I had been wanting to take my boys somewhere extraordinary for ages. We have previously traveled as a family well worn routes through North America and Australia but now my wife and I thought it was time to challenge everything they thought they knew about the world. We decided on Vietnam in the hope it would provide a physical, emotional and sensory experience the boys would never forget. Our journey would take us firstly to Singapore for a gentle introduction to Asia then from the north of Vietnam near the Chinese border south to the Mekong Delta.
This was a trip of a lifetime and the experience enjoyed was difficult but words and pictures don't do it justice.
Alaska is an amazing destination if you love the outdoors (hiking, biking, canoeing, fishing) wildlife (bears, moose, whales, otters etc.) and of course the amazing scenic (fjords, glaciers, forest, mountains)...
Japan surprised me in so many ways, it wasn't a destination I first thought about travelling to but that all changed. It is amazing how a country/culture can blend...
This holiday isn't about what I did which of course included a visiting the port city of San Diego with it's museums, San Diego Zoo, and of course Legoland.
Argentina was an amazing place with some spectacular natural wonders (Iguazu Falls), interesting history, good food (a meat lovers paradise), great music and dance.
I love India. It wasn't an instant love affair. First impressions after crossing the Nepali border in 1989 weren't great. Seventeen years on from that journey Kath and I now had the opportunity to revisit with our two boys Alex (13) and Liam (11) in tow. This time we would head south to the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
I flew with Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines to Vietnam via Singapore. We took advantage of the Singapore Airlines Stopover package. This package entitles you to a range of attractions for free, like the Gardens by the Bay including the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome.
Rarotonga.....
Arrived in Rarotonga and blasted with the heat as soon as my foot took that first step off the plane. Took a couple of minutes to get through immigration and 45 minutes waiting for our bags. A great welcome into Rarotonga airport with an elderly gentleman entertaining us with his guitar and voice which apparently has welcomed every flight into Rarotonga for the last 30 years.
Starting off in Phuket, home to many high-end seaside resorts, spas and restaurants. Phuket city, the capital has old shop houses and busy markets. Patong, the main resort town has many nightclubs and bars. |
Let's make holidays better, together