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Want fast fun in New Zealand? – for all the family – try the Luge in Rotorua

February 18, 2011 in Extreme, Family, Travel with 5 Comments

When people think of New Zealand they tend to think of either the sheer natural beauty of the country (Lord of the Rings landscapes et al) or the array of adventure sports you can partake in (while surrounded by natural beauty) such as bungee or jet boating.  If you’re with kids though you’re options for adventure might be a bit more limiting – height, age restrictions – and all.

On our recent trip to new Zealand, a few family friends told us the highlight of a visit to Rotorua was to spend a day at the Luge.  For me luge conjured up the Winter Olympics image of a head to toe spandex bodysuited person laying flat down on a board attached to some skates inches from the smooth cold ice hurtling like a torpedo down a mountain.

 Sounds like Fun!!         But does that sound safe for the kids?

The Luge, Rotorua

 Well the Skyline complex including a gondola ride, luge, restaurants and great views over Rotorua provided the answer. Their luge, proudly claimed “a world’s first” and designed and built in Rotorua, involves no rock hard ice track, bodysuit or lying inches from the ground.  Instead sitting in specially designed 3 wheel carts (with room for the kids between you and the steering) with easy to control steering and braking meant an exciting ride whether you’re 6 or 60 years old.

With three levels of track (slow, intermediate and advanced) each with respective increases in terms of speed, we spent the better part of the day going down the hill and again and again – kids couldn’t get enough.  While you have to be six years of age to go down by yourself, (and my 7 year old daughter Leila had fun learning to control the luge even at slow speeds) it was my five and two year olds that had the most fun, sitting in front of me or my wife, while we hurtled down the hill.

Opening at 10am I suggest you get there early as by lunch time lines had grown quite long but even so they moved pretty quickly.  Price wise its not a cheap day out, the cost of the gondola comes first but a family pass can come with 6 or 8 luge rides included and then you may purchase additional packages of rides. Of course for adults or teenagers an unlimited day pass might be a better option.  Also if you pick up a Rotorua/ NZ brochure they frequently have a 10% discount option as well

Enjoy!

Kids after a day at the luge, Rotorua

Tips and tactics to survive Christmas travel

December 24, 2010 in Family, Travel with 3 Comments

Happy Holidays!

As I sit pool side at home in Melbourne enjoying the sun my thoughts keep coming back to those travelling all over the world to see family and friends over Christmas and New Year’s period.  Particularly friends in the USA, UK and Europe where I have lived at various times who this year are enjoying a (very cold) white Christmas!  Anyone who has to travel this year has seen the stories of passengers sleeping on airport floors, lost luggage and endless delays as they try to reach their Christmas destinations.

I spent many years overseas going somewhere at Christmas and so the long lines, anxious passengers and inevitable

Waiting for a christmas train

Waiting for a Christmas Train

delays became a yearly ritual.  However since I’ve had kids my wife and I have started to make our own holiday memories at home and although we inevitably still travel sometimes during the holiday season we’ve had to become a bit more realistic about when we travel and what we can do.  So how to survive Christmas travel?

Stay at home, have friends/family come to you

Yes that might seem obvious but more relaxing it is.  Forget the long drive, train or flight to the other side of the world (or country) and stay close to home.  Cook some great food and the kids can enjoy opening presents at home. But returning home to parents, family is a must do so:

Go, but go early

Travel in the few days running up to Christmas is bound to be busy; delays and stress even with good weather are going to happen.  Why not plan to take a few extra days and spend a long weekend or week  extra away  – stopover somewhere, or like us drop the kids off with grandparents and escape to a nice B&B/hotel for a few days to relax before rejoining the Christmas frenzy.  But we have to work right up to Christmas you say – then:

Consider alternative forms of transport and travel when it’s least busy (during the busiest times)

You know it’s going to be busy, so if travelling by car make sure you leave early morning before many others or plan a route that includes a stop off to give a break .  Take the flight that’s first thing in the morning so that delays don’t have the chance to back up as much.  And consider some creative ways to travel – helicopter anyone, take the train, ride your bike – consider your options but if impractical:

Contingency – Have Plan B and C ready!

At the best of times things can go wrong but at Christmas you need to have some contingency.  Have travel insurance so if there are delays or you have to cancel that you’ll get money to cover the changes.   You might have discounted alternative routes and transport in your planning but have them in mind if your preferred route get shuts down and be ready to switch.  And finally recognise that delays can happen, plans can change and if you can’t make it to wherever you planned for some reason then make the most of where you are – meet up with friends, have a drink and great meal – let the stress of delays ebb away and you may find it’s the best Christmas you’ve had.

And at all times have a good book or some relaxing music with you to help see you through the delays.  Smile at the good and the bad that happens – there’s no point getting bitter about it.  Enjoy the Holidays!

Travel delays - airport camping

Travel delays - airport camping

From below – your options to see the Titanic?

October 29, 2010 in Above or Below, Inspiration, Travel with 0 Comments

The Mir submersible

Mir submersible for viewing Titanic in the Atlantic

Most people know the story of the Titanic, the “unsinkable” ship that sunk on its maiden voyage after hitting an iceberg crossing the Atlantic in 1912.  The story has been retold many times and in abundance since the rediscovery of the ship on 1 September 1985 by American and French research vessels, which has led to numerous expeditions being mounted to investigate the wreck. You’ve probably seen the Oscar winning movie and in recent years there seems to be a Titanic exhibition popping up everywhere hosting some of the objects that have been recovered from the wreck site, survivors or the onslaught of time and sea water.

I recently visited Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition in Melbourne which has been sold out for months and its season had to be extended.  Sailing away in November it will move to another part of the world to retell the story while enabling people to see some of the items from the ship recovered from the ocean floor. A quick search online tells me that over the past 15 years, more than 22 million people have seen this exhibition in major cities worldwide – from Chicago to Los Angeles and Paris to Dublin.  And starting in November London is next to stage it over 6 months at the O2 arena.

Whats more with the 100 year anniversary of the fateful sailing in 2012, expect to be hearing much more about the Titanic in the coming year. For starters a Titanic Memorial Cruise, meant as a tribute to those who lost their lives, will cross the Atlantic arriving where the liner sunk on the 100 year anniversary (April 14/15) for a remembrance service.  Already sold out more than 500 days before it will sail, the 12 night cruise will follow the Titanic’s original itinerary. Travelling the other direction Voyages! Titanic 2012 cruise will depart Boston, Massachusetts, on April 9  2012.

Titanic wreck

But nothing would be quite the same as getting up close to the remains of the Titanic lying on the ocean floor.  The IMAX film Ghosts of the Abyss might provide some impression of the scale of the adventure required to explore the wreckage inside and out, but if you have the means then the Great Canadian Adventure Company can help.  Running from Newfoundland, exhibitions on the Russian Research vessel, Akademik Keldysh, travel to the wreck site and then aboard the MIR I and II submersibles will take you down underwater nearly 2.5 miles to the wreck site.  At US$54500 for an 11 day adventure, it’s the price paid for being one of the first non scientists (or movie makers) to see the wreck of the Titanic up close.

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Family find! – Jump on the trampolines in Lorne along the Great Ocean Road

October 19, 2010 in Family, Travel with 2 Comments

The Great Ocean Road is considered one of the best drives in Australia and is well known around the world for its beautiful beaches and sheer limestone cliffs that are pounded by the crashing surf of the Southern Ocean.  Starting from Torquay, surf capital Australia, where nearby Bells Beach is one of the most famous surfing locations in the world and stretching past the rugged splendour of the huge rock stacks of the 12 apostles (or the 7 or so that’s left).

Beach at Gibson Steps

This stretch of road is a great place to spend some time either on the beach, exploring the forests of the Otway ranges or admiring the beautiful coastal scenery.  One place to make a stop is Lorne not only for the scenery, great restaurants and shopping which make it popular for weekending from Melbourne but if you have kids a great find is the foreshore trampolines.

With the beach a few steps in front, a big playground next door and rows of trampolines built into the ground all three of my kids loved their jumping for 20 minutes after our drive from Melbourne and would have kept going if they hadn’t closed up at 5pm (we got to use them for free at the end of the day but it seems there is a small charge).  The only problem might be getting on particularly in summer, these trampolines are an institution for visitors to Lorne and a must for the kids.

From Above – Taking a Peak at Hong Kong

September 28, 2010 in Above or Below, Travel with 2 Comments

I recently returned from a trip to Hong Kong, a city I have great memories of but somewhere I hadn’t stopped in for the past decade.  And while some things have changed what every visitor loves about the city is the skyline and harbour, particularly from above. 

The best known place for the view from above is the Peak, and it’s highly recommended the first clear day or night you get that you make the journey to Victoria Peak both to be in awe of the beauty of the city and harbour below and get a great perspective on the layout of Hong Kong. 

The Peak Tram (really a funicular railway) makes the journey up to the Peak Tower every 10 minutes and from the Peak Tower there are a range of walks you can make around Victoria Peak.  Of course as many do you can also just take in the views and then return down into the city below.  My wife and I though decided to walk back down (our calves got perhaps more of a workout than they needed on our first day after an overnight flight) what is quite a steep road and enjoyed the views of the city from different locations and seeing the lush vegetation that contrasts with the concrete jungle. 

The old peak road deposits you at the top of the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical gardens, which is worth a stop on your way down, both for a short rest and a drink but also to see the surprisingly good collection of exotic plants, bird aviaries and zoo with lots of monkeys playing.  For the kids there is also a playground. From here we made our way over to the Mid Levels escalator, following as you do in Hong Kong pedestrian signs that seem to double back take you away from and then over busy roadways.  And on reaching the top of the escalator by the middle of this very hot and humid day we found that the escalator was not heading down, there is only the stairs for that, as it’s only a one way escalator which you take from the bottom to the top – well we’ll know for next time. 

Hong Kong is best explored by foot and going up the peak and then walking back down took us through some great neighbourhoods.  If you have time you can also take different tracks down such as the one to Aberdeen. And if you want more views from above and you’re not in one of the many high rise hotels with views over the city and harbour try heading to the public viewing gallery on the 43rd floor of the Bank of China building (On Garden road), all you need is your passport/ID to get through security.  Or alternatively for a night out stop by Felix for views from the bar at the top of the Peninsula Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.

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