There is plenty that you all need to know when it comes to going on cruises and how you are expected to act while you are at sea. Too many people go on cruises and decide that they can just absolutely make a fool out of themselves, so what you all should know before going on your next cruise or if you have never had the opportunity to go on a cruise is that it is very important that you act civilized and appropriate throughout the entire cruise. Read the rest of this entry »

When traveling with small children, it is important to try to keep your child’s likes and dislikes in mind when selecting a destination. I can tell you this cos’ we just got back from a month’s break with our three year old!

I have been asked about where would be our next vacation be for this year and many are wondering if we will consider holidays in the UK. The answer is a firm and bold ‘yes’! I believe the website of Pontins is a timely discovery as I take a close look at UK breaks for 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

Whenever I check in to a hotel, I tend to notice the reception desk and the service staff, to see if the hotel has lived up to its reputation. My first encounter with Hilton Hawaiian Village had been a pleasant one - the staff was friendly and helpful and most importantly, there were sufficient service staff at the reception to assist the guests. Imagine waiting in line in front of a big reception area but there is only one person to help the hotel guests? Marriott Waikiki reception staff are commendable too. We checked in early on that morning and they were helpful in settling us in though the intended room reserved for us wasn’t ready.

I believe a nice hotel team makes me feel that the rates I paid for is worth the while. Most importantly, it helps to determine if I will be back again.

Disneyworld’s newest addition, Animal Kingdom is a wonderful place for kids of all ages to learn about animals and the environments in which they live, as well as taking a closer look at the world of dinosaurs – all in the traditional Disney package of feel good exhibits and varying thrill-level rides. Upon arrival, check out the visitors center for news on any special events happening daily in the park. Read the rest of this entry »

It seems like we may have overspent in our last vacation to the US. Though I did not resort to using any cash advance facilities, I had to request for an increase in my credit limit. It’s amazing how your travel expenses can keep adding up without you noticing it, until you are told that your credit card is not honoured.

Personally, I have found traveling with credit cards very convenient opposed to keeping too much cash or travelers’ cheques. Having said, do make sure that the country you are traveling to accept global credit cards so that you won’t be stuck with any financial hiccups during your trip.

We all love to go to the movie theater to relax after a long day of work. Even if you need to tide traffics jams to go to the movie theater, you are willing to endure this to be able to watch a movie. The sight and sound of a movie theater is what makes us go back there every so often. Read the rest of this entry »

The nice thing about traveling is that I get to shop for unique gemstone jewelry whenever I find the opportunity. When we were in Oahu, we took a drive to the North Shore and I found this beautiful Mother of Pearl pendant crafted by a local artist. Without any hesitation, I bought the lovely piece to remind myself of this beautiful island. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been telling all my friends about the great cruising experience we had with the Norwegian Cruise Line since we returned. Opposed to lots of critics and negative remarks, we thought the Pride of America was a wonderful cruise liner to sail with. We enjoyed the itinerary and various ports of call, the food, service and facilities. One of my favourite things was to wake up in the morning and sit at the balcony whiling enjoying some ocean breeze.

Of all the ports of call, I enjoyed Kona and Maui though Kauai was nice too. Hilo was abit gloomy that day and we didn’t catch any rainbows at the falls. Kona is a nice village to walk around and spend a lazy afternoon with lots of surf shops ready to entice the ardent shoppers.

Here are some of the photos taken in the cruise ship and various ports of call… you can see that our little three year old was having a real good time!

We are finally home after being away for almost a month. This is one of the best trips we had and looking back, I am thankful that our 3 year old has been a reasonably good traveler. If you are familiar with traveling with a toddler, you know that nothing is perfect and you must expect melt-downs, cranky moments, stressful situations…etc. But with a little planning and patience, these negative responses can be minimized. Read the rest of this entry »