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Practical Information

Scams

Scams when travelling

Avoid Being Ripped Off

This guide covers many of the most common scams you will likely encounter whilst travelling/backpacking. 

Everyone who travels gets scammed in one way or another. But it is important to note that a scam doesn’t necessarily carry the same intent as it does in the UK.

In impoverished countries some people are literally at the wire, they have nothing and no means and so born through desperation they turn to wealthy tourists to feed their families.

Whilst this is true for many scamsters it isn’t for all, some are aggressively dishonest to the point that they would take your last breath and then kick you for more. I mean really nasty, devious people, the sort who know they are leaving you vulnerable and with nothing and couldn’t care less if they tried.

It goes without saying that some scams are more common than others and some are more complex than others. With that in mind I haven’t listed them in any particular order, but it goes without saying, new scams pop up daily and they are getting ever more complex. Differentiating between someone trying to rip you and off and someone trying to help will perhaps be one of the things you should try and learn quickly once your travels begin.

Taxi scams

This applies to anyone that will take you from point A to B, be it a tuk tuk, taxi, rickshaw etc. If ever you feel threatened by a driver simply get out, do not get angry, start shouting or anything, just get out.

The following is a warning for women travelling alone (or with kids).

DO NOT EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GET IN A TAXI/TUK TUK WITH TWO MEN, IF ONE JUMPS IN EN ROUTE, MAKE A FUSS AND GET OUT. YOU HAVE FOUND YOURSELF IN A SERIOUS SITUATION THAT IS UNLIKELY TO END WELL.

Anyway, the list is by no means exhaustive and variations of each scam pop up every now and again…

 Your hotel is burned down/doesn’t exist/is dangerous etc…

A common scam that is easily called by saying you are meeting a friend who is already there. It’s amateur and you feel like slapping yourself silly that people still try this 70’s classic on.

The meter isn’t working/inflated meter rate/price changes upon arrival

This is more of a boring rhetoric than a scam, even if the meter was working you would struggle to get the driver to use it. When you agree a price be absolutely sure it is for the car and not per person, when you arrive if the driver says it was a different price calmly remove yourself from the situation quickly. This is not as common a scam as some books/websites might have you believe.

Taking the long way around

It happens in the UK, so you can be sure it is going to happen in poor countries. Always be clear about where you want to go, or at least know the distance/direction of where you are going and pull out the compass on your phone. If you are in a new place and don’t fancy the scenic route simple call ahead and get your hotel to send someone for you, or to tell you how much it should be.

The taxi has broken down en route

Taxi drivers in Asia have the most amazing luck, every time they break down it always seems to be right outside a restaurant/shop, and that restaurant/shop is always the best place around town to grab a munch. This scam is more common in SE Asia than anywhere else, and is almost the norm for journeys longer than say 30 minutes.

Would you like to visit a [INSERT MUSEUM/PLACE OF INTEREST] en route

Despite the fact that you have got in a tuk tuk with a driver that barely speaks English and who has agreed to take you where you want to go; He knows the perfect excursion, a place you will absolutely love…Also a place he will get commission.

Can’t find your hotel

This is a classic, and has happened to me the 3 times that we have arrived at Agra, India. Now, it is actually highly likely the driver might not know your third floor hostel in some back street. Few drivers will turn away business because they don’t know your destination, they will nod and take you and work the rest out later, but be aware, some drivers will attempt to make it look like you are well and truly lost then magically some hotel manager will appear and has the perfect deal for you. Avoid this obvious scam by calling ahead, or when you get lost calling the hotel and letting the driver speak to the manager. Remember though – Drivers do actually and genuinely get lost!

Extra Charges

Whilst it is true some meters account for air conditioning in the car, some drivers will ask if you want it on, then bill you extra at the end. If a driver asks if you want it on ask how much.

I haven’t got any change

It’s amazing how few drivers apparently carry change, but this doesn’t mean you have to pay the amount you hand over. Nip to a nearby shop and buy some chewing gum and watch the drivers face drop as you hand him what you agreed. If you have a hefty note, ask before you get in if he has change. Scuppering the scam from the off.

Sleight of hand

You hand over a fifty, and within half a second the driver has swapped it for a ten and is asking for more money. Difficult to argue, easy to avoid. Count your money and let him know, you know what you have just handed over.

Driver cum tourist guide

It’s your lucky day, you just happen to have stepped into a taxi whose driver is also a tourist guide, he will point out obvious places and say them in broken English expecting to be paid for his services in addition to the fare. That said I was in Java, Indonesia and didn’t want to pay a certain price to get in somewhere and the driver offered to take me to a place where we could see into the complex and get really close. Things like that should obviously be rewarded.

The phantom popping boot

Never put anything of any real value in the boot of the taxi. Boots have a tendency to pop open when the car is stuck in traffic or at lights and your things can disappear. Of course the driver knows nothing about it…

The lead onto another scam, scam

Almost as common as getting over charged, the driver will ask where you are going, next destination etc and then get on the mobile to his buddy who is fresh and waiting for you at your destination to have a whole load of other scams waiting for you.

Airport/train station/toll fees

Be careful with this one, plenty of drivers do add on journey fees and this is expected, but the amount they add on can be suspicious. If they have to pay a fee, ensure that’s the fee you have to pay.

Thanks for the stuff

Never pay the driver until you have got out of the car, got your belongings from the boot, grabbed the kids and are ready to go. It’s common sense really.

I can only go this far

The driver randomly stops and claims he is unable to go any further, but not to worry, along comes someone on a camel, donkey, pedal rickshaw etc who can go further. This scam is a tricky one as in places like Agra and Varanasi in India there are restrictions of motor vehicles, but exercise a bit of common sense, 99% of the time this is a scam, and so look around, is your driver the only one not allowed to drive further? Really.

The sad reality is that the most scams you will encounter travelling are from taxi/tuk tuk drivers, but I have been assured it’s not just tourists that have to face their perpetual and relentless efforts, locals too are at their mercy.

Exercise a bit of common sense, never pay up front (unless it is prepaid and then ensure you get your receipt) and take things with a pinch of salt, laugh at the blatancy and try not to let it ruin your day.

It’s a just fact of life.

Hotel Scams

Most hotel scams are tied in with taxi scams. You know the score, every taxi driver knows some hotel manager happy to pay him a hefty commission for bringing you. Be exceptionally careful when contacting your hotel for pick up as some popular hotels have fake Facebook sites where you are actually calling a competitor who will promise to pick you up for free. Once he collects you he explains the hotel is overbooked but he has found you alternate accommodation in his other hotel. See right through this one, it’s been going on since the 15th century.

Street Scams

One of the things that has always puzzled me as a traveller is how some guy with no teeth, who hasn’t had a wash for a year thinks he can strut up like he is straight out of Compton, do the most blatant scam ever and actually expect me to fall for it. I mean come on! Read on for just how blatantly obvious these guys are!

Baby Milk

This scam has been doing the rounds since the day baby milk got invented. Some woman (or guy) desperately poor comes up and asks for milk for their obviously malnourished baby. It’s an awful position to be put in and any parent will feel sad to the pit of their stomach at the state of the poor child, but it’s a scam, and it’s a bastard scam because if people weren’t purveying this you might actually be willing to help out meaning all those who aren’t scamming lose out. Anyway, you go to the shop and buy some baby milk at an inflated price, you walk off feeling you have done a good deed and the woman/guy return the milk and skims off the commission.

Bird Shit Scam

I didn’t name it this, it is a common scam and one that has happened to me twice in one day. You are walking along minding your own business when ‘splat’ a big splodge of what looks like bird shit lands on your shoe, or your shoulder, but not to worry, today is your lucky day, there just happens to be a guy right there who can clean you up, buff your shoes or whatever for just a small fee. Come on!!

Language/let me be your friend scam

You are approached, usually by a smart looking guy who wants to be your friend. He also needs help reading or writing a letter written in English, could you help? Yeah sure, you agree and head off to a local bar/restaurant for a few drinks. After a few rounds the bloke goes off to the loo and you don’t see him again. You are left with a hefty bill where your drinks have been massively overpriced and you have no option but to settle. An hour after you have gone the bloke returns for his cut.

There are a million variations of this and so be careful, if you are being led to a bar or restaurant with anyone have your wits about you.

Fake goods

Ok, you might be able to spot that the DVD purporting to be Terminator 7 is fake because it’s not even been written yet, but what about that granite pyramid? Or that emerald? Unless you are straight out of the antiques road show be careful when handing money over for something that is meant to be something else. It very often isn’t.

Gem scam

This bad boy is probably the first scam ever invented, and there are loads of variations that typically centre around the same thing – Someone trying to sell you gems at a knock down price for whatever reason. Tourists looking to get rich quick have been left penniless by this ridiculously obvious scam.

The closed temple scam

You approach a temple and are told it is closed for whatever reason, or that only people offering blessings can enter. You are then either directed to another temple where you must pay a hefty price for entrance, or to a guy selling overpriced offerings. Or perhaps you would like a tour of somewhere whilst you wait until it opens?

Relentless scam

Some touts will be so relentless in their hounding of you that you just give in and let yourself be scammed because it is easier. They know what they are doing, don’t give in.

Gambling tricks

These blokes will make it look like its taking candy of a baby, but they are masters of sleight of hand and never lose. Don’t ever get involved with street gambling, you will not win.

Price increase scam

This happens all the time, you agree a price with someone for something and inflation goes up and then you are charged more. Stick to what you agreed, it’s more of a harmless tiresome chore than anything sinister. Always agree a price beforehand.

Carpet scam

There are variants of this, but someone selling something too big to carry offers to ship it to your home address. I mean really, as daft as it sounds people do actually fall this expecting to get home to a nice new carpet or whatever. Needless to say it rarely ever arrives.

Free Wi-Fi

Not so much a bad scam as a hindrance, you decide a call home or some work online is in order. So the deciding factor in where you eat is free Wi-Fi, well obviously everywhere advertises free Wi-Fi, but check before you order that they actually do have it, and that it works. In Pokhara, Nepal for example, every single restaurant claims to have free Wi-Fi, yet only about 20% actually have Wi-Fi at all.

Third Party Scam

This is one of the most frequent scams you will likely encounter. There are variants of it but it’s essentially some bloke approaching you to help you, he then takes you somewhere and you are fleeced whilst he gets commission. Ask yourself, do you really need some guy to find you a taxi? Or to show you to a shop?

The sex scam

You head out and decide to get chatty with a girl way out of your league. You buy her drinks all night, settle the bill and you think you are onto a winner. Back at the hotel things get frisky and then you are knocked sideways by the presence of a penis where you didn’t expect one. Statistically this has never happened to a single bloke – Realistically it happens all the time.

Fake police

You are approached by a guy claiming to be the police and whatever you have just being doing isn’t permitted, but pay a fine and all will be ok. This also happens by actual police who will stop tourists driving motorbikes/scooters and claim you’ve just infringed some traffic act.

Transport scams

Boat scam

You agree a price, but the driver doesn’t tell you he actually meant one way and so he floats around in the centre refusing to take you back to shore unless you cough up.

Train station scams

You turn up at the station fresh as a daisy and some guy needs to see your ticket. Unlucky, your ticket needs validating and so he gestures you head off to some building where there is obviously a fee. Don’t fall for it, it doesn’t need validating.

Bus ticket scam

I have fallen for this one, in Indonesia I got on a bus and before it set off some guy came and asked me where I was heading. I stupidly paid for the ticket and he gave me a ticket, then en route a different guy came round asking for my ticket. I had been duped. Point being, unless you are buying a ticket from an official ticket office based at the bus station – Buy your ticket on the bus from the same dude everyone else is buying from.

Motorbike return scam

Some people will tell you this is the most common scam in Asia. You rent a motorbike and are dumb enough to leave your passport as security. When you return the bike the renter claims you have caused damage that wasn’t there previously and so charges you ridiculous amounts before handing your passport back.

Motorbike theft scam

You rent a bike for a few days and on the application put the hotel you are staying at. At the end of the first day you park up and whilst you sleep the renter comes along with a spare key and robs the bike. You are now left with the cost of stumping up for a new bike.

Dangerous scams

Here are some potentially dangerous situations.

Never accept a drink from anyone on a long distance coach/train that you do not fully trust. Travellers get spiked and before long you will be unconscious whilst your things are stolen. Rapes have also occurred as a result of travellers being spiked.

Never get in a taxi with two or more blokes (that you don’t know). Single women have jumped in and ended up being gang raped, single blokes have ended up being beaten and robbed. Don’t ever put yourself in a situation where you are extremely vulnerable.

Be aware of other travellers who will befriend you and then keep an eye on your things whilst you head out, only for you to return to nothing. The sad reality is some backpackers do this for a living, don’t become a victim.

If you choose to have any form of sexual contact it is absolutely vital that you take necessary precautions. Instances of sexually transmitted disease and HIV/AIDS is often much higher than in the UK/Europe.

As I have already said, scams are as much a part of backpacking as carrying a backpack and the vast majority are little more than blatant hiccups in your day.

Remember, if something seems too good to be true it usually is, and not everyone is out to scam you.

 

Categories
South Asia

Crazy Nepali woman attacks British family on Annapurna Circuit, Nepal; My Response by Gemma Wilson

Crazy Nepali woman attacks British family on Annapurna Circuit, Nepal
Crazy Nepali woman attacks British family on Annapurna Circuit, Nepal

During summer 2017 I was hiking with my stepson in the Annapurna region of Nepal. On that hike I called at a tea shop and there was an incident which I filmed which then went viral around the world. The video can be found here: Crazy Nepali Woman attacks British Family on Annapurna Circuit

Until now I have remained silent at the hate which I have received, the death threats and the disgraceful side of humanity that has been laid bare and aimed at me.

Nepal was, and still is one of my favourite places in the world. Rugged mountain ranges, lush green valleys, immense culture, and some of the softest, most gentle human beings that I have ever met who despite a tumultuous history still find goodness in their hearts. Every day is filled with the welcome of genuine individuals who offer hope, warmth and generosity. Hiking in Nepal is second to none, even following absolute decimation by the 2015 earthquake the Nepalis just put things right and moved on regardless. It is this endeavour for happiness, through poverty, hardship, natural disasters and a ruthless history that really does summarise how amazing the Nepalese are.

You shouldn’t haggle over $1.50

I have travelled to many countries throughout Asia and even volunteered at a rural school in India. Not only do I respect cultures, but I admire the discipline and the hope, and I have never ever disrespected any culture, anywhere in the world. On this website there are images of me dressed in a hijab in the Middle East, with my shoulders covered in temples, dressing modestly on beaches etc. It has been suggested to me that I don’t care for culture and that I shouldn’t haggle over a cup of tea when it costs just $1.50. The issue is this, first of all I didn’t haggle. Though in Nepal haggling is part of daily life and culture, on the trails I never haggle, even in the markets of Kathmandu I feel uncomfortable haggling and rarely do. I am the typical tourist in that I know I always pay over the odds for things due to my nature. Secondly, being overcharged in Nepal is commonplace.

 

Not due to dishonesty, simply due to the fact haggling is expected,

A price will usually be quoted on the very assumption that you will negotiate to a reasonable price. This is not what happened at the Deurali tea house. On the Annapurna prices tend to be relatively fixed, with you paying the same at all places. At the Deurali tea shop I was quoted three times the price. It is irrelevant whether this amounted to $1.50 or not, there are no ATM’s on the trail, trekkers carry only cash and they carry the cash they think they will need. Stories of hikers travelling with hoards of money just does not happen. If I paid 3 times the price for everything I would have left my stepson and I in a very tough position. The simple fact is, I was being ripped off and I paid it, knowing this. I simply made a comment acknowledging that I knew I was being ripped off.

You had your own mug that was 3 times the size

Not true and one of the early lies given out by the woman. When you hike anywhere in the Himalayas there are certain things you must consider. The main one is health. If I was to carry my own mug, I would also need to find a safe place to clean it every time I used it. What is the point in doing that when tea shops provide cups? How impolite would it be bringing my own cup and then giving this to someone to fill. I think that would be rude. Another thing to consider is weight, carrying my own mug would be pointless weight. I do carry a bottle, it is a bottle that filters the water and does not require cleaning, but protects against any waterborne disease, this isn’t needed for hot drinks as the boiling process eliminates any water borne diseases.

You stayed at the tea house and refused to pay

This was the first lie the woman told. Probably in haste as it didn’t take people long to realise this was impossible since she has no rooms at her tea house.

Getting produce to the village is tough

It is, I 100% acknowledge this. I have seen guys in Nepal carrying weight which is at the limits of human capability and it breaks my heart seeing people have to work that hard for such minimal amounts of money. But lets put this into perspective for a moment. (Despite the fact tea is grown locally)

Assuming a tea bag was used, lets say that 1 tea bag is equal to 2 grams.

Lets say that a local will carry 50kg up to the village. That is a total of 50,000 grams or 25,000 tea bags.

At the price of $1.50 per tea bag, that means the load has a value of $37,500

Considering the current GDP per capita is $2,400, that means that one person, for that one load, carried up to the village a load that would represent an average 16 years of earning for the average Nepali. Now lets consider the porter used a horse that can carry 100kg…

Lets be realistic here.

Also, the teashop runs a porter service.

You pulled a knife on the woman

This is the most ridiculous of all the lies that have been touted by the woman. In a recent video she claims that I pulled a knife on her. When I first saw this response I laughed it off due to how ridiculous an accusation it is, but what has stunned me is how many people actually believe this would happen.

In the Annapurna region the people are renowned for being hard working, for being the type of people that are fierce in the face any challenges. That spend their days doing back breaking work that would reduce most of the world to tears. To even contemplate that any tourist would ever, in the middle of the Himalayas and over the price of a cup of tea, would pull a knife out on a local is simply insane. It is so far removed from any reality that it has dumfounded me that people even entertained this would be true.

To pull a knife, or even pick up a weapon in this part of the world against a local would be suicide, not just amongst the locals, but the police too. I would like to think I live in a world where that simply does not happen.

I hit the woman with my walking poles/a stick

Again, this is so far removed from reality that it is pure fantasy.

The ‘truth’ video

In this video it is claimed that I asked the price, then haggled and then threw the money on the floor. This is a lie, I don’t know anyone that would act like that, it is a complete lie.

It is then alleged that I started filming the Nepalese woman with my phone, this is impossible as I use an old phone due to its a very long battery life and that has no recording capability. I had on my chest a GoPro 5 capable of 4k filming, all I have to do is say ‘GoPro record’ and it starts to record. I did take a photograph of the outside of the shop, I was writing an account of my travels and was going to later write about how stopping here would inflate the price of a drink to three times that of other places. It was in fact this attempt at a photograph that triggered the situation.

It is then claimed I pushed the Nepali woman and then pulled out a knife. As I have already explained this is just ridiculous. I will also add that the husband was there the whole time, at no point did he get involved. If what the woman says is true, he would have. It is then claimed I somehow managed to find a log and attempted to hit the woman. Again, not only is this so far removed from my character, that I don’t believe any tourist would even dream of doing this.

This woman has changed her story multiple times, to the point of fantasy.

The reality of what happened is simple. She ripped me off, I commented on it, paid it anyway and then left the shop to take a photograph of the name. She became angry and tried to hit my phone out of my hands, she then tried to me with a stick which I blocked with my walking poles. I then ran, she chased me and threw rocks before outrunning me and then going crazy over me. My stepson was running ahead as I screamed for him to get help, the trail was along a steep banking that would have meant certain death had I fallen and the man my stepson managed to get was not the woman’s brother as she claims.

I put the video on YouTube to show anyone hiking the Annapurna where to avoid and I still stand by that decision. This woman is dangerous, when I reported her behaviour at the next village people laughed at me explaining that this was commonplace, and she is well known for exploding at tourists, knowing she will get away with it due to the nearest police being far away in Manang. Her behaviour was not unique to just me, there have even been people comment on social media and this video that they came across this woman and she went crazy at them too, and one day I really do believe she will kill or seriously injure someone.

The Nepalese tourism board contacted me, and official statements were taken. They are aware of the danger she poses and I stand by my initial naming of the video: Crazy Nepali woman attacks British family on Annapurna Circuit, Nepal

I hope that bringing this woman to the spotlight and that by showing her actions I have in some way warned others of the danger this woman poses to tourists.

Stay safe on the trails.

Gemma Wilson

 

Categories
Oceania

Sydney to Darwin – Part one; The Great Ocean Rd

Sydney with kids.
Sydney with kids.

Australia, home to stunning coastal cities, gorgeous beaches, the outback, kangaroos and koalas. A land so vast it spans five-time zones, three climatic regions and is home to some of the most diverse wildlife on earth. For many Australia is a place to retire, or somewhere to visit long migrated family, for us, it was a continent of adventure, of exploration and of driving one of the worlds most epic journeys. Sydney to Darwin via the great ocean road, and the outback.

You can drive directly from Sydney to Darwin up across Queensland, but we decided to go via Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Uluru and Alice Springs with lots of other places thrown in for good measure, and, just over the region of 3000 miles.

Sydney

We rocked up into Sydney off a red eye from Singapore. Car hire was a breeze, just £750 for a Toyota Camry hybrid for the month and unbelievably with no deposit to leave. Just me and 4 kids, we strolled out of the airport wearing shorts, rocking t.shirts and sandals and showing off a decent pair of sunglasses. We hadn’t stepped a foot beyond the doors before we all looked at each other and began dramatically shivering. It was freezing cold. We had arrived into Australia in the middle of winter, and the blue skies had lied. It was just 7 degrees.

Sydney is the launch pad for most people heading to Australia, the largest city in New South Wales, and is easily one of the hippest, most relaxed cities in the world. Everyone looks either high or retired, and no one really gives much of a damn about anything too serious.

This write up is not to tell people what to do, or to advise, different people like different things and so this guide is really what we did by way of giving you a jumping off point, somewhere to start with your own adventure. Nonetheless we spent a lot of time walking in the city, sure we hopped on and off the city trains from time to time, but generally Sydney is a very walkable city. An absolute must is the walk from from Macquarie’s chair through the botanical gardens to the Sydney Opera house. From there you can bounce across the harbour and mooch through the Rocks, which is the place British convicts turned up a couple of centuries ago. Walking around the area feels surreal, rich in history, yet shadowed by the huge iron harbour bridge with glimpses of the opera house dotting the eyeline.

Whilst in Sydney try and catch a footy game (Rugby League) at the stunning ANZ stadium. Don’t bother trying to sneak alcohol in, all bags are checked.

Everyone heading to Sydney wants to feel a slice of Bondi beach, and unless you’re a surfer, or hardcore till you die sun-seeker, you’ll be disappointed in winter. The beach is empty, waves huge and most things closed. This offers up a fantastic opportunity though. From Bondi beach is arguably the cities most famous walk ‘Bondi to Coogee’. A walk of around 4 miles, it meanders the coast on well trodden pavements taking in many bays, cliff edges and finishing in quirky Coogee. The walk took us about 2 hours, and in all honesty, it felt a bit ‘for the sake of it’. Worthwhile, but not life changing.

Beyond Sydney is the blue mountains, which looked green to me, and a number of other cities, namely Manly and Cronulla.

We did visit a few museums, and I realised very quickly that Sydney can become yours, there really is something for everyone and its easy to understand why some folks come, and struggle to leave.

I must point out our favourite restaurant whilst there, ‘Friggitoria’ a gorgeous little Italian place with a small menu serving up some of the best pasta I’ve ever tasted. If the kids are fussy, theres a Dominos around the corner shelling out reasonable sized pizza for $5 a pop.

Canberra

Legend has it, that years ago Melbourne and Sydney got into an argument about which city was best placed to be the capital city of Australia. Most countries would figure out their differences with handbags at dawn, but not Australia. Apparently, someone pencilled in a place halfway between the two cities and then set about building a new capital city. Everyone was happy and got on with their lives, content that they might not have been awarded capital city status, but then neither had the other.

Canberra is in its own state, ACT or Australian Capital Territory which by all accounts, is a poor effort at a state name. My first impression of Canberra was that it felt a bit American, and like it had been designed by a visionary with a knack for what the future might look like. Researching the city, I found I wasn’t far off. It is indeed an American design and the odd thing is, it feels designed. Most cities feel natural, like they started as some building and then naturally extended into the surroundings. Not Canberra. Everything feels like it is supposed to be there and for me that really takes away from the feel of the place. I soon got over that when I realised that virtually every museum in the city was free. And that means a lot. Four kids and I quickly become a high tariff, even when my 5-year-old rolls back his years to being just 3. Or 4.

The numero uno place in Canberra for us, was the war memorial. It would be criminal not to visit what for me, and all of us is simply one of the most beautiful and well stocked museums we have ever had the privilege of visiting. Meticulously crafted it represents a journey through history of the Australian military. Stories are told through artefacts, exhibitions, and enough props and activities to keep you occupied for days. I gave us 3 hours, we spent the entire day. Even passing Canberra, this is a worthwhile stop few will regret.

Parliament House and the National Museum are worth a gander, though the latter does feel like it was designed by your grandad, it is free and in the basement kids can design robots and then pit them against each other, albeit virtually.

Canberra for us was also the first place we really saw kangaroos, for a time they seemed to be everywhere, and when we left our hotel room for dinner, we saw loads of them on our lawn. We all probably got a little excited that night.

Melbourne

Long revered as being the worlds most liveable city (whatever that really means) I was looking forward to Melbourne. I’d rented an apartment with stunning city views and placed us just far enough from the hustle and bustle not to hear it, but close enough that we could walk or hop on the free city tram.

I must say, Melbourne wasn’t what I expected. Yes, there was the coffee shops, graffiti scrawled walls and fish and chip shops. But I just felt the city lacked any real identity, which is probably a huge attraction for many.

The city itself is modern, chic and walking around the arcades gives a glimpse into student life and $30 breakfasts. Supposedly the best coffee in the world is to be found in Melbourne, something I found out after having left the city so am unable to comment on.

We walked a lot in Melbourne, there is a free zone for the tram which you can hop on and off with ease and that allows you to really get your teeth into the city.

The main starting point for the city is Federation square, a cobbled piece of the city where the only activity is that of relaxing, chatting and not doing much.

A couple of places worth noting is the NGV, a perverted and somewhat pointless array of so called art, housed in a concrete wanna-be-Tate-modern building. The kids laughed at the drawings of penises, but I just felt it was little more than an outlet for some perverted individual keen to show the world his lurid and vulgar wanderlust.

Conveniently next door is the ACMI which is the Australian Centre for Moving Images, a small but wonderful little media museum that on weekends has tonnes of activities for families, such as making stop motion movies and watching some Australian classic TV.

Beyond the city centre we walked as far as docklands from Flinders st. and out as far as the hospital which is where our apartment was.

Melbourne to me lacked the friendly feel which every other place we’d been (and would go) had. I was talking to a couple of locals in the pool and they said it is due to Melbourne having undergone a population boom, and this was easy to see. At one point in the city my daughter said, ‘it feels like we’re in China’ and I looked around, and realised that it really did. Only in Vancouver have I ever seen as many Chinese people outside of China. Naturally, we embraced that and had a gorgeous Chinese meal for dinner.

The Great Ocean Road

Great Ocean Rd. 12 Apostles

The great ocean road is the jewel of Australian road trips. Starting east to west in Geelong, the route traverses some of the countries greatest coastline.

I was expecting koalas hanging from trees, whales crashing against the ocean, kangaroos bouncing through fields and tropical birds filling the skies. All this combined with a rugged coastline unmatched in this part of the world. I expected seaside towns decades past their sell by date, hardy Australians celebrating a life of coastal beauty. I envisaged wineries, seafood and quirky attractions desperate to draw some of the masses from the roads. I expected a lot, and we were not disappointed.

The Great Ocean Road is clearly marked. The route passes by towns that reminded me of great British seaside, often with a shady looking pier jutting out into the ocean. The sea was violent, isolated beaches were pounded with surf as fog tended to hang constantly a hundred metres from shore, broken only occasionally by a rainbow.

Much of the route was spent nipping off into the many attractions en route such as Lorne, where spotting koalas is more like ‘spot the place without a Koala’. Or at man made attractions such as Otway Fly, a super expensive and quite unnerving tree top walk amongst the rain forest. Made ever more memorable for us, as we met a lifelong friend who bailed to the Southern Hemisphere some 16 years ago. We picked up where we left off.

Beyond Otway is the stunning yet tourist saturated 12 apostles. No longer 12, more like 3 or 4, it is one of those images that epitomises Australia. We saw our first rain here and quickly bailed about 20 miles west before finding a slice of nothing, not even rain, and it felt like we had the entire continent to ourselves. It was still freezing cold.

Eventually a 70’s style British seaside town comes along. Name is Warrnambool. Was it not for the mammals that make their way here people might continue driving. Yet come between May and November and theres a high likelihood you’ll be rewarded with a show of whales jumping, rolling and living life in their natural habitat. Head to the whale sanctuary for the best lookout opportunities. No charge. Obviously. Further up the coast you can spot a zillion seals in Cape Bridgewater after passing through gorgeous Port Fairy and interesting Portland.

For me the Great Ocean Road was one of those places where you spend more time looking at what is around, than at the road ahead. The kids grew bored on the in between journeys, but sprang to life every time they saw something a little out of the ordinary, which was very frequent.

Be aware, prices rocket in this pocket of Australia and places sell out well in advance.

Beyond the Great Ocean Road and just across the border between Victoria and South Australia, is Mt Gambier. Famed for a supposed stunning blue lake that was oddly normal looking when we arrived, it is a nice little town to kick back, relax and walk down a sinkhole.

Adelaide

Oceania

Eventually, having driven through what seems like endless vineyards you drive upon a landscape that looks suspiciously like English countryside. Rolling green fields, rocks, even houses that wouldn’t look out of place in Blighty. You have come upon the Adelaide Hills, a gorgeous respite from busy Adelaide.

Rocking up into the city I was aware that there was a high proportion of British expats, within minutes we were stuck in a traffic jam, our first of the trip so far. Eventually, when things got moving we were stuck behind some of earths slowest drivers, definitive proof that the occupants were elderly British, whiling away their lives at a snails pace. Just as they do in Britain.

Adelaide is a coastal city boasting its own unique culture, which is a combination of chic, mixed with sexy and wrapped up in chill. It’s an easy place to love, clean, modern and easy going there is no doubt as to why it continues to attract migrants year on year. Personally, we didn’t think Adelaide had the best beaches, or museums, or landmarks. But it definitely had the best pace of any city we’d been in so far.

Take time to visit the hills though, the kids absolutely went crazy for Gorge Wildlife park, a cheap and cheesy place to hold a koala, play with kangaroos and experience some of the countries wonderful wildlife.

Naturally we hit up the botanic gardens, and took in a few museums, but the lasting memory for us all was the wildlife park and the holiday park we stayed at, which had a huge bouncy thing that the kids flung themselves from repeatedly.

Due to the time of year, the beaches were abandoned but looked like a sure place to lose yourself come summer. With a little more time we’d have loved to make our way over to Kangaroo island, but sadly, it wasn’t to be this time.

Categories
North America

A Texas road trip with kids

The Lone Star State

Texas. The second biggest state in the US, a land mass so vast it is almost a thousand miles abreast and home to some 27.5 million people. With vast landscapes, some of the country’s richest history and a perfect fusion of Mexican-US culture it is no surprise that Texas sits firmly as the countries 6th most visited state by foreigners. Yet few foreigners hit up Texan roads beyond the major cities. Size is the obvious reason, with 600 miles between Houston and El Paso most opt to save the road tripping to the western states. However, with a little bit of patience, a touch of planning and a lot of caffeine, a road trip through Texas is memorable, enjoyable and most of all a fantastic experience.

Starting out in Houston you really are spoilt for choice for what to do, where to stay and places to eat. A visit to the Johnson Space Centre is a must for space enthusiasts, kids and anyone that wants to utter the words ‘Houston we have a problem’ with some kind of authority. Arrive early and bail by lunch allowing your afternoon to be spent getting cosy with nature at the museum of natural science. Check the schedule for Houston Astros and catch a game at the world-renowned Minute Maid stadium. Those staying for longer than a day or two can hit up the zoo, drench themselves in fine arts or gawp in amazement at some of the cities decent m

seums and art galleries. Maybe catch a rodeo if time lands right.

San Antonio is on everyone’s Texas wish list. A gorgeous, leafy city famed for its river walks, Mexican culture and The Alamo it is arguably Texas’s best offering for tourists. Rich in history, this artsy American city straddles the perfect balance between relaxed and maintaining its UNESCO heritage missions. Whether you walk the heritage trail, stroll the river, dine in upmarket restaurants beneath trees older than time itself, or stand in awe at the largest cowboy boots in the world. San Antonio has something for you, and for me, cements itself as one of the country’s most beautiful cities.

San Antonio river walk

Driving north towards Austin it is almost criminal not to stop of the state’s best outlets to stock up on cheap Levi’s, Tommy Hilfiger and a snazzy Ralph Lauren shirt to make yourself feel decent. Austin itself is currently on chill level 10 and working hard towards keeping the relaxed, somewhat bohemian feel. Despite tourists heading en-masse to sample good beer and to make themselves seem all cosmopolitan as the take selfie after selfie at the state capital, the best of Austin is its green spaces. Obviously, you absolutely must (it is probably Texas law) visit the LBJ library. Walk around, act interested, pretend you are a library expert and then bounce. On the fringes of Austin is Zilker park, with the Colorado river running through, it is the perfect spot for a bit of skinny dipping, lazing around and wasting the day away staring at a deep blue Texan sky.

Texas Hill Country takes into account 25 counties all lush with rolling, picturesque hills beaming with lavender, peaches, vineyards, Texas bonnet flowers and rattlesnakes. Come at the right time of year (May) and you will be presented with more photo opportunities than you can shake a stick at. Effortless opportunities of postcard perfection await. Visit outside of flower growing season and spend your time drinking your way through the many, many, many vineyards. Alcohol connoisseurs will likely find the few distillery’s and nurse hangovers in Fredericksburg, the town which claims to be central to all things awesome in the area. A claim that is a bit meh to be honest.

Truth be told, Fredericksburg or quaint little Kerrville just down the road are pretty much the ends of the earth as far as civilisation goes for now. The city seekers will turn around at this point. But those keen on red eye drives and slices of New Mexico will continue into Western Texas. Famous for absolutely nothing, West Texas is literally a bunch of roads through oil fields and nothingness heading to El Paso.

The I-40 west epitomises the road to nowhere and some of the state’s most obsolete towns will flash by in a blink. Cowboy fans will be salivating at the opportunity to drive as far as Fort Stockton before taking a southerly exit towards Big Bend National Park, home to the Chisos mountain range, Chihuahuan desert and go lucky Mexicans making the stroll northbound. Sitting atop anorexic horses, John Wayne enthusiasts can curl their mouths and let everyone know that “life is tough, but it’s tougher when you’re stupid” whilst wives snap away their boredom with a $50 camera from a Walmart sale.

Continuing along the I-40, West Texas is home to Alpine, the turnoff for the states epitome of art, Marfa.  Keen to nab a slice of the art massive, Alpine has been quick to knock up a few art galleries and spawn a hippy-esque crowd busy smoking joints, rolling their beards and discussing how one day they might hike one of the towns great trails.

Prada, Marfa Texas

Few places in the United States have gained as iconic a status in the art scene as Marfa. Nestled in the desert, Marfa has drawn tourists for decades keen to see the lights at night that no one seems to know the source of. Having never seemed to have occurred to anyone to drive and check them out, lights near Marfa have long formed stories of UFO’s, and a mystical presence largely misunderstood. When tourism tired, art galleries sprung up, including the most famous Prada shop in the United States. Painted walls, olde buildings, stoned locals and Chinese all seeking a slice of a $5 painting on sale for $20,000 abound. People talk about Marfa being ‘one of those places you never want to leave’, but seriously, I found Marfa to be one of those places you are happy to exit. A self-indulgent collective of mystifying objects passed off as art work, Marfa is one of those places you smile because you went to it, but forget about soon after leaving.

As the road begins to reach El Paso you begin to feel a real sense of purpose. One of the United States safest cities, separated by a wall from one of the world’s most dangerous cities feels oddly unique. The obnoxiousness of a 50ft tall American flag flying in the face of murder, poverty and desperation is either a step too far, or an indication that bleakness does not rule out hope.

With its naturally, distinctive Mexican feel, El Paso is a perfect blend of sombreros, tacos and big American cars. It is a wonderful city, cheap by US standards and feels like a movie set from some naff 60’s flick whereby John Wayne saves the whole of the country versus one billion Mexicans. Movie studio it is not, but corner of Texas, New Mexico and worthy visit for any tourist it really is. Scenic drives, state parks, historic sites and museums are all within easy reach of the city. It is the perfect rest stop from the endlessly baron roads of West Texas and one of the country’s most economical cities for the tourist.

New Mexico markets itself as an enchanting place and few would disagree. With adequate time, you could get lost amongst some of the best the West has to offer. As part of a West Texas road trip, it would be a shame to not head directly to the White Sands National Monument. Home to rolling sand dunes akin to talcum powder and coloured a shade of white that has yet to be invented, it is another world. Purchase a skid pan and zoom down dunes as though you were a child again. Dodge cacti, brave dehydration and hike through a landscape so unusual it is unfathomably mythic.

White Sands National Park

Continue north and hit up the town where paranoia breeds excitement. Turned on by the thoughts of a mysterious crash in 1947, the town has been selling alien shaped candy ever since. With everyone’s kitchen a homage to what they witnessed, Roswell is the breathing heart of everything green and funky. Catch the airplane graveyard on the way out.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is one of those places that sounds snide. Admittedly it doesn’t have the best name and probably, with hindsight it might have been named differently. But don’t be fooled. This is easily one of the best national parks in the country, and one of the most uniquely spectacular places on earth. A cave of epic proportions it is naturally manicured to perfection. Rock geeks will have finally found home. Everyone else will walk around, 750ft underground in absolute awe at the chambers, formations and ignorance of those that brought torches.

Heading back towards Dallas is a trek. Abilene offers a good place to stop and explore, whilst it’s cheap, quirky little zoo will break the monotony of the I-20.

Thoughts of cruising into Dallas, wind blowing through your hair, music blasting will quickly become realisations of the Dallas traffic jam. With the entire city pretty much turning into a car park late in the day, many tourists would do well to stay on the outskirts. Fort Worth is a good bet, whilst the energy corridor is home to the cheapest mid-range hotels.

99.9% of tourists are there to visit the place that put Dallas on the map – Dealey Plaza, home to the biggest US conspiracy of all time. In uniquely American taste, the place where JFK was shot is marked on the road with a white cross, somewhat distastefully, tourists take selfies with perhaps the most famous piece of road in the State. Dallas is home to some beautiful outdoor spaces, and great American museums and landmarks. It is for many the epitome of Texas, and a true nod to the 27.5 million Texans beaming with lone star pride.

A road trip through Texas is one of those things you struggle to imagine yourself enjoying, long empty pieces of nothing dotted with oil pumps and a loneliness that often makes you feel like you’re at the end of civilisation. Yet with the right company, a good playlist, a sense of adventure and a V6 under the bonnet you will find yourselves in one of the friendliest and most welcoming places in the United States. Oh, and Texas is home to some of the cheapest gas in the country.

Until next time…
Categories
Far East

1 day in Tokyo


Let’s be straight, Tokyo is a world class city that would take months to fully appreciate. For the tourist it is often overlooked as culture seekers head into central and western Japan on the hunt for temples, shrines and anything Shinto. The sprawling megalopolis is home to about 13 million people and has the most complex yet beautifully efficient suburban railway system on earth. Don’t try and understand it, stations have multiple sub stations, different train operators and even multiple, completely differently named stations in the same place. Just appreciate that the reality is, that wherever you in Tokyo you are probably never more than 10 minutes away from some train that will take you anywhere else in the city.

The single first thing anyone coming to not just Tokyo, but Japan should do is download the Hyperdia app and google maps. Wherever you are google maps will tell you and show you your nearest train station. Hyperdia will tell you the train, line, track number and price of how to get to where you next want to go. It is easily Japan’s must have app.

Tokyo is an expensive place to be and accommodation will cost upwards of $60 per night for a shoe box sized room. Food ranges from about $5 per meal at the lower end but averages about $12 for a decent munch in a local joint without drinks. For a beer factor in around $5 in a restaurant, or $2 from a seven eleven. Will all these outgoings Tokyo is a budget destroyer and so it makes sense to try and save money where possible.

First of all, if you want temples you should head to Kyoto. If you want gorgeous scenery go to the Japanese Alps. If you want a combination of culture, technology, neon lights, anime, forests, boutique stores, sky scrapers and a peek into the future, all in the confines of one city. Tokyo is your place.

This guide is not comprehensive, nor is it intended to give you the best of Tokyo. It is written purely for those short on time but keen for the best mix of Tokyo getting a feel of what the city has to offer whilst keeping their wallets firmly closed.

Itinerary

Shibuya (Pedestrian scramble, Dogenzaka, Hachiko)

Harajuku (Cat street, Takeshita-dori,

Meiji-Jingu shrine

Shinjuku (Tokyo government metropolitan offices, Shinjuku chuo-koen)

Akihabara

Most of the itinerary is walked, but if you are feeling pooped just hop on the metro/railway to the next point.


Starting point for the day is Shibuya station on the Yamanote line. Take the Hachiko exit and grab a snap at the statue of Hachiko, history’s loyalist dog. The remarkable story is that Hachiko would accompany his master to the railway station each day and then wait for his return. One day his owner didn’t return having died at the office that day. Hachiko waited 9 years for the return of his master before dying himself.

Right opposite the station and the exit you just left is Tokyo’s most famous landmark and, if you are unsure of where to look, spot the multiple selfie sticks, if you are still unsure, look for the masses of people all waiting to cross the worlds most photographed zebra crossing.

From the crossing mooch around Shibuya a little, but try and head in the direction of Harajuku which is about a kilometer or so away. There are shops and restaurants to suit all tastes.

Heading into Harajuku you will come to ‘Cat Street’ which has no cats there at all. I sat here with my son and drank some free energy drink handed out to us and we couldn’t figure out why it was given such a pointless name. It does however have a large number of independent, more upmarket, boutique style shops selling handicrafts, clothes and maybe cats.

A stone’s throw way is the famous thrift/cosplay/teen magnet of Takeshita-dori. This is where Japanese teens come to be seen. To me it looked like a load of school girls, or adults dressed as school girls with the occasional Mario and Luigi walking by. This is thrift central and you can expect to buy gems such as second hand New Balance for twice their original price and stickers at $5 a pop. It is absolutely worth the visit and for me, epitomized Japanese youth culture.

Walking up Takeshita-dori and past all the selfie takers at the top you will see Harajuku station. With the station to your right, walk about 50m and see Yoyogi Park and the imposing wooden entrance. Follow the masses to Tokyo’s feeble attempt at taking on Kyoto and TripAdvisor’s number one Tokyo attraction – Meiji-Jingu. If you are on a Tokyo stopover you will love this place, if you have come off the back of a trip in central/western Japan you probably won’t. It is lovely, no doubt about it, and made even more impressive after the short walk through the forest past gorgeous and intricate bonsai gardens and chrysanthemums. Come expecting Japans best shrine and you’ll be disappointed, but arrive looking to dip your toe into a puddle of culture and you’ll be fine.


If you walk through the shrine and continue the direction at which you have been walking thus far, you will go back into the forest and eventually hit a main road surrounded by skyscrapers. Walk as far as the seven eleven and then cross over the dual carriageway. Keep walking in that direction and in about 500m you will arrive at Tokyo’s government metropolitan offices. You have to drop down a level, but enter either the north or south building. There will be a queue for the elevator which moves quickly and before you know it you’ll be on the 45th floor looking out as far (hopefully) as Mt Fuji. Entrance is completely free, but there are shops and a restaurant you can visit. If you are heading for food, try going after dark, it commands the best views of the floor and will be stunning at night.

Next stop on the walk is Shinjuku chuo koen, a leafy green park just down the road. The park is there to be explored, there was a festival when we were there. When you are bored hop on the metro bound for Iwomotocho which also shares a station with Akihabara, the beating heart of teenage Japan.

Akihabara is the neon stripped buildings teeming with teenagers and Japanese men seeking out electrical bargains. At night it really comes to life as teenagers walk around dressed as their favourite Anime character and pimped out motorcycles race through the streets. If you like manga, anime, comics or just browsing electrical deals such as Playstation 4’s that are twice the price of the UK then this is your place. I’m sure there are bargains to be had, but everything I saw was unjustifiably expensive, except the food, here eats are very cheap and $5 will fill you up easily.

This is where the day ends (if you like), and you will have hit up a perfect, albeit tiny combination of what Tokyo offers, for free.

A couple of tips:

Not all ATM’s accept international cards, some that do have a minimum withdrawal of 10,000 yen ($100). I found the best were the ATM’s in the seven eleven stores which have no fees and allow you to withdraw what you want.

Most stores don’t accept visa or MasterCard.

All of Tokyo’s railway/subway stations have lockers, look out for ‘coin lockers’, prices are always the same, 300/400/500/700 yen depending on locker size.

If you have a JR pass, use the Hyperdia app and select JR tickets. This will find you the cheapest combined route.

Finally, Tokyo is a city you can really fall in love with and has a million personalities. Don’t take yourself too seriously and relax, you are in one of the most amazing cities in the world.

Categories
South Asia

Top 5 things to do with kids in Kathmandu

The bus rolled into Kathmandu from Pokhara after a long, 7-hour trundle through spectacular scenery. As we struggled along the pot holed road devastation surrounded us. It was in many ways like pulling into a war zone, construction was everywhere, and when I say construction I mean people using wooden scaffolding and repairing collapsed buildings with nothing but hope and homemade cement. Bricks lay piled by streets amongst rubble, coiled metal and dirt.

In 2015 Kathmandu was devastated by an earthquake so immense, it is one of the largest ever recorded. 8000 people were killed and 21,000 were injured. As a result of the earthquake, avalanches ploughed down Mt Everest making it the deadliest day ever on the mountain as 21 people perished. Hundreds of thousands of Nepalese were made homeless as entire villages were flattened, the country was taken to the brink.

Throughout history the Nepalese have faced civil war (it actually only ended about 10 years ago), natural disasters and are ranked one of the poorest countries on earth. But what Nepal does have, is some of the most resourceful, friendly, genuinely amazing people I have ever met anywhere on earth. In addition to this, Nepal is the most scenically, spectacular place on earth. From jungles, to rice fields, to desert and to the highest mountain range on the planet, Nepal is a hiker’s paradise. Further posts will follow, but my wife and son hiked to Everest base camp and then did a second ‘hybrid’ hike into the Annapurna.

Alas, we arrived into what was a familiar city, but seemed completely unfamiliar. I have written about Kathmandu previously, so this is a short round up of what we did…

Kathmandu with kids

The Nepalese adore children and so any visit to the country will be a combination of balancing endless cheek squeezes with the patience of your young ones. Throw into the fray brutal heat, high humidity, crazy traffic, dust, dirt, and a city devastated in 2015 by one of the worst earthquakes in history and you would be forgiven for thinking that Kathmandu has no place on the itinerary of any parent. And it is true, few families visit this tiny landlocked nation. But, for those that chase the most rugged, spectacular mountain range on earth, kids on tow, they will invariably find themselves in the city that boasts a history spanning some 2000 years – Kathmandu.

Most people opt to stay in travel friendly Thamel, it is by far the cheapest place in the city with near wall to wall accommodation to suit all budgets and styles. Double rooms at around $5, whereas we paid $80 per night, for a 3-bedroom penthouse apartment in one of the city’s most exclusive areas, Bhatbetini.

Without doubt, the best of Nepal is spattered throughout the Himalayas, but for a city, Kathmandu has much going for it.

Guidebooks will tell you that Kathmandu is a city to be walked, and we did actually walk much of it, but dragging kids through dusty streets whilst trying to avoid suicidal drivers very quickly becomes boring. For the price of taxis, it just doesn’t make sense. And though every taxi driver will start at 500 rupees for a journey to the house next door, realistically you will pay around 300 rupees for a ride to anywhere in the city.

Top 5 destinations for kids

  1. Whoopee Land

Brand new, and just a 700 rupee ride from Kathmandu in a taxi, the driver of which will have no idea where you have asked him to go, this small, but excitement filled ‘theme park’ is located at the foot of stunning mountains in the Kathmandu district of Chobar. Buses will take you there, but why bother. Home to a slide filled water park, kids rides, statues of superheroes and even a ‘rapids’ ride through Jurassic Park, Whoopee land delivered on every level. The kids loved every minute of it and we spent an entire day there. It is without a doubt the best attraction for kids in Kathmandu.

Adult: 650 Rupees

Child: 350

Prices vary according to holidays, weekdays and weekends, irrespective of which, the entrance is probably the best value for money at any theme/waterpark anywhere in South Asia.

https://www.facebook.com/whoopee.land/

  1. Kathmandu Zoo

Kathmandu zoo receives a lot of bad press, much of it justified. Largely geared around small enclosures and the difference in price for foreigners, this miniscule zoo is a place you really need to think about prior to going. Do you avoid it on principle and give the zoo less income to spend on the animals? Or do you shell out the eye watering ‘foreigner’ price of 750 rupees for adults and 450 for kids. I say eye watering, it isn’t really but when you realise you are paying 8 times more than Nepalese, it genuinely is a slap in the face.

The zoo itself is quaint, at least half a century past a makeover and would probably fail any EU Health and Safety check on every level… But this isn’t the EU, and the zoo allows you to get up close and personal with the animals. Don’t be surprised if a random elephant walks past you or a bear screams for food as though it is screaming for life.

http://www.ntnc.org.np/project/central-zoo

  1. Pashupatinath Temple (with a twist)

Pashupatinath Temple ranks as one of the biggest scams that Nepal offers. But with a little imagination, is well worth the trouble. The most revered and important temple in Kathmandu, Pashupatinath may be central to the lives of the Nepalese, but for tourists, and children in particular it is a hot bed of scamsters just waiting to pounce. At 1000 rupees per person, it is more expensive that the Taj Mahal, tourists paying the price are essentially giving themselves a slap and asking someone to follow up. Especially when they realise that they cannot even enter the temple, and that their fee was simply to gawk from the outside. Fear not. Forget about paying the exorbitant entrance fee, walk through the complex as though you were headed back to the city and on your left you will see a river. Walk down the river, cross the bridge and then sit on the Ganges watching the cremations. How is this suitable for children? Two things. Firstly, there is nowhere else in Kathmandu that you will see as many monkeys. Not even monkey temple (see #4). Secondly, it is sobering to watch how some cultures treat the end of life and kids will really tune into this. It is culture at its rawest, at its most sensually intrusive, it is life changing.

  1. Monkey Temple

Swayambunath Temple is on the hit list of every foreigner’s itinerary in Kathmandu. Perched atop a zillion steps (or at least it seems so) this stunning temple offers up the best views of Kathmandu from the ground. Swarming with monkeys that are more than willing to give you a slap, kids absolutely love this place. Ok, it’s cultural and temples can be boring for kids, but monkey spotting entertains them whilst you immerse yourself in the stunning history of this temple. Candles flicker, monkeys try stealing your things, and the occasional self-righteous European will look at you in disgust for daring to enter his bubble kid in tow. But children can run, climb and be thoroughly entertained in one of the cities greatest spots.

Prices

Depending on who is at the entrance will depend on the price you pay. It is supposed to be 250 rupees with children being free. But the guard determined my 12 and 14-year-old daughters were adults. The passports that had allowed us entry to Nepal were not sufficient evidence for this beady eyed bloke.

  1. Boudhanath Stupa

The most significant Buddhist stupa in Nepal was all but destroyed by the earthquake and that is one of the reasons it is on my list. This once grand, stunning nod to Buddhism is a shadow of what it once was and the only way it will regain such glory is through visitors. There is still plenty for kids to see and do. They can light a butter candle, get lost in the many craft shops, run, play and chase birds. It is still the slice of pristine silence on chill level ten it was; it is just under construction.

Prices

Adults 250 rupees

Kids free

Beyond the list are a million things to do in Kathmandu. With about 5 cinemas, prices are just £30 to watch a blockbuster movie. The city now has a KFC for a western reminder and the streets of Thamel are begging to be walked. People reading this may raise questions of Patan and Durbar Sq., but I cannot recommend those places. They offer nothing for kids and are now charging foreigners $15 entrance whilst everyone else pays nothing. It wasn’t worth it pre 2015 and it isn’t now.

As alluded to at the head of this post, Kathmandu is the spring board to the Himalayas, but with kids, there is no reason to sit around twiddling your thumbs wondering what to do. Get out there and explore this amazing city and portal to the most spectacular landscape on the planet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
North America

Washington DC in a day, for free

Washington DC is a lot like London in that you can nip in and do what you need to in a couple of days, or you can linger there for weeks and still find things to do. As the capitol city of the United States it has the obvious governmental and political sites worth seeing, but offers a whole lot more besides. And, best of all, most of the things you will likely want to do in the city are completely free.

With 800,000 people making their way into Washington DC every day for work, the city is at a standstill during rush hour. City car parks fill by 7am and by 9am your chances of a short stay on street spot is slim. With that in mind it makes sense to either arrive early and shell out around $25 – $40 for a day’s parking, or park out of town. I chose the latter, opting for a $4.50 all day fee at a close metro stop: Rhode Island Ave.

Washington DC metro is ancient but slick. Hopping off and on is easy and cheap with an average journey within the city being about $3 with kids under 5 free, unlimited day tickets are $14. Journey times are around 10 minutes seemingly wherever you want to go.

The city is designed to be walked, and is pristinely clean, sidewalks are plentiful and the grass is manicured to absolute perfection. It is without doubt a gorgeous city to be in complete with historical buildings, statues, and world class memorials. However, it is a big city, and walking from one place to another can take a while and little legs will give up long before you make it. Below is the walking tour tried and tested with my 4-year-old and taking in some of the city’s best memorial sites.

Morning. Total cost $0.00

Walking tour good for little legs: 2 hours

Start at the Metro Center and walk on to Lafeyette square, check out the protests and get the obligatory White House photograph. Walk on and around to the front of the White House before heading over to the Washington Monument. Follow the route on to the WW2 memorial and go along the side of the huge pond. There were ducks here, I wished we had brought bread for them. You pass the Korean War memorial on the left and then end up at the huge stepped building at the end which is the Lincoln Memorial. If you started this walk around 9am, now would be the perfect place to stop for a picnic offering great views back across to the monument. From the Lincoln memorial, if the kids are fully recharged you should head around the tidal basin for the gorgeous pink blossom. If they are beat, head towards the Vietnam memorial and about 10 minutes up the road to Foggy Bottom metro station.

I chose this little walk because for the most part my son could walk in front without holding my hand or could run around on the grass trying to catch squirrels or birds. When he needed a rest we could just lay on the grass and relax. Once at the national monument there is virtually no traffic for the remainder of the walk making it not just quiet and free from hustle, but at times quite intimate.

Late morning/ early afternoon: Total cost $0.00

Take the Metro to Woodley Park/Zoo, a short journey and stopping point for the National Zoo. Free entrance and relatively small, the zoo is home to a selection of probably the animal’s kids most want to see with a few Pandas thrown in for good measure. Just opposite the zoo entrance is a Seven Eleven firing off hot dogs and big gulps for $1.89, for a super cheap, super unhealthy, but super hit-the-spot lunch. For the health conscious there were other stores selling other stuff.

It took us about 90 minutes to get around the zoo (you can rent strollers/carts for $10) and was very busy with school trips. It is the first time my son has ever seen a panda and he was completely mesmerised and convinced it knew Kung Fu, as it sat there munching on sugar cane oblivious to the attention it had garnered.

Afternoon

From the zoo we headed back down towards the Mall, and to the metro stop: L’Enfant Plaza. Just around the corner is the Smithsonian Air and Space museum. Entrance is free, and my son was blown away by the planes hanging from the ceiling, fantastic exhibitions and rockets. There is a lot to see and do and set over 2 floors if you are a plane spotter you could probably spend a good few hours in there, everyone else will need around 90 minutes.

Continuing on down the Mall you can head into any of the many museums and (if booked ahead) governmental buildings. There is so much to see and do, older kids might like the spy museum, grandma might like the National gallery of Art and had I not had my 4 year old with me I would have liked to visit the holocaust museum. Point being, just pick up a tourist map of the city in any gas station and tailor where you will go accordingly.

Eventually you will come to the reflection pond and the stunning US capitol building. The streets nearby are lined with food vans serving up just about every cuisine imaginable set to the backdrop of perhaps the most significant building in the entire United States. If, like us you are blessed with blue skies and scorching sun you will have had an immersive, yet exhausting day.

At this point my 4 year old was beat, the enthusiasm in him had waned and he was more interested in snuggles and being carried than seeing anything else.

One day in any major city is never going to be enough and you are further limited if young kids are in tow, nonetheless, if you should find yourself in such a position this should help in ensuring you see the best bits and do the best kiddy things without spending a single dollar… Well, except for travel and food. All that included I spent less than $20.

Costs:

Parking: $4.50

Metro Tickets: $6.80

Food & Drink $8

Entrance Costs: $0

Total = $19.30

Categories
North America

Hoh Rain-forest Hall of Mosses Trail, Olympic National Park

 

Hoh Rainforest – Hall of Mosses Trail

Hoh Rainforest has more water dumped on it per year than anywhere else on the mainland USA. With up to 170 inches (14ft) that’s an awful lot of precipitation which means it rains pretty much every day. All day. About 2 hours from Port Angeles, on the western side of the Olympic National park, it is easily accessible and perfectly tied in for Twilight fans that will love the series location, Forks, less than an hour (en route from Port Angeles). If you have never watched Twilight (like me) then it’s a great little town with an eerie feel, particularly in the morning when it is draped in mist. Actually my daughter said as we drove through “dad, please don’t break down here, there are definitely vampires”… Probably not.

Start: Hoh rainforest car park

End: Hoh rainforest car park

Distance: 0.8 miles circular

Driving up to the rainforest from Forks is a simple case of continuing south on highway 101, look for the left turn on upper Hoh Road which is easily missed from either direction.

The visitor centre is open Friday thru Sunday during winter, and on holidays. This means that in winter, if you rock up midweek you are expected to use an honesty box for your fee and there will be no rangers available to answer questions. The good thing about this, is that there will be much fewer people. In our case there was no one else in the rainforest.

At the visitor centre you have two choices of trails, one is the Hall of the mosses and the second is the Spruce nature trail which is 1.2 miles circular. I wasn’t sure which to take, but when we turned up the rain had ramped up from heavy to hardcore. It was full on falling down and so we threw on the waterproofs and headed off at superman’s pace and headed off up the Hall of Mosses.

The trail head is obvious and is the head for both trails. Ours headed to the left and after literally a minute we were mesmerized. In fact mesmerized is the wrong word, blown away is not even sufficient. It is an absolutely enchanting, beautiful, surreal place. My daughter commented that it looked like where Tinkerbell lived, my son agreed. It is actually really difficult to give the place the justice that it deserves, it is like no where else we have ever seen.

The trail is well trodden and though unsuitable for strollers is well walkable by anyone from ages two upwards, those younger can easily be carried up the occasional incline. Generally the route is flat and not difficult at all. The signs claim the route takes around 60 minutes, but it doesn’t. We actually went around twice as we missed the exit point. Basically after walking for a while, there is a sign that points to the Mosses trail, it didn’t click with me that this was the sign at the start and so we went up and back around. Jack kept saying “Dad, ive definitely seen this tree before” and after realizing myself that this was a long 0.8 miles I agreed.

The trail winds through the edges of the forest and takes in some amazing sights of huge, vast cedar trees draped in moss and blanketed by ferns. There is just about every shade of green you can think of, and though it rained heavily for the duration it didn’t at all take away from the enchantment that had us spell bound. Without doubt it is not just our favourite short trail, but also the most unusual one that we have ever taken. It is the sort of place you go, take photos and then wonder if they have been secretly photo shopped!

A real gem in the Pacific Northwest and worthy of the excursion required.

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