Family Traveler

Doyouhaveafavouritefamilydestination?I’dlovetotakeFélixtoNepalinacoupleofyears.Ithinkthepeopletherehaveawayoflookingattheworldthatwecouldalllearnfrom.Atjustfouryearsold,he’snottherightageyet,though–theawarenessneedstobethere.SpainisanothercountryIadore.IlovetheCataloniacountryside;theyaresowelcomingtochildren.``````Anytipsforfamilyholidaysuccess?Letgooftherulesyouhaveathome!WearestrictaboutTVathome,butonaplanehecanwatchtillhefallsasleep.Don’tplantoomuch,andtakeyourchildintoconsideration.Ifyou’recrossingatimezone,don’tover-planthefirstday.Andduringtherestofthetrip,plansomethingforyourselfandyourchild,sothere’sabalance.Kidsaresimple,theydon’tneedalot.``````Canyoutellusyourbestplacetostaythatwon’tbreakthebank?InKathmandu,Nepal,there’saplacecalledTheInn(theinnpatan.com)inPatan,whichisaround£50anight.Ithasacourtyardand 10 comfortablerooms,andthestaffaresofriendly.I’donlyjustarrived,andwithinanhour,themanager,Neema,tookmeonthebackofascootertomeetanNGO.``````Whereareyouofftonext?AftervisitingfamilyinFrance,I’mgoingbacktotheUStoeditmynewfilm,Tr ibes ontheEdge.Weshot 100hoursoffootage,soit’sgoingtotakesometime.I’malsogoingtoViennainMayforaconference,andtheBahamastofilmasequencewithsharks.n``````Findout moreaboutCélineandherworkatcelinecousteau.comThisissue,we’rehighlightingtheplightofoceans.Canyoutelluswhythistopicisclosetoyourheart?Ofcourse,therearetheobviousproblems,suchaspollution;buttherearesomanyotherfactors,suchassecurityandhumanrights.Wedependonthemarinesystemformanythings–food,naturalresourcesformedicineandcosmetics,transport,tourism,coastallivelihoods.IsupportcharitiesliketheWWF(wwf.org)andOceana(oceana.org),butalsosmallergroups,suchasMesoamericanReefSystemLeadership(marleadership.org),whichaimstoprotecttheplanet’ssecond-biggestreefbyteachingconservationistsskillsfornegotiation,communication,networking,leadershipanddealingwithglobalindustries.Whatwasyourfirstmemorableholiday?HolidaysformewereaboutFrance.IgrewupintheUS–myparentsmovedtoCalifornia–soIlovedgoingbacktomyrootsandspendingtimeinFrance.Fourtosixweeksofrunningaroundwithmycousins–itwasaveryhappytime.Wheredoyoutravelwithyourkids?WetookFélixawayalotwhenhewasyounger–theGalapagos,Quito,Taiwan,Japan,Korea–butthebestfamilyholidaywasahikeinthePyrenees.Hewastwo-and-a-halfandcouldn’twalkfar,sowehiredadonkey.Itwasagreatwaytotravel.Wesathimonthesaddleandwhenhewantedtogetoffhecouldhavealittlewalk.Wemadeiteasierbystayingataccommodationthatwasalreadysetup:asemi-permanenttentonacampsiteandacampervanonanotherproperty.I’mabigbelieverthatyoudon’thavetolimityourselfbecauseyouhavechildren,Ithinkit’sacaseofadapting.Ofcourse,it’smorecomplicated–butweshouldn’tlimitourselvesbythinkingwecan’tdoit.Whatitemsdoyounevertravelwithoutonafamilyholiday?IgiveFélixasmallbagandaskhimtopackhisowntoys.Thisway,hecancarryaroundhisfavouritethings.It’snotveryconvenient,butIalwayspackhisfavouritebooks.Luckily,he’scontenttoreadthesamebooksoverandoveragain.Andachildren’sfirst-aidkit,forthingslikecolds,afeverorcuts,isreallyimportant.``````Ifyoucouldbeanywhereintheworldrightnow,wherewoulditbe?Home(nearTouloninFrance),ahousemygrandparentsbuiltinthe1940s.MyotherhomeisinNewYorkstate,aroundtwohoursfromManhattan.Itravelsomuch,tomeit’sspecialtocomehome!Film-maker,explorerandenvironmentalistCÉLINECOUSTEAUtellsAmandaStathamaboutherconcernsforouroceans,abargaingetawayinNepalandhikingwithatoddler...‘YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIMITYOURSELF BECAUSE OF KIDS’thebestfamilyholidaywasahikeinthepyrenees–félixwastoosmalltowalk,sowehiredadonkeyforhimtorideQ&A140