For Singapore content creator Denson Chow, a family holiday to China became much more than a vacation. It was the first time in decades that his entire family travelled overseas together by plane.
The 31-year-old recently shared moments from the seven-day, six-night trip, which took place from Sept. 15 to 21. He brought his 83-year-old father, who uses a wheelchair, along with his 74-year-old mother, their helper Abegail and Kelvin. The family visited Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai.
The trip had been a long time coming.
Last year, Denson brought his mother to China while his father stayed behind because of accessibility challenges and financial constraints. He said his mother would sometimes cry when she encountered something exciting because she felt guilty experiencing those moments without her husband.
This time, the family was finally able to share those experiences together.
Denson said the entire trip cost less than S$10,000, and his father’s return to air travel was particularly meaningful. His father had not travelled by plane for 31 years and had initially been reluctant to go because he was worried about flying and the difficulties of travelling with a wheelchair.
The family still encountered accessibility challenges along the way. Some restaurants were located on second floors or in basements, making them difficult or impossible for his father to access.
But overall, Denson said the holiday went more smoothly than expected.
One particularly emotional moment came when his father stood up at a waterfront location to take in the Shanghai scenery. Although he could reportedly walk no more than two steps, Denson captured the moment as his father stopped to enjoy the breeze.
His mother also appeared noticeably happier during the trip. In one video, she could be seen singing the classic song “Shanghai Nights”, while Denson joked that her “little girl” side had returned.
The family also dressed up for dinner on their final day, a moment Denson described as one of his favourite memories from the holiday. His parents, meanwhile, particularly enjoyed being driven around in a premium car.
Denson has previously spoken about how his father often declined invitations to go out after becoming a wheelchair user. He later wondered whether his father genuinely did not want to leave home or was simply concerned about becoming a burden.
That realisation changed the way Denson approached spending time with him.
He said taking his father out requires more planning, but those outings also help him slow down and remain present despite Singapore’s fast-paced lifestyle.
The China trip appears to have reinforced that belief.
Denson said he wants to do his best to keep his parents happy for as long as possible, while encouraging others to spend more time with their own families while they still can.
With both parents enjoying the experience, the family is already considering another trip — this time to Beijing.
For Denson, however, the most valuable part of the journey was not the destinations, food or luxury transport. It was finally seeing his parents experience something together that they had previously been forced to experience apart.
