In the third part of the review, we're going on vacation with the Millers. We find out how to book a vacation, look at the costs involved and see what new twists there are in vacationing for The Sims 2.

It's back over to Heather to tell us about it.

We're here in Three Lakes, found in upstate Simsconsin in the Simerican midwest. As I can't write a blog in this technologically barren wilderness, I'm writing a diary instead. Dad booked us on a four day and three night vacation and we're starting at Three Lakes. We quickly packed our bags as the airline shuttle was on its way immediately after he had booked it.

On the flight up here, I read the brochure. Apparently, there are quite a few good hotels offering comforts and relaxation. There is also a campsite. Did Dad book us into one of these cool hotels? Do bears flush after they've been?

The shuttle dropped us off outside the campsite. My first impression was that it was quite rugged but the scenery was beautiful. It also had a food stand with a burly chef who served up Chicken Pot Pie, Blackened Catfish and Flapjacks. Dad chatted with the cook about any local rumours and the cook mentioned apparently mentioned a wildman in the woods. Not sure whether he meant a survivalist, though, or something even weirder. Not sure if I liked that idea of running into a guy like that.

I hadn't even got my bearings when Dad asked if I wanted to go on a tour. As the Nature Trail that they had in mind cost §300 each, I used that as an excuse to help them save money ... and perhaps have enough to book us into a hotel later on in the tour.

So, a purple coloured people carrier (try saying that 4x in quick succession) pulled up and took Mom and Dad and the tour guide off on their nature trail. I stayed back at camp and started digging for treasure, but all I found was a bone ... and it squeaked. They were only gone for a few hours and were back for lunch where Dad told me that they'd seen a bear. Mom appeared a bit shaken up, but said she was fine.

I don't know if it's the fresh mountain air or what but I decided to book a tour just to see what it was like out there. The Logging Expedition sounded fun and it only cost §100 each so I booked Mom & Dad on it as well. I'd hoped they'd let me use an axe. Anyway, off we went and while out there, I came across a map to a hidden burrow. I'm going to check that tomorrow.

When we got back, we noticed some creepy guy dressed in a top hat and wearing a monocle. He looked a lot like a stereotypical melodrama villain. I've seen them in film studies. Anyway, he was lurking around outside the camping ground. The tour guide eyed him suspiciously. However, we were all very tired to follow it up. Even though it was still daylight, Mom & Dad chose to have an early night. I checked the tent out, but then went and had a shower instead in the basic washrooms and did some fishing before I decided to call it a night at about 10pm. I even caught a blue catfish and a jumbo sized rainbow trout. Not bad for a beginner. Anyway, time for bed. Talk to you more tomorrow.

Going on vacation is very simple. It is a new telephone option. You click on it, choose when you are going, how long you want your vacation to be (in days and nights) and who you want to take on the vacation. It costs §500 per person for the return flight. Hotel fees and other expenses are seperate. You have been warned!! If you have no money, you will end up vacationing at one of the camping grounds making hot dogs on the free BBQ. After selecting how long, you get to select which resort and which destination.

I suppose if a sim was really wealthy, they could take quite a lot of people. I'm yet to find out the limit. You don't have to choose your family. You can choose to take your friends.

Anyway, once Marc Miller picked when he was going (now!), how long he was going for (4 days, 3 nights), who with (Vivienne & Heather) and where to (Axewood Camping Ground, Three Lakes), he was told that the shuttle was on its way.

Personally, I find this clear and simple.

You can't take the pets, toddlers or babies. You have to leave them at home with a babysitter. Extra expense, quite probably. We'll find out about that later.

Once you're in the shuttle, you get the screens as to which resort and then to which destination in a style similar to what we have all seen before when going to a community lot or downtown or home. Before long, your sims have arrived at their destination.

For new vacationers, you are then told about your vacation mementos. There is a new button on the sim's memory page which has a card of different holiday memories a sim can have. As there are over 40, it is going to take some time and a lot of vacations for a sim to have experienced everything that there is to experience from this.

On the right, we see Marc's vacation memento card once he has arrived. One memento is filled in and that is for taking a vacation in the mountains.

Also on the subject of memories, every sim now carries a camera and can take photographs. Sims can ask other people to take their pictures while they pose for them. These can go either into the normal family album, prints of shots taken can be ordered or a proper photo album can be bought for them when they get home in order to put them in. Heather is just getting the hang of taking pictures.

The creepy looking guy in the top hat is apparently a pickpocket (Thanks, MissWendy, for finding this out for me). He comes across as very friendly and talkative but your money will start to go down as you talk to him. There may be an opportunity to engage him in a fight and recover the money if you are quick enough. His outfit changes depending upon the area in which he is found. From what I have discovered, he is now in your neighborhoods too.

Maxis (as it was then) did have a plan to introduce a pickpocket in "Vacation" for TS1 but decided against it. This time, it looks as though their successors have changed their mind and brought up an old idea.

This expansion pack is already offering quite a lot for your sims. For those who already have "Seasons", you could customise the weather for your holiday destinations. I am yet to find out whether fishing from the lake is only because I have "Seasons" installed. Either way, BV is complemented with the Seasons EP adding more options and possibilities. So far, so good.

In the next part, we continue with the Millers on vacation as they go off in search of the hidden burrow that is on their treasure map.