Traveling the world one duty station at a time.
$20,000. On a 2 week vacation. Can you imagine? Me neither! Thankfully by using credit card points deliberately (“travel hacking“), we were able to take a dream vacation to Sri Lanka (post coming soon) and the Maldives with FREE flights and accommodations for all four of us. Wanting to go to the Maldives with points? Here’s the details on how we made our $20,000 vacation happen at a fraction of the cost.
(This was a pre-COVID era trip.) Before and after our safari in Selous, we spent time exploring the island of Zanzibar. Now part of Tanzania, it was once a part of Oman, so we really wanted to explore it while it’s not too long of a flight away. Plus, the kids had not yet been to Africa, and we had not yet been south of the Equator. So, we packed up and away we went!
Thinking about going on a safari with young kids? Looking at a safari in Africa but wondering what age is right? We just returned from a safari in Tanzania with our kids (ages 5 and 6), and I’m excited to share what we learned with you. Read more
After 2 years of chilly Christmases, this past year we had the kind of white Christmas I like best- a white sand beach! Our family (kids age 3 and 5), along with my parents, headed to Thailand. First up was a visit to Bangkok, followed by a week in Phuket. Read more
Agra
Miss part 1 of our trip to India? Catch up here.
After two nights in Ranthambhore we headed to Agra, stopping at Fatehpur Sikri on the way. Fatehpur was intended to be the capital city of the Mughal Empire, but was abandoned after 14 years due to lack of available water. It’s quite well preserved and isn’t crowded, a nice place to break up the drive. Our guide did mention sticking to the single site and not exploring the ruins around town. Read more
Spring Break tends to be a time of exciting travel for our family. Tuscany, Egypt, Israel, Germany…it’s a great time to get away, take a break, and explore new places. This year we decided to up the adventure and head to INDIA! Depending on what type of traveler you are this either sounds like a fantastic or terrible idea. (My husband and I were one of each.)
The biggest advice I have for India with kids is to make it as easy on yourself as possible. This is not the trip to do public transportation and hostels with children. It is easy and affordable to hire drivers and guides before arriving and to find excellent hotels. Well trained guides and smart hotels can help you choose ways to support the community that are helpful, rather than harmful. Read more
Heading to Dubai? Today I’m looking back at our recent trip to the city with young kids. Keep reading for my top tips on visiting Dubai with children and Dubai on a budget.
Driving to Dubai from Muscat? Check out this blog for a great detailed rundown on how it’s done. A note- Maps.me has a very different idea of “straight” and “slight,” so keep an eye on the map itself once in the city. Read more
My family travel photo feed reads like a fairy tale. I jet off with my kids to new and exciting countries, or spend bliss filled hours exploring our own. Right? Friends, that’s a big hearty NO. Traveling with kids isn’t always a dream come true.
While many only visit Muscat/Oman for a day, if you have more time for holiday (or plan to move to Oman), here’s my top sights to see in two weeks. Check out 1 Day in Muscat sites plus… Read more
Oman?! Really?! That’s often the first reaction we get when we share our location. The Middle East is viewed as a monolith by many (Dubai excluded), with the majority of the mental picture coming from snaps of life in Saudi. It’s hard for people to understand why people would live here, and why they would love it…until you visit. Read more
Chaos and Cardboard 