Sticky Fingers Travel

New Year Resolution-One I will keep!

admin — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 09:31:00 GMT

A New Year and the usual round of resolutions. In many ways I am no different from the millions and I have a host of resolutions that would make Jackie Skelly and Ben Dunne do a few rounds over my ill spent gym membership. They are not only old hat but pretty destined to fail so I will not bore you with them. Suffice to say that there is little original in many of my resolutions.

The one that I am keen to keep and to commit to writing and to bare its face on the world wide web though is my commitment to spend more time and quality time with the kids.

The fact that the last few days has been filled with walks on the beach, searching for walking trees and leprechauns (blame my husband for that one), games of snap and memory, Twister and Operation (thanks Santa) just brings home just how great it is to spend such a concentrated time with the family and what a wonderful time of year this is. I am no humbug and do love Christmas. In fact I do not actually believe those who say they hate Christmas.But for me though it is the time in between Christmas and New Year that is the icing on the cake.

What makes this different is that we are not actually trying to have a holiday experience or tick the box by visiting attractions (most are closed by the way but I will return to that another time). In essence we are not trying at all just doing and having a ball. One example of the simplicity is the fun we had on a waterfall walk trying to gather some fresh spring water from a mountain stream. The kids thought this was the best drink they had ever had.

I asked my daughter last night what was the best thing about this holiday. She listed all of us. That says it all.

So there it is. I hereby vow to keep this up. I know ordinary life will intervene but best endeavors will be made.

Quality hampers for mums and babies delivered to the door

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:22:00 GMT

A new baby and mummy hamper website www.babyelephant.ie has just launched and the products really are divine. It is by my sister in law Maeve Barry so I am somewhat biased but having received several hampers of various different levels of quality after my two children were born I have to say that the Baby Elephant hampers are genuinely hands and shoulders above anything else I have seen in terms of quality and presentation. Just like the presentation on some beauty products such as Jo Malone is really something that sets them aside the presentation of these hampers is top class. I have bought several already but some are for Christmas so I hope none of my recipients are reading this.

The products are a collection of organic, practical and luxurious products gathered together in a stylish yet eco friendly giftbox. The range of nine hampers contain innovative, nourishing and useful products presenting a fresh alternative to flowers and teddies .

Each hamper has been lovingly thought-out. Quality and practicality are key so each product has been selected for its appeal and usability, ensuring Mums and babies will enjoy each individual item. Having spoken to many other Mothers what became clear to Maeve was that all Mums look for the best for their new babies and are keen to protect them and the environment in which they will be living. So where possible products are organic and the packaging is stylish yet eco friendly so can go in the recycle bin.

There are nine hampers in the Baby Elephant range prices ranging from €55 - €250 to ensure there is something to suit everyone's budget. Hampers include: “Mamas in Waiting” – an ideal for a gift for a work colleague about to go on maternity leave or for a friend who needs a little extra TLC during those last weeks. The other seven are for “pampering new mums and babies”.

Babyelephant hampers are delivered throughout Ireland by courier and to Europe and the US by An Post. Babyelephant will be delivering to all Dublin maternity hospitals everyday during the festive season except Christmas day. Orders received by 12noon will be delivered the same day and after 12 noon the following day.

So treat the new mama in your life by visiting http://www.babyelephant.ie/.

Product range include

Mama Mio Range the award winning skincare for Super mamas.

Organic for Kids Beautiful clothes for babies made exclusively from fairly traded, organic. textiles.

Green Baby Natural & organic skincare, designed for comfort, inspired by nature.

JJ Cole Collections Diaper and wipe pods provide parents with products that epitomize utility and convenience, while embracing fashion and style.

Vital Touch 100% natural organic aromatherapy products, hand blended using the very best organic and natural raw materials by a knowledgeable and caring team for pregnancy, new parents and babies.

Lisbeth Dahl Danish designer takes a creative and serious approach to produce the most comfortable and chic slippers you will never want to take off!

Sat Nav-I am converted!

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:44:00 GMT

For the last few years I have resisted the draw of in car gadgets such as satellite navigation on the basis that we outsource so much of our daily lives to computers that the simple task of navigation by way of a map is a task that I wanted to cling onto. I grew up as the daughter of a ship’s captain (and wanted to be sailor until I was 11 but that is another story). As such I always had a romantic vision of map reading and plotting my way which generally had good results. There was one incident when we were on the way to Holyhead from London via Birmingham and ended in South Wales but the less said about that the better. The romance began to wear thin though after kids and the idea of having someone tell me where to go when I am travelling around Ireland or arriving in a foreign country was slowly beginning to appeal to me. Having taken the plunge and trialled the new TomTom I have to say that I am now a convert.Certainly I think families should consider investing in sat nav if they can as unquestionably it will help to reduce stress and often help you get there quicker and via the most direct route possible. All parents will know that juggling travelling in a new country in a new car, dealing with language difficulties, driving on the other side of the road, one way streets and some tried and emotional people in the car (the parents as well as the kids) can get a bit fraught. The fact that car hire maps or tourist office maps certainly seem to vary in term of quality and accuracy I think is another good reason. Sure there are some comedy moments when you are on a new motorway both at home or abroad and the TomTom thinks you are driving across a field. It seems to get stressed and urgently tells you to turn back but it soon finds the new road. I find it is handy as well to help you find toilet stops, beaches, attractions, petrol and emergency hotels if necessary. You can also store your home or your destination such as your hotel as a favourite and get directions back easily when you take day trips. The kids love it because they can hear “the bossy lady” giving out to mum and dad and in fact it is a great distraction sometimes when tempers get a bit frayed or the kids get bored of their own in car entertainment. My kids have loved Homer Simpson although I do find him harder to understand and this is not the best when you end up unsure and going round a French roundabout three times. There are a large selection of voices both paid-for and free. Some novelty names that the kids may enjoy include John Cleese, Mr T and various Star Wars characters including Darth Vader, Yoda, C3PO, R2D2. It is not fail proof though and as with any navigation sometimes you may not get a signal so do plan your route carefully and get a map and study it before you set off not en route. Make sure you have explicit written directions as well and that you have a map as a back up. When travelling overseas you need to be sure that it is enabled for your destination as some models can be limited to Ireland and the UK only and certainly it is worth paying a bit more to get all of Europe. You can download updates as well from the web to keep you up to date and at the moment there seems to be some free breakdown promotions which look like a great addition.

Certainly our TomTom will be coming with us for most of our future journeys and if you do not have one already either put it on your Christmas wish list or give it a try by borrowing a satellite navigation system from friends or family.

United Travel Trips to Lapland

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:13:00 GMT

The Commission for Aviation Authority has advised almost 1,100 customers of United Travel who organises tours to Lapland to seek refunds after it was refused a tour operator's licence.

I heard the debate yesterday on the Joe Duffy Show between the Commission, Con Murphy and a mother who had paid €4,200 for a trip which now seems certain not to go ahead. At times it was highly emotional and clearly if the business is not granted a new licence it will be wound up or cease trading. The fact of the matter is though that for many families the promised trip to see Santa which will be a once in a lifetime trip in many cases will not be happening. Holidays to Dubai later over the New Year will also be affected.

The Commission representative rightly said that when the licence was first refused in October that United Travel should either have provided a refund to passengers or made arrangements for other operators here in Ireland to take them. At least that would have allowed those with their hearts set on going to Lapland to book with another Operator.

This is the statement on the website for the Commission for Aviation Authority as of the 3rd of December 2008.

"An application from Manorcastle Limited trading as United Travel to renew its annual Tour Operator’s licence was refused by the Commission for Aviation Regulation on 24 October 2008. This decision was based on a number of reasons including the inadequate financial situation of the company and the fact that no charter arrangements appeared to have been put in place for various advertised packages, including Lapland 2008.

The company appealed this decision to the High Court and continued to trade pending the outcome of the appeal, in accordance with the legal framework.

In the High Court, in a hearing that lasted two days (27 - 28 November 2008) the Commission for Aviation Regulation defended its decision that the company did not have adequate business and organisational resources to merit the award of a new licence. On 28th November the High Court confirmed the Commission's decision to refuse United Travel a licence.

In the light of that Judgment and in the prevailing circumstances of the company, the Commission called upon United Travel to immediately discuss the arrangements for a wind down of its business in an orderly manner in the interests of the traveling public, including refunding customers.

United Travel is no longer a licensed Tour Operator and any application for a new tour operator’s licence does not alter the company's current status.

Customers are advised that in the first instance they should inquire of United Travel as to the status of any monies paid over to date and how the company intends to make refunds to customers or put in place alternative arrangements."

Free is the new buzz word

admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:19:00 GMT

We have been promoting free events for the last few months in our "What is on for free" section of the site and it has proved very popular indeed. It can be like getting blood out of a stone trying to get event holders to let us tell you all about their free events. They are sometimes poorly attended because people do not know about them. For as long as we can we will keep trying to infrome you about free events.

This new buzz word pursed on the lips of holidaymakers is F-R-E-E. This development is outlined in a WTM Global Trends Report on the UK market, in association with Euromonitor International. Customers are in the driving seat during these squeezed market times and looking to be given something for nothing as they weigh up their getaway options.

No word grabs the attention better than ‘free.’ Most players in the travel industry will now need to work harder and become more aware of variations in demand – and the willingness to pay. The report forecasts that clients will be naming their own price or expecting to have for gratis a major slice of the product or service.

“As economic activity is likely to slow until 2010, innovative means of saving money will become more attractive”, said Fiona Jeffery, chairman of World Travel Market .” However, free or bargain price offers that receive positive reaction hopefully spark clients to return and make profitable product buys.

“These new pricing models making waves include ‘pay what you want,’ auctions and ‘core free goods.’ They often pose a threat to competitors, but also give brands the chance to engage with consumers and build loyalty. Profitability remains the most important underlying factor - protecting revenues in uncertain economic times.”

For instance, Jeffery said free city tours are geared to generate business for the paid ones and there can be nearly 50 per cent referral rates. The added bonus is it requires little or no investment and builds brand recognition. Savvy consumers, doing their comparative research while watching the pennies, are still likely to be short on confidence and make a ‘hard sell.’

A super saver started in the United States sees anonymous hotels inviting people to ‘name your own price’ via blind auctions. It is done with flights and car rental, too, and this idea is likely to expand because it allows operators to move stock that would remain unsold if left to traditional booking methods. Social networking sites such as couchsurfing.com showcases the ‘no-cost, full-service’ offer and predominately appeals to single under 30s( 75per cent) and Y Generation (almost 50 per cent) of below 25. It is claimed to enrol 10,000 new members every week with almost 780,000 in October, five per cent in the UK. A non-profit organisation, couchsurfing.com is dependent on donations and embraces 232 countries, 47,544 cities. It finds worldwide free accommodation with individual hosts who greet and meet each customer at the airport or rail station. They sometimes even provide free guided tours, leisure activities with their friends and tips on experiencing local life.

The report predicts that travel networking websites and activities are expected to grow steadily over the next five years and should become a major trend for the travel industry.

Here is an extract from my blog a few weeks ago on the great Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events). A great service and well worth subscribing to.

"Free Dublin Event Guide straight to your inbox each week

If you are looking for things to do in Dublin each week to beat the credit crunch you should sign up for the super Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events). This is an event guide with a difference and is amazingly prepared as a hobby by Joerg Steegmueller as a labour of love. It covers mostly free events based on the thinking that free events deserve additional support and that non-free events have the money to pay for advertisement. It is sent for free to anybody who is interested and if you want to be added to the mailing list or know somebody who would like to receive this guide, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the Subject "Subscribe". We have just given them a donation as we really think that he is doing great work and it is good to get some inspiration for the weekend into your inbox first thing on a Friday. "

Newstalk chat with Tom Dunne got me thinking-lets campaign for more family friendly airports

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:50:00 GMT

I had a great time chatting to Tom Dunne on Newstalk yesterday about family travel just after his coffee break. Tom has two young girls one two and one just 12 weeks old. He told me that he and his wife have not yet plucked up the courage to fly AC (After Kids) and I was giving some of my best tips to encourage him and listeners to take the plunge. But this got me thinking that given that I recently saw in Dublin Airport an ad that said that 40% of peak traffic were families that the facilities really were not acceptable or encouraging for families. It is no wonder so many parents either opt out of overseas travel or dread the journey for weeks.

Compared to many other countries we have few family friendly facilities in our airports. Frankly just providing a baby changing facility does not make you family friendly. There has not been enough focus on the needs of families in the facilities provided to date and I would like to see Dublin airport and all national airports really think about what they can do to make air travel easier for families. There are huge investments and improvements planned over the next few years and I hope that the needs of the customer and in particular families are put first and well considered. We have enough juice bars and retail opportunities and now is the time to really think about what can be done to improve existing facilities and plan new facilities so that families find it easier to travel through Irish airports. Here I make some suggestions many of which would not involve a huge capital outlay. Here starts our campaign but we would love to hear from you on the forum as well with some of your ideas.

1. Family friendly security lanes would take the pressure off families who often feel pressurised by the frequent flyer with his laptop chomping at the bit behind them as they spill their milk and lose a favourite toy. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the USA has introduced a programme to enable travellers to select a lane customized to their pace. The green lane is for families travelling with children or people who need special assistance. The black lane is for those who know the procedures well and have limited carry-on luggage. The security standard is the same no matter what lane you choose but efficiency is increased by allowing passengers to proceed at their own pace.

2. If dedicated security lanes are not possible then at the very least dedicated lanes or expedited screening at peak family travel times would be a huge help.

3. Child-friendly screening in security areas would be a real help as children often get frightened when they are approached by strangers or see Mummy or Daddy being searched. The International Airport in Denver, Colorado (one of the busiest airports in the world) is using puppets, good behaviour badges and stuffed animal covers for hand wands make children being searched by strangers a little less scary. For parents who are already loaded down with car seats and luggage not having to calm an upset child is a big relief.

4. Play areas after security for children to let off steam before they board the plane are a godsend for parents. They could be educational or themed to foster imaginative play. Examples could be a mock airplane and control tower, climbing structures, a baggage-claim slide or an interactive play area where kids can explore structures, "fly" planes, "handle" baggage and "direct" air traffic themselves. Younger children would need a padded baby and toddler area. A good example of such play areas can be found at Imaginosity in Sandyford.

5. Freestanding models or wall maps of the terrain that they are likely to fly over with points of interest such as islands, rivers, mountains or stadiums which will be a great distraction for children just after takeoff and will give them something to look forward to.

6. Child friendly and accessible art installations along corridors and unused space could be a great distraction and is inexpensive and educational.

7. Interactive exhibits about Ireland with monitors, maps, photos and even some stories and legends in the baggage area or the departure gate areas would be a good distraction. For visitors from abroad what better way to imprint a positive message about the great things we have to offer here in Ireland than entertaining their children in an educational and fun way when they arrive or before they leave? Of all the millions we spend on marketing surely the first and final message is one we should invest in.

8. To distract older children and teenagers a play station area, Xbox gaming area or free internet access for teens would be well received.

9. For mums who are nursing children a quieter dedicated area for nursing away from the glare and buzz of the airport would be very helpful. Currently seating is at busy gates or in retail thorough fares and a central seating area where families can sit and play games or eat together would be important.

10. An observation gallery with appropriate seating and child eye level viewing. At the moment to view the planes at many of the gates children have to stand on seats or be lifted up to see all the fun outside. This is one of the best free assets of the airport and is a super way to distract children.

11. Boarding for families is fraught with difficulties that range from the collapsing the buggy to the stress of wondering if they can we sit together. Many airlines charge extra for the privilege of sitting together. Airports who value families should however have a positive policy of insisting that airlines allow families to sit together either at check in or by giving them mandatory priority boarding if they want to avail of this and if seats are unallocated.

12. Before families even start their journey airports could entertain the children by featuring on their websites downloadable colouring with pictures of airplanes and airports, instructions for making paper airplanes, aviation-themed games, easy-to-digest information about airplanes, space exploration and aviation history so that children are engaged and excited by the prospect of flying.

Examples of family friendly facilities in other countries

Orlando International Airport

The airport features an open airy design, indoor trees, large aquariums and calming classical music. It also has shops that represent most of the local theme parks and attractions, life-size sculptures of sleeping tourists and Disney characters.

San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International airport has an aviation museum which children will find fascinating. It also features an aquarium and a Kids Spot play area which has a crawling frame and a plasma wall for kids to burn off some energy before boarding a flight.

Boston Logan Airport

Boston Logan Airport has interactive exhibits which encourage a child to think and play and at the same time have fun. They include a baggage claim slide, an infant a toddler play area, a "whats outside the window display" and an airplane-climbing sculpture.

Singapore Changi Airport

Singapore airport has a wide range of family friendly facilities including napping centres, a full size swimming pool, exercise and play areas for children, bamboo/ cactus/sunflower and orchid gardens, an explorer's lounge which features entertainment programmes from the Discovery Channel and National Geographic, a 24 hour movie theatre and a gaming station featuring Xbox games.

Paris Charles de Gaulle airport

Paris Charles de Gaulle airport has play areas with mazes and ball pits to keep children entertained for hours. Older children can use pool tables, video games and have access to the arcades. There are also play areas with interactive world maps, hopscotch, mini tunnels and TV rooms with beanbags for children to relax in.

Do let us hear from you on the forum as well with some of your ideas.

Flip Flop Theatre Festival

admin — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:15:00 GMT

There is something magical about the theatre and children's theatre is no exception. We had a wonderful afternoon yesterday watching one of the opening shows in Flip Flop called Circus Minimus.

Circus Minimus is a charming and amusing presentation to appeal to children between the ages of two and four or five and the perfect antidote for adults to the doom and stresses out there these days. Children and adults sit around the theatre with all members of the audience fully participating in the performance in which lemons become sunbeams, children tap out the sound of rain water, mums and dads assist in handing out cowbells and rakes to tend the garden and the children create waves upon which jelly fish and sailing ships sail through the night. The sheer simplicity of the presentation mixed with great humour and audience interaction was a real treat for all of family even dad got roped in to pretending to be the family dog Fido much to the amusement of my children and myself. There are lots more shows in Flip Flop for older children and tickets were still available as of yesterday.

Flip Flop is a celebration of the very best of children’s theatre and is being hosted by the Pavillion Theatre and the Mill theatre in asscoaition with DLR events. This year features a 9ft Scottish Giant and his uncouth dog who does lots of naughty things, a production of Hansel and Gretel from acclaimed Lyngo Theatre Co and hilarious tales from Fables, Tales & Tattlers. The rates are very reasonable at €7 for performances and there are ‘come in costume’ performances. There are also workshops and interactions many of which are free and up until the 26th October so have a look at the detailed listings here in the Family Events section or on www.paviliontheatre.ie.

Afterwords we had a coffee in the café at Harvey Nichols. The staff surprised us by immediately and without us asking producing colouring for the children, great smiley faced drinks (which we did of course ask for!) and a very approachable attitude which made us all feel welcome. The children's menu looked pretty good too although we did not sample anything. All in a very pleasant experience and many restaurants could take note.

Airport Travel Tax could be the tipping point for families

admin — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:15:00 GMT

I am really dissappointed to see the airport travel tax introduced today in the budget. The tax which will apply to all departures from Irish airports will take effect on the 30^th of March 2009, just in time for the Easter school holidays. This may well be the tipping point for many families who are still clinging on to the idea of a holiday abroad as they may be unlikely to be able to afford the traditional family holiday next year. The general rate applying will be €10 per passenger with a lower rate of €2 for shorter air journeys (those under 300 kms). But if you walk or cycle everywhere, drink spirits and not wine and hate to travel this budget might not be so bad!

This new airport travel tax will have a significant impact on families in Ireland who are already facing additional costs imposed by airlines and tour operators. A family of four travelling to any location over 300 km away will now have to pay at €40.00 in this new tax.

We are running a poll on the site here to see if families think that this will have an impact on their travel plans. I would love to hear your comments here or see your votes on the poll at the bottom of our home page.

There is also likely to be confusion about which rate will apply as it seems that some UK airports such as Manchester or Newquay will qualify for the reduced tax of €2 but others will not. It will all come down to where you are going and from which airport and this is likely to lead to inequality and affect regional airports more significantly. For example it seems that a family travelling from Shannon to Manchester will have to pay €10 per person but if they travelled from Dublin they would only have to pay €2 each.

This is on top of all of the additional charges all of which have been increased significantly this year by airlines and tour operators. These charges seem endless and include taxes of up to €75 per person, fuel surcharges of between €150 and €220 per person on long haul, seat reservation charges of between €3 and €15 per person , baggage charges of between € 24-€36 per person (more if you forget to reserve them online), a handling fee of €10.00 per person and the sneaky “we will include our own travel insurance unless you forget to exclude it” cost of up to €21.00 per person. Now a family of four could now end up paying up to €40.00 extra in this new airport travel tax. This is on top of up to €121 per person or €484 for the family and a massive €271 per person or €1084 for the family on a long haul flight.

This is ill considered at a time when many airlines and tour operators are already struggling and consumers are losing faith and holding back making bookings. This will have an impact on operators and airlines who will protect themselves against fall in demand in the only way they know how by either increasing prices which will be terrible news for families, withdrawing services which will again drive up demand or worse still going out of business.

This is likely also to have an impact on visitor numbers coming to Ireland. So much money is being spent on trying to encourage families from overseas to travel to Ireland which is already a high cost destination. Adding to their costs seems short sighted particularly as earnings from overseas visitors was €4,902 million in 2007 according to the CSO figures.

The air travel tax will not apply to

- passengers under two years

- disabled passengers and assisting persons

- aircraft with less than 20 passenger seats-so if you have a private jet you are in the clear (so much for this budget hitting the fat cats hardest)!

- transit passengers

- members of the crew

- air services to and from Irish offshore islands

- aircraft departing airports that in the previous calendar year had less than 10,000 departing passengers.

If it was clear that this money was to be ring fenced and used to improve our airport facilities and in particular the family friendly facilities in the national airports there may be some comfort for families but this seems unlikely. As it stands in a tough budget for families all around those that may already be planning their holidays in the sun or to say a theme park may well decide now to hang on here for what looks like being our own domestic rollercoaster.

Maternity and Infant Awards

admin — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:29:00 GMT

We have been told that Sticky Fingers Travel is a now a Finalist in the Most Family Friendly Holiday Provider category of the Maternity and Infant awards which is great news given that we are only up and running four months now. There are really big businesses out there and we are delighted with this.

Now in its third successful year, the Maternity & Infant Awards (formerly Parents’ Choice) have been revamped and re branded. The awards were originally designed to give parents their say on their favourite products and services and also to acknowledge the very best in this competitive industry. This year they have also introduced several new People awards- honouring Midwives,Consultants and Child Heroes amongst others.

Every vote counts so if you like us please log on and vote here on the Maternity and Infant awards site. The closing date is 14/10/08 which is tomorrow. Winners are decided based solely on the vote count so it really is people power.

Thanks so much for your support and for those who voted for us already.

Free events are the way to go to beat the credit crunch

admin — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:12:00 GMT

If all the talk of doom and gloom and worldwide recession is causing you to pull in the belt a bit there are still lots of ways you can get out and have family fun with the children without breaking the bank. Here we put together a selection of some of the best free events around the country for parents and children. There are eleven actually ( as we found it too hard to leave one out!)

Most local authorities, libraries and tourist offices will be running free events this month in the run up to Halloween and the midterm break. The majority of these events are educational as well as a great way to have fun together as a family and get away from all the doom and gloom in the headlines at the moment.

The Virginia Pumkinfest, Viriginia, Co Cavan 24th- 26th Oct

This looks like being a great Festival full of lots of family fun with a town blackout and Lighting of the Pumpkins, Grand Opening Parade - Samba Music / Stilt Walkers / Fire-eaters on Friday the 24th October.

On Saturday 25th October from 1-3pm there will be a Family Pumpkin Treasure Hunt, an art exhibition and displays by local schools Virginia College, The Grandmother Children’s Play at the Ramor Theatre, Children’s Fancy Dress Party & Disco Virginia College and Live Music on the Square Festival Podium, Main St.

Sunday 26th October sees more family fun with a Teddy’s Bear Picnic, Local Business Pumpkin Olympics, a Weigh-in of Giant Pumpkins, a Giant Fire Parade, Samba Band / Dancers / Fire Eaters, a procession of Giant Pumpkins to Lough Ramor Lakeshore and a spectacular Fireworks Display over Lough Ramor Lakeshore.Website: www.pumpkinfestival.ie.

Children’s Book Festival 2008, 1st – 31st October

A nationwide celebration of books and reading for young people across Ireland featuring authors, illustrators and storytellers. With over 1,500 events expected to take place nationwide to celebrate children’s books and encourage reading amongst children and teenagers this promises to be a great month for entertaining the children. This year’s Festival has been extended to cover the whole of October. This of brings the prospect of some very spooky goings on in libraries, schools, bookshops and art-centres as Halloween draws near and the Festival draws to a close. For bookings, which are advised, and more information go to www.childrensbooksireland.com or call 0 1 872 7475.

Festival of World Food at Marlay Park, Rathfarnham - October 4th & 5th

The Festival of World Foods takes place at Marlay Park, Rathfarnham, Co Dublin on October 4th and 5th from 10am – 6pm each day with foods, flavours, cookery demonstrations and workshops from around the globe. Highlights include the Agri Aware Mobile Farm and ‘Meet the Spud’s’ Demonstration Unit where children can get up close to farm animals and farm life and the Hoe Down with a pig roast, corn on the cob and baked potatoes with live music and fun. All scheduled events are free to attend and details are on www.dlrevents.ie.

Sculpture in Context at the Botanic Gardens - 3rd September – 17th October

Sculpture in Context is the largest outdoor Sculpture exhibition held in Ireland. The sculptures on display are the work of more than one hundred leading artists, displayed in the beautiful surroundings of the National Botanic Gardens. Artists contributing the exhibition are challenged to respond creatively to the Gardens and to specific locations in the Gardens and there is lots of room to run around and explore the wonderful gardens and hot houses.

Explorer for Families at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Kilmainham – 19th October

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) welcomes children and adults to visit selected artworks and use art materials to respond to their experience in the galleries. Explorer is free of charge, from 2.00 to 4.00pm each Sunday from 5 October to 7 December. For further information see www.imma.ie.

Hallowfest in Dublin City, 26th – 27th October

Hallowfest is an event that will celebrate the tradition of Halloween as an event for all the family. The events include a Hallowfest intercultural street party, fire jugglers, lion dancers and African style drummers and dancers, a ghost bus with scary stories, face painters in Tallaght Library and Leisureplex Tallaght, a samba band and samba dancers, a farmers market and a Hallowfest fireworks display. On Monday 27th October 2008 there will be Hallowfest Activities at the Hell Fire Club, in the Dublin Mountains including a spooky Treasure Hunt. See www.hallowfest.ie for more information.

Saturday Family Programme at the National Gallery of Ireland

An opportunity for children to enjoy a wide range of free activities in the Gallery, including exploring, storytelling, music, art, poetry and drama. Numbers are limited to 70 and admission is free. Tel 01 663 3518.

Discussion on deer activity and Art Workshops in the Phoenix Park Centre - Sunday 5th October

A popular return visit by Prof. Tom Hayden, Zoology Dept of UCD, with illustrations and discussion on deer activity at this time of year in the Phoenix Park at 3pm and free Children’s Art Workshops on
deer in the Phoenix Park from 10.30am - 12.30pm.

Parents’ Week - 13 - 19 October

National Parents’ Week is organised by Parentline. During the week Parentline and its partner organisations will arrange lots of events to celebrate the week and the role of parenting. Events include family fun days, arts and crafts sessions and parenting talks. For a full schedule of talks, contact your local library visit www.parentline.ie for further information.

Westport Arts Festival – 3th – 12th October, 2008

Westport Arts Festival is one of the longest-running festivals in Ireland, promising ten days of dance, theatre, music and art shows from around the world. There will be street theatre, children's puppet shows, talks, poetry readings, daytime workshops, exhibitions and theatre.

Creatures of the night at the Belvedere Estate - 25 October

Discover all you want to know about bats with a Bat Talk and a Bat Walk in Belvedere estate. Bring torches and suitable clothing. 7.30pm Belvedere House www.belvedere-house.ie or Call 044 9349060.

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Culture Night in Temple bar with the children

admin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:08:00 GMT

Culture Night at The Ark, Temple Bar - 19 September

As part of Dublin’s annual Culture Night last Friday we had a great late night (well anything after 6 is late for a three and a five year old) trip to City Hall, Temple Bar and The Ark. The like many other arts organisations doors were opened late into the evening and all the events were free events. Certainly the Temple Bar events were well attended and well publicised.

City Hall had minstrels in costume, an exhibition and tours but the children did not want to dwell when they heard we could be making paper airplanes elsewhere.

At the Ark popular children’s author Oliver Jeffers illustrated to a reading of his new book The Great Paper Caper and we then got a whirlwind lesson in how to make and fly paper airplanes. There were prizes for those that crossed the lines but none for us I am afraid although I did manage to hit a lady with mine which amused the children no end. Later in the evening there was a great fun family session with acclaimed bodhrán player and percussionist Robbie Harris who performed with Sean-nós dancer Mick Donegan and the children even got to play some drums themselves.

Temple Bar was alive with street performers, samba bands, stilt walkers and there was a great atmosphere. We met people off to Dublinina and/or Burdocks for chips but our little heads were tired so we decided to call it a day.

Another good initiative and a great showcase for family entertainment. The only problem was that is would have been nice to go to a few events so perhaps children's events should start a bit earlier next year?

Award nominations for Sticky Fingers Travel

admin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:18:00 GMT

We have been nominated for the IIA & Enterprise Ireland Net Visionary Awards 2008 in the category of Best Use of Social Media. The Net Visionary Awards are unique as they are run and voted on by the internet industry in Ireland.

We have also been nominated for the Irish Web Awards in the category of Best eCommerce / Services Website. Competition looks stiff but it is exciting all the same and we have come a long way since the 21st of May. Was it only three months ago. It seems like so much longer!

They both look to be very transparent and genuine which is really welcome. Not bad for a site conceived by a mum who loves just to travel with the kids.

We do not yet know if we will make it to the shortlist or if we will make it to the shortlist for the Maternity and Infant awards but fingers crossed and we will keep you posted.

Easkey, surfing and driving on beaches

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:18:00 GMT

We had a super weekend in the lovely village of Easkey on the West Coast of Sligo over the weekend just before the kids went back to school.

Sligo is a county steeped in heritage and tradition and a highlight for history buffs would be the Carrowmore megalithic cemetery, the most extensive in Europe. It is amazing to think that it pre-dates the pyramids of Egypt. We were there for some R and R, some outdoor fun and the surfing which it is famous for. When I say "we" I have to admit that surfing would not be my forte but the kids and my husband took to it like ducks to water albeit at differing levels.

We stayed in Easky and could see the famous Easky break from the bedroom window which was fascinating. Easky is a surfing mecca but for experienced surfers only- think more camper vans than E picnic and all weather camping. The toilet facilities were very poor though as they looked like they had not been cleaned for some time so they lose a mark for that. We all loved watching the experienced surfers and later we spent the afternoon on Enniscrone beach nearby.

Enniscrone has 5km of sandy beach and it is a pleasant seaside town with lots to see and do with all of the family. During the summer fully trained lifeguards and beach wardens patrol and monitor both the beach and the water and despite the weather which spanned the usual three seasons in three hours we have had this summer it was a great day. My better half had a surf lesson and took to it very well and the kids did some boggie boarding, playing in the sand dunes and walking along the beach which was lovely marred only by motor bikes revving and showing off on the beach.

Water points Swimming Pool in Enniscrone has fun for all the family with a water slide, a kid pool, a spa and a new playground at the back and we had some more family fun there.

Why on earth people are allowed to drive on to beaches I do not know though and this is something I think should be looked at. Surely the "Do not destroy what you came to enjoy " motto should be applied. We are battling with coastal erosion and have little enough avenues to escape modern appliances. For me the beach is sacrosanct and this invasion does bother and perplex me. It would not kill you to walk the 100 metres to the sand would it. Thoughts anyone?

Festival of World Cultures-simply brilliant

admin — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:02:00 GMT

The Dun Laoghaire Festival of World Cultures was on this weekend and was simply fantastic for everyone from tots to those who may well still remember it used to be called Kingstown.

We spent most of the weekend there despite the poor weather on Saturday and enjoyed the international acts and local talent including music, iconic swims, pavement art, circus acts, theatre, dance classes, food stalls, markets, exhibitions, workshops and the brilliant children’s activities.

The family events centered around the People's Park World Of Enchantment and we all loved the music performances on the music stage, puppet shows and stilt walkers, yodel shows, kite making with Concern to highlight their Stop Child Labour campaign and lots more. True the rain on Saturday did put a dampener on some of the events but the super afternoon on Sunday made up for it.

All of the interaction we had seemed to indicate a really well run event with information well organised and good access that had fun for all. Best of all there were lots of spontaneous artists and dance sessions from nationalities of very kind and a really good feel good factor that certainly seemed to let us forget just for the weekend all the bad weather and the credit crunch doom and gloom.

Another super event and well done to everyone involved. All I can say is more, more, more and keep it coming!

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Park-wet but still worth it

admin — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:58:00 GMT

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Park, Marley Park - Sun 17th August

Marlay Park was scheduled to be a haven of orchestral overtures and exciting entertainment for all the family from Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council yesterday. There were family events planned from 2pm to 6pm, Shrek on the big screen and in the evening the 48 piece Slovak Festival Orchestra with special guests and a fireworks display. We just made it to the family day part so I hope the Orchestra went well but it was not looking promising.

The weather let us down again but did not dampen the spirits of the hundreds of families and after dreadful weather on Saturday people came prepared with welles, all in one snow suits (yes even in mid summer and great for keeping dry) and picnic blankets doubled up as shelter when it started to rain.

The family fun included activities for children such as face painters, make’n’do, inflatable games, giant slides, a climbing tower, the DLR Events entertainers, stilt walkers and characters and balloon artists.

Well done on another great event DLR and roll on the fantastic line up for the Festival of World Cultures which is lined up for next weekend and looks like it will be a highlight of the end of the summer. Heritage Week is next week as well so there is lots to keep the kids busy over the last leg in the run up to Back to School. Fingers crossed for better weather (Sticky ones!).

Are we there yet? Great discussion on Mooney RTE1 yesterday

admin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:40:00 GMT

As we begin the last Bank Holiday of the summer many parents will be dreading the car journey and the potential for car journey boredom, sibling squabbles and the ever popular "Are we there yet" (do children secretly pass this gem on to each other in conspiratorial tones I wonder?).

There are lots of things that you can do to distract the kids and make the journey that bit more bearable and I had a very enjoyable time discussing these with Aonghus Mc Nally in studio on the Mooney Show on RTE 1 yesterday.

The comments from listeners were great too. One parent said that on the M50 on the way to Dublin airport for a long haul flight to Australia that her little treasure asked "Are we there yet" which is priceless. Another listener called Catherine sent in a text about her parents starting the rosary to pass the time and when she objected to the continual citation of "Hail Mary" (which was her sister's name) they accommodated by adding in "Hail Catherine" as well. A perfect example of great accommodation by the parents to keep the peace.

Most parents now will have memories, both good and bad, of car journeys and the excitement and expectation of either going on holidays or a day trip. They were of course in the days before seat belts (certainly in the back of cars) and when the road network here in Ireland was not as good. Thankfully road safety and the road network have improved but I still think that there is a place for good old fashioned car games in the mix of things you will use to distract your kids. Travel and car games are probably the diversion tactic that you will remember your parents using on you and they were great fun and very educational.

Of course we all find the DVDs and the computer games a lifesaver sometimes but interaction with your children when travelling can be a great diversion too and in reality there is no need for sophisticated technical equipment if you can engage your children in the travel process through games. Most of these can work also in departure lounges or while in other forms of transport. We have lots more on Stickyfingerstravel.com as well as links to down loadable colouring. Best of all they are all free.

Have a happy,safe and enjoyable weekend whether you are going on a long car journey or just a day trip with the kids.

Baggage allowances and check in fees-do not get caught

admin — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:24:00 GMT

If you are in the middle of packing your suitcases for your annual family holiday this week make sure you do two things-

Put it on the scales (never my favourite place but needs must)
Check if you are to be charged check in fees and if so try to limit them by prebooking them online.

Charter airlines generally allow you 15kgs - 20kgs and do not charge check in fees but do check this with your own company or that this has not changed since you booked. Aer Lingus allows you 20kgs per person but Ryanair allow only 15kg per person. Infants under two will not have a baggage allowance unless you are paying for a seat for them and this can be one of the most difficult things to negotiate as infants and toddlers tend to have the most equipment.

Charges do rack up once you go overweight so do pack carefully (do the tiresome pack and unpack and then half what you were going to bring) and always check with the airline before you fly. Ryanair charge €15 per kg, Aer Lingus charge €9 per kg and Aer Arann charge €7 per kg if you go overweight. Watch this both ways and do not get too caught up with souvenirs.While it might seem like a good idea for a family of four to travel with two big suitcases if either of those cases goes over the baggage allowances in a flash you could be facing a large bill so I would recommend you take small case even for the kids and pop heavy items in that.

Carry on limits vary from airline to airline with charter airlines sometimes as low as 4kgs. Aer Lingus allow 6kgs and Ryanair allows 10kgs but again always check the airline's website before you go.

Checked in luggage is still free on most charter flights including Budget Travel who also do not charge for check in. Aer Arann have no check in baggage charges but Aer Lingus charge €24 to check in one bag and Ryanair €20. Ryanair will also charge you to use a check in desk of €10 return so that makes €30 per bag which adds up if you have four bags to check in. The cost goes up again if you forget to prebook it online to a whopping €18 for each bag per flight for Ryanair and €18 for Aer Lingus. So always prebook your bags for check in but also only book as many as you need and not two each. All in you could end up paying between €136 and €200 for just four checked in bags before you even think about any excess weight charges-no so low cost then!

And as for the insurance button that you might forget to deactivate when you were booking.... do not get me started.That is a debate for another day.

Delays at Dublin airport and how to entertain the kids

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:27:00 GMT

We are just back from Faro after spending five hours in the airport as a result of the recent delays in Dublin airport. We were lucky enough to know that there was a play area for kids there which helped a lot. Dublin airport which is clearly spending large sums on upgrades could do with the same. Due to requirements by airlines for two or three hour check-ins you can often spend more time in an airport than you do on the plane even ignoring the problem of delays. After check in or if you are in transit having things like play areas can make a big difference.

After the recent radar problems last week at Dublin Airport it is reported today on the Dublin Airport Authority website that airlines may continue to experience delays departing and arriving into Dublin Airport at peak times. Travelling by plane with children can be difficult at the best of times with tight spaces, increased security and long walks to distant departure gates but with the added pressure of delays even before you board the plane you need to be well prepared to survive the journey. Managing expectations and good packing of things to keep the kids busy and entertained are key.

I will be posting on the Algarve later when I am back up to speed but for the moment here are a few tips for dealing with delays at the airport.

Almost every airport will have seating areas and shops that sell food, reading materials and drinks and you can check out the facilities generally for most airports on their websites before you travel or ask while you are there as they could be just around the corner.
If you know you have a delay or are waiting to board try to get a seat where the kids can have something to do or see either a play area or say near a big window so you can do some plane spotting.
Despite what adults may feel about airports, children find them a great source of entertainment. Try to use the airport to entertain the kids where you can. There are trolleys, shops, slippery floors, moving escalators and of course the planes to spot. Let your children do some supervised exploring and some plane watching as this may exhaust them before the flight.
If your children can read try to get them to identify your departure gate and check-in gate and where possible engage them in the process by explaining to them all about check-in, immigration, security and boarding. Manage expectations for kids and explain delays where possible such as the recent delays in Dublin. If the kids are prepared for a delay they may cope with it better.
Clearing security can be time-consuming particularly if you are carrying extras like a buggy or a carry cot. Give yourself plenty of extra time. These days, security checks can involve everything from removing your belt, shoes and jackets to emptying your pockets. Remember if you are buying drinks and juices to buy them after you go through security.
Keeping the kids entertained is the real trick and this is generally through preparation, preparation, preparation. Depending on the age of your children toys and healthy snacks can be a great way to pass the time. Do not bother taking too many bulky toys and books as these can be heavy and cumbersome and attention spans can be very short. Small pocket or mini educational computers are a great idea including Leapfrog, Dora/Barbie computers, Nintendo’s and portable DVD players(bring extra batteries if you are on a very long flight).Twistable crayons for older kids and colouring books are good to pass the time as well as small sticker books. It is also best to avoid anything that may melt in the heat such as wax crayons or Play-Doh which can dry up and can stain.
When travelling, children love to play with others and it may be good idea to small bring toys that can be shared. There are lots of free options for entertaining your children including card games, charades, i-spy (try colours for younger kids), hangman, spot the difference and storytelling and this is a good time to spend quality time with your children just chatting and reading.

81% of parents are more concerned with security on holidays after the dissappearence of Madeleine Mc Cann

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:14:00 GMT

We carried out a survey here on the website between the 21st of May 2008 and the 21st of June 2008 to see if parents were more concerned about the safety of their children while on holidays now a year after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. An overwhelming majority of 81% of parents said that they were more concerned. Clearly this has led parents to rethink their approach to child safety and security on holidays. The disappearance of Madeline McCann was a terrible tragedy and no parent can even begin to think about it without thinking what if it happened to us. Parents are likely to be more cautious now about childcare and child minding decisions that they make while on holidays. They are likely to ask more questions about security and qualifications which is a very positive thing and if anything positive can come from such a tragedy this is it. Holidays are often in unfamiliar surroundings with language barriers and different customs however they are when we are most relaxed and in the past parents may not have considered potential dangers. It is very easy to let down your guard while on holidays as they are all about relaxing and fun. A responsible approach and some simple commonsense safety precautions mean both you and the children can have a great holiday.

Security and safety is clearly now a real issue for parents. Tour operators and accommodation providers should be conscious of this and do what is possible to allay those concerns and provide appropriate back up and facilities. Spending family time together in a secure environment is likely to be more important for parents now and shared family activities that everyone can enjoy together during both the day and the evening are a good way to achieve this. Having good approved and checked babysitting facilities or supervised evening activities while parents have a meal is a also good idea. Some hotels have taken this on board and have pyjama parties or movie nights for the kids and it is likely that the hotels and tour operators who do react to parents concerns are going to see a better take up.

Simple precautions should be more than enough but if you are in any doubt or feel uneasy do not take a risk. Talking to your children to make them aware of what they should do if they get lost or even trying to get them to memorise your mobile number or have it written on a wristband at a big busy event are simple but effective things you can do without being too dramatic. This should also be at the forefront of the minds of event organisers and tour operators.

There are services such as those provided by www.familysafeholidays.com to help families in the event of an emergency whether it relates to missing documents, medical issues or a missing child. The basic package is free and they provide help, advice and accessories to help keep children safe on holiday, both at home and abroad. This allows you store key personal and travel information that may be needed in a hurry. You can upload a close-up photo of each family member, record any medical conditions or medication and enter all your contact details (both mobile numbers and contacts of where you are staying). In the event of an accident or incident, the family can have access to the service and be able to create a missing poster within minutes. This poster can be automatically translated into French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and German and then be made available over the Internet or sent via email to any appropriate person or organization. I know this sounds extreme as abductions are rare but children are prone to wandering off and it may well be worth the effort for ease of mind. Have a look at some of our top tips for safety and security on the main website and have a happy and a safe holiday.

Street Performance World Championship

admin — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:00:00 GMT

Over the weekend Merrion Square park was transformed into an exciting and fun performance venue which was full of lots of fun things to see and do with the kids.

We were there on Sunday afternoon and all loved it.The rain stayed off for most of the weekend I believe and the variety of attractions meant that we all had something to keep our attention. 80,000 were expected to attend and access seemed good. Like most of the festivals organised here this year the entertainment was in the main part free although if you liked what you saw as with any street performance the hat was offered to show your appreciation which the majority of people did.

The performers are the best in the world an it showed as they had literally thousands of people cheering and laughing from 12 each day with the award ceremony last night.The eventual winner was English Gents with Space Cowboy second and and Beautiful Stu third. My own favorite was Mario who body surfed the crowd at the end of his show (and did lots of scary juggling with fire,unicycle and other fun stuff) although my kids loved the banana fight and showdown (thanks Mario you can clean my kitchen if they try it at home)

There was superb face painting and balloon shaping (a monkey climbing a tree was the best we saw). Free bubbles were also a big hit as was the fact that there were ordinary people just doing some of their own things such as hoops and juggling while people just lay on the grass and watched.

National Play Day (who promote community led events to organise inexpensive children's events) ran a fun filled family area with a dress up area,play dough,gloop, parachute games, team games,a giant pillow fight and a penalty shoot out area. This was a big hit with our two who are young but older kids would I suspect tend to steer towards the magic shows,the sword swallower and all of the many other amazing performers.

All in a super day and now that summer is here do check out our family events section for lots more ideas for things to see and do with the kids.

Antrim Coast and Farmstay

admin — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:46:00 GMT

We took a short trip up to the the North Antrim Coast with the kids over the weekend. It was a two day one night trip which in itself was interesting in terms of packing.Psychologically as you are returning the next day the endless options of changes of clothes that seem to fill the case before you know it did not happen. We all shared a mid sized suitcase and it worked just fine.The drive was three hours as we started off early on Sunday morning and is motorway much of the way so pretty painless.

Our first stop was the Carrick-a-Rede bridge which is suspended 24 metres above the sea and comprises of planks laid between ropes. It is laid each year so fishermen can reach their nets on the tiny islet but realistically it is more of a tourist attraction now I suspect. It is a 1km walk to the bridge along a stunning coastal route that has clear blue waters where you can see the bottom of the sea bed very clearly form the top of the cliff (or at least we could on the great day and good conditions we had).The walk is manageable with a good solid buggy until you get about halfway and then there are lots of steep steps so it is not a great option unless you are happy to wait or carry toddlers which is a big ask.My five year old was fine but the steps were a struggle for the three year old who needed to be carried. There is a wait to cross it you go at a busy time (about 15 minutes in our case but if the weather is good it is great just to watch the scenery).

We then visited the Giant's Causeway which were formed 60 million years ago from crystallised lava and again this was a big hit with the kids especially all the stories about Finn McCool. It is impressive but was busy when we were there but still manageable. You can walk down or get the bus one way or both to the stones and again the coastal scenery is stunning as well as the interesting geography lesson for older kids.

We stayed in a lovely farmhouse just outside Portrush called Maddybenny which has just three rooms but lots of self catering houses and offers great family friendly accommodation.In our room we had two double beds and a separate room with a single bed (and a resident peacock outside the window who was in show off mode which was a real treat). It has won breakfast awards and farmhouse of the year awards in the past.

The sitting room has sky TV and a pool table and there are lovely gardens with swings and slides and play areas for the kids and a games room. As well as a few farm animals to see it shares its location with the Maddybenny Riding Centre which has lots of horses to visit and riding lessons for kids. The breakfast was super and the kids were made feel very welcome and even got to feed the goldfish the next day and have a riding lesson. Families staying for longer than a few days would probably prefer the self catering houses for more space but for one night this was fine for us. You can call Karen White on +44 028 7082 3394 for more information.

The next day was so nice we spent it on the beach at White Rocks which has showers and toilets and great sandcastle building potential as the day was so nice. There is lots more to do with the kids such as Dunluce Castle, Glengaffif Forest Park, Cushendun and Toor Head and the Bushmills Distillery but the weather was too good to move.

Docklands Maritime Festival 30th May to 2nd June

admin — Sat, 31 May 2008 19:11:00 GMT

Dublin Docklands Authority take a bow.

A really big one bow because certainly from what I saw today the Dublin Docklands Maritime Festival which runs until Monday the 2nd of June 2008 has been really well organised with lots to see and do for young kids,teenagers and adults alike. If this is an indication of the type of festivals that can be put on here in Ireland (and there are lots planned this summer by the way) we are surely in for a summer of fun at home-whatever the weather. If you are in Dublin this weekend with the kids do not miss this.

I had a super day out with the kids today helped no doubt by the amazing weather and the tall ships,lively street theatre,uplifting music,well thought out kids entertainment area and the colourful outdoor market with great food,plants,drinks,clothes and jewellery.

We started and finished in George’s Dock which is dedicated to entertainment just for kids including puppet shows carousels,helter skelters and make ‘n’ do activities. We stated in Makendoo making pirate and mermaid masks and then saw a puppet show by Dowtcha Puppets called ‘Grandma's Garden'.There are shows also by Conor Lambert Puppet Shows and Your Man Puppets but I can only do one puppet show a day.

We then all had a ride in the Ocean Race Simulator which lets you see what 'life at the extreme' is like on board a 70ft Volvo Ocean Race Yacht. This 4-minute ride takes you through a thrilling simulation of a sailing experience on land and is a great experience for kids of all ages.

There was lots of ad hoc street theatre to entertain the kids and adults such as vikings,diving bell divers,human seagulls and lots more. The Jeanie Johnston is well worth a visit to see what life was like on board 150 odd years ago and there are lots of other tall ships open for visits or serving drinks so you can relax on board.There was constant entertainment on stages set up on both sides of the Liffey and lots of places to get a water/hot dog for some down time for tired feet.

We ended up back at the kids entertainment area where there are carousels and some slow rides for young children.No thrills for older children although there is a helter skelter,crazy golf,paddle boats and canoes for older kids as well as a climbing wall nearby. Tired legs meant we had to call it a day then but that was after four hours of pretty non stop entertainment.

Remarkably leaving aside the hot dogs the only time I had to pay for anything was for the opt in rides in the funfair area.All other activities we did were free.Thumbs up for this as family days out can work out very expensive.

If anyone else goes do try to post here in the forum so others can get to hear about the experience.

The Last Word radio debate-Should we bother to travel abroad at all with the kids?

admin — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:53:00 GMT

I had an interesting debate as a guest speaker last night on the Last Word on Today FM presented by Matt Cooper about whether or not traveling overseas with children was worth all of the hassle and the stress. Sarah Carey is a journalist who has young children and has sworn not to travel again with them until they are a bit older given her experiences to date. Matt Cooper is also a firm believer in staying here in Ireland to holiday having tried the holiday abroad option a few years ago. It was never going to be an easy one to win!

Traveling with kids does take a huge amount of effort, dedication and perspiration. It is also getting harder with longer delays, tighter security and liquid restrictions, smaller luggage allowances, unsociable travel times and airlines that seem to be developing more ways of making more money but becoming less family friendly as the years go by.

Holidays are essential to help us wind down and a break from our busy lives there are significant benefits and joys of traveling as well as the stresses. Children and adults alike just adore holidays and holiday memories are central to our own positive and happy childhood memories. By definition holidays are carefree, fun, pleasurable and entertaining and an escape from the daily grind. When you are traveling with children it can however be a challenge to balance the needs and desires of different members of the family which are often very different and in some cases competing. Parents want to wind down and relax while kids love being on the go, constant activity and sensory experiences. Traveling with kids is not without its sticky and stressful moments. Mine include sun cream in the eyes, vomiting bugs on planes and tantrums at the boarding gate so I am not coming at this with rose tinted glasses. I have also however had some dream plane journeys where it all went well and according to plan (better in fact than some trips to the Dundrum Town Centre!).Travel with children is however immensely rewarding whether at home or abroad to see the wonder and joy that they experience which often gives you vicarious pleasure. The hard part is getting there and good planning, research and keeping the kids entertained is the key.I believe for a successful holiday you need to assess what parents want and children want and try to achieve a balance. You also need to manage expectations both your own and those of the kids.

To achieve a good balance parents need to make the right choices in terms of accommodation, destinations, how and when you travel and the range of activities. Traveling with kids is all about compromises and sacrifices do have to be made.It was well argued that by Sarah that parents are selfish wanting only a holiday that suits them and that sun cream battles and long travel experiences are not the way to have a good travel experience with the kids and I can certainly see the point.

Parents who make sacrifices all the time however and do not travel at all with the kids may well begin to feel that they are missing out and resent this. Traveling abroad has huge benefits for both parents and kids. They include the ability to have experiences not available here in Ireland such as cultural, historical sporting experiences and of course the theme parks and water parks that seem to delight children of all ages. If you close your mind to traveling with the kids you will all miss out on these experiences. The trick is to get it right and not to make sacrifices all the time or not all. Essentially get the balance right.A good mix of home and abroad holidays may well be the answer as we do of course have a huge amount to offer here in Ireland and home holidays can bring great family experiences too.

First blog on the site-Give power to the parents

admin — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:30:00 GMT

Hi everyone,

My name is Tara Cosgrove and I am the editor of the Sticky Fingers Travel website.

This blog post is a first in many respects. It is the first blog on this site and believe it or not my first personal blog. It has also been uploaded on the eve of the official launch of the stickyfingerstravel website tomorrow the 21st of May 2008 which really adds to the excitement and in many respects the nerves and sense of anticipation. I will keep you posted along the way about how we are getting on really look forward to reading your own blogs and travel experiences through the forum.

Our forum is a cornerstone of the Sticky Fingers Travel website.The benefits of getting advice from other parents are significant when planning your family holiday. Other parents have no agenda will not call something family friendly or a child friendly just because it suits their commercial purposes which we are sorry to say we have seen far too often.

Social networking is a major phenomenon among both travellers and parents. Few people will now book a hotel or self-catering accommodation without at least checking how it has been received on trip advisor or another travel review site. Parents also get great support and information from parenting websites such as rollercoaster.ie, Eumom.com and magicmum.com. Our aim is to provide a platform for parents to swap travel tips and seek advice from other parents in similar circumstances.

The Web is not about crowd-think, but rather about amalgamating and sifting the results of many people's independent opinions on particular subjects. This approach is the essence of Google's success-the more people who vote for a website or search for words used on a site the higher it ranks in Google.The shift from organization power to customer power continues, as customers use the Web to organize themselves like never before. The Web gives organizational tools to the customer. The ability to organize 100 or 10,000 people used to be the exclusive domain of nations or well-funded private companies. Not anymore as parents and travellers organise themselves to make the right travel and holiday choices.

According to a recent survey by ebookers.ie over 91% of travellers now conduct their travel research online. The internet is now the clear channel of choice regarding the planning and buying of travel products. Irish people have effectively become their own travel agents.

Hopefully the Sticky Fingers Travel website will meet the needs of parents who are often short on time and need good and reliable advice.Watch this space.

Bye for now

Tara

Welcome to Sticky Fingers Travel Blogs!

admin — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:40:00 GMT

A weblog (blog) is an online journal you can use to share thoughts, ideas, gripes, project status, or anything else you want. Blogs allow you to be a contributor rather than just a bystander and here you can share your travel experiences and give your views and tips to others.

Postings are arranged chronologically and can be categorized depending upon how the administrator has configured the system. You can view a post by clicking on the title from the home page where all users' posts are collectively shown. Once viewing a blog you can read other posts by that person or provide comments on postings.

Creating new posts is quick and easy. If you have the ability to post you should see a link (usually on the left) on your weblog's home page: new post. Clicking on this link takes you into your blogs administration pages for creating new posts.

If you don't have the ability to post, contact the site administrator and ask for your own blog.

Happy Blogging!