No Back Home

If you are like me, you probably tend to over pack for destinations that you don’t know personally. I find this especially true when visiting a developing country.  On my first visit to India I took WAY more than I needed. I listened to people who had only visited the country for short times and who also probably […]

I’m returning to India, but for the first time I will be arriving in the middle of the night at an airport I’m not super familiar with.  In my search to find out information about Delhi airport arrivals, I found an absence of what I wanted to know. So I’ve been writing this post in […]

I’m a sucker for cheap flights. Even though everyone I know hates one of the most well known budget airlines here in the states, Spirit Airlines, I’m actually OK with them – as long as I know what I am getting into. So you can imagine that I was quite intrigued by the constant advertisements […]

Throughout this series, I have covered the basics of how to add more travel into your life, how to research for a trip and where and how to book the trip. For the final step of travel planning, depending on what type of trip you are taking, I have put together some timelines, checklists for […]

Last week, we talked about researching where to go, but we didn’t delve into the nitty gritty of where to research flights, accommodation and things to do. This is an extension of research, but also begins to get into the logistics of travel planning. Logistics is another thing that I love about travel planning. Details, […]

Last week I wrote about how you can add more travel into your life, but for many people, it’s the travel planning that is a huge barrier to actually getting out the door. Being a researcher at heart (and through training, I have a Masters in Research Psychology), this is one of my favorite parts […]

I often get asked how I am able to travel so much with my son. Do you homeschool? Are you loaded? Is your travel free? All valid questions. Traveling with a family is difficult once children are in school and have limited time off, but it is not impossible. Travel is also much more expensive than […]

One of our all time favorite holidays in India is the Festival of Colors, better known as Holi. After 9 years of celebrating it in the streets of India (and 4 in Los Angeles), we have become experts on how to celebrate it safely and to maximum effect! (more…)

As I began packing for my next trip I realized that I have a few essentials that go with me regardless of my destination. Many of these items, in some form, have been coming with me for the last 15 years! If they are this essential to me, perhaps you will also find them useful in your travels. […]

We recently returned from our yearly joint family summer trip. Three children. Five adults. Three Generations. I have to admit I was a bit nervous about our trip this year. Last year we stayed in the gorgeous Yosemite Valley for 4 days. Short and sweet. It was amazing. Everyone had a blast. We were ready to try another year of co-family travel. […]

I have survived my first Spirit flight! And you know what, it wasn’t so bad. Flying Spirit is not for everyone, but for the budget conscious it is fantastic option. Without the low fares available on Spirit Airlines, it would not have been possible for our family to go away for a quick Mother’s Day weekend. I […]

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the […]

Your first flight with a baby is daunting and exciting. Preparing and packing carry-on essentials is one of the most important aspects for your baby’s first flight. This travel or flight bag will hold all of your child’s necessary items for the flights and/or travel along the way. I find that it’s best to keep this bag […]

Preparing for your baby’s first flight is daunting and nerve wracking. I remember it well. My son was born in India where we lived as expats. As you can imagine, the grandparents were chomping at the bit to see him. India not being the easiest country to pop into meant that we had to do […]

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the […]

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the […]

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the […]

One of my fellow family travel bloggers posted a question on their Facebook page a while back asking where people thought of when they thought of kid friendly destinations. My initial response was Costa Rica, mostly because we were in the midst of planning a trip there. But then I realized that every place is kid friendly […]

Travel to India without children seems daunting to most people, much less with small kids in tow. However, traveling to India with kids can be a rich and rewarding experience for the entire family. Yes, it can be difficult, but I have to say that it is not that much harder than a trip to […]

A trip to Palm Springs for most people means sitting by the pool soaking up the sun, shopping and maybe visiting a few kid friendly attractions (if you have kids). For us, it means driving back and forth to Joshua Tree (or Joshman Tree as my preschooler says) to explore. My son is not the […]