Road trips – the quintessential North American family vacation

It’s that time of year where summer vacation becomes front of mind.

For the past few years our trips have been to very exotic and far off places – Myanmar last year, and in 2010 we travelled a lot – Turkey and the Republic of Georgia spring to mind, so perhaps it comes as no surprise that this year the kids have been asking for a road trip to California. Not exactly in the same category as Myanmar! But perhaps they just want a break from the exotic for once. So, it seems like we’ll be piling into the van and driving from Vancouver to San Diego and back over the course of a few weeks.

We do actually love road  trips. Our last was in 2009 when we spent a few weeks exploring the Four Corners region in South-western USA. So, this is a good thing and an easy one to plan – in fact, we aren’t going to do much planning at all, and just take it as it comes along the way. The Oregon Coast, Crater Lake National Park, San Francisco, LA, San Diego and lots in between.

As for me, a dad who loves to travel and see the world, the kids’ choice this year might have come as a disappointment. We discussed South America, going back to Asia and more, and yet, one of the most important things about traveling as a family is for the whole family to be on board and excited and importantly, parents should be listening to the input of their kids.

I know it’ll be a really fun trip – lots of beaches, some theme parks (I am not a theme park lover but they want to go), some National Parks, some hiking and exploration.

So my thoughts are already shifting to December or even next April. Front of mind are two possible destinations – either South Africa – we always love going there and it’s time for the kids to have a real African safari experience, or Colombia.

I’ll keep you posted!

This whole family came to invite us in to their village house near Bagan.

We’ve seen amazing things happening in 2012 so far in Burma/Myanmar.

As every person who has any interest in the country knows, it is generally accepted that free and fair elections took place in the past week. The opposition won 43 out of 46 contested seats and the  government has acknowledged this.  Aung San Suu Kyi will have a seat in parliament and for all one knows, may even be offered a cabinet post. While these elections were very limited in scope (more like by-elections than national elections), they do show that the government seemingly does want to reform the political landscape. How far this will go is anybody’s guess – it seems inconceivable that these could be the first baby steps towards full civilian rule in Burma again,  but then strange things have happened in my own lifetime, living through the handing over of power in South Africa from the white Nationalist Party to the African National Congress and Nelson Mandela – something that looked totally impossible only a few years before.

The reaction from the rest of the world to the current events in Burma has been very promising. The United States has appointed its first ambassador in a decade and other nations are looking at upping diplomatic ties and reducing or cancelling economic sanctions. It seems very likely that the current pace of events, Burma will very soon lose its pariah status completely.

Now what does this all mean for tourism?

Quite a lot actually.

Firstly, Burma is no longer undiscovered. For now it will still appeal to more adventurous travelers, but this will change rapidly as it becomes absorbed into the “regular” South East Asian tourist circuit. It is likely that within a few years it will be where Laos is, and will eventually catch up to Vietnam and Cambodia.  In Burma they are targeting 1 million tourists for 2012, up from only 300,000 in 2011.

As economic sanctions fall away, it will become much easier to travel in Burma. Credit cards are likely to be accepted soon, and the days of having to travel with wads of perfect US dollar bills will be behind us.

The country is already becoming more expensive. Never particularly cheap compared with its neighbors, hotel prices are now sing very rapidly, and soon this will be mirrored by the other tourist services – guides, transport, food and more. Prepare to have to spend a lot more.

With luck more of the country will soon open up to foreigners. At the moment vast areas are closed to foreigners and one has to apply for special permits which are regularly denied (depending on the current state of internal affairs).

It was pouring with rain outside and this very poor hill tribe family fed us everything they had while we waited it out near Kyaing Tong.

There is already a lack of hotel rooms in Myanmar. Soon we will see Western hotel chains at the major sites. At the moment hotels are either locally owned, or owned by large Asian companies.

In all likelihood we will see a rush of new travel guides enter the market. Lonely Planet has been publishing a guide to Myanmar for years, but Rough Guides and all the other major publishers are likely to jump on the bandwagon soon.

So, at this early stage, the following seems clear – we will see a vast increase in tourism to Burma and the growth of tourism services. Prices will go up. It will be easier to travel.  I am concerned though that what I find to be the most endearing trait of the Burmese people might eventually be lost, and that is their absolute, no holds-barred friendliness – they are certainly the most genuine people I have come across on my travels – happy to help with no expectation of monetary reward. Unfortunately in so many other places in the world we have seen the local people adapt very quickly to the arrival of mass foreign travelers and their money – people simply join in the global chase after the tourist dollar – and that authentic and genuine attitude sometimes falls to the wayside. I hope it doesn’t happen in Burma.

I am convinced that the time to go is now. Some of the innocence will be lost before long.

It’ll never be too late – but go now if you can.

I arrange great family trips to Myanmar/Burma. Click here for more details.

Daniel clambering up Lions Head - it's easier than it looks!

I recently visited Cape Town with Daniel, aged 10.

Over the past decade or so, Cape Town has taken its place in the very top rankings of places to visit anywhere in the world, and it’s fantastic for kids.

So what did we during the time we were there?

1) Lions Head and Table Mountain:

Cape Town is surrounded by iconic mountains – everyone knows of Table Mountain, but on either side you have Devils Peak and Lions Head, and Lions Head is perfect for an easy climb with kids. For the most part it is a simple path but in one section there is an option to use more exciting hand holds to clamber up a steeper section. Lots of fund for any ten-year old!

2)Boulders Beach

Boulders is where you can go to the beach and spot wild penguins too. A National Park, it’s a great Cape Town spot – a lovely beach, and sometimes hundreds of penguins – hiding in the rocks, swimming in the surf and staring up at the sun.

Boulders Beach

Ready to Fire!

3) Noon day Gun:

Every day at noon a cannon-shot roars across Cape Town – the famous noon day gun hs been firing blanks since 1806 to announce that midday has arrived. It’s a fine excursion, with history, beautiful views and of course the crash and smoke of a real naval cannon dating back over 200 years!

4) Sports:

Cape Town is home to some world-famous stadiums – Newlands is home to iconic rugby and cricket stadiums, while the new Cape Town Stadium hosted the World Cup Semi Final in 2010. Whatever time of year, you can be sure there’ll be a major sports event on. We went to rugby and cricket during our short stay. We could have gone to soccer too!

International cricket at Newlands

5) Whale watching:

Hermanus, a small town about 90 minutes from Cape Town by road is one of the best places anywhere for land based whale watching. In the whale season (approximately May – October), the whale crier can be heard throughout the town announcing the arrival of whales, which are easily seen from land.

Time out at Clifton

6) Clifton beach

Cape Town has spectacular beaches, and Clifton is one of the best. A great place to hang out, play sports and for the bravehearted, rush into the freezing cold ocean.

There is so much more to Cape Town – from a visit to the infamous former prison of Robben Island to the winelands to fascinating markets, it’s all there. And for a ten-year old, it’s simply paradise!

I plan great family trips to Cape Town and South Africa. For more information click here.

Antigua watercolor

We spent some quality time in Antigua.

Antigua was established in the early 1500′s as the first Spanish colonial capital of Guatemala, but within a few years it was evacuated after it became obvious that the city was not only right next to a volcano but that it was an epicentre for earthquakes. It was subsequently destroyed a few times due to massive earthquakes, and as a result, what remains today is effectively a Spanish colonial town from the 1700′s! Some buildings still lie in ruins from earthquakes of 300 years ago, while others have been spruced up and gentrified and turned into wonderful hotels and restaurants.

It’s a fantastic place to spend a few days. The indigenous local people wear brightly colored costumes and one can happily spend hours wandering the streets just watching life go by. It feels perfectly safe. There are plenty of art galleries and stores to keep you shopping if that is what you want to do. Antigua is well located for exploring the whole mountain region of Guatemala – especially the wonderful little towns and villages , each which has its own local market, and don’t forget the nearby Pacaya Volcano – one of the most fun experiences you can have with kids in Guatemala – it’s a tough climb on foot, but a much easier horseback ride suitable for all ages (someone is holding the reins and walking next to you).

Kids will be kids! Antigua, Guatemala.

Antigua just can’t be missed. It’s the perfect place to hang out and enjoy Guatemala.

Guatemala is also a great place for adventure – we didn’t get to do that much, but from white water rafting to caving to hiking and more, it’s all there and all accessible within just a few hours of Antigua.

I’m now planning great family trips to Guatemala. Read more about it over here.

Traditional weaver, Antigua

Colonial Buildings, Antigua

Mayan Pyramid

Archaeological sites aren’t always the most exciting for kids. But in Guatemala, the ancient sites are anything but boring. Guatamala was one of the main regions of the ancient Mayan civilization and the Mayan sites date back up to 2000 years ago, and are scattered all over the country. The most famous site is Tikal, the greatest of the Mayan cities, but there are many others.

So why are they so exciting? Firstly, the major sites are mostly in the middle of the real jungle. Secondly, you can’t miss the wildlife – howler monkeys and spider monkeys of all shapes and sizes swing through the trees, tarantulas are sometimes seen on the ground, the raccoon-like coatimundi may  pass you by – it’s really like a mini-safari. Thirdly, you have these incredible, massive stone temples soaring upwards, and you can climb them too,  and finally, at some sites Guatemalan Mayans still take part in ancient shamanistic rituals which are absolutely fascinating to watch.

Tarantula!

Today Tikal is easy to reach – you fly to the lovely little town of Flores, situated on an island in a lake, and from there it’s less than an hours drive to Tikal. The site has been restored and so it’s easy to explore, and ramps and stairways have been built to help tourists reach the top of the main structures.

Nearby is the much less visited site of Yaxha – it’s only about 45 minutes away, but feels like a different universe. The tour buses don’t come here and much of it is overgrown – there is also far more wildlife than at Tikal and it is the ideal spot for a real Indiana Jones adventure.

Out in the middle of the jungle you have the site of El Mirador. This one is for real adventurers only – if you don’t helicopter in, it’s a four to six-day adventure trek with support horses, taking with all ones food and drinking water. Not for the faint hearted, but it’s available to anybody age 12 and up that wishes to go  - except in the wet season!

A Shaman at work.

We visited the site of Iximche to witness a modern-day Mayan shaman go about his work. Despite 500 years of Catholicism, many modern-day Mayans still believe in the ancient ways. We witnessed a group of university students taking part in a ritual to help them score better grades! We also saw a family conducting a healing ceremony – this was a very serious affair.   The shamans build a circle out of sugar, and then place on top of it all kinds of foodstuffs and candles, which they then light. The resulting smoke helps take the messages to the gods (or at least this is what I understood with my smattering of Spanish!).

There are very few countries left in the world which offer this type of experience so close to home (for North Americans). It’s amazing.

I’m planning great trips to Guatemala. Read more about it here.

Monkey Family - Yaxha

Mayan Girl, Guatemala

I recently returned from my second trip to Guatemala. This absorbing country seems to be bypassed by most families heading to Central or South America, but it is a fascinating and absorbing family destination that shouldn’t be missed.

One of the most special features of the country is that has a very significant indigenous population – this is where the descendants of the great Mayan Empire still live. Ancient rituals and beliefs still live on and this is what makes this country so compelling. More than that, it has incredible archaeological sites, and fantastic wildlife and nature. But what is so special about 2012?

I bought a book years ago that dealt with the end of the World. And the date – December 2012 ie later this year. The book based itself on the Mayan calendar  and I never took it seriously, but it’s been bugging me all these years – maybe it’s right? The reason for this is that the ancient Mayan civilization used an intricately computed calendar, that ended every 26,ooo years before being “reborn”. The world was believed to come to an end at the end of each 26,000 year cycle, after which it would be renewed. Guess what – the end of the current cycle, that has been going on for so many thousands of years, ends in a few months time. The last time this happened was in prehistoric days, when people still lived in caves throughout the world and used stone tools. They didn’t leave a record of what their experiences were.  So, doomsday theorists have been saying for years that the world could end in 2012.

But I learned recently in Guatemala that the actual Mayans themselves don’t believe this at all – they do agree that the cycle is finishing – nobody seems to argue with that – but they say the world simply will become a better place – not that it is destroyed at all. So I’m not worrying. It is a great time to visit Guatemala throughout this year as they will be having festivals at various cities throughout the country, culminating in a major festival in December.

Is it a good place to take kids to? Absolutely. With pyramids looming out of the jungle and monkeys swinging through the trees everywhere, it’s one of the closes places I have ever come to feeling like a true life Indiana Jones. The quaint colonial towns such as Antigua are very walkable and the people are downright friendly. It’s also only a couple of hours from Miami or Houston.

Mayan flower seller, Guatemala

I’ll be writing more about this fascinating country in the next few blog entries.

To plan a great family trip to Guatemala, click here.

Butterfly Farm, Mindo

Ecuador is famous for its incredible diversity of microclimates. One of these is the cloud forest, where the mountains trap the clouds at lower levels, resulting in incredible jungles in areas that are often quite cool. We journeyed to Mindo, only a couple of hours away from Quito yet seemingly a totally different world.

Mindo has butterfly farms, white water rafting, ziplining, hiking and some of the best bird watching in the world. It’s been described as a “little Switzerland” in some guidebooks but that’s pushing it – yes, it’s more attractive than the big city, but the town still looks typically Ecuadorian. It only comes alive on weekends apparently, and we were there midweek, so it was really very quiet.

Our first stop was the butterfly farm, which Gal absolutely loved. The place literally farms butterflies – they collect the eggs, incubate them, and then when the butterflies are born they are let out to fly free around a big aviary – the cycle goes on and on.

We wanted to go tubing - riding in huge inner tubes down the river, but the river level in December was too low and the water was freezing, so we opted instead for ziplining, which was amazing. Gal was quite calm- she’d been ziplining before, but this was my first time, and I found it exhilarating, yet simple – you don’t do anything, just sit back and enjoy the ride – zigzagging around fifteen times across a canyon at various heights and at various speeds. We were accompanied by two extremely helpful and efficient employees of the zipline company.

Ziplining

To end the day we took a short hike down a canyon to a river. What is really interesting is that many of the nature reserves in the region are privately run – so each has its own entry fee and rules. At “our” river the owner had built a couple of little swimming pools into the rocks which looked like a lot of fun – but the water was really cold so we didn’t last more than a few minutes.

Our stop for the night was at Bellavista, one of the cloud forest lodges set high up above the valleys. Often shrouded in mist and fog, it was hugely atmospheric. Hummingbird feeders were placed everywhere and we saw hundred of birds feeding, both late in the afternoon and the following day.

The following morning we went for a hike through the cloud forest. It is real jungle – bromeliads and other  exotic jungle trees were everywhere, and Gal and our guide managed to see some very unusual birds – antpittas, Cock of the Rock, toucans, parrots – but I managed to miss most of them somehow. I loved watching the hummingbirds – they are right there in front of you, and so many different varieties. The hike we took was fairly gruelling – up and down the mountainside, wading through the river – but real fun!

Our time in Mindo was great – a mix of fun activities and lots of great nature – yet so near the big city.

This was our last stop in Ecuador. The following morning we were on the 6am flight to the USA.

Our Ecuadorian summary:

A natural jungle swing.

Gal fell in love with Ecuador. We both agreed that the Galapagos was the greatest safari /animal adventure we’ve  ever been on, and that includes safaris in Africa and India. The Mainland was great too – nice people, beautiful sights and packed with exotic nature. Our time on the mainland was just way too short – I’d love to go back to spend time on a hacienda, hike near a volcano, explore the Amazon…

I’m planning great trips to the Galapagos and Ecuador. Click here for more info.

Hummingbirds

Balancing an egg on a nail at the equator - don't try this at home!

Ecuador is names after the equator, which in Ecuador is simple to reach and a real money spinner. Sure you can also visit it in countries such as Uganda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Brazil, Gabon and Sao Tome & Principe but  it’s often well off the beaten path while in Ecuador, it’s about 20km  from Quito on a good highway.  It is a huge tourist attraction and we had a choice of three spots where we could stand on the actual line.

We actually chose to miss the best known monument called the Middle of the World,  because it’s actually not on the equator!  The original surveyors got it wrong, and only with GPS in the last few decades was the equatorial line established exactly. So this monument is a few hundred meters off. We went instead to the fascinating Inti Nan monument which claims to be located exactly on the equator. Here we saw an interesting museum including a huge blowpipe from the Amazon, anaconda skins and other exotica,  and we did various experiments that can only be done on the equator, like balancing an egg on a nail, seeing water swirl down a plughole in one direction on the north side and then in the opposite direction on the south side and so on. A great spot for kids.

Later we visited another site at Guachala – so, really tourism has staked its claim to the Equator!

Other great day trip stops included Calderon, where figures as hard as ceramics are made out of bread dough – we bought some figures for Daniel and Eitan and they could not believe that something so strong could be made of bread , and we visited Otavalo, site of one of the biggest outdoor markets in South America. We missed the main market day which is Saturday and went midweek instead – and we loved it. Apparently it is very busy on the weekend, but we had it all to ourself, so we could browse and bargain as we wished. I was definitely ripped off by the first leather belt seller I met, but by the end of our stay I was far wiser, while Gal was very happy with her rings and great alpaca blanket that she bought. The produce market was very non touristy and fun.

Shopping for mangoes in Otavalo - they cost about 15c each. In Canada the same mango costs $1.

By now we felt pretty much at home in Quito – we found a branch of Crepes and Waffles – an unlikely sounding name for a popular Colombian chain , and we absolutely loved it! We explored a supermarket and bought Aji to take home – aji is the local spicy sauce (we are big lovers of any hot sauce) and people told us that every family has its own aji recipe. The bottle we bought was made with chiles and tree tomatoes – no relative to tomatoes at all, and a fruit we had never seen before.

Xmas figurines - made of bread dough but hard as ceramic.

Of course, the fact that the official currency is the US Dollar makes Ecuador seem so much less foreign. The country produces its own coins, but all bills are American.

Quito is a great place to hang out for a few days – the city itself is really interesting, and the surrounding areas can keep you very busy. We didn’t get to the Cotopaxi volcano, where one can hike and horse ride, or stay in a real hacienda – we’ll have to keep that for next time. We did go to Mindo, where the cloud forest can be found, as well as butterflies, hummingbirds and more. I’ll be covering that in the next blog post.

I now plan great trips to Ecuador. For more info, click here.

We discovered Crepes and Waffles, a Colombian chain of cafes.

But Roasted guinea pigs just weren't our thing

Crazy animal sculptures in a colonial monastery - old Quito

While the Galapagos was the main reason for our trip to Ecuador, we decided  to spend a few days exploring part of the mainland. Often, the Ecuadorian mainland is missed by many visitors making a beeline for the Galapagos, yet it is an amazing country – compact, but full of different habitats and climate zones – in the same day you can travel from tropical beaches to cloud forests to alpine peaks to the Amazon jungle – it’s hard to believe!

Quito is the second highest city in the world at close to 3000 meters – while we did feel a bit breathless on our first day, the altitude didn’t bother us too much, though Gal struggled to sleep the first night.

Quito has a long history – founded by indigenous peoples, it was incorporated into the Inca empire, only to be conquered by the Spanish during the conquests of the 1500′s. The city, high as it is, is surrounded by even higher mountains and volcanoes, and despite being almost on the equator, the temperature isn’t warm – the altitude ensures that it’s always pretty cool or “spring like” but it is a comfortable temperature for touring.

The core is the small old colonial city – a city of cobblestones and squares, with museums and churches dotted around. It is a particularly photogenic area. Modern Quito envelopes the old city and stretches far to the North and the South. The modern city is not very attractive although the setting is quite spectacular.

On our first day we took it easy. We were staying near the Mariscal neighborhood, a section of modern Quito that has longed been ground zero for foreigners – it’s filled with hotels, restaurants and pubs and is a good place to base yourself. The only proviso was that we were warned about walking around at night. So while it felt safe, apparently it wasn’t all that safe at night. The center of the Mariscal is a large square and it’s a fun place to hang out – we were there during a major soccer match and the square was thronged with supporters waving flags, and police were in evidence everywhere which made it feel completely safe.

On our first full day we walked the old city with our guide. Like so many Latin American cities, Quito has a huge statue of the Virgin Mary on a hill overlooking the city,, and after enjoying the view we were soon wandering through the old streets. It is a very atmospheric place – with incredibly ornate colonial churches, and lots going on everywhere.  It was the Xmas holidays and kids were everywhere, and the city was in a very festive mood. We visited the excellent City Museum, where we saw highly original displays by local artists, and we climbed up to the bell towers of the Cathedral – not for vertigo sufferers!

Old Quito

We visited one of the main produce markets – we were told that Ecuador produces all its own food, and the varieties of fruit and vegetable at the market was astounding. We didn’t even recognise many of the fruits on display and Gal found it fascinating.

Later, we visited the Guaysamin Museum – Oswaldo Guaysamin was an Ecuadorean painter who made it his life’s career to portray the suffering that the native people of South America suffered at the hands of foreigners. It is a harrowing place – and we found, a bit belatedly, not really for kids at all. The nearby Chapel of Humankind, which was his project to universal peace, is a wonderful building and definitely worth visiting.

Our first day in Quito was really busy – and really fascinating. For dinner we went to an authentic Ecuadorian restaurant and ate some interesting dishes, including the local soup with chunks of cheese and avocado. Guinea pig is a national delicacy, but we just could not bring ourselves to order it!

Was this really Santa?

Fruit stand - some familiar, some VERY unfamiliar!