Posts Tagged ‘cheap family travel’

Experience A Unique Hideaway In St. George Island

When the icy cold weather sets in and you start noticing handful of ice around you, then it’s time for a visit to a warmer location such as the St George Island.

Located wonderfully in the Florida pan handle area, this area is a splendid hideaway that can offer you the seclusion exactly like your very own house back home. It will likewise give you considerable open area to move around easily while allowing you an incredible look at the gulf.

All you want in an island vacation is found in the very beautiful barrier island. Rent your family vacation rental home and stay there as long as you like.

Live by the opulence of the sea,  in front of the beautiful place you have booked. A St George Island vacation is simply unbeatable!

Many of these rental houses in St George Island do have a screened deck, sundeck, or a private pool, and additionally an enclosed shed and can accommodate over 6 individuals. There are also units for rent that are known as beachfront homes, all complete with a boardwalk from the property or home, a high end kitchen area, outdoor shower and barbecue facilities.

In times when the quiet shores are thought to be a bygone sight nowadays, you’d this place will offer you a luxury that is rare. You can really use the entire beach all by yourself. The white seashore throughout the island is full of pristine sand, a natural powder white in its finest quality. Enjoy the island with a special kind of of beach, that you will not experience anywhere else.

 

Namibia – A Bountiful Harvest Awaits the Adventure Traveler

Namibia is a largely arid country of stark rough-hewn beauty. The most vivid images are those of a haunting technicolor landscape of swirling orange dunes, shimmering mirages and treacherous dust devils. The apparent desolation is deceptive and plant and animal life and even man has adapted to this environment. The country is designed almost specially with the active and adventure seeker in mind. Timeless deserts, thorn bush savanna, desolate wind ravaged coastlines, majestic canyons, and sun-baked saltpans are the bounty that awaits the traveler.

Namibia’s top draw is the Etosha National Park, rated as one of Africa’s finest game sanctuaries. The birding experience in the country is truly superior. The range of activities you can indulge in the unsurpassable physical environment is truly impressive. Ballooning over the desert, skydiving over land and sea, paragliding, whitewater rafting and sand skiing along coastal dunes are good activities for starters. More fun games to pick from include abseiling – that most spectacular of rock sports, coastal and fresh water angling, desert camel riding, scuba diving, 4×4 desert runs, hiking and mountaineering.

Namibia has four distinct geographical regions. In the north is Etosha Pan, a great area for wildlife and heart of Etosha National Park. The slender Caprivi Strip is nested between Zambia and Botswana and is a wet area of woodland blessed with a few rivers. Along the coast is the Namib Desert, which at the age of 80 million years old, is said to be the world’s oldest desert. At the coast, the icy cold Atlantic meets the blazing African desert, resulting in dense fogs. The well-watered central plateau runs north to south, and carries rugged mountains, magnificent canyons, rocky outcrops and expansive plains.

Namibia, one and half times the size of France, is very sparsely inhabited and carries only 1.8 million souls. The people are as unique as the land they live on. The most intriguing are the San, otherwise known as Bushmen. These most hardy of people have a highly advanced knowledge of their environment. It is a marvelous thing how well they are adapted to their difficult habitat. Just pause and think that these are the only people in the world who live with no permanent access to water. In the Kalahari Desert, one of their domiciles, surface water is not to be found. Tubers, melons, and other water bearing plants as well as underground sip wells supply their water requirements.

In Namibia today, Bushmen number about 50,000. Historians estimate that they have lived, mostly as hunters and gatherers, for at least 25,000 years in these parts of the world. Bushmen speak in a peculiar click language and are very gifted in the arts of storytelling, mimicry, and dance. Namibia’s other people, who are indigenous to the continent, are mostly of Bantu origin. They are thought to have arrived from western Africa from about 2,400 years ago. The African groups include the Owambo, Kavango, Caprivians, Herero, Himba, Damara, Nama and Tswana.

The Africans aside, other groups comprise about 15% of the population and have played an important role in the emergence of the modern nation. White Namibians amount to about 120,00 and are mainly of German and Afrikaner heritage. Germans arrived in significant numbers after 1884 when Bismarck declared the country a German Protectorate. Afrikaners, white farmers of Dutch origin, moved north from their Cape settlements, especially after the Dutch Cape Colony was ceded to the British in 1806. This strongly independent people, whose ancestors had lived in the Cape from 1652 resented British control.

Two other distinct groups complete the spectrum of Namibia’s people – Basters and Coloureds. Coloured in Namibia and southern Africa refers to people of mixed racial heritage, black- white for example. They have a separate identity and culture. This makes sense considering that Namibia was run by South Africa after the First World War. Even in pre-Apartheid South Africa, racial classification was a fine art. The Afrikaans-speaking Basters, descended from Hottentot women and Dutch settlers of the Cape. Alienated from both white and black communities, they trekked northwards, finally founding their own town Rehoboth, in 1871. Baster is actually derived from “bastard”, but it is not derogatory, and the Basters are indeed proud of it.

Namibia’s barren and unwelcoming coastlines served as a natural deterrent to the ambitions of European explorers. That was until 1884 when the German merchant Adolf Luderitz established a permanent settlement between the Namib Desert and the Atlantic seaboard that afterwards took his name. Bismarck subsequently declared the territory covered by Namibia a German colony and named it Südwestafrika or South West Africa. As German settlers moved into the interior, conflict was inevitable with the inheritors of the land.

The German occupation was a particularly unhappy experience for the Herero. The Herero resented the German’s harsh and racist rule and the effect of the encroachment on their lands on their livelihood and way of life. On the first day of the year 1904, the Herero led by Chief Samuel Maharero, rose suddenly and unexpectedly in arms against their colonial overlords. The Nama joined the insurrection and the authorities did not regain control even after six months of trying. Over 100 German settlers and soldiers died in the uprising. Historians now consider events that followed to constitute the first genocide of the twentieth century.

Lieutenant General Lothar von Trotha was furnished with a contingent of 14,000 soldiers and tasked to put down the rebellion. The governor general of the territory was then Rudolph Goering -the father of Herman Goering, Hitler’s right hand man. Lothar von Trotha was a generation ahead of his time and his kind of thinking was to become government policy under the Third Reich. He argued that the Herero must be destroyed as a people and he did not wince at the murder of women or children. At the end of it all, 100,000 Nama and Herero were killed. The survivors were herded in concentration camps where unspeakable things happened. The Herero fared very badly and 80% of her people perished. The population of the Nama diminished by 35-50%.

Windhoek, the capital of 165,000 people is the only true city in the country. For those traveling to more remote regions, this is where you settle practical matters. The positive aspects of the German period can be seen in the charming style of older buildings in the city. Places of interest in the city include the State Museum, State Archives, and the Namibia Crafts Centre. The Dan Viljoen Game Park lies 24 Km west of Windhoek on the gentle hills of Khoma Hochland. In this resort you find ostriches, baboons, zebras and over 200 species of birds. The Waterburg Plateau Park, located 230 km from Windhoek is popular with weekenders. This extensive mountain wilderness is home to cheetah, leopard, kudu, giraffe, and white rhino.

Etosha National Park is what brings wildlife lovers to Namibia. The park is comparable in size and diversity of species with the best in Africa. The unusual terrain of Etosha holds savanna grassland, dense brush and woodland. But it is the Etosha Pan, a depression that sometimes holds water and covers 5,000 sq km, that is the heart of park. The perennial springs around the pan, attract many birds and land animals in the dry winter months. The effect of this background is magical and some of the best wildlife photographs have been taken here.

There are 144 mammal species in the park and elephants are particularly abundant. Some other interesting wildlife here includes giraffe, leopard, cheetah, jackal, blue wildebeest, gemsbok and black rhino. The birding is great at Etosha and over 300 bird species have been recorded. You will get best value by spending at least three days here. There are excellent accommodation facilities at the three rest camps of Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo. The best time to see animals is between May and September, when water draws them in huge numbers to the edge of the pan. Etosha is 400 km to the north of Windhoek by road.

The Fish River Canyon is unrivalled in Africa and only the Grand Canyon in the U.S in larger. The Canyon runs for 160 km and reaches a width of 27 km and depth of 550 m. But size alone does not explain the appeal of the canyon. You experience incredible views at various points along the rim. adventure lovers do not merely come for the views. Hiking through the canyon is the ultimate endurance adventure for hikers. There is an established 90 km hiking trail that will take you 4-5 days to cover.

The trail ends at Ai-Ais hot spring resort where you can unwind. You are allowed to hike between early May and end of September. The hike is quite strenuous and needless to say, you must be physically fit. The authorities disbelieve the capacity of most people to undertake the hike and will actually insist on seeing a medical certificate of fitness before allowing you to start off. Fish River Canyon is 580 km to the south of Windhoek.

The Skeleton Coast has been the graveyard of seafarers and whales and deserves that morbid name. The problem is the dense fogs. And woe to the ship wreck survivor who expects respite onshore! Ahead is the Namib Desert, one of the driest and most unwelcoming places. adventure travelers love trekking along the coastline as they enjoy the stark beauty of the area. To the south at Cape Cross, you find a seal colony carrying tens of thousands of seals. The Skeleton Coast Park covers 16,400 sq km and begins at 355 km northwest of Windhoek.

The Portuguese explorer Diego Cao reached this part of the world in the year 1486. He is probably one of the people whose experiences discouraged Europeans from venturing ashore until the arrival of the Germans 400 years later. Further south is the Namib-Naukluft National Park, a vast wilderness covering 50,000 sq km. The landscape is very diverse and covers mountain outcrops, majestic sand dunes, and deep cut gorges. For really spectacular dunes, the Sossusvlei area is unsurpassed. Here you have dunes rising to 300 m! The orange tint giants extend as far as the horizon and the area has an unreal, unforgettable atmosphere.

To the northeast of the country, the well-watered Kavango and Caprivi Strip region offers an unspoilt wilderness suitable for rugged game viewing and camping. The area also promises a feast for bird lovers. Game reserves in the area include: Kaudom, Caprivi, Mahango, Mudumu and Mamili. Poachers did great damage to wildlife during the years of the civil war in neighbouring Angola. Animal numbers are however building up rapidly. Some of the wildlife in the region includes leopard, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, lion and various antelope species. The Caprivi Reserve falls in an area of swamps and flood plains. Here you have an opportunity to partake fishing, hiking, game viewing safaris and river trips in traditional mokoro boats.

In Namibia you can enjoy up to 300 days of sunshine. The coast is temperate and thermometers run between 5C-25C. Inland, daytime temperatures range from 20C-34C, but can rise to 40C in the north and south of the country. Winter nights can be quite cold and frost occurs over large parts of the country. The rains inland fall in summer (November-April) and are heaviest in the Caprivi region. Rains do not much affect travel, but beware of flash floods in the vicinity of riverbeds. The best time to travel is over the dry months of March to October, when it is easier to see animals at waterholes. It is best to avoid the Namib Desert and Etosha between December and March when it can get unbearably hot. Before you travel to this country, make sure you review our Namibia safari and tour offers.

You can get by wearing light cottons and linens in summer. Over winter nights and mornings, you need heavier cottons, warmer wraps and sweaters. Comfortable walking shoes are essential, as the ground gets very hot. Some useful stuff to pack includes: camera, binoculars, sunglasses, sun hats, sunscreen and mosquito repellant. Be ready for dusty conditions and carry your clothing, equipment and supplies in dust proof bags. Do not be tempted to buy items made of ivory. You may not be allowed to carry them through customs at home. And it also good that you do not encourage the trade in ivory products that keeps poachers busy.

Bali Accommodation Choices

Best Family All Inclusive Vacations Deals

It’s that time of year again! The kids are out of school and parents are trying to plan a top family vacations and looking for best family holidays deals.

A good place to start searching online is at http://www.travelwithkids.about.com. This site has a lot of good recommendations about where to go and what to see when traveling with the whole family.

There’s a lot more than Disneyland and Disneyworld, although you can also get great family travel deals to these destinations. How about a vacation to a exotic resort that offers family oriented entertainment and activities along a pristine white sand beach bordered by turquoise blue ocean water, or maybe a family oriented cruise to a number of interesting ports of call?

If you’re not sure where you want to go or what you want to do, start searching internet travel sites like Holiday Hotel Booking for family travel deals.

Another good internet site to visit with good feedback and information regarding traveling with children of all ages is http://www.familytravelforum.com. This site has a lot of good recommendations as well as family travel deals, and a listing of kid-friendly resorts and vacation destinations, including events, activities, and accommodations available.

If traveling with children to Mexico, then an all-inclusive resort may be just right. Lodging, meals, snacks, beverages, tips, and taxes are included in one price, and at many all-inclusive resorts, children stay and eat for free if under the age of twelve. This is a great family travel deal, and many of these resorts offer something for kids and adults in a family friendly environment.

Travel sites have quite a bit of information available on all-inclusive resorts, and what types of activities are available to children. Many resorts offer on-site day care facilities and activities for kids of all ages, and they offer booking of family travel deals through their websites or through various travel agencies. A good source of information is the booking.com website.

And why not go camping? Camping today is not like you remember it as a kid! We recently considered a weekend at the beach or a camping trip in the maountains. Since it is high-season, a weekend at the beach would have cost us $250/night! And that was just for the room! That didn’t include the inflated costs of meals.

A weekend of camping at a state park, on the other hand, cost us $48. And that was for four days! Our total for groceries was $80 for the trip resulting in a net savings of $922 for the entire four days! And the state park campground had a lake for swimming with a clean, sandy beach, nice modern bathrooms with hot showers, and we as a family had a wonderful bonding experience camping under the stars,

Local travel agents can also make good recommendations about where to go depending on the ages of the children. They get a lot of feedback from other people with families and have probably traveled to many destinations themselves, so they can surely point vacationers in the right direction with lots of great family travel deals.

The travel section in the local Sunday paper is also a good place to look for reasonable family travel deals. There are lots of summer promotions going on right now too, so book early to get the best family holidays deal! Have fun and enjoy!

Family Travel Idea: Florida Vacation

Most families with children visit Florida during the summer months,
when school is out – and the Sunshine State bakes in heat and humidity.
So before starting off on a day of touring or a visit to the beach, parents
should keep some things in mind.If you are uncertain, try offering a few
suggestions to the rest of the family and have everyone vote. This way everyone
gets a chance to voice their opinion and cast their vote about where the family
will spend their vacation.There are a few popular family vacation destinations
but with a little creativity you may be able to find the perfect travel destination
for you and your family.


Camping trips are one example of a great family vacation. Whether you opt to
camp at a nearby location or travel cross country to a national park of your
choice you may find that choosing just one of the many beautiful locations
available to be your most difficult decision. With so many gorgeous national
parks as well as breathtaking smaller wooded areas to choose from, finding the
right place for your camping trip can be difficult. Many popular destinations
limit the number of campers per season and it can be very competitive to obtain
one of these permits. In some places, permits sell out within hours of when they
go on sale. Many potential campers are aware of the date that permits begin
being sold and anxiously await this time to snatch up prime camping spots in
their preferred location.


Tours of famous museums are also excellent ideas for family vacations. Even
young children can appreciate distinguished works of are on their own level.
They may not be capable of understanding the intended meaning of the art or of
interpreting the symbolism behind the piece but they can certainly form their
own opinions about what they like and what they don’t like. If you visit an art
museum during your vacation take the opportunity to ask young children what they
think about certain pieces of artwork. This will encourage them to think for
themselves and learn to formulate their own opinions.


Beach vacations are also family friendly ideas. Building sand castles,
participating in beach games, snorkeling, boogie boarding and swimming are just
a few of the activities that families can enjoy together on their beach
vacation. The ocean can be a dangerous place for young children if parents are
not careful about supervising them. Although the beach is a fun destination it
is important to remember that you should remain vigilant to ensure that young
children do not enter the water alone where they could be at risk of drowning.
Exercising proper precautions can help to make your beach vacation enjoyable.


Memories that last a lifetime are often created on family vacations. There
are so many options available for families who wish to travel. Camping trips,
museums and beaches are just a small sample of the popular family vacation
locations available.


Family Travel Checklist

Travelling with a family can be a nightmare. Most family travel meets some sort of major emergency or crisis during the planning phase, and it usually occurs right before they are due to go to the airport for departure. No matter how well the parents have planned, something never ever fits in and this can cause extreme panic when there are several children to deal with as well as making sure that everyone arrives at their vacation destination in one piece.


It is no wonder that family travel can cause major stress when you consider all of the things that have to be considered and then remembered. With insurance, packing, documentation, hotel arrangements, flights and other similar elements of family travel to deal with, what you really need is a checklist to use to ensure that all elements are dealt with in the correct timescales to ensure that the dash to the airport is not an ordeal!


To help you cope with this, here is a checklist that you can use for any given trip, whether going abroad or remaining in a domestic setting. All of the information is relevant and can certainly help you to relax and enjoy your vacation!


Six Months To Go
1. Assess your financial situation and estimate spending money
2. Collect information on the places that you would like to go. The Internet is a great resource, but you can also use travel guides and brochures to get an idea of the type of hotel to stay in.


Five Months To Go
1. This is the absolute latest that you should book your vacation accommodation to make sure that you have plenty of time to plan the family travel from start to finish. Remember to compare prices and check out deals and discounts.
2. Book family air travel and confirm the departure times and dates.
3. If you do not already have one, apply for a passport and look into the family travel destination to see whether you need further documentation, such as a visa.
4. Apply for a visa or permit if necessary, making sure that you comply with all of the requirements.


Three Months To Go
1. Begin to plan out activities for the whole family. Research the activities in the local area that are suitable for family travel, as well as the prices and availability because it may be necessary to book some activities in advance.
2. Check and compare travel insurance policies and purchase the family travel policy that best suits your needs.
3. Make an appointment with the family doctor for the necessary vaccinations. This can be found on the embassy website, in the same place as the visa requirements that you researched previously.
4. Organise your finances so that you know how much you have to spend and how much of your credit limits you have left. This will enable you to decide which cards you will take.


Two Months To Go
1. Purchase all of the necessary clothes and equipment for family travel.
2. Make sure that all of the accommodation and flights are fully paid and ready for you when you get there!


One Month To Go
1. Gather all of your documents together and photocopy them all twice, leaving one copy with your family and take another copy with you just in case there are any problems.
2. Organise any medication that you and your family will need.
3. Copy the itinerary that you have booked and planned so that your family knows exactly where you are going and when you will be going there.


A Week To Go
1. Purchase all travellers checks and money required for family travel.
2. Cancel any regular deliveries that you may have and pay up any bills, making sure that there is enough money in your account to cover any remaining bills
3. Pack for family travel!


After this checklist is complete, you should be good to go so you can just relax and enjoy yourself!


Search
Advertisement
Categories