Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Aug 17

Why not try a self catering vacation this year with your family and friends!

Fed up with having to find a new restaurant every night for something different; wandering around the streets in the evening trying to find the right place with the right prices?

I tried something different this year with a vacation in a villa – with it’s own kitchen! We looked at both villas in Lanzarote and Tenerife – as the Canaries always have good weather – and we also looked at villas in Ibiza (apparently it’s not all clubs and beaches).

The Decision:
However, we settled on Lanzarote – the quieter of the locations – and a place to get away from it all, but be close to the sun. We also had our own pool so didn’t need the beaches to stay cool.

Nothing to worry about on ariving on the island as the villa owner collected us from the airport and talked us through most of the basics on the drive to the location. He diverted through the main town and shops for us so that we could get our bearings on the place as we head to the villa.

We found the villa exactly as it had been described beforehand, and we also found a small food hamper to get us started and all the information on local events, tours, businesses and restaurants we could need – then without further fuss – he left us alone to get started on our vacation!

Settling In:
There was no need to squable over the bedrooms as they were all the same size, with 2 perfect bathrooms – and a shower outside as well – now let’s test out that pool……

There was so much space in the main area which was an open plan living, dining and kitchen area that it seemed totally natural to all be spread out yet still all involved with everything. Planning for 6 adult and 3 kids can seem really daunting – but when you all chip in with the little things – you really get in the spirit of it all.

Noone was left out – even if you were the one washing up after dinner! You could still hear everyone else in the room and watch the TV if so inclined – but this living space was far enough away from the bedrooms that piece an quiet could be found at any time.

There was even a little terrace out the front with a well cushioned bench overlooking the sea which was a little bonus too – as the youngster tended to go out the back!

Repeat Visitor?
We would definately opt for a villa again on a vacation with a group – and maybe even for just the 2 of us. It was so nice to all be together in the warm – and it was great to be able to change who you did things with – rather than doing everything with the same person day after day.

It helps that the villa owner was so helpful yet not intrusive. They had planned for everything – obviously having listened to previous guests – and they got it just right.

There was enough handy information dotted about the place to make sure it all went smoothly for us without the need for ‘orders’. Nobody wants a ‘do this/don’t do that’ list of instructions when they are on holiday – but we do need to know how the TV works, why the shower makes that bleeping noise and how to turn the oven on!

And the food we ate could rival any of the meals we found in the local restaurants – but you’re on holiday, you don’t want to be cooking every day, do you?
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posted by Travel Cat on Jul 18

I have been brushing up on my rainforest knowledge – and here are my top 5!

There are rainforests and cloudforests all over the tropics, but if you want an all-round ‘best ever’ ultimate rainforest vacation – then you need to narrow it down a bit!

Having been to a few myself, I can tell you that there are some real big differences between them all; depending on their age, their altitude, the land that surrounds them and their size – and of course they are sometimes ‘islands’ themselves becoming the only place you can find certain favourite species. So do your research before you go.

But here’s that Heads Up I promised, and some info on each…..

Corcovada National Park – Costa Rica:
I know I love Costa Rica – but I am not being biased with this choice – it is just jaw-dropping to stand in this part of the country. Yeah, Monte Verde is amazing but this wins hands down.

Linked up with contiguous rainforest across the mountains, you will see some of the more elusive mammals including jaguars and tapirs. But there are the more common invertebrates here too – so don’t forget your repellent!

photo credit: lizzie1326

Manu National Park – Peru:
Still in the Americas, you couldn’t do worse than to visit this lowland rainforest to be surrounded by a carcophany of wildlife so impressive that it holds some species records and has many endemic creatures found nowhere else on Earth!

If Giant Otters, Macaws, Hoatzins and Anacondas aren’t enough to get you tempted, then maybe the 1000 species of bird and the 41,000 species of invertebrates and butterflies might win you over – let alone the magnificent waterways and the 200 species of mammals including ocelets and pygmy marmosets.

Nouabale-Nooki National Park – Congo:
Travel to Africa for this piece of majestic rainforest – virtually untouched by humans. As a result the animals here have no real fear of humans as they accept them as just another species passing by.

With some of my favourites found right here – I hope you don’t crowd the place before I get there: forest buffalo and bongos gather at the water holes as well as bush pigs and sitatungas. Oh, and there are gorillas and forest elephants here too……

Danum Valley Conservation Area – Malaysian Borneo:
Well if it’s orang utans you want – there is no better place to see them. And with over 50km of trails and aerial walkways throughout this little visited wonderland – you won’t be short of stories to take home.

And you will certainly wear your guidebook out looking at some of these unusual and sometimes undocumented species!

And watch out overhead for those giant flying squirrels!

The Whole of Bhutan:
Lets not be picky here – the whole place is a pristine wonderland for rare and unusual mammals, birds and invertebrates; including takins, bharals (blue sheep), red pandas and snow leopards!

This country has a unique culture and a great attitude towards it’s people, it’s wildlife and wild places – and it’s culture; and to protect it they limit foreign tourists to a set number per year – and charge a hefty ‘entrance fee’. Well worth it though.

photo credit: bobosh_t

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 14

Have you ever wanted to snowboard on water?

Rather than the cold weather and excessive clothing required to board your way down a ski slope – why not try a similar sport but in bright sunshine in your shorts!

Wakeboarding is gaining in popularity across the world and can take place in many more countries than snowboarding due to natural lakes and waterways being more common that snow-capped peaks!

Of course you will need access to a boat or land-based vehicle to tow you – but many people prefer the locations and warmer weather!

You also get to choose your funky wakeboard – which is much easier to use and carry than water skis!

What Is Wakeboarding?
It is a combination of snow-boarding, water-skiing and surfing techniques and has been growing its own language and following for some years.

There is the connection to a boat or other vehicle to consider, as many stunts and jumps will need to have you using one hand to hold on with and so will affect your ability to do many twists and turns – and adds a bit to the balance that isn’t needed in surfing or snow-boarding.

photo credit: fincher69

You can’t just use any old boat though – as the wake it creates (and that gives this sport its name) is all important. Boats with low wake just will not be very conducive to stunts and tricks – like Butter Slides and Tantrums – which involve jumping over or onto the wake itself.

Creating Your Own Style:
There are many different wakeboards to choose from – each specific to your needs and the jumping requirements of your technique.

Whether you want to do more surface tricks (with smaller fins) or you want to create good grip in the water for great take-offs (with central channels) – you’ll need a different board set up.

But it can also depend on your mode of propulsion as some set ups like cable parks work better with finless boards – and pipes and rails can be affected by fins and channels on the board too.

There are many places to find all the wakeboard equipment information you need to match your style to an actual board – as well as great tips.

Learning More:
If you haven’t tried this before, or you want to try out different boards or techniques, then why not consider a course or lessons to extend your experience?

Large training schools and experienced operators will have a variety of boards for you to try out as well as differing propulsion methods to see which suits you best.

And learning to wakeboard can actually be a great first step to trying out other freestyle sports like snow-boarding or surfing.

If you are 8-18 and near the West Coast and want to start or improve on your wakeboarding, wakeskating or wakesurfing – take a look at Shasta Wakeboard Camp for some inspiration…..

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 9

You might be dying to climb a mountain – but you don’t actually want to die!

Altitude sickness can be avoided by a number of simple steps – but sometimes the desire to take part in a high-altitude event or to achieve certain goals can make us overlook the dangers of trekking or climbing in high altitudes.

Anything over 10,000ft can be considered ‘high’ and so trekking in the Andes, Himalaya and certain African peaks could cause potential problems.

So make sure that you are aware of what to look out for when trekking or climbing for fun or in competitions, to make sure that you stay healthy and actually enjoy your vacation.

Signs Of Mild Mountain Sickness:
The most obvous things to look out for in yourself and colleagues is a headache and loss of appetite.

These can also be signs of dehydration or other abdominal illnesses – but it is always worth assuming that it is the altitude as you are at a great height. By all means treat for the other symptoms (more water/simpler food) but stop climbing for a while, slow your rate of ascent to your slowest walker, or descend at least 500m and break for the day to be sure.

If you ignore these signs and continue walking, keep an eye on that person and look out for nausea, vomiting, chest discomfort and a general slowing down of their walking. If they get any of these and still have the headache – STOP, and ideally descend as far a you can and don’t ascend anymore until the headache has gone completely.

If you have missed all these symptoms in yourself or a colleague – then you are about to enter the really dangerous part. At least 1 in 10 mountain climbers die every year through mountain sickness – so this is no joke. And hiding your symptoms from your friends may have got you this far – but it is now up to your friends to save your life.

Do you trust them?

Signs Of Serious Mountain Sickness:
Sometimes you may have overlooked or not even got any of the above symptoms – but the signs listed now are unmistakeable and cannot be anything else.

Action must be taken immediately if you recognise one or more of these symptoms in yourself or a climbing friend – and the only action that can save you is to get to lower altitudes – and fast!

First thing will be that headache again – it will be really bad and just won’t shift! It won’t go away as it is the pain of your brain swelling up inside your skull. And the swelling won’t stop until you are lower.

The effect of lower oxygen levels affects the internal workings of your body no matter how fit or young you are – and the fitter you are, the faster you may ascend and so are more likely to suffer from these symptoms!

These bodily changes could also cause fluid to build up in your lungs which can lead to breathlessness, coughing and frothing up blood – and you could drown from this build-up.

Other less specific symptoms will result in a change in character of the person and include mood changes, decreasing speed or ‘fitness’, increased nausea and vomiting, disorientation or ‘drunk’ behaviour, drowsiness and even hallucinations.

But these symptoms can cause the victim to think that they are ‘fine’ and they may tell you to stop worrying about them, they may even get quite angry that you are fussing over them – but you must persist in getting them to a lower altitude if you want them to survive.

And this means as soon as possible. So if it is dark and/or dangerous to do so yourself – then call for help, don’t wait until morning as this could be too late.

Altitude sickness only goes away if you get lower down the mountain – so get down the mountain!

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 4

If you are travelling to a high-altitude location – you should read up on its possible effects.

There are different atmostpheric conditions the higher up you are from sea level – and sometimes your body just decides that it can’t cope with the extra pressures put on it but the thinner along with your extreme physical activities.

Some people show no symptoms at all, others get really ill and some may even die – so it is essential that you can spot the varying and not always obvious symptoms – or know how to avoid then in the first place.

There are many guidelines for climbers or people travelling to the world’s mountain ranges for vacations – so if you ignore them – you really should expect trouble.

And annoyingly – you may be fine at altitude for one trip – but get very ill on the next!

photo credit: Lee Coursey

How To Avoid Mountain Sickness:
Firstly read up about what causes it – then you can put all the advice into perspective.

It’s ok to think that ascending too fast can cause it – but if you don’t know what the recommended ‘fast’ is, you won’t know whether you are still ok. And sometimes, the weather conditions can make you think that you need to ‘keep going’ to reach a suitable camping location rather than thinking of the possible effects on your body.

When you add this to the fact that altitude sickness can cause a change in character and confusion – you can see why avoiding it in the first place is essential – otherwise you will over-rule all common sense and walk to your death!

So, aiming not to climb to fast or too high in one day is essential; aiming to settle for a shorter distance or a less-than-perfect campsite rather than just keeping going in times of trouble is advised; and never trekking above 10,000ft alone would really make sense too.

And be ready to change your plans at a moments notice to descend as far as you can before the symptoms get worse. Always plan for emergencies – reaching your destination in ‘record time’ isn’t worth a friends life.

1 in 10 mountain climbers die each year from altitude sickness.

The Height Barrier:
You need to be over 10,000ft (3000m) really for any signs of altitude sickness to kick in – and you need to be active. So if you arrive at anywhere near these altitudes by anything other than walking you need to take it really easy for at least the first 24 hours.

So if you are travelling by train or plane to anywhere over 10,000ft – like Cuzco, La Paz, Mt Kenya, Kilamanjaro and anywhere in the Himalayas you should be thinking of the potential problems. Even flying into Denver at just over 5000ft can make people unwell – so plan ahead.

Add an extra day into you trip for this acclimatization period – maybe 2 to be sure. There is no point starting out if you aren’t going to be able to complete your trek or climb. If you take a ‘sick’ person with you, it could mean that the trip is ruined for everyone – not just them.

So read all the literature – no matter whether you have been to another mountain range before. Refresh yourself of the problems and symptoms and make sure your climbing friends know them too – as you might need them to save your life!