© tomeppy Personally I think I was traumatised by flying to Greece when our twin sons were 14 months old. The outward flight was a dream, two Irish sisters sitting near us played around with our sons for part of the flight allowing us to have a break. The return flight was a nightmare they both cried for the three and a half hour trip. I recently offered to help a Mum travelling with two young kids and she told me that she was a frequent flyer and this was the first offer of assistance she had ever received from a fellow passenger. Shame on you, if you see parents offer to play with the child, help carry bags etc. Here are three blogs to help you on the holy grail of Happy Family Travel 1 Delicious Baby
is written by parents who seek to explore the world with their kids. They strive to combine their love of travel from their pre-baby days with their role as parents. 2 Family Travel helps you to see the world with your kids. It was awarded Best Practical Travel Blog by the Guardian last year in their Alternative Travvies. 3 Family Travel Suite 101 is multi authored which appeals to me as it means you get different perspectives on family travel. So no excuses for not having extremely Happy Family Travel!

I was able to price the value of the room, gift card, and parking at the hotel, and the total came to $144. Essentially, this package charges you an additional $25 for the wine, fruit, and cheese. If this is a good value to you, go with the package. If you think you could put this package together on your own for less, you may want to go a la carte.

No expiration date has been listed for this offer. For reservations, call 800-222-TREE (800-222-8733) and ask for promotion code “JAZ,” or book on the Doubletree website. Other packages are also available.

If you’re traveling from out of town and need to book a flight, you can find the lowest prices for your route by comparing airfares from multiple travel providers with our price-comparison tool.

There was something a little ironic this week about the erstwhile doyen of the African National Congress, Winnie Maikizela Mandela, trumpeting her dismay at the wave of xenophobic violence that has, and continues to sweep through South Africa. Considering that her immortal contribution to the catalogue of English language quotes was …with our boxes of matches and our necklaces we shall liberate this country… it would seem that Winnie Mandela has little grounds to express any particular shock or outrage. She was, after all, one of the principal architects of that ghastly South African practice of necklaceing.

Prejudice & Awareness

Hypocrisy aside, the horrifying imagery that has been blazed across broadsheets and computer screens worldwide seems finally to have shocked a complacent South African administration into acknowledging that a disease is rampant within its society. If the 2010 World Cup is to be saved, time is perilously short, but it is not too late.

The 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament is a Holy Grail to Africans starved of respectability in a world that is weary of the age old blight of Africa. When the award was made by FIFA in 2004 there was an air of grudging symbolism that failed impress a good many observers. Included among them was soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer, who shook his head, and expressed his doubts in terms of logistical capacity, but probably had reasons far more visceral and difficult to define to explain his pessimism.

South Africa Our Best Hope

If there is a country in Africa with any chance at all of pulling the tournament off it is South Africa. Even though FIFA has conceded that a back up plan is in place, and despite the fact that a number of countries, Germany among them, would happily to step in to rescue the tournament, South Africa is surging ahead, and all things considered is well ahead of the curve in terms of organisation and preparation. It just seems such a terrible shame that right at this moment the un-dead spectre of criminality and extreme violence would rise up and further compromise this surge of African pride. In the sternest indication yet that all is not well, the UN this week issued a carefully worded warning that any more of the same would leave FIFA with no choice but to move the tournament elsewhere.

African Self Image

If this happened it would be a disaster, and would prejudice African attitudes to the west which are already deeply imperilled. It would strike a devastating blow against African pride and self worth, which is the main, but hidden ingredient in national and continental recovery. If the world soccer body does eventually grasp the nettle and shift the venue, the tacit understanding that it is because Africa is too immature, to undisciplined, and too inherently violent to function among civilised nations will set the continent back a decade, or two, or perhaps even three.

Give it Your Support

Lets hope that the lives of those killed in xenophobic violence in South Africa will catalyse a change in that society, and a renewed effort on the part of the administration to get to grips with crime. However, when hundreds of thousands of people descend on South Africa to absorb the spectacle of the 2010 World Cup, as well as everything else that South Africa has to offer, there will be a few who get robbed, and maybe a few who get murdered, but the same would happen anywhere in the developing world.

My message to FIFA, and the world at large, is give Africa a chance. Don’t expect miracles, but likewise get over expecting the worst.

If you’re heading to the Moab area and want to explore, these packages are worth considering. Rates at the inn start at $75 per night, so you’re being charged an extra $63 or $50 per night for the two- or three-night packages, respectively, to cover the adventure excursions. When I looked at prices for some outdoorsy packages at other properties in the area, I found The Redstone Inn’s charge to be on the lower end for the adventure activities.

No expiration date has been listed for these packages. For reservations, call 800-772-1972. Read more about the property on the Redstone Inn website.

If you’re traveling from out of town and need to book a flight, you can find the lowest prices for your route by comparing airfares from multiple travel providers with our price-comparison tool.

If you’re traveling to Montreal, this offer is worth considering. When I compared the package prices to items purchased separately, I found the package will save you 6 percent.

This offer is available Thursdays through Sundays through December 30. For reservations, call 888-236-2427 or book on the SpringHill Suites website using rate code TRS.

If you’re traveling from out of town and need to book a flight, you can find the lowest prices for your route by comparing airfares from multiple travel providers with our price-comparison tool.

If you are looking for a humourous read to pass the time hanging around at the airport waiting to board your flight then Ruinair

could be the book to make the hours fly by. The book is based on Kilduff's many experiences flying with that low cost Irish airline, RuinAir, well known for it's outstanding, caring customer service. Kilduff was inspired to get his own back on RuinAir after being left stranded, with very little information, at a Spanish airport for 10 hours waiting for his return flight home. He decided to see how many RuinAir flights he could purchase for the 300 euros price tag of his delayed Spanish flight and he managed 15 flights. You can read the Europe a la Carte interview with the author during his virtual book tour

by europealacarte The London Eye, at 135 metres, is the tallest observation wheel in the world. I think that the London Eye is most spectacular to non-riders when it's illuminated in the evening. I took a “flight” on the London Eye in 2000 during its first year of operation when I visited the Millennium Dome with our sons. I was rather wary as I generally feel sick during any sort of fairground rides. However the London Eye's motion is smooth and slow and I was able to enjoy the views without feeling queasy.

Energetic comedian Dane Cook will take a break from the acting world Memorial Day weekend when he arrives in Vegas to perform at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

The last two years, Cook has seemingly exploded out of nowhere to headline national tours, star in box office hit films, appear in various HBO comedy specials plus a nine-part comedy documentary series called Tourgasm, and rule the top of the Billboard charts with comedy CDs and DVDs. He was even named Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People.”

The reason for his comedic success lies in his combination of physical comedy, clever wordplay and quirky observations about human behavior and the world around him. He acts like the guy-next-door who says the things we’re thinking. And of course, ladies are won over by his looks, too.

Cook plays an 11pm show all three nights of the weekend — Friday, May 23 through Sunday, May 25 — and seats range from $75 to $175. Tickets are available for purchase at the Caesars Palace box office and via Ticketmaster.

For more on Dane Cook, visit DaneCook.com or myspace.com/danecook to view clips from his various tours. I’m actually bummed I’ll be missing these shows — his “Vicious Circle” HBO special has to be one of the funniest comedy performances I’ve seen in years.

* * * * * * * * * *

Craig Ferguson To Perform at MGM Grand

He rose to fame as a supporting cast member of “The Drew Carey Show” and for the last three years has hosted the “Late, Late Show” on CBS. He’s also appeared in countless movies and even authored a best-selling noel, “Between The Bridge and The River.”

But for Scottish-born comedian Craig Ferguson, stand-up comedy has always been his first love.

This summer, from July 24th through 30th, Ferguson will take the stage at the MGM Grand for the first time for a week of live performances.

Showtimes for Ferguson’s appearances are at 9pm nightly, with tickets priced at $60 per person. Purchase them at the MGM Grand box office or via Ticketmaster.

If you can book a spring getaway, this promotion is worth considering. The $20 discount provides a good value with no strings attached.

The anniversary special is available through May 22. A two-night minimum may be required on some weekends. For reservations, call 800-313-9030 or read more about the inn on The Hillcrest Inn and Carriage House website. Other packages are also available.

If you’re traveling from out of town and need to book a flight, you can find the lowest prices for your route by comparing airfares from multiple travel providers with our price-comparison tool.

Rooms at the Residence Inn typically cost $109, so the package charges you an extra $20. Since the gift card is worth $30, essentially you’re getting a free $10 to go shopping.

This offer is available Thursdays through Sundays through December 15. For reservations, call 800-228-9290 and request rate code “SHO”, or book on the Residence Inn website. Other packages are also available.

If you’re traveling from out of town and need to book a flight, you can find the lowest prices for your route by comparing airfares from multiple travel providers with our price-comparison tool.