Ultimate Vacation Spots

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.

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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! 

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!

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!

If you haven’t got your camera with you when you see something amazing - how can you capture it?

Yes, I admit that it is sometimes lovely to just sit there and absorb the beauty of what is in front of you - but there are times when you could have got the most amazing pictures!  Sometimes - it is a once only display as well…..

Sunsets and wildlife don’t often repeat themselves for the sake of your photo!  You might be able to get people to stand still for ages while you try to get things into focus, and they might even move a bit to the left as well - but tigers, whales, toucans and butterflies will not be so obliging!

So make sure that you are prepared in advance for these things.

Preparation:
How can you be sure how to take the best picture of the rising sun unless you take a few before it’s important.  For example, if you get yourself up a few mornings and take a few snaps on a normal day - you can see how they came out.  What angle was best, what type of photo settings worked best.

Was the one with the sun in the lower third better than the one in the upper third - to the left or to the right - with a tree or without?  Can you hold it steady or do you need a tripod.

How long does the sun take to rise anyway?  And is the first glimpse of light better than half the sun in view?  Or the whole sun just balanced on the horizon?

You need to practice these things to be sure of the best shot - so when you are confronted with the potential for the best sunrise shot of your life so far - you will know exactly what shots to try for.  It’s not good after the event to say’ well if I was a bit to the right or if those mountains were off centre instead!  The sun won’t come back and tomorrow might bring different cloud, different colour - or a lay in!

And, it isn’t just static things that are best planned.  Locations need to be found and tried out.  What if you always see a certain animal in a certain location - why not find out what angle gives you the best background for your shot before the centrepiece arrives the next day?

Technical Stuff:
And practice taking photos with the different settings on your camera.  Now unless you are a pro - you probably haven’t read about all the different settings on your camera and what they do - so take a little time to try them all out on just everyday things rather than waiting for that all important encounter!

And, by trying out your settings and options, you might find that there aren’t the things that you want to do on there - and all this can count towards the specs for your next camera or attachment.

Same goes for other requirements - like focus.  Sometimes the focus gets it spot on for that great shot, and other times it will not behave!  You can see a great shot of a bird behind some blurry foreground reeds - but no,  It only wants to focus on the reeds!

All this is valuable in making sure that you get the right camera for your specific needs and requirements.   The more you get frustrated with your current model - the better your next one will be!

Another vital part of practising your shots is to find out what they look like larger!  If you are looking at images in your digital screen - this is in no way a true representation of what they will look like on your laptop screen or printed out in larger sizes. 

So you need to make sure that you get your new images onto a pc as soon as possible after taking them so that you can remember how you took the shot and which settings you prefer - that way you will know what best to do next time!

Well - what are you waiting for?