Updated Flight Options Article

Flying in and out of China is getting progressively easier, and we've never had so many options for adopting families as in this year. We've completely updated our Transpacific Flight Planning page to reflect all the new nonstops and connecting opportunities for Summer 2011. This resource includes links to the major carriers and maps of the different routes available for traveling home.

Hong Kong Airport Guide now posted!

The 70th article at weninchina.com is now up - a handy family-friendly guide to China's front door, Hong Kong International Airport. Like our other guides to North American and Asian airports found in our Travel pages, we'll walk you through the arrival process, finding your way around the airport, talk about food and shopping options, review the restrooms, and point out kid-pleasing features.

HKIA is an amazing facility, and a popular choice for families adopting kids due to its closeness to Guangzhou, convenient flight options, and Hong Kong's Western customs, food, and lodging. With no transit-visa issues, Hong Kong is a great place to spend a couple days with your new child en route back home.

More airport guides are being prepared - watch for notices here and on our Twitter feed!

New Articles for April 2011

Celebrating the return of White Rabbit candy to American store shelves!

Five new articles have been posted in the past week to weninchina.com. In the "Food" section, we add an entry on the dumplings known as jiaozi.  In the "Safety and Health" section, we've added three articles with advice on handling different aspects of China's climate:  "Dealing with Heat & Humidity," "Dealing with Cold & Damp," and "Sandstorms." And in our "People and Culture" section, some tips on getting out of uncomfortable situations without giving insult, at "Saying No."

Many new articles coming up!

While I haven't posted new articles at weninchina.com in the past few months due to heavy overtime at my employer, I have been gathering research, drafting articles, and editing. Plus, I've taken my family on a Thanksgiving trip to Hong Kong to take lots of pictures and collect lots of fresh insights. Finally, the airline situation seems to be changing every day, with many new flight options about to be available.

I've been working on "health & safety" articles such as "how to deal with the heat & humidity," "how to deal with cold & humid conditions," and "how to deal with sandstorms." There are also some cultural articles in preparation, such as "how to say NO." And of course, an airport guide for Hong Kong will be prepared...

Over the next month I should have several of these articles up on the main site. I hope you'll find them useful.

So, how do you get to sleep on long flights?

I'm in Hong Kong this week with my wife and daughter to check out the sights (and it would appear, miss the awful weather back home.)

Thankfully, our little girl slept like a rock on both the flight from the USA to Tokyo as well as the Tokyo-Hong Kong leg. My wife got a few hours' sleep on each leg.

I, however, managed only about 90 minutes, and that was just after leaving Tokyo. At least the Hong Kong airport is incredibly easy to get through, because my brains were mush by then.

So what are *your* tips, as parents, for getting good rest on long flights?  (Let's keep liquor and drugs out of it, since you still have to stay clear-headed enough to take care of the kids, right?)

Comment on this post - I'll add your ideas and other research for an upcoming article.

Now things start getting interesting!

After years of waiting, we are now finally at the beginning of a major expansion of flying between the USA and China, and this is going to be great news for family travel!

American Airlines will be entering the Los Angeles - Shanghai market in April 2011, which will help keep a lid on fares.

The bigger news is a set of new routes Delta will be launching from April through July 2011:  Atlanta - Shanghai, Detroit - Beijing, and most importantly for adoptive families, the return of Tokyo - Guangzhou service!

The Guangzhou flight will be operated by a Boeing 767-300, which is a much larger airplane than the 757-200 that predecessor Northwest Airlines used up to 2009.  That should also make seats more available and likewise keep fares out of Guangzhou from getting out of control.

As schedules start to load, we'll be updating our Transpacific Flight Planning page with fresh details.

One Perfect Bao

Had this absolutely perfect char siu bao last month at Ping, in Portland, OR's Chinatown.

The bun was steamed just enough to be puffy and warm, but still a little doughy and moist.

The pork was slow-cooked and succulent, juicy even without its sauce.

Plenty of cilantro for every bite to get a hit of fresh greens.

And the fried onion cracklins - so inspired - crunchy and approaching the flavor of crispy bacon.

And then I ordered another...

Link to our Portland (PDX) airport guide: Portland.html

Link to our article on Bao: Bao.html