Camp Mom Asia archive

How I Used 3 Frequent Flyer Programs to Get 4 Tickets on the Same Flights to Asia, Sept 2014

I’m thrilled to announce Camp Mom 2015!  I successfully booked four tickets on the same flight out and three on the same flight back to and from Asia in Business and First Class using three different frequent flyer programs. I wanted to share how I booked my tickets as my process offers tips you can use. In doing so I’m showing you my takeaways at each step.

To recap, Camp Mom is a concept I started in 2011 where I use the money I would have spent on day camp to travel with the kids. On the odd years I tack Camp Mom onto the end of our big family trip (on the even years I get to travel solo while Deal Dad takes the kids to Grandma’s). In 2013 we successfully tacked on two weeks in Europe after the family vacationed in Ireland.

For 2015 we’re headed to Asia for the first time as a family.  At 8 and 11 next summer, the Deal Kids are ready for a more challenging trip.  Japan is our family destination as requested by Deal Kid: his current obsessions are Yu-Gi-Oh and Anime. After 2 weeks exploring Japan, Deal Dad heads home and the Kids and I have 2 weeks open until we depart from Hong Kong. Takeaway: Open Jaw and 1 way tickets are your friend.

My Assets

Before I could even think about tickets, I had to take a good look at what I could spend.  I’ve been concentrating my miles earning in the OneWorld Alliance so I had the following to work with:

• Us Airways: 200K Dividend Miles each in 2 Accounts
• American Airlines: 128K Miles
• British Airways: 155k Avios Points

The miles were earned with a combination of “butt in seat” miles flown, credit card signup bonuses*,everyday spending, sharing miles for a penny each, and in the case of BA compensation for the worst travel experience of my life. As you can see, each account has enough for a ticket or 2, but no one account has enough for all 4. This is where I had to get creative. Takeaway: Identify alliances when earning miles and try to pick one that works for you.

Finding the Flights

The first decision I made may surprise you: I wanted at least business class flights.  I know I’ve railed against Vendoming, but on flights over 10 hours I think it’s a matter of not losing an entire day of your trip to exhaustion due to lack of sleep on the plane. When I was younger, time was less valuable than money and I happily slept away day 2 (why is it always day 2 and not day 1?) because I had all the time in the world. Nowadays, especially when it involves Deal Dad, time is precious.  To Dublin and back economy was fine. To Tokyo?  Not so much.

I also knew I wanted us to fly together to Tokyo on the outbound (again time being limited) and I needed 3 tickets on the same flight for the return.  With these items being inflexible, I knew I needed to be flexible on dates and the return gateway city. Takeaway: You’re not going to get 100% of what you want booking an award ticket.  Find the absolute non-negotiables first.

So to search for 4 award tickets from DC to Tokyo, I started with American Airlines and British Airways as they offer 1 way ticketing.  Takeaway: Search leg by leg as opposed to an entire trip.

American Airlines showed availability in 1st class for 4 on a date that worked for us, but I knew that wasn’t enough knowledge as I couldn’t book the all of my tickets on American Airlines miles.  I needed to cross check to US Airways and coordinate the return. The challenge is that US Airways only books round trip tickets. I went ahead and placed 2 1st class tickets on 3 day courtesy hold for 125K miles and $11 each on American’s website for me and Deal Kid. I’ll get 10% of those miles back with my Citi AA credit card. Takeaway: Use holds to help you.

Then I went to US Airways as at this point I knew I could take care of Deal Dad’s booking. Searching round trip DCA-NRT with the outbound date I had already chosen and their availability calendar, it was easy to find a round class ticket in 1st on American Airlines for 120k Dividend Miles and $94 out of his account. Booked!

Now I needed to find the return for the Deal Kids and me.  Because I was flexible on our return gateway I just needed to find 3 one way tickets on the same flight out of a OneWorld North Asian City. Using British Airways’ search engine, I found 3 business class tickets from Hong Kong to New York City.  Strangely, many flights were available from Hong Kong to New York, but absolutely none from New York to Washington! If I had only searched to Washington, I would not have found any flights. Fortunately, getting home is easy via $100 shuttle flights, or I might take the kids into the city for a day and come home on Amtrak or the Megabus.  Takeaway: Just get “over the pond”. 

I kept my British Airways screen open and called US Airways to book a “round trip” (actually an open jaw) ticket for Deal Girl using my miles. Giving the rep the exact flight information, she was able to see the flights and booked the ticket for 115k Dividend Miles and $44 (I have status so my fee was less). While she booked Deal Girl’s ticket over the phone, I booked on BA.com the same flight for me and Deal Kid for 70,000 and $160 each.

Takeaway: if you collect within an alliance, you can book your family on the same flight with different miles programs. It takes work, but can be easier than collecting a huge amount of miles in just one program.

Comparison to roundtrip DCA-NRT cash prices on same dates (lowest 1 stop available)

Coach: $1,959

Business: $5,096

First: $7,949

Final Cost:

112,500 AA Miles +$11

235,000 Dividend Miles +$138

140,000 Avios +$320

Total: 487,500 miles and $469 or $5,344 if we value miles at a penny each.  A pet peeve of mine is a miles blogger who only tells you the cash price. The headline would be “1st class Asia for $117!” WRONG.Takeaway: Travel is NOT free, but first/business class tickets at $1,336 each is a price I’m happy to pay.

So there you have it: 4 accounts, 3 programs, all booked on the same 2 flights in first/business at a 32% discount over the high season coach price. Sure the tickets aren’t perfect (I have to get us home from New York), but I’m pretty satisfied with the results. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Camp Mom 2015, Asian Edition: I need your help! Dec. 2014

Now that the Holidays are down to a dull roar, I’m taking some time to firm up our agenda for Camp Mom 2015.

To recap, Camp Mom is where I extend an existing family trip with just the kids and travel with them with the goal that the trip costs no more than day camp back in DC. For this trip we have 2 weeks and a budget of $1600 ($400 a week times 2 weeks times 2 kids). The “costs” are defined as within-continent travel, lodging, and admission fees/tours. (Food doesn’t count as we eat at home.) I’ll run 2 side by side budgets: one cash outlay only (assuming points are “free”) and one counting points at what I consider fair value (usually a penny a point).

This year our family trip is to Japan so we’ll depart for Camp Mom from Tokyo, returning to the USA from Hong Kong 2 weeks later. I tend not to think of 2 week trips all at one time, rather I fill them in from the boundaries until they meet in the middle.

I also keep my ideas about where to go pretty open, but use my travel checklist as a guide. After using the checklist and chatting with the Deal Kids, here’s what I’ve booked so far:

(Working Backwards):
Tuesday: Leave Hong Kong for USA
Sat morning-Tuesday: Hong Kong, Including a day at Hong Kong Disney
Tuesday evening-Saturday morning: Da Nang, Vietnam for some beach time: a MUST for the Deal Kids.

Why Da Nang?
Again using my checklist, Da Nang hit a bunch of my line items:

• • Type of destination? Beach. Non-negotiable.
  • Sweet spots in award charts? Da Nang is within the 4500 Avios region with a non-stop flight from Hong Kong that has availability on my dates.
  • 1st World or 3rd? Because of kids’ first time to Asia, prefer 1st world hotel if developing nation. Plenty of hotels in Da Nang qualify, but it doesn’t appear to be too built up.
  • Promotions? Avios 40% transfer bonus from American Express means only 10K for 3 one way tickets +$89 tax. Hyatt Resort is a reasonable Category 3 and BRG cash rates look under $100 a night (more on BRG to come). Other options easily available, including vacation rentals.

So on our budget so far we’ve alloted:
Hong Kong:
3 nights regency suite at Hyatt Regency Tokyo (points+cash and suite upgrade)=$225 + 18,000 points ($405). This includes breakfast and club snacks, which the kids and I have been known to call a meal.
3 tickets to Hong Kong Disney: $155. For all 3.
Transport to Hong Kong from Da Nang: 10,000 Points and $90. ($190)
4 nights in Da Nang: Budgeting $400, will probably be less.

Total for one week: $870 + 28,000 points, or $1150 counting points at a penny.

I’m a bit high, but considering $150 hardly buys one ticket to Disney in the USA, I’m ok with it. Also remember that’s for all three of us!  Hong Kong is pretty high cost no matter how you do it.  I could go cheaper in Da Nang if needed.

This leaves a week between Tokyo and Da Nang, and that’s where I need your help: Suggestions? Tips on Da Nang? Please share your ideas in the comments.

True Deal Mommy Confession: I’m Vendoming Vietnam Jan 2015

Credibility is the most important asset a blogger can have. With that in mind, I need to call myself out…

My post about Vendoming is the single most read piece I’ve written. Even more than the story of British Airways dumping me in the wrong country. If you have a few hours to spare, check out the comments…they’re worth the read.

To recap, “Vendoming” is a term I coined referring to the Vendome district of Paris, specifically the Park Hyatt Vendome. The term is defined (to me) as “overplayed, entitled arrogance” and is typified by the traveler who ditches local culture and real life hotels in favor of what I’ve termed the “Points Blogger Circuit”: Milan, the Maldives, and the 5 other places that you see reviewed over and over again.  It’s flying around the world and only eating at the club lounges of hotels and airports. You get the jist.

I’m in the process of narrowing down the plans for Camp Mom Asia 2015. I’ve decided to do Vietnam with the entire 10 days and booked 3 (coach) tickets JAL non-stop from Tokyo to Hanoi for 28,000 American Express points and $444 thanks to the BA Transfer Bonus. So now I know that I’m arriving in Hanoi and departing from Denang 10 days later. So far, so good.

But then I noticed an alarming trend. When thinking about hotels, my keyboard went immediately to Award Mapper to find chain hotels. And it stayed there. If I couldn’t find a chain hotel my thoughts went to Luxury Link, Jetsetter and Secret Escapes, all luxury sites where I’ve booked successfully in the past.

Wait a minute. This is SOUTH EAST ASIA. Where I’ve lived in style for $18/day. What am I doing? This is Vendoming of the worst kind: totally gratuitous. I know better than to waste points or pay luxury prices, don’t I?

Well, maybe not. You see, I’m going solo with an 8 and 11 year old who have never been to Asia, and will be coming straight from 1st-world-on-steroids Japan. Vietnam is going to be a mind-bend like they can’t imagine.  Frankly, it will be for me as well.  I’m 15 years removed from the girl who lived in Asia and tromped around responsibility-free. And I’ve never been to Vietnam, either.

I’m thinking if I can at least ensconce the Deal Kids in a bubble for a few hours a day they’ll be more able to handle the chaos outside. Am I not giving them enough credit? They did fine in Guatemala and were only 4 and 7 then.  But again, we had an amazing condo and we traveled as a family.

Camp Mom Asia 2015 by the Numbers: 19,177 Miles in 30 Days! April 2015

Whew. The logistics for Camp Mom Asia are finally in place! Thanks for bearing with me as I worked it all out in my head. Your advice has really helped.

Here’s the plan, along with my thought process which I hope will help you in your own planning:

Our 1st class award tickets to Asia are Washington National-Dallas-Tokyo, then Deal Dad returns two weeks later on the same route. After a schedule change threw things into chaos, I was able to get us all on the same flight out.

When Deal Dad departs Japan, we do too, but to Hanoi on BA award tickets. After three days in Hanoi, we head to Da Nang. Today I paid $101/person for business class tickets on Vietnam Airlines because they come with free baggage and the coach tickets actually would have cost more once we paid for our bags.

Here’s where I owe you guys a thank you and an explanation. Vietnam got under my skin and I couldn’t figure out why. Just yesterday I had my Aha moment: Vietnam was freaking me out because I was ignoring my own rules!

Rule #1 I’ve discussed recently: Don’t overschedule. I had 5 stops in mind which in 10 days is WAY too many. I needed to simplify.

Rule #2 is personal, but I think makes sense: I need close access to Western Medicine. Once I put the stops through the English speaking hospital test, the Ha Long Bay cruise went right out the window. It’s just outside of my comfort zone going solo with the kids.

So once I chucked the cruise, I settled on Hanoi, Hoi An, and Da Nang. Hue is appealing, but just one stop too many. It’s also a train ride or long drive and at least an overnight. I’ve still got a bit of FOMO, but have to balance it with Griswold Fever.

I’m happy now with 3 nights in Hanoi, 4 in Hoi An, and 4 in Da Nang. It’s only one non-stop flight in 10 days and has plenty of time for wandering, pool hanging, and games of go-fish. With all the new, it’s important to keep time in for plain old fun.

From Da Nang we head to Hong Kong on BA Award tickets and 4 days later head back to JFK on Cathay Pacific Business. We still need to get back to DC, but are in no rush. I was able to score 2 award nights at the Radisson Martinique before the Club Carlson policy changes.

Finally, our chariot awaits to escort us back to DC…the Megabus. $6/ticket gets us home in style.

Random Thoughts from 12 Hours in Tokyo with Kids June, 2015

Good morning! We’ve landed, attempted to go to bed on Tokyo time, and have all risen at 4:45 AM with the sun. Even the blackout shades couldn’t fool our jetlagged bodies. Since we’ve haven’t done any exploring outside Narita Airport, our hotel, and a field trip to the basement 7/11 this post will just share a few random thoughts from our first night. Hope they help you with your Tokyo planning.

• Everyone talks about the Narita Express train as the best way to get downtown, but I’d advocate for the airport limo, especially on your first trip. The limo bus takes you directly to your hotel and is the same price is the train-with the benefit of not having to drag your exhausted kids and luggage through downtown Tokyo in search of your hotel.  The airport limo is door to door- worth any possible traffic delays to me. Buying tickets is a snap: there’s a counter right next to the one where you buy Narita express tickets. Buses are frequent and have a bathroom-another benefit, especially with kids. Plus: if you fall asleep, you’ll still get to your hotel.

• Let your kids know that they can’t just dive into the pool.  We visited the pool last night here at the Hyatt Regency and discovered it’s a three stage process: first, you shower in the locker room.  Next, you shuffle through an ankle deep pool of antiseptic solution.  Then you plunge into a cleansing pool again before emerging on the pool deck.  Also, be sure to check with your hotel before promising your kids that you have a pool at all: many hotels charge for access, even for hotel guests.  Status may get the fee waived, but I suggest checking before you leave so your kids don’t get their hopes up. Also- at the Hyatt Regency (and many other hotels) kids under 5 aren’t permitted at all.  I could see the meltdown from here if you’ve promised your fresh off the plane preschooler a dip and had to return to the room disappointed.
• Toilets are THAT big of a deal if you’re a kid (and they’re pretty cool even if you’re a grownup).  After our Etoile experience the kids raced to the bathroom to try out the toilet. Deal Kid even got a practical joke in by turning the water pressure to full blast for his sister.
• High floors may get views of Mt. Fuji, but from the 6th floor you get a prime seat to the Calisthenics in the park at 6AM.   The best part- everyone in the park knows the routine and joins in so you have easily 50 folks-all dressed in white as if in uniform- stretching in unison.
• 7/Eleven makes for a great first field trip.  Lots of stuff the kids recognized, but with a twist.  The Deal Kids made a fun game of “spot the American products” then seeing how they differed.

Today we’ll venture further afield, but even overnight the Deal Kids dipped their toes into Tokyo waters.  How did your kids do the first day abroad?  What surprised them- and you? Please share in the comments.

Tokyo Robot Restaurant Review: Must Do if You’re Fan of Campy

Recently I tried to explain the word “Campy” to a non-native English Speaker. Urban Dictionary does a good job: Being so extreme that it has an amusing and sometimes perversely sophisticated appeal. I could have also just said “Tokyo Robot Restaurant” because the show there is my new definition of High Camp. The show contains 90 jam packed minutes of every Japanese cliché you could possibly imagine. I’m not going to write a traditional Tokyo Robot Restaurant review: that’s taking it too seriously.  Instead I’ll offer some tips if you have an interest in going…and you know who you are.

• The arena is small and shows are frequent.  No need to buy tickets too far in advance. You might find a small price advantage with Viator.com. , especially using one of their frequent coupons. Or you can buy them from the website or at the door.
• The restaurant is NOT at the same location as the ticket office: it’s around the corner.  The street is pedestrianized in what I’d call a “Yellow Light District”. It wasn’t skeevy or unsafe, but I still wasn’t 100% comfortable with my kids doing too much window shopping.  If you have time to kill, there’s a kid safe arcade right across from the ticket office.
• You can arrive up to 30-45 minutes early for a pre-show, and it’s worth it for the setting alone. I won’t spoil it for you but will say two words: sensory overload.
• Speaking of senses, bring earplugs! Not just for kids, but for everyone.  The decibel level reaches Rock Concert and the stadium has only three rows!
• Plan on eating before or after unless you can make a meal of popcorn.  They did sell Sushi Bento boxes but I’d wait or eat before hand. Drinks are plentiful and 500 Yen for alcohol and 250 for soda. You’re encouraged to buy tickets for drinks before the show but you can pay cash during the intermissions.
• Is it kid-friendly?  Depends on your kid.  The Deal Kids at 8 and 11 LOVED it, but I’d consider the 8 year old an outlier.  After the show I asked the kids what age they would recommend and they agreed on 10.  But no matter the age, if your kid has any sensory issues, STAY AWAY.  Content wise there’s Robot on Robot violence and some mildly suggestive cheerleader, um, cheering, but I’d call it PG- definitely no nudity or anything I needed to explain.

Bottom Line- Would I recommend Robot Restaurant?

Absolutely, positively, Yes- for the right person. I just happen to be that person, and I think many of you are, too.  If you’re looking to sample High Art- might I suggest Kabuki?  However, if you want a taste of Tokyo and an experience you can get no where else, The Robot Restaurant is for you.

Have you been to Robot Restaurant?  What were your thoughts?  Please share in the comments.

Go Go Swallows! A Baseball Game in Tokyo

An absolute highlight of our time in Japan was attending a Baseball Game at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo. We got to witness an All-American tradition with a uniquely Japanese twist and I can’t recommend it enough for your family- especially if you’ve got Baseball fans or little league-rs like Deal Dad and Deal Kid.

Buying Tickets and Logistics

With most of our Japan trip planning going smoothly, I was surprised to hit a bump when trying to research and buy baseball tickets. In fact, I almost gave up and spent $59 for a service- not very Deal Mommy-like. The hiccup is that most websites that sell tickets require a Japan bank issued credit card. One team does not: Tokyo Yomuri Giants which play at Tokyo Dome. If our schedule had fit I would have just bought them online for Tokyo Dome.

However, we found a work-around: our hotel concierge (at the Hyatt Regency) was happy to send someone to buy tickets for us for the service fee of 500 Yen ($4). Sold!  She was happy to find which games fit our schedule and we easily took care of the transaction over email- with the bonus of using my OPEN American Express card for a further 5% off since the charge was from Hyatt!

Jingu Stadium Ticket prices I found very reasonable: bleacher seats went as low as 1,600 Yen (500 for kids!) and even the best seats in the house were only 4,600 Yen ($37 in June 2015). I don’t regret buying the expensive seats but the stadium is small enough that you won’t miss much out in the boonies.

If your hotel is no help, you can buy them either at the local box office or at any 7/11. I’d bring along google translate. Something fun: you have to “pick a side” of the stadium to cheer for when you buy your tickets.

Both Tokyo Dome and Jingu Stadium are on the subway- Jingu is closer to Shinjuku. A cab back to the Regency was around 1200 Yen ($10).

The Experience

The fans are passionate– not only about their team or favorite player, but about the entire experience. They came early, stayed long after the MVP was awarded, and cheered like crazy for every single play. We bought umbrellas and joined in. We witnessed the Swallows beat the Giants (think of the Giants as the Yankees- love or love to hate) in a real nail-biter that was decided in the 8th by a 3 run homer. To say the crowd went wild doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Other things to know

• Snacks are plentiful- and for US stadium-goers- cheap. A beer ran 700 Yen (with the bonus of being served by a “Ghostbuster” wearing the keg on her back) and ice cream was 400 Yen.  Besides hot dogs and fries, we enjoyed both American and Japanese items such as ribs and meat skewers. You can easily made a lunch of it.
• There is absolutely no over-seat coverage anywhere in Jingu Stadium. Bring both sunscreen and a poncho. Or just use your umbrella in between runs.
• In addition to being passionate, fans were also polite. No worries at all bringing even young kids and seeing overzealous fans get rowdy.

New Otani Garden: My Favorite Spot in Tokyo is Hidden Inside a Hotel

I wish I could claim more credit but we only found the New Otani garden because of a Skybus Stop. In a city full of fancy hotels, the New Otani is easy to miss. I’m so glad we didn’t as tucked behind the New Otani’s shopping arcade is a 400 year old Japanese Garden that is among my favorite memories of Japan.

Even better, visiting the New Otani garden doesn’t cost a thing. Tokyo is an expensive city in many respects, so finding a free attraction made a beautiful garden even more so.

The New Otani Garden dates from the 17th Century, when samurai lord Kato Kiyomasa had one of his houses on the site. It’s been in well-tended aristocratic hands ever since and has all the hallmarks of a classic Japanese Garden: sculptures, water features, gratuitous bridges, koi…and peace.

You can’t throw a rock in Japan without hitting a rock garden, but The New Otani’s is my favorite. You could even have lunch or dinner with a (very expensive) view. I’d skip the meal and take in the views for free.

Tokyo Disney Tips: What To Know Before You Go

Over the weekend Tokyo Disney came up on Twitter and I realized I never summarized my thoughts on the happiest place in Japan. While I enjoyed and recommend Hong Kong Disneyland, I put Tokyo Disney on another level: must see. It would be a shame for even the casual Disney fan to miss spending a day or two at Tokyo Disney- specifically DisneySea.

What’s So Great about DisneySea?

Simply put, DisneySea is unique in the World. Not just the world of Disney, but the entire World.  The other International Disney parks are versions of the Magic Kingdom.  It’s immediately apparent the imagineers had some fun with their 2nd Japanese offering.

Once you learn that DisneySea is based on the Seven Seas you might expect DisneySea to be a carbon copy of EPCOT with various countries represented.  Not. Even. Close.

OK, there’s a Cape Cod area that’s a bit like America and the Arabian Coast looks kind of like Morocco, but the similarities come to a screeching halt when you reach the castle- Triton’s Castle. 

Triton’s under-the-sea extravaganza must be seen to be believed.  Ariel’s treasures become the objects of a scavenger hunt in her Grotto, Jellyfish float in air-conditioned skies, and Triton’s Concert takes the Little Mermaid’s story to a uniquely Japanese place. In the Tokyo telling, Ariel is ashamed for being absent for the King’s concert and vows never to go away again!  Not exactly the Ariel I remember from the movie…

Tokyo Disney Tips: Before you get to the parks

• Both parks are worth a day each (two at DisneySea if you’re a Disney lover), but if you have to pick one, choose DisneySea, as shown above. 
• It’s worth staying close to the parks. The train takes a good hour from Shinjuku. If you’re planning a full day at the park you’ll be grateful to be right on the monorail at the end of it! I can recommend the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay but have also heard good things about the Hilton right next door.
• Timing is EVERYTHING. Like in the US a good crowd calendar will be your best friend.  We visited on days that were in the 40-50 (out of 100) crowd range.  We definitely felt the difference between even 40 and 50.  I don’t even want to imagine a 100 day- and you don’t want to either as they close the park to visitors!
• That said, try to visit during a festival if it’s not too crowded. We were fortunate enough to visit during Tanabata, or Star, festival time throughout Japan. Characters wore special costumes and we found souvenirs that you could only get for those two weeks. Pretty cool!
• Tokyo gets hotter and muggier than you think. Heat exhaustion is no joke. Plan for frequent aircon breaks. The shows will make sense in any language- and some like the Tiki Room have hand held translators available.

Tokyo Disney Tips: Once you’re inside the parks

• Get stuck in lines? Single Rider is your friend! The Japanese seemed to avoid Single Rider like the plague.  45 minutes waits went magically down to 5 if we were willing to go 1 per row. Best part- single rider made for the best accidental photobomb ever for Deal Kid when he got placed with a field trip on the Indiana Jones ride.  Picture fifteen screaming Japanese teens in matching green tees…and a stone faced Deal Kid.
• Plan on snacking your way through the parks. The food was consistently awesome, affordable, and in typical Japanese fashion…adorable! Try the soy sauce flavored popcorn and the mochi little green men ice cream treats. Thank me later. 
• Speaking of snacking- snacks make a great souvenir. Metal tins of snacks in every possible sweet and savory combo you can imagine line shop shelves.  Another fun- and unconventional- souvenir? Towels! Japanese are big into hand towels (washcloth and guest towel size).  We picked up a bunch we use in the bathroom as guest towels.
• Unusual photo opps: Duffy the Bear (EPCOT’s mascot), Oswald (the pre-Mickey), Max (Goofy’s son), Apu from Alladin and the 3 Caballeros

Why Osaka Gets My Vote for Best Metro

The Napoli Metro wins awards, The Paris Metro is more historic and New York’s Subway more famous, but my vote for the world’s best Metro system (so far) goes to Osaka.

Sure, it’s clean, on time, and buying tickets is a snap. But that’s not why Osaka stands above the rest.  If you take a peek at the map you can see the handy-dandy letter and number coding system attached to every station.  That system is also present at every station and on every train’s monitor so you always know you’re on the right line towards the right station.  Genius.

Tokyo metro fail

Being a DC native, I’m pretty confident on most subway systems. Even the Deal Kids have taken more trains in more cities than they could count. From New York to Paris we’ve never had problems using subways to get around. That in mind, I didn’t foresee any issues using public transit in Japan.

So I was shocked at our inability to make the Tokyo metro system work for us. For starters, the soba noodle tangle of rail lines made every excursion require extensive research before even setting out. Then the cost of many trips for 4 made taxis make sense. Those times we did decide to ride, we had to count on our own maps as most stations outside of hubs had maps in Japanese only. Pricing wasn’t transparent between stations so buying tickets always had an element of mystery. At least twice we went somewhere via metro, then decided to cab home (usually the cost was within $5 or so) because the metro process was such a pain.

Sequential lettering and numbering should be a total no-brainer, right?  Well, I haven’t seen it anywhere else!  Have you? What’s your favorite Metro? Please share in the comments.

How Do You Help Kids Through Culture Shock? July 2015

Ed. note: This post garnered the single most egregious comment I received in nine years on the blog: A declaration that my kids would need Xanax because I sheltered them from Hanoi traffic.

I planned as soft a landing as I possibly could. I’m Vendoming the hotels and even planned our first day in Hanoi as a meltdown day spent mostly chilling in the suite with room service and pool time. So by 5PM I figured the Deal Kids were ready to dip their toes into Hanoi. A nice stroll around the lake and some ice cream seemed a good plan.

Yea, not so much. Culture Shock set in immediately and in a big way.  Between the chaos dodging motorbikes while crossing the street, the strange smells and sights, and just the sheer newness of it all within 15 minutes it was clear I needed a Plan B.

To be honest, I didn’t think it would be this bad. I mean the kids did fine in Paris on Bastille Day- talk about crowded! And they’ve done Guatemala, which is definitely not known for road rules. But on the first try they just didn’t handle Hanoi well at all. I’m confident Hoi An and Da Nang will be much better as the pace is slower.

To help change their attitude ASAP I grabbed a cab and hightailed it for the nicest hotel in town.  In this case the Colonial era Hotel Metropole did the trick. A beautiful and quiet cafe with amazing service (at the same price as TGI Friday’s in the states) helped smooth over the nerves that erupted more quickly than I imagined they would. Call it a strategic retreat. 

So I’d love to hear your advice. How have you helped your kids adjust when they’re overwhelmed?

How I Made Hanoi Work for The Deal Kids

I wanted to give a follow up on my post about the Deal Kids getting Culture Shock in Hanoi and let you know how I handled our time there. I hope it will be helpful if you find your kids overwhelmed in their travels.

Thanks to Trevor who offered some great advice about how he and his wife managed Delhi- an overwhelming city, to be sure. He suggested hiring a private driver instead of visiting sites on our own.

I took a version of his advice by taking walking out of the equation: crossing the crowded, unpaved, at times 12 deep motorbike and taxi filled streets was a major source of stress for the Deal Kids. So I went taxi door to door, even if our site was close enough to walk to in a normal situation. Cabs in Hanoi start at 30 cents, so this was a decision I could make easily.

I also cut my expectations WAY back: I put one cultural activity on the agenda for the morning and one for the evening.  In the morning we visited the Temple of Literature, which at almost 1000 years old and as the first University in Vietnam I thought would have the most impact on the Deal Kids. It did- they especially noticed how different the architecture at the temple was from those in Japan. We also got to talk a bit about Confucius. Progress.

The evening activity was a no-brainer: the Thang Long Puppet Theater. The entire show is performed in waist deep water and is unlike anything I’ve seen anywhere else. Must do, even if you don’t have kids. Tip: Buy tix direct from box office for 75% less than tour companies charge. After the show, we enjoyed homemade gelato in the shop next door. I recommend the Hibiscus.

And the afternoon? Well, we revisited the Hotel Metropole Cafe since it was already a hit (and I’m a fan of colonial architecture), we swam, and we one-upped the Deal Kids’ friends by seeing the Minions movie a day early.

Did I expect to see the Minions in Hanoi? No. But it helped smooth out the edges, gave us all something to laugh at, and the cab ride over, where the driver successfully navigated a (and I’m not joking here) 1 centimeter gap gave us a good story.

I guess my strategy here is: find the source of the most pain and cut it out as much as possible, then fit in what you can while adding in a bit of home.

And I was surprised to hear both Deal Kids disagree with me when I said Hanoi was a bit of a bust: Deal Girl immediately mentioned the Puppets and Deal Kid the Temple. So I guess I’m glad we came-and I am glad they had to stretch themselves a bit.

Deal Kid visibly relaxed as soon as we arrived in much quieter Hoi An-right about the time Deal Girl spiked a fever. The joys of family travel! Hopefully she’ll be ready to get out today- the pool here in Hoi An beckons.

My New Love: Old Fashioned Vietnamese Coffee

While our entry into Vietnam may have been a but bumpy, the coffee has been nothing but smooth. In fact, I hesitate to even call it coffee because brewed traditionally it’s more like coffee syrup- I’ve been ordering it as dessert while the kids enjoy coconut ice cream. With strong notes of chocolate and caramel I haven’t felt deprived a bit. Last night I even asked the waitress to bring out the coffee so I could see the brand: Trung Nguyen.

Today my mission is to find a grocery store and stock up, and to pick up one of the specialty brewers they use over here for a single cup of nirvana. Fortunately, if I don’t make it, the items are easily located on Amazon. The Vietnamese Slow-Drip, Single-Cup Serving Brewer is only $10 shipped and Trung Nguyen Coffee is available as well.

The best recipe I’ve seen to make it at home comes from Hungry Huy. I usually don’t have condensed milk at home so I’ve been using regular milk fortified with a large scoop of powdered. Not perfect, but it’s pretty good.

7 (More) Tips For When Your Kids Get Sick Traveling

Every trip I learn something new about traveling with kids. Some of it is fun to share: like Tokyo Swallows Baseball at Jingu Stadium being a perfect family outing. Some is not so much fun but is also important to share- like Deal Girl getting tonsilitis in Vietnam- so that you can use what I’ve learned to help if you end up with a sick kid overseas. I’ve done a post on the topic recently but want to add seven new tips I learned the hard way:

1. Do not assume your kid has a travel related illness.  This is a mistake I made and it’s easy to figure whatever ails your kid has to do with the water, food, heat, etc.  Deal Girl started looking peaked on the plane to Danang and had a definite fever by the time we arrived in Hoi An.  I pulled out the chewable Advil and put Deal Girl down for a nap. Hitting Dr. Google I re-assured myself that no alerts from the State Department mentioned any fever diseases in Vietnam. I then breathed an uncalled for sigh of relief.
2. Do not assume your kid is better even if they look better right away. 24 hours later Deal Girl seemed better. She was tired and had little appetite, but had no fever and no real pain so I thought it had ran its course. Wrong. Two days later the fever returned with a vengeance. I should have been monitoring her symptoms more closely but chalked some of them up to the heat and general stress of travel.
3. Don’t forget to complete your Dr. Mom exam. If I had been more alert to everyday illness as opposed to developing world stuff I would have seen her swollen tonsils.  Once the doctor had me look they were pretty hard to miss. I was good about checking her frequently for fever and asking about her poop (hey, Moms need to know these things) but forgot to make her say AHHH.
4. If you need a doctor with Western standards, find a luxury hotel to recommend one.  I waited till we got the Hyatt in Danang (Day 4 of the fever) because I had more confidence they would help me find a good doctor.  My independent hotel in Hoi An could have found me someone, but I just felt better about the larger resort having more experience with the doctor on call.  She arrived within an hour and diagnosed Deal Girl in 30 seconds.
5. Bring more cash than you think you need.  The Hyatt let me know the doctor visit would be $50 US, so I brought $50 US to the lounge to pay the fee.  Turns out I also needed $30 for the prescriptions.  It took an inconvenient trip back to the room at an inopportune time to get it. Next time I’ll just bring more money.
6. Speaking of prescriptions… our doctor was well stocked with UK manufactured medicine.  What she did NOT have was kid’s formulations.  She gave the dosage based on Deal Girl’s weight but we were given horse pills for the 8 year old with swollen tonsils to swallow twice daily for five days. This caused me to have to get creative.  With the Doctor’s OK, I dissolved the pills into a soda for her to get them down. This leads me to…
7. You just may become the Mom who gives her kids soda for breakfast. 

Have you had an illness overseas requiring a hotel doctor visit?  What surprised you?  Please share in the comments.

How Vietnam Made Deal Kid Smarter Than Donald Trump

I always wonder how much of our travel “sticks” and although our trip to Vietnam was memorable I certainly didn’t think it would shape Deal Kid’s worldview as much as it has. So I was happily surprised when a recent conversation revealed that Deal Kid’s grasp of economics makes him smarter than Donald Trump.

Deal Kid is in 7th grade and usually concerns himself with 7th grade issues- who likes who, when is the new Terraria coming out, and the like. But this year he can’t help get snippets of election coverage- usually from me or his Dad exclaiming “really?” about one news story or another.

Which gets me to Vietnam and Donald Trump.  On CNN recently Mr. Trump explained why the US would never default on its debt: ” you never have to default because you print the money”. *  Just out of curiosity, I showed Deal Kid the CNN post where this quote occurred and asked his thoughts.

Without missing a beat he exclaimed “That’s so stupid!  Isn’t that why 2,000 Dong is like 9 cents?”.

Yes, Deal Kid. Yes, it is.

Have your kids ever crystallized an understanding that you can trace back to your travels? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

*I’ve tried REALLY hard to stay apolitical on the blog, but this story has more to do with travel than with the actual election. That said, thinking we can print ourselves out of debt is pretty stupid.

Family Travel FAQ: Hong Kong Things to Do With Kids

Julianna asks (edited for clarity): My husband and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary in 2017. And the traditional gift for 20 years is China. I think they meant dishes, but I am going to re-interpret it as a trip to China. So March of 2017 (My kids Spring Break) we are going to try to do Hong Kong with the kids for week. The boys are 12, 14, and 15. They are experienced travelers but haven’t been to Asia.

I have two questions about the trip:

1. Should I use an award booking service? My dates are very specific and we’d prefer to do business class for such a long trip.
2. I’m not sure about booking award hotel rooms in Hong Kong for the week. I’m super nervous about picking the wrong neighborhood, or one that isn’t convenient, since I know nothing about Hong Kong. We’re Disney fans, so we’ll make a visit while in Hong Kong, but that’s all I know so far about our visit. Any neighborhood recommendations? Condo or Apartment rentals better than hotels?

I’m really glad Julianna asked a Hong Kong question as I left the topic incomplete. While answering her specific questions I’ll also address some of my thoughts about visiting Hong Kong with kids.  I know many of you have also visited Hong Kong with kids and I encourage your thoughts in the comments.

Booking Award Tickets: Should I use a Service?

I went back to Julianna to get some more info before answering in detail. Based on her answers, I’m advising her NOT to use a service. Here’s why:

• She lives in flyover country but has tons of Southwest points and a companion pass so easy access to most gateways.
• Hong Kong is a hub for discount airline Dragonair so really easy to reach from other cities in Asia.  Both outbound and inbound segments can be “just get over the pond” based.
• Her main currency is Ultimate rewards points so she also has lots of options as far as which programs she can use to book. She can then use the UR points to pay for the discount air flights as well if needed.
• Her kids are old enough that’s it easy to “split the team” into groups of 3 and 2.  In fact, I’d assume it when searching.
• Minimum, you’re paying $100/ticket for a service.  $500 is a lot of money when you can play with so many variables.
• Here’s a post about my experience about booking award tickets to Asia.

Hong Kong: Hotel Rooms or Apartment Rental?

In my experience Hong Kong hotels are more like Japan than like South East Asia both in cost and in size.  Our suite at the Hyatt Regency slept three easily but would definitely wouldn’t have fit five. A family of five would definitely need two rooms.

With that in mind I’d lean towards an apartment rental. In Asia I find the best search term to be “serviced apartment”.   My guide to family hotel rooms is based on Europe but the tips will work for Asia as well.

As far as location: Hong Kong has an fantastic metro.  As long as you’re on the main parts of Hong Kong Island or Kowloon (just take a look at the Frommer’s neighborhoods at a glance for an idea) you’ll be fine. Even a ride to HK Disney, which is basically an outer suburb, is only 45 minutes from Tsim Sha Tsui.

Hong Kong Things to Do with Kids

Angelina and I talked travel recently (as bloggers often do) when she mentioned she didn’t love Hong Kong.  I correctly surmised it’s because it’s she hadn’t done it with kids. Julianna’s kids have never been to Asia and Hong Kong is a perfect place to dip their toes into the pool without too much culture shock.  It’s a great mix of London and Shanghai: foreign but a bit familiar. Some of my favorite activities include:

High Up: Victoria Peak is well worth the visit. The tram is a judgement call: lines are both long and claustrophobic and you’re not guaranteed either a seat or a view.  You could just as easily take a bus or cab to the top.  The walk down can be lovely but the heat is no joke. Carry lots of water!  The views from Sky 428 terrace are pretty much the same as the others, but the audio tour was worth the price of admission.  Each kid got a headset with a numbered guide.  They could then match the building in front in them to the map to the history.  The kids got so much out of the audioguide. 

High Tea: I can’t think of a better place to get your Brit on. I recommend  Cafe Deco at the top of Victoria Tram (for the views, the jazz era vibe, and the kids play area so you can relax).  Another great one- for sheer volume- is the weekend afternoon tea buffet at the Hyatt Regency Tsim Sha Tsui. It’s simply overwhelming!

High Street: Besides the myriad of markets (The Bird Market being one of my faves) I wouldn’t sleep on clothes shopping-even for boys.  Deal Kid picked out a bunch of T-Shirts with random English sayings that no one else in his school has!  “Thinking Too Much Causes Problems” is an especially big hit.

Easy daytrips from Hong Kong

High Seas: A day trip to Macau is a must with a week in Hong Kong.  I’d even consider a night or two in Macau as we regretted not having more time there.  One mistake I made was not buying my ferry tickets out in advance- I then got stuck buying business class tickets which were totally unnecessary.

If Hong Kong is London then Macau is Porto: it has much more of an outpost than a capital feel.  Some of the original Portuguese architecture remains as do tinges of Portuguese cuisine. Macau gets more press for its casinos but the Deal Kids and I found more fun in the outdoors. We took a cab to Fort Guia and hiked to the top of the fortress.  We then strolled back down to the cable car then into the flower gardens.

High Rides: Julianna mentioned a trip to Disney which I definitely recommend. Here are my Hong Kong Disney tips. Friends also rave about Ocean Park which is on our list for next time.

14 Hong Kong Disney Tips to Make the Most of Your Visit

As a well documented Disney family, the Deal Kids and I were excited to visit Hong Kong Disneyland. However, most families aren’t as Disney-nuts as us and you might wonder if it’s worth losing precious days of your Asian vacation to get a big ol’ slice of Americana. My answer is absolutely yes: Hong Kong Disneyland is worth the visit. Making the decision easier are the ticket prices, which are at least 1/3 cheaper than in the states. However, I did find some parts of our Hong Kong Disneyland visit challenging and wanted to share with you some 14 Hong Kong Disney tips to make your visit easier.

Hong Kong Disney Tips: Plannning

• Consider splitting your visit over two days.  You could definitely “do” Hong Kong Disneyland in one day, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Here’s why: One and Two day tickets aren’t that much different in price so the marginal difference in cost would allow you to pace yourself. Public transit to Hong Kong Disneyland is a breeze: from Tsim Sha Tsui the trip took about 45 minutes.  And the heat and humidity get to you quickly!  Two days allows you to do one morning and one evening: skipping the worst of the afternoon.
• Visit on weekdays if at all possible.  We did a Thursday night and a Monday morning and crowds were definitely on the low side both days.  We didn’t wait more than 15 minutes in any line ride. Annual passes are affordable and I wouldn’t want to visit on a weekend.

Hong Kong Disney Tips: Arrival

• Prepare the kids to be underwhelmed by the Castle. Coming straight from Tokyo (and having visited Orlando) the kids were shocked by the small size of Sleeping Beauty’s castle and at first wondered if the entire park would disappoint.
• Go left.  This is good advice at any theme park as most people go right, but is especially good at Hong Kong Disney as the areas unique to this park are all on your left.
• Your manners might have to go out the window at times.   I’m grateful for the slew of articles about Chinese Tourists behaving badly so I’m not on an island saying this: Chinese aren’t known for their manners in crowd situations.  We got pushed, cut in front of, and generally run over at first.  I finally told the kids to unlearn what they had been taught for their visit to Hong Kong Disney as they saw me push back when it got really bad.  The parade was the worst as we had to hold our ground while folks tried to get around us in every way possible to get a better photo.  I finally shoved the kids to the very front so they could see.

Hong Kong Disney Tips: Attractions

• Mystic Manor and Grizzly Gulch are not just unique lands, but also must do rides. Toy Story Land? Fun to see, rides are skip-able. Grizzly Gulch looks a lot like Thunder Mountain.  Don’t be fooled.  It’s SO much better.  I thought the ride was over (and was great) and it took off again!  Lines get long for this one, so go early or late: at closing we rode it twice in a row with no line.  Mystic Manor looks like Haunted Mansion, but is nothing like it.  It uses the magnetic technology found at Pooh’s Hunny Hunt in Tokyo and its theming is unique to any Disney park.  Lines didn’t seem to get as long so we rode this one four times in two days! Mystic Manor is now my favorite ride in any Disney park worldwide. 
• The night time parade is a must. Daytime parade? Nice, but also in the hottest part of the day.
• Don’t skip the shows, especially the Lion King.  There’s no language barrier.
• FastPass isn’t going to help you much.  It’s only used at two rides: Space Mountain and Winnie the Pooh.  That said, you can get one every two hours so go nuts!
• What WILL help you? Single Rider lines! Grizzly Gulch and Space Mountain both have them and they never went over 10 minutes. Kids as young as 7 can go solo: you’re right there at the exit if you go first so the kids aren’t going to get lost.

Hong Kong Disney Tips: Shopping and Food

• Pin Trading is alive and well (with the staff). With guests, not so much. In two days we saw exactly one other pin trader.  However, the staff was thrilled to trade with us and we picked up some amazing pins.  
• Don’t buy your souvenirs at the Emporium.  In each smaller shop there’s a table with items for 50% off (70% off if you buy 4).  Stock changes frequently so it’s worth checking each one.
• Food, even water, is expensive, and I couldn’t find any water fountains.  Budget for it. Tap water in Hong Kong is technically potable but I didn’t risk it beyond brushing teeth.
• They have Dole Whip!  It’s hidden in Tomorrowland at the exit of Space Mountain.  The flavor is slightly different (passionfruit and mango with the pineapple) but it’s just as good.

Camp Mom Asia Recap: 1 Mom, 2 Kids, 30 Days, 19K Miles…and 7 Prescriptions

I’m just back from 19,177 miles of travel in 30 days with The Deal Kids (and Deal Dad for the first 14). MANY posts are 1/2 written in my head and I’ll get them out as I defog from the jet lag and illness. For now I’ll start with a quick recap:

• Countries: 4
• Flights: 6: 2 First, 2 Business, 2 Economy
• Hotels: 7 in 29 nights
• Hyatt Stays/Nights: 4 stays, 20 nights
• Disney Visits: 4 days in 3 parks
• Modes of Transport: 11(Plane, Bullet Train, Subway, Monorail, Boat, Cable Car, Funicular, Hired Car, Taxi, Golf Cart, Megabus)
• McDonalds Visits: 0
• Suitcases: 2 + 3 Empty to start, 5 Full at end
• Days Lost to Illness: 3, In-Room Doctor Visits: 2, Prescriptions: 7

A few thoughts:

• Kids are always learning, even if it’s now how you intend. Our time in Vietnam was, um, not what I planned.  Between culture shock in Hanoi and tonsilitis in Da Nang I had to do a lot of scrambling to make it work. However, I’m still really glad we went. The Deal Kids picked up an amazing amount of political history: from learning why we might not want to play “War” in a restaurant (we changed the name to “go”) to what it means when 2,000 of a currency is worth 9 cents. They also stretched themselves- and stretched me- more than I could have imagined.
• Even you can get sick. I’m a big fan of travel insurance and it cashed in 5:1 on this trip. I was prepared for the kids getting sick. However, when I broke out into a high fever at 3AM in Hong Kong, I was NOT mentally prepared and will confess I (silently) freaked out a bit.  11 year old Deal Kid, as the only healthy one the entire trip, stepped up and took on more than he has before without asking- and made me proud.
• Heat exhaustion is no joke. Even in Japan the climate combined with all of the touring got to us more quickly than we expected. The first one to suffer? Black Belt and Baseball playing Deal Kid. Constant breaks, water, and remembering not to overschedule are a must.
• Tokyo and Hong Kong Disney? Both worth it, but choose Tokyo if you have to pick only one: DisneySea is unique in the world and a must see for even casual Disney fans.
• Time with other kids is a highlight. We spent two days with an English Language School in Osaka where the kids spent time with 6 Japanese kids. If you can find a way to let your kids play with local kids, even at a playground, you won’t regret it.

I hope this gives you a quick taste of the posts to come (and doesn’t scare you off the concept of Camp Mom).  If you have any specific questions: fire away!

Camp Mom Reality Check: What a 30 Day Luxury Trip to Asia for 4 Really Cost

I want to inject some reality into the conversation about “The Hobby” and “Free Travel”. Instead of writing an editorial I’m going to let the numbers talk. Here’s a cost breakdown- both in cash outlays and in points- of what we spent for transportation and hotel for our 30 day trip to Japan, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. I’ll use a penny a point for comparison: I know the valuation is not exact but it’s what you would get redeeming points for to pay your bill.

I’ll begin with the end in mind- I spent more cash than you have to, by choice. By choosing to fly long haul first class and spend our nights in suites our family of 4 had a MUCH more comfortable experience. I’m more than satisfied with the money we spent.

Airfare: 531,000 miles and $1,219

I discussed the long haul flights above. Short haul flights between Tokyo and Hanoi, Hanoi and Da Nang, and Da Nang and Hong Kong were a combo of cash and points flights.
Here’s a quick summary:
Long-Haul: 487,500 miles and $469
Short Haul: 43,500 and $750

Hotel: 49,897 points and $1238

Hyatt: (Earned) 43,814 (Spent) 94,500 net 50,686 points and $950
For the Hyatt stays (21 nights) I used points and cash + diamond suite upgrades for all 4 hotels. 2 nights were free thanks to Rite Aid. All Hyatt stays included a generous breakfast and club access which at least 7 nights covered us for dinner as well.
Takeaway: Hyatt Diamond still worth every penny.

Starwood: $288 (Earned 789 Starpoints)
2 nights- paid for the 2nd to bottom level room and was upgraded into a mini-suite with only Gold Status.
Takeaway: Take a good look at the room levels when booking. By not booking the cheapest room in the hotel for only $15/night we got into a much larger room category. At the base level we likely would have only been upgraded to a smaller room with a view.

Orbitz: FREE
Takeaway: By using a combo of generous promotions and Orbucks I was able to redeem 6 nights in Vietnam at 2 lovely independent hotels, in suites, entirely free. You get $25 10 Orbucks with invite here (the site says $25, but I’ve heard reports people are only getting $10). They’re having a promotion right now where you can earn an extra $110 in Orbucks just by sending in photos.

Total: 580,897 points and $2,457, or $8,388 

Now of course $2,500 isn’t EVERY expense.  Over transportation and hotel we spent another $2,500.  Over 1/2 of that was for Japan Rail Passes and 4 days at 3 Disney parks.

Takeaway

$5,000 cash for what we got?  Not FREE, but pretty darn good value.  To be honest, $10,900 would have been bottom barrel for a month in Asia for 4.  Do-able?  Yes, but in coach, in MUCH smaller hotel rooms ( in Japan and Hong Kong) and with a LOT more stress.

How do you think I did?  (Expert hackers- feel free to call me a rube.) What would you have done differently?  Please share your thoughts in the comments.