Stingrays, otters, and belugas - visiting Vancouver Aquarium

 It's spring break right now for my kids: two weeks off school, and as usual we've been roaming around locally to entertain ourselves. My kids love the Vancouver Aquarium, so last week, that's where we ended up.

There's a brand new exhibit at the aquarium: Discover Rays Touch Pool, an interactive stingray exhibit where you get to put your hand in the water and actually touch the rays when they swim up to you and soar by. It was our first time experiencing this new attraction (it only opened on March 10th this year), but it was an instant hit with the kids. Judging by the crowd around the stingray pool, it was also a big hit with everyone else.

Peekaboo, sting ray!

Of course, there are some ground rules for this exhibit: you rinse your hands and arms (up to the elbow) in the provided faucets, you remove jewelry and roll up your sleeves, and you don't grab the stingrays. The advice is to just hold your hand flat under the water and let the rays touch you as they zoom and soar by. Worked a charm for us. You definitely want to wash your hands afterwards too, using some soap and water...

While the stingrays were definitely the highlight of this particular visit, my children also loved visiting with the otters (one of them was playing rather adorably with a ball at the time), and getting a real closeup look at the belugas in the Arctic exhibit below ground.

 We had one very curious beluga come up and take a good look at us through the glass, giving me a chance to get some pretty great photos.

As usual, we ate our packed lunch on the lower floor next to the dolphin pool, looking in through the glass at Helen, the Pacific white-sided dolphin, and Chester, the false killer whale rescued from a beach last year.

It was a gorgeous sunny day and also a very busy day at the Aquarium. I learned one thing: you should renew your membership online or over the phone, not at the Aquarium itself - at least not during spring break... Let's just say the lineup for membership signups and renewals was not moving all that quickly!

Once inside, there is a lot to see for kids and grownups: the frogs, all the different kinds of jellyfish, the tropical gallery with its snakes and monkeys and parrots, and a lot more. The Vancouver Aquarium is not a cheap place to go, but it remains one of those local places my kids never really get tired of visiting.

• For hours and rates, visit the Vancouver Aquarium's website. 
• To avoid lineups, buy your tickets or memberships online, or get your tickets at the vending machines outside the Aquarium.

Protecting yourself & your kids from mosquitoes

There has been a lot of talk in the media and elsewhere about the mosquito-borne Zika virus. The virus is currently known to circulate in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific, and it is carried by one specific kind of mosquito.

Here are some key facts from the WHO about the Zika virus:

• Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.
• People with Zika virus disease usually have symptoms that can include mild fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days.
• There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available.
• The best form of prevention is protection against mosquito bites.
• The virus is known to circulate in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.

While the Zika virus is the one getting the most attention recently, there are many diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes, including malaria. This is list is from the organization AMCA at their website mosquito.org:

• Malaria 
• Chikungunya
• Dog Heartworm
• Dengue
• Yellow Fever
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis
• St. Louis Encephalitis
• LaCrosse Encephalitis
• Western Equine Encephalitis
• West Nile Virus

If you are traveling anywhere where these mosquito-borne illnesses are present, you should speak with your doctor about how to protect yourself, and possible vaccines you should be aware of before heading out on your trip.

It's always a good idea to protect yourself and your children from mosquitoes: if only to avoid getting itchy and annoying mosquito bites. The three key words are: avoid, repel, treat. Avoid getting bitten, repel the mosquitoes, and treat the bites.



1. Avoid.
You can avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes by wearing clothing that covers your skin (light coloured clothing is said to be best for this purpose), and by using mosquito netting for beds, playpens, and strollers.

Use a net to cover your baby when they're in the stroller or sleeping in a crib. Covering up to avoid getting bitten is also a simple solution (though it can be a challenge if it's hot), and there are even special brands of light-weight clothing that helps keep the bugs away. For example:

• Bug Smarties Micromesh Performance Pants with Insect Shield
• White Sierra Youth Bug Free Long Sleeve Tee
• ExOfficio Women's Bugsaway Damselfly Jacket

2. Repel
Using mosquito repellent is a must if you're in mosquito-filled areas. Even when we're visiting Sweden in the summer (where we worry more about itchy bites than diseases), repellents are a must if we're heading into the woods. For babies and young children, you do want to pick and choose which repellents you use: certain chemicals - especially DEET - should be avoided, especially for very young kids.

There are mosquito-repellent bracelets you can use, but I haven't had much luck with these myself. Maybe my blood is just too delicious!

• Off! Mosquito Repellent Liquid Lotion for Kids
• Avon SKIN-SO-SOFT Bug Guard PLUS

 
3. Treat
If you do get bitten, a bit of relief is always nice. I've been using After Bite since the kids were babies, and I really like their products. Here are some other products that can help stop that itch:

• Itch Be Gone All Natural, Kid Safe Anti-itch Spray
• Mitigator Sting & Bite Scrub Treatment

Gorgeous kittens in Rismyrliden, Sweden

Going through my travel photos from our visit this past summer in Sweden, I came across these kitten pictures from Rismyrliden, Sweden. It's an old-time farm in the woods of northern Sweden, where visitors can see how people used to live in this part of the country, once upon a time.

My kids love visiting this place, and it's pretty easy to see why.

We also saw this absolutely beautiful cow:

I just feel that she's the supermodel of cows. Just look at that face!

Find out more about Rismyrliden on the official website!

7 tips for flying with kids & electronics

When I first started traveling (sometime in the pterodactyl-era), I didn't even own a cell-phone: no one I knew did. These days, things are very different: when I step on a plane these days, I usually bring not only my cell-phone, but my Kindle and probably my laptop, and my kids bring their tablets, too. Which is a good thing: technology helps us all stay in touch with friends and family, and can definitely help keep kids (and adults) entertained on long flights.

If you're flying with electronic devices, and especially if you're traveling abroad, there are some things to think about: here are 7 of my tips.


1. Check your data plan before you leave
Most people know about this these days, but it is still good to think about ahead of time. Check with your provider how much it will cost you to use mobile data when you're traveling, just so you don't end up with an astronomical bill when you return home. Use wifi when possible (it's available for free in so many places these days, including many hotels, airports and restaurants), and also make sure you've turned off any automatic updates on your device that might cost you.



2. Fully charge all devices before you leave
Seems obvious, but in the stressed-out mayhem that can reign before you go on a trip with your kids, it can be easy to forget charging your devices. Plug them in, and pack them fully-charged. You might still run out of battery power along the way, but at least you're as prepared as you can be. I know from experience that kids can really use up a lot of battery power if you experience a flight delay, or if you're on a long-haul flight.


3. Bring your cables with you - in your hand luggage
While it's usually pretty easy to remember our actual devices, is can be easy to forget the cables that go with those devices: bring them all, and keep them close. You might need them to recharge your phone or tablet during your trip, for example, if you get stuck at an airport because of a flight delay. There are some very nifty cable- and electronics organizers for travel - some hold hard drives and USB memory-sticks, as well as cables.


4. Bring converters and adapters
If you're traveling abroad, you might need to bring power converters or adapters in order to plug in all your various devices. I travel with several, and two of them allow for USB-charging as well. North American travelers: if your device (usually it's the laptop) has a three-pronged plug, make sure that you bring an adapter that allows for three prongs. Some converters and adapters only allow for a two-pronged plug.


5. Bring a power strip
This is something I hadn't really considered bringing until recently, but it makes sense and I will be bringing one on our next trip. Bring a power strip so that you can recharge several devices at once, using just one outlet. This can even be useful at airports: I've noticed people congregating around any and all power outlets at airports. At Keflavik Airport in Iceland, this meant a person sitting on the floor in the bathroom (of all places) to recharge her phone. If you bring a power strip, you might even make some new friends by offering others a chance to recharge their devices (if you have some extra space, that is).



6. Get a good cover for your device
It's an unfortunate reality that things you pack in your hand luggage might get squashed on a flight. Whether your bag goes in the overhead compartment, or under the seat in front of you, that bag might very well get flattened, crushed, and otherwise mauled. A good cover will protect your phone, tablet, laptop, or e-reader from damage. I have some nice and cheap travel covers for the kids' tablets, a neoprene sleeve for my laptop, and a little "cell-phone wallet" that protects my phone, and also holds a couple of credit cards.


7. Be ready to unpack your devices at security
When you go through security at the airport, you will usually be asked to remove any "large" electronic devices from your bag. In my experience, this always includes laptops, usually includes tablets, and sometimes includes cell-phones as well. The devices are then sent through the x-ray machine separately from the rest of your hand-luggage. Just be ready to remove them all, and keep them readily accessible in your bag. A backpack or bag with a separate compartment for your laptop or tablet can really help speed up the process at security. It also helps keep your device safe, so it's a win-win.