MY HUSBAND AND I ARE SPENDING CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK AND NEW YEAR'S EVE IN TOKYO. THIS IS A LONG-AWAITED TRIP WITHOUT YOUNG CHILDREN, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE IN A MEMORABLE, GROWN-UP WAY. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST?
S. CHING, RANDWICK
In New York you'll want to take in the Christmas window displays along Fifth Avenue between 59th Street and Macy's at 34th. Don't miss the giant Christmas tree and maybe put on skates and take a turn around the ice-skating rink at the Rockefeller Centre. On Christmas Eve you might like to take in the carols in Washington Square Park. The city's performing artists put their best foot forward for Christmas and one of the highs of the season is the York City Ballet nycballet.com performing George Balanchine's version of The Nutcracker, a traditional favourite. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is precision dancing as you've never seen it before, also at the Rockefeller Centre http://musichall-ny.com/.
Christmas dinner is not such a food fuss in the US, but The Plaza fairmont.com would be a good choice if you want your Christmas dinner with pomp and circumstance.
If you're still in New York City on December 26, the post-Christmas sales are something you won't want to miss.
In Tokyo, great places to soak up the atmosphere on New Year's Eve are the neighbouring Shinjuku and Shibuya districts, where the bars, nightclubs, cafes and restaurants will be packed and pumping.
The centre of New Year's Eve celebrations is Tokyo Bay, the scene of a huge fireworks display. Another takes place at Tokyo Tower.
Midnight on December 31 also marks the beginning of the honourable tradition of hatsumode, signalled by the ringing of temple bells 108 times. Many Japanese will take part in hatsumode, the first visit to a shrine or temple of the new year. Expect a festive atmosphere and big crowds at places such as the Meiji Shrine and Sensoji in Asakusa.
MY FAMILY OF TWO ADULTS AND THREE CHILDREN AGED 5, 7 AND 9 ARE HEADING TO SINGAPORE IN JULY. I WANT TO COMBINE A SINGAPORE BREAK AT SOMEWHERE KID-FRIENDLY ON SENTOSA ISLAND, HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS WELCOME, WITH A TRIP TO LEGOLAND IN MALAYSIA. HOW DO WE GET THERE AND CAN WE BOOK A PRIVATE TRANSFER?
E. CARTER, BUNDANOON
Sentosa Island is all about family entertainment and whichever hotel you choose, those kids will be well catered for.
The Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa www.shangri-la.com would be my pick of the accommodation, with the Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa singaporeresortsentosa.com and the Capella Singapore capellahotels.com close behind.
Sentosa's family-friendly attractions include the S.E.A. Aquarium, Nature Discovery, Adventure Cove Waterpark and the Universal Studios entertainment complex. The island gets crowded on weekends with families from Singapore and Malaysia, so keep this in mind when planning your daily activities.
YourSingapore yoursingapore.com, the country's official tourism website, has plenty of information to help you plan your trip.
LEGOLAND is not too far away from Sentosa Island, just the other side of the Johor Strait, which separates Singapore from Malaysia. WTS Travel wtstravel.com.sg operates a bus service to LEGOLAND, departing from the Newton Circus Car Park in Singapore, close to the Newton Circus MRT Station. Alternatively, Travel Delight traveldelight.biz does private two-way transfers and the price for your family is just slightly higher than the WTS Travel service bus.
Singapore schools will be on holidays in July and you might want to avoid LEGOLAND over the weekend, when many families visit.
MY INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS AMTRAK'S SOUTH-WEST CHIEF LOS ANGELES TO FLAGSTAFF SERVICE DEPARTS AT 6:45 PM. I'D RATHER SEE THE MOJAVE AND SIERRA NEVADA IN DAYLIGHT AND NOT ARRIVE IN AN UNFAMILIAR CITY AT 4:15AM. ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS? BUS? HOW DO I GET TO THE BUS STATION IN LA? THE REST OF MY TRIP WILL BE SELF DRIVE BUT I CAN'T FIND RENTALS IN FLAGSTAFF, ONLY AT THE LOCAL AIRPORT, AND YOU RECOMMEND AVOIDING AIRPORT RENTAL DESKS.
P. EVERETT, HAWKS NEST
Bus is another option. Greyhound greyhound.com pegs this as a 12-hour, 25-minute journey if you were to leave Los Angeles on their 8:15am departure, which would mean you could take in the scenery along the way and arrive at a not too late hour in Flagstaff. What you won't be seeing is the Sierra Nevada. The bus route from Los Angeles to Flagstaff follows Route 40, which circles the southern perimeter of the Mojave National Preserve, but well south of the Sierra Nevada.
Probably the most convenient Greyhound bus station for you is going to be the one at 1716 E 7th Street, Los Angeles. This is at the heart of Downtown LA and any hotels in that area would put you within just a short taxi ride of the bus terminal. A better place to look for accommodation would be the Beverley Hills/West Hollywood/Mid-Wiltshire district, about 15 kilometres from the bus terminal. Taxi from your hotel would be the best way to get to the US terminal.
Several car rental operators including Avis, Budget, and Enterprise have agencies in downtown Flagstaff, most likely close to wherever you'll be spending the night.
CONVERSATION OVER TO YOU …
The question was, "What was your first overseas holiday, and do the memories live on?"
A. Radford writes, "I travelled by ship through the Panama Canal to Europe on a working holiday 40 years ago when I was 19, then around Europe on two separate camping trips. On the first one I met my future husband. In April this year we flew to Paris, where we first spoke to each other. It had been the first overseas holiday for both and still brings back special memories."
From M. Wilson, "My first trip overseas was to the UK in 1982 when I was in my early 20s. Growing up in country NSW, reading Famous Five books and the Poldark series, I wanted to experience the Dorset and Cornwall of those books. I chose Polperro and as we drove to this beautiful village, the craggy coast, quaint villages and friendly farmers giving us directions could all have stepped from the pages of those books."
L. Silber writes, "I have fond memories of my first overseas trip in the '70s and living and working on a kibbutz near Haifa, travelling with two Swiss girls to the Greek Islands and then to their homes in Berne and Geneva, and catching the Magic Bus to London on my own. It was the beginning of my lifelong passion for travel."
D. Clancy writes, "My first overseas trip was 34 years ago, my honeymoon to Fiji, so of course it brings back fond memories. The plane was full of honeymooners all in their going-away outfits."
From L. Punch, "Ireland in 1980, where I joined a Contiki tour where we travelled around the isle in a small van. The cassette collection was minute and America's Greatest Hits was on constantly. Every time I hear A Horse With no Name I'm transported to Ireland, and bliss."
Next question: Paris is one of our most loved destinations, but does the recent terrorist attack rule it off your wish list?
Send your response to tripologist@fairfaxmedia.com.au. The best will win a Lonely Planet guidebook.
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Include your name and your suburb or town and send it to tripologist@fairfaxmedia.com.au. All published questions will win a Lonely Planet guidebook.
