Journey & Adventure

In less than a week, we are off to the Philippines for two glorious weeks of scuba diving, snorkeling, eating, drinking, relaxing , more relaxing and maybe some shopping. I’m looking forward to everything - except the journey to get there. The first leg of the trip will see us depart Toronto for a 15 hour flight to Hong Kong. Then it’s another 2 hour flight from Hong Kong to Manila and then another 2 hour flight from Manila to Cebu and then a 2 hour bus ride to the dive resort. Estimated time in transit to get there, including flights, wait time at the airports and bus time = 25+ hours. A previous trip to Palau was 36+ hours of travel time, BUT we had an overnight stop over in Hawaii, which softened the blow a bit. All of our travel companions are pretty easy going, but I’m sure someone will have a meltdown before that excursion is over. My money is on one of the smokers in the group. Should be interesting. I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes. The suitcases are ...

Back to travel basics...  When traveling always remember, that you are a merely guest in someone else’s village, city or country.   You are visiting their home.   Stop and ask yourself - how would you want visitors to behave in your home?  Making responsible choices before and during your vacation can help protect communities and the environment around the world. Know Before You Go Do your homework before you go.  Know where you’re going, what to expect, acceptable practices and most importantly, the cultures you will be experiencing.  It doesn’t hurt to learn a few words of the local language – words like “please” and “thank-you” will go a long way in any culture.  The internet is a vast source of travel-related information – use it.  Ignorance is not an excuse. Go Green Remove all excess packaging before you leave home.  Understand that proper waste disposal can be difficult or non-existence in remote places a...

This article recently appeared in one of our local newspapers.  I just had to share...enjoy!    A recent survey from Thomas Cook and the Association of British Travel Agents revealed 20 of the most ridiculous complaints by holiday-makers made to their travel agent.   1. “I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts.”   2. “It’s lazy of the local shopkeepers to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during ‘siesta’ time — this should be banned.”   3. “On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food at all.”   4. “We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels.”   5. A tourist at a top African Game Lodge overlooking a water hole, who spotted a visibly a...

When my blog was first started, it was done so with the intention of sharing some of my travel experiences, and perhaps some travel tips, hints, websites, etc. Since I haven’t been on a trip since February and my recent travel experiences have been limited to my daily commute, there hasn’t been a wealth of anything useful to share, except perhaps how to maneuver a roundabout. Now that summer is upon us and the summer travel season is in full swing, I thought perhaps now is a good time to provide you with some travel etiquette tips. Today, I will feature airline travel tips. The opinions expressed here are solely mine and the information provided here may or may not provide you with a better travel experience. Your personal satisfaction is not guaranteed and your travel experiences may vary, but I can guarantee that your fellow travelers will appreciate the effort. Well maybe not. Let me rephrase that – I will appreciate the effort. Tips Chec...