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Original poster

I've got 7 hours to kill in HongKong airport with 2 young children - arrrgh!!

35 replies

NottsMum · 12/10/2005 22:30

Short of fellow travellers providing a few hours acting as children entertainers, I'm trying to prepare myself for the 7 hours we've got between flights.

DH and I will be returning from visiting his parents in Perth and the whole return journey home is hideous. We have a 9.30am flight from Perth airport, so the kids (14 months and 4 and a half) will struggle with getting up early, then we're on a plane until 1700 hours when we land at HK. Our connecting flight is not until midnight so we have 7 hours stuck in the airport . So apart from giving them tea and wandering around before they feel tired enough to sleep we've got to entertain them somehow, so I'm posting here for ideas!

I've visited the travel tips on MN and have made a note to buy some balloons and bubbles stuff and I know that they'll sleep for some of it (well I hope they will) but I'm wondering how else we'll be able to keep them entertained.

Suggestions anyone?

p.s. we land at 5am UK time so then we'll have jetlag to cope with. Arrrgggh... (but aside from that I think I'm looking forward to the trip )

OP posts:
waterfalls · 12/10/2005 22:34

colouring book and pens??

waterfalls · 12/10/2005 22:35

watching planes take off and land.

chicagomum · 12/10/2005 22:38

Just been stocking up on things for our return flight to UK. I've found this great magic painting kit for dd (almost 4) Its made by crayola,it is like vaseline (ie clear grease) and you "paint" with it using your fingers on special pictures and it comes out different colours. Doesn't need water,brushes etc and the "vaseline" won't mark or stain anything other than the pictures

Chandra · 12/10/2005 22:40

We normally have a very long stop in Chicago that save us from having two connections instead of one. Things we do are:

-Take turns, one can sleep a bit, take a stroll to the stores, go to the toilet, etc while the other takes care of the children (we normally alternate periods of one hour each)

-We have also ventured outside of the airport (city centre is 40 min away with a fantastic museum and lots of interesting stores (I guess there should be some interesting shopping to do in Hong Kong )

-Most big airports have a childrens area where you can tire them out. And if there isn't one, look for a gate (or quiet area) with no immediate flights, children can run around and sometimes even have a nap.

-If by the end of the day you can't think of any thing else, let them count planes until your next flight.

HTH

Blu · 12/10/2005 22:41

This sounds awful!
I honestly think i would write to that 'travellers qustions' (ask another traveller?'column in the Guardian travel supplement (or is it the Observer one?) and see if anyone knows the details of Hong Kong airport. Like is there a good one hour bus ride you could take around the city directly from the airport, or is there a good viewpoint (I suppose the 4 year-old might want to watch planes take-off for a while) or any other opportunities or good ideas for diversions. Otherwise, up and down in the lifts, back and forth on the travelators, get some noodles in one of the food outlets and see if you can encourage the 4 year-old to learn to eat them with chopsticks (should take an age). Portable DVD player?

Original poster
NottsMum · 12/10/2005 22:50

Ooh, good suggestions. Thanks all.

They will have a toybag each (yet to be decided) but they may be a bit bored of them by the time we reach HK.

I've not seen this Crayola set, where did you buy it CM? I'm sure my 4 year old will love it.

Blu - I might well do that. Is it a Saturday supplement?

OP posts:
chicagomum · 12/10/2005 22:54

we bought our in walgreens here in usa don't know if this might be any help to you crayola

Chandra · 12/10/2005 23:10

There's also the Aquadraw, you can fold the fabric very small and the markers are filled up with water so no mess. You can get it in Woolworths or ToysRUs

kama · 12/10/2005 23:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TaiTai · 12/10/2005 23:36

If you're going to spend 7 hours in any airport, Hong Kong is a good place to do it. The airport is massive and well designed, so I'm sure they have a children's play area. (I can't remember - but then I didn't have a child at the time!). Leaving the airport is a possibility though because there is a fantastic train that takes you to Kowloon Island and then Hong Kong Island from the airport. It's VERY efficient and takes about 30-40 mins to HK Island. There is lots to do and see in HK but if you're not familiar with the place then you need to be organised if you're going to leave the airport. Hong Kong can be very overwhelming for tourists; very busy, with everyone very purposeful!

HTH

TaiTai · 12/10/2005 23:44

PS: The airport has a website - www.hongkongairport.com. There is a children's play area (the Chinese love children, so I was sure there would be) and even a "Visit HK In a Day" Section!

TaiTai · 12/10/2005 23:46

There is also several children's TV Areas. So plenty for them to do. I'm interested because I may well travel with my daughter to HK in the future.

goreousgirl · 12/10/2005 23:54

No constructive suggestions - but it reminded me of when my mum was travelling with us 3 kids (years and years ago). We ended up being in HK for the night of Xmas Eve - and my mum did stockings for us all - she had accidently brought my brother a cocaine spoon from a market because she thought 'it was a nice little spoon that he will like' blissfully unaware bless her!!

PROPER SUGGESTIONS:
Make sure you have something for the 14mo old to sleep in! Rucksack? that goes in the hold...a ball for both of them. Does 14mo old walk yet? We took a walker on holiday - bulky but really worth it when you don't want them crawling round airport floor for excercise. What about skipping rope for older child? Hold a 'tea party'? Good luck.

RTKMonherBROOMSTICK · 12/10/2005 23:59

BALLOONS

NOT ON PLANE THEY EXPLODE!!!!!!!!!!

BUT TO PLAY WITH AT AIRPORT BLOW UP AND THEY CAN CHASE OR KICK

TAKE THEM AND BLOW UP AT AIRPORT

mogwai · 13/10/2005 08:19

we had a day to kill in HK once when we were en route to Australia.

We went down into town and went on the star ferry and up victoria peak. If you stuck to exactly that plan, it would kill the time without you feeling rushed. I think there's some sort of place to eat at the top of victoria peak, great view of HK as well.

I'm presuming, as it's a connecting flight, you don't have to check in 3 hours in advance?

Original poster
NottsMum · 13/10/2005 09:30

Balloons are most definitely just for the airport (I can just see the other passengers wanting to join in a bop the balloon game )

I would love to go out of the airport but at night? Does anyone know if it'll be humid? I stopped on route there years ago (in my youth ) and remember wanting to die from the humidity but that was in June, don't know if it's different in November.

DD2 will have her trusted sleeping bag and one of those Shade a Babe's to put over the pushchair (assuming of course that we can have it for the airport) and DD1 I'm hoping to be able to take her bed in a bag (without the blow up mattress so that it folds up small) as then she'll be able to curl up in it and hide her eyes from the lights (otherwise she'll find it hard to sleep)

I doubt very much that DD2 will be walking in 4 weeks time - her mode of getting around at the moment is by bum-shuffling, which she can do very efficiently .

Not sure about the skipping rope (though it is a good suggestion), as I can imagine DD1 getting very cross when she can't do it properly, or she'll manage to find someone to bang into even when we start off away from people

OP posts:
3mum · 13/10/2005 09:39

With all that time to kill I would definitely go into Hong Kong itself and have a look around and a ride on the Star Ferry and the tiny trams. Maybe go for a meal too. Hong Kong is well lit at night and IME pretty safe too. Travel to and from the airport is easy and efficient. Its a great destination so it seems a shame not to have a look around. I'm sure there are mumsnetters who have lived in Hong Kong who can give you tips.

kama · 13/10/2005 09:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TaiTai · 13/10/2005 10:36

3mum, you're right, there will be MNers who lived in Hong Kong who can give tips. I'm one of them and would normally love to give people advice about HK. However since NottsMum hasn't thanked me for providing info about HK airport, including a link, i'm not minded to in this case.

Original poster
NottsMum · 13/10/2005 12:21

Oh no, now I feel really bad . Sorry, TT, I was laughing about the balloons comment and completely failed to thank you for your tip.

I've been madly dashing about and have only just sat down to check this thread again. I'm going to check out the airport link now.

So, TT a "big Thank you" !

OP posts:
Original poster
NottsMum · 13/10/2005 12:38

Well I've just found out that there are 2 children's play areas (one of which is by the free internet access so DH will be happy too!)

We might be able to do a harbour night cruise, which will fill in some time, though of course we'll have to see how the kids are...

OP posts:
bundle · 13/10/2005 12:38

portable dvd player?

Chandra · 13/10/2005 12:41

C'mon TaiTai, we all write long messages and do links and considering the volume of them most of the times we don't get a personal response.

eefs · 13/10/2005 12:44

Hong Kong is a brilliant airport, I had to spend a day there before. There is a luggage storage place - dump your bags there and get the train downtown - very efficient and clean. it takes about 30 minutes and is quite a nice way to see a small bit of HK. Lots to do once downtown you'll wish you had more time!

Chandra · 13/10/2005 12:48

What I meant to say is that the fact that you have not got a persona thank you doesn't mean you have been ignored