May 2012 Newsletter from Quivertree Family Expeditions!

Dear fellow traveling families,
Quivertree adding Portugal as a new family destination!

We are thrilled to add Portugal to our European portfolio. Portugal is a perfect family destination offering something for everyone! Portugal is less discovered than some of its more famous European counterparts and feels very exotic. Portugal offers a glimpse into a less well known part of Europe and is filled with incredible cities, medieval towns and fantastic castles. Add to that some of the best beaches and food anywhere and you have a perfect family trip!

Portugal has some of the best beaches in Europe

In this month's newsletter we have a trip report from a mom and daughter trip to India, and a focus on Europe, where we have seen amazing demand over the last year in our off the beaten track destinations.

Grape break while biking in Puglia

Quivertree Europe - off the beaten path and loving it!

Many of us feel that on a trip to Europe, one has to make a beeline for the biggest cities - Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Venice...

Yet is this really the best way for a family to travel? Sure, the biggest cities may have the best known landmarks and museums,, but they also often go hand in hand with overpriced hotels, never ending queues and mediocre tourist restaurants. Very often, such a family trip can end up with frustrated parents and kids, rushed museum visits, lousy hotels and poor food - scenes from Chevy Chase in "National Lampoons Family Vacation" come to mind.

At Quivertree we feel that the best way for a family to really enjoy Europe is to keep away from the places that are packed with tour buses. Rather, we prefer to seek out those areas which the locals love, which are traditional and real, offer outstanding accommodation and food and where a family will have a really authentic cultural experience.

Quivertree kid outside an Extremaduran castle

In Spain, we venture off the tourist track to regions such as Extremadura, south of Madrid, and Cantabria, in the far north. These regions offer UNESCO World Heritage Sights without the tourist hordes, old villages and towns, farm visits, and some of Europe' finest national parks packed with family friendly activities such as hiking, canoeing, donkey trails and more.

The Financial Times recently profiled Extremadura in an article entitled "Spain's Secret Cities". Read about it here:

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/f5c9ecc6-6a0d-11e1-b54f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1pU46M82m

In France in summer, the French migrate from Paris to more tranquil regions. So do we - the region of Savoy in the French Alps is one of our favorites - incredible scenery, tiny alpine villages, great mountain biking and hiking and some of Frances most enticing towns, such as Annecy for example.

In Italy, we concentrate our trips in the Southern region of Puglia, famous for its cuisine and beehive shaped traditional houses. With spectacular towns, fabulous beaches and incredible cycling terrain, this is the ideal region for a family trip to Italy.

South India Christmas trip -- a family report

NancyLeslieIndia3

Nancy and her 10 year old daughter, Aniela spent 3 weeks in South India in December. Here is their trip report.

"Tamil Nadu is a wonderful introduction to South India. These three weeks gave us a window into the history, spirituality, culture, and artistic expression of such a generous and welcoming people. How much did my 10-year-old daughter take in? The answer is probably: More than she or I might ever suppose. Looking back, she had brief challenges - even once a tree frog in the bathroom! in addition to the excellent weather, she loved the delicious ice cream, wonderful swimming pools, and mostly meeting such warm and helpful people every day.

Nothing quite prepares you for the aliveness of travelling outside your element, and seeing everything with such fresh eyes. An itinerary in India only hints at what might actually be the treat about to unfold next.

At the temples we connected with the South Indian culture in a way that was immensely rewarding. The tour guides told us interesting stories and answered our many questions. One guide introduced us to the fun of having our fortunes "told" by a parrot. He translated the fortune-teller's predictions for us and we had many laughs about it, as a group of people gathered to listen!

NancyLeslieIndia

It is a cliché to say that children enjoy the gift shops more than the museums on vacations. But "shopping" in India is an activity that kids really enjoy. The interactions can be so personal and playful, never purely a monetary transaction! It makes for a brand-new experience of buying and selling, and you get to bring home some lovely things to give as gifts or to treasure as reminders of a Never-Would-I-Want-to-Forget-This experience!

NancyLIndia4

Looking back, my daughter says she was surprised how wherever she went on our trip, she always felt in some way at home. I am happy that she has this memory. This positive outcome must have been due to our slow pace in travelling, the excellent organization, the amazing hospitality we received, the South Indians' love of children, and her own open heart.

Thank you Quivertree -We are already planning our next trip!"

Notes, tips and observations

For all our literary fans, an excellent new book about the history and modern experience of Machu Picchu is" Turn Right at Machu Picchu" by Mark Adams.

http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Right-Machu-Picchu-Rediscovering/dp/0452297982/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335381452&sr=1-1

Colombia is a wonderful place to travel as a family. And here's a hilarious guide to deciphering Colombian hand gestures...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDEAPV73v4s

Many of our favorite Quivertree family destinations are featured in the New York Times' list of places to go in 2012.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/45-places-to-go-in-2012.html?pagewanted=all

And here at Quivertree, we recently posted our favorite family travel tips. Here's the link

http://quivertreeworld.com/pdf/Quivertree-Top10-TravelTips.pdf

And finally a few photos that represent the surprises and joys of traveling. First, from a South African safari park, what does that mean exactly? That one should not ride one's wheelchair fast downhill straight into the croc's mouth?

StLuciasign