Answers
Dear Don: We have spent most of our lives working and saving. Now we’re approaching the time when we’ll be able to enjoy the things we’ve been dreaming about doing. On the top of our list is a trip to Africa. We want to see wildlife and wild places but also learn about local cultures and people, too. What do you recommend? Asante sana! – Michelle and Bill
Dear Don: Ever since seeing “The Lord of the Rings,” my family has wanted to visit New Zealand. But we don’t want to restrict ourselves to the “Ring Route” – we want to experience the country’s diverse beauty. Problem is, there’s so much variety, we feel a little overwhelmed. What do you suggest? Thanks! – Jack
Dear Jack: I couldn’t agree more! “Lord of the Rings” was such a great global advertisement for New Zealand that it should have been sponsored by Tourism New Zealand. But the film doesn’t cover all of the country’s rich scenic attractions, so you’re wise to look beyond the Cineplex version to see the real “Big Screen.” Here are some excellent tours to help your whole family grok the natural – and cultural -- heart and soul of this spectacular place.
Backroads offers hiking and biking trips on both the South and North Islands. One that might be perfect for you is “Family Fun on the North Island,” a kid-friendly trip that utilizes paddles, pedals, feet and rafts to explore farmlands and forests, plus the Maori cultural riches of the island.
For a unique adventure, consider the “Semester in New Zealand" offered by NOLS (the National Outdoor Leadership School). For 75 days, participants backpack through the Southern Alps, learning about the region’s natural history and culture. One highlight is a two-day stay with local Maori, who teach about their history, culture, and connection to the land. Optional activities include canoeing, kayaking, mountaineering, and sailing.
Off the Beaten Path offers a "New Zealand's South Island" trip that features hiking on the spectacular Abel Tasman and Hollyfeld Tracks, with a bonus overnight cruise on Milford Sound.
Natural Habitat Adventures also offers a South Island exploration -- "New Zealand Explorer" -- which visits six national parks as well as cruising the Milford Sound.
And if you want to sample the highlights of both North and South on one trip, consider Geographic Expeditions’ “A Taste of New Zealand.”
Jack, I hope these suggestions help. May you and your family enjoy the adventure of a lifetime -- and if you come across any Hobbits, share a bottle of Dorwinion wine on me!
Dear Don: There are now so many web sites for travel information and opinion, I don’t know where to go or who to trust. It’s a cyber-jungle out there! What are your favorite sites? -- Jim
Dear Be-Jungled Jim: I completely agree! When I started Salon’s Wanderlust travel site in 1997, you could count the number of travel content sites on one IPO-ringed hand. But in the past few years travel content has absolutely exploded on the Web. Planning an odyssey online now is overwhelming; the choices are so dizzying and daunting that you’re apt to end up more confused than enlightened, and more exhausted than inspired. In addition to the guidebook publishers’ web sites, the national tourism organization sites, and crowd-sourcing sites like Lonely Planet’s ThornTree and TripAdvisor, there are hundreds – well, probably thousands -- of travelers’ blogs covering the spectrum from here’s-what-we-did-today postcards to sophisticated reportage. It’s truly mind-boggling!
Here are five sites I turn to regularly for information, stimulation and enlightenment:
WorldHum.com: For an ongoing offering of thoughtful, informed, provocative and well-written dispatches from around the globe, this is the place to go. WorldHum also offers high-quality opinion columns, interviews, book reviews and a terrific links page.
JoeSentMe.com: Edited by veteran business travel journalist Joe Brancatelli, this is the business traveler’s bible. Joe and his column-writing colleagues provide excellent up-to-date information and commentary on deals and debacles in the business travel world; the site also features extraordinarily comprehensive links.
The Perrin Report/The Perrin Post: Wendy Perrin has been an editor at Conde Nast Traveler since 1989; she’s currently the magazine’s Consumer News Editor. Perrin is a savvy, sensitive traveler and journalist and her report and blog invariably offer informed, timely, tested-on-the-ground advice and information.
Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet’s site is a great all-in-one place to roam the world without leaving your desk. With dispatches from correspondents, photo and video galleries, accommodation recommendations, quirky and compelling lists, and the mother of all travel-crowdsourcing sites, the Thorn Tree Forum, LP’s site serves up a worldly smorgasbord of advice, information and inspiration. Just be sure to set a timer – or you may spend the whole day there.
Kayak.com: Whenever I’m researching airfares, I visit this site first. Kayak is an information provider rather than a ticket-seller, which means that in contrast to the big online ticket-selling sites (such as Travelocity, Expedia, and Orbitz), Kayak doesn’t rely on commissions from airlines and other providers, so it’s free to offer a wider range of provider information. For example, its airline listings include Southwest and Jet Blue, low-cost carriers that most other engines simply ignore. Kayak also shows you what tickets are selling for on other sites such as airfares.com and cheaptickets.com, in addition to the airlines’ own sites. It’s a great start to getting the best deal.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one more site: adventurecollection.com. If you want to find a trip to virtually anywhere in the world, adventurecollection.com (the adventurous sponsor of Don’s Place) is a cyber-wonderland of information and inspiration, with literally hundreds of trips on land and sea, from rugged to relaxed, in its database. Whether you’re in the dreaming or the booking stage, check ‘em out!
Jim, as you know, this is just the tip of the tip of the digital travel iceberg. I’ll be highlighting other web sites throughout the year, so be sure to come back. And in the meantime, happy travels!
Dear Don: We’ve recently moved to Northern California, where every February the schools have a curious tradition they call Ski Week. School is let out so that the kids and parents can indulge in a little February mood-lifting on the slopes. We’d like to make this Sun and Sand Week instead and fly south for our winter break. Any suggestions for our sunny retreat? PS The dates are Feb. 18-22. Thanks! Sylvia and Tom
Dear S & T: Sun and Sand Week? An exemplary idea! Nothing beats the winter blahs like charging into bathwater-warm ocean waves or squiggling the toes into a sun-baked beach.
I’d recommend two prime destinations for your consideration: Baja and Costa Rica. For a wonder-filled week of whale-watching in Baja, take a look at Lindblad Expeditions’ Among the Great Whales and Natural Habitat Adventures' Whales of Baja, both scheduled for Sun and Sand Week. Other Adventure Collection members that offer Baja journeys include Backroads, NOLS and O.A.R.S. In Costa Rica that week, Backroads’ Costa Rica Biking looks really enticing to me, as does Geographic Expeditions’ Costa Rica Rivers and Rain Forests. Other Costa rica itineraries are offered by Lindblad, Natural Habitat, and Off the Beaten Path.
Finally, it’s not exactly Sun and Sand, and it would require taking some extra days off, but for the odyssey of a lifetime, Patagonia can’t be beat. Off the Beaten Path’s Exploring Patagonia and NOLS’s Patagonia Backpacking and Fly Fishing would give you and your kids an unforgettable blah-busting adventure. And if you want to explore Patagonia at a different time, check out the itineraries offered by Backroads, Bushtracks, Geo Ex, Lindblad, and Nat Hab.
I hope these ideas offer some helpful inspiration. Please send me a postcard from your Sun and Sand Week celebration!
Dear Don: We have two children, ages 11 and 15. The years are whizzing by, and before our kids grow so old that they don’t want to travel with Mom and Dad anymore, we want to take one unforgettable family odyssey. Of all the places you’ve been with your kids, which one stands out the most? Thanks! – Sue and Rick
Dear Sue and Rick: I completely understand you! My kids are now 21 and 16, and the years have absolutely flown by. While I hope we still have a family trip or two ahead of us, you should definitely take advantage of these years when you can explore and grow together. Over the years we’ve traveled together to many wonderful family-friendly places – Fiji, Mexico, and Greece leap to mind – so it’s hard to choose just one. But I’d have to say that the best family trip we’ve ever taken, a trip that truly brought us closer together and will remain a family landmark and touchpoint for the rest of our days, was our voyage to the islands of the Galapagos. I’ve written about this in depth in the Feature Destination area of Don’s Place; you can read my account here.
The following Adventure Collection members offer tours to the Galapagos:
Lindblad Expeditions
Geographic Expeditions
Natural Habitat Adventures
OARS
Backroads
Off the Beaten Path
Check out their offerings to see which one appeals most to you. But whichever you choose, go! The Galapagos are an enchanted laboratory where you and your kids can get a new perspective on our world. I recommend a family odyssey there most highly!
Dear Don: I''m looking for a trip to Alaska that can offer some active adrenaline-rich experiences while at the same time introducing me to the serenity of the Alaskan vastness and nature. Am I looking for the impossible? What would you recommend? Thanks in advance. -- Stelios
Dear Stelios: You are definitely not looking for the impossible! In fact, Alaska is one of the best places on earth to combine activity and serenity. You can explore the north's mind-cleansing vastnesses by small cruise ship, kayak, raft, bike and/or foot. Alaska's size is enormous, and so is the range of travel experiences there, so it's essential to prioritize your desires -- are you looking for whitewater thrills, close encounters with glaciers or grizzlies, cultural immersions, backcountry hikes? And what's your comfort threshold? Narrowing these options will help you focus on the area and kind of trip best suited to you.
In regard to specific trips, for the combination you're seeking, here are three I'd recommend:
Off the Beaten Path's Kenai Adventure offers the Big Five: biking, rafting, kayaking, cruising, and hiking -- with some beachcombing thrown in for good measure.
Lindblad Expeditions' Exploring Alaska's Coastal Wilderness uses a small expedition ship for whale-watching, forest-walking, glacier-gazing, and island-hopping.
OARS offers a journey through spectacular wilderness on its Tatshenshini-Alsek River Expedition.
Check these out -- and send me a serenely adrenaline-soaked postcard when you go!
Dear Don: I've always wondered how penguins avoid getting dehydrated in Antarctica as they are surrounded by snow and salty water. How do they quench their thirst, or are they never thirsty? -- S. Michelle
Dear S. Michelle: I forwarded this wonderful question to our friends at Natural Habitat Adventures for their response. Here it is:
On land penguins can usually find fresh water in pools and streams, but when at sea, penguins must drink salt water to survive. Most animals cannot drink salty water, but penguins have the ability to drink salty water with special filter systems within their body. Their stomach can actually separate the salt from the water. Penguins have a gland located around the eye called the supraorbital gland, which helps clear out excess salt in the bloodstream. The excess salt is excreted through the nasal glands as a salty fluid. So penguins in fact can survive on salty water and avoid dehydration with their special filters!
All I can add to that is: Bottom's up!
Natural Habitat Adventures is one of a number of Adventure Collection companies that offer trips to Antarctica. For more on these trips, visit AdventureCollection.com.
Dear Don: Thanks for your article about the Galapagos. I want to go there to swim with the penguins. What islands should I visit? What's the best time of year to go? And what boat should I take? Thanks. -- Zeke
Dear Zeke: Thanks for your note. Swimming with the Galapagos penguins is definitely one of the unforgettable treats of a Galapagos trip. The best islands for seeing and swimming with penguins are Bartoleme (Pinnacle Rock is a favorite place for penguin-spotting), Fernandina, and Isabela. What's the best time to view the penguins? You're very likely to see penguins any time of year, but the cooler, dryer season from June through November probably offers the maximum possibilities. As for which boat you should take, there is a wide variety of boats that take visitors around the Galapagos. What you choose depends on how large a boat you want, and how much you want to spend. Within the Adventure Collection, Galapagos tours are offered by Lindblad Expeditions, Geographic Expeditions, Natural Habitat Adventures, O.A.R.S., and Off the Beaten Path. Check out their tour options at AdventureCollection.com.
Dear Don: What's the best time to take a safari in eastern Africa? Thanks! -- Patsy
Dear Patsy: I have had a spectacular safari experience in East Africa in the summer, but I am not nearly as much of a safari expert as the Adventure Collection’s Dennis Pinto, Managing Director of Micato Safaris. So I turned to him for an answer to this question. Here’s what he had to say:
There really is no “best” time to visit East Africa; it’s a year-round destination. Here’s why:
Wildlife: There is abundant wildlife in all areas throughout the year.
Temperatures: In the areas where most safaris occur the elevation is between 4,000 and 8,000 feet which, because of East Africa’s proximity on the Equator, means that temperatures are comfortably in the 70s during the day.
Rain: The “long” rains occur in April – so we don’t recommend safaris then. In April one gets cloudy skies and torrential rainfall for 2-3 weeks. The “short” rains normally occur in November – safaris are enhanced by these rains. Rainfall is in short bursts, often in the evenings, causing the terrain to be very green, with many flowering plants in bloom.
Bugs: Most visitors are astounded by the relative lack of bugs. I get more bug bites on a summer weekend in Kent, Connecticut, than I do on a 4-week safari!
Many travellers have heard of the wildebeest migration: This is generally best seen in June, July, and August in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, and in January, February, March in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro and Serengeti areas.
Like most spectacles, the wildebeest migration also attracts people. During the migration, one could see 500,000-1,000,000 wildebeest. In other times, one might see 100,000 wildebeest. (And the wildebeest attract flies -- another reason not to be there at that time.)
I personally prefer the non-migration months, especially May right after the long rains. In May the landscape is magnificent. Lush green. Plants and trees in bloom. Animals with young. Clear skies. Great light for photography. And there is an absence of people because it is the lull between the winter travellers from Europe and the normal summer build-up of travellers. (The movie “Out of Africa” was filmed in May – which will give you a visual idea of the terrain at that time of the year). The grass is long -- a drawback for easy game viewing, but not a detriment as one will see just about every animal on most people’s wish list anyway.
One last note: Travellers should be reminded that no shots are required for travel to Kenya and Tanzania, although we do recommend anti-malaria prophylactics and that one consults with a physician.
Hope this helps!
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