Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on May 30

Here are some of the best golf-courses you can try in the mainland states - all in a perfect location for your vacations!

YellowStone Park:
This private Golf and Ski resort is one of a kind.  At 7000ft up in the mountains and being members only - You get to stay in individual log cabins with all the mod cons and quality food and services in peace.

You and your family can enjoy this extensive resort without the worry of hoards of tourists wandering about - all 13,400 acres of the place!  And if you are feeling flush and love the mountain location - you can buy one of the limited and beautiful properties in the grounds!

The Florida Keys:
At the US’s most southerly golf course - the Key West Golf Club - you can have sea views all day long! Be ready to navigate open water, mangrove swamps and pelicans!  Designed by Rees Jones it is a course for any level of player - with a 70 par.

The family would just love to explore these Caribbean islands in the sunshine while you wander the 2000 acre course.  Afterwards, there is plenty of time for fishing, dining or just relaxing by the ocean!

The Grand Canyon:
Although you can’t tee off inside the great canyon - you can share the same scenery when you play golf at the Sedona Golf Resort near Flagstaff - literally around the corner.

Winding around the same red rocks and with some jaw dropping vistas, this course is one of the most scenic in the region - and a 71 par is suitable for all level of players.  It has a 4 Star GolfDigest rating for 2008/09 and you will see why when you get ready for the first hole!  Amazing.

Niagara Falls:
Virtually next door to the amazing Niagara Falls is the Legends Niagara Parks Golf course and i’ts sister course the Whirlwind.  Both have got something great for you - including great lakes and nasty sand traps!

All this is just meters from the great falls themselves, and the gorge and fast flowing water come right past the edge of the course - now if that isn’t an incentive to hit shot - I don’t know what is!  Take a look at it on Google Earth!

Overlooking Chesapeake Bay:
Take a look at the views and surrounding landscapes here on the edge of this great bay and surrounded by open grassland, creeks and a deer park filled with amazing wildlife.

With 32 holes - there is something for everyone, and the Deer Run Course is championship designed - and so secluded you may well not see another golfer the whole route!  The other is shorter and suited to all levels.

Obviously, this is just my pick of the places I’d like to visit - but what about you?  Where are your best courses?

posted by Travel Cat on May 25

‘Where is the Statue of Liberty located?’, and ‘Why does copper turn green?’ are 2 of the many questions associated with this amazing US monument.

Yes, America has many other great monuments including Yellowstone National Park and the Washington Monument - but it is the Statue of Liberty that is often used to depict the whole country - and one that is widely recognised by everyone.

Built for 1886 on it’s own island: Liberty Island in New York Harbour - and also known as Liberty Enlightening the World, this statue is certainly a tourist destination for New York travellers and is a must on your tour of New York City should you ever visit!

So below, I hope to answer a few of those nagging questions that everyone will be asking about the Statue, and maybe a few of those your kids ask you and you just can’t answer!

So, What does the Statue of Liberty Represent?
Dressed in the Roman ‘Classical’ appearance, she represents Libertas - the ancient goddess of freedom from slavery, oppression and tyranny.  She is shown to be in mid-step - that is to say she is ‘moving forwards’ towards new ways of thinking.

She was also a gift to the American people from the people of France for their centennial - so it symbolizes the joining and friendship of nations as well.

Why is the Statue of Liberty green?
Lady Liberty is made of copper - and we all know from school that copper turns green (or technically gets a coating of green) when it is exposed the salt water or air over long periods of time.

This coating is known as ‘verdigris’ and is a type of copper carbonate or copper chloride and was used in ancient art as a pigment!

The original copper face of the statue is inside the museum and is still the original color as it was never exposed!

How tall is the Statue of Liberty?
From base to the torch, she is 151ft and 1 inch (46 meters).  But from the base of the pedestal to the torch is a whopping 305ft and 1 inch (93 meters).

Other Statue of Liberty facts include: length of hand - 16ft, 5 inches; index finger - 8ft exactly; length of nose - 4ft, 6 inches; width of mouth - 3ft.

Thickness of copper used - 2.5mm; weight of copper used - 60,000 pounds; weight of steel used for support - 250,000 pounds!

What is the quote on the Statue of Liberty?
Technically there is no quote on the outside of the Statue of Liberty - although this is often depicted as so on images of the Statue, however the inscription is on the inside of the pedestal.

It is entitled ‘The New Colossus’ (written by Emma Lazarus) and refers to the old giant statue that used to sit on the edges of the Mediterranean Sea in Greek history - one of the original Seven Wonders of the World.

This giant was supposed to be a huge statue of the Greek god Helios, and he too supposedly wore a 7-starred ‘crown’ and stood near a main harbour.

There are only 3000 passes available per day to get to the island - but you cannot get into the statue itself at the moment…..  So still worth a visit - but make sure you plan in advance.

posted by Travel Cat on May 17

What Are You Doing January 2010?  Fancy A Bike Ride?

If you have ever wanted to do something completely different then this might just be for you.  EnduroIndia are trying to find people to take part in their 2000km motorbike ride through huge mountains, crazy little towns and even tiger reserves to raise money for charity - and make for some great adventures!

What Is It?
Well, it is 14 days of sunrise to sunset riding across India - parts of which are little travelled by the normal ‘holiday-makers’ - so you will see places no-one you know has seen before.

You will be following a route through some rare scenery, some amazing open landscapes and some steep mountain roads.  You will also get a bit of training on how to cope with traffic in the towns - as this may well be harder than the rest!

For the past 8 years, the EnduroIndia has been thrilling people from all over the world, and you could now get your chance!

But I Don’t Ride A Motorbike?
Don’t worry - as long as you have your licence before you head out there - you can go!

You are fuly supported by a team of 40 throughout every stage of the ride - and it’s not a race, so you can take just as long as you want to complete the distances!

You don’t even need a bike!  All the entrants get their hands on a Royal Enfield bike - which they will get time to train on before heading off on the adventure itself.

The itinerary is best summed up on their site (itinerary) but here is a quick summary:

Day 1: Arrive and meet the team
Day 2: Meet your bike and get some training

Day 3: First day of gentle riding to a beach resort
Day 4: Forest trails and mountain passes
Day 5: Waterfall and busy town
Day 6: Unused, overgrown isolated ‘roads’
Day 7: Early rising to visit and ancient city
Day 8: Tigers and elephants all day

Day 9: A well earned day off!

Day 10: Riding a road full of hairpins that is on NO OTHER MAP!
Day 11: The best day’s ride on the whole trip!
Day 12: Tea Plantations & some shopping?
Day 13: Last days ride through some wildlife reserves

Day 14: A chance to relax and say your goodbyes

How Much Does It Cost?
Well, it depends how you are planning to fund it, as it could cost you nothing at all if you fund-raise the entire lot!

The money you need to raise is £4,750, which will cover all the trips expenses and all the staff wages and running costs - this include medics, mechanics and trainers.

The bikes, flights and accommodation with great meals are all included too.

You need to pay up-front the £500 registration fee - which is non-refundable - but which is part of the total amount - so leaves only £4,250 to actually be raised.

And they offer plenty of tips for fundraising if you start to struggle.  I never thought I would raise the money for my previous charity trek - but it really does all come together if you put the effort in and involve your work or local schools.

Fancy a go?  Then apply online and let me know about it - I can follow your progress on this blog!

posted by Travel Cat on May 10

Welcome to another edition of this great Traveling With Kids Carnival, with BlogCarnival.

We get straight into it with a quick comment on international travel, as I am hoping that the current global news regarding a certain health scare hasn’t put people off traveling, but maybe has pushed a few people to consider a more local vacation this May - perhaps a road trip or camping in a National Park for a change!

Let me know your thoughts on this and how it has affected you and your family - if at all!

Right, first up is just a fun one with tongue twisters to keep the kids (and adults) entertained for a while.  I had great fun last week getting my mum to even say the thing in the first place - let alone repeat it!  So get going with First installment: Indoor activity and let me know how YOU get on!

2 nice personal stories here: one from a mum living in France with her ‘kid’ as she calls him - so Christine presents Basel Back Pack Hostelwith some snaps! And the other about living in Central America and an un-cooperative Barney! So join Marina for Where Can I Get a Pony Ride?

Just a different angle on the whole holiday thing with this eco friendly option from Erika: Ecotourism in the Amazon Rain Forest not specifically to do with kids themselves - but certainly related to the world we are leaving them!

And finally, an amazing story of a family’s long-distance vacation by bike! Not only did it make me very jealous as I sit here at home, but also inspiring that people take on such challenges as opposed to everyday boring life! So, Marjorie Morgan presents GO! Girls Outdoors | Alaska to Argentina by bike, with family

Bye for now…..