Ultimate Vacation Spots

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!

8) 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

posted by Travel Cat on Oct 19

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Iceland

Everyone is talking about Iceland at the moment, so I thought I’d throw some interesting facts about the country into the mix.

Top 10 Amazing Facts:

1) This country sits on the very active Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the Atlantic Ocean, and is growing around 1cm wider each year as the ocean-bed spreads apart.

2) The people of Iceland can trace their ancestry all the way back to the invading Vikings who colonised the island in around 800bc

3) Every 4-5 years, this country has a significant volcanic explosion. However they are usually under the thick ice sheets, but you could get to see fresh flowing lava.

4) In the peak of summer you can get almost 24 hours of daylight in the very north of the island – (almost) the land of the midnight sun!

5) Due to the atmospheric conditions and the clearness of the skies, if the conditions are right you can see the Northern Lights here. These amazing patterns of red and green ‘lights’ can be seen across the skies throughout the winter months.

6) Icelandic people still use a system of naming their children that means that every member of the same family could have different surnames. Basically, the child get their first name as usual, but their surname is created by their fathers name plus whether they are a ‘son’ or ‘dottir’. So if Halldors parents where Eider Gudjohnson and Vigdis Olafson, his full name would be Halldor Eiderson.

7) Because of this naming system, people are listed in the phone book by their first names to make it easier to find them!

8. You can see over 6 types of whale here on boat trips – including the humpback and the blue whale if you are very lucky. You can also spot orca, dolphins and porpoises around the capital in particular. There are also 5 types of seal commonly seen here and there is always the possibility of seeing a walrus!

9) There are no train lines in Iceland, and only one main road which circles the whole country.

10) If its rainy or cold on one side of the island, it will always be sunny and dry on the other!

There are of course many more amazing things about Iceland – but you can find them out for yourself when you get there……

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posted by Travel Cat on Aug 27

Planning a Visit to South America? 

Listed below are 10 tour operators and the countries that they specialise in tours to to get you started:

The Amazon: Classic Journeys
This group offer dedicated wildlife tours to some of the worlds greatest places, places people want to visit over and over again. Offering original holidays to inspiring places, they have got The Amazon well covered and offer a choice of tour types to suit.

Antarctica: World Expeditions
With World Expeditions you get to voyage with a group of world-class naturalists offer lectures and insights during the tours. This company work with vessels carrying no more than 54 passengers to make sure that you get all the support and attention you need on-board, as well as lessening your total impact when venturing onto the frozen landmass.

Argentina: Wildlife Worldwide
This is a country of vast wildlife and amazing scenery, from thick jungle to ice fields, from butterflies to Elephant seals, Armadillo’s to Orcas, Wildlife Worldwide can take you there.

Brazil: South American Experience
With over 21 years of experience in tailor-made travel in this continent – you won’t run short of ideas for your holiday. Specialising in the Pantanal – one of the worlds greatest wildlife preserve – they can arrange all transport, guides and accommodation.

Chile: Chile Tours
This very long and very thin country covers a vast array of habitats and temperature zones – all catered for by Chile Tours. Whether it’s the Torres del Paines national park you want to clamber over, or the penguins in the Magellen Straights you wish to waddle with – they’ve got it covered.

Costa Rica:Footloose
Footloose tours operate with small groups only to make your experience that much more personal. Their itineries come with accommodation – whether 3* hotel or camping – and professional guides. All you have to do is choose the route that best suits your wants and they take care of your needs!

Ecuador: BirdSeekers
Needless to say, this company know a thing or two about where to find the best birding sites in the country. With over 10 years experience, their guides can show you up to 50 different hummingbirds, 60+ tanagers, quetzals, condors, parrots and even cock-of-the-rocks. They recently discovered a whole new colony of oilbirds last year……

Galapagos Islands: Tribes Travel
With all your flights, park fees, cruise boat and guides all included, you can step into this amazing and isolated world in good hands. With experienced guides and intimate knowledge of the area, you can almost guarantee your perfect trip.

Peru: Tucan Travel
Offering more than 140 different tour types and having 21 years of experience under their belts – you can’t go far wrong with Tucan Travel. They even came up with a parallel company for the 18′s to 35 group who wanted to see the sites – but spend less doing it – so they came up with Budget Expeditions to do just that.

Trinidad & Tobago: The Travelling Naturalist
Basing their birdwatching tours around the world-reknown Asa Wright Nature Reserve on the island of Trinidad, you won’t miss a thing – and it was here on Tobago that sequences from Life On Earth were filmed…. Inclusive of a boat trip and well-educated guides – and no doubt some serious helpings of sunshine you won’t come home without a camera full of great photo’s to keep.

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