Travel Blog
Travel Blog
Written by Thomas Dembie Wednesday, 22 May 2013 03:21
Why I Love Montreal's Jean-Talon Market
I travel to Montreal at least once a year to take in the sites and visit my family. There's one place I just have to visit during each trip - the Jean Talon market. The year-round market, which boasts over 300 vendors during the peak summer months, is a sensory experience unlike any in Montreal, with an wonderful and diverse combination of traditional and international goods. I like to think of it as a microcosm of all that is great about living in Canada. People are extremely friendly and the language barrier is easily overcome with friendly smiles.
Written by Thomas Dembie Tuesday, 14 May 2013 21:43
8 Things I Can't Wait To Do In Italy This Summer
It has been 3 years since I've visited Europe, and about 10 since my last trip to Italy. Though not much has changed in Italy since then, my life certainly has. I have a feeling I'll be seeing Italy in a whole different light this time. No longer constrained by a student budget, and with a much better appreciation of Italian food, I look forward to overloading my senses with authentic Italian experiences in a few weeks. I'm also very excited to be making the trip with family, which is a first for me.
Written by Thomas Dembie Thursday, 09 May 2013 14:58
Luxor Egypt Travel Tips
The great thing about independent travel, as opposed to going with a tour group, is that you can do what you want when you want. If you're short on time you can see more than big tour groups. If there's a site that doesn't really interest you, you can skip it. If something is really important to you, you can be seen bright and early before the crowds arrive and spend extra time exploring. When traveling in Egypt, I found traveling independently to be a real advantage since there are so many tour groups. That said, there are plenty of pitfalls that can derail your plans. Here are some tips to make the most of your visit to Luxor.
Written by Dorothy Pan Tuesday, 30 April 2013 08:00
Getting Fresh in Twenty Valley, Ontario
This past weekend was the “Get Fresh in the Valley” event in Twenty Valley (the ‘other’ wine region in the Niagara area) – a very similar event to the Wine and Herb Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Twenty Valley is bound by the towns of St. Catharines, Jordan, Vineland & Beamsville.
Though generally much smaller in scale to many of the well-established wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake, these wineries certainly know how to make some incredible wines. They also provided us with a wonderful recipe book of the food from each winery pairing, which was a nice added touch. There were several hits and highlights and a few misses of the twelve wineries that we visited, but all in all it was a great (but bitterly cold) weekend.
Written by Thomas Dembie Monday, 25 March 2013 17:00
Fun Times Wakeboarding at Cable Parks in Canada
Cable Parks - An Affordable Way to Learn & Have Fun
In the summer months, many Canadians, including myself, head to cottage country to spend time by the lake and take part in a variety of outdoor activities. Though it's a very short season, Canada's vast landscape provides many opportunities to take part in outdoor activities. Some of the most popular 'adventurous' activities include mountain biking, kayaking, sailing, white water rafting, windsurfing and wakeboarding/water skiiing. Unfortunately for many tourists, wakeboarding is expensive. You could easily spend hundreds of dollars for a weekend of fun. A great cost-effective, and more environmentally friendly alternative that is growing in popularity, is wakeboarding at a cable park. A cable park allows people to try wakeboarding without the need for a boat.
Written by Thomas Dembie Sunday, 17 March 2013 02:59
My Travel Anti-Bucket List
What's an Anti-Bucket List?
A bucket list is a list of experiences you want to see/do before you pass away. An anti-bucket is thus a list of things you've already seen/done that you never want to experience again. I have been fortunate to travel around the world and thought it would be fun to put together a list of some less than pleasant experiences. It's a great opportunity to also provide some tips and travel advice should you decide to visit any of these places. Most of the experiences could have been avoided with better planning. Though this list contains experiences I never want to go through again, I have no regrets. Being able to travel around the world is a blessing, and I look forward to many more travel adventures.
Written by Thomas Dembie Sunday, 10 February 2013 18:43
Sossusvlei Namibia: Tips and Insights
With its tall red dunes, clay pans and extremely dry climate, Sossusvlei is a surreal area unlike any other place in the world. Located in the southern part of the Namib desert, it's not easily accessible and off-the-beaten-path, but well worth the trip. After a recent visit, I wanted to share my experience and provide some advice to help make your planning a little easier. It can be a real challenge to coordinate everything on your own, so hopefully you'll find this information helpful!
Written by Thomas Dembie Thursday, 24 January 2013 07:25
5 Great Travel Television Show Personalities
After receiving a slew of positive feedback on our top 5 travel television shows list, we decided to inform our readers of a few more. This time, however, we thought that instead of focusing solely on the shows, we would put more emphasis on the fascinating hosts because lets face it, they are the show. We've come up with 5 great hosts of 5 great shows, all with the ability to turn that seemingly boring destination in to the hidden gem that you will immediately place on your bucket list. These are five people we'd love to sit down and have a drink (or ten) with while swapping travel stories.
Written by Thomas Dembie Monday, 14 January 2013 08:20
Top 12 Africa Travel Photos of 2012
Another great year has passed! In 2012 we used all of our vacation time for an amazing month-long trip to Southern & Eastern Africa. Below are some of our favorite pictures. In no particular order, the top 12 includes photos from Namibia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania & South Africa. Enjoy!
Written by Dorothy Pan Monday, 07 January 2013 10:49
32 Day African Adventure - Part 2 - Cities & Spectacular Scenery
January 2nd
Great Ending to an Amazing Trip! - Eating at La Colombe
Well, it's the last day of our trip...our last afternoon in this wonderful, awe-inspiring continent. To cap off our amazing trip we had our last meal at La Colombe, one of the top 50 restaurants in the world! I must have mentioned to them that it was our honeymoon because when we arrived they brought us to our special private table under a beautiful gazebo. The entire experience, from the exquisite food to the charming service, was beyond anything I could have imagined. Top that off with champagne, wine pairings, a menu that felt like it was built for us, a dessert made just for our honeymoon, and the stunning view of the winery and we have a perfect ending to a spectacular trip of a lifetime.
Written by Dorothy Pan Monday, 17 December 2012 22:05
32 Day African Adventure - Part 1 - Safari
December 15th, 2012
Tracking the Kwitonda Group of Mountain Gorillas
Today was gorilla day! We woke up early and freezing to dark menacing clouds, which turned to an entire morning of pouring rain. It was an incredibly difficult trek through thick jungle, trudging through gooey slippery mud and it did not help in the least that it was raining and I had a 5 pound camera strapped to my hand. At times we found ourselves climbing over tree trunks that were over 2 feet in diameter, crawling through vines and shrubs that we could barely fit through, and doing high knee runs through large army ant colonies.
Written by Thomas Dembie Friday, 23 November 2012 12:06
Porter Airlines Review - First Class Experience
I have been very fortunate to travel around the world and fly with a number of different airlines. Porter Airlines, which turned 6 years old in October, is in a league of its own. With Porter you get a first class experience - from the moment you check in to the time you disembark. With first class facilities and friendly staff it's no wonder why Porter has become the airline of choice for many frequent travellers. Though they have a limited number of routes, they continue to expand and have started to establish interline partnerships with global carriers such as Qatar Airways.
Written by Alfred Smith Thursday, 22 November 2012 04:23
Best Adventure Destinations (in America) For Traveling As A Single
There are many travel packages designed specifically for single individuals. You can meet new people and have a range of great experiences without waiting for a traveling companion. Explore the best destinations in America on your own without going alone. Many people dream of taking luxurious vacations and exploring foreign cities with a spouse or companion. If you have put off your travel plans in the past because you are single, consider taking a tour or adventure package designed for individuals. You may meet singles that you can start a relationship with while climbing mountains, hiking through thick forests or kayaking down a river. Meeting new friends is more fun when you are enjoying the beauty of nature with a group of fellow enthusiasts.
Read more: Best Adventure Destinations (in America) For Traveling As A Single
Written by Thomas Dembie Friday, 02 November 2012 13:32
Tips for Planning Your African Dream Vacation
Approximately one year ago my fiance (now wife) and I decided that we wanted to spend our honeymoon in Southern and Eastern Africa. During this trip of a lifetime we would be visiting Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. If you're looking to organize your own trip, here are some tips that I hope you'll find helpful. I came up with the list based on my most recent planning experience and previous trips to Morocco and Egypt. Planning your trip will require a lot of work and patience, but you'll be rewarded with an itinerary that is catered to what is most interesting to you and an amazing experience that you'll never forget.
Written by Thomas Dembie Tuesday, 30 October 2012 16:39
Toronto's Food Truck Revolution
One of my favorite things about traveling is getting to taste all the different foods of the region and some of the best foods come from local street vendors. Not only is it cheap, but more often than not this is where you'll find the most authentic, soulful flavors of the region. With Toronto being the multi-cultural city that it is, one would think that this type of food service would be the perfect avenue to showcase the pride that we have in our diversity. Unfortunately for us Torontonians, there are so many by-laws in place for the street food business that many vendors find it difficult to turn a profit. It was only a matter of time before more and more people started finding creative ways around them. The good news is that today, even with the restrictions and the seemingly endless requirements for licenses, the number of food trucks around the Greater Toronto Area has increased significantly.
More Articles...
- 5 Great Travel Television Shows
- 12 Places in Africa to Visit in 2012
- Top 11 Travel Photos of 2011
- Managing Travel Loyalty Points on Points.com
- Not All Miles Are Created Equal With SkyTeam
- Making the Most of a 7 Hour Layover at Incheon Airport in South Korea
- 10 Must See Temples & Monuments in South East Asia
- Why Hostels Are a Great Option
- Should You Still Consider Using a Travel Agent? Yes.
- Spanish Man Robs Travelers by Hiding in a Suitcase
- Around the World Ticket the Best Option for a Trip Around the World?
- Groupon & Expedia Team Up
- 10 Drinking Experiences From Around the World - Part 2 of 2
- 10 Drinking Experiences From Around the World - Part 1 of 2
- Really Seeing Europe - Planning Your European Tour
- The Art of Negotiating
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