Ten, Four, Zero

10, 4, 0… this is definitely not the combination of numbers I want to bet on. They’re actually the ages of our children we brought along during our last Hong Kong trip. I knew it was a courageous thing to do, but I wouldn’t want to leave any of my children at home. True enough, more than seeing Disneyland for the first time or experiencing a cable car ride at Ocean Park, I was so happy to see my children’s happy faces during the whole trip.

Bringing along a 10 year old isn’t difficult anymore. He was actually helping me look after his siblings. He was always willing to pull one of our baggage or carry a back-pack. Well, except for bullying his little brother at times, he can be treated as an adult already. And during our trip, he preferred the thrill rides more than watching shows or looking at animals.

Our 4-year old kid, on the other hand, was a handful. He literally runs everywhere, to his heart’s desire, without worrying about being lost. “Wait,” “in a minute,” and “almost done” are words that doesn’t exist in his world. If he’s tired, hungry, or has to go to the bathroom, there’s no room for negotiation. He even used our infant’s stroller because he refused to walk a little more. But his innocence and funny remarks make him get away with all of it. And unlike his older brother, he adores sea animals. He enjoyed seeing the big aquarium with all those fishes, sharks, sting-rays, etc. swimming around.

Lastly, bringing a 7-month old baby wouldn’t be too difficult if not for all the baby things we have to bring along. Milk formula, bottles, meds, vitamins, infant food, diapers, bib and extra clothes… just to name a few. She may not have any idea where she was at that time or what’s happening around her but I was so happy having her in my arms as the whole family explored Hong Kong.

The whole experience gave my husband and I the idea who to bring along where. As much as we would always want to travel as a family, we realized that there will be places that not everyone could be brought along.