It is not as rugged as the smaller islands of El Hierro and La Palma, but then it does have some luxurious places to stay, including five star hotels and beautiful Lanzarote villas. And it has an advanced tourist infrastructure that ensures visitors can do pretty much whatever they choose during their stay.

Lanzarote’s appeal is that it can suit many different types of holidaymaker, from families with small children to sports enthusiasts to those more interested in cultural pursuits. The island has been shaped and developed through the interventions of a local artist, César Manrique, who stopped it being swamped by concrete apartment blocks.

Manrique´s efforts also included adding a number of attractions that highlight unique aspects of the island´s history and culture, which again set it apart from the neighbouring islands. And its volcanic past also helps to distinguish Lanzarote from the other Canarian destinations, as the eruptions here were only three hundred years ago.

The island´s oldest resort, formerly known as La Tiñosa, stands as a good example of how urban development can be used to create an attractive tourist resort. Unlike Playa de las Americas in Tenerife, Puerto del Carmen is typified by low rise buildings, whitewashed houses, palm tree lined promenades and beautiful beaches.

Anyone lucky enough to be staying in one of our Puerto del Carmen holiday villas will find the town a delight to holiday in. It is easy to get around on foot or by bike, has a huge array of restaurants, lively bars and a relaxed atmosphere, not to mention the lovely stretches of sandy beaches.

And thanks to its manageable size, visitors can get out and see the extremely varied terrain of the island very easily. It takes little more than an hour to drive from one end of Lanzarote to the other, making sightseeing a pleasure on the quiet back roads.

All of which tends to set Lanzarote apart and makes many visitors to the island come back again and again. To get an idea of the properties available to rent, why not visit www.holidayvillasinlanzarote.co.uk and take a closer look at the range of villas there.

Article Content:
This is a guest post from Jen Miner, blogger at The Vacation Gals, and organizer of the 2012 Mom Blogger Camp in in Velas Vallarta.

Mention the phrase “mommy blogger” to a crowd, and you’ll get a few different reactions. What some people view as a viable way to accrue a little extra income while staying home with young children, others see as a rudderless industry in need of guidance. The truth is, there are as many types of parent bloggers as there are parents, and judging with broad strokes do no one any favors. There are all sorts of parent blogs and whether you’re a professional parent blogger with a distinct niche or a mom just toying with the idea of starting up a casual blog, there are always ways to improve your blog. Even family travel bloggers like myself straddle the line between two niches (parent and travel blogs, obviously).



Blogging conferences abound. Just like there are travel blogging conferences, there are parent blogging conferences — way more of the latter, in fact. I’d like to talk about a one-time-only parent blogger mini-conference that should cover a lot of ground for blogging newbies and old-timers, in an incredibly fun, relaxing environment. The Mom Blogger Camp in in Velas Vallarta has some of the top experts on hand to give professional blogging tips and advice — plus hey — it’s in a Puerto Vallarta all-inclusive resort in the middle of winter! January 5-8, 2012, to be exact.What an awesome way to warm up: Mixing professional growth with a sunny vacation south of the border.



Now, I’m the conference organizer for this one-off Mom Blogger Camp, but the folks over at Velas Vallarta know what they’re doing; they hosted a Food Blogger Camp last winter, too.  The expert speakers coming to help parent bloggers grow professionally will also be enjoying themselves, hanging out by the pool, perhaps indulging in a spa visit, and all those other activities denoting a tropical vacation. Mom Blogger Camp attendees will have the opportunity to casually hang out with the speakers (within limits, of course, let’s respect each others’ personal space here!) in the afternoons, with most sessions being in the morning.

I’m looking forward to hearing The Bloggess‘s topic, Famous on the Internet. Not that I’ll ever be famous on the internet, but she’s hilarious and amazing. Also greatly anticipated are Deb Ng, Aparna Vashshit-Rota, Adria Richards, Peter Carey, Anne Hartsell, Mary Jo Manzanares, and Amy Whitley. Umm.. and that’s it. Not looking forward to any other speakers at this mini-conference, because that’s the lot of them! It’s a small, low-key, yet meaty retreat with lots of time to enjoy Puerto Vallarta.

The schedule is here; you can see that there’s some time built in each day for Mom Blogger Camp attendees to talk up any travel sponsors.  This is an important part of the schedule — after all, while this is a very, very affordable conference, the cost of air fare will have to be considered as well. Fortunately, from what I’ve seen, many family-friendly companies are happy to help mom bloggers get to conferences in the form of straightforward sponsorships.

The Mom Blogger Camp is open to anyone (dads too, of course!) and will be January 5-8, 2012 with the actual conference days are the 6th and 7th. I’ll be there, and I hope you will consider it, too.

 

This is a guest post from Jen Miner, blogger at The Vacation Gals, and organizer of the 2012 Mom Blogger Camp in in Velas Vallarta.

Mention the phrase “mommy blogger” to a crowd, and you’ll get a few different reactions. What some people view as a viable way to accrue a little extra income while staying home with young children, others see as a rudderless industry in need of guidance. The truth is, there are as many types of parent bloggers as there are parents, and judging with broad strokes do no one any favors. There are all sorts of parent blogs and whether you’re a professional parent blogger with a distinct niche or a mom just toying with the idea of starting up a casual blog, there are always ways to improve your blog. Even family travel bloggers like myself straddle the line between two niches (parent and travel blogs, obviously).



Blogging conferences abound. Just like there are travel blogging conferences, there are parent blogging conferences — way more of the latter, in fact. I’d like to talk about a one-time-only parent blogger mini-conference that should cover a lot of ground for blogging newbies and old-timers, in an incredibly fun, relaxing environment. The Mom Blogger Camp in in Velas Vallarta has some of the top experts on hand to give professional blogging tips and advice — plus hey — it’s in a Puerto Vallarta all-inclusive resort in the middle of winter! January 5-8, 2012, to be exact.What an awesome way to warm up: Mixing professional growth with a sunny vacation south of the border.



Now, I’m the conference organizer for this one-off Mom Blogger Camp, but the folks over at Velas Vallarta know what they’re doing; they hosted a Food Blogger Camp last winter, too.  The expert speakers coming to help parent bloggers grow professionally will also be enjoying themselves, hanging out by the pool, perhaps indulging in a spa visit, and all those other activities denoting a tropical vacation. Mom Blogger Camp attendees will have the opportunity to casually hang out with the speakers (within limits, of course, let’s respect each others’ personal space here!) in the afternoons, with most sessions being in the morning.

I’m looking forward to hearing The Bloggess‘s topic, Famous on the Internet. Not that I’ll ever be famous on the internet, but she’s hilarious and amazing. Also greatly anticipated are Deb Ng, Aparna Vashshit-Rota, Adria Richards, Peter Carey, Anne Hartsell, Mary Jo Manzanares, and Amy Whitley. Umm.. and that’s it. Not looking forward to any other speakers at this mini-conference, because that’s the lot of them! It’s a small, low-key, yet meaty retreat with lots of time to enjoy Puerto Vallarta.

The schedule is here; you can see that there’s some time built in each day for Mom Blogger Camp attendees to talk up any travel sponsors.  This is an important part of the schedule — after all, while this is a very, very affordable conference, the cost of air fare will have to be considered as well. Fortunately, from what I’ve seen, many family-friendly companies are happy to help mom bloggers get to conferences in the form of straightforward sponsorships.

The Mom Blogger Camp is open to anyone (dads too, of course!) and will be January 5-8, 2012 with the actual conference days are the 6th and 7th. I’ll be there, and I hope you will consider it, too.

 

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Article Content:
So often, round-the-world and long-term travelers are told that it’s a good thing they are “doing it before kids” – the implication, of course, being that such an adventure would be impossible with a child in tow. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth, and more and more families are realizing the job of taking a long-term trip together.

There are definitely some challenges to taking an RTW trip with kids. How will the kids cope without a home base and all their familiar friends? What about all the gear that kids need: diapers, clothes…not to mention their favorite toys? And how far behind will they fall in school if they take several months or a year off?

But for every challenge there is a solution, and for every reason why it’s too hard or too dangerous, there are even more reasons to travel around the world with kids. Children are far more resilient than we often think and they need far fewer possessions than advertisers want us to believe. Many families travel around the world with one backpack per person – and do it easily and happily.


While some kids may balk at the idea of a year with no permanent home, others would jump at the chance to walk on the Great Wall of Chine, ride a Camel in Morocco or see lions on safari in South Africa.  Preparing children for long term travel is all about managing expectations and focusing on the amazing adventures they’ll have, rather than what they will miss at home. Every family is different, but if you’re considering an RTW trip with your kids, you’ll never know if it can work for you until you try. Taking your family on the road can be one of the greatest adventures of your lives, challenging you to learn and grow, and bringing your closer together along the way.

Photo by naezmi

 

So often, round-the-world and long-term travelers are told that it’s a good thing they are “doing it before kids” – the implication, of course, being that such an adventure would be impossible with a child in tow. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth, and more and more families are realizing the job of taking a long-term trip together.

There are definitely some challenges to taking an RTW trip with kids. How will the kids cope without a home base and all their familiar friends? What about all the gear that kids need: diapers, clothes…not to mention their favorite toys? And how far behind will they fall in school if they take several months or a year off?

But for every challenge there is a solution, and for every reason why it’s too hard or too dangerous, there are even more reasons to travel around the world with kids. Children are far more resilient than we often think and they need far fewer possessions than advertisers want us to believe. Many families travel around the world with one backpack per person – and do it easily and happily.


While some kids may balk at the idea of a year with no permanent home, others would jump at the chance to walk on the Great Wall of Chine, ride a Camel in Morocco or see lions on safari in South Africa.  Preparing children for long term travel is all about managing expectations and focusing on the amazing adventures they’ll have, rather than what they will miss at home. Every family is different, but if you’re considering an RTW trip with your kids, you’ll never know if it can work for you until you try. Taking your family on the road can be one of the greatest adventures of your lives, challenging you to learn and grow, and bringing your closer together along the way.

Photo by naezmi

 

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Article Content:
Traveling with kids – especially for the first time or on an extended trip – can be a nerve-wracking experience. Will the youngest have a total meltdown in unfamiliar surroundings? Will jetlag throw everyone off their sleep schedule? Or will what should have been a relaxing vacation turn into a week-long whine fest? While you never really know how your family will react until you try, there are things you can do to prepare your kids for travel.

Depending on the age of your children, you can help prepare them for the disruption to their routine and the unfamiliar sites and sounds they’re about to encounter. If you can, start small, with outings and overnights to nearby cities before embarking on a long trip to Europe. Choose resorts that offer family-friendly travel services , like kids clubs, nannies, or babysitting services. This way not only do the kids feel like they’re being catered to (and can play with kids their own ages in kids clubs) but mom and dad can have some time to do the things they want to do as well.

Once you’re ready to tackle a bigger adventure, you don’t have to spend thousands to see the world with kids. In fact, traveling with kids on a budget can force you to be more creative and put you closer to an authentic experience, ensuring that your kids get more from the trip than if you stayed in a luxury hotel. Hosteling with kids is surprisingly easy (and affordable) thanks to hostels that offer private rooms with 2, 3, 4 or more beds.

Before setting out on your trip with kids, it’s always wise to look into travel insurance, which can help with everything from weather-related cancellations to emergency evacuations should someone get sick or injured. Family insurance for a trip doesn’t cost much, and it can help protect both your investment and the people you love.

Photo by Hawaii

Traveling with kids – especially for the first time or on an extended trip – can be a nerve-wracking experience. Will the youngest have a total meltdown in unfamiliar surroundings? Will jetlag throw everyone off their sleep schedule? Or will what should have been a relaxing vacation turn into a week-long whine fest? While you never really know how your family will react until you try, there are things you can do to prepare your kids for travel.

Depending on the age of your children, you can help prepare them for the disruption to their routine and the unfamiliar sites and sounds they’re about to encounter. If you can, start small, with outings and overnights to nearby cities before embarking on a long trip to Europe. Choose resorts that offer family-friendly travel services , like kids clubs, nannies, or babysitting services. This way not only do the kids feel like they’re being catered to (and can play with kids their own ages in kids clubs) but mom and dad can have some time to do the things they want to do as well.

Once you’re ready to tackle a bigger adventure, you don’t have to spend thousands to see the world with kids. In fact, traveling with kids on a budget can force you to be more creative and put you closer to an authentic experience, ensuring that your kids get more from the trip than if you stayed in a luxury hotel. Hosteling with kids is surprisingly easy (and affordable) thanks to hostels that offer private rooms with 2, 3, 4 or more beds.

Before setting out on your trip with kids, it’s always wise to look into travel insurance, which can help with everything from weather-related cancellations to emergency evacuations should someone get sick or injured. Family insurance for a trip doesn’t cost much, and it can help protect both your investment and the people you love.

Photo by Hawaii

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Article Content:
For a lot of kids, a trip to the museum is as appealing as a trip to the dentist. Wandering aimlessly from weird-looking art to even weirder-looking art as you are constantly “shushed” by adults is no fun. But museum visits don’t have to be somber and boring; in fact many museums cater to kids with special exhibits and programs that make learning more fun.

When planning museum trips for kids, first think about what your kids like. If you have a child who actually is really interested in art or history, by all means, enjoy a visit to one of the best modern art museums or museum that showcases the local history. But if you’re child isn’t quite captivated by artistic expression or the French Revolution, don’t expect them to enjoy a few hours spent in the museum.

Instead take them to a museum that better fits their interests. As a child who loved horses, I’m sure I would have been enraptured with Lisbon’s Coach Museum, a collection of ornate carriages and coaches. Kids who love dinosaurs would flip for Chicago’s Field Museum, where a full T-Rex skeleton is on display.

And don’t forget some of the lesser-known and slightly odder museums around the world. There are several unusual food museums
that would fascinate children, as well as museums centered on space exploration (always a favorite with kids) and natural science. Any museum that offers hands-on exhibits and interactive experiences can be good for kids.

Many more adult-oriented museums also have special exhibits for kids that help make the information more accessible and entertaining. No matter which museum you choose, there are ways to make the experience a bit more interesting for kids of any ages.

First off, try to schedule your visit when there are less people there. Come early in the morning or later, before the museum closes, and limit the amount of time based on your kid’s attention span and interests. Some kids might be happy to scamper around a museum all day while others would get bored after an hour. If you want to see several sections of a large museum, consider breaking your visit up into two days. If the kids bet bored or hungry before the parents want to go home, consider having one parent take them to the food court while the other gets their art fix, and then switching off.

Visiting a museum with your kids doesn’t have to be a whiny “are we done yet?”-filled experience. If you pick museums that offer something for kids and plan your visit with your child’s personality in mind, a visit to a museum can be a rewarding and entertaining educational experience for the whole family.

Photo by Txgeek

For a lot of kids, a trip to the museum is as appealing as a trip to the dentist. Wandering aimlessly from weird-looking art to even weirder-looking art as you are constantly “shushed” by adults is no fun. But museum visits don’t have to be somber and boring; in fact many museums cater to kids with special exhibits and programs that make learning more fun.

When planning museum trips for kids, first think about what your kids like. If you have a child who actually is really interested in art or history, by all means, enjoy a visit to one of the best modern art museums or museum that showcases the local history. But if you’re child isn’t quite captivated by artistic expression or the French Revolution, don’t expect them to enjoy a few hours spent in the museum.

Instead take them to a museum that better fits their interests. As a child who loved horses, I’m sure I would have been enraptured with Lisbon’s Coach Museum, a collection of ornate carriages and coaches. Kids who love dinosaurs would flip for Chicago’s Field Museum, where a full T-Rex skeleton is on display.

And don’t forget some of the lesser-known and slightly odder museums around the world. There are several unusual food museums
that would fascinate children, as well as museums centered on space exploration (always a favorite with kids) and natural science. Any museum that offers hands-on exhibits and interactive experiences can be good for kids.

Many more adult-oriented museums also have special exhibits for kids that help make the information more accessible and entertaining. No matter which museum you choose, there are ways to make the experience a bit more interesting for kids of any ages.

First off, try to schedule your visit when there are less people there. Come early in the morning or later, before the museum closes, and limit the amount of time based on your kid’s attention span and interests. Some kids might be happy to scamper around a museum all day while others would get bored after an hour. If you want to see several sections of a large museum, consider breaking your visit up into two days. If the kids bet bored or hungry before the parents want to go home, consider having one parent take them to the food court while the other gets their art fix, and then switching off.

Visiting a museum with your kids doesn’t have to be a whiny “are we done yet?”-filled experience. If you pick museums that offer something for kids and plan your visit with your child’s personality in mind, a visit to a museum can be a rewarding and entertaining educational experience for the whole family.

Photo by Txgeek

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Article Content:
Many couples who consider having kids are concerned that their traveling days are over as soon as their bundle of joy arrives in this world. Yes, your hosteling and parting all nights vacations will be over – unless you ask the grandparents to baby sit while you escape over a weekend – but traveling can be absolutely amazing with kids.

Among the benefits of traveling with kids is getting more value for money. Remember those family tickets for various attractions? Turned out that in Budapest, it was cheaper to get one than buy individual adult tickets even though we weren’t traveling with kids.

Also, camping is a great experience which kids should be accustomed to. But make sure to search among the best campgrounds for families . Make sure the campground has basic facilities and it’s also close to pools or other attractions. Being close to hiking trails is definitely a plus.

While you should take it easy when you hike with kids, there are many hikes that anyone can do , regardless in which continent you travel. Just plan for more stops along the way, bring lots of water and healthy snacks. Make sure the kids (and you!) wear sunscreen and clothes suitable for the weather and terrain.

It can be challenging to plan the first vacation in nature with the kids, but you’ll get used to it in no time. Plus, kids adapt easily and you shouldn’t be surprised if they actually enjoy it and want to do it again.

Photo credit

Many couples who consider having kids are concerned that their traveling days are over as soon as their bundle of joy arrives in this world. Yes, your hosteling and parting all nights vacations will be over – unless you ask the grandparents to baby sit while you escape over a weekend – but traveling can be absolutely amazing with kids.

Among the benefits of traveling with kids is getting more value for money. Remember those family tickets for various attractions? Turned out that in Budapest, it was cheaper to get one than buy individual adult tickets even though we weren’t traveling with kids.

Also, camping is a great experience which kids should be accustomed to. But make sure to search among the best campgrounds for families . Make sure the campground has basic facilities and it’s also close to pools or other attractions. Being close to hiking trails is definitely a plus.

While you should take it easy when you hike with kids, there are many hikes that anyone can do , regardless in which continent you travel. Just plan for more stops along the way, bring lots of water and healthy snacks. Make sure the kids (and you!) wear sunscreen and clothes suitable for the weather and terrain.

It can be challenging to plan the first vacation in nature with the kids, but you’ll get used to it in no time. Plus, kids adapt easily and you shouldn’t be surprised if they actually enjoy it and want to do it again.

Photo credit

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Article Content:
Earlier this year I was talking to my beau about visiting Amsterdam. Or should be wait until we have kids? Then, the first things to come in our mind were the Red Light District, the museums, the cafes and the architecture. How could a city known for its guilty pleasures be a good destination for a family vacation?

Well, it’s possible and Amsterdam is one city you won’t regret you’ve visited with the kids. The things to do in Amsterdam with kids include visiting the Science Center NEMO, discovering the world of music at the Sound Garden (workshops are in Dutch), enjoying the nature in Amsterdam Bos, visit the Anne Frank house, see the replica of The Amsterdam (which is the ship that sailed from the Netherlands to the Far East with cargo for the VOC settlements) or learn about the tropical parts of the world at Tropenmuseum Junior.

Convinced yet? Then maybe one of the free things to do in Amsterdam will make you start looking for hotels and cheap tickets to Amsterdam . Spend some time in the flower market or walk through the Jordaan neighborhood. Vondelpark is also a good destination to enjoy some nature and just relax after a day of sightseeing.

Amsterdam is definitely not a place for small children, but once they are old enough to read and write, don’t hesitate to bring them here. Visiting a foreign country is the best way to learn history and geography without even trying too much. When they have fun, children don’t even realize they learn. But it sure pays off in the long run.

Photo credit

Earlier this year I was talking to my beau about visiting Amsterdam. Or should be wait until we have kids? Then, the first things to come in our mind were the Red Light District, the museums, the cafes and the architecture. How could a city known for its guilty pleasures be a good destination for a family vacation?

Well, it’s possible and Amsterdam is one city you won’t regret you’ve visited with the kids. The things to do in Amsterdam with kids include visiting the Science Center NEMO, discovering the world of music at the Sound Garden (workshops are in Dutch), enjoying the nature in Amsterdam Bos, visit the Anne Frank house, see the replica of The Amsterdam (which is the ship that sailed from the Netherlands to the Far East with cargo for the VOC settlements) or learn about the tropical parts of the world at Tropenmuseum Junior.

Convinced yet? Then maybe one of the free things to do in Amsterdam will make you start looking for hotels and cheap tickets to Amsterdam . Spend some time in the flower market or walk through the Jordaan neighborhood. Vondelpark is also a good destination to enjoy some nature and just relax after a day of sightseeing.

Amsterdam is definitely not a place for small children, but once they are old enough to read and write, don’t hesitate to bring them here. Visiting a foreign country is the best way to learn history and geography without even trying too much. When they have fun, children don’t even realize they learn. But it sure pays off in the long run.

Photo credit

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Article Content:

?4 ?Nights Nile Cruise Holiday from Hurghada Red Sea

4 Nights Nile Cruise Holiday from Hurghada Red Sea

Luxury Nile cruise, Nile River tours

Departure: Everyday

Length: 5 Days / 4 Nights

Type: Nile Cruise Holiday

Guide: Egyptologist tour guide

Itinerary :

Nile Cruise Itinerary

5 Days / 4 Nights

Day 1:)  Hurghada -  Luxor – Nile Cruise sights

Meet and assist by our travel REP at your hotel in Hurghada to drive to Luxor by modern air-conditioned vehicle. Then you will be transferred by private air-conditioned vehicle to board the Nile cruise. Lunch is served a board, followed by a guided tour to visit the most famous Karnak and Luxor Temples. Back to your cruise ship for afternoon tea and dinner, overnight stay a board the cruise in Luxor.

Day 2:)   Luxor sightseeing

Breakfast on board the cruise, followed by a guided tour to the West   Bank of the Nile in Luxorto visit the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple at El Deir EL Bahari, and the Colossi of Memnon. Back to the cruise for lunch and an afternoon  tea during sailing to Edfu. Dinner  and overnight a board in Edfu.

Day 3:)   Edfu & Kom Ombo sightseeing

Breakfast on board the ship, then you will be taken in a guided tour to visit Hours Temple in Edfu. Back to the cruise, start sailing to Kom Ombo. Lunch  on board the cruise. A guided tour to visit the temple shared by the two gods Sobek and Haroeris. Sail to Aswan, dinner and overnight stay.

Day 4:)  Aswan sightseeing

Breakfast a board the cruise, followed by an early tour to visit the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, and the majestic Philae Temple during sailing by a small motor boat, visit the Botanical Garden. Overnight  stay on board in Aswan.

Day 5:)  Aswan – Disembarkation

Disembarkation after  breakfast. Transfer to Hurghada and drop off at your hotel lobby.

Price includes

- Meet and greet service by our representative upon arrival & departure

- Assistance of our personal during your stay, tours and excursions

- All transfers by private air-conditioned deluxe vehicle

- Accommodation onboard 5* cruise on full board basis

- Excursions to visit Karnak temple and Luxor temples

- Excursions to visit Valley of the Kings, Hatshipsut temple

- Excursions to visit Edfu temple as per Nile cruise itinerary

- Excursions to visit Kom Ombo temple as per cruise itinerary

- Excursions to visit Philae temple, High Dam unfinished obelisk

- Felucca sail on the River Nile in Luxor for a wonderful sunset attendance

- Entrance fees to the above mentioned sights between Luxor and Aswan

- English speaking guide during your excursions and cruise holiday

- Service charges and all applicable taxes

Price excludes

- Extras of personal nature

- Optional excursions

General info

Season Nights  Price

May – Sep        4          600 $

Oct – April       4          700 $

Prices are quoted in USD per person in double cabin

Visa info

Photo/Video Camera

Maestro online travel

124 Pyramid street Giza ,Egypt

002-0190023837

For best offer Contact with Amany

My Email:-

Travel Channel’s hidden gem series (formerly called NOT YOUR AVERAGE TRAVEL GUIDE), a hip travel guide show for hyper travelers. This episode written, directed, hosted, and edited by Shane Reynolds (aka Shane O) takes us on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas for some tech talk up on the bridge of the ship with the captain, hilariously awkward!! …www.myspace.com/shaneotravels or www.colorearth.tv **look for clips of NOT YOUR AVERAGE TRAVEL GUIDE for more of Shane O and the early episodes. Or Search SHANE O TRAVEL for all of it.

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Article Content:
I started this blog on February 10, 2006 at the recommendation of journalist friend and tech expert Dwight Silverman;  I was retiring from the Navy and planning to be a writer, and he said, “If you’re going to be a writer, you need to have a blog.”

Hmmm, well alrighty, then!

It was worse than the blind leading the blind – I was clueless and had no one leading me, either.  At least I had enough sense to know, even back in the mellower online world of 2006, that it would be better to write about a niche travel topic rather than try to break in as a general travel writer.  I chose family travel simply because I’d done it all over the world thanks to Navy assignments and could speak to the issues, not because I’m wildly maternal (as my kids will attest.)

My first post was the standard welcome to this new blog greeting, then the second was a fairly pointless one about American Express traveler’s checks. I finally said something useful when I wrote about Mini-Europe in Brussels, Belgium, and from there it was off and running.  I blogged to fill my spare time and to build an online presence in between print writing assignments, but instead found myself on the cusp of a publishing revolution.

I had no idea that blogging would become the impetus for covering motorsports like NHRA drag racing, meeting bloggers and startups in China, doing a lot of social media workshops and speaking plus launching an online course in social media marketing for tourism (all of which is about to lead to a book on tech-based entrepreneurship for people over 40.)

While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing for and representing my host the BootsnAll Travel Network, my daughter Nancy started college this fall;  even though my son is still at home, it seems like a good time to turn this blog over to another parent who wants to tackle the joys of Walt Disney World, or safe flying with kids or top tips for kids in Tokyo.

As far as I know, Boots hasn’t selected a replacement for me yet, so if you’re interested (yes, it is a paid position) then I suggest you check the BootsnAll Travel Writer Platform page.

There is, of course, unfinished business.  I wasn’t able to complete the 50 States Series (got stuck on Mississippi for some reason) so I may try to pick that back up and continue it in some form elsewhere. There is a video or two that I never got around to editing, and a notebook with post ideas that I haven’t tackled yet.

Not to worry – I still write for the Perceptive Travel blog, do guest posts for other blogs and also plan to make Fridays a travel post day on my personal blog, Sheila’s Guide to the Good Stuff.

Thank you so much to all of the faithful readers who have been here since the beginning, and those who may have found Family Travel more recently.  I’ll never forget meeting some of my readers for the first time in person, at the BlogHer conference in 2007. It is the most wondrous feeling to have someone walk up and say, “Hi, I read your blog….”

I’m so grateful that you’ve all been along for the ride.  Let’s stay in touch, shall we?

I started this blog on February 10, 2006 at the recommendation of journalist friend and tech expert Dwight Silverman;  I was retiring from the Navy and planning to be a writer, and he said, “If you’re going to be a writer, you need to have a blog.”

Hmmm, well alrighty, then!

It was worse than the blind leading the blind – I was clueless and had no one leading me, either.  At least I had enough sense to know, even back in the mellower online world of 2006, that it would be better to write about a niche travel topic rather than try to break in as a general travel writer.  I chose family travel simply because I’d done it all over the world thanks to Navy assignments and could speak to the issues, not because I’m wildly maternal (as my kids will attest.)

My first post was the standard welcome to this new blog greeting, then the second was a fairly pointless one about American Express traveler’s checks. I finally said something useful when I wrote about Mini-Europe in Brussels, Belgium, and from there it was off and running.  I blogged to fill my spare time and to build an online presence in between print writing assignments, but instead found myself on the cusp of a publishing revolution.

I had no idea that blogging would become the impetus for covering motorsports like NHRA drag racing, meeting bloggers and startups in China, doing a lot of social media workshops and speaking plus launching an online course in social media marketing for tourism (all of which is about to lead to a book on tech-based entrepreneurship for people over 40.)

While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing for and representing my host the BootsnAll Travel Network, my daughter Nancy started college this fall;  even though my son is still at home, it seems like a good time to turn this blog over to another parent who wants to tackle the joys of Walt Disney World, or safe flying with kids or top tips for kids in Tokyo.

As far as I know, Boots hasn’t selected a replacement for me yet, so if you’re interested (yes, it is a paid position) then I suggest you check the BootsnAll Travel Writer Platform page.

There is, of course, unfinished business.  I wasn’t able to complete the 50 States Series (got stuck on Mississippi for some reason) so I may try to pick that back up and continue it in some form elsewhere. There is a video or two that I never got around to editing, and a notebook with post ideas that I haven’t tackled yet.

Not to worry – I still write for the Perceptive Travel blog, do guest posts for other blogs and also plan to make Fridays a travel post day on my personal blog, Sheila’s Guide to the Good Stuff.

Thank you so much to all of the faithful readers who have been here since the beginning, and those who may have found Family Travel more recently.  I’ll never forget meeting some of my readers for the first time in person, at the BlogHer conference in 2007. It is the most wondrous feeling to have someone walk up and say, “Hi, I read your blog….”

I’m so grateful that you’ve all been along for the ride.  Let’s stay in touch, shall we?

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Article Content:

Eat Your Vietnam Holidays !

For those who delight in the subtle and delectable art of savouring the flavours of the world, there is no more relaxed a way than to make a holiday of it! Vietnamese and UK based Haivenu Tours (), a private tailor-made tour operator providing uniquely personalised holidays throughout Southeast Asia, know Asian dining inside-out and will be delighted to help you supplement your wider sightseeing adventures with a sensory feast of the regions’ edible wonders.

Southeast Asia, with such a fantastic array of delicate tastes gathered from long historical traditions blended and seasoned with the rich cultural interplay of peoples and their produce, offers a sophisticated culinary repertoire, awaiting the delightful discovery and initiation of the travelling palate.

Dining options abound and the region has a great many superb internationally renowned high class restaurants which will provide the great dishes magnificently presented and served with all the ambience of fine dining in the international style. As well as traditional dishes, many restaurants are highly regarded for their exotic modern fusion cuisine, their star chefs interpreting local dishes with the finest culinary influences from all over the globe.

Many culinary aficionados however prefer to experience the truly authentic tastes of the orient by sampling the food of its myriad street vendors, marketplaces, or visiting the most revered of the restaurants used by locals, many of which offer unique and original recipes.

If you enjoy cooking, whether in a professional or amateur capacity, an insightful way to explore the culinary landscape is by including a cooking class within your tour itinerary. These types of excursion not only provide a great opportunity to enjoy authentic local flavours, but also, under the guidance of an expert local chef, you’ll visit a market to enjoy the fun of choosing and bargaining for your ingredients before learning the preparation and cooking skills involved in producing good Asian food. When you return, you are sure to be able to impress your friends back home with your cultural depth, by presenting an authentic and stylish dinner.

Another popular way for travellers to ensure authenticity is to enjoy a home stay, spending a night in a local house as the guests of the family, an interesting cultural meeting opportunity on many levels, and one which will always culminate in a meal prepared by your hosts.

Thai food is, of course, the most famous internationally of the cuisines of Southeast Asia, and very successfully marketed throughout the world through restaurants and supermarkets, but the trendy new wave of Asian and Fusion cuisine is penetrating ever more deeply into the rich culinary heritage of all the countries of the region, and the delights of the Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian and Malay culinary cultures are increasingly becoming the focus of knowledgeable travellers, chefs and television programmers.

This predominance of the popularity of also belies the fact that many of Thailand’s dishes owe much to the influence of the cuisines of neighbouring countries and indeed much of this inheritance ultimately derives from the ancient Khmer empire which once ruled over almost the entire region from Angkor in present day Cambodia. Even within countries, distinct regional and ethnic variations in cultural legacy have given rise to a complex subtlety in undertones of flavour and textural nuances.

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