Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Jan 20

When in Rome – do exactly what YOU want to do!

You don’t have to stick to the tourist track when you visit the beautiful city of Rome, you can have the place to yourself and see the sites that interest you – rather than the masses.

Located in central Italy on the River Tiber and close to the country’s Mediterranean coast, Rome has more to offer than the routine tour of the Colosseum or the Pantheon.

Plan your own trip here – maybe staying in your own Rome apartments on the River – and you could find yourself caught up in the swing of things and finding history and hidden architecture right on the very streets that you are your drinking coffee in!

The City Itself:
Rome has been inhabited for over 2 and a half thousand years, through the Roman Empire, the Renaissance and the ruling Papacy – and so it’s great buildings and even common houses reflect styles from all eras.

Used as the setting for many conspiracy theories and the site of many hidden catacombs, underground waterways and even temples, you don’t always see everything in the guide book.

What you need is to wander the streets, go into and look around stores and museum buildings and get a sense of the people who lived and worked there – not just the elite.

photo credit: bensonkua

In Rome accommodation is never hard to find – and you can get a room in almost any part of the city you were hoping to explore! Whether you want to be close to the coast, the big sites, the river or just outside of the bustle – you will be sure to find it.

Vatican City:
Part of Rome that attracts as many vistors as the city itself is the Vatican – a city within a city! Home of the Papacy, the Sistine chapel, St Peter’s Basilica and a whole host of other sights worth seeing – you would be missing half of Rome if you didn’t visit here!

This self ruling walled section of Rome has a host of magnificent and imposing buildings – and book after book after book claim to know it’s secrets. However a few hours spent looking around yourself, you will soon see why it has created so much myth and mystery.

By booking yourself into some Vatican apartments overlooking the City, you can see the staff and visitors around the site throughout the day and late into the evening – maybe inspiring your very own conspiracy theory!

So however long you stay, make sure you choose the best accommodation for your trip. Don’t feel that you have to find 1 place and stay there for your entire vacation. Being able to step out of your apartment and be face to face with an amazing building is a totally different feeling from catching the bus there in the afternoon with 100 other people!

Plan your accommodation just as you would your transport – move around to suit your needs and get the most out of your city vacation.

“Abbia una grande festa” – as they say in Rome!

posted by Travel Cat on Jan 16

All animals depend on water for survival – so if you visit when there isn’t much, you can see more!

During the wet season, there is plenty of natural water to go around. Rain falls sometimes for weeks at a time; rivers fill up to their highest levels and neighboring land floods or becomes boggy. Even all the nooks and crannies in rocks and buildings, trees and other plants and even man-made litter like tires, buckets and plastic materials fill up with puddles that can sustain thousands of creatures.

As a result of the widely dispersed water – and the resultant abundance of plants and insect life to keep all these animals alive – they are spread out all over the place. They can eat and drink wherever they want to, so finding them can be a difficult task.

In Drier Times:
Needless to say then, if there is less water – then it will be easier to find the wildlife. They will all have to gather around the same water holes.

It works the same way as all the people you see at the cinema; they all have to go there for the same thing as it isn’t available anywhere else close by, but you don’t get crowds at your local food store – as you can buy bread and milk everywhere!

So, if you are hoping to see some lions, alligators, monkeys or elephants – your best chance is where the water holes are – and when there is less water elsewhere.

Obviously, the animals may not be quite as relaxed near the water in times of drought as when water is plentiful – but it will really add to your whole safari adventure if you actually get to see something!

photo credit: Rainbirder

More Crowds:
And in their quest for water, or food, many animals congregate in huge numbers either to trek to new lands or to breed – and this can make for some great viewing!

Large migrations of animals is one of the greatest natural spectacles on the planet!

Just think of the million wildebeests in June marching across the Masai Mara – with 500,000 gazelles and 200,000 zebras in tow! And the hundreds of crocodiles waiting in the rivers to eat them!

How about 120,000 elephants all wading in the Chombe in September – or the thousands or buffalo and lions that are thirsty too!

Not to mention the hundreds or different birds species migrating north to south, east to west or even over the Himalaya! All in search of better eating and drinking!

So before you head on your ultimate wildlife vacation – check the weather!

posted by Travel Cat on Jan 11

When you next travel to the States – you can stay wherever you want!

Finding a place to stay for the night is no longer a problem – with the internet you can find somewhere to spend the night at the very last minute. Basically you can book a room, check in and be in bed – all within 10 minutes!

No longer do you have to book through an agent 6 months in advance, or call dozens of hotels from overseas to try to find an available room – just search online when ever you want to! You want Gainesville hotels Click Here! It is all so simple now that the worries people have around finding holiday accommodation is virtually eliminated!

This is made even easier in an English speaking country like the States, as you can read any hotel webpages for the area you are hoping to stay in – and make a choice at the touch of a button.

Want It Even Easier?
Now, if looking at individual hotel websites even seems like too much effort – then why not use one of the many websites that does all the searching for you.

You type in the area you like and the price range – and they find all the hotels with available rooms at a price you like! You don’t need to scan around looking for anything – it will all be right there in front of you!

You choose what you want included and they find it – and if you can’t see what you like and you want to view more Long Beach Hotels – then click a button, and more appear before your very eyes!

More Specific:
Sometimes however, you do want to plan things in advance as you have very specific requirements for your trip – say for example you have a large group travelling together, several young children, pets, or special dietary requirements. Sometimes you can’t be too fussy – so need to check out all the options.

You can still choose the area you want to visit obviously – but the lovely period hotel you like by the canal might not be suitable or have enough rooms; the hotel closest to your relatives or a themepark might not have your dietary requirements or allow pets etc.

And this is where searching online is a real bonus – it can allow you to do a massive all-inclusive search – so you can for example; see all Huntsville hotels, or all Orlando motels – so that you can pick out the features you prefer way in advance, and get the place you like!

If only everything you had to do was a simple as this – but then a vacation is all about relaxing isn’t it, so why not start as you mean to go on!

posted by Travel Cat on Dec 16

You don’t need to wander into town in the cold; dodging prams and charity collection cans!

Find your exciting New York City breaks online in the comfort of your own home – with a nice warm drink to hand!  They may have forecast snow for the next few weeks here - but you could avoid all that – and do some great festive shopping of your own!

Whether you go before the ‘big day’ or in the new year – you can’t beat New York for the city of shopping!  Imagine how jealous your friends will be when you tell them that you won’t be queueing up for your toys, music and games in the regular stores; you will be in shops they have never heard off!  So your gifts will be truely unique as they aren’t from Boots or M&S!

And imagine that dress you buy – or those amazing boots: no-one else you know will have anything like it – and when they ask where you got them; you can reply ‘New York’ and that will add to the ‘wow’ factor even more!

The Site:
So, what’s so easy about this site then?  Well for starters, it allows you to view the different hotels and review them as well as look at up-to-date information on NY itself – so you don’t miss some of the best attractions that you didn’t even know were there!

They also have a really clear mapping tool for NYC which allows you to zoom in on where your hotel is compared to the places you want to go visit – before you book.  It highlights all the hotels and streets so clearly – that you might want to extend your stay to get round them all!

This will be a great tool for you if you are planning plenty of shopping as you can make sure that you are within walking distance of all the great department stores – or on a great underground route to make things even easier for you.

Perhaps you want to be closer to the theatres instead for that late night cab home and don’t mind travelling that bit further to the shops during the daytime.  Whatever your preference – the options are there for you to investigate before you spend a penny. 

So planning your NYC breaks couldn’t be more enjoyable and simple to book!  Choose your hotel, choose your location, choose your airline – and choose for how long you go!  All with just a few clicks…..

Send us a postcard if you get time!

posted by Travel Cat on Oct 10

Paying for parking can really make a difference to a day out if you don’t plan ahead, but sometimes paying up is just the easiest thing to do!

When you need to get a particular place, or you have a family – parking as close to your destination as possible can make all the difference when planning a day out.  Otherwise, you know there will be tears!

So lets have a look at the options available to you – so you can plan your day out in advance for the best set-up for you!

Included Parking:
Many Theme Parks have parking included in the price for visitors – and these are the best ones for a simple family day out.

Yes, you are still ‘paying’ for the carpark in the sense that you ticket price will have taken this into account – but you can turn up at Theme Park A in the car – with all your family and accoutrement’s – with no worry about having the right change, queueing at a booth behind someone who hasn’t got the right change, or feeling really annoyed at the extra cost added on to your day!

However, sometimes the benefit outweigh the cost as many larger car parks include transfer buses, refreshments and quite importantly; security features!

Nearby Parking:
If the place you are visiting doesn’t include it’s own parking – then you have a choice or 2 to consider before setting out on your journey.

1) Park in their car park anyway for ease of entry – and pay whatever they ask.
2) Park offsite at the next cheapest place – but close enough to walk there.
3) Park at the closest free/cheap carpark – and pay for public transport.

It is worth considering each one not only on price – but also on ease of getting to your destination.

I would imagine if you had elderly relatives or very young children with your party – or lots of things to bring along with you like prams, lunches, extra clothes, nappies, toys, scooters, etc – then the 10 minutes walk across a freeway and past some stores might not sound too appealing – and don’t forget that there is the walk back to the car afterwards when you are all tired to consider as well!

Public Transport:
This is the perfect option for couples, or families with older children, as you have less to fuss about, and can usually arrive right on site without too much effort.  And some events offer discounted entry for those arriving by train, bus or bike!

However, the cost of this ‘easy’ option can sometimes be far more than paying for the car park anyway.  I mean each person is charged for getting on the bus – but you only pay 1 fee for the car park.  Yes, you will be crammed in with another 1000 cars and maybe have to queue up to get in and out – but you can bring more stuff with you if you want – and come back to the car to get lunch or different clothing if the weather changes.

Coming by train or bus means you have to wear all your clothes and carry all your food – something that will not appeal too much to larger families for sure!

Eco Friendly Or Just Easy!
Unfortunately, the answer to that is not as easy as you might think!

Yes, of course everyone driving to a theme park in the middle of nowhere can’t be that good for the environment – but if you only get a few days off in the year where all the family can get together – then do you want to waste it walking miles to save money, while carrying a huge amount of ‘stuff’ to make the day fun!

I mean, on your only weekend off with the folks, do you want to carry your raincoat around all day (incase it rains) along with a huge rucksack or holdall filled with food and drink as well as all the extras and take 3 times as long to get there by public transport?

I didn’t think so!  But I suppose that the more people you take with you in each car as well as making your own lunch and bringing extra stuff – the more eco friendly you become!  You won’t be driving with empty seats; buying take-out over-packaged food or buying over-priced and individually wrapped novelty rain macs or medicines and band-aids!