Big Crazy Family Adventure

Finally in Beijing, the Kirkby family dines on Peking Duck and treks along the Great Wall. Then as they prepare to head into the mountains, their Tibetan permits and Taj's health are up in the air.

The Kirkbys' first leg of the 13,000 mile journey from their home in British Columbia to India involves canoes, a train and taking a container ship to South Korea. Storms, life vests and an unexpected run in with Russians create challenges.

The second leg of the Kirkbys' journey begins in Busan, South Korea, and involves a bullet train, sailing the Yellow Sea and sprinting to Beijing. Then, moth larvae and bubbles add to the family fun.

After a 27-hour train ride and China's Trans-Tibetan Railway, the Kirkbys get to know the land of the Dalai Lama, Mount Everest and meditation. Then, they must race to reach the Tibetan border into Nepal before their visas expire.

While adventuring through Nepal, the Kirkby family gets to touch a Hindi goddess, bargain for presents and ride elephants. Then, Christine is in for a birthday surprise involving chocolate cake and tigers.

Having arrived in India, the Kirkbys experience scorching heat on the Ganges River, sweet treats, snake charmers and the burning ghats. Then, they race to make a train to visit the namesake of their youngest child, the Taj Mahal.

After a visit to the exquisite Taj Mahal, the Kirkbys head to a five-star hotel, a Bollywood dance class, a spice market and a rock and water-filled adventure park. While exploring the streets of India, Bruce's sons learn a harsh lesson about poverty.

The Kirkbys begin their trek deeper into the Indian Himalayas where a narrow-gauge train, the Monkey Temple, a sudden fever and rockslides turn up the heat. In Manali, they meet their guide and pick up supplies for their final ten-day mountain hike.

On the final leg of their 13,000 mile journey, the Kirkbys trek through the wild Himalayan landscape on ponies and encounter an unexpected road before settling in to the cliffside monastery where they will live for three months in Ladakh, India.