Travelling Times: Our Top Places to visit in 2014

 

[caption id="attachment_904" align="aligncenter" width="940"] On holiday in Tenerife[/caption]

Welcome to the second annual Family Travel Times Travel Awards! Once again, we have been lucky enough to visit some brilliant places, but which ones were our favourites? Welcome to the 2014 award ceremony and our top places to visit...

Best Day Out

Jess says: I definitely think that the "Art of the Brick" LEGO exhibition was our best day out this year. The exhibition, which is travelling worldwide, is composed of over 85 LEGO sculptures and all of them are fantastic. These sculptures ranged from 3D paintings such as The Kiss and The Scream to a giant dinosaur, and from the solar system to the Venus de Milo! We had a brilliant time looking at the sculptures, watching videos and even had a chance to create our own sculptures at the end!

Alternatively, Burghley house in Lincolnshire is a brilliant place to visit - we visited it over the summer and had a wonderful time. The house, which was built by William Cecil (Lord Burghley) is extremely impressive both inside and outside, as we found out when following the Beastly Boring Burghley tour. This tour was probably the best tour aimed at kids I've been to, and it was full of interesting facts. Afterwards, we loads of fun exploring the gardens, which consisted of a maze, Poseidon’s Grotto, sculptures and lots of fountains to run into.

Robert says:  The alligator tours in Florida was my favourite day out in 2014. It's not every day you get to see real life alligators and hold one too! It was a brilliant experience and I learnt many things like how to tell a crocodile from an alligator or how to spot if it is a male or female. I absolutely loved it and could do it again and again.

Brian (dad) says: I loved my visit to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. I particularly enjoyed the Rocket Garden, seeing the Space Shuttle Atlantis up close, hearing a veteran astronaut giving a talk, and walking underneath the enormous Saturn V rocket.

Best Overall Holiday

Robert says: My favourite holiday of the year was when dad and I went to Florida as I won a competition to go to Space Camp. Everything was great, from the inventive and exciting activities of space camp to the wonderful warm weather - not mentioning the cups and cups of free drinks. I loved learning all about space at Kennedy Space Center and the rides at Universal Studios were brilliant too.

Sarah says: For me, Austria was a perfect holiday. We all tried something different - cycling - and enjoyed the food, the scenery and the many things to do. I was genuinely overwhelmed by how beautiful it was and don't think it gets better than riding alongside Lake Wolfgang with the wind in my hair. It was magnificent.

Best in London

Robert says: We have been to some truly amazing things in London this year and my favourite has got to be ClueQuest. We had one hour to find a way to get out of a locked room. Everything was a clue from books to bottles, playing cards to tables. It was so fun and exciting but a bit stressful when we only had a few minutes left. It was an amazing day out that really pushed our minds to the limit.

Best View 

Jess says: The views at the top of the Schafbergbahn in Saint Wolfgang, Austria have to be the best I've ever seen. The summit of the mountain was 1,783m high and there were 360º beautiful views over the lakes Wolfgangsee, Irrsee, Mondsee and Fuschlsee. It truly was phenomenal.

[caption id="attachment_903" align="aligncenter" width="940"] The waves in Tenerife were captivating[/caption]

Sarah says: Obviously I loved the views in Austria, but I could also have watched the waves crashing onto the shore near our apartment in San Miguel, Tenerife, for hours. There were hardly any people around and we just sat and enjoyed the spectacle. They were just so dramatic, such an illustration of nature, that they were incredibly special. We have just come back from Tenerife - posts to come...

Best Place to Stay

[caption id="attachment_513" align="aligncenter" width="940"] Outside the House of Correction[/caption]

Jess says: The House of Correction in Folkingham, Lincolnshire was probably my favourite place to have ever stayed, and I would love to go back. The house belongs to the Landmark Trust and is built on the site of a big medieval castle. The house was a small prison for minor offenders and was initially built in 1611, but replaced in 1808 and enlarged in 1825. It was then closed in 1878. It is absolutely magnificent and only one family can stay at a time, making the experience even more special.

Best Ride

Robert says: I have been to two amazing parks this year which have both been full to the top with amazing attractions, so it was very hard to pick the winner for best ride. Instead I decided to pick three! The first is from Universal Studios in Florida and is the fast paced, scary indoor roller coaster Return of the Mummy. Most of the ride is in pitch black so it added extra suspense as you didn't know when there was going to be a drop. The first time I went on it I was scared out of my skin when we plummeted down into the red steaming smoke.



The next two winners of this category are from Siam Park, the Water Kingdom in Tenerife (post coming soon). Everything there was wonderful but I decided my first pick would be the Mekong Rapids that dad and I went on four times throughout the day. After a long tiring walk up hundreds of stairs we got to a small pool of water where inside we climbed into a yellow dinghy and then zoomed off down the tunnel. It was so fast and very wet. Dad was screaming like a baby the first time as there were so many drops. I loved the next ride, the Kinnaree the scariest ride we went on, but dad definitely didn't. However, it was still loads of fun. Of all the rides we went on this had the biggest drops and at some points we felt like we were going to go upside down. The ride was so cleverly made and I loved it but I don't think the guy next to me who was swearing the whole time did though.

Best Beach

Jess says: We travelled to Tenerife over Christmas, and the weather was lovely and the beaches superb. Although we had a lovely time at Los Cristianos, my favourite was the Playa del Bobo in Adeje. Not only was the sand lovely and soft, but the waves were brilliant and it was perfect for swimming and paddling. It wasn't too busy and was the perfect spot for a walk. There was also a delicious ice cream store nearby!

Best Educational Day Out

[caption id="attachment_171" align="aligncenter" width="504"] The actors at the Drake Fun Day[/caption]

Robert says: As we have been learning about World War II at school as a class we went to the Churchill War Cabinets and Churchill Museum. The audio tours were very detailed and informative. I learnt a lot about where the prime Minister of England stayed during WWII. I preferred the Churchill museum to the war cabinets as it was much more interactive. There was a table that told you what event happened on your birthday during the war, I got to hold Winston Churchill's teddy bears from when he was younger (they were so cute) and I even got to use a typewriter. It was a very interesting and fun day out.

Jess says: We also thought that the Drake Fun Day atop the Golden Hinde II (a replica of the ship which Sir Francis Drake used to sail all round the world) was fantastic. We played games and learned facts from the Captain and his strange assistant, Fart - this was lots of fun and very interesting! The event was two hours long and consisted of firing guns, learning a code and exploring the ship. I would recommend it to children aged 6+.

Best Hidden Gem

[caption id="attachment_151" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Robert at Groombridge Place's Mystic Pool[/caption]

Sarah says: Groombridge was gorgeous - and a surprise! We had gone to Kent for the weekend to visit Hever Castle where Anne Bolyen had lived, and as a Tudor aficionado, that was intended to be the main event. However, we decided we should visit another "attraction" too and that turned out to be Groombridge. We were so pleased we went as it was perfect for families, with gorgeous grounds and in particular many hidden treasures inside the woods. We'd highly recommend it.

Best Food

Robert says: For me the best food in 2014 came from VegFest, the big market where all the food was vegan. I had so many tasters of all the sweets, crackers, dips and drinks and I even had a go at using an electrical massage machine. I ate stuff that I had never seen before like bread crisps and I had salt and vinegar flavoured bread. Everyone was so nice and insisted that I should have more - how could I resist? It was a delicious day and I'll be coming back for more next year.

Thanks for reading Family Travel Times this year and enjoy 2015!

Read our Travelling Times awards for 2013 and let us know your favourites too!

 

Nasa countdown clock to be retired!

[caption id="attachment_635" align="aligncenter" width="940"] Copyright: NASA/Jim Grossmann[/caption]

Talking of Space (which we were, with both Robert and Brian's posts on the Kennedy Space Center or KSC, and Space Camp), you may be interested in the news that Nasa's hugely famous countdown clock is ticking down.

In other words, countdown has begun for the replacement of the iconic launch clock which the boys saw at KSC. The Apollo-era digital clock is heading for retirement (well, none of us stay young forever and it has been on site for more than 40 years).

You would definitely recognise the clock, which ticks down the hours, minutes and seconds to the next launch. It used 40 watt light bulbs to form digits and a plus or minus sign to count up (or down) but those parts are dated and difficult to replace, so the clock is now to be replaced with something more up to date, such as the one in Times Square.

"We are looking at [installing] a bigger screen that will look more modern," said Lisa Malone, director of public affairs at Kennedy Space Center. "It will be more flexible, so we'll be able to show the countdown, as well as have additional room to show NASA TV programming, too."

But the clock isn't going to the scrap heap - have no fear of that. Instead it will be removed intact and plans are to send it either the Smithsonian in Washington DC or keep it on display at KSC.

You can see the clock here.

Read Robert's account of his trip to Space Camp

Let Brian tell you what you should be doing if you visit Kennedy Space Center

A first post by Brian: a day at Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Major excitement today as we have our first ever post from Brian, who is Jess and Robert's dad! Read on for his visit to the Kennedy Space Center...

When Robert was at Space Camp, I took the opportunity to visit Kennedy Space Center myself.

I spent roughly half of my time at the Visitor Complex, and the other half taking a bus tour and then exploring the Apollo/Saturn V Center.

I had an amazing time, and here are some of the highlights.

THE VISITOR COMPLEX

[caption id="attachment_631" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The rocket garden (the Saturn rocket is on its side because it's so big)[/caption]

The Rocket Garden: I really enjoyed walking round the “garden” which contains many of the rockets used in the earlier space missions. Seven are real – but were simply not flown – and one is a replica (the Gemini rocket, which ironically is the first one you come to when you enter). I joined one of the 15 minute tours, and was interested to hear the guide talk about the significance of the “space race” during the Cold War: how Americans were genuinely scared of what was flying above them when the Soviets launched the first satellite into space, and then “embarrassed” when Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space.

The Astronaut Encounter theatre: I saw veteran astronaut Bob Springer, who served on two Space Shuttle flights (on Discovery in 1989 and Atlantis in 1990: the latter carrying a top-secret cargo). He certainly had “the right stuff”, after being a pilot in Vietnam, then a test pilot, before joining NASA.
He told many fascinating stories about his time in the International Space Station: how he slept for only one and half hours each night (a combination of wanting to experience as much of his time in space as possible, and seeing a sunrise every 90 minutes) and the fact that he slept while floating (when most other astronauts velcroed their sleeping bags onto a wall or ceiling). He also spoke humorously about his suffering from space sickness during his second day in space - he managed to vomit into his sick-bag but the contents rebounded from the far side of the container straight back into his mouth!

The IMAX Theatre: There were two 3D films showing there. I saw Hubble, a 45 minute film narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, containing footage from the final space-shuttle mission to repair the Hubble telescope. The best parts though were the amazing images found by the telescope, with stunning animation of journeys through distant galaxies.

[caption id="attachment_630" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Space Shuttle Atlantis[/caption]

The Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit: this was probably the highlight of my day. It started with a film about the challenges of designing a reusable spacecraft, then another showing the shuttles in action. This film ended with the final landing of the Atlantis, with the commentary saying “Atlantis, welcome home” over the frozen image of the shuttle. The video screen then rose up to reveal that we had actually been looking at the real thing, and the effect was incredibly emotional. The exhibit is tilted on its side and it looks like it is flying in space with its payload doors open and the robot arm extended.  (Only the arm is not authentic, the original having been taken back by the Canadian Space Agency). The shuttle was much larger than I expected, and the building was cleverly designed so you could see it from lots of different angles. It was amazing to see such an iconic spacecraft, the one that flew the last ever shuttle mission, with its black scorch marks from re-entry clearly visible on its tiles.

The Shuttle Launch experience: this simulates being launched into space aboard one of the shuttles. It is noisy and the vibrations are quite intense. It starts with the shuttle rotating into a vertical position and ends with the payload doors opening to give the impression that that you are floating in space. I enjoyed it, but would probably give it a miss if time is short.

 

THE BUS TOUR

I went on the “Up-Close Explore Tour”, led by an expert guide, which took us around some of the famous landmarks at Kennedy Space Center:

* launchpads 39A and 39B, which were used for the Apollo and space shuttle missions;

* the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) where the gigantic Saturn rockets were stacked and the space shuttles were assembled. This building is massive – it is the world’s fourth largest building by volume, adorned with the world’s largest painted American flag;

* the NASA Causeway, which was the closest spot that the public could watch the space shuttle launches. There are panoramic views over the river from here, and you can also see the VAB in the distance.

* the Shuttle Landing Facility (one of the longest runways in the world)

The bus tour made several stops so we could stretch our legs and take photos.

The tour lasted around two hours – it started at the Visitor Complex and the final destination was the Apollo/Saturn V Center.

 

APOLLO-SATURN 5 CENTER

[caption id="attachment_640" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The boosters for the Saturn Rocket[/caption]

This is a huge museum dedicated to the Apollo missions and the Saturn V rockets that took astronauts to the moon.

A fully restored  363-foot Saturn V rocket is the showpiece exhibit.  It is suspended on its side, allowing you to walk underneath as well as around it, and it is enormous.

There are lots of other exhibits from the Apollo moon missions, including the Apollo 14 Command Module and some moon rock that you can touch.

There are two very enjoyable theatre shows to see here – the first one is a recreation of the Apollo control room and simulates the final minutes of the Apollo 8 launch , and the second  simulates the Apollo 11 moon landing.

[caption id="attachment_632" align="aligncenter" width="225"] With a new astronaut friend[/caption]

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

It was impossible to see everything properly in just one day, and I would have liked to have spent even more time there.

Daily admission at the Kennedy Space Center costs $50, and this includes the bus tour. The Up-Close tour is an additional $25 per person, plus tax, and $19 per child.

Read about Robert's trip to Space Camp!

Read some news about the famous Nasa countdown clock

My trip to Space Camp at Kennedy Space Center, Florida by Robert

I was very lucky to win a competition which meant I went to Space Camp at Camp KSC in Florida for a week! I absolutely loved it. Here are my highlights for each day.

Day 1: Micro Gravity Wall
The wall looked like a normal ladder, but once I had climbed to the top a staff member did some weird thing involving weights and I ended up being able to float up and down the ladder. It was an amazing experience.


[caption id="attachment_471" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The micro-gravity wall[/caption]




Day 2: Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center
We learnt lots about, and then saw the actual Atlantis Space Shuttle. It was huge! After that we went on a ride that simulated the launch of the spacecraft, which was so much fun. We also heard a speech from legendary astronaut Tom Jones who has been in space four times. There were loads of things we learnt about such as meteorites, planets and astronauts. It was a great day, despite it being burning hot outside.   



 

[caption id="attachment_467" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Me next to the Atlantis Shuttle[/caption]

Day 3: The Mission
We were all given roles to play such as Commander, Pilot or a person from Mission Control. The non-moving simulator was incredibly big because it had several rooms. The simulation provided us with the feeling of a successful mission to launch a rocket into space. We were all given things to say and buttons to press. My character didn't have many lines or things to do but I still really enjoyed it anyway.



[caption id="attachment_470" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The multi axis trainer, which spins around[/caption]

Day 4: The Multi Axis Trainer
The Multi Axis Trainer or as the kids like to call it "the spinny ball of death" is a large simulator that can hold two people. It spins you in all directions, and you feel like you are inside a rocket when it spins out of control. The simulator was amazing and was by far my favourite part of camp, even though I did get a bit dizzy.

Day 5: The Trajectory Chair
The trajectory chair has two connected seats that spin around. Me and my partner had to throw and catch as many balls and frisbees as we could. It was extremely difficult because when I threw a ball to my partner he would have already moved on, and the ball would fall into an empty space. It was much harder than it looked and it was super fun.

 

[caption id="attachment_468" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Me at my graduation from Space Camp 2014![/caption]

I learnt loads at my week at camp. Here are my top three facts.

1.  Once an astronaut was eating m&ms. He ate something that he thought was a brown m&m but in fact it was something else. Now NASA never sends brown m&ms into space any more.

2. The amazing Space Shuttle Atlantis launches as a rocket and lands as an aeroplane.

3. When one of the first people ever was going into space there was a lot of delays. After an hour of problems the astronaut inside the rocket needed a wee but NASA said he would have to hold it in. Another hour went by and still the rocket had not launched. Now the astronaut  was desperate for a wee and asked "why can't I go to the toilet?" NASA said "because we would have to start up the engine all over again, that would waste fuel." Another hour of delays passed and the astronaut questioned "can I do a wee in my suit?" NASA replied "no, your suit has lots of wires in it, you would get electrocuted." At the end of another 60 minutes NASA turned off the power and let him pee in his suit but because he was in launch position lying down the yellow liquid spread over his suit and he went and came down from space covered in wee.

I loved Space Camp - it really was the trip of a lifetime.

Read about my dad's day trip to Kennedy Space Center and what he would recommend you should do if you visit.