Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Aug 19

Lake Tahoe - Hiking And Climbing Vacation Spot

Lake Tahoe is planted at the northern end of Yosemite National Park on the eastern side of central California, in the densely forested Sierra Nevada mountain range. It really is California’s mountain country at it’s best.

Lake Tahoe is a year-round recreational haven for well over a thousand years to the people of not only the southern states, but the whole of the US - and beyond. The area offers hiking, climbing and water-sports throughout the summer months, and then becomes a winter skiing destination - with many Olympic-class resorts to choose from.

It is divided into 2 parts really, with the south shore focused on a mini Las Vegas around Stateline, while the north shore is fixed firmly on the outdoor life and has the US’s greatest concentration of ski resorts.

Getting There:
There are several roads that get from coastal California across the mountain chain to Lake Tahoe, but only one coming up from the south through Yosemite, so plan your route well if you are taking in a lot of the surrounding area as well. South Lake Tahoe also has it’s own airport for those who prefer the direct option!

Half of the Lake is also in Nevada near Reno, so across state routes can be planned to arrive here in the Interstate 80, arriving north of the lake.

Before you head out, request your free Visitor Pack from AroundLakeTahoe.com (if still available) so you have all the current local information you need before arriving.

Where To Start:
Peak tourist seasons here are July and August, so expect a lot of people on the paths - and on the road that follows it’s edge too. Must See’s include Emerald Bay and Inspiration Point (a steep climb from the car park) - and Cave Rock Tunnel on the Nevada side, where the highway penetrates the mountains themselves.

There are plenty of reasonable hotels and eateries around the lake, but plan in advance to avoid disappointment. If you are camping, however - check with the state regulations for camping in that area before heading off for regulated camping and any dangers to watch out for.

Fallen Leaf Lake has the most hiking trails in the south-west, but the Balancing Rock Nature Trail is certainly worth while on the south shore, and is close to the Rubicon Trail of spectacular lake views including Emerald Bay - the most photographed part of the lake with it’s own recreated Nordic Castle on the mountainside (www.vikingsholm.com).

Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park on the western coast is the largest state park bordering the water, and is filled with old buildings to explore. Ehrman (pronounced ‘ermine’) Mansion has some stately grounds and includes a turreted mansion which was used in the making of the Godfather II if you’re interested.

Something Different?
If you are up for a challenge, then take yourself on to the Tahoe Rim Trail (www.tahoerimtrail.org), circling the lake from the lofty heights of the surrounding mountains! It covers 165 miles across the Sierra Nevada, and can take at least a week if you attempt the whole thing in one go. If you aren’t quite that adventurous, shuttle buses can transfer you to the key sites and you can walk a short stretch at a time!

This trail is open to all types, including mountain bikers, horses and cougars - oh, and in the colder months lots of snow (sometimes completely obscuring the path) - so make sure you a prepared for whatever comes your way if you take up the challenge!

For more information on any of the National Parks and their entry costs - please visit www.parks.ca.gov and navigate to the relevant locations.

Have fun!!!

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posted by Travel Cat on Jul 21

Want to Travel with Kids?

This series of travel related articles will focus on all the details needed for a trip at home or abroad when you are pregnant, have a young baby or some little kids in tow!

It will cover all aspects of travel including preparation tips, air travel ideas and kids games, the best travel insurance policies, travel health issues and advice, all inclusive vacation packages verses independent travel and much more.

It will take the form of a series of articles, each covering a certain aspect in detail - starting with the questions you need to ask yourself before even thinking about your vacation.

There will be several articles covering the steps you need to follow leading up to your vacation (including documents and visas as well as vaccinations), then more tips on issues when you actually get there…….

So whether you are looking to travel within your own country, or are considering a family vacation worldwide - there will be information here to help you decide on the final details - and to remind you of some things you may have forgotten.

It’s easy to think that they are just smaller versions of you - but there are a lot more differences than that - and it’s these little things that could cost you an awful lot of time and money to find out if you are already there!!!!

So regardless of whether you want luxury or discount travel, a peaceful 1-to-1 holiday or some noisy family fun - a Las Vegas kid-friendly lodging or a group ski vacation - or maybe you have a traveler with special needs - get your teeth into this travel guide for everything you need to know………..

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posted by Travel Cat on Jul 18

Personalized Medical ID Jewelry is now available.

I recently found a website that offer personalized, stylish - and fashionable - medical ID bracelets.  Basically, the site allows you to become involved in every step of the design and manufacture of your or a partners ID bracelet.

Instead of having the standard solid wristbands with pre-determined text, Universal Medical allows you to design a piece of art - personal to you and your needs in just 3 easy steps. And it makes the whole process fun by offering such a range of choices.

Those living with chronic or rare medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma or heart conditions, know the need for such identification is real, but more so, people with allergies such as food, drug or insect; or those taking multiple medications or blood thinners are finding the medical bracelets very useful when travelling - as sometimes the language can get in the way. 

Medical ID’s cross that boundary most effectively - reducing the time taken for you to start receiving the right treatment.

The site offers US, UK and Canadian (French & English speaking) individual pages for ordering to make purchasing and posting a local affair, and improving the sites efficiency - making sure your individual order is completed exactly as your requested.

If you want to have a look at Universal Medicals huge range of bracelets, necklaces, children’s ’sports’ bands and even medical ID watches - visit their friendly site and see if there is anything you need - and want!!

Identify yourself.

http://www.universalmedicalid.com/mkt_uk/detailscategory.php?catid=1048027492

This is a paid post.

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 30

UK National Parks.

Covering 10% of Britain, our National Parks are worth a visit. Stay a few days in a farmhouse around one of these locations and see the true beauty of this country. I have personally visited 11 of these sites with recommended lodgings from recent visits to some. The dates in brackets are the best times to go for the best views, when everything is in bloom and the lambs are everywhere….

Wales:

Pembrokeshire Coast (April - May)
Stringing along the rugged coastline of this most south-westerly part of Wales, this park encompasses some truly amazing beaches and cliffs. Open to the winds off the Atlantic, this coast is a beauty, and a surfing hot-spot. And with more than 50 castles to it’s name, there will never be a dull moment here.

Brecon Beacons (March - April)
This lushly covered ridge of mountains is very green compared to those in Snowdonia and with plenty of stunning waterfalls. Just as active though, you can pony trek through valleys, go caving into some of Britain’s deepest holes, and find dinosaurs! The Welsh National Cycle Route passes north to south, and you could even hire a narrow boat to cruise down the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal.

Snowdonia (May - September)
Containing the highest mountain in Wales and taking up most of north-west Wales to boot, this national park is a favourite for tourists and serious outdoor enthusiasts. With stunning scenery, rocky crags and more activity centres than you can shake a stick at - this is certainly a place worth a visit. In also contains many small, quiet villages, peaceful streams and isolated farmhouses for you to rent.

Scotland:

The Cairngorms (February)
The largest National park in the UK, up in the north of Scotland, and one of Britain’s best mountain ranges, in scale, altitude and sheer wilderness. Chains of mountain peaks covered in snow whenever the weather allows where skiing is common throughout winter and spring.

Stunning wildlife including red squirrels, osprey and wildcats is a main attraction here, as are all types of outdoor sports including mountaineering, dog sledding and water-sports in the many lochs. If you don’t mind basic accommodation and easy access to outdoor sports (including skiing) then I recommend Glenmore Lodge, the closest site to Cairngorm mountain itself - the views at breakfast are wonderful…..

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs (September - October)
This was Scotland’s first national park in 2002, and is 2 adjoining areas that were heavily visited and close to Glasgow. The Loch is the largest single waterway in Britain but motor boats and jet-ski owners can clog it up in summer. The Trossachs on the other hand is a pristine area of beauty between the lowlands and the mountains, with some breath-taking lakes and woodland vistas.

England:

The Peak District (April - May)
This is the busiest national park in the UK and surprisingly the 2nd most visited in the world after mount Fiji!!! However, it is still possible to escape the crowds (seeing that it sprawls into 6 counties in total) and it’s not long before all you can see are the sheep and rolling hills. This area is dotted with limestone caves that you can climb down into, as well as plenty of cycling and walking routes for all abilities.

The Lake District (September - October)
Famous for it’s great lakes, this park - up in the north-west of England - is the largest national park in Britain founded in 1951. It really is a walkers heaven up here! It has a very picturesque landscape, encompassing high mountains, long healthy lakes, undulating fells and steep-sided valleys - and is the home of England’s only golden eagles - and apparently a family of coatis!!

Yorkshire Dales (April - May)
A walking and cycling wonderland awaits you here. With countryside crossed by rugged stone walls and dotted with monastic ruins, and in the north the village of Wensleydale, famous for it’s cheeses. Almost touching the Lake District in the west, this large park traverses hills and valleys (dales) and most of the way across England. It’s very popular with drivers though, so try to avoid the main routes in high season.

North York Moors (August - September)
Wedged on the North Sea coast between Scarborough, Thirsk and Middlesborough, this small park i still a gem - with heather clad moors, isolated villages and lonely farms dotted across it’s depth, it will make for some very enjoyable walks. It has some lovely beaches and sheer cliffs on the coast and a brooding mystical feeling as you cross the high roads inland.

Northumberland (April - May, and September)
This really is a bleak place, one of the last great wildernesses on the border of England and Scotland - with Hadrian’s wall running within its borders. With heather and gorse moors, black grouse and like so many other parks - sheep, you can really find yourself alone here - among the prehistoric remains and fortified houses in a place with very few roads.

Norfolk & Suffolk Broads (April - May)
With it’s vast network of navigable rivers and it’s attraction for wildfowl, this is a birdwatchers dream. Even for those who don’t go to see the birds, the broads really are a peaceful and totally different experience. Forget about trekking in the hills, and just stroll along the rivers or cruise down them in any one of the available boats and barges offered for hire.

Dartmoor (May - June)
A large area of exposed volcanic rock in Devon, south-west England - this park really is rugged. With peaty soil and sparse vegetation gorse and heather are king here - but there are a few woodlands if you know where to look. Grazed by native Dartmoor ponies and sheep this marshy moorland and wild heath is a place where you can drive for miles yet not see another living soul!

Exmoor (September)
This smaller park is perched beside the Bristol Channel in the far west of Somerset. It is famous not only for it’s miles and miles of open moorland and ancient woodlands, but for the Exmoor Ponies that graze the land - perfectly adapted for the wet, desolate hills and valleys of this region. I can recommend the beautiful little Higher Rodhuish Farm for accommodation from a recent personal visit - you can even take your own horse there with you!

New Forest (April - September)
This large national park on the south coast between Bournemouth and Southhampton is a recent addition, only joining the others in March 2005. Like Exmoor and Dartmoor, it is famous for it’s ponies roaming free - although here, they are joined by donkeys, cattle and pigs throughout the year - and you can’t fail to see them as you walk or drive through the park.

With many small villages and activities to participate in, including almost year round camping - the nice weather here can cater for all the family all the time! I can certainly recommend Pickett Hill House for accommodation and the most wonderful host, with tea and cakes on arrival and a fresh local breakfast you’d want to photograph!

More National Parks?
There are stories about possible new areas in Britain that should have or might get national park status, 2 in the running include a large area of The South Downs in Sussex, and maybe the first in Northern Ireland: The Mourne Mountains.
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posted by Travel Cat on Jun 15

Want to avoid the nasty side of your vacation spot? 

Wherever you travel to there are going to be local illness that your body is not used to. Some are temporary with mild symptoms, others have terrible symptoms but not long lasting, but unfortunately some are permanent, crippling or fatal! Many of these are transmitted by animals including mosquitoes, so it doesn’t matter if you are used to them or not, you can still succumb to them unless you are protected and travel sensibly.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, and there are many precautions you can take before arriving at your destination (including vaccinations and prophylaxis) and when actually there to help lower your chances of contracting these, and to reduce the symptoms if you get them.

I have just covered some basic facts here about 4 of the most common health complaints of the traveller, although there are many many more you need to be aware of if you are travelling to more remote areas or where you may come into close contact with local people or local wildlife.

There are no vaccines for any of the following infections or diseases, and prevention is the only way to limit your chances of being affected.

Diarrhea
I know you can get this without travelling, but if it is accompanied by a fever, bloody stools or mucus, it could be a bacterial or parasitic infection. Whatever the cause, re-hydration is essential.

Dysentery is characterised by the fact that it doesn’t go away until treated, and giardiasis needs treating too as the stomach cramps, watery foul-smelling stools and frequent gas will come and go over several weeks.

Cholera is the worst of the watery diarrhea’s, and can cause serious dehydration if not treated in a hospital. An outbreak of the latter illness is usually widely reported so you can avoid it or identify it depending on when you hear the report!!

Bilharzia
Also known as schistosomiasis, this disease is gotten from minute worms that live in fresh water. They burrow their way into the skin and travel to the intestines or bladder where they latch on.

Symptoms can include fever, abdominal pain and blood in the urine, but there may be no such signs early on. It could be several months or even years down the line that you get the symptoms, but by then any damage to the internal organs is irreversible.

Check known locations of this ‘worm’ before travelling to endemic countries as it can be avoided, or your risk greatly reduced with basic precautions like drying yourself thoroughly immediately after leaving rivers and streams.

Dengue Fever
This mosquito-borne virus is only found in South America and the Aedes mosquitoes that transmit this usually bite during the day - not the normal dusk till dawn critters!

Infection results in flu-like symptoms along with the usual aches and pains, fever and vomiting - but you may also find a rash appears. The terrible body aches that can come with this usually pass within a few days but do not require medical assistance in nearly all cases.

Most cases just require normal medications and analgesics - but you must remember to rehydrate and stay hydrated as the few cases of this that end up in the hospital are usually due to the effects of dehydration.

See below for tips to reduce mosquito bites in general.

Malaria
Every-one’s nightmare disease when travelling. Whenever people plan to book a vacation, the first thing they normally check is whether it’s malarial - and because of this disease many people just won’t book the trip at all.

Yes, there is always a risk, and many people do contract malaria every year and many more die of it, but more people worldwide die each year from diarrhea alone than all the other diseases in this article put together so don’t panic yourself into a frenzy. But, most travellers still fear this one the most - many even fear the side-effects of the malaria tablets used to help prevent the symptoms (malarial prophylaxis do not stop you getting malaria, they just prevent the body reacting to seriously to the infection)

Take the following examples - would you take the medication?

• Difficulty in breathing, skin rash, swollen facial features…
• Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, peptic ulcer, bleeding in the stomach…..
• Changes in skin colour, tremors, palpitations, or even gout….

Well, these are just some of the side effects you can get from Anadin!  Bet you don’t think twice about taking that though?? 

Mosquito Bite Avoidance
This disease and Dengue fever can only be transmitted by mosquito bites from an infected insect, and as they strike anything at any time, you must take all available precautions when travelling in endemic areas, even if taking preventative medication. You are always advised to wear light coloured clothing, preferrebly long-sleeved and long-legged and avoid shallow water and overgrown areas in the morning and evenings.

Use a DEET containing repellent at all times on exposed skin and avoid highly scented toiletries which tend to attract insects. Always use a well maintained mosquito net while you sleep, preferably impregnated in permethrin, and make sure you take your own net if you want to be really safe. In addition - don’t forget that the net only stops the whole mosquito so never let your skin rest against the net as mosquitoes will stick their faces through one of the holes and feed on you as though it wasn’t there.

Don’t Worry….. 
You can still enjoy your vacations if you travel prepared and research health issue before you leave for the country you are visiting. WHO’s website will give health updates as will plenty of government run online information sites (www.cdc.gov in the US and www.fco.gov in the UK) and travel sites such as The Lonely Planet will have links to these sites as well as their own current information on health and travel diseases.

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