Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Jul 10

Welcome back for the summer holidays - and if you are running out of ways to entertain the kids - then we have some help for you here!

There are always plenty of ideas of kids entertainment.  Some parents prefer to pay for a theme park or other activities like rides and zoos, whereas other tend to take them in a more creative direction with making things, playing close to home, wildlife skills and family time.  So we really get a wide range or articles here - and hopefully you will enjoy those given below in this summer carnival.

Lets start with the best thing a mother or father could have when it comes to traveling with kids: A planner. Here, Bill Tyler helps you decide which type would be best for you with: How to Pick the Right Mom Organizer - obviously they work just as well for dads!

And filling the Summer Holidays with just such a plan is Alejandra Halvorssen with Summer Plans, Again for this school break!

Next a lovely little photojournal of the next step in a regular: where Theodora and her 9 year old bring us: Round Halong Bay by Junk with yet more great photos.

And why not take a leaf out of Phillip Lopez book, and plan to take your kids on one of these 10 Amazing Religious Pilgrimages. Not only will they be away from all the regular holiday-makers, rides and cotton candy - they will be experiencing a different culture and learning the respect of the old ways - they don’t need to be religious to follow a pilgrimage, but it is certainly a great experience for anyone.

Now, we come to the creative things for the kids to pass the time. Lets start with these 2 quickies from Joleen Parker; first up is Festive Flip-Flops « Jobie’s Crafts, then have some fun decorating your Summer Fun Tote « Jobie’s Crafts - just try not to get confused by all the ad’s in the posts……

Then finally - feast your eyes upon Olivia Davis seemingly endless list of things for the kids to do: Kids Summer Activity List: 100 Creative and Cheap Summer Activities For Your Kids. Maybe even getting the kids to spend time talking abut the list in the first place could kill another 3 hours!

Enjoy yourselves as much as the kids!

posted by Travel Cat on May 20

Having been trying to learn a new language for the past few months, I have tried a few different courses along the way.

They both had very different approaches for beginners, yet both seem to work well for my style of learning. So below I have put together a quick review of each one to see if they could be of use to you too!

Course 1: Pimsleur Language Program: Quick And Simple Course.
Format: 4 Language CD’s - plus 1 CD for Course Introduction.

Style:
This course was all about the listening and repeating of parts of the language.  For example, the narrator would say listen to the following conversation (conversation in the new language), than you would repeat sections of it out loud to such an extent that you would then be able to string simple words together, and then string these sentences together in a conversation similar to the original one.

There were 8 courses as part of this introductory course, but they were all quite similar in content.  So as a result, I didn’t really learn a whole lot of actual ‘new words’ throughout the 2 days it took me to complete it - however I did complete the course quite easily, and felt very confident with the words and phrases I had learned.

Overall: 5/5 

Course 2: Teach Yourself Instant ‘Whatever’: Holiday Basics.
Format: 1 Small Paperback Book - Accompanying CD is optional.

Style:
This course was used completely visually, so you did need a basic knowledge of pronunciation before setting off into Unit 1!You could get a copy of the accompanying CD if you wanted which plays out the conversations, but none of the exercises rely on the verbal content.

Basically, you are given 6 Units to complete.  Each Unit starts with a full page conversation in the new language on the left page and an identical conversation on the right page in English, so you can instantly see what you have been saying.  After the conversation part, you get a few basics on grammar and translations as well as several short exercises, followed by the Unit Test at the end. All answers are in the back of the book as well as some cut out and keep double-sided flash cards - which are great fun!

The problem with this course was that although I easily completed it and had great fun along the way, I had actually just learnt all the new words as part of the sentences - basically like learning words to a play.  So I could complete the exercises only by remembering where the words where on the page rather than actually learning what the words were on their own.  And, after several attempts at the course - I actually managed to memorise the answers as well!

Overall: 4/5

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!