2016 | The Great Canadian Travel Co.

Solo Self-Drive in the Faroe Islands

April 22, 2016 | Lois Farley

The atmosphere onboard our Atlantic Airways flight became more excited as we approached Vagar Airport on the island of Vagar in the Faroe Islands. Most of the people on the plane were tourists or native Faroese returning home for a visit and we were all looking forward to getting to the islands.

We started our descent from the bright, clear-blue skies, through the clouds and into…fog. Thick, enveloping fog that made it impossible to see anything below. The pilot announced that we would try to land but, if the visibility wasn’t good enough, we would go back up and circle around to try again. Down, down, down we went and suddenly I caught sight of a light at the runway’s end. OK, we’re down, I figured. But, no, with a roar of the engines up we went! The pilot came back on the speaker saying we would do a circle around the island and make a second approach. “After all”, he said, “the weather changes every 10 minutes here! The wind is due to shift and sweep the fog out to sea. This is very common here, no need to worry.”

He was true to his word, and our second landing was made in clear skies, although it was raining by the time we had taxied to the terminal and were disembarking. There’s that rapid weather change again, which I would quickly learn was indeed very common here! Read More >

Touring Georgia: some ideas and observations

April 21, 2016 | Archived Blogs

Travelling to Georgia is a quite astonishing and unique experience, and I have had many requests for more practical information from readers. How, when, where and sometimes why are asked, and perhaps this will help. Read More >

Essentials for Every Adventurer…

March 31, 2016 | Allison Silvaggio

Have you ever heard veteran travellers talk in hushed whispers of their so-called ‘everything bag’? Ever wondered what this little, underappreciated, totally essential item might be? If so, I have written this article especially for you! I’d like to tell you about the items in my ‘everything bag’, because every single one of them has come in useful for me on numerous occasions during my 12 years of extensive travel. Read More >

My journey across the Arctic Circle

March 31, 2016 | Archived Blogs

Canada’s north is such a vast and wild region and our clients often ask us “Where should I go?”. To be honest, there are different highlights to any of the northern communities and national parks, but one in particular, I have grown to be quite fond of. Read More >

What to do if you lose your passport – 5 easy steps to get back on track

March 26, 2016 | Karen Pearson

It’s almost midnight, you’re somewhere you don’t know from Timbuktu, and all you want to do is check in to this comfortable-looking hotel and get some sleep, before embarking on some adventures tomorrow. But as you reach into your pocket for your passport you feel a sickening drop of your heart as your fingers close around nothing but empty space…… Read More >

Exploring Newfoundland & Wild Labrador, a Canadian adventure

March 14, 2016 | Archived Blogs

Exploring the East Coast of Canada has always been on my bucket list. So when I got the opportunity this past July to explore Newfoundland and Labrador on an expedition cruise ship, needless to say I was over the moon with excitement. Adding to the excitement was that we would be sailing on the Ocean Endeavor, a 198 passenger expedition vessel with all the comforts you could ask for to explore some of Canada’s most remote places. Read More >

The perks of an expedition cruise

March 05, 2016 | Martha Banias

We’ve all heard of expedition cruises, that kind of hybrid vacation that sounds somewhat exotic and somewhat rugged and wild. But do you need to be a dedicated adventurer to enjoy an expedition cruise? Or do you have to be a seasoned cruiser? The answer is neither! Expedition cruises are a wonderful type of travel all to themselves, and in my mind they are a bit underestimated. So here I’d like to tell you a bit more about what an expedition cruise really is, and why it could be your new favorite way to travel… Read More >

Arctic or Antarctica? Defining the Poles…

March 03, 2016 | Archived Blogs

They’re both cold, remote, inhospitable, and deservedly on most people’s bucket-list…but is there really much to choose between the Arctic and the Antarctic, the North and the South pole? I can tell you that there certainly is! In fact, the Arctic and the Antarctic are only similar at first glance – look just below the surface and you’ll immediately see that the poles are almost polar opposites (pun intended). Here’s how: Read More >

What to Pack for a Hiking Trip

March 01, 2016 | Shauna Cook

It’s Easter already, and that means that spring is most definitely in the air! And what better thing to start thinking about while munching on the chocolatey excesses of the season than a hiking vacation in the great outdoors? Read More >

Duty Free – what you can bring back to Canada

March 01, 2016 | Oksana Szwaluk

It can be a minefield to know what you are allowed to bring back into Canada without paying duty (extra taxes) on your goods. And if you knew in 2015, you may be surprised now in 2016 as some of the allowances have changed! So, here’s a rundown of the basics so you can make the most of your duty free allowance on your next trip out of Canada. Read More >

Year: 2016

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