Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Sep 17

Watch Water Come Crashing Down All Around You!

Here is a little article for you to think about if you want to clock up a visit to the top 5 tallest permanent waterfalls in the world!

Everyone chases something around the world, whether it’s countries, football stadiums or hunting for wild animals!

So why not clock up some great water features on your holidays.  Travelling to the 4 countries that host these magnificent natural features will be an adventure in itself – and the landscapes that host these wetland wonders!

So, lets get started with some details about each of them!

1) Angel Falls – Venezuela.
Currently undergoing a name change back to it’s original name of Kerepakupai vena (meaning waterfall of the deepest place), this is currently the worlds tallest waterfall!

It really is beautiful and in the most strangest of environments!  Basically, there is a group of protruding land-masses rising out of the ground and this waterfall sprouts off the top of one of them. 

Even in the dry season there is still plenty to see as this landscape is filled with strange rock formations, many other waterfalls and its own weather patterns.  I’ve been there – I know!

And if you get the right pilot – you can fly right off the edge of the falls and down over the side!  Not for the faint hearted!

2) Tugela – South Africa
This second-place water feature plummets over rock formations in Natal National Park over Dragons Mountains!

You can follow 1 of 2 trails in the mountains around the falls to get a view from all angles – but this can take you around 8 hours round-trip and although not too difficult, will not be suitable for everyone.

This feature is best viewed in or after heavy rain due to the impressive width at that point.  In the dry season (much like Angel) the water can sometimes be so limited that it all evaporates in the air before reaching the bottom.

3) Utigord – Norway
Travel to the Nesdale region of this colder climate to view number 3 here – however its local name (Ramnefjellsfossen) isn’t so easy flowing!

This falls is fed by a local glacier and heads down into a beautiful lake – and can be seen from quite some distance (unlike Angel Falls which is quite enclosed and shrouded in clouds!)  You can approach it by boat, road or on foot for a great day to remember!

4) Mongefossen – Norway
Staying in the same country – the Monge Falls are apparently the tallest falls to be seen from a train station – which is certainly a weird thing to imagine!

However, this waterway has been harnessed for hydro-electric power (unlike Utigord) so the flow in peak rainfall is not as impressive as it used to be as the water is diverted off into channels way up high!

5) Mutarazi – Zimbabwe
And finally on our list is the 50 feet wide flow of this African waterfall in Nyanga National Park.

February to April is the best time to see this flow – but don’t forget that this one is only the 17th tallest waterfall if you count the falls that only have water in them for part of the year.  There are plenty in North America, South America and even 1 one New Zealand to visit if you want to really get addicted!

Don’t forget to take a picture of each one!

posted by Travel Cat on Sep 10

It has started raining here in the UK – so it must be the end of Summer!

We still have some great articles though – as it’s still warm and sunny almost everywhere else in the world I suppose!

Lets open up with a nice one that is great at any time of year – but especially when you don’t really want to go outside: so take a peak at Erin Lenderts 50+ Beautiful & Inspiring Books that Teachers Should Read This Summer to kick off!

If you still have the summer parties or birthdays/Halloween to consider, then maybe take some advice from Debra Jacobson who has strung together some great tips on How To Be Frugal: Saving on Child Entertainment.  And if saving money is your thing, then you may also find MoneyedUp’s article on Things to do on Vacation for Cheap if you have a trip already booked.

Then there are these 4 great articles about real trips that you have been on with your kids – as always with some great shots along the way! 

First up is Pamela with her interesting take on a trip to a Disney theme park with California Adventure, followed by Charla Pearen’s article with a ‘more pictures than words’ theme in High Park Home Daycare: Taking a Toddler to Paris.

And then One Family offers a short story on a day out hiking at a tourist spot in One Family’s Blog: Hiking in Oahu – A Trip Report and ending with a regular poster here with a though provoking article on overseas ‘petting’ zoo’s: A Tiger Petting Zoo « Travels with a Nine Year Old from Theodora.

See you in October!

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 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 Jun 10

Summer is here again – and the sun is shining!

And just about the time of year when you are planning your summer vacations and short weekend trips – and also the time when the kids want to be out in the sunshine but you still have regular chores to do and need to keep them occupied!

So first off we have a short one for the journey to start the trip on the right foot, so Host Bee helps us with her Tip Tuesday – Easy Travel with Kids on Board!. Phew, step 1 complete!

And to add to this – for journeys, airports, bus stations or just while you just need some rest yourself try Wendy’s inspirational ideas for Summer Worksheets. Add to this with this short article – with ideas that could keep the kids quiet for hours – Rachel gives us her idea for a Fun Activity Box.

Mike Vogt steps in next with his twist on 10 Great Mission Trip Ideas, for an adventure that is totally different to anything else you might have planned.

Next up we have 2 stories about holiday adventures already in the making: First up is this little one from Michele Hays: Sundays with Sparky – Sparky’s excellent Strawberry Adventure, followed by Roger Elmore’s ideas for the 10 Best Amusement Park Resorts from his experiences.

And finally, a very helpful article from Sandrine Berges about her journeys with a special little person and how to overcome any difficulties with some forward planning with her experiences of How to get an autistic child onto a plane and out again..

So, I hope you can all use these stories and tips to make you vacation even better – and to make sure that you enjoy your trip as much as the kids!

Send me the photos!