Whale watching seemed completely alien and exciting to a family from the heartland of America. So armed with “sea bands” (for motion sickness) we decided to take on this adventure. Although the weather in Bar Harbor was 65 with a light mist, we were full of anticipation. The woman at the ticket counter said that we needed to dress warmly because it got colder out on the water. I was somewhat skeptical about this because I’d been sailing in Florida and noticed no temperature changes. But since we were bringing young ones along I listened to her advice, grabbed coats and sweatshirts from the car. I’m SO glad we did. When we got out on the open ocean the temperature dropped 20 degrees, seriously. Thankfully this boat had a large indoor area with tables and chairs, completely out of the wind and weather. Directly above the enclosed area was a viewing deck that had zero protection for those more tolerant of the cold. We found a cozy place inside and enjoyed the views of Bar Harbor from the water.

After some time the captain announced that the “usual” place that the boat visited to see whales was empty, no whales anywhere. Apparently the whales didn’t realize that we were coming. Since there was a promise to see whales or your money back the captain announced that we would venture out further, 60 to 80 miles. So our 3 hour tour became an all day excursion. (Yes, I was thinking about Gilligan’s Island when he made that announcement. Thankfully the weather didn’t get rough and the tiny ship wasn’t tossed… ) On the way out we sat around talked, munched on snacks and hoped that we would see whales. Finally the captain said that he spotted a whale on the starboard side and instantly the warm enclosed area emptied. But the whales were far away and difficult to see. As rookies to whale watching Mallory, my 6 year old daughter, and I questioned if we were looking at a wave or a whale. I held a quiet hope that this wouldn’t be the only experience that my kids could enjoy.

It wasn’t too long before the captain was announcing whale sighting all around the boat. Using a clock reference he billowed, “whale at 3 o’clock”, “whale at 7 o’clock”, “whale at 11 o’clock”. It was like a bingo parlor with everyone intent on each announcement. At first everyone was rushing from one sighting to the next moving in lynch mob like unison. But the sightings became so common that everyone stayed in the same area and treated it more like spectators at a tennis match. After some instruction we learned that whale tails are unique, which I didn’t know before this trip. Amazingly the captain and environmental person could actually discern the identities of whales by looking at their tail. I don’t remember the name but some whale that hadn’t been seen since the seventies was sighted. The environmental dude was thrilled. We were just happy to see a whale not necessarily a specific hermit-like whale that had been eluding our giddy guide.

Quickly into our adventure my daughter Mallory became extremely interested in whales. Known for worrying more than a 6 year old should Mallory was concerned about being seasick. But the size, beauty and wonder of whales was winning her over. She raced with me from one place on the deck to the next with her little camera always ready to shoot. Over and over again she got the better shot because I was manually focusing my camera and missing the good shot. But sweet, excited Mallory with her cheap disposable camera was catching the image. She’d ask me if I got a good picture and I’d say,

“Maybe, did you?”

“YEAH, I got it.”

Big fancy grown up guy with expensive camera – 0

6 year old kid with a disposable camera – 1

While all of us were amazed and intrigued, Mallory was the one who fully embraced this experience. My memory of whale watching includes some wonderful pictures of whales around our boat but it also includes a tightly bundled little girl with a red nose, camera ready and an infectious smile.

Ron Cloer is the father to some of the best kids on the planet. His newest and not fully finished website MaineTrip.net MaineTrip.net includes articles and suggestions for families traveling to Maine.

Last April, my family – me, husband Judah, sons Sam and Jordan (then aged 15 and 11) – packed a limited amount of personal luggage plus a large duffel filled with school supplies – solar calculators, pencils, paper, stickers, educational videos, and baseball equipment and headed to Heathrow. We were bound for Zambia and our first overseas volunteer experience.

Being Americans living in London for the past five years, we have been privileged to travel to extraordinary places with a frequency that we could not have imagined from our former home in Larchmont, New York – skiing in Austria, hiking in Spain, peering at hippo dung in Botswana, swimming on the edge of Victoria Falls. These opportunities, in contrast to our ever-growing appreciation of the plight of so many world citizens, made us feel an urgency about giving something back and introducing the boys to the world in a different way.

Together, the four of us developed a ‘wish list’: The boys wanted to help with their hands – building, harvesting – and connect through sports. Judah and I wanted a real-life organic experience, not an overly orchestrated schedule of events and activities, and not as part of a big group. We all wanted an intimate experience through which we could learn about a new culture and teach about ours. We hoped to make but a small difference, perhaps to touch the hearts of others and bring home something special in ours.

For months, we researched countless organizations offering volunteer trips, but did not find what we were looking for until we contacted our friends at Aardvark Safaris. Two years earlier, Richard had planned our first African adventure. It was a perfect experience in every way thanks to Richard’s knowledge, ability to listen and willingness to pay a house call to map out our itinerary. If anyone could find us a village, Aardvark could… and did. In just a matter of weeks, John introduced us to Jo Pope of Robin Pope Safaris (RPS) in Zambia who in turn connected us with Kawaza Village, home to the Kunda tribe and the Kawaza Village Tourism Project. And thus began our odyssey, one that tested and demanded, yet delighted and charmed. It featured probably the first ever game of American baseball played on Zambian soil and a late-night walk through the maize fields, during which we learned that not everyone knows that there are no elephants running wild in England or that the moon shines over us all.

We left the comfort of Nkwali, on the edge of the exquisite South Luangwa National Park, one afternoon after lunch. We had spent two days at the RPS camp getting acclimatised and waiting for lost luggage to be located and delivered from Johannesburg. A truck was loaded with our belongings, a week’s worth of bottled water and mosquito repellent (necessary companion to the essential supply of anti-malarial pills), and four intrepid travellers looking forward to getting to the village, our home for the next week. Accompanying us was Masumba, an RPS guide and as gentle, gracious and knowledgeable a man as they come.

Travelling into the bush over mud roads riddled with potholes that, according to Masumba, can get so big they often hide crocodiles during the rainy season, we had first-hand exposure to the extremely under-developed Zambian infrastructure. One of the potholes almost swallowed our truck and this was just the beginning of our education.

It took a few days to settle into the village rhythm. The intense heat and challenge of basic tasks taken for granted at home made for arduous and exhausting days. Sam announced one morning as he emerged from the long drop (loo) that using the formula for falling objects he had learned in science class, he was able to determine that the long drop was 10 metres deep…you figure out what he was getting at. Our mornings often began with such conversation since the process of getting ready for the day – being awakened at 4am by the village rooster (and every village rooster for miles around in synchronized intervals), extricating oneself from mosquito netting in a double-occupancy hut strewn with the clutter of travel, using the long drop (shirt pulled up over nose…mandatory) – was the first of many daily challenges that had us seeing life in a whole new context.

Our days were filled with school visits, visits to neighbouring villages, playing with the local children and just living village life. Throughout our stay we were cared for by members of the village tourism project committee who made clear in their gracious way that our well-being and enjoyment of the village was their number one priority. There was hot water ready for us every morning so that we could bathe in the open shower huts; rice prepared when one of the boys wasn’t feeling well; an immediate smile when I insisted on doing woman’s work (carrying hot water atop my head or sweeping outside our huts each morning). An incredible generosity of spirit made us feel welcome despite a vast cultural gulf.

So many memorable moments will stay with us forever. We witnessed Judah, born, bred and bar mitzvah-ed in New York City, addressing the local Anglican Church Palm Sunday service with a palm frond crucifix hanging from his neck. We found ourselves explaining the concepts of a lift and buildings with more than one floor. We left Jordan at school in the afternoons happily playing football with his new friends, few of whom spoke English beyond “What is your name?” and “How old are you?” We picked maize and helped build the granary in which to store the harvest. I learned Elizabeth’s story of how she gave birth to her five babies by herself in her hut.

The boys coped with much less food than they are accustomed to (thankfully our large supply of granola bars and peanut butter brought from London filled the holes) and found that teaching their beloved game of baseball to the local children was as rewarding (if not more, although they might not admit it!) as chatting with friends online. And somewhere in their memories they have stored the image of the local football team bicycling one and a half hours to get to a big match, playing barefoot in the hot sun and then bicycling back to the village after their win.

In retrospect, we think of the overland journey to Kawaza as a metaphor for our challenging adventure… a bumpy but exhilarating ride. It is not for the faint of heart, or for those who prefer to be close to a flush loo, but an extended visit to Kawaza will feed you a dose of humanity for a lifetime. We were given so much more than we gave and for this we are eternally grateful to our friends at Kawaza.

aardvarksafaris.com/articles-zambia-village.htm aardvarksafaris.com/articles-zambia-village.htm

Charlotte Opperman first visited Africa on honeymoon in Kenya, when a love of Africa (and hopefully her husband) was born. She has since visited Botswana, Namibia and the Seychelles. Charlotte has also tested a number of our trips with her husband and two sons. So far they have visited Mauritius, South Africa (twice) and Kenya, so she is a great person to talk to if wanting to travel to Africa with children. A keen horsewoman Charlotte rides and competes regularly, and has ridden in both Southern and East Africa. Her desire for comfort in unspoilt surroundings makes her a good yardstick when planning a safari for many of our clients. Her close attention to detail ensures our clients never leave home unprepared.

Galdessa Safari Camp-Kenya

Galdessa camp is built on a curve in the Galana River and shaded by tall doum palms. Away from the river the land is hot, dry and dusty with sparse scrub and thorn trees it is refreshing to come to the comfort of Galdessa.

There are 8 tent/bandas-basically canvas walls with a thatch roof, a wooden floor in the bedroom and a stone floor in the bathroom. Three of the units are larger with their own separate sitting room. One of these is by the river and the other two are at either end of the camp-guaranteeing extra privacy (ideal for honeymooners). The tents have running water and flush loos, but guests are treated to a proper safari bucket shower. The large mess tent is comfortable with big white sofas and a view over the river.

Highlights of camp Kenya Galdessa

Galdessa combines the adventure of an authentic African bush experience with great style and luxury. There are no fences, and wild animals are free to wander around the camp. You are bound to lie awake thrilling at the sound of the African night a heartbeat away through canvas walls. You can go for a game walks with an armed ranger and enjoy the excitement of a night game drive. You might choose to go fishing by the Lugard Falls or simply relax in this supremely peaceful place.

As for style and luxury-gourmet meals are served under the starts, on the banks of the river, or as a surprise out in the bush. Your laundry is done, your bed is turned down, your shower water is heated, your drinks are iced… What more could you ask for?

The owner, Pierre-Andre Mourgue d’Algue, whi lives in London, divides his time between international banking and African conservation. Pierre is very eco-sensitive, and has helped to reintroduce black rhinos into the park. Solar power lights the lamps in your tent and there is no generator-just the sounds of nature.

Guests can fly into the airstrip at Lugard falls.

Tiata Hills Wildlife sanctuary

Hilton in the Kenya Wild

The privately owned Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is 17,000 hectares of rolling savannah accented by dramatic rocky outcroppings and small plateaus. Because there is plenty of water, many animals shelter there, and large herds of elephants and other plains game migrate to the sanctuary from Tsavo each year.

Hilton international holds a long lease on the land and has built a trio of safari lodges to harmonize with this beautiful setting. These include the Taita Hills lodge, the salt lick lodge for overnight game viewing and the tents, a tented camp hidden in the forest along the banks of the Bura River. All are run according to high Hilton standards of luxury and service. Visitors are an international mixture of tour groups, business men and small private safaris arriving every day by road and by air.

Hilton is also responsible for managing the sanctuary and ensuring the safety of the animals. For this reason, there are 18 game wardens on Hilton’s Taita Hills Lodge staff. Because the sanctuary is privately managed, there are very few vehicles on game drives. The wardens keep track of the animals to guard them from mishap and poaching. The wardens also pass the word to drivers, which can make game drives very exciting and satisfying.

Robert is an expert tour operator with landmark safaris ltd. For your online Kenya vacation and camp Kenya bookings.

landmarksafaris.com landmarksafaris.com

Traditional online travel planning and flight-booking sites like Expedia or Orbitz are still strong although their traffic is slowly lowering in relative terms compared to web based applications with a touch of Web 2.0. User generated content, social networking features, blogs, use of google maps, collaborative planning, tagging, RSS feeds and similar innovations changed the way we travel. So what are the best travel web sites ?

WAYN (Where Are You Now?) is a social networking web site with 4 million members where you can log your trips, see who’s where or make new friends. Users are able to create a profile and upload photos, search for others and link them to their profiles as friends. Since this service is designed for travelers, members are able to search for contacts based on a particular location. Using a world map, it enables a user to visually locate where his/her contacts are situated around the world.

Wikipedia buzz has influenced also travel industry. Wikitravel is a project to create a free, complete, up-to-date, and reliable world-wide travel guide. It uses wiki model to create the guide and is built collaborative by travelers from around the world. Articles cover any level of geographic specificity, from continents to districts of a city, and wikitravel has become useful resource for travelers. Similar service is World66, which is an open content travel guide, where people from all over the planet can write about the places they love, the hotels they stayed in, or the restaurants in which they have eaten. Every part of the travel guide can be edited directly, and you can change the info you find, do a write up, add a complete city or just a bar or a restaurant. Service also generates a map of the world showing which countries you’ve traveled to in your life.

If you are looking for innovative travel search engine, you should check Kayak. It is a travel search engine and is considered as a meta-search engine which searches hundreds of other websites in real time for the best travel deals available. Kayak lets you look at a full range of airlines, hotels and car rental agencies quickly and efficiently based on the criteria you select. Kayak does not sell tickets or book hotels but is looking for best rates and provides you with links to travel agents where you can book a flight or an accommodation.

One of my favorite start ups is farecaster, which is the first airfare prediction website. They help online travel shoppers save money by answering the question; should you buy now or wait? In beta version, they offer airfare predictions from over 55 U.S. departure cities to top domestic destinations. They use data-mining algorithms to search for patterns, in the accumulated airfare data, which are associated with significant price changes. These patterns are represented and stored in models, and the models are then rigorously trained. Once created and trained, they use these models to predict the future. Then, current airfares can be scored by the model to answer the question, “is the price going up or down in the future?”

I also like next service although it probably won’t be widely accepted, but I can see that this can be very useful. Website enables a traveler to stick digital pins on a world map. Friends and family can then follow the progress. They do this by accepting a simple SMS from a traveler containing the nearest town to you and this is then plotted on a Google map. We all have mobile phones when we are traveling and rarely we sure don’t have 24/7 Internet connection.

There are many other niche services like Travel Buddy which is a social networking and travel community website offering an interactive system for sharing photos, blogs, groups, and ability to automatically generate personal travel maps based on user blogging activity. Collaborative travel planning services like Triporama provide a web service designed to make travel planning easier. Similar service to triporama is TripHub, which makes it easy to create a central “hub” for all trip information and discussions, you can invite people to join your trip and track who is coming, research and discuss travel plans and activities, collaborate on decisions and keep people informed and create a shared schedule of events. Relatively popular website is also 43 places where you can share stories about places in your city, and around the world. Website is using tagging and nearly 60.000 places are featured.

Services I mentioned can be useful additions to traditional services when we plan a trip. TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet with search engines mentioned in the beginning of this article are still the best travel related resources, but you can really expand your experience by using some websites with web 2.0 related features. Specially when you plan a trip. You can also ignore everything and go on a pure adrenaline I don’t know what will happen or where I will end up trip which can be entertaining sometimes but this is not the best approach for every life period.

Check wazzapp.com/ WazzApp for more info.

A cruise is a cruise is a cruise … right? Well, not quite. With so many options to choose from when it comes to going on a cruise vacation, almost every cruise experience can be very different. That may be especially true of a Disney Cruise maybe largely because of the kind of images the very name “Disney” evokes – images of fun, laughter, playfulness, innocence …

And that is probably why there is no gambling on a Disney Cruise. That just does not fit in with the Disney image. So if one of the reasons you want to go on a cruise is gambling, then a Disney cruise may not be the right option for you. That, or you have to be willing to forego gambling and explore the ship’s myriad other attractions …

Apart from that, here is …

What makes the Disney Cruise Special

Kids ! Kids ! Kids ! : Disney cruise ships are all about wholesome family entertainment and on every one of their ships, you may expect to see almost an entire deck dedicated just for activities for kids where they are supervised and can enjoy activities designed for their age group.

Spacious staterooms : You may expect to see spacious staterooms – a lot more spacious than what could be available on other ships. And a very large percentage of these have ocean views and a one and a half bathroom – something that may be an industry first.

A visit to Castaway Cay : Castaway Cay is a private island owned by Disney that has gorgeous white sandy beaches and is filled with a plethora of activities for kids and adults alike. Since this island is reserved exclusively for guests of Disney Cruise, most of the activities are designed to complement the Disney experience.

That is not all – there is even a beach exclusively for kids on the island at Scuttles Cove where they can have lots of fun while being supervised.

And there are lots of activities to engage the attention of your teen too. A teens only coffee house with a large screen TV, a lounge, on board programs on movie-making, photography, comedy and more.

A Disney Cruise is a cruise vacation like no other and no matter what your age is, the chid in you might be delighted by the wonderful experience!

If you really are keen to go on a disney cruise, you might want to reserve shore excursions and other activities online. You might want to check out all the reservations you might want to make beforehand by visiting Disney Cruise’s website.

Vacationing in Europe? What you absolutely should read about blissfulvacation.com/Ferry/FerryMarseille.htm Marseille Ferry and blissfulvacation.com/Ferry/IrelandFerries.htm Ireland Ferries.