Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Apr 24

Why do we wait until we are at the airport or even at or destination before we get to grips with the basics?

I have decided, that if you want to really enjoy your vacation (unless you are just going to be sunbathing the whole time), then you should read up way in advance – and more than just the travel guide.

We all have so much spare time everyday that we waste, which in fact could be used for any number of things – and I think that you could be using it to become an expert on the places that you love to visit.  And even add to your other skills…..

The Destination:
Most people only have 1 or 2 big holidays a year, so that gives you 6 months to read up on a place – and at only an hour a week devoted to your next vacation, that’s 26 hours you could be using to your advantage.

By reading about destinations, tourist sites and wildlife locations way before you book could make your trip the best ever!  I mean if you know which resorts are closest to the places you are going to visit you could save a lot of transfers, time and money by being closer in the first place.

Or, if you want peace and quiet, less rain, or more sand on the beach – reading brochures and travel guides in advance could really take the hassle out of booking.  By waiting until it is time to book your trip before you start reading the relevant information puts more pressure on you and could lead to you making a quick decision rather than the best choice.

The Language:
Imagine being able to order food in the local language when you arrive!  You may well get the better deals in markets and restaurants on your trip if you speak the language. 

And all because you took a few hours out of your life in the months before you departed taking a short course or listening to cd’s from the library!

And depending on the language you learn, it could benefit you on more than one vacation – take Spanish, English or French as some examples – and your short course could set you up for several trips in the future.

The Skills:
Planning in advance could also mean that you are able to scuba dive as soon as you arrive rather than having to take a learner course out there – imagine being out in the Maldives or the Caribbean on coral reefs the day after you arrive, rather than taking a lesson with 10 other people in the hotel pool!

Or, what about learning to horse-back ride, take great pictures or tango before you go – and showing off your new skills in style.  The things you can do when you look at it from a new angle might amaze you – for example riding a horse through a rainforest means you can stay clear of all the ants and snakes on the ground, film scenery as you walk (as you don’t need to watch where you are treading – the horse does that for you!) as well as cover greater distances faster and even walk across streams without getting wet!

So don’t wait until you have no time – space out your time in advance and you will be amazed at what benefits it will bring to you and your trips!

posted by Travel Cat on Apr 18

All this talk is of a ‘giant ash cloud’ over Europe, yet I am outside sunbathing?

At the moment, all flights over much of northern Europe airspace have been suspended due to the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland.  This continuing volcanic eruption is spewing out a huge cloud of ash into the atmosphere and it is disrupting flights all over the place!

I heard that flights were being cancelled all over the world, with concerts, aid and business being affected because certain individuals or groups could not fly into or out of certain countries.

All this while I was walking along rivers and past ancient castles on a sunny day and without a cloud in the sky.  So, why can’t planes fly?

The Hidden Story:
Firstly, as we all know planes fly way way up in the sky – which is a whole different place to down here.  Yes, we would be able to see a huge grey cloud of ash floating over our heads, but not if it is a thin blanket of really fine particles several miles above our heads.

Where as flying at the usual altitude would put planes right in this cloud of ash, and bearing in mind what ash is made of (pieces of solid rock from within the earths crust) this will wreak havoc with the exterior of the plane.

Previous records of planes flying through ash clouds have left the pilot’s windscreen so scratched and damaged that visibility was reduced to virtually zero and the pilots had to land with instruments only.  Not a plane that I would like to be on!

Secondly, the fine ash has to pass through the super-hot giant engines – and they are hot enough to melt metal, which is exactly what happens to the ash as it passes through.

Apparently, it turns the ‘ash’ into a type of glass material that sticks together and actually stops the engines from working. Again, this has happened in the past causing planes to fall from the sky.  Although there are many cases where the engines have successfully been restarted after moving swiftly into ash-free air and ‘shaking off’ of the particles – it really isn’t something the airlines or governments wish to rely on.

The Next Few Days:
Apparently many countries are refusing to consider any flights – incoming or departing – until at least lunch-time tomorrow (Monday) – and many have stopped taking bookings as well (no doubt to prevent more cancellations if this ban is extended).

Needless to say, getting people home from their travels is a priority, as well as recouping some of the money they have lost from this nature-induced standstill.

Other modes of transport are still in perfect working order, so many travellers are resorting to the ‘old fashioned’ methods, like trains and boats to move around the continent.  And why not? 

We all know that trains and boats can be more eco friendly (especially if they are running at capacity) – but they are a lot slower.  But, if you can’t fly for another 24 hours minimum, then these will infact be the fastest mode of transport you can get at the moment!

So before you cancel your travel, look at the alternatives or stay home in the sunshine!

posted by Travel Cat on Apr 10

Hello again, and what great weather we have been having at last! 

Walking in the sunshine always makes the day 10 times better!  And it’s great to spend more time with my nephews and nieces and realising how much they have grown since last spring – and how many more questions they have!

Amanda Sykora has an even better plan – take the kids before they can ask questions, and enjoy the trip yourself! Take a look at her honest review of a trip to Disneyland with her young child: Thanks for the memories!.

The memories aren’t quite so good for MummyT when her 9-year-old finds an unwanted creepy crawly in their room: Winged Creatures « Travels with a Nine Year Old.

Traveling while you are pregnant can also be a worry, but if you are considering this, do take on board some of the tips from Eternal*Voyageur traveling through South America with her family with her article Guide to Pregnant Backpacking.

And why not prepare your child for future travel (and some great job opportunities) by teaching them a second language from a very young age. Here is a great and extensive article on helping you to do just that: so join Mariana Ashley on her blog and see what steps you could take on How to Raise a Brilliant, Bilingual Baby: 100 Tips, Tools, & Tricks! I will be using some of these resources myself for my young niece!

Our first post from a young person (although it’s not strictly about travelling) – just a fun day out with her mom shopping! So join Antoinette Patterson as she struts here stuff in town: The Mother Escapades: To Bugis and Beyond.

See you next time with more traveling fun!