Posts Tagged ‘Family Holiday’

Moroccan Camel Trekking – What to Pack

August 23rd, 2011 Tushar Mathur

A trip to the Sahara desert is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and what better way to experience it than as part of a caravan of camels, like a true nomad. If you’re thinking of enjoying a holiday in Morocco, many all-inclusive Moroccan holiday packages include camel trekking trips of varying durations, suitable for all the family. Most tour operators recommend a minimum age of two years, but use your own judgement when considering whether to make it a family holiday.

Camel train

Camel Train by jonkeegan, on Flickr

Preparing for this trip will take careful planning, and it is worth speaking to the tour operator to ascertain exactly what equipment will be provided, what can be hired, and what you should take with you.

Camel trekking tours vary in duration from a day to two-weeks, so obviously the amount of things you need to take with you will depend on how long you are planning on staying. Many trips include multiple hotels, dotted along the trek route, for the occasional stop-over and as a means of storing the clothing and equipment that you may need but not want to keep with you every day: arrangements can be made for your belongings to be transported between hotels for you.

The best time of year for your trip is between September and February, though the weather and climate can be temperamental and hard to predict even then. If you are planning on travelling during the hot summer months, most tour operators will offer limited-time treks for your own safety.

Days are hot and nights are cold, so pack many layers of clothing (and don’t forget the sun cream). Sleeping mats are usually provided, if you are to be staying in a traditional mud hut, but you may want to bring insulating mats for extra warmth. Usually, woollen blankets and sleeping bags are provided but are often limited in number – check with your operator before travelling.

Also remember to pack water bottles, your usual toiletries, a torch and comfortable hiking boots, since you will be doing a lot of walking. Also bring a basic first-aid kit including blister-plasters. Pack lightly if there are no provisions for storage at hotels en route; remember that you’ll be carrying it. If you need to, you can hire porters to help to carry your belongings.

Alcohol is forbidden in Morocco, and is therefore hard to buy when you’re there. If you’re planning on having a drink you’d need to bring your own but be discreet about its consumption.

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The Appeal Of A Big American RV Remains Economic

July 27th, 2011 Tushar Mathur

More people are turning to the RV or motorhome, especially in these hard economic times, as a great way to explore in comfort. In fact, the sector has been a huge success story against a backdrop of a struggling travel and holiday industry. Often seen to have sprung out of Jeremy Clarkson’s favourite cult of caravanning, motorhoming has traditionally appealed to the older generation but younger couples and families are beginning to appreciate the freedom such a holiday provides as well as the relatively low cost. A motorhome also proves attractive to many more people according to AA surveys because it’s easier to steer, drive and reverse than a towed caravan. The availability of motorhomes for hire is also proving a good option for those who can’t afford to buy or just need the vehicle for a couple of weeks.

Whatever the reasons, the industry has mushroomed into a £3 billion business in the UK and a staggering $14 billion business in the USA! The enduring popularity of the American motor home has been ascribed to many factors. They do tend to be bigger, more comfortable than their European equivalents and more lavishly equipped. Aside from the aspirational aspects of owning or driving anything American (which may not survive the possible downgrading of their AAA credit rating) their endorsement by many leading celebrities has also undoubtedly made them much more desirable. Jamie Oliver is probably the highest profile home grown UK celeb who used a VW camper for his book tour launch, but that can’t compete with some of the more extravagant American celebrity models such as Vin Diesel’s palace on wheels with a full length reacto-lite-rapide sunroof or Pamela Anderson’s motorhome allegedly fitted out with a vibrating bed and lap dancing club pole.

But what sparked the genesis of the US motorhome was the same reason more Europeans are turning to them now: the fact that they are a cheaper alternative for a family holiday. Following the crash of 1929 and the Great Depression many Americans used travel trailers, which could be bought for around $500, as inexpensive homes. The likely impact on interest rates and mortgages if Tea Party Republicans will not agree a debt ceiling increase may mean they are used as such once again! Post WWII GIs wanted cheap ways to vacation and the growing interstate highway system offered a way to achieve that, but even so motorised RVs were still less popular than trailers or towed caravans all through the 1950s. That changed in 1967 when Winnebago began mass-producing motorhomes which sold for as little as $5,000.

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Family Holidays made Easy

May 11th, 2011 Tushar Mathur

Arranging a family holiday takes time and organisation. Whether you are planning ahead or have decided to take a last minute trip, simply making a few checklists makes life easier and helps make sure you have everything needed for a blissful and hassle free trip.

Passports

If you are travelling abroad, make sure everyone’s passport is valid. The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) in the UK recommend allowing up to six weeks for a first adult passport and between two to three weeks for passport renewals.

You can make an urgent passport application if necessary, which will cost more and may add to pre-holiday stress levels! The best approach is to check all passports are valid as far in advance as possible.

Family Travel Insurance

Another family holiday essential is travel insurance. Regardless of what type of holiday you are taking, from package deals to action packed trips, you should always make sure you have a travel insurance policy in place.

There are many different types of policies to choose from and for some families it might be better value to opt for an annual travel insurance policy, which covers all trips in a year, as opposed to a single trip policy.

Shop around to find the best family travel insurance policy possible and compare factors such as medical treatment, transport delays or cancellations and baggage loss or theft.

European Health Insurance Card

If you are booking a family holiday in Europe you should make sure everyone aged 16 and over has a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), in addition to travel insurance. Anyone over the age of 16 and normally resident in the UK can apply for an EHIC. There may be some restrictions depending on your nationality so it makes sense to check with the Department of Health if you are unsure.

An EHIC entitles you to state medical treatment, which is provided at reduced or no cost, if you become ill or have an accident whilst on holiday. This handy card also covers treatment for existing illnesses as well as routine maternity care and can be used in any EEA (European Economic Area) country or Switzerland.

Paperwork

Organising a holiday equates to paperwork. There’s no escaping the admin so you might as well keep all of your documents together in one place and take a copy of important documents with you.

Flight tickets, travel itineraries, passports and travel insurance documents can simply be kept in one folder. It is helpful to make a photocopy of your passport and travel insurance policy and take this away with you.

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Family Holiday Survival Guide

March 11th, 2011 Tushar Mathur

If organising your family holiday seems like a chore then take heed from some holiday survival tips and turn trips away into a breeze to arrange. Don’t let doubt creep in about whether you remembered to pack the sunscreen or switch out the lights at home. A spot of forward planning and a few simple checklists you see you safely through the process of organising a family holiday.

Even the first stage of planning a trip away can prove challenging – choosing a holiday that will keep the whole family happy is often tricky.

There are numerous family focused holidays to choose from. Do a spot of research to see what options are available to you. From family resorts and villa holidays to all inclusive options, you will find the best match just by shopping around.

Once your holiday is booked, start making any arrangements that are necessary and get all your paperwork in place. First and foremost, make sure all your documents are in up-to-date, for example passport and drivers licence. Remember in some countries it is essential your passport remains valid for a period of time, such as six months, after the date of your trip. .

Ensure you have a travel insurance policy arranged before travelling. If you are a UK resident travelling to a European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland, then you must also ensure you have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for all travellers over the age of 16.

If you are travelling abroad then check the entry requirements for each country you are travelling to. The United States requires UK residents to apply online for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) whilst other countries have different application and visa procedures. Always check in plenty of time before departure so you can make the necessary visa arrangements.

Overseas travel sometimes requires inoculations and medical preparation, such as taking medicine to protect from malaria. You should check if any jabs and treatment are required as far in advance as possible because some must be administered several weeks before travel.

The next step is to take care of any arrangements that need to be made whilst you are away from your family home. From plants that need watered to pets that must be taken care of, there is always something to sort out.

A helpful neighbour or family member is often the best bet when it comes to watering plants and gardens. If you have pets then make sure you have made arrangements for their care whilst you are away.

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Ten Tips for Travel Commandments

November 17th, 2008 Tushar Mathur

Traveling has become an important part of our life and it makes us enjoy and stress free during our vacation with friends or family. But traveling does not mean simply to pack bags, book the tickets and have fun. It means more than that. It needs whole sole preparation and planning before going to our favorite destination. There are ten travel commandments which should be discussed as they are very crucial for us and never makes us go wrong in any of our business trips or family holiday. It completely ensures our safety and security and provides trustworthy plans; which if we do not follow can put us in trouble.

Here are the basic 10 commandments discussed below:

  1. The very first commandment is to keep all the important documents. Keep your passport, visa and bank cards to avoid any danger. Other things include tickets, travel passes and credit cards. In fact you all should alert your credit card companies before going on a travel so that loss of credit cards can be prevented.
  2. The second most important thing is to arrive at the airport early enough to clear check -ins, customs and security check ups. If you happen to come by taxi then better ensure its booking a day before. And if you happen to go with your friend then remind them beforehand to escape the stress overcoming you.
  3. The next thing is to pack your bags lightly and very sensibly. Keep the entire medical and toiletry kits with you. If the destination where you are heading to is very cold then better you keep the winter stuff with you. Keep only necessary footwear with you; one for everyday wearing, another for formal wearing and last for the walking purposes with the proper shoe cases.
  4. The fourth one is to care for yourself while you are in the flight. Drink lots of water and eat hygienic food only. Do not try to take alcohols while traveling. Keep your skin moisturized and so ladies should not wear the make-up while traveling as it may lead to skin problems. Even wear stretchable clothes to make yourself comfortable. The more you will take care of yourself the more you will be stress free and will experience the less jet lag.
  5. Next thing is to keep a journal or a diary to keep writing all your experience while traveling. In this, you can easily write the names of various famous places to share it with your friends. This will help you collect your memories. You can also make album of the snaps taken.
  6. Be polite while traveling to other destination of which you are not aware of.

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Miami Beach Vacations

November 6th, 2008 Tushar Mathur

A family holiday or a cool vacation with friends to one of the favorite places in everybody’s eyes in USA in Florida; will no doubt be Miami. It is described as “the only great city in the world that started as a fantasy”. Apart from that it is also known as the “Magic city”. If you all are ready for experiencing that magic, splendor, fortune, night life, pubs, discos, shopping, watching various Hollywood celebrities, beautiful beaches, chilled beers, lemonades, cocktails, basking under the sun, with all the fun loving people, hopping and rapping around, music, full of enthusiasm and zeal, alluring beaches, and the vibrant lifestyle, then Miami is the best option for your relaxing vacation in your stressed life as it is the most popular tourist destinations of the world.

But before you really pack your bags and book your flight to Miami, let us first be familiar with all those things which you need to know such as its own history, its typical climate, fashion, culture, transportation and communication which will ultimately help you in doing some arrangements before you pack your bags.

  • Miami is located at the southernmost tip of Florida, USA bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Florida Everglades. It is bordered on east by the Biscayne beach and thus having an area of 36 square miles with a population of 600,000. It has a semi-tropical type of a climate with long and warm summers followed by mild and dry winters accompanied by rains in abundant and thus increasing moisture levels in summers and hence it is known to be the second most humid city of USA.
  • Miami provides such a fun and excitement when we visit its various sights which are famous round the world such as Miami Seaquarium, which is south Florida’s largest tropical aquarium. For the family fun there is also park called as a Monkey Jungle with all the trained monkeys and its various breeds such as Chimpanzees, Orangutans, gorillas; a special attraction for the kids especially. Apart from that we can also see the Parrot Jungle with various tropical birds which come there and be a part of excitement. What not; you can find Miami MetroZoo which is a cage-less zoo spread across 300 acres of land. We should not miss going to Fairchild Tropical Garden, in nearby Coral Gables, which is the largest botanical garden in the United States with different kinds of plants and vegetation. Hialeah Park contains one of horse racing oldest and most prominent tracks. The Art Deco District in Miami Beach contains more than 800 buildings designed in the Art Deco architecture.

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Travel Games for Kids

October 27th, 2008 Tushar Mathur

While travelling on a family holiday with your kids you should make that your kids are busy during that time period. Kids are usually very naughty and they get bored very easily. You will experience no problem in traveling with your kids if they are kept busy and involved in something.

To solve your problem of keeping kids busy during travel, we provide you information about some of the best travel games that your kids will enjoy playing.

1.Car travel bingo
Car travel bingo is a very exciting game. Children will love playing this game during a hectic car ride. You can easily purchase travel bingo board from any dollar shop. This game is very interesting; you can have a fun filled time playing this game with your children.

2.Alphabet search
This game involves great attention from the children because the aim of this game is to search objects outside the car that begin with letter A-Z in order. The person who completes all the letters first wins this game. You can involve sign boards, license plates, buildings and numbers in your game. This is a very practical as well as an enjoyable game.

3.I Spy
I Spy is a very popular game that almost every one knows how to play it. Kids love playing this game and the greatest advantage is that you can easily play this game in your car. You can make the use of objects inside the car or outside it. This game will help in removing the boredom of your kids.

4.Word chain
Word chain is one of the most interesting travel games. This game is very easy and simple. You have to first choose a category and then identify an item in that category. The next person has to name the second object of the same category, but that object should start with the letter with which the previous item ended. Even small kids can get involved in this game.

5.Twenty-five
Twenty-five is a very simple and interesting game. A person has to select any letter at random. Each player then has to write down twenty-five objects with that letter, but those objects should be inside or outside the car. The game is stopped after a short period of time and points of all the players are calculated.

6.Start a story
You as a parent can start a story and then encourage your children to continue that story. This game is very good to increase your child’s imagination power. This game also gives you a chance to laugh in case some one adds a witty line.

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France Map – Great Holiday Ideas

May 30th, 2008 Tushar Mathur
Be ready to get impressed on your travel France as the country has everything that one could expect from a holiday. Amongst the five top most tourist destinations in the world, facts about France let you see why it is so. It has the fashion capital Paris as its capital city, beautiful nature, beaches, the mountain scenery, and monuments all make it a great tourist destination. Moreover, the experience of visiting the country can vary as to the place you select for your holiday. Holidays on a beach, in the countryside, the big cities to the beautiful villages, all have something on offer for its visitors. There is plenty to explore and discover, loads of activities to get involved in and certainly life long memories to take back home. A great destination, France provides number of holiday ideas a few are mentioned here.

• Adventure Holidays

Take on an adventure holiday to see the real France. For those who love adventure travel, adventure holidays can be a fantastic option. Get a taste of the place, meet the local people when you head on an adventure holiday. On offer are all kinds of different activities that one can pick from like from the extreme sports to the more ordinary. These holidays come in complete package holidays, and tailor made for adult only adventures or for a family holiday that can cater for all ages of children. It’s the horse riding that catches your fancy, mountain biking or is it the hiking, you can find all this and much more for your holiday.

• Cycling holidays

With cycling being a national pastime in France, the organized cycling holidays are becoming very popular. These holidays provide with an opportunity for the visitors to cycle their way into the country and explore the region while having a go at the sport. This year round activity is a very popular among all ages and weather has a big role to play. In addition there are quite and beautiful countryside, with number of roads available for cycling. The well-maintained roads provide excellent cycling areas for cycling. Tour de France, the greatest cycling event in the world takes here in the country. For not the regular cyclists there are organized cycling trips, which combine cycling with accommodation, visits to the areas along the route.

• Skiing holidays

If you are on travel France for a skiing holiday then you will find the country has some of the best ski areas and ski resorts.

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