Stephen

Te Papa with el papá

by Stephen 2 comments

The Wonderful World of Windy Wellington

Wellington New Zealand is a wonderful place for kids.

Why?

Because it has more free activities than any other place in New Zealand!

I would liken Wellington to the Washington DC of New Zealand, for its abundance of free museums that are spectacular for kids.

It is also easily navigated by foot (or in our case “scooterable”) which makes it a fun city to explore.

What to do in Wellington with Kids

1. Te Papa

Every guide-book says it, and I didn’t really believe that it could be that great after going to the Auckland Museum and being a bit disappointed. But Te Papa, as its name would suggest, is the granddaddy of all museums.

Every floor is designed to be a treasure trove for kids, walk about 5 minutes and you will come across a kids activity center. Go to the art gallery and they even have a special super sleuth game designed to get your kids excited about art.

Kids naturally want to learn and it does my heart well to see a museum designed to build upon this innate love for learning.

If Te Papa is the only thing you do in New Zealand with your family you won’t be missing much as it truly is spectacular.

Te Papa with el papá

2. The Cable Car

The following day after we visited Te Papa we went back into town to find the cable car and visit the botanical gardens.

We were met by 70 mph winds and some rain, but surprisingly our kids didn’t seem to mind.

We found the cable car entrance (thank you trusty Google Maps) and we took the cable car up for about $13 US. The best part is, you can get a one way ticket and walk, or again in our case scooter, all the way back down to the start.

The gardens are free and there is an amazing playground with a flying fox. Takes about 30-45 minutes to make it down the back of the mountain and the trail ends right back in the city where you started.

This was a half day adventure in my book (at least when it is windy and rainy) but it was a lot of fun and totally worth the effort.

3. Mount Victoria Lookout

We didn’t mean to go the lookout, our car just headed up there while discovering the city and driving the coastal route.

The road is awesome, straight up the mountain and narrow with two-way traffic! You will wonder several times if you are going the right way but this is what makes it fun.

The view from the top on a sunny day is amazing and is worth the drive up. Our kids liked it, we drove down and then followed this up with a trip to Te Papa to make a day out of it.

4. The Weta

The Weta Workshop was another accidental find, somewhere in our readings I heard that Peter Jackson had a production company in Wellington where they did the special effects for the Lord of the Rings. As a movie and effects buff this sounded like fun for the entire family.

Once again, I heard the workshop was FREE, I couldn’t believe it so I had to see it.

We took a half day before the cable car ride to go to the Weta Workshop. They showed a 30 minute feature film showing how they do movie effects, it was gross and a bit violent, the kids loved it. Then we paid the $40 to take the 45 minute workshop tour.

They have the real props from some of the best movies of all time, your tour guide will be one of the Weta artists and after you leave you will be thinking about a change of professions.

It was super cool, and super fun, and I would do it again.

The best part: The Hobbit Trolls!

Where to Stay With Kids in Wellington

We stayed in the Wellington Top 10 Holiday Park outside of the city, it wasn’t bad, but if I were to do it again I would recommend staying in the city if you can.

The kitchen cabin in the Top 10 was lackluster (despite an awesome jumping pillow) and it looked a bit like a prison cell. I thought it was a bit overpriced at $120 NZ per night. That being said, most Wellington accommodations will be in th range of $160 for families.

Lonely Planet Travel with Children recommend The Carillon which is about this price range, looks nice if it is within your budget.

The kids hanging two while dad hangs 10

by Stephen

Raglan New Zealand: Perfect Surf and Fun for Families

Raglan Family Travel Quick Tips:

Stay at Raglan Kopua Holiday Park or Solscape (tepee themed rooms), rent a board from The Raglan Surf Emporium (very nice guys), get free WiFi from the quaint local library and grab some food from the local bakeries.

The surf spot is about a 10 minute drive up the road, just enter “Manu Bay” into Google Maps and it will take you there. There is a beginners spot on the drive to Manu Bay that is good for those looking to learn on the whitewater but not much else.

The two surf spots just past Manu Bay are for advanced surfers only. The surf works best at medium tide and has a very strong rip at low tide.

Raglan with Kids

Raglan New Zealand is a wonderfully cute and hospitable town perfect for families with small children.

We went there for Manu Bay and to find (and hopefully surf) the longest left hand break in the world.

Hanging 10 at Manu Bay

What we found was a wonderful holiday park, with a skate park, playground and a short walk to the postcard-perfect city.

We hired a surfboard for about $19 US per day and hit the surf.

We stayed in Raglan for 3 nights but wanted to stay for 3 weeks.

Mid-week in the off-season we had the place to ourselves. We were there for the Labor Day Weekend so it was amazing to watch how this changed in the matter of a couple hours.

We stayed at the Raglan Kopua Holiday Park which is just perfect for kids.

The kids hanging two while dad hangs 10

Other accommodation options (especially if you are looking to surf) is Solscape.

They have Tepee rooms and train themed accommodations which would probably make this a big win for families and kids, but it is a car ride away from the city.

That being said, I think the skate park and running space of the Kiwi Park still makes this a better choice for families with children.

Make sure to stop by the local library, grab a brew from any of the pubs, hit the second-hand stores for some extra bedding and just walk around.

You will love Raglan and it is one of our best stops so far.

by Stephen 3 comments

How to Book a Budget South African Safari with Kids

Book a Budget South Africa Safari with Kids

Finding a great South African Safari doesn't have to be hard!

I am writing this post because safari’s in South Africa are a big reason most people go to South Africa and this was a huge source of confusion for us while planning our trip.

Adding two small children to the mix makes this seem even more difficult as many safari’s will not take children younger than 6, sometimes older, on safari tours.

I am going to simplify this for you.

Booking a safari in South Africa with kids is not nearly as confusing as it may seem.

There are two types of safari’s in South Africa:

Those offered by private game reserves
Game reserves that are owned and operated by the National Park System.

They are both on large areas of land that are usually surrounded by an electric fence.

The private game reserves are of varying sizes and the Nationally owned parks like Kruger or Hluhluwe-iMolozi are huge land masses.

Most National South African game reserves offer you the option of paying an admission (entrance) fee and then simply self driving the game reserve in your private vehicle.

Contrary to popular belief you do not have to have a big car to self-drive a safari, we did it in a Chevy Spark.

If you want there are various companies that you can pay to take you on a “safari drive” through the National Park. This is advantageous as the guides are experts at spotting game and are very knowledgeable.

The important thing to note is that not all private companies offering tours on the National game reserves will take small children, but this does not mean that small children cannot enter the park, as I mentioned above you can self drive the park just fine.

You will still see a lot of animals on a self drive adventure through the park, and you can save a lot of money by doing this on your own.

A budget safari, therefore, would involve a paid entrance fee into one of the public National Game Reserves and a self drive tour in your own vehicle.

The four big parks on a drive up the coast of S. Africa (in this order) are Addo Elephant National Park , Hluhluwe-iMolozi National Park the much less publicized St. Lucia wetland park and the very famous Kruger

Kruger park is not a Malaria free park and thus more difficult with small children who cannot take malaria prophylaxis.

You do not need to pay a lot of money for accommodations in the park!

This was a huge source of confusion for us.

Often, when you visit the park websites, read information on a particular safari, or read Lonely Planet for that matter, they all make it sound like the only way to visit a park is to stay at the park. But this is not the case.

I will say it again for emphasis: You do not have to stay on the park to do a Safari at the park! All of these parks have lovely accommodations very nearby that are cheap, easy to book on the off-season, close to the park and have tons of amenities. This is my favorite.

You can read about more where we stayed on my posts covering Hluhluwe-iMolozi Park, the Addo Elephant Park and the St. Lucia iSimangaliso Wetland Parka. These were all wonderful safari’s that were cheap and had well priced accommodations outside of the game reserves.

Private Game Reserves that Take Small Children

There are so many private game reserves and most are quite expensive.

That being said, we did find one private game reserve (Schotia Safari’s) that is very close to The Addo Elephant park that takes small children, has a wonderful family friendly atmosphere and promises you will see the big cats. They have a great half day Safari that we would have done had we not been rained out.

Summary and Recommendations for Budget Safari’s with Kids

Here are some summary points if you are trying to plan your family safari trip to South Africa.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy an African safari with your family, although a lot of the advertising and literature will make it seem that way.
There are two type of game reserves, private and National game reserves, if you want to save money go for the public National game reserves.
If you are driving up the coast go to Addo Elephant Park for sure, you can self drive this, just go to the entrance and drive in through the gate. If you are continuing up the coast I would recommend staying in St. Lucia to see the hippos and then self drive or book a tour from St. Lucia with Heritage Tours to the Hluhluwe-iMolozi Park. While you are there in St. Lucia book a day to self drive iSimangaliso Wetland Park and drive down to the beach.
You do not need to stay at a hotel on any of the National game parks. Book outside the park to save money.
Avoid the private game reserves as they are very expensive (unless you are independently wealthy then have at it). If you do chose a private game reserve I would choose the very family and kid friendly Schotia Safari’s.

You can do all of this for very little money, it will give your kids (and you) a wonderful safari experience and if you make it out of bed early enough you might even see some lions.

I have no affiliation with any of these game parks, but I do believe this is a good summary of recommendations for most families with small children. If you have any recommendations please leave a comment down below.

Happy travels!

– Stephen

by Stephen

St Lucia

View Google Map stay at Stokkiesdraai (good budget accommodation)

If you’re wondering if St Lucia is worth the stop over, don’t think twice.

It’s South Africa’s first national heritage site for the wetlands, the best viewing site for hippo’s in the world, it sports an amazing wildlife and wetland sanctuary that rivals all other S. Africa safari parks, has beaches, snorkeling and a quaint downtown. Next to Cape Town, St. Lucia was my favorite stop on our South African adventure.

St. Lucia is a great jumping off point and home-base for a safari at Hluhluww-iMolozi Park, a self drive or tour through iSimangalizo Wetland park to see spectacular wildlife and even a snorkeling trip on the far north end of the park.

Beach and leopards in one day, is it too good to be true?

It might be, because you will have to get up pretty early if you want to see any of the big cats.

St Lucia is s a quaint tourist town with ample B&B’s, self catering apartments and backpacker lodges. They also have plenty of shops, and local art to buy.

Supposedly the hippos roam the streets of St. Lucia at night although as the designated night hippo watch person I have yet to see one. We have 3 nights left here so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

We booked with Heritage Tours and Safaris for both the wetland Hippo boat tour and the safari through Hluhluww-iMolozi Park.

Heritage Tours is a good company, with a wonderful website and knowledgeable guides.

I was a bit disappointed though that through all my emails and phone calls stressing about booking our Safari they failed to mention we could easily book all our tours in their main office right in the middle of St Lucia. This of course, is what I would recommend you do.

If you do chose to book online be forewarned that Heritage Tours has a stiff cancellation policy and quite a complicated email system for booking their tours. They would not allow me to book over the phone with a credit card, so as I mentioned above, simply wait until you arrive in St. Lucia to book your tours.

As the sun sets out our window, St. Lucia offers a beautiful African sunset. So nice to be here in person and not looking at it in a magazine.

A note on eating with small children in St. Lucia

There are several restaurants on the main strip that offer free childcare and playgrounds within the restaurant to entertain your children while you sip wine and plan the next day.

These are all over Africa so keep your eyes peeled. The kids love it and it is a great way to relax and unwind for everyone. They will even paint their faces for FREE!

A morning run down Haruru falls in New Zealand.

by Stephen 4 comments

Losing Time

I woke up today with the sound of the running river and the birds chirping.

It’s Sunday, or at least I think it is.

The gift of “losing time” is spectacular. It took me two months to get lost, I am finding it difficult to imagine the idea of going back.

Kids never know what day it is, even before we started the trip, on weekends our daughter would ask “is it a school day”, and then she would ask me the same question 2-3 more times throughout the day.

Now I ask the same question, and yes, sometimes more than once.

The ancients and the beginning of time

One of the blessings of global travel is the chance to step back into history.

When I was at the UBUD Readers and Writers Festival I spent 4 days immersed in Aussie, New Zealand and Indonesian history. I even went to see several documentaries, one of these was about the first nomadic population of humans to enter Australia. Now of course we refer to them as Aborigines.

This group of clandestine travelers were the first ever to cross from land over water without any notion of a land mass on the other side.

But as luck would have it, there was, and it was Australia.

Thinking about what Australia must have been like prior to human inhabitants is fascinating, not to mention what it must of have been like to encounter giant birds, huge car size lizards, and curious hopping two-legged creatures.

These nomads lived a lifestyle that we in the modern age have been trying hard to replicate. Not the cold climate, lack of clothing, food and shelter. I will take 2014 thank you very much, but the timelessness, the community and the idea of freedom.

Modernity is not always prosperity

Sitting here riverside, in the middle of the Northern Island of NZ in the town of Paihia, I have time to take a deep breath, step away from the crowds and markets of Kuta Beach in Bali, and remember what it feels like to be timeless.

Not timeless in the sense of “I am not going to die”, but timeless in the sense of “What day is it”?

Time tracking helps us to make appointments and to create a sense of organization around life, but the constant organization, alarms, appointments, meetings, calendars it is not my idea of freedom.

Is it anybody’s?

In 2014 it is a luxury to be timeless, which is interesting, since almost everything we do, invent and purchase is marketed as a means to give us more time.

And although we have it, we don’t have the luxury to lose track of it, which begs the question, is modernity really the truest path to prosperity.

by Wendy 2 comments

Coffee Bay South Africa and the Wild Coast with Kids

Coffee Bay South Africa - The Wild Coast!

(View on Google Maps Stay at The Coffee shack)

Have you ever arrived in a place and thought to yourself, am I still on planet earth?

Welcome to South Africa’s Wild Coast!

It’s hard to describe such a place, lovingly known as Coffee Bay.

But the name fits: Like coffee, it is both sour and sweet, incredibly enjoyable to sip, but best when served in the morning and definitely not too close to bedtime.

The drive from highway N2 down Main street 1.5 hours to Coffee Bay was a nail-biting, adrenaline filled adventure.

We dodged goats, cattle, large horned bull, sheep, people and pot holes.

This was made worse by large, randomly placed speed bumps which didn’t make any sense whatsoever. It would make a great course for the Indie 500.

The landscape was dry and spotted with circular mud huts painted in bright turquoise, red and brown.

People could be seen traversing the long seemingly endless hillsides from one sparsely populated location to the next.

What do people do out here? One thing is for certain, they walk!

We drove into town if you can call it that. Just a dead end with a few traditional homes on a hillside.

We had already pre-booked our hostel but for good measure we stopped our car and poked our heads into the “nice hotel”. As usual they quoted us an exorbitant price, which would make us feel better about where we were staying.

Where to stay in Coffee Bay with Kids

“The Coffee shack” as it is known, was over the bridge and at the end of the road, located on the edge of the river mouth.

We were greeted by a friendly local host and she showed us around. The place had a friendly “hippie” vibe and the kids were happy.

The walking paths were made out of native stone and the outdoor eating area had long log tables. There was a fire pit and a large irregular table under a thatched roof porch.

We were all given a complimentary drink from the bar.

The bathroom sinks and showers were made out of the local rock and the basins were hundred-year-old grinding stones worn down so thin that a hole developed and they made them into the sink basins.

Our room was across the river from the main facilities, all the way up a very steep hill. It was appropriately named “Kings Castle“. Great view!

The owners dog took the kids and Stephen for a walk up the hill and across to the beach. I walked around touring the hostel/campground. It’s such an eerie place when no one is around. I guess the town would be livelier in the summer?

We only stayed one night. I felt stuck in a time warp somewhere between the need to be part of the future but stuck in the past with no indication that the place would ever catch up.

I also felt sad for the day the big money does discover this area. I guess I felt at odds with myself wanting that, and not wanting that, at the same time.

Although we had a very short stay, the free dinner, awesome view, fun-loving atmosphere, friendly dog and sheets, made it a great stop.

I would like to go back again in 20 years, just to see if anything has changed.

And yes, I think I would go back to the Coffee Sack and ask for the Kings Castle.

by Stephen

Top 6 Family and Kid Friendly Accommodations in South Africa

Our favorite kid and family friendly Budget Accommodations in South Africa

Our South Africa itinerary consisted of 11 stops:

Cape Town → Hermanus → Oudtshoorn → Wilderness → Plettenberg Bay → Jeffrey’s Bay → Addo Elephant Park → Chinsta → Coffee bay → St. Lucia → Durban

Hermanus

We stayed at the Hermanus Esplanade which was a good deal. At $55 US per night, we were given an entire fisherman’s cottage for our family.

We had a nice refrigerator, stove, family room and two bathrooms.

What we didn’t have was wi-fi or a swimming pool. Not biggies but the backpackers hostel may be worth the look and it seems to me it may be just a bit better for families.

Our kids had a special hideout upstairs as well which allowed them to sleep in and us parents to have a private room downstairs. The only downside is we are here in August and there is no heat whatsoever, it was quite cold in the evenings. We improvised by firing up the hot plate and using it as a radiant heater, which I must say didn’t work that badly – just don’t tell the owners.

Oudtshoorn

Karoo Soul – We stayed in the family “cottage” for US $60 per night. Nice and close to town, with a full kitchen and private bathroom.

This was a bit more than we wanted to spend for 3 nights but definitely comfortable and the staff was super friendly. On the plus side, we received discounts to activities probably worth about $20 on the first day alone.

Wilderness

Wilderness Beach House Backpackers – This place is so fun and friendly, the views are spectacular, it’s close to the beach and the owner of this lodge will make you feel right at home. It is cold in the winter and they don’t have heat, so be warned. You may want to ask for extra blankets.

Plettenberg Bay

Swallow’s Nest: We ended up at a B&B operated by a Dutch couple and their son. We talked them down to 700 Rand a night for a really nice 2 bedroom cottage overlooking the entire bay. They had a good internet connection a small pool (that was too cold for the kids unfortunately) and the best part… The most amazing breakfast I have ever had.

Honestly I would probably recommend the beachside backpackers just because their location is a bit better and it is probably a bit more budget-friendly for families but this breakfast was so good I may actually consider going back someday for that alone.

Jeffrey’s Bay

Stay at Cristal Cove

For around $65 a night we had our own family apartment complete with two bedrooms, two baths, balcony with a view to the ocean, full kitchen, living room, TV, consistent WiFi, beer bottle candles, a friendly cat, a lively bar downstairs, a pool table, tennis courts a block away, a playground a block away, great people to talk to and to round it off, Supertubes right outside our bedroom window

Addo Elephant Park

The Avoca river cabins are about 15 minutes away from the Elephant Park. Hands down this is the very best place we have stayed in all of south Africa (and that is saying a lot!).

Free kayaks for use on the river
Amazing river front cabins with a heater during the winter months!
A beautiful pool with a slide
A full kitchen
Two playgrounds each equipped with a ground level trampoline, zipline, tire swing and a jungle gym.
Less than $65 US per night!

Let me say it one more time as well to make sure you get this down. There is a free and amazing kid size zipline! So cool.

Breakfast was 5 dollars for adults and free for children, and because the property is on an orange orchard you can help yourself to all the oranges you would like. Because of this we ate oranges and drank freshly squeezed orange juice for 3 days straight!

by Stephen

Durban South Africa With Kids

Durban is an interesting stop in South Africa, my overall feeling is that it was a lot of fun, but finding our bearings was a bit complicated.

Lonely Planet describes Durban as the ultimate family playland, I am not sure I would go this far, but it can be a good place for families.

For little kids the biggest barrier to travel in Durban is the distance between attractions. Durban has a wonderful beachfront to stroll. But it is a long stroll that can be tiring for little legs, so just keep this in mind.

On Sunday it is party time and the main beachfront promenade is packed, you will see lots of families.

You can rent bikes and bicycle from one end to the next, you can rent skateboards, and body boards. They have a great skate park loaded with small children learning to roller skate and skateboard.

Things to do in Durban with Kids

Go to the Moses Mabhida Stadium

The Moses Mabhida Stadium at Durban Beachfront was the home to the 2010 World Cup Cup. It is beautiful and you can take a funicular up to the top with your entire family for about 15 dollars. Kids under 6 ride free and the view and the ride up will entertain kids and adults alike.

The entrance to the funicular is not obvious, so when you get there ask and somebody will point you in the right direction. You can rent bicycles and get a bite to eat all within the vicinity of the funicular entrance. They even offer very cheap Segway rides, your kids must be 12 and older.

On the front facing side is a playground that our kids enjoyed.

The Waterpark and Aquarium

Important – THE WATERPARK IS CLOSED MONDAY AND TUESDAY

This was a huge surprise. The tickets for the family for a combo ticket which included both the aquarium and the waterpark were very reasonable. We luckily were able to wait until Wednesday and we had an amazing day.

We started with a seal show (kind of lame but the kids liked it) followed by an amazing dolphin show and underwater aquarium.

From there we went across the way and spent the afternoon in the waterpark. Our 4 and 6 year olds were able to ride almost all the slides and they had a blast!

Rent a bicycle:

Bicycle hire is not only popular but a great way to get from one end to the other in a fun way. We rented two tandems for about $18 US for an hour. The kids whined a bit at first but ended up having a great time while mom and dad peddled them around upwind!

Go to the free waterpark slide on the waterfront:

This is a free waterpark with a big 2 sided waterslide that your kids will love. You can’t miss it when you are walking but if driving it is beachside from the ride park. Our kids made this a 2 day adventure and they had loads of good cheap fun!

Where to Stay in Durban With Kids

If you can, I would recommend skipping the hotel in Durban and stay instead at Umhlanga Rocks.

We ended up staying at the Three Cities Riverfront Hotel

Accommodations in Durban were frustrating and expensive. We ended up at a hotel, which although it was probably one of our more expensive stops was a letdown compared to our “self catering” accommodations in South Africa.

I wish I could be more help here. If you have kids, ideally you would stay on the Durban beachfront, but this is very pricey.

We spent one night on the Bluffs, which was too far off the beaten path and then up the road from the beachfront which was not ideal, but OK. Check the prices and try to find a beachfront property. Lonely Planet was little help and the backpackers hostels were not ideal for families.

What to eat in Durban

Eat some Bunny Chow, because this is where it was made famous. This is also a good place to get great tasting Indian food.

A note on surfing the Durban beachfront

The surf is kind of messy but could be fun. Surprisingly renting a surfboard in Durban is extremely difficult. After asking around, jogging and biking the entire beachfront I found one place to rent a board and it is a newer surf shop right next to the water-park and marine world. Why no one rents boards along the way is beyond me and it is a real shame.

The surf is tide dependent, which makes this challenging. Again, as a solo traveler my day depended on what I was feeling at any given moment. With kids, if the surf is up but if kids are going down, renting a board and getting out on the surf and back to your hotel room can be difficult. Especially if you are not right across from the beach, which in Durban will cost you the shirt off your back.

The beachfront from end to end is protected by a “shark repelling net”, at least that is what the surf shop told me. A grizzly old South African told me if you want to go surf with sharks surf Durban, according to the locals this was not true. I don’t know, seemed safe enough to me.

by Wendy 2 comments

Hluhluwe-iMolozi Park

View Google Map stay in St. Lucia

*Insiders tip: Hluhluwe-iMolozi is Malaria free and very well priced which makes it a better option than Kruger for families with small children (in my opinion).

Today we took our long-awaited safari ride through Hluhluwe-iMolozi Park

If you don’t want the locals to give you a funny face, this is pronounced Schlew Schlewi.

Although you can self drive the game park we chose Heritage Tours which was well worth the reasonable price (when compared to other options).

We stayed in the amazingly kid friendly St. Lucia at a reasonably priced self catering cottage called Stokkiesdraai. There may be more impressive places to stay in St. Lucia, but when you look at the cost, location and size of the units, it was really hard to beat.

The Hluhluwe-iMolozi Game Park Safari with Heritage Tours

Hluhluwe-iMolozi Park Heritage Tours with Kids

The morning started early and we got our times mixed up but we were headed off to the park by 6AM. Usually the safari starts out at 5 AM, it is a 1 hour ride to the park and this allows for the best viewing of the large cats: Tigers and Leopards.

We were the only ones on the safari drive which was wonderful because the kids could have full range of the tall truck and their attention span was able to be catered to as well as their stomachs and bathroom rights.

We were lucky because our guide John said they are busy year round going out everyday. It just so happens the first two weeks of September is the low time for St Lucia.

We didn’t see any cats, not sure if this is because we lost that 1st hour in the morning or as John said sometimes as a cold front moves in the cats tend to not show up; just something he has noticed.

We did see their paw prints though as well as plenty of giraffe, white rhinos, wart hogs, impalas, Kudu, Zebras, hawks, bumble bee eating bird, Eland (type of antelope; not related to deer), one elderly buffalo lying on the bank of the river and our last great encounter was three large male Elephants.

We and another truck had the pleasure of watching them pass through us as they walked down to the river bed. Each on looked directly at us and flared their giant ears to show us who was boss.

The elephants at this park as to opposed to Addo Elephant Park are known to be much more aggressive so we kept our distance. WildCrats (a popular American animal show for kids) came in handy again and the kids were able to tell us all about the symbiotic relationship with the birds ( that sat on the backs of all the animals.

The White Rhino

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park is most famous for their conservation efforts to bring back the black and white rhinos.

Every year thousands are poached for their large horn which can be worth well over $900,000 US. John said if nothing was done about the demand for the horns themselves that they could go extinct in less than 20 years.

We had the honor of seeing these animals up close and they are so ancient looking and really defenseless against poachers. They have very poor eyesight and this makes it easy for poachers to sneak up on them when the wind is just right. The rangers are almost helpless in stopping this from happening. They are unable to cover such a vast area of the parks and even if they do come upon them they are unable to fire unless fired upon. John says they are becoming even more brazen and will come in during the day.

Choosing a Safari that is Good For Kids

We opted for the half day safari option which cost $278 for 2 adults and 2 children.

The half day safari was plenty. The seating consisted of padded bench seats in the back of a pick-up designed to have upper viewing and the hood of the truck was cut out so our driver could communicate with us easily. He was so knowledgeable and the roads are so laden with pot holes, and dirt roads, not to mention poor signage in the park.

Well worth the money to not go through the park in your own vehicle.

Enjoying the sun roof

Kids are happy

Elephants of Hluhluwe-iMolozi

A different tour company

Park entrance

Enjoying the ride

Giraffes in Hluhluwe-iMolozi

Hluhluwe-iMolozi after the controlled burn

If you’re debating between going to a private game reserve or visiting one of the smaller private game parks, you’ll have to weigh your options.

If you want a guaranteed chance of seeing all of the big five, a private game park such as Schotia Safari’s near The Addo Elephant Park will be your best bet.

If you want to see how the animals truly interact in a large ecosystem which is much less “touristy” then visit one of the larger game parks and take a multi-day walking safari. Keep in mind, this is not an option with small kids below the age of 12.

If you do choose to see the big five in a private game reserve, my feeling now is don’t feel like this is unnatural. All of South Africa’s big five are fenced in. There is no such thing as a true African wildlife safari that we may have dreamed of as little children. Humans have now overtaking their environment, yes, all of it.

The landscape was all control burned. They do this every year in the spring before the summer rains. This mimics the natural occurring fires. The fire takes down all the brown vegetation and allows the green new vegetation/grasses to sprout again. Only the green grasses provide enough protein for the animals.

Before the park was formed, naturally the animals would roam from one area to the next seeking out these green grasses. They are now in a 7 year drought and all the rivers are very low.

by Stephen

Visa Problems in Bali

This is what happens when you don't pay close attention to Indonesian visa laws.

Looking out from the inside of the Balinese jail cell it all became clear. I should have never quit my day job!

Then I woke up and realized it was all just a bad dream.

We did, however, in the span of 24 hours:

fail to complete our Indonesian Visa extension in time
we lost our pre-booked campervan rental in New Zealand without our knowledge
we lost our bank card in the ATM machine and
we did have to pony up over $750 in cash to avoid deportation.

But at least we aren’t in jail… Yet!

Later the next day, while on our drive to Kuta to catch our newly adjusted flight, I caught myself lamenting our unfortunate chain of events to Dewa, our wonderful Balinese van driver.

In response, he simply said:

“sometimes you have to pay good money to learn from your mistakes“.

Yes indeed, I love Hinduism!

What is a good price for a roadschool education?

After Dewa proved he was far along the path of a good Karmic reincarnation, I began thinking back to all my years of paid education.

I bet if you added it all up (minus loans, grants and free government money) my undergraduate and graduate degrees with interest and cost of living would total well over $300,000 dollars.

Hell, my Cecil’s Textbook of Medicine which now doubles as a table weight for home construction projects was close to $200 alone.

So this time, when we were faced with a very costly error in judgment, it was good to step back and put everything into perspective.

The school of the world will make you pay from time to time for the privilege of enrollment.

Mistakes make your brain grow

My daughter’s kindergarten teacher has a wonderful saying “mistakes are what makes your brain grow“. My daughter will remind me of this from time to time, and it is true.

No matter how carefully you plan, prepare, analyze or set up detailed parameters to prevent an epic fail, things will fall through the cracks.

This time, when I was forking over the money to Indie to adjust our flights and prevent hard jail-time in Bali I was kicking myself. “Man, what I could have done with that money I thought, we just threw it all away. ”

But, it was an education and if you compare its cost with a college textbook or one semester at community college (or the price of fixing a leaking hot water heater) the school of hard knocks is actually very cheap.

Roadschooling for Parents and Travelers

When most traveling families talk about roadschooling we are usually referring to our kids’ education. But we parents are receiving an education just as valuable.

What can a $600 dollar mistake teach you that is of any benefit?

Great question, I can tell you one thing, next time I book my airline tickets I will make sure to carefully read through each countries visa requirements and review them once again with immigration upon arrival at the airport.

It also teaches one to be a traveler not a tourist.

Becoming a world-class traveler requires an education. Becoming a world-class tourist is usually free of charge.

Tourists pay other people for the privilege of avoiding mistakes, travelers pay as they go.

Travelers become tour guides, tourists may avoid the stress, the problems, the long lines and the extra costs of a roadschooling education. But really, what do we worry about more when we travel?

That something will happen, or that nothing will?

And which one is more valuable in the long run?

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