Community is a big focus of our travels. Traveling the world is exciting, but doing it with friends is even better. We reunited with one of our favorite traveling families, the Sigstons. We are participating in a hub called Forever Wild in Krabi, Thailand. Forever Wild is a program started by two educators who want to travel the world with their children. …
Michael and Lucas headed to Ho Chi Minh to compete in the Asia Open Pickleball Championships. They played singles and doubles. There was no kids division, so Lucas played in the 19+ intermediate division in singles and the open and advanced doubles divisions. The tournament hosted over 600 players, prize money, and 16 countries represented. When Michael and Lucas arrived in Ho Chi Minh,…
We only had a short time in Seoul, but we kept busy exploring bustling markets and historical sites and immersing ourselves in the local culture (including pickleball). Our first view of Seoul when we exited the subway was the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, a UFO-looking architectural marvel that houses a variety of exhibitions, shops, and cafes. The futuristic design of the plaza…
Look out, London! Harry Potter has invaded Tokyo. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo: The Making of Harry Potter opened in Tokyo in June of 2023. We are all fans of Harry Potter, so we couldn’t miss the opportunity to see how the movies were made. We purchased the audio tour, and it was worth it. It has audio and…
Universal Studios and Tokyo Disney Sea were always on our Japan itinerary because we enjoy theme parks. Universal Studios Japan in Osaka is an unforgettable adventure filled with Harry Potter magic, Nintendo nostalgia, and plenty of thrills! We went on a Monday after the Japanese school holiday, so the park was practically empty. The lines stayed short all day; no…
Tokyo is a bustling metropolis that makes New York City look like a small town. It seamlessly blends traditional culture with ultra-modern technology. Henry is all about the vending machines. It is the capital of Japan, covering an area of approximately 2,194 square kilometers, and it is home to over 37,000,000 people. Despite its size, Tokyo is surprisingly clean. We…
We have been worldschooling for almost five years now. The biggest lesson we learned is that community is everything. We also learned that from the centenarians in Okinawa. Many of the most memorable times on our travels have been with other worldschooling families. Our friends, the Carlsons created Worldschool Pop-Up to help traveling families find that community. https://www.worldschoolpopuphub.com/ The Carlsons…
We arrived in Osaka on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon. Okinawa was a bit cool. Osaka in March is downright cold. Cold weather was not in our Asia plan, so we do not have warm-weather clothes. The high the day we arrived was in the 40s (that’s single digits for all my non-American friends). It took us about two…
Okinawa has been on Michael’s bucket list since Karate Kid II came out in 1986 (even though the film was shot in Hawaii). We decided to spend a week in Okinawa on our way to Osaka and Tokyo. It is a short flight from Taipei, but there is an hour’s time change. We spent two days in Naha. We had…
Our family’s recent trip to Taipei was nothing short of amazing. Taipei is a clean city that is easy to navigate. The metro and bus system make it easy to get around. The garbage trucks play Für Elise to let residents know it is time to bring out their trash. In many other countries we visited, the garbage sits on…