Little Footsteps in the Big World

During our two-week stay in Indonesia in November 2023, we spent four days on the island of Lombok, part of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Similar in size to Bali but far less well-known, Lombok offered exactly what we were looking for - a calmer, more relaxed stay with the kids. It's an absolute tropical paradise and easily accessible from Indonesia's major cities. We flew in from Surabaya in East Java, where we had been staying, but you could also reach Lombok by fast boat from Bali. There are three main areas to stay on the island: Kuta, Senggigi, and Gili Islands. Kuta is a popular choice - though not to be confused with Kuta in Bali. Lombok's Kuta sits on the south coast and is especially loved by surfers. Senggigi is a bit calmer, while still offering easy access to shops and supermarkets. Gili Islands are small, car-free islands reachable by boats from Lombok. There are three to choose from, each offering a wide range of accommodation opstions.  We chose Senggigi as our b...

Spring in Belgium this year turned to be the season of heavy rains and cloudy days, so we decided to take a long weekend break and go a little further south for some sun and sea. We had never been to Canary islands and when I found a direct and cheap flight to Lanzarote from Brussels, it was a done deal. The short four-day vacation on the first week of June was a long needed getaway for our family, a little break from work and school. Weather was ideal, high of 26 degrees Celsius during the days, not too hot, but warm enough that we drove in a rented convertible on the island. Most importantly, the ocean was warm enough to swim in. Choose your base town. Teguise is a popular old town, close enough from the airport in Arrecife, and close enough to the main attractions on the island. Puerto del Carmen is another popular base town for tourists. We chose Playa Blanca on the far south of the island as our base and chose a hotel at Flamingo Beach with its calm waters ideal for the family wi...