Gray Line Wanderings Travel Blog

If you’re currently enjoying the fall colors, crispy-crunchy leaves and cooler weather of the Northern Hemisphere, but not exactly looking forward to the bone-chilling temperatures that are coming in the next few months, this list is for you. Thanks to the equator, the universe, and gravity, the Southern Hemisphere happens to be quite balmy while the other half freezes. Check out our hot list of warm destinations perfectly tailored to a December or January escape:

1)   Australia – Head down under for warm weather, world-class beaches and the iconic fauna the Aussies are lucky enough to call their own. Drive the Great Ocean Road for unbelievable views, watch the penguins parade home, or visit metropolitan Sydney – you really can’t go wrong, whatever you choose.

2)   Brazil – Anywhere in South America is really a great option, but Brazil is especially choice during February – Carnival, anyone? Bright costumes, crazy parties, and warm sunshine are only a few of the incredible things about a trip to Brazil.

3)   Bali – Yes, an island paradise sounds pretty great year-round, but the awe-inspiring sunsets and lovely culture of Indonesia will really hit the spot in the middle of deep dark winter. Put an umbrella in your drink and forget about show for a while.

4)   New Zealand – This island nation has no shortage of gorgeous Pacific beaches, islands and incredible inland scenery. Don’t miss out on the Bay of Islands, the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves, or the warm weather!

What warm and sunshiny spot are you dreaming of right now? Let us know in the comments or on facebook.

Coney Island

I just got back from a trip to NYC. I hadn’t been to the city in a while and was really excited to catch up with old friends, eat some great food, and of course see a show. With those 3 things in mind, I’m happy to say it was a successful trip.

I got to see Once the musical and if you have an opportunity to see it, DO IT! It’s easily one of the best shows I have ever been to and the venue is a gem. If you happen to run into Paul who works security, be nice to him. He is THE MAN! Seriously though, he let my friend and I leave during intermission to make a bathroom run, despite the fact that we lost our tickets! Not only that, there is literally a bar on the stage(!) that you can order drinks from!! They may be expensive, but they come in Once sippy cups (adorable) and they don’t skimp on the pours…

My last day in the city, I was invited to go to Coney Island for a friend’s birthday. I’ve never been and I was eager to get my hands on a Nathan’s Famous hotdog and stroll down the boardwalk. Little did I know that the highlight of my time there would be a roller coaster – The Cyclone!

Image Provided by Flickr User: Loozrboy

Heard of it? Of course you have! If you haven’t, well now you know. The Cyclone is a national landmark and was the first wooden roller coaster in the US.  It’s THE standard to which all rides are held. Here are some facts:

• The Cyclone made its debut in 1927 and is one of the oldest roller coasters still in operation
• Height: 85 feet
• 1^st Drop: 85 feet at 53 degrees
• Top speed: 60 mph – feels faster
• Number of Drops: 12(!)
• Changes in Direction: 16
• Number of 180 Degree turns: 6
• Number of Elevation Changes: 27
• Duration: 1 minute 50 seconds

There was something so terrifyingly wonderful about this ride. Don’t let the fact that it doesn’t look too intimidating from the ground fool you as it did me. I was not expecting so many steep drops. You know how most roller coasters are, they start you off with the steepest drop and then it’s smooth sailing from there. Not the case with the Cyclone. Once you have recovered from the last drop, you are jerked to the right and you find yourself falling again – lifted out of your chair – stomach in your throat – holding on for dear life. They say if you’re sitting in the back car you can actually feel the coaster lift off the tracks!

Once the ride was actually over, the #1 comment everyone made was how long the ride felt! Regardless of length, I can honestly say my equilibrium was off and I couldn’t hardly stand, as you can see in the photo:

If you are in the city, you should really take some time to hop on the train and head out to Coney Island to ride the Cyclone – it would also be a good idea to wait to eat your Nathan’s hot dog until afterwards… jus’ sayin.

And seeing as how New York is known for its food, here’s a plug for a restaurant you have to try. If you are in the East Village, check out the chic new restaurant Ducks Eatery at 351 e 12th street, New York, New York, and tell them Sonja sent you. Great food (especially try the jerky, pig ears and wings), great drinks and great people. I may be a little biased on the last one, seeing as most of the staff is from my hometown of Taos. And finally, here’s a shout out to Alie Valerio for providing the uncaptioned photos !

Have you been to Coney Island? What was your favorite ride? What did you think of the Cyclone? Share your comments below! (Click here if you can’t see Facebook comments: We All Know About the Twister But What Do You Know About the Cyclone?)

Podcasting in the Park. Photo by Author.

Travel is usually mentally stimulating enough, but sometimes you might find yourself bored with relaxing and completing basic tasks. After more than a week of real relaxation, I am eager to learn anything, whether it be numbers, news, vocabulary, or science.

Of course, on vacation, your best option is to head out to a historical site, cathedral, or to simply take a walk down the street. However, if you’re bound to a resort, recharging for a day, or just looking for a more structured way to learn, and you’ve got an iPod or other mp3 player, here’s your boredom solution:

The Podcast

While most people have heard of Podcasts, most people also don’t realize how to use them to their full potential. If that sounds like you, read on!

What is a Podcast? Podcasts–like those available on iTunes–are FREE audio or visual “channels” available on nearly every subject. From yoga to computer programming to Arabic to biology to French history… there’s a Podcast for that. You can pick almost any topic that interests you!

How to Download iTunes Podcasts? Go to the “iTunes” store, and type in a keyword in the upper righthand corner to browse your options. Find the channels you want, then “subscribe” to the channel.  After you’ve done this, the channel should appear in your Library on the left hand side of your iTunes under the “Podcasts” tab. Click through the episodes and download the ones that most interest you. Sync ‘em up with your iPod, and there you go!

Next time you’re bored on the beach (yes, it is possible), pull out your iPod for a lesson on natural resource depletion or a video on the history of the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza for a little bit of education to re-engage your uber relaxed brain.

Do you use Podcasts? What channels do you recommend? Tell us about it in the comments section below! (Click here if you cannot see the comments for: Learning on the Road with Podcasts)

Part of the Author's Geocaching Team

Ok, I’d admit it. I was late to the Geocaching party. Fashionably late but still, I was late. I’d heard people talking about geocaching and didn’t understand the language they spoke. They wrote things like TNLN, TFTC and FTF? Their Facebook pages seemed alive with interesting activity. Intrigued, but still confused, I wondered if I too could be one of these treasure-seeking players?

The truth is anyone can go Geocaching. It’s great for travelers of all ages and it can be enjoyed almost everywhere.  It’s free and easy to figure out and requires very little in terms of knowledge or equipment. In other words, it’s perfect for my family! I recently took my 3 kiddos, my mom and my nephew geocaching in rural Iowa. It was a huge hit. Our first find was an easy one, which built confidence in our newly formed team. With a successful find under our belt, we headed near my childhood home where the website boasted 2 nearby caches. The terrain was too difficult (think no trail, waist high foliage and 4 kids) so we abandoned those finds. We were not to be discouraged and headed out again to a new destination.

Everyone had such a great time; we are planning our next adventure and have gained participants who want to join us and get in on the action too.

If you haven’t tried Geocaching, you should give it a try. Try it on a trip, try it in your own hometown, but definitely give it a try. If this entire post seems like a foreign language, start by checking out our recent post about Geocaching to get the basics of this fun-filled adventure game: Geocaching Fever.

Are you a Geocacher? How many finds do you have under your belt? Share your experiences in the comment section below or on the Gray Line Facebook page. (Click here if you can’t see comments: Catching the Cache)

Photo courtesy of Cachemania

Are you still a Muggle? Or have you caught the Geocaching bug yet?

Geocaching seems to be everywhere. Literally everywhere. Currently there are over 1.8 million locations worldwide and that number is growing daily. I kept hearing about geocaching but wasn’t sure what it was so I decided it was time to do some investigating into this new pastime.

In a nutshell, geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game for adventure seekers of all ages around the world. Players have hidden millions of “caches” for you to find literally in every corner of the world. A cache is a small container (not always small – they do vary in size) which contains a log sheet for you to record your team’s arrival and the date that you found the cache.  If the cache is big enough it may contain a small treasure. You may take the treasure as long as you trade it for something that you have brought with you of equal or greater value.

Players find the hidden caches by using GPS coordinates and often additional clues to narrow the search further at the location. With a GPS unit or GPS enabled smart phone players navigate their “team” to the hidden spots and try to locate the cache. A team can be one or more people – it’s totally up to you.

Once you locate the cache in its secret hiding spot, you put it back exactly where you found it for the next team to discover and leave a note online for the cache owner detailing your visit for them and future visitors to read about. You can also leave notes indicating if you could not find it, if the cache needs maintenance or anything else that might help future players.

And the best part? It’s free. You can sign up for a free account on geocaching.com,  create a user name and start locating treasure near your current coordinates (there is also a premium service available for a fee).

Keep in mind that you definitely need a GPS enabled device. I also decided to download the Geocaching App for my phone and that made things super easy on the go but it’s not mandatory. As a novice player, I would also recommend tennis or hiking shoes (no flip flops!), bug spray, a pencil and maybe even a hat as you are definitely outside and some of the terrain may require you to tromp off trail. We have also learned to read the description of the cache you are seeking carefully as some are out in the open and easy to find making them great for younger seekers and others may require that you hike off trail or though difficult terrain which make them a better fit for those without small children.

You can also plan a trip using geocaching to break it up along the way. So far my family has found caches along a roadtrip we have taken though the middle of America to great success and new experiences. Kids and adults have both enjoyed the “game” as we have played it. It’s a nice way to see your own destination in a new way or experience a destination in a way you may not have expected. You may also meet other players along the way which is a great additional benefit we have discovered.

Have you tried Geocaching yet? What’s the most unique cache you have found so far? Share your experiences in the comments below or on the Gray Line Facebook page. (Click here if you can’t see comments: Geocaching Fever)

Watching what? The 2012 Summer Olympics, of course! As someone who is borderline obsessive about the Olympics, these fun facts absolutely made my day. Hopefully they make yours, and (bonus) you can impress your friends during those pesky commercial breaks!

1) 205 countries will take part in the summer games, and there will be over 140 countries representing at the Paralympics!

2) During the construction of Olympic Park in London, roughly 4,000 newts were relocated to a nature reserve–way to be eco-conscious, Londoners!

3) The city expects about 350,000 foreign visitors – busy busy busy!

4) After the games are finished, the Olympic committee donates all the equipment used to charities – love the philanthropy.

Happy Gold, Silver and Bronze, competitors!

Provided by playpianoking

Oh Smokey the Bear, how I mocked you as a child. You made it so easy for me and my friends to twist your words into something inappropriate.

This, however, is no joking matter.

Having grown up in New Mexico, I know what it’s like to live in a dry climate. Colorado can be much the same. And unfortunately, this year is one for the books.

Our gorgeous state is in a state of emergency. There are currently fires in Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, and Boulder.

• 32,00 People were evacuated in El Paso County near Colorado Springs as the fire came down Waldo Canyon.
• Flagstaff fire is about 1.5 miles from the Boulder city limits.
• 90,000 acres have been swallowed up by the The High Park fire in the Fort Collins area. With containment not expected for TILL JULY 30^TH!

We haven’t had any rain, we have extreme temperatures (reaching 106 in the Denver metro area), and high winds. All of these things equal disaster.

So what can we do?

• The Denver Post has provided resources and information on how we can all help in all 3 areas.
• Here is a full list of county bans and restrictions.
• There is a ban on all private fireworks.
• You can only have a campfire if it is in a developed campsite with a metal fire ring.
• DO NOT, I repeat, do not smoke outside!!!!

Fires can happen anywhere. Caution should be exercised everywhere you go. If you are unsure of what preventative measures to take our old friend Smokey the Bear is here to lend a helping hand.

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this tragedy.

Do you have any updates on the situation? Can you provide any tips on how to prevent fires? Let us know in the comments below.

A recent lengthy campfire-side conversation with a friend who had spent a year abroad in Scotland was fascinating (and educational). I now know a bit more about the ins and outs of haggis and blood pudding–let’s just say this blogger is intrigued, but not quite there yet. Check out the references below and make up your mind for yourself!

Scottish Food and Drink

An American expat’s view of local delicacies

What’s your take on these Scottish delights? Let us know in the comments!

Enjoying The Denver Chalk Art Festival

I love festivals. My kids love festivals. I admit it – we are the festival kind of people. We love themes and all that people do to embrace and celebrate them.  I’m also not embarrassed to say that kitschy equals better in the rating of festivals. The joke in our family is if there is a crowd, my husband deliberately goes the opposite way. I, on the other hand, run towards it to see what all the excitement is about. That many people can’t be wrong!

Our community seems to have an abundance of festivals. I’m positive yours does too – you just need to uncover them.  A quick Google search for our state + festivals led me to multiple sites with calendars full of festive celebrations.  We have paid tribute to dragon boats, peaches, chalk art, apples, summer, fall and multiple nationalities and cultures just to name a few.

If you are new to the festival scene, this summer is the perfect time to get acquainted. The lazy days of summer combined with long daylight filled hours make them super easy to enjoy.

When I travel, I like to see if the trip coincides with any celebrations big (or small) in our destination.  If you are like me and love a crowd celebrating, then a festival might be just what the doctor ordered to enhance your connection with the community you are visiting.

I’ve rarely met a festival that I didn’t love. There’s a certain sense of camaraderie that develops when strangers get together to celebrate a common (or random) interest.  But then again, that sums up travel and why many of us love to explore our world.  Common experiences and settings often breed alliances and friendships that make this a small world after all.

Do you love festivals? What unusual festivals have you experienced? Share your experiences in the comments section below.

Photo by Joe Mazzola

Yes, I’m crazy. Well, maybe not certifiably; but unhinged enough to think I can and should take my kids lots of places. Whether by plane, minivan, train or rental vehicle, I think it’s my duty to show my kids our world. From the get go I take them anywhere and everywhere I can to show them places that will give them a greater understanding of our world. I take them to places close to home, places dear to my heart and places that spark that spirit of adventure and wonder that lives deep in my soul.

People often ask me, “You took your kids WHERE?” and more often than not the answer is, “Yes!” The follow up question is almost always “How do you travel with small kids?” Well, dear friends, I’m going to share with you a couple of my tips. My top 5 to be almost exact. It actually takes more than just 5 tips to travel with small children. I would love to share with you all of my travel tips that I’ve accumulated through the years but here are 5 (or so) as an appetizer.

1. SNACKS – LOTS AND LOTS OF SNACKS – I’m talking enough to sustain a small village for a while. I’m also taking about the “good stuff.” Now is not the time to scrimp on the snacks. Bring the stuff they love, the stuff you don’t buy on a regular basis, the stuff they beg for in the market. We had a flight delay and a subsequent rerouting once that left us in an airport after all the retail shops had closed. I’ve never been so grateful for a stash of goldfish, skittles and bottled water in all my life.

2. ENTERTAINMENT – KEEP ‘EM BUSY. Get them something they’ve never seen before and it can be as simple as post it notes. An airline tray table and a package of post it notes can provide loads of entertainment. Kids can stick and unstuck those crazy fluorescent squares for quite a while. They can make patterns if you have multiple colors and when all of that fun is done – draw on them, make a picture that spans multiple post-its and BAM you have a puzzle for a toddler.

3. BE PREPARED – have extra everything – especially diapers. I repeat, always have extra diapers if you have a child that small. Once they became a bartering item, a currency if you will, on a trip when a flight of ours got cancelled leaving us stranded in Washington DC with 2 kids past bedtime. I traded diapers and wipes with a woman for jarred baby food. Her baby smelled and mine was hungry – problem solved.

4. KNOW YOUR GAME PLAN WHEN YOU ARRIVE – give the kids something to anticipate. My kiddos have always been thrilled at the prospect of scoping out their destination. We dream of what we will see and how we will see it. One easy way to get them excited is a ride in a motorcoach, train, trolley car, gondola or something that they normally don’t see in your own garage. One of my girls still talks about the trolley tour she took in Zurich. We loved feeling the fresh air in our faces in the open-aired trolley and learned a little about the city and its people. Ok, my husband and I learned about the city and its people – she tried to figure out how many pets she could spot.

5. PREPARE FOR THE WORST….HOPE FOR THE BEST – I always bring along current shot records and medical info from their last check up along with a small first aid kit with Tylenol, Motrin, a thermometer, band aids, Neosporin, etc. and a correct dosing chart for any and all medication per kid. Luckily, I have rarely had to use the kit. I think that’s because I have it with me at all times. The token trip I didn’t take it on, we ended up in a doctor’s office nearly 1,000 miles from home.

Ok so I promised 5 tips but I couldn’t stop at 5 so here’s a bonus one and arguably the most important:

6. HUMOR – if you don’t take along a large and healthy dose of humor you might as well stay home. Some of the best laughs of my marriage and my family have happened when we travel. How else could I have a photo like this one….

Author's Child Entering The Great State of Nebraska

What are your great travel tips with kids? Share your tips and tricks in comments below.