Expat insight:
Having lived in five countries I've been lucky enough to get a snapshot of how people live their lives in different ways. And it's been fascinating. I've also observed the same routines with different approaches. Let's take something as simple as a school bus ride.

US: with more land and space, schools are spread out. This is home to the iconic yellow bus, which picks your child up from your house and deposits them back again. The system works.

UK: there isn't really a comprehensive school bus system. Families live as close to their chosen school as possible, within "catchment areas" or invisible pens that serve only to push up house prices. So catching a school bus is not so much a well organised integrated system, designed to keep the roads clear and help parents organise siblings forced to go to separate schools: unless you live more than three miles from the school when the bus service, if available, is invaluable.

Kuwait: my knowledge here is thirty years old and I'm not going to pass judgment on whether the system works or not. But as a schoolchild I caught the bus from my flat every day without fail. With only the bus driver to keep charge, the journey was always raucous and loud, and I'd be tipped out into a busy sandy car park, and at the age of seven, with my five-year-old sister in tow, I'd be expected to find my way to my class. But I live to tell the tale.

UAE: I now have school-age children, so I took a keen interest in the bus system from the perspective of a mother. The UAE has similar space issues as the US. It's spread out and sprawling. The difference is that most mothers don't work, as part-time positions are hard to come by, making it tricky to balance the needs of children and corporate life. So mothers drive their children to school. But there is another reason why they offer this taxi service. I once saw a bus, with its wheels pointing forwards. And what's odd about that, you ask? The body of the bus was not. It was driving along a busy motorway with its shell at a very peculiar angle to its chassis. So much for safety first.

Singapore: We're now living in a place that is neat, tidy, orderly and respects my OCD. Our children's school is half an hour's drive away, and with the extortionate car prices we don't have wheels of our own. So I’ve done my sums. I could take public transport but from where I live that would take up at least four hours of my day. I could take a taxi, but that costs as much as the bus service. So for the first time I've taken a deep breath and handed over some responsibility. It's scary but, in the main, the buses run like clockwork, and as well as the driver, there is a bus "Aunty" making sure the children behave and wear their seat belts.

As a mother you are born to worry, and a part of my mind is always thinking about the children and whether they are safe. There have been incidents when the bus has been late, and even early, dropping my children at the roadside without supervision. Of course, there are policies and procedures in place to try to prevent this for happening, so incidents are rare, but it only takes one incident for something to go wrong.

So it was with interest that this week I learnt about mybusmate. This new communication app could help make the school bus run safer and more efficient. It’s a simple hub that links schools, bus operators and parents. It enables parents to monitor their children’s commutes by tracking the bus in real-time. No more waiting around in the rain for a late bus to arrive. No more safety concerns about children getting off the bus early. It can be used as a two-way messenger; an electronic register, checking children on and off the bus; as well as simplifying logistics for bus operators. Once schools and bus operators have adopted the service, it is free to parents. To me, it’s not so much a piece of technology as potentially peace of mind.

April is stress awareness month, and I can't think about anything more stressful than travelling with children. Once upon a time I used to book a flight, pack a rucksack, and I’d be off. Now I have two young children. That doesn’t mean my holidays are now limited to package deals and resorts with kids’ clubs (actually that sounds quite nice), but it does mean I have to plan a little differently. Here are our top tips for travels with kids. Much can be learnt from bitter experience!

1.     Choose your destination – the first three years of travelling with babies are the most difficult, so choose destinations that aren’t so off the beaten track. The world doesn’t change so fast that your top destinations won’t be there in a couple of years.

2.     Consider health – When your child is very young you may not want to pump them with unnecessary chemicals. Immunisations and malaria tablets are essential in some parts of our beautiful world so think about where you are going and whether you could go somewhere else.

3.     Slow down – As a backpacker, if I stayed two nights in one location I thought I’d developed roots. Today with two children in tow, we look to stay a minimum of two nights. Children are very flexible but having at least one day’s rest between travel ensures you can explore more at each destination, rather than thinking constantly about your next stop. 

4.     Don’t pack too much – children are raised all over the world, and very few places are so remote that you can’t buy what you need. That said, do some research and make sure you can get what you need. You might be able to use washable nappies, instead of disposable ones, but you won’t be able to make do without junior’s special milk formula.

5.     Pack the essentials in your hand luggage - extra nappies, wet wipes, spare clothes, the special teddy. I’ve been caught out with a baby, suddenly producing teething nappies, when we were stuck on the runway for three hours. I thought ten nappies was enough for an eight hour flight. Apparently not. The sanitary pad offered to me by the air stewardess wasn’t exactly helpful.

6.     To stroll or not – on one hand it is extremely useful to have a buggy at the airport, especially as you can take it to the gate. However, if you are travelling alone, trying to collapse a buggy into an x-ray machine single-handed, with a toddler and a baby, a nappy bag, a handbag, a day pack, a snack pack etc. is an impressive, and very stressful, feat to achieve. From the age of two our daughters were able to hang on to the handle as we wheeled our suitcase around (yes, I traded my backpack for a suitcase!)

7.     Take a backpack – I don’t mean stuffing your child into a regular day sack. Invest in a child carrier that will double as a day sack. Imagine how smug you’ll feel when you just have the one bag to deal with. And of course, it’s essential if you want to do any amount of walking. Ever tried wheeling a buggy through an overcrowded city, or up a mountain? Get the right gear. And ditch the handbag.

8.     Rein them in – controversial to some, but baby reins are really, really useful. It’s safety first, and if you have an active toddler, you know where they are. Particularly useful in airports at the x-ray machine, while you’re struggling with that buggy (see point 6!).

9.     Create a diversion (part 1) – pack snacks, and plenty of them. Boxes of fiddly raisons are great; healthy and time-consuming to eat. If you’re using pre-prepared baby food, pack pouches rather than glass jars. They are lighter, take up less room, and not as likely to break or be confiscated by airport officials.

10. Create a diversion (part 2) – Pack some toys, but wrap them up first. Unwrapping something is often as much fun as playing with it.

I should also say relax, but I’m unlikely to take my own advice. Things will go wrong, but they make the best stories afterwards.
----
If you'd to receive our Jigsaw Pieces in a downloadable format, please send us a message or join our free Explorers' Club.

Southeast Asia is a wonderful jigsaw of countries, each with their own hidden jewels to discover. However, discovering new countries can be daunting, so we’ve invited Laurence Bradford to give us a little insight. Laurence left the US to spend most of the last three years living, working and travelling in Asia. After studying at Fudan University (Shanghai) in 2011, she taught English in Thailand, and then took on an economic policy research project with a think-tank in Bangkok. Here’s her top three tips:

Southeast Asia (SEA) is a large region with a diverse set of cultures. Often within a single country there is a range of ethnicities. This makes travelling interesting and exciting, but means you need to be aware of a range of cultural and religious sensitivities. Here are some general guidelines that can be applied.

Watch out for Petty Crime
Life-threatening crime is obviously not something you see every day, and I’ve never experienced any sense of danger. However, petty crime is quite common across many SEA countries; for instance, purse-snatchers. Whether while riding a motorbike or walking outside, it is not unusual to hear a story about a handbag being stolen.

Be aware of your surroundings, as you would when travelling anywhere in the world, especially at night. Leave valuables, such passports and expensive jewellry, in the hotel safe. It’s also a good idea to leave a backup credit card and some extra cash in the hotel room as a precaution. Take advantage of pockets instead of putting your mobile phone and wallet in the same bag.

Be Aware of Scams
There are many people who love to make a quick buck off unsuspecting foreigners—even with something as day-to-day as overcharging on clothing/souvenirs at markets. Although overpaying on a t-shirt is innocuous, it’s always best to research the country before arriving.

In Ho Chi Minh my friend took a ride in a rigged taxicab where the meter increased at an exponential rate. To the tourist who knows little about the currency exchange and even less about typical taxicab fares, how would they know it was rigged? Only later when we compared fares on the same journey did she realise she overpaid for her ride— about five times more than we had.

Always, where possible, familiarise yourself with typical costs of goods and services of the destination in advance.

Dress Conservatively
In general most SEA countries are more conservative than the Western world, especially when it comes to women’s attire.

Although I empathise with visitors sweating and dripping in the insufferable SEA heat, most local women cover their shoulders and legs at all times: some to keep out of the sun, and others for religious reasons. While you can opt for short-shorts and tube-tops, it will most likely lead to an uncomfortable number of stares. To avoid standing out anymore than necessary, make sure to wear loose-fitting, light-weight tops as well as long skirts or trousers. Of course, you can wear jeans, or really anything that covers you up. But keep in mind the heat; it may be best to leave heavy sweaters at home. Pack a pashmina in your bag; they are excellent for covering up from the sun or in temples, keeping you warm in air-conditioning, and as a picnic rug on the beach.

-----
To find out more about Laurence’s travels visit her website, where she offers SEA travel advice, or contact her on Twitter.

When I asked my mother, Joan, for her view on us moving abroad, I wasn’t sure what the reply would be; I felt guilty dragging her grandchildren from the motherland. I have to say a huge thank you to my parents and mother-in-law for their continued support. Originally our plan was to moved to Chicago for two years and then return back to Blighty. Since then we’ve lived in Dubai and we’re now in Singapore. We have become hostages to the pay-packet and we go where the work is; after all we have a young family to support. However, as a traveller I love learning about new places and I’m grateful we have the opportunity to do it with the support of our family.

Here’s a grandmother’s view of dealing with an expat family…thank you Mam.

When our daughter announced she was going to live in Chicago, my husband and I were both pleased and upset. We would miss all of them especially our only two grandchildren, then aged three years and six months, an age when they are funny and growing fast.

Who were we to complain? We had done exactly the same to our parents 30 years ago when we went to live in Kuwait. We told ourselves that at least today we have Skype, which enables us to speak to the family – we used to rely on posting cassette tapes back and forth. Thirty years ago we didn’t have a phone, the postal system wasn’t always reliable and there was no such thing as the internet. Most people had not even heard of Kuwait, let alone be able to pinpoint it on the map. 

But, with this inside knowledge we knew that it would enrich their lives.

Five years and three countries later they still live abroad and we have had some wonderful holidays staying with them. Our arrival is always kept a secret from the grandchildren, so the highlight of our stay has to be their faces when they open the door and see us standing there. The first cuddle is the most wonderful thing.

Living with the family enables us to spend quality time with them, reading books, going to their school and meeting their friends, and being shown new places through a child’s eye. They know no different, so they are both curious and excepting. They are not on holiday so we try to fit in with the normal family routine enjoying the different ways of doing things.

Be warned though: this wonderful time is paid for in tears, many an airport is awash. Much better to say your goodbyes at home where the “teddies” live.

We are off now to Skype.

A grandmother's top tips:

• Set up a regular Skype time to stay in contact. It's amazing how quickly time flies and before you know it you haven't spoken for a month.
• Don't think that you're out of sight out of mind. It takes a lot of work to set up home in a new country. Be supportive.
• Learn to be self-sufficient when you visit. You may be on holiday but they are not. It's not easy bringing up children away from the support of the wider family, so lend a hand.

Do you have any tips to share? Drop us a line.

If you fancy brushing shoulders with luxury, a day out at the Singapore Yacht Show will be just up your street.

From the tallest to the longest boats in the show, there is variety.

S/Y Vertigo is a 67 metre, beautifully engineered floating palace. With five cabins it can sleep 12 guests as well as 12 crew. The attention to detail in the interior makes it a piece of art in itself, with sweeping curves and soft lines.

"Yachts are beautiful platforms for enjoying yourself and engaging with your environment," said Tom Debuse from Y.Co, the yacht’s Charter Manager.

He added: "One of the biggest signs is luxury is space and Vertigo has space.”

But it comes with a pretty price tag, setting you back €225k (S$388k) per week in the low season.

The tallest ship at the show is the Royal Albatross, and if you have a head for heights there’s an opportunity to climb the rigging. Ladies – make sure you’re not wearing a dress. With 22 sails on a traditional square rig, and a luxury interior with five cabins, and state of the art lighting, audio-visual and navigation equipment, it is a unique ship.

Visitors will see more than 100 boats, yachts and superyachts at the show with a collective estimated value of $500 million. Around 50% larger than last year, this is the show’s fourth year, and it looks set to be a staple on the boating calendar.

But it’s not just for boat lovers.

On Saturday visitors will be able to see a convoy of 50 Ferraris, followed by 20 Lamborghinis on Sunday. There will be fashion shows, live music performances and children’s entertainment.

The Singapore Yacht Show 2014 runs from 10 - 13 April at ONE °15 Marina Club, Sentosa Cove. Tickets are $50 for a single day or $80 for a multi-day pass and can be purchased from the Singapore Yacht Show visitor registration page.