Terris Family Travel

22/03/2023

Our arrival in London was met with little fanfare. After transferring trains a couple of times and walking a kilometre to our rental van, we were set to get comfortable in our new transportation digs. The train had worked well enough for us but we were excited to move into our own wheels and take control of this part of the trip....

Our arrival in London was met with little fanfare. After transferring trains a couple of times and walking a kilometre to our rental van, we were set to get comfortable in our new transportation di…

14/03/2023

At the early stages of planning this trip we asked the kids where they wanted to go. All three said Paris. We knew we had to get there at some point, so we made sure of it. Also, it presented a great opportunity for the kids to put to use a language that they have been learning in school. It was safe to say that we intended to experience as much as we could during our time in Paris....

At the early stages of planning this trip we asked the kids where they wanted to go. All three said Paris. We knew we had to get there at some point, so we made sure of it. Also, it presented a gre…

11/03/2023

Our journey continued through the Alps by train where we had a short layover at the main station in Milan. Our trip through the mountains lent itself to some incredible views of the snow-capped mountains of the Alps and some beautiful mountain towns. Travel by train is amazing for taking in the landscapes and relaxing while enjoying a coffee and a snack....

Our journey continued through the Alps by train where we had a short layover at the main station in Milan. Our trip through the mountains lent itself to some incredible views of the snow-capped mou…

03/03/2023

After Cambodia we had intended to travel to Thailand and spend some time there, but instead decided that we were ready to move on from Asia and head to Europe. We ended up going to Bangkok for only three nights, but packed in a lot over those days....

After Cambodia we had intended to travel to Thailand and spend some time there, but instead decided that we were ready to move on from Asia and head to Europe. We ended up going to Bangkok for only…

09/02/2023

Tuk-Tuk Touring We were looking forward to heading south of Phnom Penh towards a more rural setting. Phnom Penh was very interesting and educational for us, but it was time for some rest and relaxation after a couple of intense days. Kampot province is around 200 kms south of Phnom Penh and close to the ocean. The region is know for its pepper plantations, salt fields, and durian fruit....

Tuk-Tuk Touring We were looking forward to heading south of Phnom Penh towards a more rural setting. Phnom Penh was very interesting and educational for us, but it was time for some rest and relaxa…

03/02/2023

The Choeung Ek Genocidal Center - (The Killing Fields) Tuol Sleng Genocidal Museum (S21 Prison) Note: This blog contains descriptions of things that could be difficult for some people to read. The most important part of recent Cambodian History is the genocide that occurred during the communist group Khmer Rouge’s efforts to ‘cleanse the population.’ These events are horrific and tragic, and difficult to understand....

The Choeung Ek Genocidal Center – (The Killing Fields) Tuol Sleng Genocidal Museum (S21 Prison) Note: This blog contains descriptions of things that could be difficult for some people to read…

01/02/2023

Beautiful Temples, Beautiful People From Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam we were headed northwest to Siem Reap, Cambodia. A short 1-1/2 hour plane trip later and we were landing at a relatively small airport in the middle of the Democratic Kingdom of Cambodia....

Beautiful Temples, Beautiful People From Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam we were headed northwest to Siem Reap, Cambodia. A short 1-1/2 hour plane trip later and we were landing at a relatively small air…

24/01/2023

After Hanoi we headed east towards the ocean. We planned to spend most of January in Vietnam, but were uncertain about staying during Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, which happens on January 21st....

After Hanoi we headed east towards the ocean. We planned to spend most of January in Vietnam, but were uncertain about staying during Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, which happens on January 21…

14/01/2023

We ended up staying in Hanoi for 5 nights. My first blog about Vietnam gave some initial impressions of the capital city, before we had done very much exploring. There are many things to do in Hanoi as a tourist and we ended up spending an entire day going to three places that were emotionally tiring for us all. The first one was the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and museum....

We ended up staying in Hanoi for 5 nights. My first blog about Vietnam gave some initial impressions of the capital city, before we had done very much exploring. There are many things to do in Hano…

08/01/2023

Well we made it, finally. It was not without some trials and tribulations though. We had initially planned to be here about a week sooner, but unfortunately we didn't have our visas in time, and couldn’t get them over the holidays quick enough to make our flight. Our mistake, to be sure, but as they saying goes 'to be fair..." it was a little difficult to get information we could felt we could trust about the visas....

Well we made it, finally. It was not without some trials and tribulations though. We had initially planned to be here about a week sooner, but unfortunately we didn’t have our visas in time, …

27/12/2022

A rice terrace in Ubud, Bali We came to Bali with limited knowledge of what to expect, and discovered a lovely island full of rich culture and beautiful people. Safe to say we fell in love. You can experience Bali so many different ways, and the way we chose to do it was simply one of them. I have a feeling that everyone you talk to who has been here will tell you different stories and unique experiences from ours....

A rice terrace in Ubud, Bali We came to Bali with limited knowledge of what to expect, and discovered a lovely island full of rich culture and beautiful people. Safe to say we fell in love. You can…

17/12/2022

Trying to decide where to head after our amazing trip to the Cook Islands proved to be somewhat of a challenge. We knew we had to head back to Auckland as there just aren’t any other options from Rarotonga, but where to from there? Our eventual plan was to head to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos, but flights from Auckland were proving to be difficult....

Trying to decide where to head after our amazing trip to the Cook Islands proved to be somewhat of a challenge. We knew we had to head back to Auckland as there just aren’t any other options from R…

08/12/2022

During our initial discussions about our 'Life Change Trip 2022' we discussed many possible destinations. Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Europe and Central America were among the main places we had focused on. There were also some periphery discussions about some of the South Pacific Islands such as Tahiti, Samoa, and Fiji. Not once did a place called the Cook Islands come up....

During our initial discussions about our ‘Life Change Trip 2022’ we discussed many possible destinations. Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Europe and …

03/12/2022

Downtown Auckland train station We boarded our flight for Auckland where we planned to stay for three nights while we readied ourselves for our next destination, Rarotonga in the Cook Islands....

Downtown Auckland train station We boarded our flight for Auckland where we planned to stay for three nights while we readied ourselves for our next destination, Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

02/12/2022

The Spectacular Milford Sound in Fiordland Our last few days in New Zealand were incredible to say the least. Our plan was to end up in Fiordland National Park to see the much talked about Fiords. As we headed south from Twizel our first stop was Queenstown for two nights....

The Spectacular Milford Sound in Fiordland Our last few days in New Zealand were incredible to say the least. Our plan was to end up in Fiordland National Park to see the much talked about Fiords. …

08/11/2022

There are so many different birds here in New Zealand than we are used to. We are having a lot of fun seeing the birds and learning about them as we go. The Kiwi is obviously the most famous of the bird species here, but they have quite a few that we don’t have in Canada. Here are some we’ve either encountered, or found interesting to learn about....

There are so many different birds here in New Zealand than we are used to. We are having a lot of fun seeing the birds and learning about them as we go. The Kiwi is obviously the most famous of the…

08/11/2022

As we drive further south the landscape changes again. We drive down the Desert Road, New Zealand's highest highway at a maximum elevation of 600 m above sea level. Their are many harsh looking plants along the way and the landscapes turn from greens to browns. A sign for their military tracing area flashes by, and in the distance you can see the peaks of the volcanoes in the Rangipo Desert....

As we drive further south the landscape changes again. We drive down the Desert Road, New Zealand’s highest highway at a maximum elevation of 600 m above sea level. Their are many harsh looki…

07/11/2022

Our journey from Rotorua took us more inland toward a popular tourist destination called Lake Taupo. A cool shot of Lake Taupo from downtown. Lake Taupo is a crater lake located in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. It is a massive body of water with a surface area of 612 square km (our Okanagan Lake is 348 square km by comparison.) We had driven through the thermal highway area and through a lot of farmland to get there....

Our journey from Rotorua took us more inland toward a popular tourist destination called Lake Taupo. A cool shot of Lake Taupo from downtown. Lake Taupo is a crater lake located in the caldera of t…

03/11/2022

Our past few days have been very educational and informative for us. Yesterday I had an opportunity to go for a walk into the redwood forest near where we are staying in Rotorua, and it gave me a c…

30/10/2022

We woke up at the farmhouse to a very wet, rainy morning. We had planned to make the drive up the Pacific Coast Highway around the Coromandel Peninsula, but the rain had the potential of disrupting those plans. We were sad to leave the farmhouse at Tui Ridge, but excited to see more of the North Island. The drive around the peninsula would add 3 hours to our trip today, or we could could cut across from Thames straight to Whititanga and skip out on the coast highway drive....

We woke up at the farmhouse to a very wet, rainy morning. We had planned to make the drive up the Pacific Coast Highway around the Coromandel Peninsula, but the rain had the potential of disrupting…

29/10/2022

After we left Auckland we headed south towards our next destination. We had found a full house with four bedrooms on a farm in the countryside. The drive was a little nerve wracking in the sense we were all starting to wonder where we were going to end up, it seemed quite far off the beaten path. Safe to say we were more than pleasantly surprised when we drove up to an extremely cute and cozy farmhouse on over 1000 hectares of farmland....

After we left Auckland we headed south towards our next destination. We had found a full house with four bedrooms on a farm in the countryside. The drive was a little nerve wracking in the sense we…

26/10/2022

Honolulu was really nice. It was about what I had pictured, only hotter and more humid. It’s a large city with the legendary Waikiki beach being a major attraction right downtown. We stayed at a hotel that was 400 metres from the beach, and somehow closer to great restaurants and even greater shopping. Truly it has everything our family loves. We could easily have spent 7-10 days on Oahu....

Honolulu was really nice. It was about what I had pictured, only hotter and more humid. It’s a large city with the legendary Waikiki beach being a major attraction right downtown. We stayed at a ho…

23/10/2022

We leave for Oahu today and after a short stay in Honolulu we are on to New Zealand. This has been a really enjoyable time. Lots of beach, some pool time, some sightseeing, and plenty of relaxing. We had a nice dinner out last night and talked about our highlights. Swimming with sea turtles, Poipu Beach, Lydgate Park, Waimea Canyon, the coconuts, and the snorkeling were some that came up....

We leave for Oahu today and after a short stay in Honolulu we are on to New Zealand. This has been a really enjoyable time. Lots of beach, some pool time, some sightseeing, and plenty of relaxing. …

20/10/2022

The next leg of the journey is a first for all of us. Hawaii. We chose the island of Kauai for our destination. We had looked at all our options and had heard that the pace was a little calmer here and less busy, and so far that’s been accurate. The kids did great on the 5 hour flight, our longest to date....

The next leg of the journey is a first for all of us. Hawaii. We chose the island of Kauai for our destination. We had looked at all our options and had heard that the pace was a little calmer here…

19/10/2022

Poipu Beach

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18/10/2022

A few days to catch up on here so I will do the best I can. Our ‘break day’ was the first day after three consecutive action packed days at Disneyland, and we needed a good chill day. We slept in a little later and took it easy while we came up with a plan for the day. Turned out laundry was a priority, so we had some pool time and did laundry....

A few days to catch up on here so I will do the best I can. Our ‘break day’ was the first day after three consecutive action packed days at Disneyland, and we needed a good chill day. We slept in a…

15/10/2022

Safe to say everyone had a blast! It took us a bit to get the app and lightning lane tricks figured out, but by the end Kelly had it dialled in we were getting in a ton of rides. Our last day we ended up doing 16 rides, which is a crazy full day. The kids really did amazing. Three long days with a lot of walking....

Safe to say everyone had a blast! It took us a bit to get the app and lightning lane tricks figured out, but by the end Kelly had it dialled in we were getting in a ton of rides. Our last day we en…