What to Do on Your Family Vacation

By Anders Abadie

 May 2013

It is that time again, the time to contemplate a family vacation. It can be exhilarating to think about getting away together with your loved ones to have some fun and some rest and relaxation. One location you might contemplate visiting is the utterly unique and historic New Orleans. This is a city known for its amazing food, world famous Mardi Gras celebration, and Creole culture. It is also a city that is a big draw for music lovers. Whether you are a blues fan or a zydeco fan or anything in between, this is a location worth considering for your next trip.

If you have children, your family vacation will need to include outings that will keep the little ones entertained and smiling. Include visits to the Aquarium, Insectarium, and the zoo while you are vacationing in this most interesting of areas.

To give your trip as much flavor as possible, you may wish to combine it with a jaunt to Cajun Country, also known as Acadiana. Here you can enjoy a multitude of festivals, as well as a smattering of quaint small towns, bayous, unique music, and a rich Francophone history.

On your family vacation, bring the French Quarter to life by taking a stroll through it. This is the oldest area in New Orleans, founded in 1718 by the French. The architecture found here dates back to the time when the city was a colony of Spain. Take your time and do not rush through the French Quarter. Enjoy the appearance and appeal of the historic buildings and all of the free entertainment that is available to you and your family members. Take it all in as it truly is a feast for the eyes! There are plenty of five-piece bands that play in the street for the listening enjoyment of the passerby's.

Meander over to Jackson Square on your family vacation. There is a National Historic Landmark here that features a museum within it. Your children will enjoy the section that features the Mardi Gras. They can see costumes, floats, lots of color, and plenty of excitement. There are also special exhibits that are worth seeing such as the "100 Years of Zulu" which commemorates the Krewe of Zulu African-American Mardi Gras parade.

Ready for the Audubon-Located between St. Charles Avenue and the Mississippi River is the amazing 340-acre Audubon Park. It is home to the Audubon Zoo, which provides visitors with a real treat- the majority of the animals who live at the zoo can be found living in their natural habitats, which makes for a better life for each and every one of them. There are plenty of exhibits to see here and lots of festivals to attend throughout the year. For a family vacation, this location is a true winner!

If you thinking about taking a New Orleans family vacation, be sure to plan ahead. For tips about some of the best place to go in this city, visit
http://www.auduboninstitute.org.

by John Erskine

May 2013

Draw up a will. Yes, that right, sort out your estate. As I see it, with the freedom of travel comes the responsibility because other people shouldn't have to clean up your mess.

Suppose, for example, you drink too much Mekong whiskey in Thailand, pass out on the trail and get run over by a slow-moving ox-cart. Unlikely perhaps, but kith and kin shouldn't have to sort out what to do with your CV and DVD collection and the thousand dollars left in your bank account.

Do a search for "template for writing a will" and find one that suits you. Get it witnessed, leave a copy with your executrix and tick the responsibility number one box. The process of divvying up your possessions is a good exercise as you have to think it through and make decisions.

My will states that I want to be buried Muslim style: Wash the body, wrap it in a white sheet and bury it before sundown in an unmarked grave. Consequently I won't have an epitaph. But if I did it would read "Some loved her; some hated her; everyone had an opinion."

Write your obituary. Your obituary is your final statement to the world. Do you really want to leave it to someone else to schmaltz up? What do you want people to remember about you?

Like the will, writing your own obituary moves you one step closer to accepting your own mortality. And this is part of the travel experience. Once you have the base obit done you can update it from time to time to reflect your situation.

If you are stuck and want an example, my contact details are in the resource box. Flick me an email and I'll send you a copy mine. I had such a wonderful time writing it. Very liberating.

Take out a living will. Basically, a living will is making your wishes known so that if you are in a state where you can't act, someone else will. It might be that you are in a coma or on life-support and unable to speak.

Do you want the medical types to keep you alive no matter what or do you want them to pull the plug? I went for the latter. And I made a pact with a couple of close friends. If I'm in that state they are to inject me with Nembutal or insulin. That way I will just quietly - and painlessly - drift off into the final adventure, which is how I view death.

Leave someone with 'power of attorney.' Careful with this one. The designated person has full power to act on your behalf. That includes selling your CDs and DVDs, taking the thousand dollars left in your bank account and hawking your computer.

I once talked with a woman who said she didn't have anyone in her life that she could trust. Sad, very sad. I have left people with power of attorney in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. And although I've only had to use it a couple of times in 30 some years, it is still a good thing to have in place.

Record the reasons you want to travel. For some it will be finding themselves. Nobel in theory, but if you are lost before you leave, chances are you won't stumble across the "real you' out there. Others want to opt for adventure tourism. Go for it. And then there are those who are just after pure, unadulterated hedonism they can't afford in their home counties.

Me- I travel to meet interesting people, explore unusual markets and try different food and drink. Oh, and along the way I help when and where I can. Very simple; very do-able.

The idea of recording your original reasons is to compare them with your evolution and see how much perceptions shifted by the time you return.

Moving on. Once you reach this stage you are ready to hit the road. Think of it as "insurance" and chances are that if you have it you won't need it. But if you don't, some else is stuck with cleaning it all up.

Now you are ready to get your passport and yellow fever shot. Happy travels.

http://www.j-hanson.com

Although Jody Hanson comes from an academic background with a Ph.D in adult education, she reinvented herself as a travel writer. An insufferable travel junkie, she has visited 107 countries, lived in eight and holds passports in three.
Hanson epitomizes the concept of "travelling light" as she reduced her worldly possessions to fit into one suitcase, a carry-on and a diaper bag with numerous compartments Consequently, she can be on the next plane to Sri Lanka to cover Deepawali and continue on for the Dogan mask festival in Mali.