It is August 2024. Since the return of travel in early 2022 following the Covid-19 pandemic, airlines have faced staff shortages, strike action (actual and threatened), tightening regulations, and higher operating costs. These conditions, in addition to the challenges of regular operations, can seriously affect an airline’s level of service. …
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, …
Driving through Salar de Uyuni in the dark, I felt like I was at home on the prairies, driving down a gravel road in the middle of January. The salt looked exactly like snow in the glow of the headlights.
We climbed to the top of Isla Incahuasi to watch the sunrise, and as the sky began to brighten, it truly felt like we were on an island. In the dim pre-dawn light, the salt seemed like a lake surrounding us. Read More >
My glamorous life as a travel agent you say? “Oh Nat can I fit in your suitcase”? And “oh please take me with you”? And the famous; “ I want your job”. Truth be told, you should be jealous!
Yes, I obviously love to travel and I have mastered the way to do it. I only need a carry on for a 7 day trek (includes at least 1 pair of high heels), I know exactly how long it will take me to drive into the city to catch my 6am flight and I could probably do it with my eyes closed. The Park n’ Fly staff all know me very well and I am always running into clients at the airport. My suitcase remains packed other than taking the dirty clothes out, washing them and putting them back in. Read More >
One thinks of the smooth, peaty, rich taste of Scotch when thinking of the alcohol of choice for Scots and the symbolic drink of Scotland. However the new trend is the distilling of gin. For hundreds of years Scotch has been distilled in oak casks in the Highlands of Scotland. It takes at least 3 years for a genuine scotch to be distilled and bottled, with the majority being distilled for far longer. Today, there are over 120 Scotch distillers in Scotland. Read More >
When attending travel seminars, there is never enough time to explore the destination in which you are visiting. However, I always try and give myself at least one full day to explore the sites, pick up some souvenirs, and try the local cuisine.
This time it was Halifax, Nova Scotia and one day was definitely not enough. I started my day with a Starbucks coffee, which was hard to find (definitely more pubs in Halifax than coffee shops). Then boarded my half day tour to Peggy’s Cove. Read More >
One of the many activities offered by Tambopata Eco Lodge is a visit to the nearby farm that supplies most of the produce served to guests and staff.
As our boat neared the dock, we were greeted by the farm’s friendly dogs. The first task was to feed the numerous free-range chickens. After that, our guides displayed most of the fruits grown on the farm and explained what each one was. Sampling many of the fruits was the best part of the tour. We tried papaya, plantains, lady-finger bananas, carambola, lemon, orange, grapefruit, and fish-eye peppers. Noni, a super-fruit related to the acąi which looks a bit like a spotted potato, was the least favourite; the consensus was that it smells and tastes like stinky feet or blue cheese. Read More >
So you want to go to Iceland? Who wouldn’t? Iceland is one of the most beautiful destinations we travel to, full of incredible scenery, culture, food and more. The big question is – how do you plan a trip to Iceland. Shauna Cook is one of our Travel Consultants here at Great Canadian Travel Group who has been to Iceland four times, ate the fermented shark (yes, this is a real delicacy in Iceland!), and has answered hundreds of traveller questions about trip planning. Here are some of the more common questions and answers to help you plan your Icelandic adventures with us.
*Revised May 2018 to update prime booking times and photos to show the beauty of Iceland*
Who would have thought that in 2012, Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris in The Outer Hebrides was voted by The Sun Newspaper one of the “Top Beaches of the World”? One thinks of the Caribbean, Floridian, Thai, Fijian sand beaches as being the most beautiful and softest sand in the world. However, in the Outer Hebrides there are hundreds of stunning deserted beaches to walk along. I have been lucky enough to have walked on many beaches around the world but beach walking in the Outer Hebrides was a totally different experience. Read More >
Iceland is beautiful in all seasons, and each season has a standout reason why you should visit. It is the land of ice, fire and deserts. From glaciers to geothermal hot springs, Iceland has a vast array of activities in any temperature. The average temperature in Reykjavik in spring hovers around 8ºC, in summer it’s around 12ºC. The average high temperature in the fall is around 9ºC and winter, the temperature goes down to an average high of 3ºC. Here is a list of why I like to visit Iceland in every season: Read More >
New Zealand changed my life. It was my first adventure all on my own, I was 20 and wasn’t necessarily heading in the right direction, or really in any direction for that matter. Not a shining moment in my life, but one that made me pick myself up, dust myself off and journey on. New Zealand was the beginning of that journey. One that would, unbeknownst to me at the time, change my outlook on life and help me create lasting friendships that are still going strong some 16 years later. Read More >
For this adventure I became Lady Amelia Bearheart.
While in Scotland I visited the magnificent Stirling Castle, about an hour outside of Glasgow.
Stirling castle is arguably the most impressive and historically important castle in Scotland. Seen for miles around, its imposing position has played a hugely strategic role throughout the centuries. Once home to Scottish Royals including Mary Queen of Scots, the building has been subject to many bloody sieges and much political intrigue. Read More >
