Encapsulating Thailand’s quintessential blend of old and new is Bangkok, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. The nation’s capital since 1782, it is both a gateway and principal destination for most travellers.
It’s that old cliche, “a parent’s worst nightmare”. I’m in a rundown shack in rural Australia with my two young sons - aged five and three - when an earthquake hits. Somewhere around 5.5 on the Richter scale, I’d guess. And the whole place is shaking.
First, the radio and electrics fail. Then the kitchen shelves slope like a drunk in a midnight choir, and the fridge door swings open. Finally the kitchen wall cracks wide open.
So why are my boys laughing, along with everyone else in the room? And where is my wife when I need her? Well, downstairs having a coffee, as it happens, while the rest of us explore Questacon, surely the most engrossing and educational children’s adventure playground in Australia.
Perhaps you know it by its alternative name, the National Science and Technology Centre, one of Canberra’s most vibrant attractions, and a touchstone for those who believe the national capital is a wonderful destination for families.
Wailuku, Maui - There are two ways to explore the diverse ecosystem of the warm and tranquil waters of the Alalakeiki Channel here on the leeward side of Maui: Don flippers and a snorkel mask and head for the surf, or drive your vehicle along Highway 30 to the Maui Ocean Center.
Offering a virtual immersion in Hawaii’s diverse marine life, the 3-acre complex sits on a bluff overlooking Maalae’a Harbor (pronounced MAH-ah-lie-ah). All told, the $20 million facility, which opened in 1998, is home to more than 300 species - the largest collection anywhere in Hawaii.
The aquarium displays these creatures in a variety of exhibits, including re-creations of a living reef, a turtle lagoon and a tide pool. A separate open-ocean habitat teems with stingrays, eagle rays and six species of sharks. There’s even a new wing focusing on marine mammals, though it does not contain any of the creatures themselves.
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