Do you have a travel query you need help with? Email it to been.there@guardian.co.uk, or try our travel talkboard.

April 25:

I’m working as a volunteer in Beira, Mozambique for a month in July. Because I don’t know when I’ll be able to get to that part of the world again I am trying to cram in as much as possible and am aiming to fit in a couple of weeks' backpacking. I will be travelling as a single female until I begin work. Ideally I would like to fly into Tanzania to climb Mt Kilimanjaro and then travel down the coast to Beira. I will have five days to get to Beira from Tanzania and would like to get there either by boat or coach rather than plane. I need to know if this is possible. All my research is saying that I will be probably be able to hire a dhow or to ‘hitch’ on a cargo ferry but that overland travel is very difficult. What is the best way for me to get to Beira from Tanzania? And as a single female will I be safe?
Amy Tinker

My boyfriend and I went to climb Kili in December 06 and then spent the following three weeks travelling through Tanzania and into Mozambique. First off - I can recommend the Rongai route for your Kili climb. We booked directly with a company called Akaro who are based in Tanzania and I would recommend them as they were excellent - particularly if you're on a budget. Booking directly means the local company gets all the money too.

You could head south on one of the many buses that go to Dar Es Salaam from Moshi/Arusha at the base of Kili. It takes 12 hours but is very cheap. I wouldn't spend much time in Dar at all, particularly if you're on your own (stay at a reputable guest house and you should be fine) but it's a good place for picking up transport. From there you can either get transport south into Mozambique, or take a detour via train into the Selous Game Reserve to do a safari. It's cheaper to stay just outside the reserve (we stayed at Sable Mountain Lodge which was brilliant) and you are very unlikely to see another person on your safari so have all the animals to yourself unlike in the northern parks.

From Dar you can get buses south into Mozambique but then you probably have to get a ferry over the river Romuna so I don't think it's the easiest journey. Just bear in mind both countries are absolutely huge! It might be worth getting an internal flight at some point if you can, as buses can be unreliable and there isn't much of a train system, particularly in Mozambique. You could get a cheap flight from Dar to Pemba (in the north of Mozambique) which is a nice stop-off (beautiful snorkelling and diving) and then another bus south from there. Alternatively you could fly from Dar to Maputo (which is worth a visit - a much nicer city than Dar) and get a bus up to Biera.
Good luck and enjoy!
AB

Fly, Fly, Fly! Quicker, safer, more time to enjoy yourself rather than
flailing around trying to get somewhere. Bus is possible but not very
safe (road accidents I mean, not robbers etc). You can get the bus down
to Kilwa, stop off and on to Mtwara and then on to Mozambique. Do not hire a dhow as a single female, that is utter madness. Tanzania is
easy to get around overland, it is the getting to the Mozambique border bit that takes the time. Alternatively you may be able to catch a lift on a cargo vessel - but again I wouldn't chance it. Re Killi - make sure you have an acclimatisation day to give yourself the best chance of getting to the top! Enjoy - it will be a lot of fun!
Roy


My wife and I, and two boys aged 8 and 13, are returning to the UK on three weeks’ holiday at the end of September after eight years in Australia. I want to show them Oxfordshire (where they were born), the Cotswolds and Glasgow, where I was born. I want them to have an enjoyable experience, without huge expense, so am looking for suitable accommodation, and side trips.

I haven't lived in Glasgow for 35 years so have no idea what to do or where to go, although a Celtic match would be high on my list, and a trip to Edinburgh castle. I have even less idea where to stay, but my family are all in the west end of Glasgow so within, say, 30 minutes’ drive would be fine.
Gerry Gilday

Shopping: Glasgow has it all - from designers in and around Ingram Street to market stalls at the Barras.

Food: forget deep-fried Mars bars (unless you want to), Glasgow has some fantastic restaurants. In the West End there are some great wee brassieres on Gibson Street, and Oran Mor at the corner of Great Western Rd and Byres Rd, but check out glasgowwestend.co.uk for food ideas and general guides.

Edinburgh: the train from Queen street to Waverley Station takes 45 minutes. Dynamic Earth is a great museum exhibition space (very interactive) and is right next door to the Scottish parliament.

Activities for the kids: take them to the Xscape centre out near the Braehead centre. It has climbing walls, indoor ski/snowboard slopes and indoor extreme sports activities.

Use the subway: The Clockwork Orange is as good/awful as ever.

Good luck getting tickets for a Celtic game!
Alan Rooney

A great half-day trip idea while you're in Glasgow is a drive to New Lanark - a restored 18th century mill village that's a Unesco World Heritage Site. As well as a beautiful setting, it's a fascinating place to look around and learn about David Dale and Robert Owens' ahead-of-their-time philanthropy to the workers of the village. There are recreations of the living arrangements of the time and you can also see the massive looms at work. It's entertaining enough to keep the kids from being bored, without being overly cheesy.

Apart from New Lanark, Loch Lomond is obviously not to be missed (as you'll likely know), and there are some impressive restaurants all over the city (one of my main memories of my last visit was rolling home about a stone heavier!). Have a great time.
TH

There are some interesting walking tours available in Oxford focusing on different aspects of the city. If your boys like fantasy books they may well be interested in a tour that takes in sites associated with the work of C.S Lewis, Tolkien and more up to date writers like Philip Pullman, who featured Oxford heavily in the His Dark Materials trilogy, and, of course, the ubiquitous Harry Potter (scenes from some of the films were shot here). Even if you miss the dates for one of the official tours, it might be fun hunting down some of the locations yourself? There are also plenty of other tours available depending on what you like – the university, pubs, gardens and ghosts. Probably best to make the tourist office your first call when you arrive. There’s also always something going on at two of Oxford’s best museums, the Pitt Rivers and Ashmolean.

Don’t forget that the river Thames flows through the city as well. You can take a cruise along the river or hire a punt for a leisurely mess around on the Cherwell (a tributary of the Thames). If you’re an outdoorsy type of family, the Thames path is a nice way to stretch the legs and there's a good stretch from Oxford to Henley-on-Thames. It’s 50 odd miles though, so you probably won’t have time to do it all!
JBeauchamp


There are five of us going to Sarajevo in June and I need to book up some accommodation. I have been searching the internet but, for some reason, I can only find a limited amount of places available. Ideally we’d like a holiday-house but a hotel with an apartment-style lodge or simply a decent hotel will be fine, so is there anywhere you’d recommend?
Adam Paddick

Being from Sarajevo, there are couple of things I will recommend you - first of all a place to stay. The place is called Hotel Hecco and I think it’s the kind of place you are looking for. Keep in mind that in June, like most of Europe at this time, is very busy. This is the high season and tourism is at its peak in the months of June and July. So if you don’t get a room in Hecco, another place you can check is holidaylettings.co.uk

In June there is a Kids' festival and Kozara festival. Food in general is good and there are plenty of places to go and eat. However here is couple of places you shouldn’t miss: Dveri - run by a family, it is a tiny, cosy restaurant with very few tables but a lovely atmosphere and delicious food. Make sure you book ahead. Tavola is reasonably priced for really delicious food. They serve the best steak in town, the grilled vegetable plate is an excellent starter and the restaurant has a nice atmosphere. In warmer weather they open the French windows and the air is relatively smoke-free. Sretan put and have fun...
Adnan Basic

Take a look at Gdje na Odmor. When you choose a hotel, you'll get the phone number/address/website details. Hope this helps a little.
Vjekoslav

I would recommend the Halvat without a shadow of a doubt. This is essentially a B&B with five rooms so if you booked early then you could just fill the place up. It's run by Mumo and Valida who originally started up the Halvat during the siege in Sarajevo in the 90s, and it was the only place to stay for journalists and aid workers other than the Holiday Inn. Now it's full of tourists of course. We stayed there for five days over Christmas 2007 and I have never before experienced, in a hotel or B&B, the warmth and hospitality that we had from Valida and Mumo. Valida made home-cooked breakfasts including pancakes and various Bosnian specialties and chatted to us about everything and anything. On Christmas Day we wanted to go skiing and the buses weren't running as it was still early in the season. But Valida phoned ahead and organised a beginners' ski lesson for my boyfriend, and Mumo drove us up into the mountains and picked us up later in the day. It really is a home away from home and when we had to go, for the first time ever, I was not only sad to leave Sarajevo, but to leave the Halvat too.
Helen Jenkins


April 18:

I am looking to go away this summer for about five weeks from the beginning of July. A few of my friends are keen to travel with me, but may only be able to go for 2-3 weeks. I am 24 and have done quite a bit of travelling, and want to experience somewhere amazing before I start a graduate job and get swamped into the world of work! I have spent quite a bit of time in Australia, which I adored, and have really enjoyed travelling in Thailand and Cambodia. I am now looking for a new destination, outside Europe, which won't break the bank, where I can experience some culture and backpacking adventures and also a bit of time relaxing on the beach. I would love to experience Latin America, but the flights look to be much more expensive than many other places. Can anyone offer any advice?
Fiona Hood

I appreciate it doesn't sound very adventurous but how about a package seat to Cancun then hop on a bus into the Mexican interior? About £200 for the flight and once you get away from Cancun and Playa the cost of living drops drastically. We live in Belize and every vacation we get we hit our neighbour to the north.
Stephen Dodd

The ideal answer to your travel dilemma is India! It's extremely affordable and flights are cheaper than those to Latin America. I travelled extensively through India on my own last year and it was spectacular. You could not hope for a more engaging, vibrant or fascinating culture to immerse yourself in! If your friends are there for a short time only a good location would be West Bengal - starting in Kolkata you can see, smell and taste all the many extremes of Indian life - from progressive modernity to shattering poverty and all walks in between.

A journey down to the Sunderbans is worthwhile to see the largest mangrove forest in the world and do a little tiger spotting. In Darjeeling, in the north of the state, India's colonial history is constantly evident and you visit can tea plantations and learn more about Buddhism. If you enjoy walking and hiking you could take the road less travelled into Sikkim or alternatively head back towards Delhi and on to the Taj Mahal (Agra) and Varanasi - Hinduism's holiest city. As July is the 'off' season you can expect lower rates and more bargaining power, take a small backpack and an open mind!
Camilla Subeathar

The USA has a wealth of experience to offer. Flights are affordable and the country has plenty of hostels for backpackers. The cheapest mode of transport is probably the Greyhound bus. I spent the summer in the states after I graduated, spending a couple of nights in New York then flying to Minnesota where I worked for a while. New York has a lot for everyone and truly is the city of cities where crime rates have fallen over the past decade.

Much of the Midwest is missable but you could go to the badlands region of South Dakota and visit Mount Rushmore as well if you so wished. I travelled from Minnesota to LA on the Greyhound making overnight stops at many locations on the way. The Rocky Mountain states of Montana, Colorado and Wyoming offer breathtaking scenery and fabulous trekking and mountain biking during the summer. Visit the natural hot springs at Glenwood and the wild west town of Durango in Colorado. Head south-west to Flagstaff, Arizona which is a great base for visiting the Grand Canyon. I chose not to go to Las Vegas as I didn’t think my budget would stand up to it so I headed south to take in some more desert whilst travelling to California along the Mexican border. I spent a few days on the beach in San Diego, then took in some of LA before flying home. For a five-week trip the USA provides most of the North American continent without the hassle of border control and with a single unit of currency to keeps things simple.
Richard Aspinall

A big danger with this type of holiday is that you try to pack too much in. I strongly suggest you concentrate on a manageable geographic area, and keep internal flights to a minimum. With this in mind, Mexico is the best country to visit, concentrating on the Yucatan Peninsula and Chiapas regions in the south, and the area surrounding Mexico City. Mexico combines many of the best elements of Latin America - beautiful landscapes, fine beaches, impressive colonial cities and a strong indigenous culture. In addition, it offers an excellent national cuisine, something not always found in Latin American countries.

Cancun is one of the cheapest and nearest places to fly into in Latin America but, on arrival, I would bypass Cancun City and go directly to Playa Del Carmen. Here you will find one of the nicest beaches in Mexico, with white sands and water an absolutely beautiful turquoise colour. The town itself has grown quite rapidly in recent years, however it still retains a sense of local charm. Tulum is located a further 40km south - it is also on the coast, but quite different to Playa Del Carmen. The beach accommodation retains a backpacker feel with many offering just a hammock in a cabana to stay in. The nearby historical sites and protected wildlife reserves mean that the area has not been overdeveloped.

From the beach towns, I would head inland to Chichen Itza. This is one of the most important Mayan sites and easily warrants a day’s exploring. Moving on from Chichen Itza, I would go to Merida, the colonial capital of the Yucatan. It is a world apart from Cancun, and you will not encounter many tour buses. The city has an interesting market, an impressive Playa Major and some nice traditional cafes and restaurants that feature excellent mariachi music.

Inevitably in this sort of trip you will do a number of long journeys. The journey from Meridato San Cristobal will take about 12 hours. Possibly an overnight trip could save both time and hotel expenses. San Cristobal is the largest city of the Chiapas highlands, famous for being briefly occupied by Zapatista rebels in 1994. The city itself has a strong indigenous culture, though in recent years a heavy influx of backpackers has brought about a lot of changes, and there is now also quite a bohemian feel to the town. The town is very attractive in its own right. It is also an excellent base for exploring the indigenous villages in the surrounding mountains and the classic Mayan ruins of Palenqueare which are about four hours away by bus.

At this point, it will probably be time for your friends to go home, taking a bus back up to Cancun. You have two choices, one slightly more expensive than the other. The cheaper choice is to continue travelling around the Chiapas region, before heading north, stopping in the Oaxaca region, before continuing to Mexico City.

The capital is bustling, has great street life and food and much to see. The National Museum of Anthropology contains the beautiful, iconic Aztec sun stone. It is a treasure trove of Aztec culture and one of the most impressive museums I’ve ever been to. Beyond this, the Frida Kahlo museum and the Leon Trotsky house (where he lived after going into exile) are definitely worth visiting.

The final leg of the journey could cover the silver towns north of Mexico City. There was a silver boom in the state of Guanajuato in the 1800s. This brought great wealth, resulting in very stately colonial towns throughout the area. Guanajuato city, the state capital, is a Unesco Heritage Site. It also boasts many famous citizens, most notably the muralist Diego Rivera. It’s a very relaxed, pretty town with lots of excellent restaurants and good nightlife. There are lots of tourists from Mexico City here, but not so many foreigners. If you have time, you could also visit nearby towns San Miguel de Allende or the excellently named Zacatecas, similarly impressive in the colonial vein. Having been through the indigenous areas of the south, these colonial cities could serve as interesting counterpoint, giving a better picture of the influence of Spanish immigrants in the 18th century.
Billy Hanley

I recently returned from a backpacking trip to South America. While the flights are not the cheapest, it is about the only time you will be spending a lot of money (my average meal was 3-4 dollars at most). I spent the majority of my time in Ecuador where I went kayaking in the eastern part of the country, and then had my most enjoyable part on the coast in a town called Montanita. A must for any beach lover. Wonderful waves, great people, cheap hostels, fresh fruit, great nightlife, all one could ask for in a South American destination. I recommend staying at a hostel not too near to the centre of town, as it gets loud at night with their lively nightlife. I stayed at a place called Casa Del Sol, which is a five-minute walk up the beach from the centre of town. It is a bit more expensive ($15 a night plus tax) but it included a huge free breakfast, and was on the famous "point" of Montanita's surf break. Buses and flights around South America are very cheap if you wish to travel to Peru or Argentina as well. Montanita is a must for any traveller, and anywhere in Peru and Argentina comes a close second.
Bronson Lamb


My fiance and I are planning on spending our honeymoon this August in Vienna, then travelling to either Prague or Budapest, but can't decide
which city to choose. We have heard many good reports about both cities and would like some help in deciding. As we will only be there for two days, we want to cram as much in as possible and would prefer the chosen city to provide as much in a short a space as possible. We are interested in the general culture both cities have to offer, including art galleries, museums and architecture as well as restaurants, bars and the general vibe of the cities. Can you help?
Craig M

There's no question about it: go to Prague. I once lived there and can tell you that Prague is the most beautiful city you've never seen and is packed with culture as well. Unlike Budapest, which I found to be spread-out and difficult to get around, the inner part of Prague (where travellers spend the most time) is quite compact and very walkable, so you can definitely see a lot in even a short amount of time. A comprehensive tram system and fast metro make it easy too. Stroll around the medieval streets of Stare Mesto (the Old Town) and Josefov (the old Jewish Quarter) to see beautiful old gothic churches and buildings with gilded murals, then cross the statue-filled, pedestrian-only Charles Bridge over the sedate Vltava river to Mala Strana (the Lesser Side), where the stately Prague Castle, filled with grand courtyards and a massive cathedral, overlooks all from a hill. Even the inner residential neighbourhoods like Vinohrady and Nove Mesto are filled with beautiful buildings from the 19th century, complete with intricate carvings and graceful lines, as well as plenty of Czech taverns with some of the best (and cheapest) local beer you've ever had. If you're a fan of Alphonse Mucha, the Czech grandfather of art nouveau, there's a museum dedicated to his works, and for performances there's jazz clubs, opera, choral music, dance and theatre, plus plenty of restaurants to choose from, including some right on the river. Prague is probably the most beautiful city I've ever had the good fortune to live in, and you will undoubtedly not regret a visit. I'd even recommend more than a weekend if you can manage it.
Ali Lemer

Go to Budapest! Firstly Budapest is closer and more accessible from Vienna than Prague - it is just a couple of hours by train. Budapest is a culturally richer city than Prague - it was the capital of an empire for 1000 years and this is reflected in the culture of the city including the museums and art galleries - it is more cosmopolitan than Prague. I find Prague a less attractive city - signs of vile Communist architecture are much more prevalent in Prague than Budapest. The historical centre of Prague is nice, but very small and has largely been taken over by multinational chain shops.
James

I proposed to my girlfriend in a wine cellar in The Valley of the Beautiful Women, very near Eger, which is a couple of hours outside Budapest on the train. You can sample home-made wines for a few pence a glass in a romantic setting (although they now have electricity, a bit different to when we first went 10 years ago). Also, Eger has a great outdoor thermal pool, and is quite a pleasant, small historical town. Rezkakas is a great Budapest restaurant where we went that night.
Nick Rowlands

Definitely go for Prague. Budapest left me with a somewhat bitter taste in my mouth - the night we arrived, we were harassed by the ticket takers in the subway, who tried to fine us for going one station too far. They were very unpleasant and clearly targeting foreign tourists. While there were several very nice places that we visited in that city, my overall impression was that it was a bit run down and less tourist-friendly than Prague. Hopefully over the next few years we'll see Budapest cleaning up its act a bit; it has a lot of potential to be an amazing travel destination, but it just isn't there yet.

Prague, however, is full of amazing sights, including the Old Town Square, the castle and the Charles Bridge, and it's easy to get around on foot. I felt safe wandering around on my own in the city centre, something that I can't say for Budapest. One thing I would recommend for visiting Prague, however, is to learn enough basic Czech to conduct business transactions in that language - my group found that shop and restaurant employees were very unhappy with both our English and our attempts to say some phrases in Czech. I'd go back to Prague any day, but I'd have second thoughts about returning to Budapest.
Derek


Hello! We are a young-at-heart, elderly couple getting married soon. We do not want a church wedding, but rather a simple ceremony with our two best friends, in a lovely hotel, in England. We plan to go to Italy for our honeymoon, but have not seriously thought about this either. Do you know of any 'special' hotels where we could marry? Any ideas for Italy? We quite fancy Tuscany. We have used Mr & Mrs Smith twice, and have been happy with our accommodation. Thanks for any help available!
Dee

Have you visited Tuscany's Chianti region? It's a beautiful area as well as producing the famous red wine. A possible accommodation option is Vignamaggio, a 14th century villa where you can stay, sample olive oil and local breads and cheeses, and take tours of the gardens and cellars. It was also where the movie Much Ado About Nothing was filmed, so you could watch the DVD to get a virtual tour before you go. It's a beautiful and romantic destination, have a wonderful time!
PGrenson

I guess you’d want to get married somewhere with a bit of scenery? I’d say the best thing to do would be focus on one area that’s special to you or, alternatively, that you’ve never visited before and then find out which hotels in that region are licensed for civil marriage ceremonies. I’m a massive Lake District fan and this website has details of four hotels that are licensed: The Inn on the Lake and The Lodore Falls Hotel both look lovely. The Dormy House Hotel is slap bang in the middle of the Cotswolds and has some amazing views which would make for a memorable day. In the south-west, the Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish looks like another gem, as it’s set in woodland and also has sea views. Another option entirely could be to consider getting married at a National Trust house, they’ve got a real variety of properties in England that can accommodate weddings and you could end up with a really special venue that’s a little bit different from the norm as well.
Gimbo




April 11:

My boyfriend and I are planning to visit California for two weeks in May 2009 and would like to organise ourselves a super low-key civil wedding ceremony while we are in San Francisco. Does anybody have any tips about how we go about this? Who do we need to contact to organise a slot with the registrar, and how far in advance? And from a bureaucratic point of view, any advice about whether a marriage conducted between two British citizens in the US will be fully valid over here when we get back, or should we count on jumping through some more administrative hoops? Lastly, any tips for when we book our flights? Any advice very gratefully received.
AS

My husband and I got married in the States (neither of us is American, I am British). The marriage is fully recognised and legal and I have not had to go through any further bureaucratic hassle in the UK, just get your marriage certificate sent to your UK address. You will have to get a marriage license from the Office of the City Clerk before you can actually get married. You can make an online appointment (this is Silicon Valley) to get the license and then another one if you also want to get married in City Hall. If you get married in City Hall you will need to take two witnesses along. However once you have the license you can actually get someone to marry you anywhere in San Francisco. Visit the Office of the City Clerk which will tell you everything you need to know, what you will need to bring with you, etc. and how to make the appointments and pay the fees. San Francisco is a beautiful place to get married and there are a ton of lovely romantic restaurants where you can celebrate your day with fantastic food and drink; Chez Spencer is lovely and reasonable, Cyrus in the heart of wine country or if you really want a special treat you could try the world class French Laundry (though you will need to book two months in advance for that). Bookings can be made through opentable.com. If you fancy some cake for the big day, try Tartine or Cara's Cupcakes, Mitchell's if you prefer ice cream instead. For hotels and restaurants (and pretty much everything else, from shopping to beauty salons and even doctors), also check out yelp.com. San Franciscans are committed reviewers of everything and there will be lots of very detailed and animated advice there for you on anything you might need for your wedding and holiday. Have a wonderful wedding and stay in the city, and wishing you much happiness.
AA

California has lots of formalities for marriage and two weeks would be cutting it very close for time. If you book your holiday as a round trip to Las Vegas, the civil ceremony is quick and simple, we have just done it last year (Canadian and Brit) - round trips out of Vegas to San Francisco run about every two hours and the airport and changes are easy.
GShaw

We got married in New York last year (I know it's not the same as San Francisco but it might help). It couldn’t have been easier. You turn up at City Hall to apply for a license – this involves filling in a form and taking your passport as ID. You get issued with a license there and then which is valid for up to two months. You have to wait at least 24 hours to get married but then you can marry anywhere in New York state. We opted for a low-key affair at City Hall itself and basically you just turn up and queue. We had to wait 20 minutes. You don’t book a time slot like you do in the UK. If you’ve got guests it's best to all arrive and wait together because some days (Wednesdays are for some reason really busy) there is a longer queue. If you’d prefer something more structured or personal then you’re better off going to a proper venue and organising an independent licensed person.
The people at city hall are very helpful – I called about four times and they patiently took me through the process and answered questions. Their website makes sense but only once you’ve worked out that you just turn up.
JCollingwood

My boyfriend and I are going to travel in Europe this year from mid-May until September or October (depending on funds and weather). We are planning to buy an estate or van in the UK and travel (slowly) through France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, and maybe on to Morocco or into south-eastern Europe. We want to wild camp at least half the time, and are having a disagreement about whether an estate or van is better. We would save about £1000 by buying an estate, but from what I've read on the internet, it's more acceptable to wild camp by parking up and sleeping inside a van than pitching a tent. We are taking a couple of mountain bikes with us, and I think we will have too much stuff to sleep in the back of an estate with everything inside the car. Can anyone tell us if taking a car will limit where we can wild camp, or if there are other good reasons to take a car, or a van?
SarahC

I would definitely go for the van. Much more room (even hanging space) most of your gear would be out of the way. Also privacy - much less for folks to peer into. I would also bring high quality bike locks. Perhaps you could lock them to your bumper at night - this is not being paranoid, just so much easier to plan at this end than replace things in, say, Morocco! And go for as long as you can manage... you might find odd jobs along the way that will extend your time. The longer the better.
Sheryl

Camping wild would give anxiety in much of Europe (perhaps not in Scandinavia - I do not know but believe they are more tolerant) as it might not be welcomed by landowners. In residential streets, people sleeping in vehicles will often be unwelcome. In a van no one need know that people are asleep in it. For bikes in a vehicle, try Brompton folding bikes. They take little space and are good bikes (I do long-distance camping trips on mine). Campsites need not be expensive, and if you park nearby and arrive on bikes with one small tent the cost will be further reduced.
Richard

I love this euphemism 'wild camping' for 'sleeping rough'! Having hitch-hiked the route you describe twice and slept rough most of the way both times, I hope I can offer a little useful advice. The police wherever you go will probably be rather inconsistent in their attitude to your unconventional sleeping arrangements. If you are asked to move on, play dumb and apologetic and do what they ask. Don't kick up a fuss, even if it's 3am. You can be locked up in some places for vagrancy if they get really irritated. Cars generally attract less attention than vans but any self-respecting hippy will tell you the van will be more comfortable. After the third time you bang your head when getting up for a pee in the middle of the night from the back of your estate car, you'll wish you had gone for something bigger, even if it is slower. Vans can be pricey for fuel consumption though, so shop around (and consider buying a vehicle with the steering wheel on the left). The 'aires de repos' on the French autoroutes are far more suitable for the occasionally snatched night's sleep than our laybys and service stations. I can give a strong personal recommendation for a night under the stars at the A9 aire at Tavel, where you can also enjoy the giant modern sundials. Steer well clear of cities as you are more likely to attract unwanted attention there. Deep in the countryside, all you are likely to attract is curiousity. If you can, ask a local farmer if you can park and sleep on their land. They may tell you to get knotted, but you may end up joining them for an evening meal. Forget the tent unless you are planning on walking and backpacking. They are hot and noisy and cramped and get dirty in hours. They break or tear or go mouldy. And they don't keep you warm. Best of luck - have a wonderful trip.
RickyGuy

Trust a veteran worldwide traveller... A van (Westfalia camper) will
be the greatest investment you could possibly make. You can sleep
whenever you're weary and at zero cost, on the side of the road, rest
stops, parks, etc. You will regard your van as a member of the family.
MEvereste

You can’t wild camp without toilet provision so an estate car is out of the question. Also, few estates are long enough to sleep in and you would have to rig up curtains of some sort. Would you have room to put all your stuff in the front at night? Also consider where you would sit in the evening to enjoy a meal or the view, especially if it rains.
SElkin

We own a '76 VW camper... a poptop that can sleep four if need be. For two it is perfect and gives us a lot of room in something that is essentially the same size as a mid-size car. If you can get beyond the fact that you have to drive at 55mph (max!) at all times and that it is a 30+-year-old beast, you'll find that you are travelling in one of the most charismatic and smile-inducing vehicles ever conceived. Our friends drove theirs (and it was a wreck) to Morrocco and back. Another couple we know took theirs to Turkey. Basically any mechanic in any country can fix them and nothing super serious can really go wrong. You can have parts shipped from the UK to anywhere for one of these and a man that can fix a tractor can stick 'em in for you. Most times you can figure out what is not working without any assistance... just some patience and a well chosen VW maintenance book (trust me, I knew nothing about vehicles before we bought this and now I'm quite confident to drive thousands of miles with a few tools and some spare bits). We travel with our bikes and a full kitchen and all the comforts you can think of... which you definitely won't fit in a car. And whenever we are too late to find a campsite we just pull off the road and pull the curtains. We've slept in her (Clara is her name) at motorway service stations, fields, cliff edges, beaches - you name it - in many countries, safely and super-comfortably. If you buy wisely, you'll also be investing in a collector's item that you can easily sell for the same money you paid for it. Miles on the clock on these doesn't make any difference to their resale value! And concerns about the increased costs of petrol consumption evaporate when you consider the convenience of travelling without ever worrying about getting caught without shelter. Finally, you'll be surprised at how many people talk to you during your travels. There is no better friend-maker.
Morgan & Jo

To judge by Greece, much countryside in Mediterranean Europe is difficult or impossible to pitch a tent in because it's either steep stony hillside or plains under cultivation or swamp. But sleeping-bags will do to sleep out in the Mediterranean high summer, and are more adaptable to terrain than a tent. Either a car or a van might be quite hot at night in the Mediterranean and uncomfortable to sleep in.
MTill


We are a family of four - two girls aged 11 and 9 at time of travel - and are looking to go on a memorable, one-off holiday next January for about 3 weeks. The children would love to go to South Africa as they love animals; my wife and I were thinking of Australia or south/central America. Our concern regarding Africa is that it would not be a great time for wildlife viewing whereas the Americas or Australia option might not have enough for them.
Tim Loft

I would highly recommend Ecuador. The Galapagos Islands are a wildlife haven, the beaches are teaming with sea lions, iguanas and various bird species from Darwin’s finches and albatross to blue-footed boobies. The seas are full of harmless sharks, fish and turtles and the landscape is wonderfully bleak! On top of this Ecuador also offers the possibility to venture into the Amazon, with more wildlife viewing opportunities. Ecuador is a beautiful country full of wonderful people and you also have the Andes and beautiful colonial cities to explore. The main thing to bear in mind is to choose a reputable tour operator, the Galapagos and Amazon are both delicate ecosystems and it is important that they are looked after. Enjoy!
Alex

I understand why you have been told that South Africa in (our) summer isn’t the best time for game viewing. It is true that the grass is longer and there is less visibility in our summer rainfall season. However, I have spent time in Kruger during December and did not find it difficult to spot animals at all. In fact, we had one of our best lion spotting experiences at that time. We saw everything, except leopards which are tough to spot at the best of times.
The park is literally teeming with game at the moment and has been for the past few years. If you have time, you would be very unlucky not to have a wonderful game experience in any month of the year. I have been on a wildlife trip in Brazil, South America and while it was great, nothing compares to Africa. I reserve comment on Australia’s wildlife! Good luck!
Ben (Johannesburg)

A much better idea is to go to Tanzania. There you get great wildlife in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, and it is not fenced in! The towns are a lot safer and easier to get around with children. You can also combine your safari with a beach holiday on Zanzibar - this is truly excellent! I hope this helps.
Roy

I spent 3-4 nights in a lodge in the Pantanal, Brazil two years ago and saw an abundance of wildlife - apart from the ubiquitous capybara, we saw caiman, black howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, hyacinth macaws, toucans, tapir, and a giant anteater. In terms of it being a good place for children, there was a pool on site, hammocks for whiling away lazy afternoons (after getting up early to go on horseriding and canoeing trips), and if you stay no more than four nights, I would imagine there would be enough to do in that time to keep children occupied. (I stayed at the Araras Eco Lodge and can definitely recommend it - great food, very friendly and knowledgable guides). However January is the height of the rainy season in the Pantanal - so probably not the best time to go. I went in August at the height of the dry season and there was still plenty of water everywhere!
Alison

If you don't want to go to Africa, go to Melbourne and Sydney! Summer is the best time go to to Australia and you can do both (and it's worth doing both) since you have three weeks.

In Melbourne, you might not see lions in the wild, but you can see a lot of great Australian animals at Healesville Sanctuary, like kangaroos, wombats, koalas, snakes, dingoes, Tasmanian deveils etc; there is Werribee, a safari park, which guarantees a savannah filled with lions, hippos, giraffes and zebra; and you can always just go to the regular Melbourne Zoo too, which is pretty good and in January is open at twilight so that you can see the animals at their most active. January is also a good time to see the unique penguin parade, where hundreds of fairy penguins waddle up on the beach at dusk. If you rent a car, it's very easy to get around and all of these places are within a short distance of Melbourne. If you do have a car you also shouldn't miss
the opportunity to drive through the Dandenong Ranges National Park
where you can walk through the rainforest and which has a number of walks ranging from gentle to difficult, and along the beautiful Great Ocean Road where you can end up in a seaside town like Lorne (in January they have the Falls Festival. You can also stop in Erskine Falls along the way or Anglesea Golf Course if you want to see more kangaroos.

In Sydney, for wildlife, go to the aquarium, which is probably the best in the world to see sharks, crocodiles, eels, seals, and all types of fish;
Sydney's Taronga Zoo is incomparable in its setting (you take a cable car across the harbour up to the top of a hill across the harbour from which you can see the entire city and work your way downhill from the zoo); and there is the Western Plains Zoo which like Werribee in Melbourne is an open- range zoo, but has more animals - lions, bears, antelope, hippos, etc.
HAndalib

You should consider Costa Rica, where the wildlife is abundant and there is plenty to keep a family of four occupied for three weeks. Alternatively, you could spend two weeks in Costa Rica and a week in neighbouring Panama enjoying the islands of Bocas del Toro. I went to Costa Rica/Panama in January this year which included a trip to Corcovado National Park in the south-west of Costa Rica where we saw monkeys, scarlet macaws and peccaries. We stayed in La Leona Eco Lodge on the edge of the park where, on our last day, about 15 monkeys came down to visit. We also did a great Kayak tour in Puerto Jiminez. Costa Rica boasts beautiful coastline, volcanoes and masses of rainforest where the kids can enjoy canopy tours as well as being close to nature. The Costa Rican people are incredibly friendly and helpful and the country is served by a good bus network for getting around.
TLyle

Argentina could be a good option. You could travel to Peninsula Valdes, in Patagonia. In January, you'd be able to see penguins, elephant seals, sealions, guanaco and potentially orcas and dolphins too, which might satisfy the wildlife requirement. In three weeks, you could quite easily do that and see other sites in Patagonia (for example Bariloche, a town in the Andean Lake District, which is about an eight-hour overnight bus ride away), plus a few days in Buenos Aires. If your children are interested in horse riding, you could think about spending some time in the Pampas on a ranch. Another site which would be fantastic for children is the Iguazu Falls - enormous waterfalls to the north of Argentina in subtropical rainforest. There are lots of kid-friendly activities like boat rides to do there, plus the chance to spot wildlife in the forests. The distances are large, but overnight 'cochecama' buses are very comfortable, with almost fully reclining seats and hot food.
NLambert

*Been there note: Don't forget to check our Safari guide for additional tips!

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