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Shy Bredewold
Feb 13, 2025
In Destination Discovery
I loved Ninja Turtles as a child, my kids are just discovering SpongeBob during the last few months. And I think all kids are just Paw Patrol fans at birth, no? If you love any of the Nickelodeon characters there are plenty to meet and even more cool art and sculptures to discover around the resort complex. But! Unlike Disney you’re not forced to enjoy the cartoon lifestyle at every corner if you don’t want to. It feels like a happy option at an otherwise well appointed beach resort in Riviera Maya. Hugs in the gift shop! Ninja Turtle concept art circa 1984
Want to meet newer and classic characters at Nick Resort Riviera Maya? There’s cool paraphernalia everywhere but it’s not suffocating content media
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Shy Bredewold
Feb 12, 2025
In Destination Discovery
Only yards from the lobby reception at Nickelodeon Resort Riviera Maya, it’s one of the biggest water parks in all of Mexico! But what does it look like? Is it busy? Is there food? Is it really all that fun!?! I’m here all week with a family group of 17 and loving every moment of it. Here’s a peak:
Videos of Aqua Nick Riviera Maya (Nickelodeon Water Park Mexico) content media
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Shy Bredewold
Feb 12, 2025
In Destination Discovery
Sitting on the balcony, just ordered breakfast from room service. There’s a wonderful dawn breeze… And this view
Does anything beat a Caribbean sunrise? content media
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Shy Bredewold
Feb 10, 2025
In Destination Discovery
One of the least appealing places in any airport, Terminal 5 has a new set of scanning and x-ray tools which allegedly remove the need for you to remove most items from your carry on or your person. During a recent family trip, we found the equipment to be pain free but the process was probably confused among an army of pleasant, helpful and well meaning staff who were probably not yet entirely familiar with the tech and what it should be able to do. It was like a scene from a comedy film, where a kind and helpful security officer tried to help speed our family along. Flashing us from the queue and inviting us to try the new stuff out. As above, proudly proclaiming we would “only need to take big laptops out” from our bags and “it’ll be faster”. The reality, we must have had 15 trays among the four of us! Every refillable water bottle got its own tray. My shoes got their own tray. The children’s 8” Amazon Fire tablets each got their own tray. The little baggie of liquids and gels got its own tray. Quarter inch buckle on my wife’s sandals trips the alarm? That’s right, go back and get them their own tray. Hahaha with the stroller and baby separated, the stroller was simply given a thrust and launched through the scanner to roll out the other side while a team of three watched it but didn’t really stop it from rolling. The baby got a chemical wipe down test so thorough she must have been flagged as a rebel fighter; My guess is, by the time the spring travel rush into Europe gets started up most of the links will be found and flattened. If the tech lives up to the hype, it should be a breeze. Meaning you can look forward to just checking in and zipping through a little bit quicker on your way home from a great trip!
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Shy Bredewold
Feb 05, 2025
In Destination Discovery
It’s quite the building, with the bronze eagle casting an eye over (at least part of) Grosvenor Square! Home to the US Embassy until 2018 - the new embassy building is closer to the also rejuvenated Battersea Power Station - it’s great to see a new lease on life for the structure. No exact date just yet but expect perhaps end of summer or fall 2025, the revamped Chancery Rosewood Hotel should be something special in a very desirable part of London.
Chancery Rosewood Hotel in the old US Embassy, London content media
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Shy Bredewold
Feb 04, 2025
In Destination Discovery
With 21 slides and 2 rivers - one lazy, one adventure! - and an actual replica of Adventure Bay... the kids are SO excited to go to Nickelodeon this weekend! There's also an activity pool, apparently with some sort of community challenge to perform. Wondering how long before my wife's inner sporting lunatic has her pacing back and forth and fixating on how to win haha Check this out though and tell me it doesn't look like a lot of fun for mom, dad, and all the little ones!
AquaNick at Nickelodeon Resort Riviera Maya, one of Mexico's biggest water parks content media
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Shy Bredewold
Jan 30, 2025
In Destination Discovery
Only a few short weeks ago Celebrity surprised many by retiring 2 of their 3 exclusive Galapagos Islands ships from the fleet. Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Xploration set sail for the last time December 24, 2024. If you weren't aware, Ecuador has some pretty strict rules about the total capacity of ships sailing the islands. That means each cruise line has an upper limit, a maximum number of passengers they're allowed to sail around the islands. There are few places on earth more well-known for the rare wildlife, often found nowhere else on earth! Removing a vessel from the Galapagos (let alone TWO!) is a big deal for a cruise line. Celebrity's remaining ship is among the newest, the purpose built Celebrity Flora - a marvel of modern technology built for the Galapagos Islands, it's typically referred to as a "mega yacht" rather than a cruise ship; itineraries are the most all-inclusive fares Celebrity offers. Again, it's a big deal and I'll be Celebrity Cruises has something truly special to announce in the coming months!
Celebrity Cruises BIG Galapagos change content media
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Shy Bredewold
Jan 29, 2025
In Destination Discovery
Happy Year of the Snake! content media
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Shy Bredewold
Jan 28, 2025
In Destination Discovery
I've seen these guys on a few trips to Mexico or Costa Rica, hoping to see more with my kids on our next visit! Although I strongly suspect my wife will also appreciate how fun they look :) Apparently they're pretty quick for short sprints, I've been reading some claims between 21 and 30 miles per hour for a short distance. A wonderful power to escape predators, I wonder if it includes curious tourists?
Spiny Tailed Iguanas in Mexico content media
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Shy Bredewold
Jan 27, 2025
In Destination Discovery
Men are simple creatures, aren't we? I was happy enough with plans to meet a friend for a beer or two in London's famous Notting Hill area when he suggested we meet at The Champion. Bonus points, they serve Guinness! But imagine my surprise when I nipped downstairs to use the gentlemen's loos and saw this sign on the wall! Apparently The Champion was frequented by none other than Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury - what's more they claim he even wrote the song there and named it after the pub!
🎵 Weeee are The Champion 🎵 in London's Notting Hill content media
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Shy Bredewold
Jan 26, 2025
In Destination Discovery
Anyone get this reference? Feeling pretty excited!!!
Countdown to vacation content media
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Shy Bredewold
Jan 24, 2025
In Destination Discovery
In just a few short weeks, my family and I will be traveling to this beautiful destination - to enjoy a relaxing family vacation with sun and fun aplenty! But can you guess where? Here's the first hint:
Guess where we're going in February? content media
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Shy Bredewold
Jan 20, 2025
In Destination Discovery
They must have had a bear-statue promotion around the time Paddington in Peru came out last summer, with at least 2-3 colorful “Paddington” statues dotted about London’a Paddington Station. Of course I passed them and sent silly videos to the kids, pretending to talk to Paddington and totally forgetting anything serious - such as documenting and sharing where you could find the bears for yourself! There remains a sculpture along the station’s inside wall on the west side, near the all-new Elizabeth Line stop.
Paddington Bear at Paddington Station content media
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Shy Bredewold
Jan 14, 2025
In Destination Discovery
Connecting Kolkata with the world famous Ganges, Pandaw is introducing a brand new itinerary from October on board the 18-stateroom Kalaw Pandaw river cruise ship. The itinerary spans 10 days across West Bengal, India, and includes 2 nights in Kolkata and late check out on the final day meaning you could in theory just chill out on the ship instead of post-cruise hotel. Discover architectural wonders such as the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, terracotta temples in Kalna, and the Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad while your ship takes you effortlessly along the river through historic cities and charming villages. Highlights include visiting traditional craft workshops, experiencing spiritual sites like the ISKCON temple in Mayapur, and witnessing the blend of colonial influences from Danish, French, and British eras. The itinerary offers an immersive exploration of Bengal's diverse heritage, landscapes, and cultural traditions. Correct as of today's day of publish, Pandaw is offering a "no single supplement" during the inaugural season, sailing from Oct 10, 2025. Learn more HERE
New Pandaw Expedition for 2025. Cruise the Hooghly River, India's West Bengal content media
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Shy Bredewold
Mar 06, 2024
In Destination Discovery
Exotic wildlife? Check. Ample snacks? Check. Beautiful stately home? Check. It can be tough to find entertaining, safe activities to keep the family engaged when there's a bit of jet lag standing between you and your stress free embarkation! Marwell Zoo really does tick a lot of boxes, and it's only about 30 minutes by car from the cruise terminals. Great option for burning some energy on a comfortable half day out!
Marwell Zoo: Things to do near Southampton Cruise Port for families with young kids content media
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Shy Bredewold
Feb 25, 2024
In Destination Discovery
Were you one of the lucky ones to visit The Bahamas last year? While the ministry responsible for tourism figures had reported slightly higher than expected visitor numbers for 2023, I think the biggest surprise has been just how much growth the islands have enjoyed since 2019, the previous record-setting year for visitor numbers. More than 9.6 million guests visited The Bahamas last year, representing a 33% increase since 2019! This figure wasn't necessarily unexpected, if a little higher than the local tourism board had estimated. I think the biggest surprise has been the rate of growth and some minor figures among the distribution of visitors: New Providence, which includes Nassau and features the largest casino resort in the Caribbean at The Baha Mar represented the lion's share of those visitor numbers, with nearly 4.5 million by air or sea. The Baha Mar in New Providence Grand Bahama was the next most popular destination, welcoming just under 600,000 visitors. What are known as "The Family Islands" represented a 40% increase over 2022 with more than 4.6 million guests; a region scattered to the multitude of wonderful islands across turquoise waters elsewhere in the archipelago. Think Eleuthera, Berry Islands, Exumas, and beyond!
Bahamas enjoy record visitor numbers in 2023 content media
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Shy Bredewold
Feb 20, 2024
In Destination Discovery
Check this place out! The Oxford University Museum of Natural History - a little unassuming outside, but it's absolutely beautiful inside. The collection is quite cool and not at all overwhelming, kept our family with young kids entertained and curious for just the right amount of time!
Oxford University Museum of Natural History content media
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Shy Bredewold
Nov 25, 2023
In Destination Discovery
Good to see some Christmas spirit, even if you struggle to clap your hands! Mid week might have been a bit kinder for crowds, but what a great day out with the kids in London!
Christmasaurus Rex at the Museum of Natural History in London content media
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Shy Bredewold
Aug 15, 2023
In Destination Discovery
I had an offline question this week about cruising the Galapagos Islands, which cruise loop is the best and when is the best time to travel there? It's going to sound like I'm wriggling my way out of giving a straight answer, but there's so much variation it really is up to you, the traveler, and what you'd prefer to see and do. When is the best time to visit I'll touch on the when first, as it ties in with the loop selection. The Galapagos Islands is a year-round destination, there is plenty of migratory wildlife but many of the main attractions live there full time. When it comes to "best", it's perhaps more a personal preference, unless you're a bird watcher or maybe if you've got particular snorkeling preferences! We could split the weather into two seasons, the dry and the warm. Not entirely intuitive, sure! From about June through December the islands tend to be drier, while the December through May period is viewed as both warmer and with more frequent showers. This shouldn't be vacation deal-breaker rain though, think island weather. The water temperatures tend to reflect those on land, my dear snorkelers. You can definitely get in the sea at any time, it'll just be warmer during the warm season. The when is more about what kind of wildlife you might like to see. There are plenty of seabirds doing their thing throughout the year, but a distinct seasonality exists for many other birds and the exotic wildlife which resides on or visits the islands. For example, flamingoes have a more intensive nesting season commencing in February. Or some of the giant tortoises begin their migration from higher elevations down to their regular nesting areas in March. The waved albatross does its grand performances, breeding and nesting from May. Sea lion pups start appearing in August. They emerge a little larger but more curious in about November, when you might see more sea turtles. December starts seeing more dolphins, particularly in the south... Which leads to the next point, the where or which loop? What are the loops and which one is best The government of Ecuador determines everything about visitation to the islands, including cruises. They maintain a requirement that visitation isn't repeating the same landfall day in, day out where there isn't a purpose built structure. Across many of the islands, landing craft are used to take you from ship and ride up the surf onto a beach or prominent feature where guests may alite. Although not many people visit the islands when compared to Venice or Dubrovnik or Key West, the results would nevertheless be catastrophic for the local environment if all ships were to disembark their passengers at the same spots all day, every day. So, cruise lines and tour operators tend to break up their landing spots and alternate their visit dates (or weeks). Allowing footfall to be more spread out across the various islands people like to visit. Most itineraries feature Puerto Ayora and the cultural & historical highlights, such as the Darwin Research Station (tortoises!!!). An outer loop might feature Espanola Island, for example, where you're most likely to see various species of albatross and blue-footed boobies. But it gets complicated, you might be more likely to see whales around Kicker Rock on an inner loop but only between April and December... I've also seen northern and southern marketed, the idea of a loop is such an easy way to break down what is truly a complicated set of tiny islands out in the Pacific! There's so much variety across such a small geographic area, it in fact helped inspire Darwin to come up with his theories. But in the end they're just branded itineraries. If you ask me, the best bet is to ask a few questions of yourself - what made you most want to visit the Galapagos Islands? If you can nail down those one or two inspiring moments you thought, "I need to see that for myself!", then you can start planning the best trip for you and your companions. Then come back here and ask me the best way to see them!!!
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Shy Bredewold
Jun 20, 2023
In Destination Discovery
I stayed here earlier in June during a short visit to London, maps just don't do the proximity any justice it's so close! Bonus interest, there was a film being shot at the cathedral during my stay - although I've not yet figured out what it was.
How close to St Paul’s Cathedral is Hilton’s Lost Property? content media
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Shy Bredewold

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