Travel
Up Close and Personal
The Travelers
Michael Janser, Angela Toda, and their two kids: Nathan (11) and Isabel (8).
The Cost
Roundtrip airfare from Beijing to Nairobi, with a transfer in Dubai, came up to RMB 11,930 per adult and RMB 8,970 per child. The Jansers flew with Emirates Airlines. In Nairobi, the Jansers stayed at the Nairobi Serena Hotel. In Dubai, everything was expensive. For two adults and two kids, a room at the Palm Atlantis in Dubai averaged RMB 3,190 per night.
Sand, Surf, and Scuba Diving
The Travelers
Patricia Young-Chou, her husband William Chou, and their two kids: Hudson (13) and Amira (10).
The Plan
The Chou family visited the island of Boracay in the Philippines during the October national holidays. They took a direct flight from Beijing to Manila, then booked their own domestic flights through local airlines like Cebu and Zest Airways to reach their final destination. Depending on whether you fly into Caticlan or Kalibo Airport, it’s either a bus ride or a 10-minute ferry ride to reach the island of Boracay. The Chou family did not use a travel agent, and instead planned their own trip from beginning to end.
Ships, Ahoy!
The Travelers
Jennifer Bottom, her husband Mark, and their two children: Emma (13) and Dayton (10).
The Cost
Over Chinese National holiday, the Bottom family went on a seven-night Royal Caribbean international cruise to Osaka, Fukuoka, and Busan. First, they flew to Shanghai with China Eastern Airlines to board their ship. The family always stays at Marriott hotels, so they stayed overnight at the Marriott Shanghai Luwan for free using their points. They boarded the ship the next day. The total cost of the trip (including transportation, roundtrip flights, the cruise package, and both onboard and offshore expenses) was approximately RMB 44,670.
Party of Six in a City of 7 Million
The Travelers
Stacey Barton, her husband Gabriel, and their four children: Bailey (10), Sydnee (8), Rylan (6), and Korynn (2).
The Cost
During Chinese National holiday, the Bartons flew to Hong Kong with China Eastern Airlines. They switched planes in Shanghai on the way there and in Nanchang on the way back. A roundtrip flight for six people costs around RMB 9,400. Stacey and Gabriel wanted everyone in the same van rather than split the family into two taxis. The van transportation to and from the airport in Hong Kong was RMB 1,300.
The Murdochs’ Whirlwind European Vacation
The Travelers
Ella Murdoch, her husband Kyle, their two girls, Lily (7) and Maggie (4) and their son Charlie (2).
Carefree in Cape Town
The Travelers
Michael Van Wyk, his wife Jacquie Golding Van Wyk and their four children: Gemma (16), Isabella (14), George (10) and Alfie (7 months).
Off the Beaten Track
The Travelers
Tina Beeck and her sons Beeck (13), Miller (11), and James (8); and their friends: Nicky Ebel, her husband David, and their sons Bryce (12), Joshua (12), Michael (10), and Callum (7).
Island Hopping
The Travelers
Paula Ligthart, her husband Rick, and their daughters Nicole (16) and Sabine (13).
Downtime in Dali
The Travelers
Sarah Vossler, her husband Zhang Yang and their son Oliver Zhang (1).
The Plan
By plane, train and automobile, the family spent a week in Dali, a small southern city near the China-Myanmar border. They flew China Eastern to Kunming and then took a seven-hour train ride to Dali. From the train station, they took a taxi to the old city of Gucheng.
On the Coast
The good people of Dalian take a lot of pride in their hometown’s reputation as the most beautiful city in China, and there may well be something to the claim. Sure, there are plenty of places around the country that enshrine the poetic stillness of a more delicate China of days gone by, but the idea that a modern Chinese metropolis could still deserve adjectives such as quaint, lovely, and spotless might stretch the imaginations of those who have been in Beijing for a while. But it’s true, and in this way Dalian manages to create an enchanting portrait of modern China – something of a gargantuan feat.
