Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 25

Forget the back yard fireworks and head to somewhere that really sums up America!

Why not make this Forth of July one with a difference - and go see something amazing that makes you proud to be American and to celebrate Independence Day and the creation of the nation we know and love today!

Although it would be great to support your local town, county or state in their arrangements - by attending a carnival, music festivals and firework displays - you could also take a while away from it all and go back to the roots of the nation this year - and avoid some of the mess and noise that we now create!

1) Visit The Declaration Of Independence Itself!
What is it all about anyway?  Do your kids (or you yourself) even know the full story of how the country evolved, and how some of the great names like Samuel Adams and Thomas Jefferson were associated with this historic day were actually involved?

Taking a full day to explore the National Archives in Washington DC, and read through all the build up and the after effects of it’s historic signing in 1776.  The Archives also holds the Constitution and the Bill of Rights - so you will certainly be an American history buff by the time you leave!

Admission is always free and there are no separate lines to view the documents - you can wander around as you please - although there is no photography of filming allowed for obvious security reasons.  But do watch National Treasure before you go to give you a little taster of what it’s all about!

2) Go See Mount Vernon, Virginia - The Home Of George Washington.
Known affectionately as ‘the father of our country’ it would be wrong not to take time to learn about his life and achievements and appreciate his life and his actions.  He was of course the first president of the United States and sat for 2 terms before retiring to Mount Vernon.

He achieved many things during his busy life including winning many battles during the Battle for Independence during the American Revolution, implementing laws that still stand today and working on his farm!

There are many myth and ‘true’ stories about him and his life, including skipping a coin across the Potomac, having wooden false teeth and wearing a wig!  Other actual facts include being infertile, having ginger hair, serving no political party, making a law to make sure that future presidents can only serve 2 terms in office after he got ‘forced into his second term and actually being born British!

3) Be Amazed At Mount Rushmore - and hang around in the Black Hills after……
You wouldn’t be American if you hadn’t seen Mount Rushmore in South Dakota!  So make sure you go visit here if you haven’t already - and why not make a long weekend out of it with a visit to the Rockies!

The giant faces of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson (writer of the Declaration of Independence and the 3rd US President) stare off into the distance on this massive edifice to American History.

Alongside these 2 hugely influential characters are Abraham Lincoln - 16th US President; and Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt - 26th US President.  All 4 men have greatly influenced the United States today!

Taking 14 years to complete (well, it ran out of funds at the shoulders) these 18 meter tall heads cover an area of over 1000 square meters!  They are now in the hands of the US National Park Service, and around 2 million people a year visit the site.  And it has a chamber behind the faces containing plaques with the Declaration of Independence text inscribed!

Happy Holidays!

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 21

Thousands of people have flocked to the South - but what are they missing out on?

South Africa is a very beautiful country, and deserves a visit - especially if you are already out there!  It seems a waste to just watch the football without taking a trip out to some of the amazing places along the 1553 mile long coast as well as those inland.

Whether you like the flowers, the scenery, the mountains, the culture or the wildlife - there is plenty to choose from without having to travel to far away from all the football frenzy!

And if you are not even watching the World Cup - still consider flying to South Africa while the tourist infrastructure is at it’s best!  Find yourself a lovely hotel or safari lodge and go exploring!

The Coast:
Follow the famous Garden Route along the coast and you won’t be disappointed!  There are some amazing coves, sandy beaches, windswept cliffs and friendly villages stretching from the Western Cape to the Storms River.

Walking the route is now as popular as driving these days - and you can see why when you hear tales of whale encounters and millions of fossils from our ancestors kitchens!

This route actually follows along the Indian Ocean, and so is relatively warm and wet - so is covered in verdant vegetation and filled with over 300 species of bird and an equally diverse insect life.  Inland lakes and the backdrop of the scenic moutain ranges adds to it’s beauty as do the luscious forests of the Fynbos and temperate forests!

The Wildlife:
Well, you could easily take a trip to one of the largest wildlife parks in the whole of Africa - if you went to Kruger National Park or a mini-break safari.

In just a few days you could well have seen all 5 of the ‘Big 5′ - which is certainly a feather in any animal lovers cap!  Lions, Buffalo, Leopards, Elephants and Rhino - as well as Hunting Dogs, Zebra, Ostrich, Giraffe, Cheetah and Hyenas to name a few more!

You could be camping close to 1 of the 9 different wilderness paths in place, close to one or more of the many rivers (in hope of seeing a hippo) or even perched in the tree tops themselves in one of the amazing eco lodges or bush camps.

Whether you safari in jeeps, on horseback or on foot - you can be sure of an amazing trip and certainly one never to forget!  The animal encounters here could be the most impressive you ever see - apart from that last minute extra time goal!

The Mountains:
Well, Table Mountain has got to be one of the top 10 ‘mountains’ that anyone has ever heard of - and for good reason; as it dominates the skyline from the city of Cape Town.

This flat-topped mountain is around 3 kilometers wide and offers breath-taking views back down across the city and the coastline.  Tourists flock here for this reason, and the popular cable car rarely runs empty as it chugs up to the top giving passengers a 360 degree view of the mountains!

The main vegetation on this huge sandstone monument is Fynbos (a unique display of hundreds of different flowering plants endemic to this region) and is protected as a World Heritage Site as a result.  Mountain wildlife includes many smaller creatures like mongoose and lizards along with a whole array of brightly coloured birds.  All the larger mammals have been eradicated from the area - so if you see a lion up there; think yourself very lucky!

If you are there for the whole World Cup - you could see them all! 

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 16

What is all the fuss about the leaning tower of Pisa?  It’s just a leaning tower after all!!

Why are we all so fascinated with the leaning tower of Pisa when in theory it’s just a very crooked piece of architecture?  Why does it lean and who made it lean?

All these questions will be answered below - so just read on…….

Why Does The Leaning Tower Of Pisa Lean?
Lets start with the most popular question of why does it lean in the first place and why hasn’t it just fallen over?

Well, when constructed in the 12th century to complement the neighboring cathedral - it’s foundations were not strong enough to support it and so it started to list to one side very soon after completion of just 3 layers.  It is suggested that had the town not gone to war and left the tower to ’settle’ for the next 50 or so years the whole thing would have toppled over when they added the higher levels!

So after the very unsuitable and shallow foundations had naturally reached a compromise with gravity, they started to build up again.  However to compensate, they actually built the tower with lower arcades on the back side to try to straighten it back up - leaving the tower actually bent in the middle!

And as you can clearly see in pictures, the top level sits at an entirely different angle to the lower tower as this was built ’straight’ (at the time) to try to balance the whole thing out!

The History Of The Leaning Tower Of Pisa:
Well, there is debate as to who built the leaning tower of Pisa as there were so many stages of construction, and according to a lot of sources there is still hot debate about it.

Apparently there was the purchase of the foundation stones in 1172 by a local lady, then the foundations assembled the following year, but whether it was Guglielmo or Diotisalvi who did most of the initial construction - no one can be sure!

Around 100 years later 1272, Giovanni de Simone is the mason credited with most of the final stages of construction - with the bell tower not added until a further 100 years!

Quite a venture really from start to finish and then have the whole thing fall over!

Where Is The Leaning Tower Of Pisa Located?
The tower was built in the city of Pisa in the grounds of the Cathedral in (not surprisingly) Cathedral Square - Piazza del Duomo.  It was built to be the free-standing bell tower for the Cathedral - and does contain 7 bells today.

How Tall Is The Leaning Tower Of Pisa?
Well, the tower itself is just under 56 meters on the lowest side and just under 57 meters on the tallest side!

There are smaller features on one side and there are also 2 internal steps less on the wonky side to try to ’straighten’ the tower!  And the top of the tower is an amazing 12ft and 10inches off centre from where it would be if the tower was straight!

That’s just crazy!  However, when the Italian’s wanted to ‘fix’ the tower to make sure it didn’t topple - they requested specifically that the tilt be kept as it is to keep it as a tourist hot spot!

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 10

Summer is here again - and the sun is shining!

And just about the time of year when you are planning your summer vacations and short weekend trips - and also the time when the kids want to be out in the sunshine but you still have regular chores to do and need to keep them occupied!

So first off we have a short one for the journey to start the trip on the right foot, so Host Bee helps us with her Tip Tuesday - Easy Travel with Kids on Board!. Phew, step 1 complete!

And to add to this - for journeys, airports, bus stations or just while you just need some rest yourself try Wendy’s inspirational ideas for Summer Worksheets. Add to this with this short article - with ideas that could keep the kids quiet for hours - Rachel gives us her idea for a Fun Activity Box.

Mike Vogt steps in next with his twist on 10 Great Mission Trip Ideas, for an adventure that is totally different to anything else you might have planned.

Next up we have 2 stories about holiday adventures already in the making: First up is this little one from Michele Hays: Sundays with Sparky - Sparky’s excellent Strawberry Adventure, followed by Roger Elmore’s ideas for the 10 Best Amusement Park Resorts from his experiences.

And finally, a very helpful article from Sandrine Berges about her journeys with a special little person and how to overcome any difficulties with some forward planning with her experiences of How to get an autistic child onto a plane and out again..

So, I hope you can all use these stories and tips to make you vacation even better - and to make sure that you enjoy your trip as much as the kids!

Send me the photos!

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 5

Easter Island is a must see for anyone with a taste for something unique!

Stranded out in the Pacific Ocean just south of the Tropic of Capricorn - and around 3700km’s west of it’s mainland ‘owners’ Chile - Easter Island: Rapa Nui - sits proudly atop 3 joined volcano cones (all extinct).

This delightful island was home to an amazing but mysterious Polynesian culture who carved and mounted huge statues between 1300 to 1890 years ago according to current research, but have since died out.  Polynesian people have since repopulated the island and still live there today.

Easter Island Facts:
Technically the most remote inhabited island in the world, this tiny land mass is no longer than 25km long and around 12km wide at it’s extremities - perfect for exploring on foot, bike or horse.  The whole island is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The island has moderate weather all year although July and August are the coldest months and January to March the warmest - and hence their busiest season.  Throughout the rest of the year, you could virtually have the place to yourself!

There is only really 1 town on the whole island - and this is where everything is - so if you are planning treks, hikes and overnight camping - you had better take all your supplies with you!  And as there is only 1 town - you can be sure that that is where everyone will be for the islands’ main Tapita Rapa Nui festival through February - so book ahead to be involved in this amazing festival - or make sure you visit at another time if you want a room!

As there is virtually no large scale development here, you will experience a real feeling of community, with everyone knowing everyone else and family run businesses on every corner.  Great for getting things done out there - just ask your landlady and she will know someone who can help!

The Easter Island Statues:
These huge rock structures are the main draw of Easter Island - and when you come face to face with them you will see why.  Hand-carved and dragged across the island these massive monuments are made of solid lumps of volcanic ash and can weigh as much as 82 tonnes!

Often referred to as the ‘Easter Island Heads’, these hand-carved monuments are mostly whole bodies and torsos - very few are ‘just heads’ and some of the ‘just heads you might see are actually buried whole statues - just swallowed up by the soil moving down hill over the centuries!

The statues are called Moai, and they can be found all over the island in groups or alone, facing the sea or facing inland, with or without brightly painted eyes and clothes.  But never-the-less majestic!

Some are not even complete - they are still laying on the ground half-carved beside the very rock face they were chipped from all those years ago.  It does however give us a valuable insight into their construction.

There are 887 Moai on the island or in museums - all completely unique faces and body size - so a few days on the island will allow you to find and admire several hundred of them - and many of them are found in groups on top of platforms called Ahu and are very symbolic to the local people (so please don’t walk on them!).

What Else Is On The Island?
Well, as with any ancient culture, there are traces of the past and here that involves much stone work including caves and a variety of petrographs - images etched into the surface of important stones.

There are many other stone structures and with possible astronomical significance (although not widely accepted as such) as well as wall, graves and other archaeology.

There is hardly any wildlife mind you - with no large or even small native mammals.  Infact nearly all the animals on the island have been brought in by local people either for farming or a stowaways on boats! 

And due to the nature of the islands history (very turbulent and very tree chopping) there are no remaining endemic trees or other large vegetation - most of the trees currently on the island were only recently planted.  It is a very barren place - with no permanent streams or rivers either!

There is plenty of open space though - and some amazing and isolated sandy beaches to enjoy - with some great surf too!  But is island life for you? 

Well - you should go there for a week or 2 and find out!