Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Mar 10

Spring has finally arrived - with birds, plants and insects all over the place!

I have seen some peacock butterflies bathing in the sunshine, crocuses bursting open all over the place and even daffodils peeking out!  What a great time to get your kids outside and help them explore their surroundings!

Although this is nature of a different sort, this is a lovely story of bringing history to life. Read Dee Andrews enjoyable story of a day out in history with Pompeii Through the Eyes of a Child.

Following this, here is another great story about kids on vacation with MummyT as she cross South-east Asia with here 9-year-old Virachey National Park.

And someone else already out there with the family - this time they are enjoying New York - so join Jennifer Miner for a personal run down of her Best NYC Things to Do with Kids

And finally, here is a really disgruntled blogger who had terrible trouble while traveling with her kids - check out Sierra Black article advising: Flying with Kids? Beware! and get active yourself when problems arise!

So, if you are heading off beware, and be prepared - and make sure you avoid problems by careful planning.

posted by Travel Cat on Feb 18

It’s funny what annoys us - but why don’t we do anything about it?

I think that we assume that the staff should be doing something - and that what really annoys us.  Why do they set these rules and guidelines if they aren’t seen to be upholding them?

There are a lot of things that we think are just a waste of time in terms of the whole ‘getting through the airport’ process.  There are endless queues and tickets and checks - so it’s no wonder we get so annoyed when we find that they don’t really care if you do what they ask of not!

Especially if we have to wait for longer because of it!

So here is a quick summary of the winners of the most annoying things on a plane!

Seat Backs:
We all know how annoying it is when someone immediately leans their seat back on entering the plane.  The ‘rules’ are that you need to have your seat back upright for take off - so why put it back before we take off?  However there is nothing you can do until the steward tells them to move it back - which they don’t always do!

And - why would be people be so inconsiderate to leave their seat back during meal times.   It leaves you with the smallest amount of space to eat your own dinner - as you need to lean forward to reach your tray!

AND - why do people leave their seats back if they are laying down across several seats asleep?

Seat Belt Sign:
Why do people wander about the cabin when the seatbelt sign is on?  Nobody seems to tell them off for doing it - yet they get to the toilets before everyone else after take off!

Raffle Ticket Sales:
Why do certain airlines spend the whole flight blocking the aisles?  They start by bringing around duty free trolleys, then raffle tickets, then drinks and chocolates, then the free meal, then more raffle tickets, then more drinks and chocolate!

When can we stand up and move about the cabin?

Kids And Babies:
I know they can’t help it - but noisy kids near you on a plane can really be annoying - even if they are just talking the whole time - you just can’t concentrate on anything else the whole time!

And kids tend to kick the chair in front all the time just because they have short legs!  Having your seat continuously banging forward for several hours really couldn’t be more annoying!

Drunk or Noisy Groups:
Just like the kids above - it really is most annoying to be near to a group of noisy drunk adults!

Regardless of whether the stewards have already spoken to them about the noise - it is still really annoying that they are not made to quieten down like the rest of the passengers!  Knowing that the stewards aren’t really stopping the huge distraction is the main annoying part of this.

I would imagine if I started singing out loud from the score of Mary Poppins, I would soon be asked to stop - but when there are more than a few people together, it seems like they can just do whatever they want!

Seat Stealers!
These are the people who see that a few seats near you are empty before take off and then move into them before the doors are even closed!

We all want a bit more space on these flights - but if the seats are next to you - then you should get first dibs on them - not have someone else rudely plonk themselves down in them!  I find myself now moving across a seat if no one else is there first - so that way no one else can get in it instead of me.  And if the real owner of the seat comes along at the last minute - I can just move back into my own seat having not lost anything so to speak.

I know it’s all a bit petty - but when you feel that someone is getting a better deal than you - or that you are getting a worse one because of someone elses actions - it can make your 8 hour flight even more painful than it already is!

If only people weren’t quite so selfish…….

posted by Travel Cat on Feb 10

Well, it has certainly been a very cold month here and across many countries - so what can we offer to numb the cold!

And as if the cold wasn’t enough to worry about - what if you have a small baby too?  So, if you are planning a trip with your young baby but aren’t sure if you could cope, then take a look at Emily’s short introduction on Traveling With a Baby, and see if you feel better about travel after reading it.

Next we have some light-hearted list of ideas to fill those short vacations, staycations, bank holidays, weekends and every other afternoon if you and your family are bored! So here’s Emily Moser with her list of 100 Painless Resolutions for a Healthier, Happier, Fitter New Year!

And if you want an unhealthy money-wasting but possibly fun day out - then have a look at Carl’s article discussing World’s Largest Entertainment McDonald’s and PlayPlace! wit some great pictures!

Maybe after a complete spring clean and de-junk you are looking to have a yard sale or a car-boot sale to boost funds and entertain the kids for the day - so take a look at some tips for getting out there for the day with Top Tips For Your Car Boot Sale.

And finally, an article filled with things kids do that make us laugh - although the first picture isn’t suitable for kids to look at really!  So, have a look at what witty jester has to offer in Kids Will Be Kids - I bet you read them all like I just did!

Enjoy……

posted by Travel Cat on Jan 27

Yep.  Right in the heart of the Bronx is an exciting and beautiful park, woodland and deep gorge to explore.

We all know the Bronx Zoo, but how many of us have spent time wandering along the many paths and trails of the the Bronx Park?

The sheer size of the Bronx park and the variety of flora and fauna found here make this natural area one of the real hidden gems of New York - well worth a visit.

A Natural Secret?
The Botanical Gardens here also holds a historic secret - a 50 acre woodland.  Not so exciting? 

Well, what if I told you it was the exact woodland that was here when the land was first brought in 1891?  So it has been undisturbed for over 130 years!

It was part of the continuous woodlands that covered the whole of the the area when the European migrants first came over in the 17th century. And when you stand among these giants in the peace and quiet - can you imagine the whole of New York city covered in it? 

Water World And More:
There is the Bronx River running through the centre of the park and it is the perfect place for water sports.  There are several launch points for kayaking and canoes.

The river runs through a deep gorge with waterside walks and some amazing plants and trees lining the way.

There are also basketball courts, baseball diamonds, soccer fields, cycle routes and skate parks to name a few of the extensive facilities supplies to the parks users.

There are also dog runs for those with pets, and playgrounds for those with kids!

And, of course, a zoo full of tigers!

posted by Travel Cat on Jan 10

Welcome indeed to 2010 - and I hope you have made lots of travel plans already for the year ahead.

I have a friend setting off for a 6 month trip around South America with a group of his friends, another who is planning to cycle from London to Paris for charity and yet another hoping to drive across Mongolia towards the end of fall.

I have many ideas too, but first lets see what our contributors this month have to offer.

Lets start up with a short one about taking your kids skiing - and lets be honest, there isn’t really a shortage of snow at the moment!  So, Skier lets us in on 5 Tips to Take Your Child Skiing.

The next 2 are really arty and rather personal articles about how you can give your child (and yourself) something that you can treasure forever.  First off Dan gives s some great advice and tips on creating your very own home movie compilation of your baby’s first holiday with his article: A Truly Priceless Gift for Your Child – DIY 1st Year Baby Video.  Obviously you can use any footage you want - and it doesn’t have to be the 1st year only.  You could set about making one every year for your kids as they are so simple to make.

Then we hop over to Gloria Daniels, who gives some great ideas for putting together a more decorative scrapbook of your kids vacations.  This way you can include entry tickets, snap shots and postcards of the trip in a way you can’t do on video.  So take a look at her article: Creating a Kid’s Travel Journal and see which you prefer.

Or instead of taking the kids yourself - let them head of alone! Marjorie Morgan tells an amazing tale of a young girl Jessica Watson - solo sailor on her lone sailing voyage.  Take a look at what she has achieved at such a young age.

See you next month!