I credit a lot of my “worldlyness” (is that a word?) to traveling with my family every summer as a kid. There is so much to see throughout the United States. But what do kids really want to see?
So many kids these days would rather sit in front of the TV and play Playstation or watch a movie. Fortunately for them, portable DVD players/TV’s
I can recall one summer in particular growing up where, after spending a few weeks with my Uncle on Vancouver Island (at the K.O.A. Kampground on the Malahat), my parents and brother and I drove 1/2 way across Canada, through Banff National Park, and down through the Grand Tetons, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, Bryce and Zion in Utah, and the Grand Canyon in Arizona before making it back to San Diego. If you’re looking to stay within the National Parks, here’s a great site that has information historic and easy accommodation in or nearby many of the National Parks in America.
Like virtually every other kid out there, my brother and I had a bit of extra energy to burn off. Ok, so maybe that’s an understatement, but especially after spending hours in the car between destinations, we were already ready to explore and undertake hikes at a moments notice. These hikes, and getting of the beaten path, were really the best ways to see the National Parks of America, and the very best way for our parents to keep us on the edge of exhaustion (which, I’m sure, made the trip a bit more bearable for them)
Really, it’s not that hard to travel with kids. They’re very simple creatures! (Of course, I say this now, after tormenting my parents for YEARS!) While I’m sure it varies from kid to kid, the hikes, the reward trips to our favourite fast food joints, and the occasional gift for being well behaved kept us pretty much inline (oh, and for boys, the ability to stomp, break, poke, and to all in all explore along the way helps too) for the trip.
It took us a few weeks to cover all this ground, but was well worth it. As kids, my brother and I learned a lot. So did our parents. But that was more about my brother and I. Now, at 30 years of age, I look forward to doing this with my kids. Whenever that may be.
While the rain is bucketing down in Southern California, and snow is falling throughout the San Francisco Bay area, us here in Australia are gearing up for a Christmas that promises to be full of laughter, cheer, and the beach. Ah yes, Christmas time in Australia. Warm weather, a few beers with close mates and family, and a BBQ. Now that Christmas is actually upon us, I’m ready to celebrate.
When I first came to Australia for Christmas three years ago, I thought I’d miss the cold, cozy weather that comes with Christmas; bundled up inside by the fire.
I was wrong.
There’s something nice about having a warm Christmas, sitting out on the patio eating a nice Christmas lunch, lounging away the afternoon in a chair, drifting in and out of conciousness. I may have been a Christmas purist in the past, but I’m a believer in a Southern Hemisphere holiday season.
The only downside I truly find to having the seasons reversed is that when winter does hit us in Australia, it’s long. Almost unbearably so. Why? There’s no holiday season to really break up the monotany of cold weather and the short daylight hours, and unlike schools in the States, the summer break and the Christmas holiday break are pretty much just lumped together into one. It’s like being born on Christmas, you’re going to get fewer presents, and people combining the celebratory times into one, which ultimately draws the attention away from you. Where it really belongs.
Do I sound bitter? Not at all. None of that really applies to me. I’ve got a summer (now winter) birthday in August, and I’m out of school. It’s not like I have a summer holiday anymore anyways.
I suppose July/August is a good time of year to escape Australia and visit the family back in California. I think I’m on to something…
