Living in Hong Kong as an Expat -- the Trip Home  Getting ready to travel from Hong Kong You would think by now, being a so-called 'seasoned' expat, I would surely take a trip to see family in my great 'globetrotting' stride? I mean, seriously, when you've crossed more time zones than you can count (with toddler in tow) how hard can it be? Tickets, passports, pack a few bags…...  But that - right there - is where all the trouble starts. "Pack a few bags." After trips here, there and everywhere, I admit, the airport may be beginning to resemble a second home (I can order a trusty Mint Mocha in most terminals) but alas, I still struggle to master the art of packing a decent suitcase.  For starters, whoever decided 23 kilos is a fair luggage allowance clearly isn’t concerned with having the right outfit to wear on holidays, at all times. When your rather sturdy well-traveled bag takes up five kilos on its own, surely it's illegal to put restrictions on the number of stilettos (I may, admittedly, never wear) or those trainers - just in case I make it to the gym (ok, so hands up if you ever make it to a fitness centre on holidays)? But it seems the airlines aren't familiar with those 'just in case' items, hence stuffing a fortnight's essentials into a small space is at best challenging. (Thank god for my slightly more regimented husband and his military-precision packing skills!)  To make matters worse, these days it's not all about me and my half a dozen handbags, now there's a small person requiring her own luggage space! (Don't even think about squeezing that Hello Kitty handbag in, short stuff!)   Flying with a Toddler  This trip we jet-setted scrambled to the UK …my other half's homeland.  It's been awhile since we escaped the Asian bubble, six months to be precise, so it was with much anticipation we left Hong Kong and it's strapping skyscrapers, steaming humidity and all things oriental behind. … [Read more...]