My Henan Trip with Kids Was Brutal! These 3 Pitfalls Made Me Lose 5 Pounds

Sisters! I braved Henan for 2 days with my 5-year-old - acting like special forces during the day and tending to blisters at night. This mom nearly had her soul leave her body! But when my kid touched the city wall saying "This is the kingdom I conquered," it suddenly felt worth it... Here's my blood-and-sweat guide to save you three pounds of perspiration!

🚗 Brutal Itinerary (Copy This to Avoid Tears)
Day1⃣️: Xinxiang East Station → Baoquan Scenic Area bus → Screaming on Luojia Temple Cable Car → Weak-kneed at Xiangyun Viewing Platform → Pigging out at Pang Donglai Supermarket
Day2⃣️: Kaifeng North Station → Playing heroes at Wansui Mountain → Eating dust at the Fortress Arena → Water show at Shenzhou Square → Crying like a baby at the Iron Flower show

💥 Soul-Stirring Highlights:
✅ Baoquan Youlong Bay
National Geographic didn't lie! On the cable car, my kid choked back screams, clutching me: "Mom will we fall into the dragon's mouth?" 😱 At Xiangyun Platform, he suddenly yelled: "The dragon really IS swimming!"

✅ Wansui Mountain Martial Arts City
China's Disneyland confirmed! The Three Attacks on Zhu Village cannon fire made my kid burrow into my armpit, then he brandished a wooden sword shouting "Let's storm Liangshan!"🗡️ During the Iron Flower show, he raised his cotton candy shouting: "Feed the fire dragon!"

✅ Xinxiang's Pang Donglai
The Haidilao of supermarkets! When buying strawberry cake, an auntie chased us with free bunny buns🍮 The bakery smelled so good my kid parked in the cart devouring mochi, demanding to "live in the fridge"...

💣 Deadly Pitfalls:
1⃣️ Don't let kids sit by Baoquan cable car windows! The glass floor scared mine into wetting his pants - he koala-hugged me the whole ride
2⃣️ Book Xiangyun Platform in advance! We queued 1 hour - my kid fanned himself with tickets
3⃣️ Avoid front rows at Iron Flower! Sparks burned holes in his new hanfu - he cried about becoming "Nine-Bag Beggar Clan Elder"

🍜 Food Battleground:
✔️ Pang Donglai's mala xiangguo was addictive! My kid wolfed 2 rice bowls, face smeared with chili like a kitten
✔️ Kaifeng's Huangjia soup dumplings (steamed fresh) - he burned his tongue but demanded "More!"
✔️ Wansui Mountain's martial arts beef noodles🍜 - actors delivered with broadswords, startling my kid into dropping radish
✖️ Avoid scenic cotton candy - blue tongues make kids look like Avatar

📷 Postcard-Perfect Spots:
1⃣️ Xiangyun Platform (pose with National Geographic)
2⃣️ Danya Sky Road bend (epic cliff road shots)
3⃣️ Iron Flower show (cotton candy foreground = magic)
4⃣️ Water Margin lantern wall (rent hanfu for time-travel pics)

🏠 Accommodation Wars:
✔️ Xinxiang New Century Grand Hotel: Free rubber duckies - bathtub became "Duck Fleet HQ"
✔️ Kaifeng Pullman: Free cuju ball - kid played "Gao Qiu" on lawn
✖️ Avoid ancient town inns - heard neighbors snoring, kid mimicked donkeys at midnight

⚠️ Survival Hacks:
✔️ Kids' hiking poles (Danya Sky Road stairs never end)
✔️ Foldable stool (instant VIP seats at shows)
✔️ Waterproof shoe covers (Baoquan stream play essential)

On the train home, my kid said: "Mom, let's be heroes again tomorrow!" Though my back's broken, watching him "fight for justice" with his wooden sword made it worthwhile!

(💥 Final warning: Pack 5 outfits! Baoquan water play ruins 3 sets, Wansui parkour dirties 2 - I did laundry daily...)