Although things didn't go exactly as planned, we made it! Thing started off smoothly...we got to the Austin airport for our 11AM flight to DFW with time to spare. We unloaded 11 suitcases + a new light weight stroller (4 people x 2 bags allowed + 3 carryons) and returned the Suburban we had rented from Hertz. We spent some time in the Admiral's Club (Bloody Mary to prepare the mind for the flight) and bumped into Todd Caven who was traveling for work. His wife and I became instant friends when we worked together in Dell's Corporate Strategy group - she had come to our bon voyage party a few days earlier.
We arrived in Dallas on-time and the plane was ready to go, but they decided to hold it back to let passengers from another flight on that was cancelled. We left 2 hours late and we were pretty sure we'd miss our connection. The kids did so well on the flight (as you can see from the pictures, they enjoyed business class). Nathan slept pretty well, but Eli pulled a Guinness Book of World Records with 10 hours of straight television (it would have been longer, but they turn the movies off the first and last hour of the flight). We had been nervous about this flight but were so proud of the kids.
American Airlines had lined up a hotel for us in Tokyo and we checked into connecting rooms. We took the bus to the hotel with "Blake", who is the morning DJ on Disney's radio show apparently (Jane said he is famous with kids). In hindsight, it may have been better to have the layover as it broke up the 24-hour trip. We returned to the airport the next morning to do some duty-free shopping (Jack Daniels, McAllen, 2 bottles of Japanese whisky) and the final leg was also not bad. 6.5 hours on Japan Airlines (sushi for lunch!) and again Nathan slept for almost the entire flight.
Jane took the picture of the kids on the stroller right when we landed. We took a taxi to our corporate housing for the next month and got into our bathing suits right away.
http://www.greatworld.com.sg/residence/resi.aspx (Three Bedroom Grand)
The kids loved swimming and we had dinner at the pool (hotdogs, BLT, beer, etc.). By that time we were pooped and everyone crashed pretty hard after the kid’s bath.
We went swimming again right when we woke and have done some basic grocery shopping at Cold Storage (the HEB of Singapore - they deliver groceries to your house afterward since few people have cars - it is only cash?!?!) Jane did the shopping while the kids awoke from their nap and watched some TV (they have Disney Channel and Nickelodeon)
The highlight so far has been seeing a Chinese New Year ceremony earlier today. High school kids were playing traditional drums, cymbals, etc. banging loudly (like in Rising Sun with Wesley Snipes/Sean Connery) and two long red dragons with people inside danced. The sound was incredible and really overwhelmed the kids (their hands over their ears). The dragon ‘ate’ oranges and lettuce and then spit out candy that all the kids, including Eli, dove after. Jane and the kids are bottom left in the picture
Tomorrow morning we have breakfast planned with a family from Australia who also has a boy and a girl. I work with Tony at Dell and he has been incredible showing Jane and I around in our two previous trips. His family moved from Sydney about a year ago and I met him during my office visit in November. Until then...
We arrived in Dallas on-time and the plane was ready to go, but they decided to hold it back to let passengers from another flight on that was cancelled. We left 2 hours late and we were pretty sure we'd miss our connection. The kids did so well on the flight (as you can see from the pictures, they enjoyed business class). Nathan slept pretty well, but Eli pulled a Guinness Book of World Records with 10 hours of straight television (it would have been longer, but they turn the movies off the first and last hour of the flight). We had been nervous about this flight but were so proud of the kids.
American Airlines had lined up a hotel for us in Tokyo and we checked into connecting rooms. We took the bus to the hotel with "Blake", who is the morning DJ on Disney's radio show apparently (Jane said he is famous with kids). In hindsight, it may have been better to have the layover as it broke up the 24-hour trip. We returned to the airport the next morning to do some duty-free shopping (Jack Daniels, McAllen, 2 bottles of Japanese whisky) and the final leg was also not bad. 6.5 hours on Japan Airlines (sushi for lunch!) and again Nathan slept for almost the entire flight.
Jane took the picture of the kids on the stroller right when we landed. We took a taxi to our corporate housing for the next month and got into our bathing suits right away.
http://www.greatworld.com.sg/residence/resi.aspx (Three Bedroom Grand)
The kids loved swimming and we had dinner at the pool (hotdogs, BLT, beer, etc.). By that time we were pooped and everyone crashed pretty hard after the kid’s bath.
We went swimming again right when we woke and have done some basic grocery shopping at Cold Storage (the HEB of Singapore - they deliver groceries to your house afterward since few people have cars - it is only cash?!?!) Jane did the shopping while the kids awoke from their nap and watched some TV (they have Disney Channel and Nickelodeon)
The highlight so far has been seeing a Chinese New Year ceremony earlier today. High school kids were playing traditional drums, cymbals, etc. banging loudly (like in Rising Sun with Wesley Snipes/Sean Connery) and two long red dragons with people inside danced. The sound was incredible and really overwhelmed the kids (their hands over their ears). The dragon ‘ate’ oranges and lettuce and then spit out candy that all the kids, including Eli, dove after. Jane and the kids are bottom left in the picture
Tomorrow morning we have breakfast planned with a family from Australia who also has a boy and a girl. I work with Tony at Dell and he has been incredible showing Jane and I around in our two previous trips. His family moved from Sydney about a year ago and I met him during my office visit in November. Until then...
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