3 Kids and Us

8 AMAZING REASONS TO VISIT KUALA LUMPUR

by

Kuala Lumpur is a tourist destination for many holidaymakers across the world. Malaysia’s capital beams with a myriad attraction site, a multicultural community, and iconic skyscrapers. Cathay Pacific enables travelers to behold the beauty of this sprawling city center.

1. PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS

These two towers are the tallest twin in the world. Built with post-modern architecture style and Islamic designs, the Petronas Twin towers are lined with endless shopping stores, restaurants, and movie theatres. The twin towers receive a plethora of visitors daily. Designed with steel and glass façade, this architectural masterpiece displays Islamic design the predominant religion of Malaysia’s people.

Connecting these twin towers is a sky bridge on the 41st floor, which is approximately 170 meters off the ground. This provides a scenic view for photography and breathtaking views of Kuala Lumpur city.

On this twin structure is the Observation Deck, where one can enjoy a 360-degree view of Kuala Lumpur’s splendor. Set on the 86th-floor visitors can exhibit the tower’s history and enjoy digital displays of the twin towers.

2. KLCC PARK

At the feet of the Petronas Twin Towers are Kuala Lumpur’s urban park and upmarket shopping mall popular with tourists. This park was designed to showcase a heritage of tropical greenery to Petrona Twin towers. Suria KLCC Park is a combination of man-made designs such as water features, cement, and shrubs. Its primary influence of this park was biodiversity and conservation. At least 1,900 indigenous trees and 66 species of palms were deliberately selected to attract Malaysia’s local birds.

At the middle of this magnificent park is a man-made Lake Symphony. Two musical fountains display more than 140 unique programmed animations. The magic combination of water, color, and sound gives a beautiful sight to behold. Scattered around the park are various ornamental water features like fountains, cascades, and waterfalls. To the west of the park are a children’s playgroup and a public swimming pool.

3. BUTTERFLY PARK

Kuala Lumpur’s butterfly is the most extensive of its kind in the world. Home to over 5,000 butterflies from 120 species, it stretches an area of 7,500 square meters. Butterflies dance nonchalantly on ferns amidst scented, colorful flowers, vines, and exotic plants. Located adjacent to Kuala Lumpur’s Bird Park Lake Gardens, this park houses an exhibition area with information on the butterflies’ species insects such as beetles and other creepy crawlies.

This is a popular spot for families looking to escape the bustling city center. Once you get in the canopy, you will notably find fluttering butterflies of various colors, sizes, and shapes floating on your clothes while others stick on your hat like badges.

4. KUALA LUMPUR BIRD PARK

Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is home to approximately 3,000 birds. This includes imported species of birds. This park is rated as the most extensive public aviary in the world occupying over 20 acres of land. The birds roam free, giving you a fantastic interaction with mother-nature. The rich flora and fauna in the park provide a natural habitat to the birds. If you are a bird or photography enthusiast, this is a fun place for you. Other attractions include the Orchid and Hibiscus Gardens, Butterfly Park, Deer Park, and an artificial lake. The park has an incubation center, a bird gallery, flamingo pond, a hornbill park amidst other spectacular bird species.

5. SRI MAHAMARIAMMAN TEMPLE

Sri Mahamariamman Temple is the oldest religious structure having been built in the 19th century. If you want to learn the diverse culture, religious beliefs, and values of Malaysia, visit this temple. The temple is adorned with a dazzling colorful façade and decorated range of Hindu deities. It is the place of worship for the Tamil community. However, visitors are allowed to explore the wonder of architecture displayed on it,

Around the main prayer hall are four smaller shrines dedicated to two Lords. Murals and frescos on its walls decorate the most spacious prayer hall. The roofs of the three shrines are embellished with ornaments of precious stones and gems.

6. SUNWAY LAGOON THEME PARK

Enjoy the whirl and swirl of the water slides at Sunway lagoon theme park. The park has a variety of dry-land activities and watery rides for kids and adults. There are man-made surf beaches and a wave-pool that will be exciting, especially on a hot day. The park has a total of five different regions-the Scream Park, the Water Park, Amusement Park, Extreme Park, and the Scream Park. Each of these five parks has a wide selection of unique experiences.

7. THE NATIONAL MUSEUM

Explore the culture of Malaysia at the National Museum located near Lake Gardens. This museum is designed in the shape of an ancient house. Its walls decorations are a blend of contemporary and traditional designs.

The display of the history, art, craft, and culture of Malaysia’s history is spread out onto three floors. On the ground floor, there is an impressive collection of ritual weddings, traditional Malaysian lifestyle i.e. farming, fishing, weaving, and pottery. The 2nd floor is a zoological section with stuffed animals and birds. You can mistake it for a hunting parlour.

Alongside, the animal is a collection of parangs, kris, swords, miniature canons that were weapons used to hunt. As you wind down the hallways, you find a section dedicated to musical instruments. These traditional musical instruments include the drums popularly known as rebana, the Chinese gongs, flutes, lutes, and fiddles. To navigate through these sections, you will get the dedicated services of tour guides who offer free services to the tourists.

8. BATU CAVES

The Batu Caves are the most frequented tourist site in Kuala Lumpur. The 100-year-old temple is made up of three limestone caves. Around and inside these caves are Hindu idols and deities. Its interior foundation is alleged to be approximately 400 million years. It is a landmark religious feature for the Hindu religion in the world.

At the foot of Batu Caves are three cave temples. Cathedral cave is the most popular and the largest of the three. It also houses many dedicated Hindu shrines. The Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave are found at the foot of this limestone hill. These caves attract thousands of people and devotees during the Thaipusam Festival in Hindu annual Hindu festival.

South Africa – The Perfect First Timer’s African Destination

by

Source: Sharon Ang on Pixabay

When it comes to African countries that people visit regularly, one of the most popular is South Africa. This country, aptly named due to its location at the very southern tip of the African continent, is one of the more popular choices for people making their first visit to the area. With a rich Dutch heritage, South Africa feels like a long, lost Dutch colony, rather than somewhere in Africa. While it does have its African influences in culture, art, music and food, it’s all combined extremely well with its European past to create the perfect jumping off point for people visiting Africa for the first time. Here’s a couple of the top things you can do in South Africa – and why you should check it out his year.

Cape Town – Table Mountain

Table Mountain is probably one of the most iconic images of Cape Town. Seen from throughout the city, the mountain is an impressive sight and can be climbed the good old fashioned way or you can take a cable car up to the top if you’re not fit enough or don’t have enough time to climb it yourself. Table Mountain offers some seriously stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area from the top, especially on days where your view is not obscured by mist. Other peaks that join Table Mountain such as Devil’s Peak and Lion’s Head can be viewed from the top of the mountain with Signal Hill, Robben Island and Table Bay also being visible from the top of Table Mountain. If you’re planning a trip to South Africa, book yourself a cheap flight to Cape Town and make sure to take in this impressive mountain and the stunning views it provides.

Wineries

We all know that one of the main things that South Africa is famous for is its wine. With numerous vineyards and wineries to be found in the vicinity of Cape Town, it’s easy to book a tour or three to really get a good feel for the life and times of South African wines. Some of the more prominent vineyards include Dieu Donne Vineyard, a beautiful expanse of land set in a valley in the Winelands, allowing truly unique and beautiful natural surroundings to accompany your wine tastings. Warwick Wine Estates is another fantastic vineyard for those who are discerning when it comes to their wines and offers a family friendly take on wine tasting with lots to entertain the kids while the parents enjoy wines in their beautiful garden areas. 

Many of the vineyards in the Winelands offer accommodation options so you don’t need to worry about driving back to the city and can extend your wine tastings well into the evening to watch the sunset behind the high mountains and rolling hills of the countryside. Without a doubt, booking wine tours while in the area is something that you simply must do. Don’t miss out on sampling some of South Africa’s finest – you won’t regret it.

Spring Flower Tours

Each spring, the hills throughout the country come alive with different types of spring flowers blooming. There are absolute carpets strewn throughout the countryside, attracting tourists and visitors from not just other parts of South Africa but from around the world. If you want to see this impressive display for yourself, be sure to remember the changes in dates with South Africa being in the southern hemisphere and as a result, the spring season starts in September. If you like hiking, consider taking one of the popular hiking trails such as the Swart Tobie Trail near the town of Koekenapp or the Sevilla Rock Art Trail in the Cedarberg, both of which have impressive floral displays in the spring. 

Kruger National Park

What’s a trip to an African nation without a safari? Most people would probably think you’re a bit funny if you go to Africa and don’t go on a safari. Luckily for you, Kruger National Park is an ideal place for safari and adventure enthusiasts who want to experience all the wonderful wildlife that Africa has to offer. Not only is Kruger National Park one of the best places in the country to go on safari, but it’s also got a huge array of different types of safari packages with safari companies that cater to budgets and tastes of all kinds. Whether you have money to burn and are looking for something extravagant or you are on a bit of a budget, Kruger National Park is the place for you.

So whether it’s your first time in Africa as a whole or you’ve travelled throughout it before, South Africa has a little something for everyone who is looking for adventure and excitement in a new, wonderful place where there’s something to experience at every turn.

Road Trips With Kids – Tips For A Stress Free Trip

by

Source

Road trips are always a family favourite for a number of times of year. Whether it’s Christmas and you’re hitting the road to see family and friends in another town or it’s summertime and you’re looking for that great way to spend the warmer months doing something fun and exciting with the kids. The downside is that road trips aren’t always all fun and games and you can be left pulling your hair out when the kids get grumpy or bored and begin to whine and complain. From making sure your tyres are in good shape with www.tyreplus.co.uk to a must have list for road trips, here are a couple of great tips to keep the kids happy, and you stress free during your upcoming road trips.

Take Appropriate Snacks

Everyone knows that long stretches on the road can be hard on everyone, especially younger kids with tons of pent up energy. Add to that the issue surrounding hunger and you have a recipe for disaster when one of the kids starts going on about how hungry they are. You just know the others will chime in too. Stave off hangry attacks by packing high protein, healthy snacks like peanut butter on celery, cheese and crackers, cut up fruit and vegetables and the like. Cut up fruits and vegetables makes it easy to eat as finger foods meaning you don’t need to do much prep, just whack the food in some ziploc bags or reusable containers and off you go!

Bring Entertainment

Boredom on those long lanes of country road can really take a toll on your children’s attention spans and moods so it’s important to pack enough things for them to do. Consider getting your kids involved in the selection process, letting them pick the specific toys, videos or games they want to bring so they are actively a part of the team in ensuring they stay happy during the trip. Consider getting travel versions of favourite games like Guess Who and Scrabble or Chess. This can help keep kids entertained for hours playing with siblings. You can also think about loading their iPads with a whole variety of games they can enjoy on the road.

Take Frequent Breaks

Taking a lot of breaks to allow for washroom stops and stretching the legs and the like. Taking enough breaks to get everyone out of the car will help keep spirits and moods high and will also help maintain your sanity by getting the kids out of the car to run around for a little while in between legs of the journey. Try taking a break every hundred miles or every two hours or so to ensure you get some stretching and bathroom breaks in. Not only will it make everyone more energised, but it will help keep everyone comfortable and therefore less likely to get grumpy on the road.

So if you’re heading out with the kids this season or any season in the next year, keep it simple and easy and remember lots of breaks, snacks for all and fun and games to make sure everyone gets to your destination happily and in good spirits.

How to Choose a Handpan Drum for Easy Traveling

by

People, who love music, cannot imagine their lives without it. Even when you travel to another continent, you want to have your favorite musical instrument with you. True, that it would be a hard thing if you decided to carry your piano or tuba to a deserted beach somewhere in Greece, as you might have some logistic problems; but what if your choice of an instrument is something small and cool, like a handpan drum? With this easy-to-learn music tool, you will become a star both on the streets of Paris and under the palms of Indonesian coast.

A handpan is originated from Trinidad, a country that is famous for carnival music. In the 1970s, when the Western world first learned about it, handpan became a real phenomenon. Be sure that most of the people, who will hear you playing this musical instrument, will say something like: ‘How are you making this cosmic sound? It is a miracle!’. However, you know that it is not. Handpan is simply a convex steel drum tuned with multiple notes, which has the ability to produce ethereal effects and multiple layers of sound. It is played with hands only. Curious fact that its original name is hung (pronounced “hah-ng”), but later the name turned to be “hand” (thank the little Swedish producers and the Swiss-German dialect).

Choosing Handpan Guide: What To Look For

So, how to choose the instrument that would be suitable for you in your travelings? How do you find the one that can produce the best music?

First of all, if you want a real one, you should search for hand-made product only. However, there are still not many craftsmen, who produce really unique high-quality handpans. It can also be very expensive, as to buy one directly from the producer can cost you from $2,000 to $10,000, but there is a big chance that you will wait for your special handpan for a really long time, like months or even years.

Taking such an expensive thing for a journey with you will definitely make you feel uneasy to stay in 8-bed rooms of hostels, travel by bus or live in a tent with no security around. So you may consider a cheaper purchase, for instance, look for the second-hand thing on eBay. Just be careful, as if you are determined to buy a handpan drum, do not go for the tongue drums – these kinds of scams occasionally occur on the Internet.

For your immediate purchase, you can always use Amazon. There are more mass-market drums, this is why they are cheaper and not so unique. Although a perfect gear does not make you a perfect musician, so you may think of taking something from mass-market for your trip, so you won’t be worried about the safety of your precious one all the time.

Remember, that for traveling you need also a protective case or a bag. You can find special accessories for handpans or use something that you already have. Enjoy your trip and fill it with the magical handpan drum music. Let us know how you go. We might post another article about how to use handpan and some handpan music tutorials in the near future.

Why Renting A Car Is More Convenient In Canada

by

trans-canada_cs1

Source

If you’re hitting the road this summer, especially if you are taking the kids along with you, you might be wondering how best to go about planning your exciting trip but also ensuring you’re going to have a stress-free time and lots of opportunity to make the most of your time away. If you’re heading to the vast country of Canada especially, hiring a car is perhaps the most useful thing you can do to ensure flexibility and freedom given the wide open spaces and distances between points of interest. Here we look at a few of the great drives you can do throughout Canada, and why renting a car is much more convenient.

The East

The east coast of Canada is alive with numerous provinces, all clumped together in a small, and drivable area. From Quebec City to Sydney, Nova Scotia, visitors to this side of the country are in for a treat while they drive through three fantastic provinces – each with their own unique blend of tastes, sights, sounds and culture. French culture and historical architecture is prominent in the cities of Montreal and Quebec City, both being within a few hours driving distance of Edmundston in New Brunswick and then further on to Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton before hitting the still very quintessentially Scottish feeling province of Nova Scotia. Of course, this is a lengthy journey, and should be done only if you have time, but with many of these areas, fly and drive holidays are ideal, allowing you to pick and choose several locations and have an enjoyable time checking out the sites. Many of these locations offer brilliant activities for children from beaches to forests and everything in between.

Prairies

The Prairies are home to some fantastic scenery – particularly throughout southern Alberta, where there are a number of interesting locales to visit, except many require a brief drive from the main cities of Calgary or Medicine Hat. With places near the Rocky Mountains such as the Crowsnest Pass, the Frank Slide, and Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump, you are sure to find something to delight everyone in the family on south west side of Calgary. To the east, you have the dinosaur-filled town of Drumheller, placed in a strange but picturesque canyon, prime for hiking, viewpoints and exploring nearby ghost towns of Rosebud and Wayne. If you have more time you can drive up the Icefields Parkway, from Canmore, through Banff and into the town of Jasper to the north, a scenic drive that is known for taking people’s breath away and plays host to a number of amazing stop offs, campsites, a glacier that you can walk on and more. The kids will love being able to say they have actually walked on a glacier – and what’s more fun than a snowball fight in the summer?

Don’t take it from me though, check out some of the other amazing adventures to be had all throughout Canada by car, and enjoy the freedom and flexibility that comes with renting a car and moving at your own pace. All the places mentioned are fantastic for kids and will help them really get back to nature and help everyone soak up a bit of the numerous pockets of culture and wonder that make up Canada. Renting a car will help keep the kids relaxed and happy too, to make sure everyone has the best time possible. Enjoy!

Recent Posts

Write For Us

Like What You See?

We left our home in Sydney, Australia many moons ago in May 2012 and, other than a brief stint back in Perth for Christmas and a wedding in early 2014, we have been travelling the world nomadically ever since, running a business from our laptops and we’re here to show you how to do it!