http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/27106 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/27106 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26710 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26710 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25095 A number of local restuarants / bars / hotels support the hospital. We found pamplets / collection boxes at the Khmer Kitchen restaurant and resolved to make a donation to the hospital when we got back from Cambodia. Our small way of trying to help.
The Friends without a Border has a centre which people can visit to learn about the work of the hospital.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25095 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24618 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24618 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23480
It offers a broad experience of the world of the oceans, as well as showing hundreds of species of fish and marine mammals in spectacular tanks, against which you can press your nose to the (toughened) glass as sharks or barracuda swim by, alarmingly close.

Adults may find it a little too didactic an experience because, in typical French fashion, there is a very great deal of information presented to you, both at the start and at every stage of your visit. It is also rather hot and, again, adults may find that, like me, they are forced to visit the excellent bar to refresh themselves before returning to the Everglades, or the Deep Oceans or whichever part of the Centre they were at when the need for sustenance overtook them.

Children, young people and adults with energy and curiosity will enjoy Nausicaa enormously.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23480 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23263
This archipelago of pools is a tapestry of oxygenating wispy lime green and the burnt umbers and siennas of bladderwrack. Skylarks sing overhead as you hunt with bucket and net for fish and crab. The tiniest of creatures await to be inspected; sea lice, baby translucent fish, shrimps. Two-inch long stickleback and little shore crabs lurk in crevices.

Later, hot and sticky from the chase, you can swim in the warmed waters of Peggy's pool before the tide sweeps in to cover it.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23263 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23262 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23262 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23248
Best of all, there are lots of little rock-pools between the boulders with crabs, anemones, little shrimp-things etc. And the flat boulders provide the perfect standing platform to watch them all.

The whole place was totally deserted on a warm Saturday in June - a hidden gem!

Once you head back to Herne Bay, Ernie's Plaice does excellent fish and chips (eat on sea-front) or you can have a classic Knickerbocker Glory sat in one of the kitschy red booths at KC's Ice cream parlour. Their chocolate-orange ice cream is especially nice.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23248 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23247
Mirabilandia is a theme park with its own beach area and beautiful gardens but most people visit Mirabilandia for the fantastic thrill rides.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23247 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23245
Skiing was excellent with the portes du soleil right on your doorstep. Each evening, after the chalet served a delicious children's tea, we got the kids in bed and enjoyed the superlative cordon bleu dining and excellently chosen French wines served in the chalet.

The owners and staff were great, the atmosphere warm, friendly and helpful and the service exceptional. Delightful en-suite rooms, ideal for families. Our starlight plunge in the hot tub was one of the many highlights!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23245 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21643
It's free to get the pass - there are photographers all over the parks (including the water parks) and they will take your photo for free. They will also often use your camera as well, if you ask nicely.

The first time you have it done, they give you a photopass. This is a bar code (and ID number) to identify your photos. You can then use the same pass for every photographer around the parks and they all go to the same account. Then, register online and it is possible to browse through the photos they have taken (or in one of the photo stores in the parks and Downtown Disney). You can pick photos for prints or - recommended - get all of your photos on a CD.

The photo CD is around 140 US dollars including tax (Feb 2009) and you get three "free" 7" x 5" prints with it. This seems a lot, but if, like me, you are never in any holiday photos because you are keeper-of-the-camera then it is a great way to get some nice snaps to prove you were there. Once you have bought the cd you can make as many prints/copies as you want at home/via cheaper printing outlets (you buy the copyright licence with it). In fact as long as you are not using them commercially you can pretty much do anything that you want with them.

I did it for the first time this February (as a couple) but it seems to me that if you are on a group/family holiday you can easily get 100 photos of your group in a week and split the cost between a few of you and it becomes a really economical way to get some lovely photos. There are also enhancements, such as Disney borders that you can add to copies of the photos. The online editting is pretty good and there are even some magical additions (such as Tinkerbell) that can appear in your hand, etc - which although cheesy are surprisingly nice in some photos.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21643 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21037 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21037 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20285
The Unicorn Company was founded by Caryl Jenner in 1947 to promote theatre of the highest standard for young people. They are presenting their own productions with their ensemble company and productions from other children's theatre companies from the UK and places like Japan and Sweden.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20285 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20190
If we can we will treat ourselves and book the IMAX tickets. Then we walk through Hyde Park heading to Selfridges on Oxford street where the top restaurant (Food Garden Café) has a range of yummy stalls like pancakes, Lebanese, Japanese, Chinese, baked potatoes and fresh fruit juices and smoothies. It's real treat, and kids love to choose their food.

After food we'll go to the floor with children's clothes and toys, which is really unique. Around Christmas they display a lot of pedal cars and other traditional toys for children to try and it's very special.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20190 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20174 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20174 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19692 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19692 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19612 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19612 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19569 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19569 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19412
The cottage has two bedrooms (sleeps up to seven), an equipped kitchen, lounge with wood burner, sofas and TV, free use of a gas barbecue and fabulous views of Mt Fyffe. Towels and bedding are included, and it only costs $100-180 a night (depends on numbers and time of year).

We spent two nights in a more expensive motel, before staying an extra night in the rental cottage. We enjoyed it so much, we chose cottages for the rest of our NZ trip!

Ask them about a lovely walk to a nearby river, less than a mile away, with two huge natural swimming pools - it's a local secret!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19412 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19411
The aminals are super-friendly, and come right up to you. They offer free pony cart rides, and you can help bottle feed their younger animals. It's a cute, small, personal kind of place, with magnificent views of snow-topped Mt Fyffe.

We ended up there when our Whale Watch trip was cancelled and, to be honest, our kids are still talking about it, and have long forgotten the whale trip which they didn't appreciate at all (amazing when you consider the whale trip was about ten times the price!). It's not as 'flash' as another park we visited in the UK, but the hands on experience was truly memorable, and became one of the highlights of our NZ holiday. They've also got a small beautiful self-catering rental cottage - we loved the place so much, we stayed an extra night in their cottage and benefited from free access to early morning feeding and free farm park entry. The kids loved it - shame we didn't know about it before we arrived.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19411