We want to paint a picture for you. Imagine you’re at a gathering with friends and acquaintances. It’s a fairly large group, let’s say around 15-20 people. Just as you begin to get hungry, someone brings out a large, layered cake. It’s smothered in rich, chocolate buttercream frosting – …
Way back in 2017 I wrote a blog in recognition of Canada Day; 50 Great Things Canada Contributed to the World. Since I wrote that blog I’ve been studying about the Indigenous peoples who have lived on this land we now call Canada for millennia – the First Nations and …
Saint Patrick’s Day brings Ireland and all things Irish to a lot of people’s minds. And, those of us lucky enough to be Irish or are of Irish descent, particularly so! My ancestors on both sides of my family emigrated to Canada from Ireland back in the mid to late …
There are so many things that we miss when it comes to travel, such as exploring new places, trying new things and meeting new people. What I miss the most, are those extremely peaceful moments where you can just take it all in. Whether you are enjoying a beautiful hike, …
“Welcome welcome, welcome welcome,welcome welcome we are all greeting you…….”
Wow, what a wonderful way to be greeted. Twenty five healthy, happy, talented and beautifully uniformed grade 6 students gave me a musical welcome like I have never had before. I was in the small village of Ngamo Zimbabwe, on the border of Hwange National Park.
This might not be the best way for everyone to travel, however it works well for how my husband and I like to travel. Read More >
It is a little unusual to say, “I am really looking forward to going on a wet African Safari.” Most people wonder why you would want to go and sit in the rain. But a ‘wet safari’ is the experience offered in the Okavango Delta of Botswana and the camps that I had the privilege of staying at in March 2017. Read More >
What would you do if you saw a 12,000 pound elephant bull walking towards you? Run, cry, scream, cry?
A few years ago, my husband and our two teenage sons were lucky enough to be on a walking safari in the Linyanti region in Botswana. Doing a walking tour at an African safari camp is a family travel experience I would highly recommend. It was truly interesting for both age groups, adults and teens (and an activity that appeals to both parents and their children is sometimes pretty hard to find!).
Before leaving on our 2 hour hike we went over the rules and expectations. The rules are fairly simple. Do not walk in front of the Guide, walk in a single file, do not touch the leaves on the trees, do not be loud and noisy, and most importantly keep your eyes open for the most amazing walk you will ever take. Read More >
Our group was going on Safari to the Kalahari Desert; The Okavango Delta and the Linyanti Marshlands. We had all been on Safaris before and we were very much looking forward to spotting the Big Five (Lion, Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Leopard and Rhinoceros) and the numerous types of antelopes, giraffes, ostriches and everything else that we could possibly experience. What was not on our excitement or anticipation list was birds. We just had not given birds much thought prior to coming on this safari and as we started out on the jeep that early morning they were the farthest thing from our minds. It is not that they weren’t present: we could hear the multiple songs and could see them flitter around in the early dawn light. It is just that birds had not once entered into any of our conversations or into our trains of thought as to what we were going to experience. Read More >
Being at the Guinness™ brewery in Dublin got me to thinking about the Guinness™ Book of World Records. Was it related to the famous Guinness™ stout I’d learned so much about at the Guinness™ Storehouse?
As part of a recent trip to the UK, we decided to add on a few days in a country we knew little about – Belgium! Now our families were a little afraid of us visiting in the aftermath of the airport and city bombings, however this did not deter us from visiting. We booked a cute little guesthouse about 2 blocks away from the Grand Place and we were on our way!
As if airport security doesn’t cause enough stress as it is, now you have to remember to charge your laptop or tablet BEFORE you arrive at the security gate and have to wait for your flight.
If you have been following the news lately, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued an alert for all international flights arriving in the United States. That means, even if you are flying from Canada, you must adhere to the strict screening measures that have been established. Read More >
When I was in Dublin in March I visited the Guinness™ Storehouse at St. James’s Gate. A seven-story, converted warehouse where you learn all about the Guinness™ story, it is Ireland’s #1 tourist attraction according to TripAdvisor®. The centre court is built in the shape of a monstrous Guinness™ glass, reaching from the ground floor all the way up to the 6th story. They’ll even tell you how many pints of Guinness™ it would take to fill that gigantic glass! Read More >
To my husband who was born in England, nothing is better on a hot summer day than visiting the seaside. On a recent trip back to visit his family we spent the day in two small seaside towns, Herne Bay and Whitstable – which in my opinion has the best fish and chips in the world!
