Choosing a honeymoon destination is probably one of the first decisions a soon-to-be-married couple makes together. Most honeymooners look for a place in which either of them has not visited and where they can have lots of fun. Couples also look for honeymoon destinations that offer them the chance to indulge in romantic activities. One such popular honeymoon destination is Singapore, a city-state in South East Asia.

Singapore is one of the richest and most modern cities in the world. The skyline of the city is home to skyscrapers, luxurious hotels, premium malls, etc. Moreover, the city is extremely clean and boasts of an almost zero crime rate, making it one of the most popular holiday destinations for families. Apart from this, the city has several attractions which cater to both young and old alike. Moreover, if you are looking at Singapore as a honeymoon destination, you would not be disappointed as the city offers several romantic places and activities.

Let us take a look at the top 10 romantic things in Singapore that are perfect for a newly married couple.

When it comes to romance, nothing can beat a quiet romantic dinner. And when you are surrounded by beautiful sights, it becomes an added bonus. Clarke Quay, a historical riverside hub, is home to some of the best restaurants in the city. Whichever restaurant you choose, you would be rewarded with the view of the gleaming Singapore River and of course great food too. Clarke Quay also offers several entertainment options. Moreover, if you are an adventurous couple, you can also indulge in reverse bungee jumping and extreme swinging. For a more romantic experience, a river cruise would be just perfect.

Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay is a futuristic garden, nature's haven amidst the skyscrapers and modern structures of the city. Comprising of two beautiful parks, it is the ideal place for couples to stroll together or perhaps have a little picnic. At the Bay East Garden, you would find tropical palm trees and luxuriant lawns that would impress any nature lover. However, it is the Bay South Garden which would leave you mesmerized. Home to giant manmade trees, also known as Supertrees, they come to life at night when the trees are lit up with multi-colored lights. With so much beauty around you, romance can never be far.

Sentosa Island
Singapore is a city which has an entire island dedicated to fun and entertainment. Sentosa Island has so many amazing places and attractions, that you can actually spend your entire honeymoon on this island and never get bored. The place has something for every couple, from the adventurous to the ones looking for some quietness and privacy. You can have a great time exploring the island with your partner by visiting Universal Studios, theme parks, water parks, etc. The island also offers three amazing beaches where you can indulge in water sports go bar hopping or even enjoy some quiet time.

Cable Car Dinner

Even if you do not have any plans to visit Sentosa Island, take this opportunity to go on a cable car ride on Mount Faber. The cable car ride takes you from Mount Faber to Sentosa and back and is the perfect way to spend a romantic date with your spouse while enjoying the stunning views of both the Singapore city and Sentosa Island. To enhance the romance, opt for a cable car dining option that would give you the chance to enjoy a delicious dinner during the ride. During the 90 minute ride, the cable car would run thrice between Mount Faber and Sentosa Island while you would enjoy a scrumptious meal, starting with appetizers and ending with dessert.

Bukit Batok Town Park
Known as Little Guilin by the locals, Bukit Batok Town Park is a picturesque place complete with granite rocks and a splendid lake. The beauty and the ambiance of the place exude romance, making it perfect for newly married couples. While you can walk hand-in-hand with your partner along the beautiful lake, this is also a great place to get some amazing selfies that would be a highlight of your social media profiles. To make it even more memorable, hire a professional photographer who can take some wonderful pictures that will be a great addition to your wedding or memory album.

Singapore Flyer
It has been established that a romantic dinner date is the classic romantic idea. But when the dinner date also includes an incredible view of the entire city of Singapore, the romantic date becomes even more interesting. If you want to do something special for your partner, book a dinner date on the Singapore Flyer and get ready for an experience of a lifetime. You would be seated in a capsule with an in-flight host who would serve you a four-course meal which would last two full rotations of the wheel. While enjoying the delicious dishes, you would get to check out various landmarks of the city including Marina Bay Sands, Merlion Park, The Fullerton, Collyer Quay, Helix Bridge, etc. A ride on the Singapore Flyer is a unique way of sightseeing too.

Marina Bay Sands
Marina Bay Sands is one of the coolest and the most posh areas in Singapore. While a walk around the place is interesting, the highlight of your romantic evening would be the light and water show. Moreover, this may be the very few things to do in Singapore for free. When the clock strikes eight in the evening, you get to witness an incredible show that involves the use of water jets, laser lights and fire geysers, all performing a synchronized dance choreographed on the beats of soulful music. After enjoying the performance, you can choose to visit the Ku De Ta Club Lounge at the Marina Bay Sounds Hotel for a champagne dinner. What makes the experience really romantic is that you get a 360o view of the entire city. While a dinner at this lounge does not come cheap, the incredible view is really worth it.

Changi Point Coastal Walk
If you are bored of romantic dinners, clubbing and the splendid evenings in the city and want to enjoy some peaceful time with your partner, there is nothing more romantic than a stroll at the Changi Point Coastal Walk. Dotted with verdant green trees, offshore kalongs, stunning view of the sea, hilltop chalets, heritage trees, etc., the place is nothing less than quaint. While you can visit this place anytime during the day, the best time for a romantic walk would be in the evening when you can watch a stunning sunset. If you want to have a low-key romantic evening with none of the hustle-bustle of the city, there is no better place than Changi Point Coastal Walk.

Singapore Night Safari
Going on a jungle safari may seem to be the last thing on your mind during your honeymoon. However, Singapore's Night Safari is unique and something that you should not miss. As the name suggests, the night safari happens after sunset when most other parks and zoos close. Known to be the world's first nocturnal zoo, the Singapore Night Safari has made the setting as natural as possible. While you can choose to ride a tram along with other visitors, you can make your visit romantic by opting to explore the place on foot through one of the walking trails. The Singapore Night Safari has several interesting exhibits, and you should also not miss the tribal performances. This is the perfect place to visit for those couples who are looking for unique experiences during their honeymoon.

Spa Experience
Although not exactly a romantic destination, the spa experience is something you must not miss when in Singapore, especially if you are on your honeymoon. There are several spas in the city that offer luxurious packages for couples where you can relax and spend quality time with each other. Most spas in Singapore not only look plush but offer the best services. Combining eastern and western massage techniques, the massages would relieve all the wedding stress and help you relax. Most hotels offer spa packages. You would also find Singapore honeymoon packages that offer spa massages and treatments along with sightseeing and other experiences.

These honeymoon destinations in Singapore would ensure that you have a lovely time in the city-state. With so many marvelous experiences, a honeymoon in Singapore, without a doubt, would be a great start to your new life.
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You hear about it more and more – computer and network security. A network breach will make the news, and the conversation about computer security comes back to the spotlight. One break of a company’s system puts millions of users’ data at risk.

Interestingly, there is more to computer and network security than that. As a traveler, you most likely utilize public networks to gain access to the internet. How often do you connect to the airport Wi-Fi while traveling, or the local coffee shop to check the internet? Those public networks typically are not secure. Although you get the same benefit as you would surfing the web at home, you do not have the password protection. As soon as you connect, all of your data and what you do on online becomes vulnerable to peering eyes and hackers.

Add one more issue to the mix – geo-restrictions on particular web services. If you travel a lot, you have probably come across a network that has blocked you from using their services due to your location. That is called geo-restriction and can be quite frustrating for travelers.

There is a solution that resolves all of these issues. It is called a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A trusted VPN source will protect your information while you are connected to a public network, as well as give you access to blocked content while traveling.

How a VPN Works

Once connected to a public network, your device sends data across the network to load what you see on your screen. However, what you don’t see is how vulnerable your data is as it travels through the network.

Think of what it feels like walking down a busy road. Every driver has clear access to what you are doing. They can follow you to your end destination and continue following you back to your home.

Now imagine there is an underground tunnel for pedestrians. Although you are still taking the same path as before, the tunnel now covers you. No commuters can see where you are going and what you are doing. You are essentially invisible.

A VPN works similarly. Without one, your data is visible to anyone peering into the network (hackers, government, anyone other than you). When you enable a VPN, it creates a tunnel for your data to flow through, just like the walking tunnel. Now your data is covered and encrypted so that outside eyes cannot see, and steal, your information.

Essential for Travelers

When linked to free Wi-Fi, you cannot guarantee the network is what it honestly says it is. Anyone can change his or her network name to whatever he or she feels like. So, say you are doing work at a Starbucks. Just because a Wi-Fi connection says Starbucks, that doesn’t mean it actually is theirs.

Public Wi-Fi has no form of authentication when establishing a connection. It is completely open and vulnerable. Once logged on, a hacker sitting right next to you can access all of the information on your device. If you like to access services like online banking, that information is detrimental if stolen.

What makes a VPN quite appealing for travelers, besides the security benefits, is getting past geo-restrictions. Many web services block people accessing their content from outside designated regions. You will find this quite often with streaming services, but regular internet websites will do this, as well. There may be many reasons behind the geo-restriction, including legality and operating costs. When you connect your VPN, it will automatically bypass the geo-restrictions and give you full access to the content.

So, if you like to travel around, whether it be for business or pleasure, you want to have a VPN with you. Protect your information from malicious attacks. Gain access to blocked content that you would otherwise not be able to use. Don’t let yourself fall into a vulnerable situation where you end up having data stolen and compromised.

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We had been preparing all winter for the big trip my girlfriends family had graciously invited us on. It was a very appealing offer to me since I had never been there. We were told that climbing one of Yosemite’s highest peaks was no easy feat, it would take months of preparation. So, we began with planning. Thankfully her family had already figured out where we were staying during our time there. With the biggest part of the planning out of the way, all we had to focus on was the food and supplies we would need for the trek.

Everything was looking good. We were ready. And then catastrophe struck! We had found out two weeks before that the trip had been moved a week sooner than planned and we weren’t going to make it. I, however, had already booked a ticket to California for the trip. So, I grabbed my best hand luggage and was off without a plan in sight.

After my arrival, we began to research other things we could explore in Yosemite. We figured we could drive up to the park on our own and see whatever we could without permitting. We were under the assumption that there was no way to climb Half Dome without the permits that must be reserved months in advance. So, we began our search for all the exciting things to see throughout the park and found that even without our previous goal, there was still enough to keep a nature lover busy for years.

We discovered an article explaining the reason why you needed a permit to climb Half Dome was to keep the crowds down to a controllable level. The only way up is with two cables lifted off the rock face to form a handrail. Even with strict permitting, these cables are insanely mobbed during the summer months. What we didn’t know was that the cables don’t go up until mid-May and go back down at the end of summer. However, the cables don’t actually go anywhere. They’re only lowered off the stands that hold them up for easy access.

As it turned out we didn’t need permits for Half Dome itself. In the brief period where the cables are down, and the weather is still warm enough you can make the climb. That tends to be only a few weeks before and after the summer months. It may be more dangerous but It’s the only way without a permit.

Even though they can’t legally stop you, anyone you ask in the park service will explain the danger of a 400-foot vertical gain on a 45-degree slope of slick granite. All that on top of the 8,000 + feet in elevation. We were also told that in this “shoulder season” there are no rangers up there so we would be alone should something happen. Needless to say, they don’t want you up there when they aren’t in control.

Being young and crazy, we decided to go for it anyway. Without an ounce of a plan, we called a couple friends and picked a date. And by the time we all met up, we had a grand total of one day to buy and pack everything we would need in the car. Walmart was surprisingly good for our tight budget. We were able to get everything on our list for a three-day camping trip. With, food out of the way and other camping gear acquired from a friend we were as prepared as we were ever gonna be. Here’s how it went!

We left the brown treeless Bakersfield eager to find ourselves in Yosemite’s lush green forests. On our three-hour drive north, we all began to feel the excitement building as we sang along to the radio and watched as we pushed farther and farther away from civilization. The hills on the horizon began to grow and fields started to turn to trees. Eventually, we came to the winding road leading into the valley.

The only campsite we could find for the first night was just outside the boundary of the park and was flooded with people overflowing from the limited camping available in the park. We stopped only long enough to set up camp and then we were off to explore what we could before the sun went down. The drive to the main entrance got more and more stunning the closer we got. Every corner revealing a new unbelievable view. And that wasn’t even the park yet! Once through the main gate, the road entering the park goes through a series of tunnels as it traverses the dramatic landscape.

Finally, we made it down into the Yosemite Valley and decided to drive the main loop around the park and stop when we saw something interesting. Which incidentally was everything. Before we even got to our first pick on the map we saw a group of people off the side of the road looking at something. And of course, we stop to see only to find a family of bears casually strolling by. I guess I can check seeing wild bears off my bucket list.

Moving on from there we stopped at countless viewpoints surrounded 360 degrees by the astonishing granite formations and more waterfalls than one could count. The sheer beauty is something straight out of a fairy tale. Our first day was a complete success. We could only hope it would continue.

Back at camp, we discussed the game plan over dinner. Which was to get up at the crack of dawn and go straight down to the ranger station to get on the waiting list for the first come first serve camping permits. Our plan was to camp at the Little Yosemite Valley campground which is the halfway point. Even though the hike can be done in a day we decided to try for the permit and break it up. By the time we got up to the counter, I was frantically doing the math on how many permits were left. And just as we took the last step I realized there were exactly four left. It couldn’t have been luckier. The universe was on our side. And we were finally ready!

Our next big challenge and probably the biggest was trying to find a spot in the overnight parking lot. Three of us split up and searched for a spot while the other drove. And by the time we found a spot, it was a race to get on the trail. We popped the trunk, threw our packs over our shoulders and just like that we were underway.

It started with a huge boost of excitement and energy as we marched up into the mountains. We climbed higher and higher up through valley and passed two of the most famous waterfalls in Yosemite, Vernal and Nevada falls. I started to realize why it was called the “mist trail” when we passed just under Vernal falls and got blasted by mist the whole time. By the time we reached the top, we were soaking wet from climbing the steps beside the 300-foot waterfall.

The next five miles to our campsite felt like ten from all the zig-zagging we did up the mountains on the more primitive trail. As we approached the campsite we all got a boost of energy knowing that we could soon relax once we set up camp. We split into teams, two of us went to collect and filter water from the nearby stream and two stayed back to pitch the tent. I excitedly asked to be on the water team. Something about collecting water from a beautiful stream in the middle of the forest just felt right. I was very pleased with myself as I carried everyone’s water back to camp. After scaring off a coyote from our camp we cooked dinner with our little Bunsen burner. With our bellies full we went to bed early for the big day.

We woke up with the sun and got right to it. Leaving most of our gear at camp we were able to take only what we needed for the final climb. Then we set off on the four-mile hike to what is called the sub dome. The sub dome is where the cables began and were the finale 400 vertical foot stretch of our journey. On our way up the trail, we snapped a selfie with the sign telling us the cables were down and it was “highly dangerous to climb” at this time of year. We figured if we didn’t come back at least there would be proof of our stupidity. I’m happy to report that we made it!

There’s a particular nugget of conventional wisdom that people choose the places they want to visit based on whether they want to visit that place or not. It’s really just that simple. Or they could have gotten the idea by seeing it on a commercial or on the internet, who knows?

I have always been fond of a mountainous terrain. My time in places like the Andes, Yosemite and even here in Washington state have shown me just how much I really enjoy the landscape. There’s nothing like standing at the bottom and looking up at something so monstrous that nature created. That being said, Nepal is definitely on my bucket list. I haven’t made it there yet but I certainly plan to. From the stunning views in Himalayas to the lively capital of Kathmandu. I see so many opportunities for cultural experiences and adventures unlike any other.

The first thing to come to mind for me (and I assume many others) when I think of Nepal, is Mt. Everest. Why wouldn’t it be? It’s the tallest mountain above sea level in the world! Understandably Everest is probably one of Nepal’s main tourist attractions, but it’s definitely not for everyone. Even the wildest of the family adventure holiday travelers may be put off, I know we were when I was traveling with my family as a kid. As much as I love the idea of being one of the bad ass people who conquer the giant, I think it’s a little beyond my skill set and budget for that matter! So here are my top bucket list things to do while in Nepal. (Other than climb Everest)
So maybe Everest is bit of a stretch, but I wouldn’t let that stop me from getting out and exploring the untamed beauty of the Himalayas. After all Nepal is one of the best trekking destinations in the world. Offering all varieties of trekking experiences that are much more affordable than Everest. From the diverse cultures, historical heritages to beautiful forests, mountain landscapes to cascading waterfalls, exotic wildlife to terraced farmland. If you enjoy the outdoors there is something here for everyone.

Some of the longer more intense treks include Manaslu trek, Poonhill trek, Annapurna trek, Royal trek and many more. Some of those hikes may seem a little intense for some, as they are five to ten-day hikes depending on which one you choose. But in reality, most of the treks consist of hiking during the day and staying in local villages at night which in my opinion, helps lesson the burden of walking most of the day. The places you stay along the way are called teahouses and are often included in the cost of the trek.

There are many things I want to explore in Kathmandu, but something at the top of my list is the Boudhanath stupa. Being one of the largest Buddhist stupas in Nepal definitely makes for interesting sight. Boudhanath is located about six miles from the city center on an ancient trade route from Tibet.

There is certainly some history behind Boudhanath that I would be excited to explore. Described as a very spiritual and cultural environment, I think it deserves a place on my list.


Did you know you can see wild rhinos in Nepal? Well you can, and you can find them at the Chitwan National Park. The park is three hundred and sixty square miles of  preserved area in the Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal. Chitwan is home to many different species including the endangered one-horned rhinos, leopards and Bengal tigers. If those aren’t enough for you, it is also home to over fifty other species of mammals. Some of the more popular being wild elephants, the gaur, four horned antelope, sloth bears, striped hyenas and even South Asia river dolphins. Along with various species of snakes, birds and butterflies.

All of that doesn’t even come close to everything the park offers, but it’s more than enough to get me singed up. Everything I’ve seen about the park has me super excited to visit, except for one thing… They do offer elephant safaris which involve riding an elephant through the jungle. It sounds incredible when you say it like that but there is often a much darker side of what goes into elephant rides. They often train them with very harsh methods. Not to mention the weight of the saddle and passengers. I won’t go into too much detail, but I highly recommend doing some research before deciding to ride an elephant anywhere. That being said, the parks conservation and anti-poaching efforts are incredible.

Being well funded by tourist money is also what protects all of the wildlife you’ll see here, including the elephants who have a safe habitat from poachers and the developing world. But sadly of course they are not always treated well and I personally do not support the mistreatment of any animals and therefore do not recommend supporting the elephant rides. But the park offers many other safari options and ways to support the wildlife without harming it.

Just an hour outside of Kathmandu, and over the Bagmati river you’ll find the magnificent temple filled city of Patan. The ancient city is full of old brick lanes leading to breathtakingly pretty squares and courtyards. Often called a Durbar square, these courtyards usually consist of temples, idols, water fountains and more. These squares are the remnants of a time before Nepal was unified and was instead broken up into small kingdoms. The squares served as palaces for these kingdoms.

Aside from the marvelous architecture, Patan seems to have plenty of rich culture and history that I always look for while traveling. I would love to make it there during the Krishna festival in august to experience the mass celebration.


At first I was worried about how affordable these flights were, but after doing some research I found that they are much more affordable then you would think. It’s hard to put a price on a once in a lifetime opportunity like this anyway. On another note, I have heard stories of these flights being notoriously turbulent. Just adds to the fun I guess. Buckle in and hold on!

Let’s face it: long haul flights can be long and boring. However, they are way less expensive than direct flights, plus you get to see different airports, too! You just have to know what to do, and how to maximize your time during a long haul flight. Here, we list the amenities you can enjoy if your next layover is Brisbane Airport:

1. A different type of charging station. Ran out of battery because of your long flight? Well, you can now charge that at the airport, but first, you have to pedal! Yes, you heard that right. A recent installment at Brisbane Airport is the amazing Charge Bike - where you can both charge your phone and be fit and healthy. Go ahead and exercise your legs after sitting down for a very long time!

2. Go on a mini food binge. Go on and indulge on some food after pedaling for hours on end! Woolworths, McDonalds, and vending machines are all open 24 hours, so you would not have to worry about going hungry.

3. Relax on a massage chair. After getting your fix, head on to one of the 8 massage chairs that can be found at the International Terminal, Domestic Terminal, and Skygate area. For only $2.00 for the first four minutes and an additional $1 per minute, you will feel recharged and relaxed in no time!

4. Fill out your information details through your Digital Departure Card. Thanks to the students of the Queensland University Technology, filling out information is now easier with the Digital Departure Card. All you have to do is scan a QR code in one of the kiosks, and it’ll give you a complete card so you can move quickly through customs. Technology is pretty amazing, isn’t it?

5. Make Use of the Free WiFi and Internet. Ah, good old internet. I’m sure you are pretty thrilled to hear this, as the internet is a pretty awesome invention. You can do whatever you please: watch your favorite series on Netflix, connect to friends and family through the different social media platforms, or even watch tutorials on YouTube. The best thing about it too is that it’s free!

6. Make use of airport parking. This tip might not be for you but if you have friends in the country and they’re planning on traveling, you can advise them to drive their cars to the airport and just park their car at Brisbane Airport. It’s cheaper, safer, and less time consuming than other modes of transportation!

7. Sleep or rest at the Pay-per- use lounges. Whether you’re flying in business, first, or economy class, you can go ahead and use their pay-per- use lounges. This is especially useful for those who are looking for a place to sleep just before their connecting flights. I find it can really help with jet lag. Just pay a minimal amount, and you are good to go!


Now, you never have to get bored in Brisbane during your long haul flights. Enjoy and have a good one!

On a recent flight between Oahu and the Big Island we were lucky enough to catch a beautiful sunset!

There have been loads of stories lately about kid free flights and tales of awful flights with naughty kids and oblivious parents. I even had a reader from New Zealand tell me their plane was delayed due to a child misbehaving and how thankful they were that they had Southern Cross Travel Insurance as the fare was refunded for the flights they had missed.  Great to have that back up but wow, what is going on that a child's behavior can delay a flight??


I've been on those flights so I get the complaints but something seems to be spurring this intense debate as of late. Is it a lack of understanding from the average traveler?  Parents that don't discipline their children?  Social media simply bringing the issue to light more readily? I tend to think it is most likely a combination of all 3 things.

Disclaimer: I will brag now for a bit so hang on just a moment.  We fly a lot, eat out a lot (or used to before landing in Hawaii), and are around adults on a regular basis, all of us, the kids included.  We get compliments constantly about their behavior!  Flight attendants have come over to us in a lull of activity during a flight to let us know how wonderful our boys are.  "I have never see such polite and well mannered children.  I hardly knew they were here except when they asked for something and they were so polite when they did."

We have also received similar compliments from fellow travelers amazed that there were any children on the flight at all as they never heard a peep from the boys.  At restaurants it's the same thing and even last week at an orthodontist appointment the secretary went out of her way to tell me how polite and sweet my middle son was.  Pride is an understatement but what it got me thinking was WHY?  Why is it so abnormal for a child to have basic manners?


Now I won't claim they are perfect, nor am I but we do have our fair share of travel under our belts and from what I have been hearing the boys seem to really have the travel etiquette thing down. Kids are kids and like adults they have their moments, mine included.  Take a sick person of any age and throw them on a 5+ hour plane ride and no one is going to be happy (trust me I know, I have also been the one with a screaming baby for 5 hours and nothing I did helped) but there are some things, barring extreme situations, that we as parents have done to ensure that our children show good airplane etiquette.

Here are some travel tips that can help to ensure your kids have good airplane etiquette:

Before the flight

• When booking your flight take into account what time frame would work best for you and the kids.  Do they have a witching hour, as some of mine did when they were young?  Try not to cross over that time!
• Be sure to explain the details of the flight, when age appropriate.  I always feel like keeping a person in the know helps to keep expectations realistic.
• If it is going to be a long flight come prepared with things for the kids to do.  Electronic devices, coloring books, small bag of brand new toys (quiet toys though of course).  All these things will help to alleviate boredom, the most common cause for bad etiquette.
• Equally important for a long flight is to try and time it well.  I prefer night flights as the kids typically sleep at least half the ride.  But beware if your child does not sleep that may be a recipe for disaster as everyone else will be wanting some shut eye.
• A lot of people will tell you to board early as the airline offers for people traveling with children.  I understand the thought process, less people to bump into, more relaxed way to find your seat, etc but we do not do it.  We always board dead last.  I find it speeds up the boarding process and gives them the last 30 minutes to run free before being forced to sit for hour upon hour.  Do what works best but at least try both ways and see which way is best!
• Avoid jet lag by setting your watch to the arrival destinations time as soon as you board and try to shift the schedule while on board to meet it!

If all else fails try a little quiet meditation

On the flight

• Teach kids how to get up from their seat without grabbing on to the seat in front of them.  Arghh nothing is more irritating except perhaps the dreaded set kickers.
• When boarding help them to remember to keep their bags low and remain vigilant not to hit others while moving around, stowing bags, etc.  Carrying them low to the ground and in front of them usually works best to avoid tripping someone or banging into them.
• Encourage them to use inside voices, no yelling or screaming!
• Try to work on patience when waiting for meals or the ability to use the bathroom.
• Always clean up any mess.  The air crew go out of their way to bring around garbage bags so that your area and the area around your fellow travelers can stay neat.  Use it and help your children to gather their garbage as well.
• Model good manners with the flight crew so the kids will follow suit.  It may be their job but they are providing a service and its not always easy.  Show appreciation at all times for what they bring you or how they help.
• Let them chew gun or have hard candies so they don't enter a world of pain from the pressure on their ears.  One of my boys refused gum one time and suffered the consequences.  Poor guy was in so much pain, it sort of threw the no yelling rule out the window.  He certainly couldn't help it but we all paid the price and it was easily avoidable.  We live and learn right?!
• Say hello when boarding and thank you when leaving.  I feel it sets a nice tone to greet the crew on arrival and shows appreciation when leaving.  It may not seem like much but I think it's really important in having good air travel etiquette.
• The biggest one for me is NO kicking the seat in front of you!  It takes some time to get this set in stone but constantly stopping them, reminding them, and showing them what it feels like (if you have a seat behind them to demonstrate) I have found really helps in the long run.  These are also things you can practice pre flight!
• For noise reduction be sure the kids have headphones, good ones that do not "leak" sound.  If you need to bring a headphone splitter as well, so they can enjoy the same show/movie together.  That little gizmo was a lifesaver more than once for us!

Meltdowns and crying happen, do your best and relax

• Sometimes a meltdown or an illness cannot be helped.  All you can really do is try your best to calm the child and alleviate any tension.  People will understand and as long as you are doing something they will know you are trying.  Ignoring it will most likely not help on any level.  
• What you should ignore though is people staring or snickering!  Do your best and know that any other mama out there gets it, feels your pain, and is just thankful it's not her!