Travel with Children in Winter

Travel with Children in Winter
Apr 1, 2004 13:53
JORGE Points: Join Date: Apr 1, 2004 Status: offline	We are a family of 4 (two children aged 8 and 5) and hoping to travel to China in 2004. Winter time appeals (January) as the kids are keen to see snow and ice. We are interested to hear from anybody who a) think we are mad to even consider taking children to China in January or b) think what a great experience is to be had by everybody! We are really keen to hear some honest opinions about travelling to China at this time of year and also views on visiting areas such as Harbin, Changchun and Shenyang at this time of year (the Ice Lantern Show). Thanks in anticipation......

Apr 1, 2004 13:53

JORGE
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Join Date: Apr 1, 2004
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We are a family of 4 (two children aged 8 and 5) and hoping to travel to China in 2004. Winter time appeals (January) as the kids are keen to see snow and ice. We are interested to hear from anybody who a) think we are mad to even consider taking children to China in January or b) think what a great experience is to be had by everybody! We are really keen to hear some honest opinions about travelling to China at this time of year and also views on visiting areas such as Harbin, Changchun and Shenyang at this time of year (the Ice Lantern Show). Thanks in anticipation......

Apr 1, 2004 13:55

GUEQUE
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Join Date: Apr 1, 2004
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You don't seem to be getting a huge response to your question, so I'll give you my two cents worth. Between 1988 and 2000, I got to spend more than half my time working and minor travelling in China. I was through Changchun in late March, en-route to a small city midway between Changchun and Harbin.

Your original post states that the kids are anxious to see ice and snow, so I'm guessing that you do not live in a cold weather climate. I looked up Google information for Changchun and Harbin and discovered that January temperatures can be expected to be -20 to -40 degrees C. Winters where I live (Canada) get those temperatures, and I can tell you that it's darn cold. When our kids were 5 and trundling off to winter kindergarten (a distance of about 4 city blocks), we put them in head-to-to snowsuits, mukluks, mittens and warm hats. Took about 10 minutes to dress them and the same to undress them when they reached their destination. Their destination was somewhere warm.

I loved China, intend to go back there whenever I can. But, outside of well travelled areas, the only places to get warm in China were westernized hotels and some shopping malls. It's not like you can just pop in anywhere and warm up. The houses and most businesses rely on heat from state-run heating plants and inside air temperatur is maybe 15 degrees C. You don't really warm up at that temperature if you've come in from the outside at -20 degrees.

So, if you go, be prepared to equip you and your kids with adequate winter clothing (available at reasonable cost in several markets in Beijing) and be prepared for a bit of whining until the kids get used to the cold.

I never got to the Lantern Festival, but I used to have a link to an Autralian's web-site who had been there and he recorded nothing but enthusiasm for the experience. The winter landscape that I saw in that part of China was just BLEAK. But the people are GREAT.

I have not yet seen any responses from tour guides offering to assist you with your trip, so I kind of wonder how popular a winter attraction this area is for western travellers. If you do a self-guided trip with two children, I'm sure that it will be "quite an experience"

Best of luck! Take lots of pictures to share with us.

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