Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Jul 22

Welcome back, and I hope the first 5 beautiful spots tempted you enough to come back for this second part!

So, let’s get straight back into it, and get going on the final 5 - hope you like them…..

6) The Great Rift Valley - East Africa
Needless to say, this huge region is filled with wildlife and absolutely beautiful landscapes!

Surrounded by huge lakes, miles of mountains and plateaus and crammed full of greenery - you will certainly need you camera working on overtime! It contains some of the highest mountains in Africa as well as active and dormant volcanoes and some of the largest lakes in the world!

Witness where man first stepped out into the world and where this massive continent is actually splitting in 2 creating a new ocean!

7) Serengeti/Masai Mara National Park - Tanzania/Kenya
This is one of the largest and most visited National Parks in Africa due to it’s endless landscapes filled with huge game and indigenous tribes.

Famous for its unbelievable migration of around 1.5 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebra every year! As a result it has the largest population of lions of any national park and has the other 4 from the notorious ‘Big Five’.

Be prepared for some endless views of the savanna and the bumpiest car rise you have ever been on!  Alternatively, why not hire a hot air balloon for a champagne ride across the sky and get a panoramic view of this unforgiving landscape.

8.) The Great Dunes - Namibia
Down the southern edge of the continent and bordering the cold southern Atlantic Ocean - this region is one of the driest areas in the region. After years and years of little rain - the dunes have grown and grown into some of the largest dunes in the world!

Although you might think that makes for a bland landscape - you would be wrong. The canyons formed here and the huge wetlands along the coast add to the sheer beauty of the harshness fund here. Spotting a single antelope on an almost endless dune several kilometers in length is something to be admired.

9) Underneath The Red Sea - Egypt

Take yourself to another world underneath the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea Riviera! 

Filled to the brim with tropical and colourful fish, huge shallow-water reefs and marine mammals.  Whether you stay close to the shore or snorkel from the beaches of Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada - or you charter a boat out into deeper water and spend the day in this underwater world!

10) Marrakech - Morocco
If you love bright colours, the hustle and bustle of lively markets and a whole host of adobe buildings and materials painted in the brightest of hues - them this is the place for you.

This vibrant city - close to the entrance to the Mediterranean - is a hagglers heaven! With different cultures plying different trades on every corner, and different kitchens offering an endless array of foods and cooked meals - plus the influence of different religions on the architecture: this offers a whole different kind a beauty from the natural landscape surrounding it.

Send in your pictures!

posted by Travel Cat on Jul 16

There are thousands of amazing locations in Africa, but I have narrowed it down to my Top 10.

Spread across this huge continent and all showing off the varied cultures and landscapes that can be found from the very north to the southern tip of this diverse and colourful continent!

Africa is  the second largest continent in the World - and there is plenty here to prove it.  From the glorious Mediterranean Sea way north of the Tropic of Cancer, to within miles of Antarctica in the south; from the roaring Atlantic Ocean on the West Coast to the gentle azure water to the Indian Ocean to the East.  And everything in-between!

Currently known as the birthplace of human evolution, this country is still filled with indigenous people and new-comers alike.  There are over a billion people living here, with over 2000 languages spoken by those living here. 

But it’s not just about the people - the places are breath-taking too, with every known habitat type found here.  From mountains and volcanoes to deserts and valleys; from tropical cloud forest to barren Savannah - and all the different wildlife that offers.

So, imagine you are planning your next vacation here - and choose your ideal location!

1) Okavango Delta - Botswana
The most lush and verdant wetland - that doesn’t empty in to the sea!  This inland ‘estuary’ fills with water during the wet season - leaving you totally surrounded by endless wildlife and plants.

Miles and miles or canals and waterways to travel along, attracting huge numbers of elephants, hippos and giraffes.  Not to mention flowers, insects and birds galore!  Hotels are on the main rivers and tributaries - so you can share breakfast with a herd of elephants!

2) Garden Route - South Africa
Famed for it’s ocean views and mountain backgrounds - this coastal stretch is crammed full of flowers in the peak season - crammed full!

Not only are there whales to see in the warm Indian Ocean where it meets the cooler Atlantic, but our own history right before us.  The shells on the beaches weren’t brought here and dumped - they are thousands of years worth of human waste; from when we first became humans and discovered seafood!

3) Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe & Zambia
This huge slice through the middle of 2 countries is just jaw-dropping.  The nearly 2000 metres wide Zambezi river falls over the top - and has cut back into the rocks over thousands of years to engulf 7 different gorges - and now looks like a great big gash in the landscape that seems to swallow up the river into the ground beneath it!

Needless to say there are different locations from which to view it - and there are hotels along it’s banks - but the best view must be from a helicopter flying into the heart of the gorge!  Nothing would be more amazing than getting inside this amazing natural feature!

4) The Seychelles - Indian Ocean
Needless to say that these tiny islands are totally beautiful!  Surrounded by the Indian Ocean and dotted with tropical jungles and exotic species - you can’t go wrong here!

There are 115 islands to choose from for your visit - although some are more populated than others!  Some have those amazing giant granite ‘pebbles’ resting at the waters edge, and others are a haven for tropical birds and insects.  Whichever you choose - I doubt you will be disappointed!

5) Madagascar - Indian Ocean
Another island nation - altogether larger than any in the Seychelles - but is unique for it’s lemurs, chameleons, baobab trees and the Dodo!

With miles of exotic coastline edged up to by dense tropical jungles - this is a haven for wildlife lovers!  The island was under colonial control for thousands of years so there is a lot of European influence in language, culture and architecture.  Quite a interesting mix!

These are just the first 5 beautiful places in Africa that I would recommend - so join me in a few days for the remaining 5 spots - if these aren’t enough for starters! 

posted by Travel Cat on Jul 5

Why not forget the new - and go in search of the old!

Have you considered taking a trip somewhere away from the crowds - and maybe swatting up on a bit of history along the way?

Rather than flying to a single destination in the sun and only seeing the beach and the restaurant, why not explore whole regions with a past - and some great architecture and maybe the odd royal connection or scandal!

Here are 5 great areas you could consider visiting for just this piece of history without an Egyptian in sight!

1) Central America:  The Maya, Olmecs and Toltecs
Visit any number of ancient temples, caves and whole cities swallowed up by the jungle!  There are so many sites that have been discovered in the thick rainforests from Mexico down to Guatemala.

You can explore many of these completely alone with just the toucan and monkeys for company where as others are crammed with tourists day after day.  Whether you take a tour, an individual guide or a hotel day trip - you will not be disappointed!

2) South America: The Inca
Many of these ruins and archaeological sites are in the mountains - and a walking holiday here is nothing but breath-taking!

There are no bus rides between these sites - you get the pleasure of walking and camping in the very mountains where these cultures farmed and lived.  I have been here - and take my word for it - they is beautiful!

3) Cambodia: Angkor Wat
This extensive building complex has a fascinating history - and it is even more wonderful than when it was first used in the 1300’s.

Covering acres and acres of flat fields, drainage basins and waterways, this site was once the centre of a great culture who learned to harness the monsoon to support a huge community.

Luckily the buildings lasted longer than the civilisation that dreamt up this towering and sprawling site.  Don’t just take 1 day here - it’s not enough!  And read up before you go to get the most out of it!

4) Europe: Italy
If you want great architecture and some classical reading, then consider the home of the Romans!

There are so many ancient trading, religious and academic sites in this country - that it is nothing short of a huge open air museum that serves great food all day every day!

Rome, Venice, Pisa, Genoa, Milan, Florence, Naples and Turin all within driving distance.  I mean where else could you see so much of Europe’s past set in the sun and virtually all within sea views of crystal clear blue seas!

5) China:  Great Wall, Xian, the Forbidden City
No cultural trip is complete without a trip to the ancient world of China.

There are tales of them inventing virtually everything, mapping the globe and the night sky and having sailed around the world many years before the Europeans.  There is even the idea that they started the Renaissance in Italy after settling there!

With some amazing geography, ancient culture, picturesque architecture and a very long history - this has surely got to be one of the best historical vacation spots out there!

posted by Travel Cat on Mar 30

Welcome back, and we go straight back to the chase with the remaining 5 alternative things to see in Edinburgh - without the crowds…….

6) The Closes or Wynds.
Any guide book will tell you about the tiny little streets that run down off the raised High Street - but make sure you go and have a look up and down a few to really get a feel for their character.  Yes, this is where those steps and slopes come into the picture, so don’t leave these bits to the end of the day, otherwise you will be too tired to bother - and you will miss out on this secret part of the city!

7) Mary Kings Close.
If you are only going to go down 1 of the closes, make sure that it is Mary Kings - because it is actually buried underground!  When they city wanted to build an important building on the High Street, they just built right on over the top of all the houses that were already there - trapping those houses underneath in a permanent time capsule!  You get to wander through these ancient dwellings and along the main street - all of which has been buried beneath the modern city!  It’s not a scary place - but it really gives you an idea of what the city used to be like in the 1500’s!

Victoria Street & Terrace.
This delightful little winding street, leads off down from the main George IV Bridge street at a rate of 1 story every 3 shop fronts!  It’s great to see the tiny cramped first shop curve away into the distance getting lower and lower, while the buildings get higher and higher.  I’m sure the final house has around 12 storeys!  And, above this row of ever-expanding shops is a little terrace that maintains level ground - the only such terrace left in town!

9) Place To Avoid.
If you don’t want to waste your time getting lost and spending £30 a head on your lunch, then don’t go to the National Museum of Scotland!  Although the artifacts and dioramas are nice enough, it was a terrible layout and we kept coming across dead ends! 

We finally made it up to the restaurant which was on the 5th floor that was marked as ‘3′ in the lift, very much hungry - only to find (after 3 more dead ends) that they were serving food from the 13th century!  Quail and roast duck were a common ingredient and the prices started from around £15 for a starter!  I mean, that’s not what you expect in a museum - so we had to leave the whole museum for food - and didn’t bother going back!

10) North Bridge At Night.
Make sure you head out of your hotel room at least one night to see the town lit up at night.  From this spot above the station, you can see some beautiful sites here at night, and of course a walk in any direction will expose even more.  And while you are out at night - why not let yourself be taken on one of the free ghost tours of the city!

A City not to be missed!

posted by Travel Cat on Mar 24

Travel to the Capital of Scotland to see the secret side of the city - and some of it is underground!

 If you are looking to visit a great city but without all the hassle of getting around London or New York, then why not try Edinburgh (pronounced Ed-in-bra) in the south-east of Scotland.

You must have heard of Edinburgh Castle and the Military Tattoo - but what about some of the less visited sites there too? Many of them are free and you can stay as long or as little as you like!

Be aware though, that this city is the most hilly place I have been to since visiting the Monte Verde mountains or Costa Rica!  If you don’t like walking up and down steep hills or skipping up and down endless flights of stairs, then maybe stay home!

1) The Leith River Footpath.
This delightful stroll will take you along the short river that winds around the western edge of the city.  In the summer it is bursting with wild flowers and trees in bloom - and you may even see a kingfisher along the way!  The path is interrupted at many points by alternative cycleways and footpaths, as well as museums, houses and great architecture.

2) The Royal Botanical Gardens.
A short walk north from the city (and along the top part of the Leith river if you want) is the well proportioned botanical gardens - an oasis of peace.  The rock gardens are delightful and seemingly endless, and you are allowed to climbs all over the rockeries!  You can also visit one of the oldest palm houses in the UK, see a heron eating a frog (!) from the Chinese pagoda as well as visit a small aquarium!

3) Step Back In Time.
There are plenty of houses open to the public in Charlotte Square to the very west of the New Town.  They have been restored to how they would have looked when the area was first built, and how society has changed since then.  Step down into the servant quarters and see how dingy their lives were, or read the magnified newspaper of the past centuries when dentists offer to come to your home and ‘painlessly’ extract your teeth!

4) Sit In The ‘CessPit’ Park.
I know it doesn’t sound that nice, but these days the quiet park directly below the Castle to the north is a haven for tourists.  Sitting here, you can look up towards the bastions of the great castle and admire the local church - but in Edinburgh’s hey-day, this was a marshy wetland where all the city’s waste (including toilet waste) was flushed down into.  It’s no wonder it is so fertile and green these days!

5) Museum Of Childhood.
Definitely have a peak in here - and it’s free! It’s got little to do with the history of the city, but it’s great fun to have a look around for your own sake! Just be warned that there is a room completely filled with (scary) dolls and clowns!

See you soon for Part II