For the few hostels that I have stayed in, I have been quite impressed at the cleanliness and services that were offered. There are those which are clearly geared toward the younger budget traveler, but others offer private rooms and bathrooms.  When Shing Mon Chung of HostelBookers offered to write about hostels I thought this a great match and perhaps new information for the family traveler. The following post is from Shing.

Trips to museums, ice-creams, theme park rides, souvenirs; things start adding up on a family holiday. Perhaps this is why family hostels are currently on the up. Now offering private or family rooms, hostels help you save money on family accommodation and they throw in plenty of little extras too.

 Aside from the price of a room, facilities like games rooms, TV lounges, Playstations or Wiis and internet kiosks mean you can keep the kids happy for a few hours without spending a penny. Besides, after a day of sightseeing, children and adults alike will fancy some ‘time out’ back at the hostel.

 Hostels are totally geared up for budget travellers and are often the best places to quiz staff about family-friendly restaurants and cheap things to do in the area. They can also advise you about excursions and it is not uncommon to be offered a free city tour.

 Where family hostels really come out on top is by providing self-catering facilities – unheard of in hotels. In the common kitchens you can store food, throw together some packed lunches and prepare light suppers. On top of this, breakfast is often included in your room rate so you can forget about forking out for three meals in a restaurant every day.

For a city break…

San Francisco is a dream for kids – and parents too because you’ll have no problem thinking up ways to keep the them busy! Golden Gate Park has activities enough to fill a couple of days including rowing boats, bikes for hire, a quaint Japanese tea garden and the de Young museum which was voted Best Museum by California’s own Child Magazine. The Castro Theatre is a fabulous 1920s movie palace with sing-a-long shows and don’t forget the atmospheric Alcatraz prison which calls for an exciting boat ride. The Adelaide Hostel and Hotel can handle groups up to 6 so it’s perfect for large families. Your free breakfast includes fresh bagels, scones, oatmeal and fresh fruit. There are self-catering facilities, free internet kiosks and they also offer a free city tour.

For a beach holiday…

Sicily boasts some stunning stretches of coastline and also some wonderful cuisine and archaeological sites to make this an idyllic family holiday destination. In Siracusa you can find the beautifully preserved Teatro Greco which hosts spectacular events in the summer. The historic centre is the island of Ortigia with lovely piazzas, a Duomo and cobbled streets for evening walks. Pack up the car with a picnic and make day trips to the lovely sandy beaches about 8km south of the town including Avola and Fontane Bianche which has a nice shallow seabed – ideal for children. LolHostel Siracusa is a lovely new hostel with impressive architectural features including a pleasant courtyard with tables and brollies. They can offer en suite family rooms sleeping 3 to 8 people with air-conditioning, linen, towels and breakfast included. There is a TV lounge and a games room to keep the kids happy too.

For an adventure…

As one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet, Costa Rica makes for an exciting and colourful family trip. In the Cloud Forests of the Monteverde Reserve you can marvel at the resplendent quetzal or reach dizzying heights on a canopy tour. Hostel Cabinas El Pueblo can organise all sorts of activities for families including horse-riding, trips to the spectacular Arenal volcano or guided hikes through the rainforest. Mums can treat themselves to a massage or pedicure! They offer quad rooms with TVs and some boast balconies. Breakfast is included and they also have self-catering facilities, a games room and a comfy lounge area. From the airport a cheap and handy pick-up service is available.

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Parents, are you looking for a way to get the kids outside and include some education? The Land’s End National Recreation area, located at the north-west part of San Francisco has the best of both worlds.  The park is home to plenty of hiking trails and a great art museum. The coastal trails have some of the most renowned views in California and arguably the entire United States.

The main trailhead starts at the beginning of the recreation area, next to a gorgeous neighborhood which leads into the park.  Sometimes shrubbery lines the edge of the trail for the safety of hikers (there are real cliffs) but then the shrubbery subsides and incredible views open up time and time again. The first observation spot offers views of Golden Gate Bridge to the east, Marin Headlands to the north and the vast depths of the Pacific Ocean to the west as far as the eye can see. The main trail ends after about 45 minutes of light walking. To get back, hikers retrace their original steps. 

A great detour on the way back is a museum called “The Legion of Honor” which houses works of art from artists like Picasso, Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet and many others.  The museum is visually appealing and, as the name suggests, looks much like a palace. The entrance is quite enchanting with large statues of horseback warriors.  There is a section on ancient art and a small café where, at the end of a long day, a family can sit down for a snack together and discuss the day’s impressions.

Lead Photo credit: Mark Pritchard, SFmetblogs.com

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These words are spoken practically daily by my boys. We are deep in a phase (after over a year can I still call this a phase?) where everything gets labeled as “good guy” or “bad guy”. By everything I include cars that we pass along the road, certain lego pieces, you name it.  This moment of play inspired an impromptu trip to San Francisco. I thought both of them might really enjoy seeing the baddest of the bad guy jails. It was time to take them to…. dun dun duuuuuuunnnn…. the Rock.

Alcatraz, one of the highest security prisons of its time, is affectionately called the Rock. It is located on a small island one and a half miles off the shores of San Francisco. The most notorious history of Alcatraz includes the 29 years it served as a federal prison beginning in 1934. Its less popular history, but equally fascinating, includes its early beginning as a jail for Civil War prisoners as far back as 1861. The prison was decommissioned  in 1963 due to erosion and it’s high cost to maintain. About six years later it was occupied by a group of Native Americans who laid claim to the land. Though the occupation lasted only around nineteen months, the take-over is defined as a key movement in the Native American independence. Following a succession of demands at Alcatraz, the U.S. government returned excess, unused lands to several tribes. Graffiti from this period of history can still be easily seen around Alcatraz.

I am well-aware that this is a very popular tourist destination. I have heard warnings that getting tickets requires advanced reservations. Still, this was not on a weekend and it is not summer break anymore. I thought buying same-day tickets would still be possible.  Not exactly. Tickets were sold out for the next two days. I had to come up with a plan B quickly. Judging from my youngest’s vocal “expression of disappointment”, plan B better involve a boat. 

Luckily, a few piers away is the Blue and Gold Fleet which offers hour-long tours of the bay, including a cruise around Alcatraz Island. Here’s the kicker… we happened to be visiting the day before Fleet Week. During the weekend of Fleet Week  military ships are open for the public to visit, and there is an air show including the Blue Angles. The day before the air show, these planes do a practice run. Luck would have it that we were riding the ferry during the hour that the blue angels were in the sky. I use the term “in the sky” lightly because they were practically skimming the water at times. It was an incredible show, and quite by accident I think we got one of the best seats in the house.

The day of our trip I was apprehensive about traveling so far without a plan and back-up plan in my hip pocket. Today I am already dreaming of our next trip to San Francisco. The kids have several days off in November, and fall is a fabulous time to head to the City. I have the Alcatraz ticket reservation number pinned to the calendar. But as for the rest of the day, I think plan A will be to embrace the art of  exploring in the moment.

Today I am participating in the Mondays are for Dreaming series hosted by Mara at Mother of All Trips. Check out her site for more travel dreams.

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As it turns out, today is a furlough day for teachers locally. The kids and I will be heading to San Francisco. I have barely a sketch of an itinerary. No self-respecting travel-addict would leave so ill prepared. But I have confidence that we will find something wonderful.  After all, we had Seattle.

Today is Photo Friday. Check out inspirational photos and stories at Delicious Baby.

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•  must be in northern California
•  wheelchair accessible
•  have a table long enough to accommodate nine
•  have a place for kids to run around
•  be pet friendly

This isn’t too much to ask for, right?  

We have found two locations, count’em, two. This year I was ready to add one more. I must say, I think I scored big time family points with this one. Permit me a few moments to brag about the Inverness Valley Inn.

Great Location: Not only does it happen to stand less than a three hour drive from everyone, (Well, almost everyone. Sorry Aunt Jeannie.) but it lies in a stunning area of California. Inverness, near the more popular town of Point Reyes, is surrounded by water and wildlife. On the west shore of  Tomales Bay and fifteen miles from the Pacific Ocean at Drake’s Bay, it is a hot spot for kayakers. The bird watchers in our group were also impressed with the array of coastal bird species they found just from the grounds of the Inn. Other wildlife that you can view around Point Reyes include elk, whales, and elephant seals. There are a vast number of hikes of all levels for the meanderer up through to the power hiker. Nice beaches are also scattered around the bay. In short, there is no shortage of outdoor activities to occupy your time.

Incidentally, this has been a getaway spot for residents of the bay area as far back as the early 1900s. Small steamboats took daytrippers down the bay to secluded beaches. They left from Brock Schreiber’s boathouse (pictured above), which is still a prominent local landmark.

Room to Play: When you turn into the driveway of the Inverness Valley Inn you are entering a fifteen acre compound. It is spacious with plenty of grassy areas surrounding each set of cottages. Though the entrance is immediately off of a highway, the trees surrounding the property insulate you from the outside world. Here within the borders you will find a swimming pool (filled with salt water), a hot tub, tennis courts, and a mini eco-farm. Toward the back of the property a trail leads to Mount Vision.

An Onsite Farm: You are likely already aware of my fondness of farms. So the fact that we were sharing the property with seven goats, six sheep, an alpaca, a llama and dozens of chicken was like icing on the cake for me. They were contained within a locked gate at night and taken to selected areas of the property to graze during the day.  A noteworthy tip: sometimes their grazing area is cordoned off by a portable electric fence. Kids should be monitored when approaching the animals. When the herd is moved to their evening location, guests are permitted to help feed the animals. Owners of the Inn will sometimes divvy up extra eggs from the chickens amongst their guests as well.

Separate Rooms Close Enough to Feel Joined: Alright I’ll say it: a happy family vacation is one where we have a little room away from each other. It’s hard to appreciate the amount of energy our two wound-up boys can bring. No one else should have to. At least when they are being rowdy, I feel a little better knowing that someone isn’t trying to read in the next room. Still, I don’t want the separation to feel so great that you can’t wander over to visit without it becoming a mini trek. At Inverness Valley Inn the cottages are four-plexes. Our porch sat right beside the grandparents’. This meant that when we heard their door open in the morning, the kids would bounce over for some breakfast while we all planned out our day.  As simple as it sounds, this relaxed morning gathering has become a family routine that I look forward to on our vacations.

Roomy: After the little ones are nestled in their beds, our family tradition is to gather around, shuffle up and deal. Sometimes it is poker, sometimes we’ll have a greater interest in a board game. Really, the game is just a vehicle to chide, tease and otherwise bond with each other. So having at least one room where everyone has a place at the table is non-negotiable. Here the largest bedroom was also considered the living space, so it was plenty big. The smaller bedroom (if you pick a “family suite”) was also spacious. The bathroom even included a tub, which is a nice bonus when you are staying more than a few days with kids.

Heart and Care:The owners of Inverness Valley Inn bought the property and moved from Berkeley several years ago. They had the vision of creating a sustainable environment, which now includes an organic garden and animals that provide milk, eggs, and wool. (Yes Julie, the owner, spins the wool herself!)  This property is not simply a business investment, it is a passion for this family. You can see them each morning doing the chores that maintaining such a large property requires. How does this matter? For me, this stands out for several reasons:

I love that I get to be a party to someone’s passion. From our short chat I could hear the care that went into each business decision. For example, they retrofit the swimming pool so that it has salt water in order to minimize the amount of chemicals that a pool often contains. 

I love that I get to share the dream that one can live in large part from what you have grown.  It is clearly a lot of work. I don’t think I could do it, but I am happy to support those who work toward that end.

I love the feeling that I am visiting a home.  When I plan out our vacation for next year, I will no doubt want to connect again and see what changes have happened.  At least for the next few years, I think the Barretts will have a great place to vacation together.

Inverness

We received a discount on our stay in exchange for writing about our experiences there.

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There he is, our host Marlin Perkins, riding through the plains of Africa. He and his crew are following a herd of wild buffalo whose water source is quickly drying up. The herd must be relocated. Marlin and his group of biologists move in. But wait, the largest female is indicating a readiness to charge. She is protecting her young. Marlin is no match for this 2,000 pound beast. Insert dramatic superhero-like music.

At that age it was hard not to notice that looking at a (usually motionless) anaconda through a glass window at the zoo was a far different experience than seeing how one of those snakes could wrestle down an antelope for dinner. I wanted to jump into the tv and ride along with Marlin. Then many years later I learned that even people who don’t have tv shows could actually travel to these far off places and head out onto the plain to see native animals in their own habitat. My dreams of  being on a safari quickly took root and quite honestly have never completely disappeared.  I don’t imagine I will find myself in Africa anytime soon, but I did enjoy a scaled down version not long ago on the plains of Interstate 5.

A bit south of the town of Roseberg, OR is the smaller town of Winston. Here lies Wildlife Safari, the largest animal park I have ever been to. There are two components to it, one is the “Village” where you’ll find the store, food, a petting zoo, a place where kids can ride a camel, and a few reptiles on display.

The second component to the park is the drive-thru safari. It takes about an hour to complete your route, which stretches through sections of the park labeled as various continents. For example, in Asia you can watch Sika deer, camel, emu, and more  just walking about nearby. In Africa you can drive near giraffe, elephants and a hippo. We were lucky to be in the park about a week after a baby zebra was born. The zebra mom was focused on the foal, unconcerned about the onlookers driving through her territory. Some of the park’s residents are within a fenced location, such as the lions and cheetahs. Most of the other animals we were able to slowly drive past.

Taking a drive through acres of land while the deer and the antelope play was far more safari-esque than walking through a zoo. But if you really want to go Marlin Perkins style you can go from this:

   to this:

Wildlife Safari offers many opportunities to get up close with the animals.  You can ride a camel, feed a giraffe, even have your car washed by an elephant. There is no guarantee how much attention you will get from the animals. Having a bucket of yummy fruit available was incentive enough for this giraffe to come closer to the safari vehicle. We were advised, though, they will leave whenever they feel like it. Sure enough, when our friend’s favorite goodies were gone he moseyed his way back to his shaded area. 

We also had the pleasure to meet some of the elephants close-up with their trainer. One of the elephants produced some artwork right in front of us. His trainer gave him some sponges with paint on them, and he covered a canvas to his liking using his trunk. The artwork was put on sale in the gift shop. According to the trainer, each of the three elephants have their own unique style of painting; one uses long broad strokes while another has a more short but meticulous technique.

There are quite a few kinds of encounters you can sign up for, both free and up to $10 per person extra. I personally really enjoyed, as did the kids, feeding the giraffe. Of the guests I talked with, most of whom happened to be locals, the elephant car wash seemed to be the favorite animal encounter. It seems worth it to me, if you are spending several hours here anyway, to be able to talk with the trainers in a small group setting and learn and connect with any particular animal. If, however, the budget is tight, the Village offers a way for young kids to run around and enjoy animal encounters of a different kind.

Hey, every good buffalo-relocator has to start somewhere.

Today’s post is part of “Mondays are for Dreaming” at Mother of All Trips. Check out the site for more travel dreams.

Wildlife Safari provided my family with tickets in exchange for a review of our own experience there.

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Luckily this summer we had quite a few. Here is the one I have been itching to tell you about. All you have to do is say, “So what was one of your favorite parts of your trip through the northwest?”  Or perhaps you’d rather ask, “What excursion surprised you the most?”  Go ahead,  ask me.

Now pull up a chair and let me tell you about our dune buggy trip. We were heading down the coast of Oregon and approaching an area known for its sand dunes. I ask you, who could pass by these hills of sand and not want to skid around on them a bit? Granted, I have never taken a dune buggy trip before. As much as I enjoy doing what the locals do, I wasn’t sure what we might be getting into. When I think of a dune buggy trip, I think of this:

And this:

So I researched a few places in search of the most little-kid friendly kind of trip.  Luckily for me my kids are still young enough to use this excuse.

What I found was this:

I call her Bertha. Don’t all cars need a name? She lives in Florence, Oregon at a place called Sandland Adventures.  Bertha will take groups out for an hour-long tour of the dunes and beach. I seriously debated whether the tour might be too tame. (Are those ALL senior citizens in the picture on their website?) While Sandland also offers high-speed sand rail tours, I had no idea how my three-year old would react. Following the better-safe-than-sorry logic, I opted for Bertha. After all, no one wants to be part of a tour where someone is screaming to get off.  (Besides, my screaming would embarrass my kids.)

 The two kids and I were seated in the front, directly across from the driver. Though it got chilly at times, I would say this was the best seat in the house. The trip started out at a very gentle pace; a good opportunity for the kids to get used to the bumpiness and feel of being in a dune buggy. As we were cruising, our driver told us about the area’s background and natural history. It turns out much of the grass that grows on the sand is not native. The fast-growing grass was introduced as a way to keep the sand out of the water channels. Now the grass has taken over and naturalists are working on a way to restore the area back to sand. How ironic that the cost to unfix what we did is probably much higher than what we spent to fix an issue in the first place. But I digress.

After about fifteen minutes we left the flat lands and entered the big dunes. Though it wasn’t high speed, there were certainly several hills that took us up and down practically vertically. I found it nearly impossible to capture the essence of the slope on film. This is as close as I can get to showing our descent. Best of all my kids, who avoid roller coasters at all costs, absolutely loved the ride. Our guide stopped a few times to give us tips on how to identify your location while on the dunes should you need help, how to tell if a hill is safe or not, and to show us a few small lakes that seemed to appear out of nowhere within the dunes.

I’ll be the first to admit, I was surprised at how much fun this trip was. The price was reasonable, paraticularly since I had no idea if we would love it or hate it. Our guide was terrific and really helped me appreciate the magnificence of the area. If you care to hang out a while, Sandland Adventures also has bumper boat rides, go carts, a miniature golf area and more.  All in all, we each voted it a big thumbs up.

 That reminds me of the trip we took back in….. what leaving so soon?

Photo credit for top two pictures: USA Today and 4x4offroads.com

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ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum

Think a science museum is too complex for a toddler? The ScienceWorks Museum may in fact be a museum, but to young kids this is simply a great place to play.  Parents who love science may feel compelled to point out the system of weights, counterweights, pulleys and springs that are behind the exhibits. Or not. You can just as easily hang out while your little one explores water features, drives a mini crane, makes balls disappear into vacuum tubes, and explores the ship-shaped playhouse. Bring a book, the rooms in this museum can keep little hands  (and minds) busy for long periods of time.

The bubble-ology room is not to be missed. Standing in the middle of a bubble is much harder than it looks. It took a lot of persistence for my little one to hold still so as not to pop the bubble as it went over his head. Finally his persistence paid off. 

The flight room was equally fun. At different stations kids can make paper airplanes or helicopters. These creations can then take flight either by throwing them or with the assistance of small fans pointed skyward. Another exhibit in this room offers kids the ability to drive a jet that is placed in a wind tunnel.  You can control the speed of the wind and the slope of the plane and watch the effect on the plane’s stability.

Surprisingly, one thing that stood out for me were the snack options. Having stayed longer than I had expected, we needed a snack and I was coming up empty. The museum has a small refrigerated cooler with a few shelves. I don’t  expect healthy options from a snack machine, but inside were items such as string cheese, nuts,  and sandwiches. It was not gourmet, but a welcome selection when I figured I’d have to take whatever was available.

Lithia Park

This park stretches out from downtown plaza for 93 acres. (That’s right, 93!)  In the early 1900′s land bordering Ashland Creek was designated as city-owned for use as a park. A water spring containing high amounts of lithia was also discovered at Emigrant Creek. The city decided to invest in plumbing to pump the “healthful” minerals into the park grounds.  Today the park also features two duck ponds, many beautiful bridges, a musical stage, a playground, tennis courts, an ice rink during winter, and miles of hiking trails.

The playground is large enough to accommodate the amount of kids a bustling Saturday can bring. We spent a fair amount of time there, particularly at the rope tower. Once my kids discovered the nearby stream, where you can kick off your shoes and play in the water, there was no moving on any further. This section of the stream is paved with aggregate so that walking around is not dangerous for the little kids. I would still recommend having waterproof shoes on, as you never know what objects can find their way to the bottom of a popular stream.  

Downtown Plaza Stores

I don’t generally enjoy shopping. Add kids in tow, and I pretty much avoid any store I can. Particularly ones with cute or colorful toys that I will have to pry away from whichever kid has grabbed them off the shelf.  You have to know this about me to understand how taken back I was with some of the stores here. It should probably come as no surprise that an artistic community such as Ashland would offer plenty of costumes and imaginative play accessories. I believe it was the Hemporium that also sold wigs of all shapes and sizes. Children’s books were a’plenty as well, a personal weakness of mine. Tree House Books is conveniently located across the street from Lithia Park. Another great downtown find is The Northwest Nature Shop. This outdoor store offers a variety of kids’ activities, even things that can be used while traveling.

Two restaurants we tried were both excellent and very kid-friendly. Munchies is central to the plaza (59 Main Street). The front door is below street level so be sure not to miss it. We also stopped in Zoey’s Cafe, an ice-cream parlor with great soup and sandwiches.

For older kids 

Additional activities that might be fun to try when my little ones are a bit bigger include riding the two 280 foot flume water slides at Emigrant Lake. Only six miles SE of Ashland, the lake also has many hiking trails, a marina, RV and tent sites, boat access, swimming and fishing.

Older kids might also enjoy the skateboard park that is close to downtown. It is easily three times the area that this picture shows. Bikes are also welcome here.

This post is part of Mondays are for Dreaming series hosted by Mara at Mother of All Trips. Check out her site to see more travel dreams.

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One morning when he began his walk, he felt many footsteps pass him by. He thought he must be near a very special place. He hoped he would be able to reach this special place and see it for himself.

Then a very kind boy, who saw the snail stretched out along the path, decided to show the snail the view. 

It was a spectacular view.

Then the boy’s brother came over
and he thought something was missing.

He came back with
a friend. 

And the spectacular view
became a very special place.

This post is part of Photo Friday hosted by Debbie at Delicious Baby. Check out her site to see more travel photos.

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Not knowing much about farming, and goat farms in particular, I had no idea what to expect. After we arrived, the owners Suzanne and Lanita greeted us and Lanita gave us a tour of the farm. We were introduced to the animals; milking goats, packing goats, many baby goats, and also chickens, pigs, a horse and several dogs. The tour also included a run-down of the vegetables growing in their garden which we were invited to pick. Frozen foods and milk (yes, goat milk) were available in their single-room store. Having arrived right around dinner time, we went ahead and picked out a package of home-made sausages and a half dozen fresh eggs. The kids helped me pick some fresh veggies. Thus we began our first farm stay with a fabulous dinner. 

Willow-Witt offers several lodging options to the overnight guest. There is a small apartment built directly next to the farm owners’ house. It has two queen beds in an upstairs loft (the stairs are quite steep!) and a pull-out couch downstairs. This guest house has a full kitchen and everything you need to cook with. Also on the property is a canvas tent with a queen bed, and other campsites where you can pitch your own tent. This tent area has a communal kitchen nearby. It is a bit of a trek to and from the main farm, probably about a ten minute walk. 

What I most looked forward to was being able to participate in some of the farm chores. Directly after dinner we were able to catch up with Jake, one of the employees, milking some of the goats. Chores are done once in the morning and once in the late afternoon. They include feeding the animals, moving pens (which allows the animals to feed on fresh grass), gathering eggs (and chicks who have managed to get out of their enclosure), and goat milking. Though I had in mind to come out for chores each day, the kids were not quite as enthusiastic. I tried to engage them even in watching others doing chores, but aside from the first night, they preferred playing together with some of the sticks they found on the ground. During part of our stay I watched other families who included older kids participate in the chores. They helped scoop food into buckets, gathered eggs, and one boy got very good at catching stray chickens. Though I had hoped my kids would jump at the chance at new responsibilities, I don’t mind at all that at this age they simply enjoyed the open space to play.

As guests we were given access to roam the farm whenever we wanted. One of my favorite parts was visiting the goats. The uncovered part of their living area was a large field. If you wandered through the field, a majority of the herd would follow you around the field. Again, this was far more fun for me than it was for my three-year old, who was about the same height as most of the goats. For the most part the goats were friendly, but some didn’t think much of what we consider “personal space”. Their tendency to crowd and natural inclination to taste your clothing was a bit much for Josh’s comfort level. In a few years he may fall in love with those big eyes as much as I did.

I couldn’t have asked for more from our stay at Willow-Witt. Lanita and Suzanne are obviously passionate about what they have built at Willow-Witt, and immediately I felt welcomed to enjoy and partake in it. I have since learned that the owners also bring local school groups and church groups onto their farm and teach them not only about how to care for the animals, but also how to care for the land. Part of the 40 acres is being restored as a wetlands and they have discontinued the practice of allowing cattle to graze on their land, in order to allow the native plants to thrive. This was a great experience for our family, one I hope to repeat in the next few years.

Our stay was partially compensated in exchange for an article on our experience at the farm. This article is an accurate reflection of our stay.

Ashland Vacations

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