AUSTRALIA - Uluru / Central

Having worked in tourism, I can tell you that one of the biggest challenges is getting 'families' to travel to the red centre - it's just hot, hard and not very child friendly - this doesn't change with the time of year - it's just even harder if it's raining. However as an adult, it's so, so amazing! The spirituality, the silence, the big sky. Just, wow! 

Regarding best time of year: It's desert, so really there is a wet season and a dry season, it's pretty much stinking hot all year round. Having said that, the nights in the colder months can be freezing. I went in May - it was perfect. My advice would be: April/May (autumn) or August/ early Sept (spring). That way you miss the worst of the cold nights (June /July) and it's not too hot (Dec - Feb). 

If you decide on Kakadu, go during the dry season, without doubt. More details on seasons: http://www.travelnt.com//travelling-in-the-nt/weather-and-seasons.aspx?ForceRedirect=1

If you're definitely going to Noosa, I would really look into the East Coast. It's hugely popular for a reason. You can definitely campervan your way down with the kids. Cairns follows the same wet/dry seasons as above, but once you get a bit further south you want to be in there anytime from spring to early autumn, so Oct through to April, so you can enjoy the beach. It's a dry beautiful coastal heat. 

Summary: 

Red Centre (Ayers Rock etc) is the most amazing, wonderful experience for fit, healthy adults without a doubt! A lot of walking in extreme heat, but worth every step. Time of year: April/May or August/ early Sept 

Kakadu and Arnhem Land (aboriginal territory) is amazing for adults and kids alike. Time of year: as above, but double check that on trip advisor. Ideally you want to go at the tail end of rainy season when all the water holes and waterfalls are full but the rains have stopped. 

East Coast, October through to April ideally. Beachy, great for kids. Not quite as unique and wow as the red centre (especially if you've travelled the world as you have! Give me a Greek island any day. The people lack a little sophistication) Although look up sailing in the Whitsundays & Great Barrier reef - one of the worlds natural wonders - it's heavenly. 

My vote is leave the kids behind (they will thank you) and go to the red centre! Do romantic stuff like dining under the stars, watching an electrical storm roll across the desert, eat crocodile, ride a camel, take a ride on the back of a Harley at sunset etc. Ayers Rock (Uluru) exceeded all my expectations. It's a 10km solid walk around the base - do it with an aboriginal guide to really appreciate the incredible spirituality and significance. this would be so tough on little kids. A helicopter ride is a must, not sure your budget, but I can imagine this would get costly for everyone to go. The distances you travel between sites are so enormous with nothing to see, it's like staring out at the ocean: adults enjoy the contemplation, but not sure about kids, if you know what i mean...

Adventure Tours campsite in Kings Canyon ;) 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=5425953622&set=a.5425808622.11845.750528622&type=3&theater

Red Centre

First up, the red centre is ah-mazing. I feel it's my duty to warn you, however: It's not very family friendly (I've thrown in some alternative suggestions below). The distances between sites are HUGE, flat and a tad boring (red dirt for 4 hours as far as you can see). It's all about walking, hiking and driving in quite extreme heat. It's kinda like hiking in the alps: beautiful, magical, spiritual, but physically a little challenging and maybe not so fun for little kids. The bugs (remember you'll be camping!) won't kill you but - eeek! Having said that, I am sure you will make whatever you do fun! 

Best time of Year

March vs Oct: October! Hot and DRY - this is what you want! Esp if camping. March is our autumn/beginning of wet season. Could still be ok, but risky. October is still 'spring', so not the hottest time of year (phewf), and the heat is actually pleasant, it's dry and breezy. It gets cold at night which is lovely. 

Distances

Visitors always underestimate distances in Oz: It's a 4 hr drive from Alice to Kings Canyon (a must-see) with nothing but red dessert in between. Then another 4 hours drive to Uluru (Ayers Rock). "Are we there yet, are we there yet?" x 5. 

Getting there

Either fly straight to Uluru or Alice (Alice is a bit of a shit-hole of backpackers, drunks and white trash rednecks - just sayin'! But if you do end up in Alice, there are still things to do - outlined below).

Accommodation

The best best way to do the red centre is to camp (as i mentioned; glamp, with permanent tents and nice camp sites!) I went with Adventure Tours Australia - could not recommend them enough. Beautiful creusset casserole dishes cooked in a coal camp fire, clean elevated campsites and buses etc. There is a 4 or 5 star hotel at Uluru which I've heard is amazing, the ultimate glamping!

http://www.international.adventuretours.com.au/assets/itineraries-pdf/AYB2.Overnight-Uluru-Camping-Safari.pdf

http://www.adventuretours.com.au/category/tours/to/alice-springs

Must do's

Kings Canyon, the Olgas, helicopter ride, harley ride through the desert (seriously!) all from Kings Canyon (plan extra $ for these things outside any tour package price). Sunset drinks looking on to Uluru and sunrise walk around the rock (10km) - phenomenal. Of course there are things like Aboriginal dance/dinner touristy things, worth it to get a basic sense of aboriginal culture in limited time. Hearing the didgeridoo in the desert is truly an amazing experience. 

If you do end up in Alice, there are lots of aboriginal experiences (dinner & dance, art galleries etc), I also did a sunset camel ride + dinner which was great and went to the astronomical observatory where we learnt aboriginal stories of the southern skies. There's a reptile zoo etc. Aboriginal spirituality is just wonderfully linked to the land, and you really feel it in the red centre. 

Territory Discoveries is a good start for all things Red Centre, Darwin and beyond: 

http://www.territorydiscoveries.com/

Darwin & Kakadu

Other suggestion (with kids in mind) would be Darwin, Litchfield and Kakadu (amazing! Swimming in water holes, croc tours, feeding baramundi, eating crazy stuff like termites (yummy citrus flavour!) jumping off water falls, aboriginal experiences etc. And you can fly from Darwin to Uluru afterwards. 

Weather: unlike the desert, the heat is subtropical & humid.

East Coast

OR Cairns, Cape Tribulation and Great Barrier Reef. You could fly to Cairns and travel down the East Coast to Noosa! Hugely popular trip with whitsundays, Fraser Is & more in between! 3 daysailing, snorkelling and swimming in the whitsundays is the closest you'll get to heaven on earth! 

Weather: The heat is pretty lovely in October - great coastal breezes. March could also be ok as it's the end of summer & not yet rainy season.

So let me know roughly what you end up deciding on, where you end up flying to and how much time you have and then I can send more detailed suggestions.

Do you have a travel agent for flights etc? If not, I may know someone who can do your flights plus help with tour/travel suggestions (I used to work with her in a domestic travel agency). 

Hi Sarah,

With 8-9 days you should be able to cover a lot of ground in the outback.  We really enjoyed our time there but we spent fewer days so we could also hit the Great Barrier Reef and Sydney.  I don't recall a lot of camper vans, and if you're planning the Mereenie Loop Road (see below) a 4WD is a must.  Here's our day-by-day schedule although there is plenty of room to stretch it for a longer stay.

1. We flew into Ayers Rock Resort where we stayed at Sails in the Desert.  If I remember correctly it's the nicest accommodation there (at least if you are taking kids), although like most places in Australia hotels aren't usually terribly fancy.  The outback is certainly no exception.  We basically just settled in and went to the Uluru visitor's centre, then had dinner.
2. We spent most of the day walking around Uluru.  People CAN climb it during parts of the year, although the aboriginal peoples discourage that.  We figured around was good for us.  We were there in summer and really rationed our water to the point where Marnie and Jeff accused us of abuse, then found at least two refill stations on the trail.  That night we ate at Pioneer BBQ, where you buy your raw meat and grill it yourself.  Angie and I had the outback combo: kangaroo, crocodile, emu sausage and beef sausage.  We ended the night driving part way to Uluru and stargazing with the help of the Night Sky apps on our phones and/or iPads.
3. The next day we took a hike in Kata Tjuta (The Olgas).  We parked at the main parking area (P on the map below), walked in (right), then turned right (counter-clockwise) and did about half of the loop.  It was a very nice hike and we should have gone all the way around.  I think we thought the rest of the loop was longer.  We also drove over and watched Uluru during the sunset, then had dinner back at the resort.
   http://www.planetware.com/i/map/AUS/kata-tjuta-uluru-the-olgas-ayers-rock-map.jpg
4. Day four we left Yulara and drove to Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park).  Did a short walk to Kathleen Springs in the afternoon but it wasn't worth it.  Lunch and dinner both at the resort, which was the only option.  The camel burger (with a beet on it) was great.  The second restaurant (by the gas station / store) was closed.
5. We woke up and did the rim walk around Kings Canyon.  It was great, although we got caught in a HUGE rainstorm and ended up soaked to the bone.  All part of the fun, right.  We drove the Mereenie Loop Road to Alice Springs.  Definitely ask about weather conditions first.  I think we were supposed to register at the store, but we missed that step.  Anyway I was accused of trying to kill the whole family with my crazy driving, which you can see (or at least hear) on the video linked below.  We turned off and drove into Alice Springs through West McDonnell NP.  In Alice Springs we stayed in a two-bedroom at Alice on Todd Apartments.  Simple but OK.  I'm not sure what the hotel situation was there, but the apartment worked fine for us with 6 people.  We had dinner at the Juicy Rump (good food and plenty of jokes there) and two of the hostesses were LDS women from New Zealand.  If we are ever together again ask me to tell you the story from the Juicy Rump.  It's hilarious, but needs to be told in person.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG6P1t9IkFM
6. Last day in the outback.  We didn't find that much to do in Alice Springs but we hadn't seen any kangaroos yet so we went on a quest to find some.  We drove out to the telegraph park and saw tons of them, plus big nasty reptiles and other wildlife as well.  Flew out of Alice Springs.

Other links - 

The Frommer's page we used as a starting point:  http://www.frommers.com/destinations/australia/764002

Our family newsletter for the month: http://www.claytonchronicle.com/2011/12/december-2011-newsletter/

My FB photo album for the trip: https://www.facebook.com/ken.clayton.12/media_set?set=a.337249609623187.105236.100000144521290&type=3

OK, that's a lot of information.  Digest all that and come back to me if you have more questions about the places.  Enjoy!

London

Kristen Southwick London

We stayed at the Marriott Marble Arch.  I'm not sure why we picked it, but probably because it was centrally located and had the best rates.  It was a nice hotel and it was pretty close to the Tube, Kensington Gardens, St. James Park, Buckingham Palace etc.  I think there is another Marriott that is more centrally located, but we were paying for 2 rooms so we went with the more economical option.

What we did:  The first night we went to the British Museum and saw Matilda the Musical in the West End.  We were just trying our best to keep the kids awake.  They loved the play, but I'm sure Mady would want to see something a bit more adult.  Newsies may be coming to London in Spring 2014.  

The next day we did a day trip to Windsor Palace and to Stonehenge.  Windsor Palace is beautiful, but Stonehenge is pretty much good for just the picture.  Our friends took us there, but there may be a train service to Windsor.  

The Tower of London was really cool.  From there, we took a boat down the Thames to the Tate Modern.  Then did a few things on the South Bank of the Thames.  The Shakespeare theatre replica is here, as well as the London Eye (it was closed while we were there).   We took a boat further down the river and stopped at the other Tate Britain Museum, and then walked up to see Big Ben, 

We had high tea at the Orangery, which is a beautiful setting.  Our friends in London recommended that we have high tea here, and we weren't disappointed.  

My biggest recommendation for Mady is the Victoria and Albert Museum, if she is still into fashion.  It is a huge design museum, and always has really interesting displays of jewelry, clothing, and the creative process.  My girls could have spent hours there.  It is also located next to a bunch of the most famous London museums.

Pizza Express is a chain that we really liked--they have a few restaurants in Hong Kong so maybe you have already been there?

I have to run, but also reach out to Sylvia Updegraff... she lives there now and will have a great idea of what to do and places to see.   The Harry Potter experience opened up after we were there--I'd definitely see that too!

My London

We love the hop on and off sightseeing tour bus b/c then you hit all the MAIN sights in one day.

I think the London Eye is very cool, the views of London are great.

I think giving your kids the DINNER PUB experience is very British,

and these places are not just drinking joints anymore but family friendly

eateries.  

I love walking along Portobello Road, on the weekend there's the market,

hip shops, cool markets, etc. Don't forget to check out my friend's swimsuit

shop Pistol Panties, I think you'd love the vintage style of swimsuits.

I love the carrot cake from PRETE A MANGER, these eateries are practically

on every corner….great place to stop for juices, sandwiches, salads.  Dave

Wagner brought me back one the other week and it's STILL amazing!

I know you won't miss the HUMMINGBIRD BAKERY while you are there,

I know you will eat the cupcakes, take a photo, and facebook it for me:-)

I think the food court and food shop at Harrod's is sooo pretty with 

food from around the world.

Fish and chips is super fun to eat while you are there.

As for day trips…I think Bath, Stratford upon Avon, Cambridge, etc.

are all lovely.  If you have time to go even further, I think Cornwall on the 

coast is lovely.

I love going to high tea in London and eating scones and clotted cream.

Favorite beaches

For easy access from Singapore, boat ride over to Bintan and Nikoi is always fun….

Bintan so so but Nikoi so lovely/relaxing but $$ b/c you have to pay per person and meal plan.

Thailand - we have done Phuket and Hua Hin (a couple hours drive from Bangkok) but the beaches are so so….we thought the beaches of Krabi were superior…but the best ones were Koh Samui.  Could be a good option for you and your sister Lindsay but Sarah L we didn't take kids b/c it's so much more $ to buy plane tickets to K. Samui as you know.

Malaysia - I have seen nice photos of our friends who drive up and go to the nearby resorts by ferry, we still want to try these.  We have only done Cherating Beach further up….LOVELY beach but we weren't fans of Club Med after all…crowded, loud, etc.  I am still keen to try Langkawi, everyone says it's lovely.

Vietnam - b/c I love the food and much less popular than Thailand, we really loved MUI NE beach vacation.  It is five hours to Saigon so a bit of a trek…however, I know by going into the other airport there are a lot more beaches there and the Pitmans LOVED it.

I still think the beaches of Perth were so lovely and Lindsay that's only a four-hour flight for you guys.  Has your sister ever been to Oz?

Lastly, PHilippines….I've been to Boracay, way before it was trendy/popular, but I think it might be over the top now….I have on my list EL NIDO and PALAWAN.  All my friends who go have the nicest photos of all the beaches.

Geneve Lyon Annecy

GENEVA


What to do with kids in Geneva, found on FB group for travel.

https://letsexplore.ch/2019/04/14/things-to-do-in-geneva-with-kids/

GENEVA – buvette on the Jura side of the airport, recommended by Mateo

Annecy is a fantastic little town.  The canals and shopping area in OLD TOWN Annecy are fantastic.  There's this cookie company we love 

and I can't remember name but I WILL and get back to you.  It's a great place to have hot chocolate and crepes.  In the summer, the lake

front is lovely to rent paddle boats.

Geneva - old town cathedral is great, if you want to visit the UN buildings that's neat...lots of gardens and playgrounds.

Between Geneva and Gruyere - lots to see and do!  Chocolate factory in Broc is awesome for kids....Chateau de Chillon

is fantastic for a medievel castle.  You might as well go to Montreux the lakeside town if you're hitting the castle.

When you go to Gruyere and see the cheese museum, but sure to go to Moleson area just a few minutes away for

some kiddie fun of summer sledding etc. but also the cheese factory here is smaller/better than the big one b/c it's the

old fashioned way.  I'd call both in advance...the cheese one b/c I think it's only a certain time like 10am and the chocolate

factory b/c you can sign up your kids ahead of time for a chocolate making class. This is new and it was full for whe

we were there.

At the one end of Lake Geneva there's the Swiss Vapor Museum and it's great for young kids b/c it takes all

the different types of Swiss trains and makes a little theme park with mini Switzerland chalets/features/buildings

and you can sit on the mini trains adn go around this.  Definitely better for younger kids -how old are your kids?

When in Annecy you should find out what day is market day...either in Annecy or Lyon, b/c that's always fun

to see all the fresh fruits/veggies, cheeses, sometimes live chickens...etc.

Gourmand cookie shop in Annecy is fun.

Lyon Bistrots de Cuisiniers and cathedral and market

SWITZERLAND OUTINGS

FROM MAYENS CHALET

Le Relais Parc Animalier
024 479 3412
Sun to Thurs 10h-18h
Ven/Sam 10h-23h
1873 Les Crosets
Restaurant Le Relais

Maison Cailler
7 rue Jules Bellet
1636 Broc
tel 026 921 5151
Daily 10 am to 18h

SWISS VAPOR PARK
CH 1897 Le Bouveret


GRUYERE
Remember to go to HIGHER cheese place MOLESON and find out what time cheese making is.

PARC AVENTURE

LABYRINTHE ADVENTURE

GROTTE DES FEES

MINES DE SEL

alp-trotinette.com -what is this all about? also has paintball

Parc des Marecottes

If they go to Megeve, they should eat at either Ferme de Marie (think that's name) if want spend more or they can eat very well at Flocon de Village Tel +33450783501. Make reservation. Excellent food. I've driven there just to eat.

In Megeve, they can do that horse drawn carriage ride...that's always nice for first time experience.

Also, depending on how much time they have, I'd even do day trip over to Lyon if they really want to change it up from mountains to see a "little Paris" in the old town there. I'd highly recommend that--esp if they are spending some other time in Switzerland. It's less than 2 hours to get there and they can get an amazing meal there & if they time it right, go to a market.

If they are in Geneva on weekend, go to Divonne market on Sunday or Ferney market on Saturday. Divonne a lot nicer.

In Geneva, it's pretty much old town walking, fondue--yes, either in Old Town by Wilfred's old place or there is this red tent doing fondue I saw by the Quai Bezanson Hugues (near where they used to have theh ice skating rink set up outside by the river) & of course there is that spot on the Lake that we've eaten fondue at that all the Genevois get fondue at that is super casual and super local, on the water...right there, remember that? You'll have to look it up.

Maybe they can see the watch museum? Is red cross now open up for visits--it had been under renovation for a long while but their museum was quite good when it was open? Is UN open for visits?

From Karin

Cafe de Poney et CERN 

Autres suggestions de restaurants: le Vallon à Conches et le Café de Peney à Satigny (ce dernier est le "bistrot" de Châteauvieux). Et pourquoi pas le restaurant de l'Ecole hôtelière?

Quant à ce qu'il faut visiter, je pense que le musée Patek Philippe est intéressant. Et puis visite de l'ONU, du CERN, de la chocolaterie Favarger à Versoix.

Pour le reste, consulter http://www.geneve-tourisme.ch/en/seeing-doing/whats-on/

Je confirme tes propositions de Megève et du restaurant de l'Entrecôte.

Autres suggestions de restaurants: le Vallon à Conches et le Café de Peney à Satigny (ce dernier est le "bistrot" de Châteauvieux). Et pourquoi pas le restaurant de l'Ecole hôtelière?

Quant à ce qu'il faut visiter, je pense que le musée Patek Philippe est intéressant. Et puis visite de l'ONU, du CERN, de la chocolaterie Favarger à Versoix.

Pour le reste, consulter http://www.geneve-tourisme.ch/en/seeing-doing/whats-on/

Perth Australia

We loved this beach house just outside Fremantle:

http://www.stayz.com.au/accommodation/wa/perth/fremantle/30576

We've just returned from our 11 days in Aussie and we

had a SUPER time!  My favorite thing was just being

together as a family...nothing beats pure family time!

Our second fav thing is how well we ate - this region is

definitely any food-lovers dream come true - fresh seafood,

australian lamb and beef is divine, local produce is beautiful, their

cheeses are gorgeous....and it seems

everyone everyone there is just INTO food!

We loved our lazy beach days, sunsets every night, 

dolphin spotting cruise, bakeries galore, playing in nearly all of Perth's parks, 

going on picnics, craft and food markets, 

best fish and chips we have ever had in the world

(it was a spiritual experience for me four times we did fish/chips), 

kangaroo/koala visit with camel ride, a hike though the 

bush (OK it was a tiny hike but bush nonetheless), 

easter egg hunt in our garden, visiting margaret choc factory,

dining al fresco w/ mateo's bbq dinners, celebrating Niko's

1st birthday, bonding w/ the local farmer family/kids next door,

seeing gold being made at the Perth Mint, hours at the science and maritime museums, 

drives through wine country, arts and music festival and 

shopping surf clothes for all the fam since it's the land of Bilabong. 

We  were totally impressed with Australia yet again, the friendly relaxed

people who spend their days outdoors just enjoying the 

beauty of the earth. Hope you all had a terrific Easter!

From Ian McGArvey

I have the information on WA that I discussed with both of your seperately .  We stayed in these places approx 5 years ago , and they were very nice , but I can't vouch for how they are today !

Fremantle : approx 30 minutes from Perth , and on the ocean.  Perth is on the river , inland.

We stayed in 2 places :  i) Esplanade Hotel.  Colonial style hotel    ii) Quest Harbour Village Apartments.  These are right in the old America's cup marina and 10 metres from the water. ( my wife tells me they were secure and well fenced from children getting into the harbour! )  These were very nice 2 to 3 level apartments.

This area has lots of restaurants and cafes.

www.fremantle.com/accom/harbourvillage

Fremantle is a great town/city.  Museums , craft markets , cafes , restaurants , old gaol to visit.

Also very worthwhile taking a one day trip to Rottnest Island ( 45 minutes by ferry)  . You can hire bikes .  Rottnest is famous for Quokkas , which are small marsupials.   First Dutch explorer thought they were rats , and hence the name of the island.

Margaret River - approx 4 hours drive .  Keep to the speed limit as WA police are notorious with speed cameras !

A nice drive with a few towns to stop in on the way. 

Margaret River district is famous for surf beaches and wine !   The actual town of Margaret River is about 10 kms inland from the beach , and an interesting mix of hippie surfies left over from past generations , yuppie winemakers and tourists.  Interesting main street to walk down , and evn if you don't like wineries  , some of the restaurants and cafes at the wineries are extremely nice.   

We stayed at the beach in a resort called Margarets Beach Resort  , Corner Wallcliffe Rd , Margaret River.

Self contained apartment , with full cooking facilites ( not that we used them).  Also had a reasonable restaurant for dinner.

This is very close to the beach , and the beaches in this area are some of the nicest in Australia.

From Jonna

In Perth we enjoyed visiting the Perth Mint.  We also liked the Caversham Wildlife Park. 
Loved Fremantle.  Don't miss the old historic market.   Also, the Fremantle prison is worth a tour...  old convict prison.

We spent most of our holiday in the Margaret River region.  Stayed in Eagle Bay.  Gorgeous beaches.  Particularly loved a little beach (Meelup Beach I think it's called) up the road from the main beach.  It was so beautiful.

Things to do with kids in Margaret River area:

Sunflowers Animal Farm (small and sweet)  www.sunflowersfarm.com
Yallingup Shearing Shed (watch demo of sheep shearing) 10-4 daily (but closed Fri)
Simmo's Ice Cream (with nice outdoor play area) 161 Commonage Road, Dunsborough
We visited 2 lighthouses, Cape Naturaliste  and Cape Leeuwin (where the Indian Ocean & Southern Ocean meet).  Took the scenic drive through Boranup area on the way to Cape Leeuwin (fragrant eucalyptus forest)

Horseriding  near Yallingup.  Kids enjoyed.  Simple - young ones go around the track and older can go on trail ride.

If you like venison stop at Margaret River Venison on the main road for some awesome venison to bring home.  We ate bits of it for months and were so sad when it ran out.  So good.

Lots of wineries with good food.  Nice relaxing place for lunch, and many have children's play areas.  We had lunch at Woody Nook one day.

Go to www.margaretriver.com for more info, and stop at visitors centre down there for lots of brochures/ideas of things to do.

Provence

I would recommend TWO areas to base yourselves out of - how many days are you talking about?  You would need at least / min 2-3 days there to make it worth your time....since it's an AREA vs. just a city, the beauty of it is driving around all the quaint little hilltop villages and taking it slow.  Provence is an area where you definitely want to have a car.

It takes four hours to drive from Geneva to Aix-en-Provence.  If you base yourselves here, than you can easily access the "heart" of Provence - the Luberton hills, the medievel villages, the markets - you could actually hit Orange (famous Roman amphitheater) or Avignon on the way down.  Avignon has the Palais des Papes and famous aqueduct....it's a big tourist destination so can get crowded and it's very lively/festive.  Aix en Provence is the little Paris of the south.

The nice thing about Aix is that you can easily do a day trip to the coast...we love Cassis. IT's a seaside village that tourists don't seem to know about, but local French tourists love, and so do we.  That's where we are headed....so you can get that cote d'azure feel but still be in Provence.

If you wanted to actually be in the HEART of Provence where they have the Mas de PRovence homes - the lavender colored shutters, lavender fields, sunflowers - basically, all that the impressionists painted - then APT might be a good place to base yourself out of and from there you take drives and meander around the most gorgeous villages like Rousillon, and Gordes - other even smaller villages we absolutely love are Bonnieux, Lacoste etc.  Some of the most beautiful scenic drives are in this area - I remember one - windy and tiny roads but gorgeous is something like Tourettes sur Loup that Frommers recommended and I could find online if you chose to go to this area.

So the SECOND area I would recommend thought it's further from Geneva slightly b/c the way the roads are...would be the NICE / MONACO area.  Now of course this isn't Provence Provence necessarily so you're getting more the FRENCH RIVIERA area....but it kind of gives you both b/c all you need to do is drive inland a little bit and you access PROVENCE and the cobblestone villages....like Grasse and Vence and St. Paul de Vence.  These towns are bigger than the villages I mention above but you get the same feeling.  It's always so fun to go to Monte Carlo and people and car watch and see the palace.  Nice has some great museums - Matisse is my favorite there.  WAlking along Nice waterfront is nice...but the beaches are pebbly and cold.  From Nice it is fun to go into Italy for the day and have some pasta.  

CASSIS & provence

If you want a day at the beach, just an hours drive is CASSIS. This is my favourite port town b/c it is small, and not as touristy/famous as Nice or Cannes so it's mostly LOCAL French tourists, but this village has a bit of everything, a little market, little grocery store a few bakeries, restaurants right on the water....and a unique thing is that it has the CALANQUES so you take a scenic boat ride to see the limestone cliffs.  If you go here, definitely have lunch at my favourite place (you need reservations) for Villa Madie.

http://lavillamadie.com/en/

For Roman ruins, I'm sure you will hit Avignon (famous aqueduct / bridge Pont du Gard), or Orange (amphitheatre) or Arles.  

I have not spent much time in Marseilles, but my Paris friend loves it for art, architecture and old churches/cathedrals.

Constance, for you and your love for wildlife, Camargues region is just an interesting place with the wild horses and birdlife.  It's a very unique place.

But my favourite part of PROVENCE area are the tiny villages in the heart of Provence...the LUBERON area.

Rousillon is a very special place, there are a lot of artists who settle here and have galleries b/c of the OCHRE coloured soils so they take their paints and pigments from the land.

Driving distance from APT (a bigger town, medieval city, bigger market) are all the little towns like Bonnieux (famous little bakery here), Gourdes (lovely, sits on top of a hill), All these little villages are LOVELY!  You can always find a great place for lunch in the shade...a delicious bakery...etc.  These drives are so beautiful!

The best part is hitting the markets.  There are tons of websites saying which village has a market on which day, on any given day of the week, there will be a village with a market going on. WE love picking up bread, cheese, etc. and having picnics.  Summer is the time for amazing cantaloupes, peaches, etc. BEST FRUIT ever!!!

NOTES FROM ALMA FRIEND

To tell you the truth, we never took the boat to the Calanques. We would always hike there from Cassis. From the town, you just follow the signs saying "Calanques" up to the top where there is a bunch of parking (I'd definitely get an early start however!). From there you can hike to the first calanque (Port Pin) and it has a really great sandy beach and some decent snokeling. In our experience it doesn't get too crowded and we really love it. The hike is probably about 45 minutes and it's important to have good shoes. There are some slippery parts and the part where you go down to the beach is a little steep, but we have done it a bunch of times with our kids, and we survived! You can keep hiking past the beach and there are some spectacular views.

Washington DC, USA

When you go to the WHITE HOUSE visit, be sure to eat at OLD EBBITT GRILL, it's an institution.

All the National Monuments are really cool, it's hard to choose which ones to visit b/c there are so many but we do like the FD Roosevelt memorial b/c the kids can run around to visit it.

The Smithsonian Museums are AMAZING!  Our favorite ones are the Children's Museum, the National History Museum, and for your boys they will love the AIR and SPACE museum....

The National Zoo is really cool, not far from the National Cathedral (you'd enjoy visiting this cathedral and the grounds) but of course we have the best zoo here in Singapore.

Walking distance to the National Cathedral / Zoo is one of our favorite Mexican restaurant - Cactus Cantina.

We love walking around Georgetown neighbourhood, the shops, and restaurants.....right along the Potomac river there is a place to rent canoes, it is fun to ride up the Potomac river. The Georgetown campus is very pretty (Mateo went to law school here).

Day trips in the DC area....you MUST go to Annapolis, it is where they have the Navy School, it's just a quaint lovely little port town with nice shops and restaurants, seafood etc. lots of sailing ships docked, etc.  Just lovely! Not more than an hour away.

We also like Williamsburg, Virginina three hours south of Washington DC.  There is a theme park called Busch Gardens that is fun for kids rides, fair food, etc. but it's more that Williamsburg is such a lovely historic town, people dressed up from a different era, old fashioned candy for sale, etc.

Check websites for Glen Echo Park and Wolf Trap National Park in Washington DC - they have lots of activities for kids - we especially loved the free outdoor concerts and shows and musicals.

I think a very American experience would be to take your kids to a baseball game, I'm sure they are all listed on some website, but my kids thought it was so cool to go and eat a hot dog and have a giant soda bigger than any cup they have ever seen!

We like the restaurant CHEESECAKE FACTORY, it's a chain.  They have huge huge desserts and portions of food, the menu is extensive, you will be in line at busy hours.  You would also love CHIPOTLE GRILL, another chain that does Mexican casual food.

Hanoi - Halong Bay

Since 2011, Life Heritage Resorts has been operating 22 compactly-designed heritage junks that can deftly weave through the limestone formations in the Central Isles of this Unesco World Heritage Site – something that bigger cruise ships are unable to do. Combine your Central Isles cruise with two more days plying the Western and Eastern Isles, and you won’t cover the same stretch of water twice. 

Life Heritage Resorts’ boats depart from Tuan Chau island, a private development that aims to be the world’s largest marina. All boats have four-star amenities such as your own kayak and guide, and can accommodate two guests overnight, plus your private crew. The upper deck has sunbeds, a kitchen and dining area, while the lower deck houses the bedroom, bathroom and a back door that you can slide open while docked in a secluded anchorage overnight or when you’re ready to jump into your kayak. 

And if you ever get bored from the view, you can ask the guide to change the itinerary at any time – try making a stop at the fishing village, Cat Ba National Park, or the Surprising Cave. Fares start from $500. Day cruises are also available. See www.liferesorts.com for details or call +84 (0)33 6253 000.

From SEW websites

HALONE BAY

The company that run "The Jasmine" were amazing. Great food and faultless service from start to finish. Def recommend a 3 day/2 night trip as it's more fun with Cycling on Cat Ba Island and Kayaking.

Two people recommended the PALOMA

KRISTY PITMAN SAID:


Yes we did do Halong Bay. It was included in a private tour we took which included sea kayaking (overnight on secluded island), tracking Cat Bah (overnight on Cat Bah), and Halong Bay (overnight on a boat). Great trip and memories with hubby. We didn’t do this one with kids and it wouldn’t have suited them, unless they were teens. Days too big and adventurous. We did however do central and southern Vietnam with the children though so that’s probably how you’ve gotten mixed up.

Mui Ne Thailand

 We flew into Saigon then had a few hours drive to Mui Ne, the kite surfing capital of Asia.

We stayed at the Anantara Resort.

Highlight was playing in the sand dunes

We loved this Italian joint for pizza and pasta
in Phan Thiet,
57 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street
Good Morning Vietnam is the name of the place




Friend recommended GRACE BOUTIQUE RESORT

and said:

And then we were only there for a couple of days, but we did a 4:00 am wake-up to get to the white sand dunes in time for the sunrise, and it was amazing! We actually did a jeep tour (organized by Van at the Grace Boutique Resort) of the white sand dunes, the yellow sand dunes, a little fishing village which was cool, and then a 1/2 mile walk in a river that was  just a few inches deep to a little waterfall. It was an amazing 1/2 day.

Dave Moyer

I went to Phan Tiet for a conference about two years ago and really enjoyed the mood there. It is a typical beach town in that it is quiet, calm, and not too busy. One of the reasons it is not too busy is because it is someone of a hike to get there. The drive from Saigon is about 5 hours but it is not a casual or fun experience. The road is very congested with trucks which have no problem swerving into oncoming traffic and taking over your lane. Hopefully you will have a hired driver and car that will drive responsibly and will not resort to driving like the big trucks. Another tip, don't do the drive at night which can be even more harrowing.

Once you are in Phan Tiet/Mui Ne, the weather should be very nice. It is one of the world's best locations for kite surfing so if you have ever wanted to try it, that will be the place. There are also the dunes which I have heard are a lot of fun although I didn't have time to go see them myself. I am sure the kids will enjoy running/falling/sliding down the hills for hours. I am not sure what else there is to do there but I am sure your resort can provide some ideas. Maybe a boat trip? Snorkeling? Just relaxing on the beach?

Jessica Lawler

I'm sure you have your Vietnam trip all planned, but I recently skyped with my friend who did Mui Ne this summer, and thought I'd pass along her thoughts. They showed us pictures of the sunrise in the sand dunes and it looked absolutely incredible.

Hey-

I said I would send this over just in case your friend wanted to hear a random person's opinion on lodging in Mui Ne. We stayed at the Grace Boutique Resort (which was really just a glorified B&B...I think there were 12 ish rooms?) It was beautiful and the staff was SO nice. It has amazing reviews on Tripadvisor, so I know we're not alone:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g3688649-d1631562-Reviews-Grace_Boutique_Resort-Ham_Tien_Phan_Thiet_Binh_Thuan_Province.html

And then we were only there for a couple of days, but we did a 4:00 am wake-up to get to the white sand dunes in time for the sunrise, and it was amazing! We actually did a jeep tour (organized by Van at the Grace Boutique Resort) of the white sand dunes, the yellow sand dunes, a little fishing village which was cool, and then a 1/2 mile walk in a river that was  just a few inches deep to a little waterfall. It was an amazing 1/2 day.

I want to do it all again! The beach outside of the Grace Boutique Resort wasn't amazing, but we were really okay lounging by the pool anyway. You and Nate really need to get over there!

Love,

Kylee

Italy

Tuscany, Italy villa for large groups with separate apartments
(recommended by CIS teacher Katie Robinson)

http://www.villailpozzo.it/index.html

COSTA RICA

• Hi Paulina!
  Happy new year! I'd say that the best time to visit is between November through May. That's the summer, but it is also peak season so airfare will be more expensive. During those months you can enjoy nicer weather and more cultural events. The places that you mentioned are a must. How many days are you planning to stay? Will you be traveling with children?
  Overall, Costa Rica is pretty safe and very tourist friendly. As far as looks (blond, blue eyes) you will be surprise at the amount light skin, light eyes Costarricans, but of course tourist stand out more. The good thing is that Costarricans are very used to tourists and they are definitely the most peaceful people in Central America. Like any other place, you have to be cautious of not leaving things in your car or expose expensive jewelry in places like downtown San Jose, but I imagine you will be outside of the city.
  Since this will be the first time you travel there, I recommend the places that you mentioned and also the west coast. I personally love all the beaches on the peninsula. I will attach a map so you can see. As far as tours, they can be pricey, but they have the advantage of doing travel packages which are convenient, specially if you are traveling with family.
  Accommodations are pretty inexpensive, and food too if you're outside of the city. Surfing is very popular anywhere you go on both coasts and I think sloths are more visible on the east coast, but I will find out. I have never seen one (shame on me!) Please let me know what other activities you would like to do and if you're traveling with children.
  As far as illnesses, the main advice is to buy bottled water and have the main vaccines up to date. I wouldn't worry much about malaria. They have had cases on the east side of the country, but mostly among the indigenous groups which represent less than 1% of the population. I will also attach another link with good information about health and traveling.
  Here are my favorite places to visit: Arenal volcano, Monte Verde, Tabacon hot springs, Manuel Antonio (located in Puntarenas on the west coast), Samara, Nosara, Langosta beach, Tamarindo beach, Playa Grande (leatherback turttles lay eggs on this beach from Nov-may or Nov-march), Santa Teresa. All the beaches are on the peninsula which are in the province of Guanacaste. Hacienda Guachipelin (this is a great place close to the Rincon de la Vieja volcano in Guanacaste, close to the beaches, horseback riding and whitewater rafting).
  I am more than happy to help you with more questions. I also have skype in case you do too and you would like to talk.
  Here are some helpful links:
  http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/mamerica_carib/costa_rica.php
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_rica (this is pretty accurate)
  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/opinion/07kristof.html?_r=0
  http://www.vacationcity.com/templates/showimages.php?pic=/images/stock/map_page/40822-costa-rica-detailed-map.png&picalt=Detailed%20Map

  MD Travel Health - Costa Rica - vaccinations, malaria, safety, and other medical advice

  www.mdtravelhealth.com

  mdtravelhealth.com - complete travel health information, updated daily, for physicians and travelers.
• 

  6:34am

  Paulina Kurz

  Dear Claudia
  Thank you so much!!!! You Rock!!!
  We still haven't decided if we go with kids or alone but I am happy to hear that it is so safe there Probably we will go in january next year, but it depends on ticket deals:) and unfortunately we won't have more than 2 weeks:(
  Claudia thanks again, I know it is very soon but I love planning everything in advance:) and please let me know if you want to visit Poland or any other place I've been to, so then I can help you:):):)
• Friday
• 

  10:25am

  Jairo Hernandez

  Hello Paulina, I think Claudia did a wonderful job describing the best things to do in Costa Rica. I would only add some very personal considerations, with my own perspective, specially nurtured with the fact of being far from Costa Rica as I currently work representing the country in Singapore:
  - There are some interesting things to do in the Central Valley as well. San Jose is not the prettiest and best planned capital city of the world, but if you like culture, there are some nice museums and interesting corners (National Museum, Museo del Oro, Museo de Jade, Museo de Arte). You have to take some precautions when walking in downtown (after being in such a safe country like Singapore, I realize how unsafe most of the rest of the world looks!). Some groups run by friends of mine put together walking tours of the city at night to explore the historical buildings. Trying the local food is always a worthwhile experience, but of course the city offers all kind of international restaurants, and even a recently opened Chinatown!
  - The Central Valley also offers famous volcanoes (Irazu and Poas); La Paz Waterfalls; Cartago (the former capital in colonial times with its traditional Catholic Church); Orosi Valley, a place with beautiful coffee plantations and very typical CR countryside scenes; night folk shows/dinners above San Jose (in Aserri or Escazu); souvenirs markets (downtown, Moravia, Mercado Central, Sarchi); butterfly farms within easy reach,
  - The country has become famous for its nature and adventure-oriented recreational activities/sports, including white water rafting, ziplinning, bungi-jumping. In some of the places mentioned by Claudia, there are plenty of options for nature-oriented sights (waterfalls, hiking, bird or monkey-watching). The country has approximately 25-30% of its territory devoted to national parks or protected areas. The national park system is very well structured and offers a wide variety of things to see.
  Please do not hesitate to ask more if any further assistance is needed, or well to contact me as the time for your trip gets closer.
  Best regards,
  Jairo