Abrams Family World Travel

World Travel: Our Favourites - Three Years On

AT the end of our first year of travel, we posted a blog about our favourite spots - places, restaurants, beaches, parks and hotels, locations we’ve travelled to (including before our journey began) and have no trouble recommending. Now that over three years have passed since we started our adventure, we thought it would be a good time for an update.

Places

1. Vancouver, Canada: This city on North America's west coast offers a bit of everything. It ticked a lot of boxes for us. Nearby there's snow and beach for starters. There's an excellent public transport system, a fantastic range of organic/healthy produce, lots to do and see socially, the people are friendly, there's a large alternative schooling community, it's relatively safe and, for Canada, the weather is on the mild side. The only downside was the cost of property and renting. Otherwise, we really loved it - a lot!

2. Napier, New Zealand: Known as the 'Art Deco Capital of the World', this town on the north island is incredibly pretty. There's ocean, stunning surrounding mountains, hiking trails, wonderful rivers, clean parks, loads to do and see, little, if any, traffic, clean air and not lacking anything that we'd want in a big city.

3. Kukljica, Croatia: This little village on the island of Ugljan, across the water by ferry from Zadar, is a magical place for us. It's where I spent much of my childhood during the hot summer months. The Adriatic Sea is gorgeously salty and blue. The village has charm and lots of beautiful, though mostly rocky, bathing spots. It's wonderful during the hot season, but can be harshly cold in the winter.

4. Edinburgh, Scotland: Nice for walking, plenty to see, close to the coast, variety of restaurants, compact.

5. Lisbon, Portugal: Amazing architecture, lovely climate, great squares, economical and efficient public transport.

 

Beaches

1. Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica: Long stretches of sand without a person in sight or litter, stunning sunsets and perfect sea temperatures

2. Whale’s Tail, Costa Rica: Set in a National Park, with impressive caves you can walk through, great sand and warm seas

3. Los Frailes, Ecuador: Clear water, secluded, perfect waves, clean sand, sea temperature consistently good. All it’s missing is some shelter from the scorching sun and somewhere for refreshments (make sure you bring your own!)

4. Englishman’s Bay, Tobago: Long, intimate stretch of beautiful sandy beach with palm trees and clear green water, just where you’d imagine Robinson Crusoe making his base. There’s a shop and café on site also (not built by Crusoe, by the way).

5. Piracanga, Bahia, Brazil: We stayed here for more than 10 months in 2011. We lived practically on the doorstep of miles of vacant sandy beach. The ocean here, while often quite strong, was nearly always the perfect temperature and the sand ideal although we did have to lookout for troublesome little flees. www.piracanga.com

 

Restaurants

1. Napfenyes Etterem, Budapest: So good we ate there every day on our short stay, sometimes twice in a day. Great menu, nice staff. Almost too many delightful dishes, making our choice so much tougher (hence the reason we kept coming back) Rózsa u 39, District VII, Budapest 1077 +36-1-3135555. http://www.napfenyesetterem.hu/

2. Pure Food & Wine, Manhattan, New York: Somewhat pricey, but worth it, if only for the scrumptious desserts. Formal vegan restaurant with raw options. Jamie can't wait to get back there. www.oneluckyduck.com 54 Irving Place New York, NY 10003-2314 Tel: (212) 477-1010

3. Terra, Lisbon, Portugal: Fabulous buffet spread when we visited over seven years ago. Food is fresh and the ginger juice, though laced with sugar, so refreshing. www.restauranteterra.pt Príncipe Real, Rua da Palmeira 15, 1200-311 LISBOA, Portugal Tel: 213 421 407

4. Tiestos, Cuenca, Ecuador: Delicious food delivered in a large tagine (tiesto). The chef can make almost whatever you like and uses his ingredients so perfectly. A hit every time. Juan Jaramillo 7-34, City Centre, Cuenca, Ecuador

5. Buenos Aires Verde, Buenos Aires, Argentina: Outstanding organic vegetarian nosh, always beautifully presented, fresh and nutritious. Plenty of vegan and raw vegan options. Lovely setting, relaxed atmosphere and genuine staff. There is a menu in English. Try the salads, pizza, deserts and smoothies. Reasonably priced as well, especially when compared to most organic raw food/vegetarian restaurants. Gorriti 5657, Buenos Aires. http://www.bsasverde.com/index_en.html. Open Monday-Saturday 9am-0.30am.

 

Parks

1. KL City Park, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Bang on the doorstep of the Petronas Towers and an enormous shopping centre is a large fountain which backs on to a great park. Whether it's jogging, walking, kids play or splashing in water, this park has it all. It's where I infamously smashed up my shins doing box jumps on marble columns (I slipped!) We spent countless hours there with our kids in the second-to-none children's play area. 

2. El Retiro, Madrid, Spain: Outstanding and in the city centre (near Retiro subway). Has many jogging paths and exercise areas as well as a lake with boats, cycle routes and quieter, shaded areas to sit.

3. Munich Olympic Park, Germany: By the former Olympic stadium, these manicured grounds near the centre of the city were used for the 1972 Games. The park has a lake and river and is perfect for running, cycling, rollerblading or just strolling.

4. Central Park, New York: At the tip of Manhattan, the park has something for everyone in any season, Great for walking, running, playing sports, rollerblading or just to pass some time.

5. Bosques de Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina: We stayed just a few blocks from this park. I went running there a lot (it can get busy) and Zenchai and I hired bicycles. We also went there for days out in the sun, just to play about on the grass. It's a huge park with beautiful gardens and monuments as well as a lake in the middle where you can rent paddleboats to calmly take in the scenery and relax. 

 

Sites/Experiences

1. Iguazu Falls, Argentina: Truly breathtaking, immense natural wonder on the Brazilian and Argentine border. Well worth the ridiculously long bus journey from Buenos Aires and wait for the lashing rain to subside.

2. Milford Sounds, New Zealand: Spectacular scenery on the South Island, visions I can't imagine you'd find anywhere else all in one place - mountains, lakes, hills...every corner turned delivered something special.

3. Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia: Down Under's answer to the Grand Canyon. Impressive views, walks and cable rides.

4. El Zapato/Cajon Dam, Capilla Del Monte, Argentina: This site took us by surprise. We were on a walk, looking for the dam and stumbled upon an immense mountainscape that looked like something from 'The Land Of The Giants'.

5. Superclassico Football - River Plate v Boca Juniors: A truly memorable occasion for any footy fan - the biggest rivalry in the Argentine league. Whether it's at the River Plate Stadium, where the 1978 World Cup final took place, or Boca's smaller, but more cauldron-like ground, this is an unmissable fixture, more so for the bristling atmosphere than the football. 

 

Hotels/Hostals

1. Villa de las Aves, Uvita, Costa Rica: Fabulous two-floor house-type buildings with private jacuzzi, kitchens and a communal pool set in grounds surrounded by trees, animals and birds. With delightful owners, too - from Australia and UK, this is a spectacular place within reach of Costa Rica's great beaches. http://www.villasdelasaves.com/

2. Bahia Principe Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Mexico: All-inclusive resort hotel close to crystal clear sea water and private white sandy beaches.

3. Mandala, Puerto Lopez, Ecuador: Immaculately decorated – has so much to offer, like a library, games room, restaurant, gardens and music room. http://www.hosteriamandala.info/

4. Hip Hotel, Maastricht, Holland: Super sleek, funky one-time apartments converted into themed hotel rooms at affordable prices. There’s secure parking also, but at a fee. http://www.st-martenslane.com/

5. Intercontinental, Chicago airport: Comfortable, tasteful and sheek. 5300 North River Road, Rosemont. Tel: (847) 544-5300

 

Children's Activities

1. Parkour, Vancouver: Of all the activities we have introduced Zenchai to, this was the best. He couldn't get enough. What kid wouldn't want to run, tumble, climb, crash, jump and generally have heaps of fun exploring movement? http://www.originsparkour.com/

2. Wall Climbing, Kuala Lumpur: We took Zenchai along to the largest indoor climbing facility in Asia - and it is huge. It's all supervised and, while a little daunting, children get the chance to scale some enormous walls and grow in confidence. 

3. River Play, Piracanga, Brazil: During our stint at an eco village, we lived close to a river, which was perfect for children. Zenchai learned both to kayak and swim here in addition to spending countless hours just playing.

4. Children's Museum, Buenos Aires: Although the cost of entry wasn't low, it was worth it. Children got to role play and dress up to their heart's content. Zenchai used to beg me to take him here. 

5. Waterfall, Chiang Mai, Thailand: This northern Thai city is surrounded by waterfalls of various sizes. We found one on a Sunday afternoon and the kids loved it so much we couldn't tear them away. 

World Travel: 200 Not Out

SO after nearly two-and-a-half years travelling as a family - about 850 days - we have reached our 200th blog.

We've been to many countries and places and often people want to know which ones stand out the most.

I frequently ask Jamie which locations she either misses most or would like to re-visit. Her list is much shorter than mine. 

While we haven't yet found the 'perfect' location and don't even believe such a place exists, here are my top 5 hot spots, in no particular order. 

 

KUKLJICA

A picture-perfect village on the island of Ugljan off the coast of Zadar in Croatia. It holds special memories for us. We lived there for two months in the summer of 2010. We could never get enough of the deep blue Adriatic Sea and local, fresh food. We found the locals so friendly and welcoming. The weather was perfect, too. Jamie doesn't even like me mentioning the place, because she yearns to be there. We shall return one day with Kobra, part of whose named was derived from the village and country.

 

BAHIA

WE lived in Piracanga, an eco village south of Itacare, Brazil, for nine months in 2011. Kobra was born there. That makes the place unique in our memories. Our life there was basic. There were no shops. We made our entertainment by visiting the ocean and river and using what was natural around us. We played on the long, deserted sandy beaches. Sharing a home with us were spiders, bats, a rat and, occasionally to steal our fruit, monkeys. Jamie found our existence there too limiting after a long period. But I miss many aspects of the lifestyle, especially just living in a pair of shorts (nothing else required). Zenchai still talks fondly of the place, too, because he made friends there.

 

BRECON

OUR Christmas of 2011 was spent in the Welsh valleys. We did a stint of house-sitting and looking after cats and ducks in a beautiful cottage. It was mostly cold and wet, but the house was so cosy and the scenery spectacular. We liked the people very much. Both Jamie and I felt a strong affinity for the region. 

 

BUENOS AIRES

THE bustling capital of Argentina is a place I'd like to go back to more than to stay or settle. It has so much going for it - loads of places to visit; lots to do; cheap and efficient transport; lots of restaurants; nice people. I got to know it well during the near-three months we lived there in late-2010/early-2011.

It ranked as one of Zenchai's favourite spots, too, because he loved seeing all the classic old cars scattered on the streets. 

 

VARKALA BEACH

ALTHOUGH we were only in India a few months ago (Jan 2012), I look back affectionately on our time there. The weather was perfect and the people so glowing, inquisitive and almost overwhelmingly friendly and helpful. Being by the beach offered our kids a great playground every day. We felt very safe there. Although it was more touristy than we like and India in general is overpopulated, noisy and polluted, Varkala Beach has a great charm about it. Living and being there is so easy. 

 

Ugljan/Pašman: Beach Spots

Ugljan

Sabuša: A 30-minute walk from the village centre, Sabuša has beautiful views of the Kornati islands and, because of the sandy base to the shallow water, it's a perfect spot for children. There are plenty of trees for shade on hot days, but no ameneties nearby. During August, you can pick from the many fig trees.

Zelena Punta: Large pine forest area opposite the marina that has numerous bays for swimming, some of which are sandy and shallow enough to stand. Depending on which way the wind blows, great places can be found for swimming all around the peninsula. Some, though, are rockier than others. We loved it here, although it can get busy.

Zavhr: This bay is on the other side of Zelena Punta. You'd need to walk for a few minutes, starting by the narrow street by the side of the tourist office to get there. Here the water, especially in the morning, is fabulously calm. There are some excellent swimming spots and a diving platform. It can also get wavy in the afternoons, though this is great for wind-surfers.

Kostanj: A sandy cove, intimately tucked away beyond the 15th Century church of St Jerome and a fair distance from the village centre, is sadly spoiled by littering. It's horribly dirty, which is a shame as there is potential for this to be an excellent beach location. The walk there, going through the pine forest, is attractive.

Jelenica: A smaller version of Sabusa with a sandy, shallow bay, which makes for plenty of fun for children. You can get there either from the main road passing by Kukljica or from Sabuša by walking further along the coastline.

Poljana:

By the basketball court: This seemed to be the best location in this tiny and quiet village. There is some sand, but it's mostly pebbles and rocks and the wind can gust a little. You can see the village of Preko in the distance. There's a large concrete base for bathers to lie down and car parking nearby.

Marina: Follow the coastline around (on the opposite side to the basketball court) and you'll find several pebbled beaches with clean water and nicely tucked away. But the coves are small.

Pašman

Pašman: Located across from the islet of Babac in the Pašman Channel, this village has two sandy beaches. One, close to the church and near a camping site, is bigger, tends to be busier and is less sheltered. On the other side is another beach spot, which we found to be excellent. The water is knee-deep for 20 metres and pure sand.

Mrljane: What this small, undeveloped village lacks in terms of restaurants and atmosphere it makes up for with a large swimming/play area. You can walk for about 100m out to sea before the water rises to chest height (for an average sized adult). Therefore, it's great for young children. It can get blustery, as the bay is quite open. There are trees lining the beach, offering some respite from the sun.

Neviđane: There's a tiny, but pretty sandy bay which is perfect for playing in rather than swimming. It gets really busy in high season, but the water is clean and warm. There are children's play areas with swings and slides - one of which is on the end of a pier and heads into the ocean.

Kukljica: Sabuša Beach

SOMEONE once said to me you should never go on vacation to the same place twice.

The reason had nothing to do with how many exceptional and interesting places there are in the world to visit. It was more that your recollections, especially if already great, can get tainted and/or become more blurred.

I understand the logic. It crossed my mind before returning to Kukljica, where I had so many fabulous childhood adventures and the last time I visited I had hair on my head and none on my chest. Now the opposite is the case.

However, I know that for more than 30 years my father resisted revisiting the land of his birth, Mauritius. But when he eventually did return, he went back again and again. It can work both ways.

I’ve been in Kukljica now several days and haven’t regretted the decision for a second. It’s wonderful.

Visiting places with Zenchai and Jamie that I first and last experienced with my Croatian grandparents is an unusual feeling, almost as if I’m in some kind of time warp. 

Going to Sabuša (pronounced Sa-bu-sha) beach was one of my boyhood joys from those summer days. It’s about a gentle 20-minute walk from Kukljica village centre.

Jamie and I were both glad we’d brought along Zenchai’s wooden bicycle (he calls it a motorbike and makes engine sound effects as he whizzes around) because otherwise I’m not sure he’d have made it to Sabuša without a fuss.

It’s been hot and Zenchai doesn’t always handle extreme heat well. But on his bike, he was off, using his gangly legs to get up the hills and cruising down them on the other side. At one point I lost sight of him and had to ‘leg it’, just to be sure he didn’t crash (he has a habit of cycling and looking everywhere but directly in front of him).

We all made it there safely, though, and the longish walk was worth it. We practically had the beach to ourselves.

What makes Sabuša special, though, is the sand. It’s not a sandy beach like you’d find in Greece. This is typically Croatian in so far as the places to put down your towel are all nearly concrete. But in the water, it’s mostly sand and not stone. It’s also shallow – brilliant for kids. So we had a superb time and stayed for around five hours.

Soon the clouds that hovered over us on the way there disappeared, leaving a bright blue sky and ocean to match. The mountain backdrop was idyllic. We swam and splashed and also, shortly after arriving, had a little clean-up of the beach, removing from the water any undesirable items that had been washed into the bay.

The water was, I thought, perfect, though Jamie, who has a lower threshold for coldness, might disagree.

Sabuša was more or less how I remember it, except for the new path leading to the beach, more areas to sit and the old fig tree that I used to shelter under – and eat from - had now been consumed by surrounding vegetation.

Nothing, of course, remains the same, but sweet memories can live forever.