We officially made it to Shanghai for our first ever family holiday—me, Grant, and Mason who was only 3 months old. I was NERVOUS about the 15-hour flight (especially because I’m breastfeeding), but honestly Mason was the calmest baby ever and business class made it so much easier with the bassinet. I also lifted the curtain on how we made business class work using Amex points and a companion voucher—because I used to watch vlogs thinking, “How are people affording this?” Once we landed, Shanghai was a full-on culture shock. It’s futuristic in the sense that it’s basically cashless and everything runs through apps, but it’s also stressful because Google/Maps/Instagram don’t work without a VPN… and then Alipay won’t pay when your VPN is on. Ordering food felt like a math equation, translation was hard, and traveling with a baby makes everything take 10x longer—from finding food to washing and sterilising bottles in a hotel room. I take you shopping, hunting for egg tarts and soup dumplings, and doing the big Shanghai sights like Yu Gardens and a Bund river cruise for Grant’s birthday (VIP seats because he deserves it). My biggest takeaway: stay in the right area (West Nanjing / East Nanjing / near the Bund), and if it’s your first time in China, spend a bit more on a hotel where someone can actually help you in English. Shanghai was a whirlwind, but it was such a full-circle moment because this was the trip we cancelled when I found out I was pregnant—and now Mason’s here with us.