We have observed that every culture has its own variant of poison water. Poison water is something that you brew—or more commonly distill—that people intentionally imbibe even though it’s probably killing you, and definitely killing brain cells. It has been our experience traveling that an essential part of connecting to the locals in other countries…
Author: Five Backpacks Family
Not all who wander are lost — we are living nomadically, exploring, and wandering to learn about the world, its people, and ourselves.
Chris and Holly Santillo are not your regular authors.
They are the epitome of the Latin phrase “Mens sana in corpore sano,” which means “A healthy mind in a healthy body.”
Having strong backgrounds in Martial Arts with Chris being the founder and Head Instructor at Potomac Kempo in Alexandria, Virginia, and Holly being a Senior Instructor, they have managed to develop the principles of Martial Arts into a cohesive parenting methodology.
They believe that children (and parents) with broader horizons and an open mind can sow the seeds for future generations of confident, strong, and resilient adults.
Now, you can find them gliding through the Siberian steppes on the Trans-Siberian Railway, visiting the buzzing markets of Samarkand on the Silk Road, or wondering at the vastness of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. They have decided to live a nomadic life and explore the world with their three boys in order to bring back memories, ideas, experiences, and a fresh view on life.
Join their epic journey at www.FiveBackpacks.family, visit www.ResilienceParenting.info for more information on their book, and www.PotomacKempo.com to learn about their Martial Arts teachings.
Shanghai: Surprisingly Quiet, Clean, and Pleasant
We weren’t convinced, not until the striking contrast of our next destination confirmed a surprising suspicion: Shanghai is quiet, clean, and pleasant. We should preface this post by admitting that we often abhor large cities. They tend to be loud, dirty, and unpleasant. The cacophony and ever-present danger of active machinery (traffic, construction, commerce) is…
Stubbornness, Public Transportation, and the Family Death March
We could have hailed a taxi. Heck, we could have even grabbed up a cart to travel through the airport. Instead, attracting a good deal of stares, we hefted our five backpacks (which is really ten backpacks because we all have a daypack as well) through all the steps from plane to hotel in Shanghai….
Restrooms, Restrooms, Everywhere and Cheap Plane Tickets
I should probably be focussed on the elation I feel to be up, up, and away—flying through the atmosphere to far-away places. But mostly I’m frustrated that we spend so much energy making sure that our three boys can find a restroom in a timely fashion. Oh, well. International travel is not for the faint-of-heart……
Permanent Vacation?
It’s happened. We got in line to board a plane for Shanghai and, for the first time in the past four months, I did not feel like we are on vacation. Up until this day, I have been a little disappointed in myself, honestly. The endless summer parade of fun, friends, beachfronts, and barbecues is…