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My experience suggests that kids under the age of 8 just don’t travel well. They have short attention spans, get restless, squirm, and act out. And that holds even for things like short bus rides and commuter rail trips, never mind long haul train and bus and flying trips. You don’t do them or your fellow travelers any favors by having them travel this way.
Just drive when you take them, so they can be occupied and belted in and well fed — and nobody else has to suffer their behavior. Or leave them home with a sitter.
The more a city brags about its restaurant scene, the less I am impressed with the food quality. The food scene is absolutely no reason to visit anywhere.
Austin brags about its food scene, and it's totally justified. Austin has GREAT food!
My experience suggests that kids under the age of 8 just don’t travel well. They have short attention spans, get restless, squirm, and act out. And that holds even for things like short bus rides and commuter rail trips, never mind long haul train and bus and flying trips. You don’t do them or your fellow travelers any favors by having them travel this way.
Just drive when you take them, so they can be occupied and belted in and well fed — and nobody else has to suffer their behavior. Or leave them home with a sitter.
This is also good for a lengthy discussion on Flyertalk! And sometimes it's hard to avoid when grandkids and grandparents are far away. One friend took a job in the Caymans and their families were back in TX. They had 3 kids when he started his job and a 4th while in the Caymans. Driving was not an option.
My general rule is that you shouldn't put kids in situations where they really don't have the discipline, attention span, etc. to be able to behave. My 4-year old granddaughter was just fine on the flight between Chicago and Des Moines but longer trips will have to wait- or I'll have to plug her into videos, which kind of defeats the learning experience.
The more a city brags about its restaurant scene, the less I am impressed with the food quality. The food scene is absolutely no reason to visit anywhere.
Depends on which city is doing the bragging. In my experience, if it’s New York, New Orleans, San Francisco, or Chicago, it’s justifiable. If it’s Dover DE or St. Petersburg FL or Birmingham AL, not so much.
On #3: Hey, a 3-year old actually FITS in a Coach class seat! I know what you mean, though. I took my 4-year old granddaughter on an overnight trip from Des Moines to Chicago last week and she said the flight (1 hour, 20 minutes) was "long". She also did NOT like having to let go of her carry-on with her two favorite stuffed animals and her blankie so it could go through the X-ray machine. She was quiet but very concerned till she got it back. I won't be taking her to Europe any time soon! PS We had a blast. I can't wait to do it again.
On #4: Yes, I've headed for Starbucks or McDonald's in various countries. Sometimes it was the only place I could get inexpensive (compared to the hotel) coffee early in the AM; sometimes it was for the WiFi or the bathroom. I always made a purchase, if only a beverage, if using their facilities.
Ah, two favorite topics for creating long, angry threads on flyertalk_dot_com!
Hello fellow flyertalker.
The kid does fit, but yeah, a short hop is about the most I'd want to subject a kid to.
Depends on which city is doing the bragging. In my experience, if it’s New York, New Orleans, San Francisco, or Chicago, it’s justifiable. If it’s Dover DE or St. Petersburg FL or Birmingham AL, not so much.
Oh god yes. For crying out loud, Tampa/St. Pete does NOT have a food scene. I live here and I KNOW the food sucks!
On #4: Yes, I've headed for Starbucks or McDonald's in various countries. Sometimes it was the only place I could get inexpensive (compared to the hotel) coffee early in the AM; sometimes it was for the WiFi or the bathroom. I always made a purchase, if only a beverage, if using their facilities.
I suppose you could try different chains in other countries or independent coffee shops.
In terms of McDonalds it does have different menus in different parts of the world, so at least you might experience something new.
I suppose you could try different chains in other countries or independent coffee shops.
In terms of McDonalds it does have different menus in different parts of the world, so at least you might experience something new.
I'm sure there are more independent shops now- but when DH and I were in St. Petersburg, Russia 15 years ago McDonald's was right next to our hotel and the only other option at that hour was the hotel restaurant. In Budapest, it was the only place open when we woke up- again, other than the hotel restaurant and we didn't want to pay their prices for coffee. I've had a Chicken McTikka sandwich in Delhi!
I don't have a problem with going to McDonalds in other countries, because they do have unique offerings and it can be interesting to see how things are different around the world. Just don't be like my friend who went to Seoul for a convention and ate at McD's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for seven straight days. He wouldn't try ANYTHING not from McD's because it was "too strange".
I don't have a problem with going to McDonalds in other countries, because they do have unique offerings and it can be interesting to see how things are different around the world. Just don't be like my friend who went to Seoul for a convention and ate at McD's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for seven straight days. He wouldn't try ANYTHING not from McD's because it was "too strange".
Before I visited my company's offices in Delhi, one American coworker reported that the people were very nice about ordering in from McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut for him. Funny thing- they never did that for me when I visited. Maybe because they KNEW I was in heaven surrounded by Indian food?
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