| If you are planning to holiday in Asia with your | | | | Asian cooking. This food additive is also used in |
| young family, here are some tips and | | | | the west (mostly packaged crisps/chips), and in |
| recommendations to make your Asian holiday | | | | principle is no more harmful than many of the E |
| that much more enjoyable. | | | | numbers we may consume daily. However, in |
| Be it relaxing in heavenly Bali villas, or hiking in | | | | many Asian countries MSG is used very liberally, |
| Kuta Kinabalu, or enjoying Disney World in Tokyo, | | | | especially in soups and food with sauces. In China, |
| Asia offers a huge variety of holiday destinations | | | | Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, to name a few |
| for those with younger children. | | | | countries, you can expect that your soups and |
| However, as rewarding as it is, traveling with the | | | | sauces will contain MSG by default. Many parents |
| younger ones in Asia is not always an easy sail. | | | | who live and travel in Asia complain that |
| Here are some insights gained traveling across | | | | excessive MSG causes dehydration, lethargy, and |
| Asia with children in tow, over the past 10 years. | | | | mood swings with some younger children (and |
| Getting There and Back | | | | many adults are also found to be sensitive to |
| It is more than likely that you will be taking a | | | | excessive MSG). If concerned, request for your |
| commercial flight to Asia. | | | | food to be prepared without any MSG, or choose |
| Here is the first word of caution. As far as | | | | MSG-free restaurants, increasingly available across |
| traveling with the young ones is concerned, not all | | | | the region. |
| airlines are created equal. No, I don't mean the | | | | Bare Necessities |
| level of service you can expect, as this seems to | | | | In general, availability and the condition of public |
| be of quite a high level whichever Asian based | | | | toilets in Asia leave much to be desired. Of |
| major airline you choose. In our experience, | | | | course, there are exceptions to this rule. |
| Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air New | | | | Singapore and Japan for example, typically provide |
| Zealand, and Emirates all offer great service when | | | | some of the cleanest public conveniences to be |
| you are traveling with kids. | | | | found anywhere in the world. Also, in each |
| However, the big difference comes in how much | | | | country, there are certain locations, such as hotels |
| different carriers choose to charge for the | | | | and airports where hygiene standards are going |
| younger ones. Some carriers, for example, charge | | | | to be at international levels. However, it is good |
| 10 percent of an adult fare, for infants, traveling | | | | practice to always carry your own tissues, and |
| on your lap, without a seat. At first, this may | | | | wet wipes with you when traveling in Asia. Also, |
| sound like a fair deal. However, if you consider the | | | | to address this problem, in many Asian cities, you |
| fact that this 10 percent is calculated as a | | | | can also find special antiseptic wet-wipes, which |
| percentage of a -Full Published Adult Fare- price, | | | | are very handy when dealing with some of the |
| you may find that you are paying as much for | | | | lesser public conveniences. |
| your infant's air fare, as you are for your own | | | | It is also worth noting that, restaurants |
| discounted fare! The good news is, not all airlines | | | | coffee-shops do not always provide their own |
| use this pricing policy, and if you shop around, you | | | | toilets for guest use, and more than likely share |
| can save yourself hundreds of dollars even | | | | facilities with other establishments. This is true for |
| before you leave home! | | | | even larger malls, and good quality restaurants in |
| Also, do keep in mind, that many airlines will offer | | | | hygiene conscious Singapore. So, the old trick of, |
| special -Child Meals-. Some, such as Singapore | | | | grabbing an unwanted cup of coffee or a drink at |
| Airlines, do also offer different menus for | | | | a restaurant, just to be able to use the facilities is |
| different age groups. | | | | not always a solution in Asia. |
| Similarly, for toddlers and older kids, it is worth | | | | Similarly, availability of baby changing rooms varies |
| checking what is on offer in terms of flight | | | | immensely across the region. In Singapore, and |
| entertainment. Some airlines will have dedicated | | | | Hong Kong for example, changing facilities are |
| children's cartoon channels, with a large selection | | | | readily available in most shopping malls, one almost |
| of entertainment options, whilst others may not. | | | | on each floor. However, when you are off the |
| If you are traveling long-haul, this alone could | | | | beaten track, even some good quality hotels may |
| make a huge difference to how well your Asian | | | | not provide child changing facilities. |
| holiday kicks off. | | | | Breast Feeding in Public |
| Transportation on the Ground | | | | As a general rule of thumb, if you decided to |
| The quality and safety of ground transportation | | | | breast feed in public, regardless of how discrete |
| varies immensely from one Asian Country to the | | | | you are being, expect to be stared at. The good |
| other. However, as a general rule of thumb, do | | | | news is, across most of the region, this is no |
| not expect taxis to provide child safety seats, | | | | more sinister than surprise and interest on the |
| and in many parts of Asia, even rental cars may | | | | part of the locals. If in doubt, you may want to |
| not have the child safety seat option. | | | | retreat to a quiet corner, back of a restaurant, or |
| The good news is, across most of Asia, metered | | | | baby changing facilities. |
| taxis are plentiful, and relatively well maintained, | | | | My Child is a Model! |
| with working seat belts. When you are in | | | | If your children are under four or five years old, |
| Singapore, you can expect (or even demand); | | | | and/or blonde or with naturally curly hair, expect |
| fully functioning seat belts both at the front and | | | | to be approached in parts of Asia by total |
| back passenger seats. In other parts of the | | | | strangers wanting to take photos of your child! |
| region, you may find that seat belts have been | | | | Again, there is nothing sinister about this request. |
| removed, on purpose, because ‘they get in | | | | They just want to capture the -cute factor- and |
| the way'. | | | | share this amazing image with their friends and |
| So, if you are adamant that you would like child | | | | families. |
| safety seats whilst holidaying in Asia, you may | | | | You will typically be approached by Japanese, |
| consider bringing your own, or picking one up, | | | | Korean, and Chinese ladies, who will want to pose |
| when you land at your destination. | | | | with your child, and take each other's photos. |
| Probably with the exception of Japan, Korea and | | | | However, there seems to be no age or gender |
| Taiwan, facilities on local train services are of a | | | | limit to this interest, over the years, our little ones |
| variable quality, and unless you are going for gold, | | | | have been photographed by business people in |
| and staying on the Palace on Wheels in India, or a | | | | suits, restaurant chefs, and the odd octogenarian |
| special First Class trip between Beijing and | | | | in small villages. |
| Shanghai, you may want to plan well, and take all | | | | Asia's Love for Children |
| your essentials on board with you. | | | | One thing is for sure. Wherever you go to in Asia |
| Food Matters | | | | with your young family, you will find the locals |
| Whilst most westerners find Asian food (especially | | | | ever helpful and highly interactive with your little |
| South Asian, or South East Asian food), quite | | | | ones. Asian's love children, they love their own |
| spicy, this is not necessarily an issue when | | | | children, and also the children of foreign tourists. |
| traveling with the younger ones. Most hotels and | | | | My advice is, make the most of this, and allow |
| restaurants will prepare food for the little ones | | | | your children to interact with the local population, |
| separately, without the spices. Also, if in doubt, | | | | be it your villa team at your rental Bali villa, or a |
| plain noodles, or plain rice with some vegetables | | | | chef in a Chinese restaurant, or the old lady selling |
| on the side is always readily available as a good | | | | flower garlands outside a temple in Thailand! |
| stop gap ration. Depending on how off the beaten | | | | Most important of all, don't feel like you have to |
| track you decide to travel, you are more than | | | | wait till the kids are older before you can visit |
| likely to find, old favourites such as fish-fingers, | | | | Asia. Have a go; both you and the children will |
| chicken nuggets, and hamburgers in most parts of | | | | love this colourful part of the world. |
| Asia. | | | | Enjoy your Asian holiday. |
| One word of caution on the food front is the | | | | Many happy returns... |
| liberal use of MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate) in | | | | |