Amazonas, Brazil

Type of trip: Nature

Length: 4 days
Date of the trip: December 2014

Home base: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Flight itinerary: Rio de Janeiro - Manaus - Rio de Janeiro

Highlights

Amazonia is a large rainforest which covers 5.5 million square kilometres and is shared by 9 countries with majority being in Brazil. It represents over half of the world's remaining rainforests.

One, I am sure, needs years to explore this region properly but we wanted to get a feeling of what it is like and as such we have chosen a relatively short stay.  But for us four days were really quite perfect.  We ended up doing plenty of cool things (all organised by our hotel - see information below):

• We went on a boat for a night safari and saw a few snakes (including rainbow boa on the picture below) and other animals.  This whole experience was quite mystical.  

• We went piranha fishing and got quite a few of them.  The boat driver took most of them but one was cooked for us and it was pretty tasty.  The kids loved it!

• We hiked in the rainforest exploring flora and fauna.  The spider below is apparently not dangerous, you will only get unconscious for a couple of hours if it bites you.  

• We saw and touched pink dolphins which I must admit are not the prettiest creatures I have ever seen but they were very friendly and cute.  

• We swam in Rio Negro which was a bit spooky as the water is so rich in minerals that you can't see beyond a few centimetres and you don't really know what is lurking next to you.  (Warning: one of my kids who doesn't ever get any allergies got very strong rush after swimming in Rio Negro, must be some mineral that did it. All cleared after a coupe of days with no treatments, but worth knowing especially if your kids are sensitive to things). 
• And on the last day we went on a boat trip to see the sunrise over River Negro which was beautiful.  

All in all this was a great trip although we only got a glimpse of this huge region.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_rainforest

Logistics

Getting to Amazonas from Rio de Janeiro is pretty straight forward.  There are plenty of flights to Manaus.  After that it really depends on where you stay and therefore, how much you will have to travel by road.  The hotel we stayed was 160 km from Manaus so it took us a bit over two hours to get there.  The road was pretty good most of the way.  

On the way back, our flight was in the afternoon so we had four or five hours to spare in Manaus and we went to visit Teatro de Amazonas. It is beautiful inside and outside and really good to visit. They do guided English tours every couple of hours. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Theatre

Accommodation

Choosing a place to stay was not easy.  There are plenty of simple places but it is pretty hard to understand what each of the lodges offers and their level of comfort.  Having looked for hours, I have chosen Anavilhanas Lodge which was listed as one of the top 10 places to stay in Brazil by the National Geographic (although a couple of years ago).  We were not disappointed.  In summary:

• The rooms and beds were nice, clean and comfortable.  The room had a covered terrace with a hammock.  
• The trips organised by the hotel were excellent.  The guides were nice and knowledgeable.  Well... apart from one called Krishna who seemed to be only interested in selling extra tours in Manaus which by the sound of it him and his mate are running.  
• The food was not great.  Was OK but really not great.  We were not left hungry but the food could be improved a lot.  
• There is a nice little pool which the kids enjoyed playing in.  

It is worth noting that Anavilhanas archipelago is located on Rio Negro. It is as I noted above very rich of minerals and as such mosquitoes don't really breed there, so despite my expectations, there were not too many annoying insects apart from the time when we went hiking. You really needed plenty of mosquito spray then and the hotel provided gaiters to protect against other creatures which I prefer not to be thinking about but we didn't encounter any... 

http://www.anavilhanaslodge.com/wordpress/

Food

Manaus - Tambaqui de Banda. After our tour of the Teatro de Amazonas we went to a place just around the corner which serves tambaqui, local fish. I tend to prefer sea fish as find river fish a bit smelly, but this fish was great.  And it is huge. We had ribs (in addition to all kinds of other parts of this fish as we over ordered against the waiter's advice) and they were good and huge... Anyway, the food was really good in this place, so I would highly recommend it. 

http://www.tambaquidebanda.com.br/

Other options
One other thing that is probably worth seeing in Manaus which we didn't end up doing as we really didn't have much time plus had a feeling that it was a bit too touristy is the meeting of waters, i.e. the confluence between the Rio Negro, a river with dark (almost black) water, and the sandy coloured Amazon River or Rio Solimoes. For 6 km, the two rivers's water run side by side without mixing. It is probably worth seeing if you have time. 

Perito Moreno Glaicier (El Calafate), Patagonia, Argentina

Type of trip: Nature and Active

Length: One week
Date of the trip: January 2015

Home base: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Flight itinerary: Rio de Janeiro - Buenos Aires - El Calafate - Buenos Aires - Rio de Janeiro

Highlights

The whole trip was two and a half weeks.  We spent the first week just outside Buenos Aires playing tennis in Pilara Tennis Academy but this is a different kind of activity, so I will not cover it here.  The second half of the trip was a visit to Argentinian Patagonia.  Many people take long two or three weeks trips to explore this wonderful region including visiting Usuaia, Tierra del Fuego and Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.  We decided to see just one part this time and leave other places for next visit.  So I asked my Argentine friends about the best place to go if I were to chose just one.  They pretty much unanimously recommended Perito Moreno Glacier, and so we went there.  And we were not disappointed.

This is one of the most impressive things one can see.  A massive land locked glacier surrounded by beautiful mountains.

The sheer power of the ice is impressive with huge pieces falling off once in a while.  The colour of the ice is absolutely amazing.

From practical point, it is important to be at the glacier as early as the park opens.  There are very good galleries/walkways that are built next to the glacier which allows you to view it and it is beneficial to be there before the big buses of tourists arrive there.  But the first thing to do is to get your ticket for the boat tour as soon as you arrived (unless you have it from your tour operator, we didn't).  We arrived early, got the ticket for the boat ride and spent the morning admiring the glacier and having a picnic (the hotel provided packed lunch) looking at falling pieces of ice.  After lunch we went on a relatively short but worth-wile boat ride to get quite close to the Glacier.

You can also join a walking tour on the Glacier which sounds pretty good but only kids older than 10 years old are allowed.

But the glacier was not the only thing which was stunningly beautiful.  We walked and cycled for hours admiring amazing landscapes with no-one to be seen for miles.  We were very lucky with the weather.  It was sunny and warm but not hot, so it was perfect for outdoor activities.  In fact the trip was so nice that we no longer are sure we want to go and see other parts of Patagonia as worried to be disappointed.  This one is really hard to beat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perito_Moreno_Glacier

http://www.losglaciares.com/en/parque/

Logistics

There are few daily direct flights to El Calafate from Buenos Aires.  On our way back connection to Rio de Janeiro was really not great (arriving in the middle of the night), so we spent a night and morning in Buenos Aires.

Once in El Calafate, the hotels tend to pick you up from the airport, so it is pretty straight forward.

Quite a few people do long driving trips across Patagonia crossing between Argentina and Chile.  This sounds fun but way too much driving and sitting in the car, which is not really our thing, so I can't comment on this.  

Accommodation

Patagonia - Hosteria Alta Vista.  This place is superb.  It is located half way between El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier.  Literally in the middle of nowhere.  All you can see around are beautiful fields, mountains, lakes and skies.  It is just stunning.  We stayed there for three full days and did many activities:

• We went hiking for hours (the trails are quite well marked but we managed to get a little bit lost - totally our fault for trying to improvise too much - and got the hosts worried).  
• There bikes to borrow and we went cycling with the boys.  My husband also went mountain biking a couple of times (again, there are a couple of nice trails).  
• The boys also were taken horseback riding for hours.  They loved it.  The young man who looks after the horses was excellent with children and there was proper equipment for them including helmets, etc.  
• On the last day we walked to the sheep sheering farm that is owned by the same family as the hosteria and they explained to us the process and showed it all to us.  Pretty impressive.  
• Well, and of course on the first day we went to see Perito Moreno Glacier.  

Now a few words about the hotel itself:  

• It is a family owned very well run place.  The owners are super nice and warm.  They speak perfect English and were very helpful in all respects.  
• Despite our expectations (we were really in the middle of nowhere in a small hotel), the food was great.  The dishes were varied and as there were not too many customers during the first two days of our stay, we were asked about our preferences and they were really keen to accommodate our requests.  The portions were very big.  In fact too big for us but some might like it. 
• The rooms are simple but comfortable, very clean and cosy.  
• This hosteria is located half way between El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier, hence you have an advantage of not having to drive too far and to be at the glacier early.  

All in all, I think this place was amazing in all respects.  

http://www.hosteriaaltavista.com/

Buenos Aires - Moreno Hotel.  This is a very good hotel located in San Telmo area of Buenos Aires, very close to the main attractions in the centre.  The Art Deco building is really beautiful.  The rooms are huge (the largest is Big Loft) and contemporary furnished.  It is not a luxury hotel and it doesn't claim to be, so there are no extras but the rooms are very clean and I like the fact that the floors are wooden, hence can be easily washed.  Breakfast is very basic and the food was OK, there is nothing wrong with it but nothing particularly good to note either.  All in all, this is a perfect charming hotel in the heart of Buenos Aires which is very reasonably priced.  

http://morenobuenosaires.com/en/index

Food

Aldo's Vinoteca y Restoran - This restaurant is adjacent to Moreno Hotel.  The food is very good and the wine list is just amazing.  The atmosphere is pretty cool and staff is very friendly and patient even with three young children at dinner time.

http://aldosvinoteca.com/

Other places to consider visiting
Peluqueria y Barberia La Epoca - a great place if you need a shave, haircut and a drink.  This place is really quirky with amazing ambience.  It is an old fashion barber shop but also has a bar.  Definitely worth a visit.

https://www.google.com.br/maps/place/Guayaquil+877,+Buenos+Aires,+Argentina/@-34.6218001,-58.4404051,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x95bcca3880911f81:0xce5217e489558a42

Other options
Here are some other hotels in El Calafate that we considered and the reasons why we have chosen Hosteria Alta Vista at the end.  I would have happily stayed in either of these four hotels but of course I don't know if they would have lived up to my expectations.

Nibepo Aike - this place seems similar to Hosteria Alta Vista where we stayed.  I had a hard time choosing between the two.  At the end I felt that the location of Alta Vista was slightly better but both are out of town surrounded by fields.

http://www.nibepoaike.com.ar/

Estancia Christina - again, a similar type of a hotel but located a bit further away next to another glacier (Upsala Glacier).  Looks great but at the end we have chosen not to travel any further.

http://www.estanciacristina.com/english/ellugar.html

EOLO - a Relais&Chateaux hotel.  Looks stunning but doesn't allow kids less than 12 years old.  Fair enough...

http://www.eolo.com.ar/home_eng.htm

Hosteria Los Notros - the only hotel located inside the Park and overlooking Perito Moreno Glacier.  We seriously considered it but at the end decided to stay outside which was the right choice for us as we ended up doing more than just the glacier.  If you stay in Los Notros you are somewhat restricted and can't do the hikes and the bike rides we ended up doing.

London, UK - Must see museums with kids

You can spend weeks in London and still only see a fraction of what this city has to offer. So below is what in my personal opinion are the very best museums to visit with kids. 

1. Natural History Museum. This museum is huge and you can easily spend days here. So it is important to choose two or three main things you are interested in prior to the visit. One section that can't be missed is the dinosaurs (left off the main entrance). There is a moving T-Rex there as well as other life-like dinosaurs. The best way to plan your visit is to look at the timetable on the website below, choose the date you are visiting and see what is going on. There are workshops and special exhibitions, so it is easy to choose things that you like.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk

One thing that we haven't done yet but will absolutely do soon is a sleepover in the museum (called dinosnores). It is only available once a month and always appear to be booked, so need to plan well in advance.  

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/whats-on/programs/nhm/dino_snores.html

2. National Science Museum. Actually this one is my personal favourite for kids. Permanent exhibitions are amazing and there are always special events going on. So best to plan with information about specific events, workshops, presentations, etc. on the day of the visit which is on the website. There is also a nice IMAX cinema showing a range of excellent educational movies. Visiting this museum, as NHM, require pretty much a full day, so don't expect to do anything major on the same date.

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

3. Saatchi Gallery. Wonderful not very big contemporary arts gallery. Probably the best, if you like contemporary art. This gallery is located just off Kings Road in Chelsea. This street has quite a few cool and expensive shops and great restaurants. Including one of my most favourite called Eight over Eight at the very end of Kings Road. You can have a nice day, starting with a breakfast in a lovely pancake place called My Old Dutch, go to the gallery, walk on Kings Road and have a nice lunch at Eight over Eight.

http://www.saatchigallery.com

http://www.rickerrestaurants.com/eight-over-eight/

http://www.myolddutch.com/

Another option for lunch or dinner on Kings Road is Bluebird Cafe which is great too.

http://www.bluebird-restaurant.co.uk/at/cafe-chelsea/

4. Tate Modern. Another contemporary arts museum. Huge and impressive both architecturally as well as from the exhibitions point of view. It is on the other side of the river from St. Paul's Cathedral, so can do both on the same day.

http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern

https://www.stpauls.co.uk

5. London Aquarium. We have been to a few aquariums around the world and this one is amongst the best.  I think the sharks are pretty impressive and for me is the best thing about this aquarium.  

You can combine the visit to London Aquarium with London Eye. You should prebook online to get the discount and to avoid the queues. There is also a Dali exhibition next to it but unless you are a big fan, I personally wouldn't waste my time.

https://www2.visitsealife.com/london/

https://www.londoneye.com

6. Tower of London. This is a good place to get a bit of history obviously...  The guided tours are really good and crown jewels are pretty impressive.

http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/

7. Buckingham Palace. A lot of people like going and watching changing of the guard at the Buckingham Palace.  The ceremony lasts about 45 minutes and usually takes place daily at 11:30 from April until the end of July and on alternate days for the rest of the year, weather permitting.  

You can visit a part of Buckingham Palace (the State Rooms) for a couple of month a year (end of July until end of September).

https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/the-state-rooms-buckingham-palace

8. Where NOT to go.

My personal opinion and it is very very personal...

Madame Tussauds.  Well I do think the wax sculptures and their resemblance to real people are quite amazing but I really don't care for celebrities, so really personally don't see the point.

London Dungeons. Never been but sounds pretty horrid and pretty silly. Just doesn't appeal to me.

London Zoo. Small and really not worth wasting your time if you have been to other zoos. Whipsnade on the other hand is an amazing place but it is out of town albeit not too far.

https://www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo

9. Other places to consider visiting.   And there are plenty of other wonderful museums in London, such as British Museum, V&A, etc, etc.  One can't list them all...

http://www.britishmuseum.org/

http://www.vam.ac.uk/

Pantanal, Brazil

Type of trip: Nature

Length: Long weekend

Home base: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Flight itinerary: Rio de Janeiro - Brasilia - Cuiaba - Brasilia - Rio de Janeiro

Highlights

Pantanal is one of the largest wetlands in the world. This is a birdwatchers paradise. Hundreds of bird species can be seen easily and they do not appear to be bothered by people's presence, so can be observed closely.

 

 

But for us the main attraction were jaguars. There are more than 100 jaguars in the area and during dry season (July to October or thereabouts) one can relatively easily see them. We saw 4 of them during our three half day boat rides. We got to observe one of the jaguars for a couple of hours. All sightings were at about 50 meter distance. 

 

We also saw a family of giant otters having a breakfast 10 meters away from our boat.  Like other animals they didn't take any notice of our presence.

Other animals that you can see in abundance are capybaras, caimans and iguanas.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Logistics
We took an early evening flight on Friday out of Rio de Janeiro. Having arrived at Cuiaba we picked our rental car and drove 100km to Pocone. The road between Cuiaba and Pocone is of excellent quality, so was OK even though we all were tired. It took us a bit over an hour.

We stayed one night in Pocone and after breakfast and stocking up with some snacks and water in the local supermarket, which is easily found in the centre of Pocone, we set off to Porto Jofre on Transpantaneira.  This is a good quality 145km dirt road with 125 little bridges in varied condition. So it takes about 3 hours to get from Pocone to Porto Jofre. 

We went back on Monday (took an early evening flight). Left Porto Jofre at 8 and drove all the way to Cuiaba. Had a long lunch there and then went to get our flight.

 

Accommodation

Pocone - Hotel Skala. Basic to say the least but... beds were clean and all in all it was bearable. It appears to be the only option in Pocone itself and it is easy to find just next to the main square which is good if you arrive late. There are other hotels that are listed as being located in Pocone but in fact are on Transpantaneira which is not advisable to drive in darkness. Plus, it is really hard to complain when you pay 180 reais (35 pounds) for a quadruple room (actually two bedrooms and a shower/toilet) including (a very basic but still) breakfast.

http://www.skalahotel.com.br/capa.html

Pantanal - SouthWild Pantanal Flotel Suites. When choosing where to stay in Pantanal one has to factor that if you want to see jaguars, you will have to drive to Porto Jofre and take a boat ride on the river. So... the closer your accommodation is to Porto Jofre, the less time you will spend going back and force. So all depends on how many times one plans to go to the river. All pousadas' addresses state which kilometre on Transpantaneira they are on. The total length of Transpantaneira from Pocono to Porto Jofre is 145km...

We have chosen to stay on the river. Thus we were right in the middle of the action and could go on early boat rides and stay until the sunset. SouthWild is focused on providing nature tours and
experiences. We stayed in the suites part, so I can't comment about the other part of the hotel. All in all it was better than I expected but I must admit my expectations were low. But in summary:

• The boat rides were excellent. The boat driver was super nice and clued up. We didn't have a naturalist with us, so I suppose you need a bit of Portuguese but probably can get by without it. 
• The room was clean and looked very new with two large beds and clean furniture. 
• The food was OK. Just about.  Certainly can easily improve it. For example, butter at breakfast (the one in individual little packets) was melted and then cooled again. Jam is again in those little plastic packets but was of a really low quality. But fruits were OK and fish for lunch was not bad.

http://www.southwild.com/southwild-camps.html

 

Food

Cuiaba - Mahalo. The only place we ate outside hotels was Mahalo in the centre of Cuiaba. We went there before heading off to the airport. The place was really quite good. We had set lunches and the food was great and not at all expensive (68 reais, less than 15 pounds for starter, main course and dessert). The staff was friendly and competent. Plus they didn't mind our less than presentable looks as we were dusty after the ride. 

http://www.mahalocozinhacriativa.com.br