Little Footsteps in the Big World

I fell in love with Istanbul when I spent four months living there back in 2009. Since then, whenever I could, I brought my family to visit the city. Several times over the last 10 years, when flying from Europe to Indonesia, I choose longer layovers in Istanbul so we could spend a day in the city. Once we spent a day in Hagia Sophia, another time in the Basilica Cistern. Other times, we simply walked around, had lunch, and returned to the airport for our connecting flight. This year, we finally decided to spend several days in Istanbul. Since it was in the middle of the school year, the kids skipped school on Friday, as we flew from Brussels on Thursday evening. Needless to say, after 10 years and traveling between continents, Turkish Airlines has become my kids' favourite airlines, so their journey already felt special from the moment we boarded the plane.  Hagia Sophia As a capital of four empires at different points in history - the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman Empires -...

When we first visited Morocco in 2019, we based ourselves in Rabat and planned a day trip to Casablanca. In the end, we got cozy in Rabat and skipped Casablanca altogether. This time, we chose Agadir for a sunny escape from Belgium and tentatively planned a day in Marrakesh - predictably, we got comfortable in Agadir and never made it to Marrakesh. Unlike Rabat, with its old town and traditional riads, Agadir is a modern resort city with kilometres of golden sandy beaches. Our goal was simple: escape the cold and rainy Belgian winter and enjoy a few days in the sun. Traveling with another family, whose child is a close friend of ours, made the holiday extra fun. For a relaxing day, combine the beach with Agadir Kasbah and a cable car ride.   The cable car station was just a 5-minute walk from our hotel or a short ride in a small (petit) taxi from many hotels. The ride is a highlight: modern, transparent cabins hold up to 8 people and offer panoramic views of the city, coast, and hi...

This trip had been in our bucket list for a long time. When the 2024/2025 school calendar was released and we saw a one-week holiday for Halloween, we immediately booked our tickets to NYC. Our six-day trip turned out to be one of the best family vacations we've had so far - but it did take some careful planning. Below, I've listed a few things to consider before creating your itinerary, which might help you get started. I've also included our own 6-day itinerary at the end of this article for inspiration. Brooklyn Bridge on foot Which season is best to visit? Halloween is our kids' absolute favourite holiday, and autumn is mine - so late October to early November was the perfect time for our family to visit. With kids, travel often depends on school holidays, but if you're considering a summer trip to New York, keep in mind that it can get very hot and humid, with sticky days and warm evenings. Christmas is magical - especially if it snows - but it's also the b...

During our two-week stay in Indonesia in November 2023, we spent four days on the island of Lombok, part of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Similar in size to Bali but far less well-known, Lombok offered exactly what we were looking for - a calmer, more relaxed stay with the kids. It's an absolute tropical paradise and easily accessible from Indonesia's major cities. We flew in from Surabaya in East Java, where we had been staying, but you could also reach Lombok by fast boat from Bali. There are three main areas to stay on the island: Kuta, Senggigi, and Gili Islands. Kuta is a popular choice - though not to be confused with Kuta in Bali. Lombok's Kuta sits on the south coast and is especially loved by surfers. Senggigi is a bit calmer, while still offering easy access to shops and supermarkets. Gili Islands are small, car-free islands reachable by boats from Lombok. There are three to choose from, each offering a wide range of accommodation opstions.  We chose Senggigi as our b...

Spring in Belgium this year turned to be the season of heavy rains and cloudy days, so we decided to take a long weekend break and go a little further south for some sun and sea. We had never been to Canary islands and when I found a direct and cheap flight to Lanzarote from Brussels, it was a done deal. The short four-day vacation on the first week of June was a long needed getaway for our family, a little break from work and school. Weather was ideal, high of 26 degrees Celsius during the days, not too hot, but warm enough that we drove in a rented convertible on the island. Most importantly, the ocean was warm enough to swim in. Choose your base town. Teguise is a popular old town, close enough from the airport in Arrecife, and close enough to the main attractions on the island. Puerto del Carmen is another popular base town for tourists. We chose Playa Blanca on the far south of the island as our base and chose a hotel at Flamingo Beach with its calm waters ideal for the family wi...