Cholla Cactus Garden in the lower desert plains of Joshua Tree National Park 

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Before boarding Baby B’s first international flight to Palm Springs, we asked our readers to recommend some attractions. A common recommendation was a visit to Joshua Tree National Park, so we planned to spend an afternoon exploring the fabled US National Park.

Knowing very little about the park, we jumped in the car and made the 45 minute drive from Palm Springs to Joshua Tree (the city), located northwest of the national park. We entered the park from the west entrance near Black Rock Canyon and traveled south to the entrance/exit near Cottonwood Mountains – here is a map.

Originally, we thought we would spend a few hours exploring the park (including the 45 minute drive). But after pulling into the tourist centre to grab a park map, we quickly realized just how huge it is (789,745 acres to be exact!).

“It takes approximately two hours to drive”, said the uniformed Park Ranger.

“Seriously?!” we replied. With a 3-month old baby on-board, we didn’t know what we had just committed to. It’s one thing to plan for a 2-3 hour trip, but a 5-hour road trip is a completely different story (it takes an hour to get from the south entrance back to Palm Springs).

Let’s just say that it wasn’t Baby B’s finest hour - he screamed for a solid 45 minutes - but the stunning landscapes made it well worth the detour. No pain, no gain – right?!

Below are some photos from our trip to Joshua Tree National Park

Rock climbers scaling the smooth rock formations

Peculiar desert landscapes

 The park road snaking between interesting rock formations

A native Joshua Tree, the inspiration for the park’s name

Desert landscapes – the perfect backdrop for an old Western movie

Park road splitting a forest of Joshua Trees in the Mojave Desert

Entrance to the Cholla Cactus Garden hiking trail

The otherworldly Cholla Cactus Garden – very unusual

Close-up of the Teddy-bear cholla  in the Cholla Cactus Garden – don’t touch!

Cholla Cactus Garden

The endless lower desert plains of Joshua Tree – you don’t want your car to breakdown here!

 Dramatic panorama in the Colorado Desert

 The Joshua Tree National Park Store near the town of Joshua Tree

An old saloon in the town of Joshua Tree. It kinda has a wild west feel about it, doesn’t it?

So what makes Joshua Tree National Park so extraordinary?

The park is a transition zone between two deserts, the Mojave desert in the higher elevation and the Colorado desert in the lower plains. The varying temperatures create a rare eco-system with distinct plant species (like the unusual Cholla Cactus Garden pictured above). The unique rock formations in the park were formed over 100 million years ago, eroded by groundwater that shaped the peculiar outcroppings.

It’s no surprise that the park is hugely popular with rock climbers, mountains bikers, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. We’d love to return when Baby B is a little older and we can spend a few days exploring the park, camping under the desert stars – it must be quite the spectacle!

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Have you visited Joshua Tree National Park?
Share your experience and travel tips in the comments section below

The Extraordinary Landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park, California is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

Ixia is a coastal city which is situated just 5 kilometers away from Rhodes City. It is a famous beach stop for the families and surfers. Tourists find number of shops in Ixia which offer them great shopping opportunities. For spending vacations, Ixia is known to be one of best places and families also prefer staying here. This place has top class accommodation facilities and state of the art luxuries for the visitors and guests.

Why visit Ixia?

The reason for visiting Ixia is that this place gives you easy access to attractive and beautiful places and the shopping bay as well. So it is convenient to do the shopping in the middle of the way on the journey back to home or arrival to start the perfect vacations. Many big and small shopping malls offer necessary items for customers. You will see range of products in these shopping places that you can buy for yourself, family, friends or kids at reasonable price. You do not have to move around other places for shopping specifically, because this place is really a good choice for getting everything.
There are lots of things which you will find unique and you will be desperate to buy those things that are at affordable price and another interesting thing is that you can have all seasons products any time. The season starts in June and lasts till mid of October. During the peak season, there is a heavy crowd in shops and markets, tourists come from all over the world and enjoy shopping here.

Ixia – A worth-visiting Tourist Spot

With a blend of shopping, entertainment, fun, sightseeing and accommodation facilities, Ixia becomes inevitable choice for visitors to spend holidays. You can visit the beach and other sightseeing places in the day time and enjoy shopping in the night. This place is full of joy and entertainment so you should enjoy at your fullest.

Shopping in Ixia

Although, there are a number of shops in Ixia but it cannot be compared with the shops of Rhodes Town. Those who want to enjoy shopping thrill at quality shops and malls , they should visit to Rhodes City. You will see luxurious items, fashion boutiques, gifts shops, jewelry shops and lots of other stuff in Rhodes City. In Ixia, you will find all these items but that could be low in quality.

Your trip to Rhodes Island will be incomplete without visiting Ixia.

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Baby B’s First International Flight and some Stunning Aerial Photos

Last week we took Baby B on a trip to Palm Springs California, his first international trip and his first time boarding an airplane. At just 3 months old, we were both curious and apprehensive about how he would handle this monumental flight.

Our flight departed at 8:30AM so we were up early and at the airport by 6:00AM. We did the usual airport dance and cleared security with plenty of time to spare. Needless to say, it was a totally different experience with a baby.

Thankfully, we were allowed to bring our stroller and car seat through security and checked it at the gate just before boarding the aircraft. We’ve never had so much stuff to bring on a flight!

So how did the little man do, you ask?

Fantastic! He slept for most of the flight, waking up about 30 minutes before landing (the flight from Vancouver to Palm Springs was 2.5 hours). We thought the pressure from the descent into Palm Springs would hurt his ears, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, as the other babies on the plane screamed in discomfort, Baby B actually giggled and smiled as we approached the runway.

Let’s hope this trend continues – fingers crossed!

Baby B fast asleep with daddy

We had clear skies and a window seat, so we were able to capture some great aerial shots

Snow-capped peaks in Washington State

Somewhere over either Washington or Oregon

Somewhere in Oregon

Northern California

Aerial views of a small ski hill in California

Baby B enjoying the views

Approaching Palm Springs, California

We’ve arrived. Baby B’s first flight is huge success!

Baby B’s First International Flight + Stunning Aerial Photos is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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A lone Joshua Tree in Joshua Tree National Park, California

Located in southeastern California, east of Palm Springs, lies the fabled Joshua Tree National Park.

Within the National Park, visitors are treated to thousands of Joshua Trees scattered across the dry desert grasslands. The Joshua Tree is a distinct plant species native to the region and found primarily in the Mojave Desert. It was the first time we had ever seen the cactus-like tree.

We visited the park mid-day, which is the worst time of day to capture proper light, especially in the desert. Most of the photos were turning out white washed, so I decided to switch things up and hit the sun directly. It turned out to be one of my favourite pictures from the afternoon.

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Have you visited Joshua Tree National Park before?
Feel free to share your tips and advice for exploring this treasured park in the comments section below

.

Photo of the Week: Joshua Tree National Park, California is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

Don39t worry blog. I haven39t neglected you I haven39t had much internet access lately and when I have had web access it39s been slow or for a very short amount of time. I39ve been writing blog posts and saving them in Word for when I have steady internet access to post blog entries and photos. A good chunk of this might be after I arrive home on the 18th but I39m slowly cat
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On Monday we got the ferry to Koh Phangan it was only an hour long and a much better trip. We had a bit of a mix up when we got here by going to the wrong resort but we soon got it fixed. It was a bit of a shame that we weren39t staying at this resort as we met 3 Welsh girls here from Llanelli and Uplands but our resort is also nice. It is right on the beach literally step out of our door an
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Go out of your home country for a holiday. Yet if cash is a concern, then book the trip early and be on the lookout for cheap holidays to Spain, Turkey, Thailand, or any destination in the world. You may find the tips below useful:

Book your holiday when it is off-peak season. This is the most cost-effective method to travel if you are searching for price cuts on hotel rates and airline tickets. Inquire through your destination's local tourism office what months the numbers of holidaymakers dwindles. For instance, you might wish to travel off-season, especially from January to February, when the weather is good and most people are still financially recovering from the Christmas and New Year's hangover.

Create a flexible plan. Flexibility can be your best ally. For one, there is a probability that you can simply purchase a plane ticket at half price if you are ready to barter a pass with a person who doesn't want to travel at odd hours or need to cancel a trip. Another, you might want to avoid direct flights to save on cash. For a sure-fire deal, book for flights leaving from Monday until Thursday because most airlines offer discounted prices during these days.

Get the best exchange rates. The way you convert your cash to other denominations can have a huge impact on the cost of your holiday. Keep these basics in mind:

* Avoid converting your currency before you leaving your home country because you'll most likely get a terrible rate.

* Make use of your debit card to extract local money at an ATM machine. By doing so, you'll get better exchange rate. Just be sure to ask your bank regarding its charges for international transactions to avoid high charges.

* Utilize your credit card when dining or shopping. Big providers such as Visa, Diners Club, and MasterCard provide whole exchanges rate on almost all purchases and charge very low on conversion fees, usually around 1 to 2 percent.

Spending a getaway in another land need not drain your savings account nor create a huge dent on your wallet. As long as you know where to look for cheap airlines, tours, or hotels in Spain, Turkey, Thailand, or any destination in the planet, you can have a fun getaway even when you are travelling on a shoe-string budget.

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Rhodes Island has a beautiful place, about 5km away from main city, named as Ixia. This is a beach which has lots of attraction for tourists and they come here to enjoy holidays. There are number of shops in this small resort, which offers broad range of items. Many of the families choose Ixia as tourist spot and stay here during the vacations. Ixia has superior accommodation opportunities for visitors and there are many other essential facilities which make good reputation of this place for guests.

Why visit Ixia?

Ixia has shopping attraction for visitors but the places which are nearby to Ixia are most common reason for visitors to come and stay here. You can start your vacations by finishing the shopping first or you can do shopping and enjoy beach stay simultaneously and this is the specialty of Ixia that it offers both activities at one place. Most of these shopping sites sell basic and customer focused products and quality is something which they usually focus the most. No matter you want to buy something for you, your kids, partner or friends; you will find a large variety of quality products. You do not have to move around other places for shopping specifically, because this place is really a good choice for getting everything.
You will see out of season variety in these shopping malls as well, giving you choice to buy anything you want and you can get these products at reasonable price in out season and peak season. The season starts in June and lasts till mid of October. And during this time you can enjoy the real market trend and shops full with customers.

Ixia – A worth-visiting Tourist Spot

With a blend of shopping, entertainment, fun, sightseeing and accommodation facilities, Ixia becomes inevitable choice for visitors to spend holidays. Night time is best for shopping around the markets and enjoy the beauty of beach and sightseeing in morning. This place is full of joy and entertainment so you should enjoy at your fullest.

Shopping in Ixia

Though there are many shops in Ixia that offer almost each and every product but still these shops cannot be compared with the markets of Rhodes City. If you are a true shopping lover and want to experience top quality malls and shopping centers then you should go for Rhodes city. You can find fashion boutiques, jewelries, gifts and luxury goods there. But in Ixia you can find all what you want in must lighter way.

Going to Rhodes Island for spending vacations offers amazing memories and it becomes more valuable when you visit Ixia.

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In Caserta with Courtney and Andy Going out to a Brazilian restaurant for dinner and then touring Naples tomorrow then off to Sorrento
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Visiting Holiday Park Breaks in England will certainly take the stress away with many different activities that are fun and value the pay.

This is simply not your common retreat where all you do is just to sit around, what is in store for you is a day with lots of adventures. Endless fun is going on in Holiday Parks in England, where you can throw all your stress away. One minute, for example, guests will be checking out the countryside of a classic rural area including Yorkshire; the next they would be running along a beach in beautiful Kent.

Vacationers can leave all their work and worries behind at these parks. Bring along the entire family or simply with that special someone where you can take a dip in their indoor heated pools; bring your children to a family-friendly clubs where shows are presented as well as games too; go out into the sea and have a fish around together with your friend; a stroll around the countryside before a dinner date along with someone; take part in a game of golf in their championship-quality course along with a companion; have a beauty treatments into their high standard spas and salons where they will deal with you with outmost hospitality. Holiday Parks in England will definitely give all sorts of recreation to different people with different tastes.

Not just any other kind of vacation, Caravan Park Holidays in England also showcases different historical setting in the country of England. If you want to bring back the past, a stroll around the countryside of Yorkshire allow you to experience a place of timeless views or how about a hike in Sherwood Forest where you can find its well preserved majestic views. Visit Norfolk, Dorset, Kent, Oxfordshire, Lancashire, either further outward to the Isle of Wight; each of the places that you've seen in travel brochures-and possibly in your dreams-you can see with your own eyes.

And when you have quite had your fill of sightseeing and recreation, you then can retire to the luxurious lodges, caravans, and also village-style homes that distinguish British vacation parks. Holiday parks in England come complete with luxuries offering spacious and open floor plans, plentiful heating options, flat screen TVs together with DVD/CD players and home entertainment centers (some models have iPods and Sony Playstations), generous and comfortable lounge areas, fridges with freezers, ensuite showers (some that includes heated towel rails) and even Jacuzzis as well as whirlpool baths and free standing bath areas, wood burning stoves, verandahs, and many more.

To give a feel of total relaxation, the houses and lodges are created in a classical architecture that comes in a two-story floor plans. British vacation houses are famous for its very classic and timeless designs which makes you really feel you are years way back but the amenities are really high-tech and modern that offers every visitor the comfort they wanted.

Beauty, luxury, convenience, plus lots and lots of festivity; these are only among the perks and characteristics that you can associate with English holiday parks. There is no other fun rather than a British holiday treat together with your family in Holiday Parks in England, so go now and enjoy!

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