Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand Oct / Nov 2017: The Travel Issue | Page 42

YOUNG WANDERERS
by Nick Goligher, Deputy Head of Pre-prep at Brighton College
Q: We are lucky to be able to travel
throughout Asia during the school
holidays. How do I ensure the
whole family is getting the most
out of these experiences? wonderful family vacations possible
when Bangkok is your home base:
A: When living in Thailand, many of
us are able to go on amazing trips
during the holidays. Take, for exam-
ple, some of the adventures my col-
leagues enjoyed during this year’s
school breaks: One explored the
ancient relics of Luang Prabang.
Another collected fallen cherry blos-
soms in the Japanese countryside. A
third strolled through the Himalayan
foothills in beautiful Bhutan.
I’ve spent much time traveling
over the years, too. Initially, I struck
out as an independent backpacker
and, more recently, as a parent with
two children. During these trips, I
have discovered a few good ways
to squeeze the juice out of journey-
ing. These are some tips I’ve gath-
ered that will help you maximize the It’s easy to keep to yourselves when
vacationing as a family unit. But the
rewards of social serendipity are
too great to ignore. So, tip num-
ber one: Get out and meet the local
community.
Within the realms of safety, put
yourself out there. Have a chat with
local shop owners, smile and say hel-
lo to people in a park, quiz your taxi
driver about the area. Even if you
don’t speak the language, you will be
surprised by how much you can com-
municate with gestures and facial
expressions.
If your kids witness this open-
ness, they’ll likely feel more confident
about interacting with others, which
is a good thing, for those who we
meet enrich our travels far more than
mere tourist attractions.
42 WANDERLUST
1
MAKE NEW
FRIENDS
2
TAKE A WALK
A simple stroll in a new place
immerses you in your destination. As
a family, make a walk one of your first
missions. You’ll familiarize yourselves
with your surroundings, and you’ll
probably see parts of town tucked
away from public transport lines. You
could even have fun getting just a lit-
tle bit lost together.
During your family stroll, games
can maintain your children’s interest.
Perhaps embark on a hunt for num-
bers, like a live-action game of Bingo,
encouraging the kids to snap a photo
when they spot a certain number on
a sign, menu or shop door. Such ac-
tivities teach kids to be aware of their
immediate environment and can
help them absorb details that may
come in handy if someone loses their
way. (Before you play, seek advice
from someone who knows the area
regarding places best to avoid.)
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