although there are many places to stay in Colorado for those holding an Epic pass, we really lucked out when we chose Frisco as a home base for our Colorado ski vacation. Main street Frisco has a small, quaint village feel with tons of amenities all within walking distance of one another.

There is a wonderful nordic center and sledding facility, places to rent skis, an old town museum and lots of food choices along with coffee shops and good Colorado brew.

Frisco is centrally located between Breck, Keystone, and Vail which are all Epic pass destinations. Beaver Creek is also just an hour away.

There are other mountains nearby such as Copper Mountain (which is spectacular) although this is not included on the Epic Pass so we had to save it for another time.

There is a bus system on Main street Frisco which provides free transport every 30 minutes to Breck and Keystone.

Vail is about 45 minutes away by car although there currently is no free bus system to Vail from Frisco.

We chose to stay in the spectacular Frisco Lodge. During the peak season, this wasn’t cheap. For our family of four, it ended up being $300/day. But, this includes a free breakfast and dinner (advertised as an evening snack) along with two glasses of white or red wine per person and enough food to fill the entire family. We didn’t buy one meal during our entire stay which I figured saved $150 per day, making the Frisco Lodge an affordable option.

Plus, we met amazing people from all over the world which made evening time a blast… plus, did I mention the fireside spa!

Dillon is the other nearby central town that would make a reasonable home base although it has more of a suburb/strip mall feel. You may find some cheaper options here though and if you are with a group of friends in a ski condo you may not care so much about quaint downtowns and the “vacation vibe.”

Choose one central location over a ski resort

For anyone holding a pass, I think choosing a central location over a resort town like Breck or Keystone is the better option. Not that skiing the same resort is a bad thing but having the option to visit many resorts all within equidistance of one another was golden.

You will need a rental car though and if the weather is rough so will be the driving which may limit your options or with road closures could potentially ruin a ski vacation.

Rental cars with 4wd are going to set you back about $$400 – $500 per week which is an added expense. But, transportation two and from the Denver Airport is going to cost you about the same so you will have to decide what works best for your family and what your goals are.

We were considering staying in Keystone but after visiting the town we were glad we didn’t. If you did want to stay mountainside I think Breck would be the better option as it is still somewhat centrally located and if the weather were to become an issue you would still be able to make it into a ski day.

Renting a car from Denver Airport

As I mentioned car rentals are going to be about $500 per week for a 4wd vehicle during peak times. We rented from PayLess car rental but there are lots of options so do your research and book early enough that you are able to get a good deal.

Make sure you have a credit card that covers rental car collision so you don’t have to buy the added insurance. We never have purchased this add on, and even had an accident in the past that ended up being fully covered.

You will save a lot of money this way.

What Airline is Best for Your Colorado Ski Vacation?

You may be enticed by low-cost airlines while searching for the best deals to and from your location. Airlines like Frontier may look like a good deal but for a ski vacation, you need to read the fine print.

When I say fine print I am talking about baggage and fees. For this there is no better deal than Southwest Airlines.

Southwest’s baggage policy is the very best in the business. We were able to bring ski’s, snowboards, and boots for our entire family along with plenty of checked baggage for $0 in fees. Compare this to airlines like Frontier which charge $30+ per bag. A “discount” ticket quickly becomes a nightmare and what you thought you saved on the flight with baggage fees or ski rental charges becomes a nightmare.

So, book with Southwest and save the hassles. Download the app so that you are reminded to check in early and guaranteed a good seating position for your family.

Renting vs. Bringing Ski and Snowboard Gear for the Family

Packing your family for a ski vacation can be a bit daunting. Helmets, boots, gear, bibs, gloves, extra gloves, jackets, and all those layers!

We did bring gear for the entire family but had a bit of mishap when we showed up to Breck which required that we rent skis and boots for my daughter.

I did some comparison shopping prior to our Colorado ski vacation but in a pinch, I ended up having to walk to the closest rental shop which just happened to be Christy Sports which was a great find. 

Christy Sports has rental shops at every ski location including Vail, Breck, Keystone, Beaver Creek, in Frisco, Dillon and probably every other Colorado town. Plus they have great rental prices. We ended up renting my daughter’s ski package for $20 and we were able to return it to any one of their locations at no additional charge. This ended up being a great deal.

Pick up a Christy Sports 20% off discount card from just about any hotel for an even better deal. P.S if you do decide to return to a different location you may not be charged for extra days of rental, although don’t tell them I told you that!

Have Fun

Since I am a budgeter it was hard for me to swallow the cost of a one week in Colorado for winter fun during holiday peak season. We spent about $3500 for the week after factoring in a rental car, flights, hotel, lift tickets, tips, rental gear, etc. etc. We had two season passes and two family members without (of our group of 4) and buying tickets online a day in advance was painful since an adult ticket to Breck even with my “discounted” Epic Buddy Pass was still $175 for the day!

But we had a blast! So, in the end, I should have just stopped complaining about the high priced lift tickets and just enjoyed the moment. I would recommend that be your plan as well.

Hopefully, with some advanced planning, you can do this better than I and have lots of fun on a bit more of a budget! I know I am already planning our trip for next year!

Enjoy!

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4-Hour Workweek Family Travel Resources

4-Hour Workweek Family Travel Resources

The following are resources specific to families from the 4-Hour Workweek Extended Edition

Book by Ferriss, Timothy. The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded, and Updated

Family Travel Forum (www.familytravelforum.com) A comprehensive forum on, you guessed it, family travel. Want to sell your kids for top dollar in the Eastern Bloc? Or save a few dollars and cremate Grannie in Thailand? Then this isn’t the site. But if you have kids and are planning a big trip, this is the place.

Lonely Planet: The Thorn Tree (http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com) Discussion forum for global travelers with threads separated by region.

U.S.-Sponsored Overseas Schools (www.state.gov/m/a/os) If the idea of pulling your children out of school for a year or two isn’t appealing, stick them in one of more than 190 elementary and secondary schools sponsored by the U.S. Department of State in 135 countries. Kids love homework.

Homeschooling 101 and Quickstart Guide (http://bit.ly/homeschooling101) This subsection of http://homeschooling.about.com/ provides a step-by-step process for considering homeschooling options that can be applied to education during extended travel. Children can often return to traditional public or private schools ahead of their classmates.

Home Education Magazine (www.homeedmag.com) Rich collection of resources for homeschoolers, traveling families, and unschoolers. Links include curriculum, virtual support groups, legal resources, and archives. Good reasons to learn the law: Some U.S. states offer up to $1,600 of funding per year for qualified homeschooling expenditures, as it saves the state money to not educate your child in the public school system.

Round-the-World FAQ (includes travel insurance) (www.perpetualtravel.com/rtw) This FAQ is a lifesaver. Originally written by Marc Brosius, it has been added to by newsgroup participants for years and now covers nuts and bolts from financial planning to return culture shock and all in between. How long can you afford to be away? Do you need travel insurance? Leave of absence or resignation? This is an around-the-world almanac.

Additional Resources

One-Bag: The Art and Science of Packing Light (www.onebag.com) One of PC magazine’s “Top 100 [Can’t Live Without] Sites.” Pack light and experience lightness of being.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/travel) Recommended vaccinations and health planning for every nation in the world. Certain countries require proof of inoculations to pass through customs. Get the shots well ahead of time, as some take weeks to order.

Removing Clutter: 1-800-GOT-JUNK (www.1800gotjunk.com), Freecycle (www.freecycle.org), and Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) I used Craigslist’s “Free” category to get rid of four years of accumulated possessions in less than three hours on a Saturday evening. There were some for-sale items that I also cleared out at 30–40% of original retail. I then hauled off the last remaining items using the überfast 1-800-GOT-JUNK paid service. Freecycle is comparable to Craigslist for giving away, and getting, things for free when you’re short on time. Get unattached and you’ll make it a habit. I purge every 6–9 months, often including donations to Goodwill (www.goodwill.org), which can do pickups for free with advanced notice.

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How World Nomads Saved Our Trip and My Life

Buying the Best Family Travel and Health Insurance World Nomads

Our family embarked on a year-long adventure around the world, but halfway through the rug was pulled out from under our feet.

Thankfully, we had planned ahead with World Nomads Health and Travel Insurance not realizing we would actually need it.

Here is my story, and here is why if you are planning a trip with your family you should make sure you and your children are covered by an affordable plan and a company who actually cares about your health and not just the bottom line.

Heading Out and Head On

We had just arrived into Hoi An Vietnam on a long overnight bus from Nha Trang.

We ate breakfast, checked into our guest house and the kids were content talking with grandma on Skype.  Dad was on the computer and grandpa was taking a nap. Everyone was content and I was ready to explore a little around town.

Our modest guesthouse had free bikes available for the guests and I can’t resist the freedom a bike can give you to explore. No helmets are available for bikes in Vietnam, although it is the law now for mopeds.

I’d been out almost and hour and headed down a busy road that was leading nowhere, so I decided to head back into town.   The cars, scooters (mopeds) and bikes were traveling quickly in both directions and I had to cross four lanes of traffic to head in the right direction.  Road rules don’t apply in Vietnam, sidewalks don’t exist and pedestrians do not have the right of way.

I stepped off my bike and waited for a seemingly non-existent lull in traffic to make a run for it.   I spotted my opportunity and ran, and then I met the eyes of the moped driver.  Locked in each other’s gaze, we both realized there was no stopping what was about to happen.

He was going to hit me.  

He did hit me, and that was the last thing I remember.

Waking Up

As I regained consciousness I found myself on gurney looking up at a nurse who was about to place a suture needle in my leg.

I stopped her and as I started to speak I realized something was wrong with my face.   It was then that I realized the left side was flat.  I could move all my limbs and I could feel my toes but I knew my face was broken.

After some time I was able to convey to the Vietnamese speaking nurses that I wanted ice for my face.   I could feel it swelling like a balloon, that is about all I could feel. They came back with two small, melting ice cubes in a paper towel.  I pathetically dabbed it around my face and waited for the doctor.  I had no idea how I got here, or how long I’d been out.  I noticed a short stature Vietnamese man pacing in the hallway outside. Possibly the man who hit me and carried me to this facility? I will never know for sure?

Finally the MD came and thankfully spoke just enough english to place a call to my husband.  I still had my wallet on a string around my waist and just a few days prior my husband had given me a card with his cell phone number on it.  I wasn’t going to let them do anything to me until Stephen was there.

My husband and kids arrived on a bike (no helmets) a little bit later.  The hospital was just a makeshift clinic on the site of an abandoned hospital ward.

The receptionist at our guesthouse was contacted and she stepped in, helping us to communicate with the Vietnamese speaking staff.  Concerned that her uncle had died in this very same clinic, and realizing I needed a higher level of care she had her uncle personally transport me to the “Hoan My Danang international hospital” 30 minutes away.

Hoan My Hospital Da Nang

A view from outside Hoan My Hospital Da Nang (not exactly like the website)

In Vietnam there are no ambulances and no rush procedures for head injuries to rule out life threatening conditions (like slowly developing intracranial bleeds). These are things we take for granted in the West. My husband and I are both in the medical field and if I was in the states,  I would have been on a backboard, stabilized and placed immediately into a CT scanner.  No neuro checks where ever done throughout my stay in Vietnam. I am not complaining, it is just the way it is in the second world, had it been more than cosmetic I probably we wouldn’t be here today to write this testimonial.

Thank goodness grandpa Duke was there so the kids were with family and my husband could be by my side.

The following 48 hours was a blur.  After arriving in Danang we were taken to the emergency room where our kind hostel owner once again translated to the medical staff.  I was sutured up and sent for a CT scan of my head. My clothes were covered in blood and my face was half a pancake, it wasn’t my best day by any means.

My husband was scheduled to meet with an English-speaking hospital nurse coordinator who was in charge of working with foreign insurances and arranging emergency medical evacuations.

One call to World Nomads started the ball rolling and by Sunday 3am I was on an all expenses paid private jet with two nurses headed to Bangkok Bumrungrad hospital for care.

The World Nomads coordinator was our voice of reason, they stayed on the line with us for hours and worked with my husband and our family back home to get the care I needed. They arranged for and covered the full cost of my emergency transport from Vietnam to Bangkok Thailand which was well over $20,000 US.

I was going to need facial reconstructive surgery, something beyond the scope and level of care available in Vietnam. As part of our World Nomads trip insurance we were covered for emergency air transport to the closest US comparable healthcare facility. All possible scenarios were played out as to where they would take me.

Due to the costs of healthcare in the US, if we went back to the states; our travel insurance would possibly not cover the surgical procedures I needed. As most US citizens know, this would have certainly spelled bankruptcy.

As long as we stayed overseas our World Nomads Insurance would cover everything. And because of this we were transferred to Bangkok where I was admitted to a truly state of the art, world-class medical facility.

My husband, kids and father-in law met up with me in Bangkok a day later,  flights all covered and paid for by our World Nomads evacuation insurance.

We never did see a bill for the evacuation.

Fix her up her

Recovering-in-Bangkok-Bumrungrad---The-Best-Family-Trip-and-Health-Insurance

I sustained eight facial fractures and required major plastic surgery in Bangkok along with some much-needed dental work. I had a truly world-class team of plastic and oral surgeons.

Now, months later, to the casual observer, you would never know what happened.

My parents met us in Bangkok to help with the kids and assist with my recovery – a God Send!  Thanks to many phone calls from my husband, both sets of parents, a hometown Vietnamese translator friend in Stockton, an amazing group at the Starfruit Homestay, and many hours of persistent people in my life; I am healthy and alive today.

We had to charge all the hospital bills on credit card, so make sure you travel with a lot of credit!  We kept all the receipts and filled out all the paperwork through World Nomads easy to navigate online portal. We sent pictures and PDF copies of our receipts.

Within 60 days after the accident we were reimbursed the roughly $30,000 in expenses.  About a month of recovery in Bangkok and we were ready to continue with our travels.

World Nomads covered our families hotel stays, reimbursed all our associated travel and out of pocket expenses without any hassle.

My advice to anyone who is pondering whether or not to get travel insurance, think no more.  You can’t afford not to; especially as a U.S. citizen.

The Day after my surgery
Getting much needed dental care
Can you spot the 8 fractures
A room with a view
Our kids were real troopers
Our hotel stays during recovery were also covered
Our kids giving mom a tour
Even the food was covered by our trip insurance
The amazing staff at the Starfruit Homestay!
Right after surgery
World nomads put us up in a beautiful apartment for 2 weeks after the surgery

Purchasing Long-Term Family Trip and Health Insurance

World Nomads Policy - The Best Travel Trip and Health Insurance for Families

$1,200 to cover the entire family with the top of the line plan for 6 months!

For a family of four for 12 months the cost was $2,400 for the World Nomads Explorer Plan.  

It is cheaper if you purchase your plan in 6 months increments and extend as needed.

$100,000 of medical coverage is included per person and is more than enough outside the United States. After reviewing our bills,  my surgery alone would have cost over $100,000 in the US not including hospital stays, ER visits and tests.

The emergency transport from Vietnam via Cessna cost over $20,000 – fully paid for by World Nomads.

They covered the cost of my family’s hotel stays, food and our rental apartment in Bangkok where we stayed for 3 weeks during my recovery.

World Nomads was our only insurance while traveling.  We even used it for minor events and it was so easy.   From a $75 office visit to the doctor for my son in Australia, a $400 dent in a rental car in South Africa, a $40 ear cleaning in Thailand and a $30,000 moped accident in Vietnam; World Nomads was there.

As an American citizen I have lived my entire life fighting insurance companies who run away when I have needed them the most. This entire experience left me knowing how insurance should really work.  If this happened to me in the United States, I know I would still be dealing with bills and paperwork a year later.  World Nomads gave us the gift of being there when we needed them the most and the confidence to move on with our travels.

It was easy to send claims via email and tracking the progress of claims was simple. Support was always a phone call or email away.

An accident of a lifetime didn’t ruin the trip of a lifetime.

Why buy travel insurance from World Nomads?

  1. Backed by specialist insurers and global assistance partners that will cover your entire family under a single policy that covers your body and your baggage.
  2. Buy Online, even if you’ve already left home.
  3. Extend and claim online while travelling, they are available by phone 24/7, they will hold your hand in your time of need. When you are overseas, you or a family member or your child is sick it is an extremely scary time, they were amazing and supportive and treated us like family!
  4. Covers a range of adventure sports and activities so you can feel confident shark cage diving or watching your husband fling his body off a bridge.
  5. Give a little back and support a community development project.
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7 Reasons You Should Visit Taiwan With Your Family

Hiking with Kids in Taiwan

Day hiking the Walami Trail on the East Coast of Taiwan

Why Taiwan?

I can’t begin to tell you the number of people who when I explained to them that we were headed to Taiwan for 3 weeks looked at me and said “why Taiwan”?

But, no matter where we traveled in Asia we would invariably meet families, teachers, vagabonds and adventure enthusiasts alike who would rave about their time spent in Taiwan.

I hate to admit while I nodded my head in agreement I would have been hard-pressed to point to Taiwan on a map without a bit of coaching. “Somewhere near China I think?”

On our trip to Hong Kong in April something became apparent to me: I wanted to learn more about Chinese history and culture.

Since the Chinese visa laws for our family were cost prohibitive I figured I would put it on the backburner and make China, Tibet, and India a trip for a later time. But while searching for cheap  routes home from Malaysia to Japan and home, there it was; Taiwan. I found it on the map and now thinking back to what everyone told me, I figured why not plan a trip there?

7 Reasons to Visit Taiwan With Kids

Taiwan is a great destination for families. On our year of travel, the most enjoyable places have been regions that combine nature along with rich culture, great food, and navigable cities. When I say navigable, what I mean is a good public transportation system, and Taiwan has one of the best. It’s also safe and easy to tackle by car, which means you have a lot of options. For families wishing to get off the beaten track a combination of the two is probably your best bet.

1. Taiwan has wonderful cities

The big cities like Taipei and the east coast cities of Tainan have spectacular food quaint and walkable streets and lots to do.

Taiwan with Kids

Just “chilling” at the Taipei National Palace Museum.

2. Taiwan has nature that rivals New Zealand

One word comes to mind “suspension bridge”! Along with suspension bridges, Taiwan boasts some of the most beautiful scenery we have seen in all of Australasia. I can’t tell you how many times I would walk outside and say “this looks like New Zealand“. Big surprise here. Also, Taiwan’s trails are accessible, easy day hikes abound for families.

Hiking in Taiwan with Kids

Day hiking the Walami Trail

3. Taiwan has extremely friendly people

People say hi with a smile. Contradictory to the warnings of fellow travelers, almost all Taiwanese under the age of 40 speak some English, they love to discuss culture, travel, and family. I would not be exaggerating if I said Taiwan has some of the friendliest most welcoming people on earth.

Family Friendly Travel Taiwan

Family photos with friendly locals.

4. Taiwan has excellent internet speeds

Although this may not be a big draw for many of you, as digital nomad, I was so excited to login to wonderful and speedy WiFi everywhere we went. For $30 I was able to purchase a 30-day unlimited data package for my phone as well. We were able to Skype, share photos and even take the grandparents on a virtual tour of a Sun Moon Lake temple.

Take a picture of your WiFi code then you will never forget it.

Take a picture of your WiFi code then you will never forget it.

5. Taiwan has Farm Stays

I would never have thought of Taiwan as a place to spot grazing farm animals, but Taiwan’s farm stays are notorious and a hit for the kids. Although on the pricier side for sure, our stay at the Touching Leisure Farm will remain in our memories for a long time to come.

Farm stays with kids in Taiwan

Butterfly spotting at the Touching Leisure farm

6. Taiwan is the biking capital of the world

Giant is a Taiwan biking company that in the 80’s and 90’s became one of the largest bicycle manufacturers in the world when they took over production for Schwinn. Now, in every big city Giant has a rental office and Taiwan has the largest, most well developed (albeit in some places a bit dangerous) system of biking trails I have ever seen.

Biking with kids in Taiwan

Biking cool family tandem bikes at Sun Moon Lake

7. Taiwan has Surfing

As a surfer, I am always on the lookout for a country where we can get in the water and go for a paddle. We did just this in Kenting and I was delighted to find a great beginners wave that in the off-season was a big hit for our family. The beaches are OK, but countries that combine the ocean and the mountains are always some of my favorites. Taiwan has surfing, who knew! Oh yeah, Taiwan also has Diving and Snorkeling.

Surfing Taiwan with Kids

Hanging Ten in Kenting Taiwan – A great place to learn during the low season!

Even with all these wonderful traits, I would say that Taiwan is probably still not going to please everyone. You have to be open to making mistakes, navigation by GPS when your car and the road signs speak another language, eating Subway from time to time be willing to pick up the phone and try your hand at Chinese, and make the decision to be adventurous.

Taiwan is a lot more than the makers of toys, bikes, and cheapt electronic parts but full of lush tropical forests, farm stays, mountains, hiking and biking trails, culture and yes, even surfing.  If you like an active vacation, nature, smiling locals and jumping on a bicycle, then Taiwan will surely delight.

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Muay Thai Training with Kids and Families in Thailand

Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport.

Thai kickboxing wasn’t on my radar prior to our trip, but after a couple weeks in Thailand and seeing adverts for Muay Thai events just about everywhere it was beginning to look like a fun family team building activity that we could all do together.

In Railay I watched an 11 year old and his father have a great time during a practice session and I was sold.

I spent a while searching for a place to do Muay Thai with tour small children and came up short-handed.

Internet searches for “kid friendly” and “Muay Thai” were not very productive. I emailed places in Phuket and Bangkok but most were very vague about age restrictions, cost and whether or not they would train our family together.

Muay Thai is fun for the entire family

We were lucky to happen upon the Lanta Sports Resort Muay Thai complex in Koh Lanta while riding our mopeds around the island in search of an apartment to rent for the week.

The complex itself is hidden down a dirt road with only the tiniest sign marking its presence.  You would never know that it was a renowned Muay Thai center if you weren’t looking. The road is difficult to navigate on a moped but if you hang in there you will be welcomed by what may be the finest Muay Thai complex in all of Thailand, and it just so happens to have a fabulous kids program.

After speaking with reception we were able to negotiate a great deal that included a huge, airy pool side room with our own kitchen and 3 days of Muay Thai kickboxing for the family at an exceptional rate.

The information regarding the kickboxing itself is lacking and almost everyone who comes to take a class (including the guests at the sport resort) have a confused look on their faces. Like many places in Thailand there were no set times or schedules posted and it seemed like even training times could be negotiated to fit your needs. Many of the trainers speak little English and the girls in the office inside were well-intentioned but it was hard to get a straight answer.

That being said, it is pretty straightforward if you are determined to figure out what is going on. You can book private training or join a group session. Group sessions run from 8-10 am and the beginners session are at 10 am. They have a dedicated kids class in the afternoon at 3 pm.

The first day we took a class together at 10 am which was a blast. The next several days we split up, where I trained in the morning and the kids would take the afternoon class. The kids really enjoyed training with all the other children.

Why to consider Lanta Sports Resort for Family Muay Thai Training

There may be other places to take Muay Thai classes in Thailand but I never found one quite as nice and quite so child friendly. The grounds are impeccable and the trainers are gentle and work well with children.

The cost for a kids training session is 300 THB or roughly $9, the adult session is $12 per adult per 1 hour session. If you stay at the resort 2 sessions per day are included in the price and like I said, it is a wonderful resort. It is not on the beach, but it is a short walk to the beach which is just accross the street.

The staff at reception are not the warmest but they get the job done. When I asked them why they didn’t advertise their resort they looked at me like I was crazy. The truth is that this resort is extremely popular and beloved by the local Swedes who come here by the hoards during their winter season. If you arrive in January-March like we did you will realize very quickly that most of Koh Lanta is a German and Swedish hot spot. They love their Muay Thai and so do their kids who heavily populate the 3 pm class. If you are booking after the first week in February you better make reservations well in advance. Especially if you want one of the cheaper rooms.

You can check the latest prices at the Lanta Sports complex on Agoda or consider booking as well at the White Flower Apartments. We stayed here after we left the sports complex and it is a great value.  Again, book early if you can.

Koh Lanta Kickboxing

Also, if you are wondering if taking your kids to a kickboxing event is appropriate? My answer is yes, consider staying up late one night an attending one of the evening competitions that is put on my the sports complex. We had a great time!

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Mount Cook and Metaphor’s

Hooker Valley Trek Mount Cook New Zealand

Look mom, it's an iceberg! Hooker Valley Trek and Glacier

It took 1.5 hours and I had finally made it.

There I stood amid the ice laden glacial field at the endpoint of the famous Hooker Valley trek. Then suddenly, I heard what sounded like a bomb exploding.

Looking up, I spotted the sound, it was an avalanche at 11,000 feet.

It was here that an unstable cornice finally gave way, creating a remarkable spectacle of falling ice amid a plume of mist and rock that is beyond description.

I sat there for another 5 minutes taking it all in:

The frigid NZ air, the landscape, the grey/blue turquoise water, the dark muddy ledge of the retreating glacier.

For the first time in my life I felt the pulse of a living, breathing mountain; and it stole my heart.

New Zealand has resonated with me in a way I haven’t felt since the first day I walked into Red Square as an undergraduate at the University of Washington.

The view of Mount Rainier behind Drumheller fountain is breathtaking.

At this moment, standing at the base of Mount Cook, feeling tiny amid these geographical giants I felt a sense of home and a great sense of peace.

Walking back to the car I was greeted by my kids who were jumping up and down with excitement. They were yelling so loud I could hear them as far as the base of the first swing bridge.

I was delighted when they said they wanted to hike back out to the bridge with me.

I bundled them up in jackets and gloves and we headed back to the trail this time, holding hands.  We climbed to the first lookout point and then took turns jumping up and down on the suspension bridge.

How can I put into words how this makes a father feel? These are the moments that I call living.

Luca-and-Layla-720

I am sitting here now a day later writing from the water’s edge of Lake Tekapo. It is such a deep blue, as if God himself dropped his Aqua Marine Crayola Marker into the Southern edge.

I feel so lucky to be here, so grateful to have the opportunity to visit New Zealand… sad that we must go in just 9 days.

But as we all know, joy comes from the brevity of such beauty.

It took half a day for Mount Cook to reveal its summit, hidden behind the clouds I had no idea I was walking below such a great mountain.

This is a metaphor for life, and quite possibly a metaphor for this trip.

Cheers!

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Stop Fighting on the Road: 7 Tips for World Traveling Families

One year together on the road, traveling in a small car or crowded public transport, 24/7 with your kids, staying in tiny rooms, sharing beds…

Does this sound like a dream come true?

If not, then don’t start planing your family gap year adventure just yet.

Three months into our trip, we have definitely started to work better as a family. That being said, we have had our ups and downs.

And as much as I like to paint a picture of happy times and endless fun and adventure, this is impossible. Whether at home or on an around the world adventure with your family not every moment can be picture perfect.

Several weeks ago, I noticed we were having more petty arguments. This culminated in an outpouring of blame and resentment that left all parties feeling hurt, misunderstood and unappreciated.

So how do we eliminate anger, fighting and hurt feelings while growing stronger as a family?

7 Guidelines for Eliminating “The Same Old Fights”

I have copied these 7 guidelines from a book I have been reading by Wayne Dyer:  [easyazon_link asin=”0380730472″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gapyearfamily-20″ add_to_cart=”no” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]What Do You Really Want for Your Children?[/easyazon_link]

I have taken time the last week to implement these principles.

  • What if you eliminate anger from your life?
  • From your children’s life?

1. Virtually all fights revolve around the absurd thought, “If only you were more like me, then I wouldn’t have to be upset.”

This is an erroneous assumption about the people in your world. People—including your spouse, your children, your parents, or anyone else—will never be the way you want them to be. When you find yourself upset with someone else, you are really saying to yourself, “If only you were thinking the way I am thinking right now, then I wouldn’t have to be so upset.” Or “Why can’t you do things the way I want them to be done?” Once you eliminate this notion that others ought to be the way you want them to be, and you accept them (not approve, simply accept) for what they are, then you will not be able to be seduced into fighting with them. Why would you ever fight someone for being what you would expect him or her to be? People are not going to be different simply because you would like it to be that way. If you curtail your expectations for others, and stop evaluating your own personal happiness on the basis of what others are doing, thinking, saying, or feeling, then you will find it almost impossible to fight with anyone. While you may want to put a stop to anyone stepping on you, and teach your children to do the same, you will find it unnecessary to get upset just because other people choose to be the way they are.

2. You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you.

You must teach this basic lesson to your children and accept it yourself as a guiding principle. Your willingness to participate in family fights comes from within you. You have other choices, and you must stop blaming others for the way you get treated and instead look within. Your children must also learn that the way they get treated by everyone is a result of what they are willing to tolerate. If you feel that people dump on you, and treat you in an inconsiderate manner, rather than blaming them, you might ask yourself, “How did I teach them to treat me in this manner?” Instead of being mad at others for the way they behave toward you, remind yourself that if you do not want to be victimized, then you must stop playing victim. Resolve to stop sending signals which teach others to treat you in a way that you must resolve by fighting.

3. Behavior, rather than words, is the greatest teacher of all.

You can talk until you are blue in the face, and you generally will get nothing accomplished except to be upset and further frustrated. If you want to teach someone in your family to put her clothes away, devise behavioral rather than verbal cues. Once you have discussed the matter, and you have discovered that your words are ineffective, then practice new methods. Toss the clothes next to the washing machine, leave them lying where they were dropped, or simply stop washing clothes that are not in the hamper. Do anything but have another long discussion about learning responsibility, which either gets ignored immediately or results in another family fight. Behavior, not words! You can stop conversation after the evidence is in that the child is not listening, and then resolve to teach with actions. Once you teach someone with behavior that you will not tolerate being abused, you will see the abusive behavior subside. But if you continue to talk about it endlessly, you will not only keep having the same old fights, but you will be teaching children that they can talk or argue their way out of being responsible. You want children to learn no-limit behaviors, rather than how to avoid being a responsible person. Your behavior is the most effective teaching technique you have.

4. People are more important than things.

If you keep this principle in mind, you will end a lot of the same old fights, since so many of them revolve around objects and money. No thing in this world is more important than a person. When you fight about furniture, drapes, cars, money, clothes, dishes, garbage, and so on, you are elevating those things to positions of prominence over people. No “thing” is worth fighting about. People’s happiness is what living is all about. When you see the emphasis being shifted to things, and the result being that people are becoming unhappy, you can resolve to not let this happen. Stop yourself when this things-over-people mentality crops up. If others want to do it, fine—you will not be able to stop them by fighting about it. But you can refuse to allow any thing in this world to be the source of your own unhappiness, and when you model this attitude for your family members, you will find them getting the message as well. Imagine yourself screaming at a little child for scratching an object. Imagine the foolishness of becoming irrational over a lost toy. Think about the absurdity of beating your child over a torn piece of fabric. These are things. They can be replaced. But a child’s inner pain, his realization that his feelings are less important than a toy, his own lack of integrity at being treated lower than an object—these cannot be replaced quite so neatly as a lost toy. People count; things do not! Do not be surprised if your little ones start beating up on each other if they are recipients of such behavior themselves. As I noted earlier, physically abused children almost always treat their children (and other people as well) abusively, particularly when the abuse they received was the result of making things and objects more important than human beings. While you do not have to endorse destructive behavior, you also do not have to become immobilized when you find others treating objects in ways that you do not like. Keep in mind that the only thing that matters in life is life itself. You cannot get love from a thing. You cannot caress an object and get anything in return. And while you want to enjoy things, and to teach respect for nice things, remember that objects are valueless without people to give them meaning.

5. Perhaps the most neurotic pursuit of all is the desire to have those who love you understand you all the time.

You, once again, are unique in all the world. What that means is that no one could possibly understand you all the time, because to do so would mean that the other person would have to become you. When you find people not understanding you, instead of senselessly chasing after “being understood,” you are much better off to say to yourself, “They don’t understand me and they probably never will, and that’s okay since it really doesn’t reflect anything about me.” Once you stop expecting people to understand you all the time, then you will be purchasing a ticket to the sidelines when the same old fights begin to surface. The greatest understanding that you can have is that you do not understand each other, and that it is all right. Children live in their own worlds. They occupy their own unique bodies. They live in a space far different from yours. You cannot understand why they do the crazy things they do—and, believe it or not, they see you as “weirder” than you see them. Accepting the fact that you do not understand each other is a great place to start in building a fight-free environment. Let them be unique instead of like you. Allow them to be “weird,” rather than struggling every day with trying to understand and be understood. Why would anyone who is unique in all the world expect someone else who is equally unique to understand her all the time? And why should you have to surrender your uniqueness by demanding to be understood, simply because you are the parent or spouse? Once you accept the fact that you will never be understood all the time then you will also stop all of the hurt that goes with the insane demand for mutual understanding on every issue in life. More than half of the fights which center on the notion that “You don’t understand me” will disappear. You will be teaching children to stop trying to be understood all the time themselves, and to get on with understanding themselves, which is enough of a life’s mission all by itself.

6. Self-confident people seldom participate in the same old fights.

When you are at peace with yourself and you love your self, it is virtually impossible for you to do things to yourself that are destructive. You want to treat the people you love with love, not hate, and you must be one of those people that you love, and that goes double for your children. I have devoted all of Chapter 2 to discussing the importance of a child learning to love himself. Having fights is a sure way to reduce that self-love. Why would someone who loves himself do anything to hurt the self he loves? Fighting is destructive and hurtful. If you think of yourself as an important person, you will not allow yourself to become overweight, addicted to foreign substances, plagued with guilt or worry, or wracked with the pain of regular fighting. Self-love means treating oneself lovingly. If you show others that you love yourself, and that as a result you are going to treat yourself with respect, you will find that they will not be surprised when you simply refuse to go along with their attempts to lure you into fighting. They will soon realize that you think too much of yourself to be filling your precious life moments with agony as a result of fighting, when it is simply a waste of time and the only payoff is distress. Show your children that you respect yourself too much to be reduced to screaming, fighting, or even rage. You will be giving them an important message about yourself, as well as giving them an example to live by: an example of a peaceful person rather than someone who can be bought and sold emotionally by the whims and inconsideration of others.

7. All participation in family fights is a choice.

No one can make you fight if you refuse to go along. When you are embroiled in the same old fight, you must remember that you put yourself there, and that you have the ability to avoid this stressful activity. It is very, very difficult to fight with a rational person. By staying rational you reduce the opportunity for fighting, and consequently for being upset as well. When you find yourself in a fight and you dislike being there, remember the message that you are modeling for your children: “You don’t have control over yourself.” They will learn this neurotic message. They will simply blame someone else for starting a fight because they have parents who also believe the same nonsense. If you practice maintaining your composure, and remember that someone else’s behavior belongs to that person and cannot upset you unless you allow it to do so, then you will not become an unwilling target. When your “opponents” see that you are plainly uninterested in joining them in their neurotic pursuit of fighting, and that you refuse to choose an upsetting experience, then you will be out of the fight game with all of these sparring mates in your life. Everything is a choice, and avoiding senseless fights is an excellent thing to practice if you want more serenity for yourself.

Start Today

If you genuinely want to eliminate the fight scene in your home, you must come to a decision yourself. Yes, yourself!

It does not involve waiting for the children to change.

It does not mean waiting for your spouse to come around to your point of view.

It means making a decision that fighting is going to be a thing of the past. It means making a vow that you are not going to continue to raise your children in an atmosphere of violence, be it verbal or physical violence.

It means committing yourself to giving your children the opportunity to be free from anger and rage, from the sores that ultimately infect them from overexposure to fighting and war.

The kids hanging two while dad hangs 10

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Raglan New Zealand: Perfect Surf and Fun for Families

Raglan Family Travel Quick Tips:

Stay at Raglan Kopua Holiday Park or Solscape (tepee themed rooms), rent a board from The Raglan Surf Emporium (very nice guys), get free WiFi from the quaint local library and grab some food from the local bakeries.

The surf spot is about a 10 minute drive up the road, just enter “Manu Bay” into Google Maps and it will take you there.  There is a beginners spot on the drive to Manu Bay that is good for those looking to learn on the whitewater but not much else.

The two surf spots just past Manu Bay are for advanced surfers only. The surf works best at medium tide and has a very strong rip at low tide.

Raglan with Kids

Raglan New Zealand is a wonderfully cute and hospitable town perfect for families with small children.

We went there for Manu Bay and to find (and hopefully surf) the longest left hand break in the world.

Hanging 10 at Manu Bay

What we found was a wonderful holiday park, with a skate park, playground and a short walk to the postcard-perfect city.

We hired a surfboard for about $19 US per day and hit the surf.

We stayed in Raglan for 3 nights but wanted to stay for 3 weeks.

Mid-week in the off-season we had the place to ourselves. We were there for the Labor Day Weekend so it was amazing to watch how this changed in the matter of a couple hours.

We stayed at the Raglan Kopua Holiday Park which is just perfect for kids.

The kids hanging two while dad hangs 10

Other accommodation options (especially if you are looking to surf) is Solscape.

They have Tepee rooms and train themed accommodations which would probably make this a big win for families and kids, but it is a car ride away from the city.

That being said, I think the skate park and running space of the Kiwi Park still makes this a better choice for families with children.

Make sure to stop by the local library, grab a brew from any of the pubs, hit the second-hand stores for some extra bedding and just walk around.

You will love Raglan and it is one of our best stops so far.

In front of our cabin

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Helping Children (and Ourselves) Adjust to a new Family Travel Lifestyle

I am not a psychiatrist or an expert on parenting, if I was maybe I wouldn’t be writing this post.

Hell, if I was I probably wouldn’t have quit my job and bought tickets halfway around the world.

But, I have been traveling 6 weeks now with my wife and 2 small children taking on roadschooling, sharing often small rooms and small beds in confined places and traveling through some difficult to negotiate places.

I have been learning to manage a fledgling online business with spotty internet and very limited connections.

Almost every day I bookmark something that I will turn to as a highlight in my book of life. Everyday our learning and life experience grows exponentially.

My children have been asked to break out of every comfortable routine they have ever had, my wife and I have had to learn to work as a strong and unified team, we have all had to learn to work together.

Rooming together has had its ups and downs. It has led to some real memorable bedtime talks as a family that I will never forget, also it has led to children rolling off beds, legs on our heads, long periods of involuntary abstinence and difficult evenings when everybody is tired (most notably the two times after we had 23 hour flights!)

Many parenting books talk about giving children space to vent and cool off if they are overtired and are throwing a fit. This is not so hard when you are in the comfort of your home, in a hotel at 11pm when everyone is sleeping or in a long line after 2 hours of sitting in customs this can be very challenging.

I wrote both my parents the other day describing some of the difficulties we have experienced over the last two weeks:

  • Our six year olds resistance to homeschooling.
  • Some truly epic meltdowns when everyone is overtired, hungry or thirsty.
  • Homesickness

There were several times in the past 2 weeks that I was ready to throw in the proverbial towel and just book a flight home already. Family travel is great when everyone is happy, but when people are overtired, overheated and in search of a good meal things can go sour pretty fast.

My mom, a schoolteacher of 30 years, who raised my sister and I, is the epitome of zen in the face of a childhood meltdown.

She had this to say:

I really found this to be true in dealing with children. They don’t know what is wrong or have the skills to cope so they act out. Many adults have the same lack of skills!

She hit the nail on the head on this one!

Sometimes in the middle of a truly wonderful day one of our children will act out over what seems to be the tiniest things.

This has been amplified over the last 2 weeks.

It can present as rudeness, a lack of empathy, bickering, complaining etc. etc.

I believe it all has a common core, one that requires we as parents to react with love, empathy and a calm demeanor.

Beyond the culture, beyond the animals, beyond the unique smells, new foods and amazing people there is something else that can grow out of family travel.

A strong family: 

  • One that treats each other and everyone around them with respect
  • A family that reacts with kindness and love in all situations
  • A family that has a desire to understand and identify with the struggles of others
  • A family that respects one another
  • That embraces lifelong learning

These things, which I thought were simple and obvious become more difficult when we are stressed.

Travel does create stress, which can lead to cracks in your armor. It has exposed many of my own, and I believe at the end of the year it will be this mission, this goal to become a stronger more loving and generous family that will be our greatest reward as well as our greatest challenge!

Book your tickets on Indie!

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How Much Does it Cost to Fly Around the World With Kids?

To fly around the world with a family of four, including taxes, with multiple stops in various directions, using airline miles only for a single flight back home cost us:

$11,561

Around The World Trip Cost With Kids

* Again, we were able to use airline miles accrued through our Chase Ink Bold and Chase Sapphire (my wife’s card) to pay for our flight home. Besides this, we used no airline miles on our big flights.

If you take a look at our itinerary (also see below), I think this is actually a steal!

Her is a summary of our 6 flights

1. SanFrancisco(SFO) » CapeTown(CPT)                      1 stop

SanFrancisco,SanFranciscoIntl(SFO)»Dubai,Dubai(DXB)

  • DEPART: 4:45pm Fri
  • ARRIVE:  7:20pm Sat

connectionin­Dubai,8hours30mins

Dubai,Dubai(DXB)»CapeTown,CapeTownIntl(CPT) Emirates

  • DEPART:,03:50amSun
  • ARRIVE:  11:40amSun

2. Durban(DUR) » Denpasar Bali(DPS)                             2 stops

Durban,KingShakaIntl(DUR)»Johannesburg,O.R.TamboIntl(JNB)

SouthAfricanAirways  SA550

  • DEPART: 12:00pm noon Thu
  • ARRIVE:  1:10pm Thu

connectionin­Johannesburg,2hours5mins

Johannesburg,O.R.TamboIntl(JNB)»Doha,Doha(DOH)

QatarAirways

  • DEPART: 3:15pm Thu
  • ARRIVE:  11:55pm Thu

connectionin­Doha,2hours15mins

Doha,Doha(DOH)»DenpasarBali,NgurahRai(DPS) QatarAirwaysQR962

  • DEPART: 02:10am Fri
  • ARRIVE: 5:10pm Fri

3. DenpasarBali(DPS) » Auckland(AKL)                           1 stop

DenpasarBali,NgurahRai(DPS)»Brisbane,Brisbane(BNE) VirginAustraliaVA46

  • DEPART:  9:10pm Tue
  • ARRIVE:  4:55am Wed

connectionin­Brisbane,1hour35mins

Brisbane,Brisbane(BNE)»Auckland,Auckland(AKL) VirginAustraliaVA152

  • DEPART: 6:30am Wed
  • ARRIVE: 12:35pm Wed

4. Christchurch(CHC) » Melbourne(MEL)                         nonstop

Christchurch,Christchurch(CHC)»Melbourne,Melbourne(MEL), VirginAustraliaVA101(OperatedbyVIRGINAUSTRALIANZ)

  • DEPART: 4:00pm Tue
  • ARRIVE: 5:50pm Tue

5. Brisbane(BNE) » Cairns(CNS)                                        nonstop

Brisbane,Brisbane(BNE)»Cairns,Cairns(CNS), VirginAustraliaVA785

  • DEPART: 1:35pm Thu
  • ARRIVE: 4:05pm Thu

6. Cairns(CNS) » Bangkok(BKK)                                         2 stops

Cairns,Cairns(CNS)»Darwin,Darwin(DRW), QantasAirwaysQF1874

  • DEPART: 8:40pm Sun
  • ARRIVE: 10:45pm Sun

connectionin­Darwin,7hours15mins

Darwin,Darwin(DRW)»KualaLumpur,KualaLumpurIntl(KUL), MalaysiaAirlinesMH144

  • DEPART: 6:00am Mon
  • ARRIVE: 9:20am Mon

connectionin­KualaLumpur,5hours55mins

KualaLumpur,KualaLumpurIntl(KUL)»Bangkok,SuvarnabhumiIntl(BKK)

How did we do this?

We Used Indie!

Indie a subsidiary of AirTreks is an extremely underrated around the world travel planner by Bootsnall.

I will be writing a blog post about the process through Indie in the future, but if you are planning a multi-destination trip with children I honestly believe there is just no better way!