The Travel Geek

Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

The island of Gran Canaria has something for everyone on any budget. The versatility and wide range of hotels and resorts make it the getaway from heaven and it doesn’t matter how much you have tucked away for your holiday fund, it offers a diverse array of choices. Cheap Gran Canaria holidays are perfect for that well-deserved break and the range of activities on offer when you arrive are what make each resort so special. There are few other destinations that can give such a kaleidoscope of different deals suiting each one of us, as every family is different.

All the Puerto Rico holiday deals are tailor-made to suit each holidaymaker’s own preferences and interests so you can spend time doing the things that you really enjoy. Whether that may be playing a few rounds of golf with the boys on the exceptional 9 and 18 hole courses that stretch across the island or simply sun bathing and relaxing by the pool with your headphones in and working towards that perfect tan that will make all your friends at home envious.

With three water parks on the island, museums and a wide range of water sports in differing resorts this is a holiday that has something no matter your situation and what you are looking for. It is difficult to get bored on Gran Canaria with so much choice on your hotel room doorstep.

Indeed, if the busier resorts of Puerto Rico and Maspalomas don’t excite you then head to the small fishing village of Puerto Mogan and relax with a few beers trying to catch some of the many fish that swim in the Mediterranean. It isn’t too rare to have the locals out with you in the boats, giving you some tips and hints!

There is something for each of us in Gran Canaria so get booking and take advantage of such an island of plenty.

After a long tiresome journey I was finally on my last plane from Nairobi to Zanzibar. The views out of the plane window were absolutely fantastic as I got a good first impression of the island as we flew over it (I recommend sitting on the left hand-side of the plane to get the best views of the island when arriving).

Upon arrival at the Zanzibar airport I got my visa and jumped straight into a cab which took me through a sight seeing tour of Zanzibar from Stone Town all the way to Nungwi. I couldn’t believe the things I was seeing; the sky was so bright and the foliage on either road side was vibrantly green! There were carts being pulled by donkeys, people riding bikes, cattle on the road side and tropical smells wafting in the air.

Soon enough I arrived at the the hotel I was going to be staying at for the next week – it was great! The rooms were en-suite with a sea view of the Indian Ocean from the balconies and there was a nice sized swimming pool which I jumped into to cool off right after checking in. I spent the rest of that first evening at the hotel drinking local brewery Kilimanjaro beers and eating king fish in the hotels restaurant which was crafted from a traditional wooden Dhow boat. I went to bed early so that I would ware off any jet-lag and be fresh for day two.

I woke up feeling refreshed after my flight into Zanzibar the day before, my plan for today was to visit Prison Island. I got a cab back the same route I had taken yesterday,which took me into Stone Town. When I arrived in Stone Town I couldn’t believe how narrow the alley ways where and how tall the buildings shot up into the sky – it was magical. I made my way down towards the beach area and asked one of the people selling Prison Island trips to take me over.

I spent my day on Prison island snorkeling, swimming and sun bathing on the beautiful white sand beach and also visited the tortoise sanctuary, where I was able to feed a hundred year old tortoise some greens. I got my boat back to Stone town and went for an Indian meal before getting a cab back to the hotel and going to sleep after a nice relaxed day in the sun.

Day three in paradise… Time for some extreme water sports! I inquired at my hotel about water sports and it turned out they had their own sea kayaks! After a bit of practice on land, I took to the sea and spent several hours riding the waves out in the sun.

Just a tip; wear a hat that covers your head and face and polarized if you are doing water sports in bright sun. I got to watch the sunset from my kayak which was amazing and then headed back to shore. That night I ate at the hotel restaurant and then went for a swim in the pool and gazed at the stars – such an experience that I can’t describe it in words.

My final day… I wish I was staying longer! I decided to spend the day in Nungwi and see what happens as I go along. I made a start by walking along the stretch of beach and eventually came to a natural aquarium by a lighthouse where there were baby sea turtles in rock pools that had been taken in for sanctuary until they were big enough to have a better survival rate. I ended the night having a beach BBQ and some beers at a local restaurant bar, it was fantastic.

They say, the three handsomest sights in the world are, a knight in shining Armour, a ship in sail and a women with an absolutely flat tummy. Well, if you visit beaches, chances are you will notice at least two of these sights (you know which ones). Other than this, there could be numerous reasons you could choose beaches among all other travel destinations and vacation spots. Without venturing upon the reasons, you can directly read about a few best beach vacation spots, where you can have a wonderful time with your whole family.

Top Beach Vacation Spots In The World

Copacabana Beach, Brazil
This beach is rated by many tourists and travel writers as the best beach in the world. Imagine the beautiful scenery your eyes are to witness here, with the beach being set against hills and clean sandy beaches with crystal clear water. Surprisingly this beach has a very serene atmosphere, making it a calm place to relax and have fun too.

Crete, Greece
As a country, Greece rates as one of the best places for vacation. And adding to this fact is the long coastline which boasts of hundreds of beaches, each bettering the other and mesmerizing visitors. Though most beaches along the northern coast are crowded, the ones particularly in Crete are quite, isolated and not very crowded either.

Baby Beach, Aruba
Like Greece, Aruba too is considered to be one of the best beach vacation spots frequented by tourists from world over. This beach will greet you with calm and shallow waters. You can spend a lovely quiet time here reading books while sitting on your chair. Since water is shallow, taking a nice round of swim is always on the cards. Sand of this beach is typically soft and very comforting.

Phi Phi Island, Thailand
One of the more remote beaches in Thailand, this place has breathtaking scenery surrounding the beautiful beach. Phi Phi island also has several reggae bars and restaurants. Apart from this, there are a couple of other islands as well in southern Thailand for you to explore – Ko Phi Phi Leh and Ko Phi Phi Don.

Antigua, Caribbean
When you talk about best beach vacation spots, you cannot leave the Caribbean islands far behind, can you? Antigua, amazingly, has 365 beaches in all! Locals claim there is one beach for everyday of the year. Though you cannot visit all of them at one go, try seeing as many as you can. Beach cricket, swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving are few of the beach activities one can indulge in Antigua.

Call it a nightmare or just another boring task, packing for a vacation, no, let me rephrase that, packing for a family vacation can be a tedious task for some. Usually the mom gets stuck with remembering all the necessary items like, clothes, toiletries, electronic items, and much more. A family vacation is all about having fun with everyone, spending quality time together, and unwinding. But before you get to do all that and relax, you have a crucial task of remembering everyone’s important items for the vacation. Take a look at the following detailed vacation packing lists that can be used for pretty much any type of family vacation. Here’s your packing list for travel.

Family Vacation Packing List

Before we start the packing list for vacation, think about exactly where you’ll be going and what type of climate is it. The following list can be used for any/all family vacations. Read more on what to pack for a vacation.

Dad’s Clothing
•    Athletic shoes
•    Belts
•    Boxers
•    Casual shirts
•    Dress shoes
•    Hat
•    Pajamas/robe
•    Sandals
•    Flip-flops
•    Shorts
•    Booklight
•    Sunglasses
•    Sneakers
•    Pants
•    Sports jacket
•    Swimsuits
•    Tie
•    Undershirts
•    Workout clothes
Mom’s Clothing & Accessories
•    Bathing suit
•    Bras & Panties
•    Lingerie
•    Dresses
•    Skirts
•    Slacks
•    Jewelry
•    Tank/halter/sleeveless tops
•    Heels
•    Straw hat
•    Workout clothes
•    Purses
•    Sneakers
•    Sweater
•    Robe
•    Socks
•    Sandals
•    Sarong
•    Shorts/capris
•    Sunglasses
•    Fake diamond engagement ring (leave the real one in a safety-deposit box till you return)
Son & Daughter
•    Shorts
•    Shirts
•    Pants
•    Baseball hat
•    Swimsuits
•    Pajamas
•    Socks
•    Sneakers
•    Underwear
•    Sandals
•    Dresses
•    Skirts
Baby
•    T-shirts
•    Light blanket
•    Breast pump
•    Bottles
•    Formula
•    Shorts
•    Swimsuits
•    Toys
Common Toiletries
•    Shampoo & conditioner for adults and kids
•    Bath soap/shower gel
•    Moisturizing lotion
•    Deodorant
•    Nail clippers
•    Q-tips
•    Sunscreen
•    Razors
•    Hairbrush/comb/hair clips/scrunchies
•    Diapers & wipes
•    Training pants
•    Swim diapers
•    Earplugs
•    Hand sanitizer
•    Washcloths
•    Contact lens care
•    Makeup
•    Bugspray
•    Toothbrushes, toothpaste, special kids’ toothpaste, dental floss
•    Tissues
•    Shaving kit
•    Lip Balm
Money & Documents (for international trips)
•    Addresses for sending postcards/e-mail
•    Auto insurance card
•    Driver’s license/international driver’s license
•    Cash Copy of medical history, if necessary
•    Copy of marriage license
•    Photo ID
•    Passports & visas
•    Vaccination certificates, if required
•    Emergency numbers & embassy address
•    Frequent flyer/frequent guest cards
•    E-ticket confirmation
•    Your itinerary
•    Vouchers/coupons/tickets
•    Pre-paid phone card
•    Travelers checks and receipts
Medical
•    Anti-diarrheal medication
•    Antibiotic cream
•    Anti-itch cream
•    Band-Aids
•    Birth control pills
•    Bug repellent
•    Prescription medicines
•    Extra pair of eyeglasses
•    Sea-sickness bands/pills
•    Pain reliever
Miscellaneous
•    Cellphone and charger
•    Binoculars
•    Playing cards
•    Sports gear (tennis rackets, golf clubs)
•    Maps and directions
•    Camera case
•    Travel guide(s)
•    Foreign-language dictionary or phrase book
•    Underwater camera
•    Journal/notebook and pen
•    Travel alarm clock
•    Umbrella
•    Blow dryer/straightening iron
•    Digital camera, batteries, memory cards
•    iPod/MP3 player and headphones, batteries
•    Reading material

If you are making a tour to the Costa Rica then let me inform you that the most popular way of transportation here are the public transportations and of the Costa Rica private transportation it’s the taxis, and the rental cars, in spite you might also take a small plane in order to reach from one part of the of the country to the other part.
Then to get around the Costa Rica it is a must to rent a vehicle.

It’s more preferable to rent a 4×4 vehicle, more so if you belong to the adventure-type and plan to make it to the jungle hikes and making it to the less touristy regions. If you wish to fly right into the San José and you then plan to hit the beaches, you are about 3-4 hours off the nearest beach. The transportation services are standard enough to allow a comfortable journey.

You can also take public transit which is a lot more economic, about 5 US dollar to reach the west coast from the downtown San José. In spite of the fact that it is a very economic choice, it might be a little confusing and dangerous more so if you are traveling all by yourself.

Be cautious of the Hidden Charges

Never sign on any of the blank contracts or the contracts having missing dates or any other of the blank information. Double check the rental contract by means of reading it for multiple times. The contract should be in English, and if they make an effort to include bogus charges right into the contract then never sign it and you better then look for another company. There is nothing as such the “heat/AC” charge or the “maintenance” charges, all of that pure bogus.

So, if you are going to the Costa Rica then make sure you travel safe.