Visiting India with teenagers

Asia, family travel — By Bob Riel on October 30, 2006 at 1:37 pm

“Why can’t we be like normal people and go to an all-inclusive?” These moans from our teens–Tess, 17, and Lucy, 14–are predictable when we announce we’re going on a three-week trip to India.

My husband, Terry, and I heard the same chorus of complaints prior to our trips to Thailand and Malaysia (2000), and Vietnam and Bali (2004). These are only token protestations for two reasons: 1) We foot the bill; 2) They know from past trips that they will be stretched to the limit, but lovely surprises await around the corner.

Truth be told, Terry and I admit to each other we’re not quite as pumped as we’re making out to be, going on to the girls about how it will be tough but wonderful. We have our own fears about the culture shock being even more than we’re up to. In one travel book introduction, the author says for many travelers India stands for: “I’ll Never Do India Again.” Remind me here–whose idea was this?

That’s the introduction to an amusing story written by Leslie Gavel for the travel section of the Chicago Tribune – about visiting India with her husband and two teenage daughters. You can read the story here.