#also I hear the aquarium is a theme park with like. thrill rides at it now. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

the-nights-parade · 4 years

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Ocean Park | Hong Kong's Largest Theme Park

Ocean Park is Hong Kong's largest theme park. In fact, it is Hong Kong's only theme park. With its 35 attractions and rides, the park has won several awards, including "The World's Seventh Most Popular Amusement Park" and "33rd Most Visited Tourist Attraction in the World". These are not statistics that I would necessarily brag about, but maybe that's just me.

Ocean Park is a 10 minute taxi ride away from our home, and Sadie has been at least a dozen times with her friends. In fact, her school did a trip there earlier this year and attempted to sell it to the parents as a physics lesson. Right.

I am reasonably informed that watching a teacher get spun around until they puke is the height of entertainment for a teenager. Anyway, I had never been before. I'm not sure why this is, but I guess that it is partly to do with David's lack of interest. I guess I can understand that. Any roller coaster becomes Space Mountain when you are blind, and although I love Space Mountain, I'm not sure that I'd want to spend the whole day riding on it. David is in the UK though, and I thought it might be a fun thing for Sadie and me to do.

This is the latest in a long string of my attempts at mother/daughter bonding. I try to kid myself that Sadie and I really have a close personal connection, that she loves and respects me as much as I do her, and that she actually enjoys my company when in reality what I perceive as bonding is probably just Sadie playing along to get something she wants. Regardless, if that's all I can get, I'll take it.

So, off we went to Ocean Park. I had to queue up for the ticket as Sadie already had a season pass that paid for itself if the first month. The price was comparable to other them parks - about £20 for the day. Now it is time for me to fess up about the real reason I wanted to go to Ocean Park. It has two different sections, one of which has animals, an aquarium and kiddie rides and the other which has thrill rides. The animal section has PANDAS! For a long time, seeing pandas has been on my list of 100 things to do before I die* and I was finally getting to do it!

I am marginally embarrassed by my passion for pandas. I have seen Kung Fu Panda three times and that is really not something of which to be proud. I am completely suckered in by their furry, fat cuddliness and those big black circles around their sad eyes. To be fair, I was also completely suckered in by Pete, the dog from the Little Rascals too. Something about a black circle around an eye. I like to think of myself as mature, urbane, sophisticated, cool and more than a little cynical. Loving cuddly panda bears blows that image. It's like Henry Kissinger saying he loves "My Little Pony". I guess I am out of the closet now.

Anyway, back to Ocean Park. I decided to prolong the expectation for as long as possible, so we visited the aquarium first. It is a pretty good aquarium as these things go - maybe even in the top 50 aquariums in the world.

I couldn't really contain my excitement much longer though. I had to see the bears. I spotted the Panda House from several hundred metres away. I knew it was the panda house because there were 10 metre tall plastic pandas waving to us from the roof. For one brief moment, I actually thought that they were real and waving just at me. We walked up the ramps and into the house. There are three panda enclosures, each with its own panda. They are solitary creatures and don't like to mix much. Thank goodness. The sight of two pandas cuddling or playing might just might be more cuteness than an ordinary human could bear (ha ha - I swear that wasn't on purpose).

There are two parallel ramps in front of the enclosures, and you are encouraged to stroll down one and up the other, giving everyone a good chance to have a look. Good manners went out the window as soon as I walked in the door. I stopped, creating a domino effect of panda watchers behind me. I couldn't move. I was spell bound. There in front of me was a giant panda sound asleep on a wooden platform. He was on his back, mouth open and with all four paws up in the air. I couldn't hear it, but I am absolutely sure he was snoring.

It is not terribly mature or sophisticated to jump up and down and shriek "OOOOH! LOOK AT THAT PANDA! HE IS SOOOOOO CUTE!", but that is what I did. Sadie,even more than usual, pretended that she didn't know me. Finally, someone behind me gave me a good push and forced me to carry on.

The second and third enclosures were empty, so I hurried down to see snoring panda again. Then, just as I was about to go past window number two, out came a beautiful female panda bear. I know it is unspeakably rude, and I am really not proud of it, but I simply would not budge from that spot.

Parents tried to push their eager children in front of me, but I wasn't having it. I figured that I had less time to do the 100 things to do before I die than they did. I took photos and watched her amble around for a good 10 minutes. I probably did more to damage Chinese/Western relations at that point than Tienanmen Square, but my wish was fulfilled. I have seen pandas. I am also the very, very proud owner of a cute, overpriced panda cuddly toy that we have named Bing Bing.

Back out into the sunlight, no other event that Ocean Park could offer could possibly live up to the panda experience. I have to tell you though, that in the dozen or so time Sadie had visited, she had never before seen the bears. She comes for the rides. So, off we went to the other part of the park.

This can be accessed in one of two ways. There is a cable car that offers magnificent views over the southern part of Hong Kong or there is a train. The trip up is unbelievably steep. There are stairs, but it would probably take me the better part of my life to get up them. I don't think that they are even open for public use. We took the cable car, and it was lovely, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it for anyone with height issues.

Once at the top, Sadie said she needed food. There were a number of food options, most of which involved some form of squid. There is something not quite right about eating something that was one of the attractions we had just visited. I am just trying to imagine how this menu would go down at Alton Towers or at Six Flags.

Thankfully, there were other options than munching on Squidward and Sadie was very happy with her french fries and diet coke. This is the ultimate food oxymoron.

During her feast, Sadie had been eyeing the temporary tattoo parlour. "No", I said, "Don't even ask". Of course, a few minutes later we were sat on the chair inside the booth whilst Sadie got her Panda tattoo. Giving in against your better judgement is a big part of the bonding process.

As foreigners, we are used to being stared at sometimes despite the fact that Hong Kong is one of the most cosmopolitan and ethnically diverse cities in the world. Just recently, I was accosted on the MTR by about 20 teenagers demanding to have their picture taken with a foreigner. Of course, I obliged with my goofiest grin.

Sadie actually attracted an audience whilst her tattoo was painted on. There was a crowd of people gathered round, pushing each other out of the way to get a view. When the tattoo lady was finished, Sadie stood up and the crowd actually applauded!

We then moved onto the arcade. This time I was really going to hold firm, and I set about telling Sadie how all the games are rigged and that it is virtually impossible to win a big prize. Then I saw the shooting gallery. OK, it was a Nerf shooting gallery where you shot plastic pegs with suction cups onto a plastic target, but it was still a shooting gallery. My resolve crumbled and I became the world's biggest hypocrite.

When I was about Sadie's age, I went to a summer camp. It was altogether a miserable experience, except for one thing. I discovered that I was really good with a 22 rifle. I've been hooked ever since. I would NEVER shoot at a living thing (I won't even let Sadie go to BB Gun parties when EVERYONE else gets to go), but boy do I love shooting at a target. I bought 10 rounds and sidled up to the bar counter. Everyone around me was doing rapid firing, but I took my time to line up that bullseye in my site. I felt like Clint Eastwood, Annie Oakley and John Wayne all wrapped up into one. Slowly, I pulled the trigger. Bullseye! I took my time with the rest and managed 5 bulls eyes and 5 in the next circle out. God, I'm good.

On to the rest of the park. It was time to do some rides. We headed off to the log flume. On our way, we saw large groups of mainland Chinese wandering around in packs. Some of them had on matching hats. Others had perky little matching bandannas. All of them had little tags around their necks which I can only presume said "If found, please return to Hunan Provence". Hong Kong tourism is big business in mainland China, and the groups are typically made up of older couples. It's sort of like visiting the Florida of the east.

These groups, with their bad teeth, worse clothes and what I can only imagine is the Chinese version of a hillbilly accent, are treated with complete and utter disdain by the local Hong Kong community. I rather like them. I can only imagine what they must have seen in their lifetimes, yet they retain a certain child-like innocence in the pleasure they take in places like Ocean Park. Then we got to the queue for the log flume.

All innocence was gone as these old folks pushed and shoved like they were in the queue for the last kilo of rice at the state rice store. I'm not kidding, they were vicious. They cut in front of as many people as they could, tread on toes and elbowed their way to the front. Then once on the ride, they looked miserable when they got soaked to the skin. What were they expecting? We got soaked to the skin too, but it was fun.

Then I had a really strange experience (as if being jostled by old Chinese people wasn't strange enough). We were in the queue for another ride (Raging Rapids, if you must know), and I spotted someone I knew in the queue. I knew I knew him, but for the life of me I couldn't thing of how. His was not a face I would forget as he looked like a youngish Paul Newman. I stared for about 10 minutes before he looked up and nodded at me and smiled before he turned away to talk to his very young Thai wife/girlfriend. It finally came to me.

It was a close friend of one of my exes whom I like to call Lucifer (No Grizz and Billy, that is not a nickname I have for either of you). It was driving me crazy because I couldn't remember his name. I remembered that he had been born with a really bad name (Malcolm Pratt), but he changed it by deed pole as soon as he was old enough. Who could blame him? So, although I could remember the old name that he changed before I even met him, I simply could not recall his new name. Then it came to me. Pat. His new name was Pat. Just to test out this theory, I yelled out "Pat" to see what would happen. What happened is that Sadie nearly died of embarrassment and the bloke didn't even turn around. I'm certain it was him though. I had heard to had moved to Asia a few years ago for the women to teach.

After a couple hours of different rides, it was time to head back down. This time we opted for the train. We were waiting for the train in a sort of holding pen with a bunch of mainlanders. Several of the women were staring at me and giggling. I smiled at one lady and she came over to me and poked me in the chest several times. Then, she gave two big thumbs up. All the other ladies then started smiling, nodding and pointing at my boobs like they had just won an academy award. I swear to you this really happened.

#ocean park #hong kong

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craftsguide · 5 years

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100 Fun Activities To Do On School Holidays

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100 Fun Activities To Do On School Holidays

Tired of hearing” I’m bored Mum “?

Well, here are just a few suggestions of fun things to do on school holidays!

1. Have a kids MasterChef competition at home.

Keep snacks simple- something such as pizza( just the toppings for little kids) is perfect. This runs especially well if the kids have a few friends over. Have a competition as to who makes the best pizza – you can be the magistrate. Building dough from scratch is fun( and tiring !) but very inexpensive. Plus an added bonus – you don’t have to cook dinner!

Photo Credit: blog.timesunion.com

2. Clown Around at Circus School

Quite a few circus schools have popped up all over Australia. Check out if there is one near you!

Here is the list :

3. Visit a local park.

Ohh yeah – you’ve heard that one before. But not just any park, get out the UBD or on the internet and find a park that you haven’t been to before. Many of the new Council playgrounds are marvelous. There is water play, flying foxes, all sorts of do-be-watchits and thing-a-majigs! A plenty of them are fun for mothers too!

Photo Credit: www.waterplay.com

4. Go to a Make Your Own Slime Class

Slime has been banned at my house after the kids played with it on the couch and I now have a huge green snot-like smear right where you sit. If you hate slime too- then this is for you! There is now a Slime Making’ Masterclass ‘ for ages 4- 14 years.

Find out more information here !

5. Go Swimming.

Well, this one is for summer- check out your local pool. It’s cheap to get into. All kids love swimming and there is always a nice shady spot for Mum to sit and read whilst Dad watches the children! Sick of the local pond? Visit one of the really big water parks- some of them have heated ponds indoors!

Photo Credit: www.penhalonga.com

6. Take a train ride.

There are still a couple of old steam trains around the trap. Make a day of it and take the whole family- even grab Nanna! The Mary Valley Rattler in Gympie has just started running again- only two hours drive north of Brisbane.

Photo Credit: www.flickr.com

7. Go to Code Camp

If your children are mad about computers, what about enrolling them into a Coding Camp! There are class for all ages and interests( from house games to merely learning the basics)

Find out more at their website .

8. Check out Ninja Warrior School

Ninja Warrior is so popular with kids and families around Australia, then why not join the Ninja Warrior School Holiday Workshop? The Workshop operates over two days( 2.5 hours per day) where you child will learn ninja abilities!

Ages: 5- 15 years Location: Wetherill Park, NSW Website

9. Play puppet show at home.

Puppet presents have always been the cornerstone of imaginative play for children and you can stimulate your own puppet show at home too! So collect all your socks that you’re no longer use and get out the clag and have fun creating.

Photo Credit: http :// www.discoverypark.ie

10. Try Aerial Silks in a School Holiday Workshop

Let your kids learn to climb, swaying, drop and perform thrilling acrobatic feats. This is a three-hour workshop that includes a short performance and gives your child the opportunity to try the trapeze and aerial lyra( the hoop ).

Ages: 5- 14 years Location: Various Website

11. Try Geocaching.

Geocaching is a boredom-buster activity that can take place nearly anywhere. It enables infants to continue learning and have fun at the same time. So how about taking your children for a Geotour? Enjoy finding goodies!

Photo Credit: http :// www.cachingbox.com

12. Have a picture-taking contest

Photography is an excellent art form that children can enjoy as a hobby throughout their school holiday. So share cameras with them, experimentation by taking all sorts of paintings, make it as funny as possible and generate your own school holiday catalogue!

Photo Credit: www.tots1 00. co.uk

13. Go to Surfing Camp

There are Surfing Camps for kids is a five day package( that can be split up over the school vacations) and is suitable for all levels and abilities. Or only learn to surf class. Your child will learn ocean safety and surf etiquette, paddling and catching waves, control, standing up and riding waves.

Ages: 6+ Surfing Camp: Location: Dee Why, NSW, Moana SA Website Manly Beach

14. Do A Cooking Class

What’s not exciting about brain teasers? They are entertaining for kids who need an extra brain-charged challenge. It surely does help them build up their creative thinking and logic abilities. You can find printable worksheets online like riddles, optical illusions, puzzles and more!

Ages: Class available from 2-5 years, 8-15 years and 6-15 years. Find Cooking Classes Near You

15. Take the Kids Horse Riding

Horse riding is something all kids should try at one stage or another. There are plenty of places around Australia- and there is even a fantastic two-day overnight horse riding camp available! Rainbow Beach Horse Riding has a few different amazing pony rides in parts of the most beautiful part of the world!

Ages: 6- 16 years NSW, QLD Website

16. Learn How to Develop Online Games

Gaming is huge in our household, and this is a great idea for the budding’ Mark Zuckerberg’ in your family. There are even three or four day Gaming Camps!

Ages: There are 4- 14 according to skill level Location: ACT, NSW, SA WEBSITE

17. Create a Photo Album Comic Book.

Just download and publish your funny paintings and start making your real-life comic by use thought and speech bubbles!

Photo Credit: www.octoberafternoon.typepad.com

18. Make a box village.

Don’t fling those used milk and juice cartons and cereal boxes in the rubbish bin! If they are still in good shape, then have fun with children by house a city out of boxes.

Photo Credit: www.iranekhalagh.com

19. Create Story Stones

Sky’s the limit in terms of the characters you show on your stones. You can collect as many stones as you want and use either acrylic paints or the oil-based sharpie. I suggest the Nature of art for kids( r) brand of acrylic paints, or you can also buy the Liquicryl.

Photo Credit: www.craftingconnections.net

20. Go for a Bike Ride

You can call it” the escapades of town cycling !”, a fun and healthy bonding moment with kids that can take place in anywhere around your neighbourhood.

Photo Credit: www.trespinheiros.com

21. Build an ant nursery farm home

You can create your own by use two jars with eyelids, one should be thinner and a little shorter than the other. Or if you prefer a flat one, you can purchase a skinny aquarium at a local store. Video Tutorial below.

22. Make your own indoor existing obstacles

Choose the activities that match your kid’s skill level, or might as well have them opt the activities. You can be creative in making your own family-friendly obstacle course, like a laser labyrinth. You can set this up in for your kids to climb through, employing a red yarn or ribbon.

23. Name that cartoon character!

This game is convenient for parents, especially when you need to stay inside the house. Kids love cartoons. You can download audio recordings of different cartoon characters and start the guessing game!

Photo Credit: inkheart7. deviantart.com

24. Have some fun home science experimentations

Curious children of all ages are always fascinated with the power of science! Kids can do science experiments at home with whatever you have on hand. Like creating chicken voices from a beaker, the arrow trick and the milk and coke experiment.

Photo Credit: www.funathomewithkids.com

25. Plan a farm visit

Old school? Yes, it is not a unique activity but it never goes bearing. You can do lots of activities in a farm, ride ponies, feed goats, watch the ducks fall in line and take a plunge in a nearby river.

Photo Credit: www.mountvernon.org

26. Visit an Animal Shelter or Your Local RSPCA.

Kids can join educational-based programs about animals which include hands-on service projects for animal care. Plus who doesn’t love going to give the animals a bit of love! You may even end up with a new member of the family!

Photo Credit: http :// www.planetdogblog.com

27. Take your dog to the beach.

Most puppies love the beach, so as kids. Give them both the opportunity to experience the joy of romping on the sandy beach!

Photo Credit: http :// adogbreeds.com

28. Visit a Theme Park

Australia has loads of theme park now( we even have a list of them !) and there are more and more every day in every nation!

29. Visit an Aquarium on a Really Hot Day

When the temperatures over the Christmas Holidays get up around the 40 degree mark- head to the local Aquarium! Not merely is it fascinating, it is cool!

There are SeaLife Aquariums in Melbourne, Sydney and Mooloolaba.

30. It’s journal jotting period!

During a family road trip, have your children note down what they consider( weird-looking trees, koala etc .) to keep their brains busy while feeing snacks! It would be great to bring along a stack of old publications for them to cut out and paste images that describe what they have seen.

Photo Credit: brownchrista9. wordpress.com

31. Go Ice Skating!

Ice Skating is something not many Aussie kids get the chance to do- but if it is stinking hot- what is better than having fun in a freezer! There are loads of ice rinks around the country!

32. Hold a stacking cups contest

No doubt being the boys’ favourite, but the girls can get into the fun too! Hop onto Youtube to see some amazing cup stacking videos!

Photo Credit: www.southwoods.com

33. Visit an Inflatable Water Park

My boys only adore the inflatable water parks- and they are fun for grown-ups too! If you grab your tickets online – you can get a really good deal. Inflateable Water Parks are all over Australia!

Here are a few of the online bargains :P TAGEND

Coolum Water Park( Qld )

34. Have a Family Game of Mini Golf

Mini golf is a terrific whole family activity that is beloved of people of all ages! Google the nearest location to you!

35. Visit a Maze!

There are still some of these beautiful mazes made out of shrubs around Australia. Get lost in these labyrinths- and have heaps of fun doing it!

They are located :P TAGEND

Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne

36. Visit the Botanical gardens

Botanical gardens may sound like a huge snooze fest- but they are a treasure of beauty and info. Join a guided tour and have the children identify some of the better known species of plants!

37. Build a sand palace at the beach

Kids of all ages love constructing sand palaces or any structure on the beach, their imagination thrives in open-ended play.

Photo Credit: http :// thesomerset.com

38. Go Whale Watching

Countless coastlines around Australia are home to the most beautiful whales on the planet, the humpback! See these curious giants close up- it is truly a wonderful experience for the whole family!

39. Play name that place game

Utilise your flat screen Tv for expanded viewing when playing this game. Download scenes and flags of famous places, create a slide show gallery and have your children guess the name of that place.

40. Visit the Legoland Discovery Centre in Melbourne

LEGOLAND( r) Discovery Centre is a unique family attraction located in Australia’s leading shopping centre, Chadstone- The Fashion Capital. With 12 different LEGO( r) experiences within the attraction, there is something new and arousing to experience on every visit to the ultimate indoor LEGO playground.

Click here for pricing .

41. Go for a nature walk

It is much healthier when you turn a walk into a nature walking with your children. This dedicates them the opportunity to explore and appreciate the natural world.

Photo Credit: www.huffingtonpost.com

42. Do playground Olympics

Grab out your camera to capture memories of their funny faces as you watch the children practice their kiddie marathon! Playground build the best place for them to run around, climb up the monkey bars and jump. Get the kids active and out of the house!

Photo Credit: www.raisingkidsinchicago.com

43. Play candy scavenger hunt.

Classic kiddie game that never fades to thrill children. There are many scavenger hunt notions, but sweets induce the best.

Photo Credit: www.designdazzle.com

44. Visit the library

There are lots of fun activities infants can do on library visits along with other kids, bookmark contests, games and lots more.

Photo Credit: www.flickr.com

45. Fly a kite

Why is it fun? Simply because it’s an ultimate carefree pastime. Kids love find a colourful kite rising gracefully overhead, a definition of sheer fun!

Photo Credit: www.nannieswithlove.com

46. Visit the museum

Learning fun facts and hunt details in museums have an advantage in preparing your child’s historical knowledge when the school vacation is over.

Photo Credit: www.wedonteatbugs.blogspot.com

47. Go on a kids eat free food tour

It’s nice to go out for household snacks in eateries, but often times, it is a bit uncomfortable for its own budget. Great news! Many eateries have special promos for children ages 12 and below to eat for free!

Photo Credit: www.thechurchbar.com.au

48. Trampoline joy jump!

Bouncing high is crazy fun! Kids love it and it’s the best way to wear them out. You can either purchase your own trampoline or much rather visit SKY ZONE Trampoline Park or BOUNCE( Tingalpa) if it is not too far from your location.

Credit Photo: www.michaeltuuk.wordpress.com

49. Play hidden objects( in a sandbox) game

Little ones can’t get enough digging for goodies inside a sandbox. Using balls with numbers, letters, shape sorting cubes or those cute hide n’ attempt squeak eggs are better alternatives than small toys. Ask Daddy to build a sandbox instead of purchasing one.

Photo Credit: www.mommyuniversitynj.com

50. Play kids secret hide away

Feed their imagination. Whether indoor or outdoors, building a lair, fort or tent whatever you want to call it, is every child’s fantasy, especially when joined with other children. So those old draperies, cushions and boxes will be put to use.

Photo Credit: www.finebedding.co.uk

51. Pick and count the fruit!

Kids love sitting down in front of a huge basket full of freshly picked fruit. Ask them to count and transfer it to their individual baskets, or segregate the ripe and unripe ones.

Photo Credit: www.kars4kids. org

52. Do origami for children

This Japanese art of paper-folding can make cute funny faces of animals and much more. It’s another fun activity for children that will surely sharpen their ingenuity, concentration and problem-solving skills. So take out those old newspapers and magazines that you are no longer needing and recycle! Here’s a sample video tutorial.

53. Have a DIY training with Daddy

Kids get curious about what Daddy does inside the garage or in the backyard when he is not at work. So why not turn this into a mega-meaningful bonding time for the children to learn how to build and repair some cool projects?

Photo Credit: www.makeawoodsign.com

54. Learn music lessons

What if your child is the next The Voice( AU) win? Many great vocalists started with playing guitar or other musical instruments along with singing.

Photo Credit: www.fortemusiceducation.com

55. Play beach cricket

Both parents and their children can have a great bonding moment at the beach playing cricket. This athletic has the benefits of eye coordination and physical fitness.

Photo Credit: http :// www.emmasweekend.com

56. Do a kiddie bedroom makeover

It is pretty hard to plan re-arranging your children’ bedrooms during the school term, so might as well do this on their school holiday. Spruce up your bedroom decoration and activate your child’s makeover notions!

Photo Credit: www.momsbunkhouse.com

57. Play mini golf

Try adding another level of amusement on your mini golf, set some stuffed toys, colorful flags or whatever you can add and make a fun theme.

Photo Credit: http :// www.kixcereal.com

58. Play with play dough

Don’t you find it cute watching your child’s face with the tongue out while concentrating on forming shapes out of clay?

Photo Credit: http :// www.instructables.com

59. Go roller skating.

Skating is hip, enjoyable and a great morning exercise around your neighbourhood.

Photo Credit: http :// www.robichons.com

60. Play hide and seek.

Throught the ages, kids love the thrill of playing conceal and seek.

Photo Credit: www.houstonpublicmedia.org

61. Visit a remote family member.

Visiting a remote family makes a healthy relationship, especially for kids to spend some bonding moment with their cousins.

Photo Credit: abeandkelly.blogspot.com

62. Visit a car reveal.

Little sons love watching hot rod. This will motivate them to dream BIG.

Photo Credit: http :// morristowngreen.com

63. Hold a mini fashion indicate.

Little girls and even little boys love playing dress up in Mum and Dad’s clothes of course! Don’t forget to grab the camera and take cute shots.

Photo Credit: http :// debanked.com/

64. Play balloon games.

Choose from Balloon Stomp( fill pre-blown balloons with lolly treats ,) or Valley Balloon that they can play outside. Both old fashion balloon games will surely get them energised.

Photo Credit: kindergartenbasics.blogspot.com

65. Make a card committee cloud bookshelf.

All you need is a pair of scissors. Cut the card board into cloud shapes, glue or a double-sided tape and add whatever decorations you like. Here’s the instructions how to do it. For instructions, see below.

66. Do a lolly stick photo puzzle.

Cut out pictures of celebrities from old publications or coloured newspapers in animal shapes and glue them on craft sticks.

Photo Credit: http :// noeyspapers.com

67. Do a morning boot marketing.

Kids can sort the playthings, books and clothes that they are no longer use- they love selling their old stuff.

Photo Credit: daisylets.wordpress.com

68. Do a sweater makeover

Make those bearing sweaters appear adorable without stitching. A fabric glue will do the work on adding decorations.

Photo Credit: www.gwynnwassondesigns.com

69. Head out into the community.

Children can enjoy participating in many volunteer opportunities like feeding programs or local food shelters, cleaning the street etc.

Photo Credit: www.motivatingkidstogive.com

70. Visit a thrift shop.

Visit your local thrift shops. You might get amazed of your child’s inexpensive finds.

Photo Credit: www.iblog4boys. com

71. Play woggle track race.

All you need is a polyethylene foam aka. woggle or pool log and cut it into a half. Better to use a serrated knife to make a clean line. Although this is optional, you can also put a shoe box at the bottom of the track to catch all the little toy vehicles or marbles. Don’t forget to add a START and FINISH line flags.

Photo Credit: http :// www.ramblingsfromutopia.com/

72. Play tarp throwing games.

Cut up pits on a tarp that you are no longer employing and you have your cheap throwing game!

Photo Credit: photos.oregonlive.com

73. Clean windows.

It’s not all about playing during school holidays, they can also help on doing household chores. Believe it or not but some children find cleaning windows fun. You can give them a sprayer and a colourful sponge or cloth, they will be ready for action!

Photo Credit: www.theinnovativegarage.com

74. Do knitting and crocheting.

I bet the little fashionistas love to flaunt their fairly knitted carry purses, hats and long vests when school term begins, crocheting is a lovely idea to spur on the designer in them.

Photo Credit: http :// www.vanillajoy.com

75. Bubble bathing your pet puppy.

When school holiday begins, mums need a backup plan to get the children busy while Mum is busy with the household chores. Bathing a dog is as fun as simply playing. So prepare your giant metal pail, doggy shampoo and start wish-washing your cute puppy!

Photo Credit: http :// encehomes.com

76. Make balloon and ping pong plates.

Balloon ping pong is a fun indoor or outdoor game for kids and would only need basic supplies to construct. Have the kids design the paper plates and then tape the craft sticks at the back of each paper plate to create paddles. They can now hit the balloon back and fourth.

Photo Credit: erins2centz. blogspot.com

77. Make fruit kabobs( kebabs ).

While Mum is busy cook for lunch, children can have fun inducing health-ilicious fruit skewers.

Photo Credit: www.theloop.ca

78. Play whilst washing dishes.

Who says kids can’t play while cleaning dishes? Of course, they can! Have the kids do some dishwashing practice outdoors, a big basin or water table, colorful sponges and soap. You don’t need to have them rinse the ceramic plates, let them take care of the small plastic containers, plastic cups and utensils.

Photo Credit: recyclingcenterz.blogspot.com

79. Play backyard scrabble.

Let children burn some calories while learning, create super-sized lawn letters for a game of words!

Photo Credit: www.etsy.com

80. Play milk jug ball game.

Play a catching game with simply the use of milk jugs! You can use laundry detergent jugs as an alternative. Just cut the bottoms off the empty milk jugs, clean it and let it dry. Add some colorful craft tapes to cover the edges and you are good to play!

Photo Credit: htpps :// southernnewhampshirekids.com

81. Have a family reading day.

One of the best ways to entice your kids to improve their reading abilities is by reading with the family — not only surrounding them with reading materials to motivate them, but reading it with them can help them more!

Photo Credit: log.americanadoptions.com

82. Make a kiddie kaleidoscope.

Isn’t it fairly ensure vibrant colour patterns as you look closely through a kaleidoscope? You can attain these for your children. Here’s a video tutorial of how to make one.

83. Get them on to audio books and podcasts.

Kids love listening to tales but it is just easier for some parents to let them just listened to podcasts and audio books. Mums can run the errands at home while the child is busy holding the headphone to his ear. Plus these are fantastic for playing in the car on a long journey to entertain the whole family!

Photo Credit: http :// vidaybienestar.mx/

84. Water gun war!

Water play makes a mess, but it’s pretty normal for kids to get entertained for hours playing with water guns- even the adults! But if you don’t have water guns, water bombs would do too!

Photo Credit: room6design. blogspot.com

85. Make a giant rainbow bubble.

Let’s add more life to the bubbles we blow up in the air by making it colorful. All you need is a dishwashing soap, food colouring, three-feet long dowels and cotton piping or clothes line rope, two eye screws and two washers. You get the complete instructions here.

86. Have a fantasy play day.

Kids love role plays- especially fantasy plays. We only need to provide them the things that inspire their imagination, like making them a pirate ship employing a big cardboard box, play defines, flashlights, Mum’s sleep mask and other stuff for a fantasy play.

Photo Credit: greeneacreshobbyfarm.blogspot.com

87. Nail art with Mummy!

This is a great bonding idea for mums and daughters. If you have the budget, there are many child-specific nail polish brands you can purchase for your little girls. Suncoat Girl, Hopscotch Kids, and Piggy Paint are the best ones.

Photo Credit: www.hellosplendid.com

88. Hold a magic trick show.

If your child has the interest in magic tricks, then hold a magic trick show and invite his friends to watch him.

Photo: www.popsugar.com

89. Play typing test.

Get those small thumbs warmed up kiddos! Parents don’t let your kids be left behind in a computer lesson at school by typing with one thumb each hand. Many online typing games have been constructed specifically to loosen up those fingers.

Photo Credit: www.fiveappleblossoms.blogspot.com

90. Do a bird watch activity.

Some kids are interested in learning more about their feathery friends of the sky. They can learn how to build bird’s nest or set bird treats if there are trees nearby. They can write on their bird-journal the birds they have seen.

Photo Credit: http :// www.the-soc.org.uk

91. Write a joint narrative

This is one of the best classic boredom-buster activities that improves the creative thinking skills of children. One kid starts off the story and then take turns by adding a sentence until the story is complete. Have one kid publish it with images added to make a fun story.

Photo Credit: www.wonderlanddaycare.ca

92. Create constellation in a jar.

Even us as children, we dreamt of touching the bright superstars we gaze at night. There’s a version of that you can keep in your kids’ room. The how tos can be found here.

Photo Credit: http :// nonage.doonks.com

93. Do house hop playdates.

Parents join forces to fight against school holiday boredom! Have the children with their friends play any games every day in different homes. At least they don’t have to go for a sleepover, so who’s home next for the teddy bear tea party tomorrow?

Photo Credit: carolynm5 16. wordpress.com

94. Have a wild west party.

With merely a sock filled with polyester fibre, wood dowel, two buttons for the eyes and a little sewing, you can make a hobby horse for the kids.

Photo Credit: www.pinstopin.com

95. Have a mini wonder terrarium kids activity.

This is a very easy and cute terrarium that will definitely induce the mummy-kiddo bonding time on the table a fun learning experience. Here’s a DIY Terrarium Craft for Kids: Make a Gnome Garden tutorial.

96. Visit an art gallery.

Children can take inspiration from art galleries, so it is always good to take them to art exhibits. You never know your child might become one of the art legends one day.

Security Guard and Elementary Students at Art Gallery

97. Play fireworks in a jar.

This idea is great for grade school kids and even preschoolers. The great thing about this colourful fireworks experimentation is, you can largely get the supplies you need from home! Below is a video tutorial for this cool science experiment.

98. Pool noodle barges.

There are lots of playful crafts you can make out of woggles or pond noodles. We have already mentioned how to make a woggle track race. This time, we can construct little barges that children can play in a water bin.

Photo Credit: frogsandsnailsandpuppydogtail.com

99. Teach them about sorting and recycling.

I have enlisted here a number artworks from recycled materials and with that, kids should already know the value of reusing, recycling and reinventing. But, before that they need to practice sorting recyclables first, this should be a starter for self-discipline and also help Mum do the household chores.

Photo Credit: www.ecomaine.org

100. Make a ladybug house.

Kiddos can show their love to the cute lady bugs by making them a nice and comfy home. During school holiday, kids have more time to explore the trees with lady glitches, collect them and move them to a new home.

Photo Credit: http :// hdimagegallery.net/

Nope, no one’s going to complain about boredom these school vacations!

Read more: stayathomemum.com.au

#activities #fun activities #kids #kids activities #parenting #school holidays

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dailynynews-blog · 6 years

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12 Things to Do in San Diego That You'll Actually Like

New Post has been published on https://www.usatelegraph.com/2018/12-things-san-diego-youll-actually-like/

12 Things to Do in San Diego That You'll Actually Like

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Chill Out in La Jolla

Whatever you do, don’t start your trip to San Diego, don’t even start planning it, without this guide of things to do in San Diego that I think you’ll actually like.

The last one in this list is the most popular, so hold onto your seat and get ready for the thrill of all the things you can do with your honey, your kids, or on your solo trip to the southern tip of California.

Visit La Jolla

La Jolla is San Diego’s most upscale prime beach town. In Spanish, La Jolla means “the jewel,” and its location on the cliffs overlooking the ocean certainly makes it a gem of a place to visit.

La Jolla visitors like to shop and eat in the excellent restaurants, some of them with lovely ocean views. There’s a lot for the active visitor, too, including ocean kayaking, tide pool-hopping, surfing at Windansea Beach, biking, or running along the beach.

My favorite thing to do in La Jolla is to just take a walk. Sometimes that’s along the cliffs, overlooking the water and then down to the tide pools. Other days it’s more of a window-shopping/people-watching stroll through town.

On the downside, parking can be aggravatingly hard to find on a busy day – and those shops whose windows we like to look through are more than pricey.

Spend a few hours, go there after dinner to enjoy a beautiful California sunset, or find out how to spend a day or two in La Jolla.

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Tour the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier

Given San Diego’s military ties, it’s the perfect place to turn a 972-foot-long aircraft carrier into a tourist attraction. Don’t just skip this one, thinking the last thing you want to do is visit an old ship, no matter how big it is. It’s worth noting that Tripadvisor reviewers rank the Midway #1 of all attractions in San Diego. And its appeal seems to span all ages and genders. Use this guide for everything you need to know about visiting the USS Midway.

The USS Midway was the longest-serving U.S. Navy carrier of the 20th century and largest ship in the world from 1945 to 1955, carrying more than 4,000 people. The ship is impressive enough by itself, but you’ll also find more than 25 aircraft on display, a fraction of its theoretical capacity of more than 100.

To me, the best part of the Midway is its docents, many of them military retirees who served on the Midway or other aircraft carriers. When you hear about what it took to get an airplane into the air, it’s an account from someone who was actually involved.

On the downside, it’s a big ship that wasn’t built for tourists. If you have trouble getting around, you may be exhausted by all the stairs and walking – or have to skip some parts of the tour.

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Explore Balboa Park

Originally built for temporary use during the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, Balboa Park became the city’s most-loved park. It boasts buildings beautiful enough to be considered attractions in themselves, especially if you’re a photographer. They’re surrounded by trees, lawns, and fountains, but that’s only the beginning.

Families and individuals of all ages and interests can likely find something to enjoy at Balboa Park. In Balboa Park, you can take a walk, ride a bike, see a Shakespeare play, ride a carousel, or go to the San Diego Zoo. With eight gardens and 15 museums to choose from, you could be busy here for days. Plan your trip with this guide to how to visit America’s largest urban cultural park.

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Check Out Coronado Island

Coronado isn’t really an island but a peninsula – a fact that doesn’t get in the way of the name most people use for it. Whatever you call it, it’s a narrow strip of land between the San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, barely a few blocks wide. Use this guide when visiting Coronado Island.

What Coronado lacks in size it makes up for in fun, with a beach that’s been named among the best in the country, a classic hotel, and a compact, lively little downtown. Coronado’s laid-back temperament makes a nice break from the busier parts of San Diego across the water.

I like to stroll along the beach, stop at the Hotel Del Coronado for an ice cream cone or a drink in their bar or hang out downtown. If you’re the curious type, I think the excellent Coronado Walking Tour is one of the best we’ve taken anywhere, equal parts dishy gossip and interesting history.

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Take a Harbor Cruise

Water plays a prominent role in San Diego. Downtown faces it. Point Loma and Coronado surround the large, calm bay. With its oceanfront location, there’s a lot to see along its shores, and much of it is best explored by boat.

Everyone loves the city views from the San Diego harbor cruise, but you’ll also get a peek at the Pacific Fleet – and a harbor cruise is the best way to get a feel for just how tall the Coronado Bridge really is. The bay is well protected and the water is seldom rough. Find out How to Make the Most of a San Diego Harbor Cruise.

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Visit the San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo often shows up on top zoo lists and is active in animal conservation. The zoo put its first animal on display in 1916, a Kodiak bear named Caesar. Today, it’s is a far cry from the zoos of yesteryear, with animals in the most natural settings possible.

Undoubtedly the zoo’s most popular inhabitants are the Giant Pandas. But pandas are far from the only thing you can see. Besides California Condors, koalas, warty pigs, and an albino boa constrictor, more than 4,000 rare and endangered animals live on the zoo’s 100 acres. And although few visitors may notice, there’s also a prominent botanical collection, with more than 700,000 exotic plants.

Find out more about whether you will like it and what to do at the San Diego Zoo.

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Visit the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park offers a different kind of animal experience. Its name is the clue, and it indeed offers a more safari-like experience. Lots of large animals live in the same big, open areas here – predators kept away from prey, but otherwise much as they would in their natural habitat. Use this guide to plan your trip to the San Diego Safari Park.

The highlight is the safari-style tour, which may be the closest many of us will ever come to seeing these critters in the wild. Besides that, you’ll find lots of other animals also in natural environments, including a pride of lions. At the Petting Kraal, you can get some hands-on time with the tamest critters.

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Go to the Beach

Head west from any part of San Diego, and you’ll probably end up at a beach. When you get there, you can swim, surf, watch a sand castle competition, go for a walk, explore a tide pool, or play with your dog. The trick is to know which beach is the right one for you. Find out with this complete guide to San Diego beaches.

But it’s not all sun and fun. In spite of being known for sunshine, San Diego endures 102 cloudy days per year, according to data published by The Western Regional Climate Center’s Desert Research Institute – and a lot of them happen in the summer.

09of 13

Take the Kids to Legoland

Legoland theme park takes its inspiration from those cute little brick toys that snap together to build all kinds of fun things. It’s one of several Legolands worldwide.

You’ll find life-sized traffic cops, dinosaurs, and a dizzying collection of other creations made from Lego blocks all over the place, but they’re just the decoration that surrounds the park’s rides. At Legoland, little ones will find rides just for them, with age limits that keep the bigger kids from running all over them – and the adults get a kick out of all the great big Lego creations.

Use this guide to plan your Legoland visit.

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See the Sea Creatures at Birch Aquarium

Birch Aquarium is north of San Diego in La Jolla. It’s not as big as some of the other aquariums in California or as flashy as the big sea-themed park down the road. Instead, it’s just right, filled with interesting exhibits and home to leafy sea dragons like the one above, and with creatures so improbable they look more like something from a children’s book than from the ocean. Plan your trip with this guide to La Jolla’s Birch Aquarium.

Birch Aquarium is nicely sized, and a good choice especially for smaller children who may feel less overwhelmed than at a bigger place – and the price is right-sized too.

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Take in the Views From Cabrillo National Monument

Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was the first European to visit San Diego. He stepped on shore near this spot in 1542. We don’t know if Cabrillo climbed to the top of this promontory or not, but people who make it up here nowadays get some of the best views of San Diego, looking across the Bay and back toward downtown.

Besides the great views, there’s a historic lighthouse, a visitor center, some beautiful tide pools down below, and good whale-watching in the winter.

Much of the year, there’s enough moisture in the air to obscure the views – and it’s a long drive out from downtown if you can’t see anything. But on a clear day – it’s brilliant.

Use this guide to plan your visit to Cabrillo National Monument.

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Go to Sea World

Shows are central to the Sea World experience, and there are many of them, but you’ll also have opportunities to see marine creatures close up. In a few cases, you can even touch and feed them.

The Sea World chain has taken on a lot of negative publicity in recent years, but you might want to see what a skeptical visitor had to say after making an in-person visit. You can find her perspective along with tips for how to enjoy it in the Easy Guide to Sea World San Diego.

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More Things You Can Do in San Diego

There’s a lot more to do in San Diego than just these few things, even though they are the most popular. Like other destinations, San Diego is also chock full of tourist traps. Here’ s a list of them and why you should skip some of those places you’ve heard about.

And then there are the places that we didn’t have room for on this list. They’re fun and interesting and you might even like them better than the top 12. Check them out in the list of Things You Didn’t Know You Wanted to Do in San Diego.

If you’re traveling with kids, they’re sure to be entertained and ready for a nap after visiting these best places to take kids in San Diego.

If your budget is limited (which applies to most of us), you can have a lot of fun without spending a penny. Use this Guide to Things to Do for Free in San Diego.

Even though San Diego weather is mostly sunny, it might rain in the winter. Here’s what to do in San Diego if those raindrops start falling on your head. And if it’s summertime when you visit, you’ll definitely want to know what to do on a summer night in San Diego.

#12 Things to Do in San Diego #12 Things to Do in San Diego That You'll Actually Like #California #California guides #California places #guides #places #San Diego

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rosepeniel · 7 years

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DAY 2 : JUMEIRAH BEACH + ATLANTIS, THE PALM: AQUAVENTURE + DUBAI MARINA WALK + DHOW CRUISE

We spent our second day engaging entirely on an “aqua-venture”, from beaches, to water parks and cruising along the ocean of Dubai. Since the city is also situated on the Arabian Peninsula towards the southern part of the Persian Gulf, it proves that Dubai is more than just sun and sand. The Arabian Gulf is a beautiful part of the world, and like what other tropical countries usually have, it boasts its emerald sea and natural white beaches, only that many hotels and other buildings have been built on the seaside which have resulted in much of the beach being off limits to the general public. Nevertheless, the summer air and the extremely hot weather in Dubai, makes beaches and water parks an amazing way to cool off—something different from just being in an air-conditioned building.

JUMEIRAH BEACH AND BURJ AL ARAB

We started our day with a morning stroll at Jumeirah Public Beach. The sun was already up and scorching hot. Moreover, the travel from our hotel to this place was quite lengthy. But upon seeing the emerald sea and hearing the relaxing sound of the waves rustling against the shore, my distress instantly turned into amusement. The stunning and world renowned seven star hotel, Burj Al Arab, can also be seen from a distance. This iconic view of the Burj makes the beach a popular spot among tourists to have “the photo” with the famous hotel. As much as we’d like to plunge into the cold water of the sea, we decided to just have a little dip and take pictures of the beach and the view of the Burj Al Arab from behind, since we still would need to travel to Atlantis, and apparently, getting wet is a bad idea.

The stunning seven star hotel on my backround.

ATLANTIS, THE PALM: AQUAVENTURE

From the public beach, we took a taxi to get to the Palm Monorail station, which would lead us to our next destination – Atlantis, The Palm Aquaventure Waterpark. Though this is not as cheap to travel on the Monorail as other forms of Dubai public transport (as it is not run by the RTA and is privately owned) I consider it the most economical way to travel to the Atlantis Hotel (costs only 15 AED back and forth). In addition, it is a very good vantage point to witness the spectacular view of the artificial islands in Palm Jumeirah. Not only it is famous being the man-made landmark island in Dubai, but it is also well known for its concentration of luxury hotels and resorts.

Alongside with the Burj Al Arab, one of the most popular hotels the emirates had to offer is the Atlantis, The Palm Dubai. Aside from the name itself, the exterior appearance and interior designs and furniture would make you easily discern that the luxury hotel was themed after the myth of Atlantis, and that, this five star hotel is just as luxurious as the Burj. But what makes it more interesting was the idea of why it was named after Atlantis. Apparently, divers had found ruins several years ago indicating that there was some form of never before seen civilization in this area of the Arabian Gulf. People could not determine whether the ruins were from underwater structures, as in the ruins of the mythical kingdom of Atlantis, or perhaps just sunken buildings washed from the land. And the fact that none of these ruins were Arabic in nature raised quite a bit of speculation. Anyway, this piece of information makes the whole concept of this hotel a lot more fitting, doesn’t it?

So then, upon arriving, we took a quick stroll around the hotel, and we saw quite a few luxurious restaurants and shopping centers selling various brands of clothes. At first glance, you wouldn’t really be able to distinguish it from a shopping mall. Of course we just couldn’t let our time pass without snapping few pictures at some eye-catchy corners of the hotel. Contrary to what you would probably think, we didn’t check in the hotel (we’re not as rich as you might think we are 😄 ). We were just after the most sought-after part of the resort, the Atlantis Aquaventure, which is tagged as the best water park in Dubai. The name itself, as derived from the combination of the words “aquatic” and “adventure”, would surely give you a rough idea of what you need to expect once you step into this place: adrenaline pumping and thrilling water slides. However, an unfortunate event started our day in the Aquaventure: My friend and I lost each other in the water park. She probably just couldn’t contain her excitement and was such in a rush to dip into the water or try out the slides while I was painstakingly roaming around the park desperately hoping I could still find her along the way, or even maybe just bump at her somewhere. It took me half an hour of roving around before I finally gave up the search, decided to grab a lifebuoy, and plunged in the nearest starting point of the river ride. I couldn’t just let the fun of aqua-venture slip away, right?

The waterways of the river ride are interconnected with each other which circulate around the water park and lead to several entry pools. The generated massive waves were my favorite! If you want to try the water slides however, you could start anywhere from the two major towers of the water park: The Poseidon Tower and the Neptune tower. One of my favorites was the water slide leading to a tunnel which is actually inside a big aquarium. It’s quite surreal and exhilarating since you would find yourself surrounded by sharks, sting-rays and different kinds of fish. It was past 1600H and I was trying out the tube slides in the Neptune tower, when I finally happened to stumble upon my long lost friend :D (I was already figuring out how to get home by myself during that time, LOL 😄 ) I breathed a big sigh of relief. Good thing we found each other, otherwise I couldn’t have recorded some of my aqua-venture moments.

Panoramic view of the Aquaventure Waterpark and the Atlantis Hotel from the top of the Neptune Tower.

My biggest regret about our trip here is that, I didn’t get to fully explore the Aquaventure since we haven’t had enough time (the park closes at 1800H) and I wasn’t able to try out the terrifyingly exciting body slides such as the leap of faith and Poseidon’s Revenge, since my fear and hesitation immediately got on my way. But overall, it was a surge of fun and a lot of electric excitement in the air!

DUBAI MARINA WALK & DHOW CRUISE

Exhausted from our long day at the water park, we decided to cap it off with a relaxing cruise along Dubai Marina, in traditional Arabian Dhow. Riding a wooden dhow was definitely on my Dubai trip bucket list. While I was making our travel itinerary, I did a little research online and learned that dhows used to be the main modes of sea transport back in the ancient times. Upon discovery of black gold however, professions of natives changed drastically and the dhows lost its purpose since then. In the present, dhows are now offered as a tourist activity, though some are still used for transportation of goods and you can usually see them in Dubai Creek.

It was around 1900H when we arrived at Dubai Marina Walk where most of the ticket booths for Dinner Dhow Cruise are situated. The Walk was a long beachfront paved walkway with numerous restaurants, outlets and tall buildings on the other side. It seems like it would take us a whole day to walk around the entire area, but nevertheless, I can say it’s a very suitable place to either have a stroll or jog along with friends or family.

Dubai Marina Walkway.

Skyscrapers and The Cayan Tower-- twisting 90 degrees.

We were supposedly trying to look for a cruise with dinner buffet, but unfortunately, we weren’t able to catch up with the first trip (at 7PM). Moreover, dinner dhow sails along Dubai Marina for a duration of two hours and we were honestly too hungry to wait for the next one :D So we decided to just eat at the nearby restaurant and take the regular dhows (without dinner or live shows) which is much cheaper (60 AED) than those with dinner buffet (160 AED). At least we were able to save a great deal of time and money. Besides, the fact that we had a lot of restaurants to choose from would mean we could pick a wide variety of foods based on our own preferences. It was funny how my friend and I actually had a little dispute over food, so she ended up voluntarily paying the entire meal. Thanks Aireen 😄

At Salsa Mexican Restaurant.

After having a scrumptious pasta and pizza for dinner, we prepped ourselves up for our most awaited sail. We were then escorted to the dock area. The general structure of the wooden dhow was very traditional in nature. There were no tables and chairs, instead, they made use of big cushions which seem like sacks of grains, and you can comfortably lean on it during the cruise. As what I have mentioned earlier, they don’t offer dinner buffet, but good thing, they provide free drinks. There isn’t too much passengers as well, (approximately 10 pax) which is rather favorable for us. 😄

The cityscape, Dubai Marina.

The cruise along Dubai Marina was definitely a worthy experience and we were very satisfied and happy that we decided to choose it over the old creek (our original plan was to go for Dubai creek dhow cruise). The sights and views were incredibly stunning. We could see the dazzling city lights and the enthralling skyline from afar. The still waters were beautifully reflecting the tall skyscrapers on the shoreline. Additionally, the sail trail is much longer, compared with the Creek and there is so much to see on either side. The entire ambiance creates strong romantic vibes-- which is why it is strongly recommended for couples. We could actually see some pairs cruising along with us, but we couldn’t care less. It was rather a moment of relaxation for us after a long tiring day. The cool, damp sea breeze made me even drowsier during the 1 hour long cruise. We just couldn’t handle too much of our exhaustion that we even resumed our slumber inside the train on our way back to our hotel. Nonetheless, it was a day incredibly well spent!

#jumeirabeach #atlantisthepalm #atlantisaquaventure #dubaimarina #dhow cruise dubai #cityscape #mydubai #dubai #uae #travel #travelblog

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